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Take nothing for the journey

Luke 9:2-3, "and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: 'Take nothing for the journey-no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic."

1. Take nothing

 In Luke 9, Jesus sent the disciples out to preach the gospel and told them to take nothing. Jesus wanted them to depend on God alone. When we depend on God alone, we can experience spiritual authority and power.

Asan center was established to pioneer Ho-Suh Univ. in Asan, Chung-Chung province. As we began the pioneering ministry, we lacked three things. First, we didn't have money to pioneer. We couldn't rent a center or buy things to fill the center. Second, we had no one to co-work with. Except my wife and I, there was no else. Third, we had nothing to start new life. We didn't have jobs or a car. However, we had three things. First, we had the word of God. Second, we had faith that the Holy Spirit is with us. Third, we had a shepherd heart to feed God's flock. We couldn't help, but depend on God.

First, we prayed to help one person. Jun Suk Huh started Bible study right after we moved to Asan. He didn't trust God and had a hard heart. We studied with him for 5 years during which he accepted God's love through Jesus. As he stood firm in Jesus and became a shepherd for campus students, other students started coming to Jesus one by one. In the same way, we helped one person Ji-Ra Park in Nazareth Univ. while many other students came and left. We helped one student Min-Ho Jun in South Seoul Univ. When we helped them to the end with a shepherd heart, God sent us other faithful students although some of them left and others became weak in faith.

Second, we taught only the word of God. We tried not to talk about our own theories, experiences or ideas, but instead study Jesus' teaching. We focused on the word of God as it was and explained its meaning.

Third, we considered the students as Jesus' own sheep. We accepted them as they were and waited until the Holy Spirit worked. To fish students, we waited until they opened their hearts through making a relationship first. After they started Bible study, we waited again until they came to worship service. We waited until they started a common life and until each grew as a spiritual man. It was a time of patience until God changed them to grow independently of following senior shepherds.

2. Jesus who blessed five loaves and two fish.

First, the five loaves and two fish that I gave to Jesus were my tears. Through watching "Saving Private Ryan", I was reminded of Jesus' sacrifice and shepherd heart that saved me. When I came to realize Jesus' love, I felt so helpless because I couldn't save campus students as Jesus had done. I just cried to God in my prayers  to be used by God for His saving work.

Second, I gave all I had. Students in the provincial college tend to be immature and ignore shepherd's serving and sacrifice. We made the best environment for them to have thankful hearts. We wanted them to learn the meaning of serving and living a sacrificial life. We prepared very big and nice apartment for common life. Shs. Sarah became a Ph.D and influential professor although she had to sacrifice so much to obey this direction.

Third, we co-worked in the mission field. We sent students one by one to West LA chapter for 6 months as a missionary secretary. They received spiritual training from other missionaries. When they returned after 6 months, they were no longer sheep, but coworkers. When we gave Jesus all we had: money, relationships, children's education, and family life. God blessed us in many ways.

God raised Sh. Isaac Huh, Sh. Sang-Bae Lee and Sh. Gi-Suk Song from Ho-Suh Univ. God raised brother Gyu-Ik Kim, Byung-Yong Kim and sister Gwang-Sun Ryu and Sae-Ryun Kim from Nazareth Univ. From Guk-Dong Univ, brother Dong-Mun Shin, Suk-Ho Jung, Sang-Yoon Park, Sin-Young Kang and Gyung-Ryul Kang were raised. God also sent brother Sam-Moo Yang and Soo-Pyo Hong. They all live in common life and have daily bread faithfully.

I couldn't do anything to help students. I just cried out to God and gave all I had. God blessed our five loaves and two fish and raised many disciples. I thank and praise God who has fed them and raised them with His love and through his Word.

God also blessed my life and made me a mentor for governors and city and provincial congressman. The school our children attend is a well-known school for after school programs, so we don't have to spend extra money to educate them.

Asan center was pioneered with the least money and coworkers, but not we are raising disciples from Ho-Suh, Nazareth, Guk-Dong and South Seoul University by the grace of God. We pray to continue serving campus students with the Word of God and His love. We pray for students to grow as Bible teachers and as pioneers who can preach the gospel independently.

One Word: "Take nothing for the journey."