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In the best of conditions, or in the worst of the condition
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Chapter 21 - In the best of conditions, or in the worst of the condition
It is not easy for someone to pursuit their calling in their life with passion.
There are environmental, ages and what is around you that affect it.
The reason I thank and look up to Reverend KyungJik Han is because he always showed continuance of faithfulness even in the smallest of all things.
After he had retired he no longer stood by the church’s main gate to meet and greet congregation members after the church service was over. I had wondered where he would now be standing, I found out where he was while I was passing by the church front yard. He had installed several TVs for the members who had kids or had arrived late and was greeting them. They worshipped in the basement of the main sanctuary. He still served and greeted after he had retired still, even to those who didn’t have a great sanctuary.
Reverend Han wanted to raise new laymen leaders for the church so he had a “Layman Leadership Conference” about two times every year. He always lectured on the same topic.
Using the same notes he wanted the idea to be memorized. I had gone to the conference many times. Same thing as always, but it always felt refreshed. I still have the notes from the very first conference. The paper looks like it’s about to crumple because it’s so old and yellow.
The conference notes were like this:
1. New church faith – Gospel driven faith (Bible centered)
2. New church ethics – (moderately solemn Puritan ethics) Devotional life practice.
3. New church relation ecclesiology – Cooperation movement (in respect with ecumenical)
4. New church to social - realize a just society
Reverend Han gave the entire conference lecture and all the writing that was typed. He showed how YoungNak Presbyterian Church’s foundation was built upon from start to end.
The three main catchphrase of YoungNak Presbyterian Church was ‘Evangelize’, ‘Education’ and ‘Volunteer’. It was simple but the phrase was implied great commission by God. I give thanks to the Reverend who taught me the entire important lecture as I am a full time pastor now.
Even after the Reverend had retired he still evangelized people, in outskirts of Seoul where all the Seoul’s feces was gathered, there were several board houses in that area where people’s houses were demolished for many reasons. It was really a terrible environment to live. It was a place where even opening mouth a dung fly would fly into the mouth. Some of the Presbyterian Theological Seminary students had planted a church and was evangelizing people there. When it was during flood season some of the houses would be filed with feces water. One of the seminary students wanted to invite Reverend Han to have an evangelism rally in that village. I had worked during that time to gather few people to house to house evangelize and to help with the Reverend come or the evangelism rally. Of course it was self-voluntary. The front podium for Reverend Han to give his sermon was unavailable. It was a bunch of wooden crates stacked with a blanket covering. There were 2 light bulbs on a long pole that provided little shine. After Reverend Han had retired he was preaching the gospel in-front of a small, fly-attracting light bulb with foul smells.
“Chungcheongbuk-do to Christ!” was the theme in the city of CheongJu to have an evangelical rally. I had taken an express bus to CheongJu to gather in the public stadium to participate. This was after he had retired. I saw how bravely and boldly Reverend Han preached the gospel.
Reverend Han had still run the path of evangelizing even after he had retired even if the amount of people was small or large.
After he retired and after the New Year Service, we went to Reverend Han’s house to New Year’s greeting with my wife and first son SamYeol (who was 1 month and half at that time). His wife said that he was “having a meal” and we waited shortly and he came out and greeted us with gladness. The reverend always met people with gladness not because I was someone special. After the New Year’s greeting he said if he can hold “the child”. The assistant pastor at that time named ChoJun Park (who is the current senior pastor) was who had given the name SamYeol to my son. Reverend Han asked “What is his name?” and I said “SamYeol”. Reverend said he would pray for him and prayed that he would be led and helped by God. It was a lot of blessing.
When SamYeol was about five, my wife friend got married. Her family had been members in the Second SinUiJu Presbyterian Church, so Reverend Han was specially requested to do the marriage ceremony. Since it was early summer and he was past 75, and looked tired and wanted sit down after the ceremony, after he had greeted with the husband and wife’s family and all the visitors. At that time SamYeol said “Dad” and ran to me when I had gone to greet Reverend Han. What surprised me was that he still remembered SamYeol. Reverend Han called him over and he approached the Reverend. After, he held his hand to pray for him. “Ah, being a pastor is like following Jesus!” I had seen it with my very eyes. Even now SamYeol thanks me if I talk about Reverend Han. “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. (Matthew 19:14)” as Jesus had said, I still thank the Reverend who followed the prime example.
(January 2011)
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Moving back to San Jose 
In the best of conditions, or in the worst of the condition