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Home > Praise and Thanks Volume II |
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Chapter 4 – Reverend “Uncle John”
Yesterday I got a letter thanking me in a neat handwriting. I had gifted a sister – in Christ a book that she wanted a recommendation in reading. After many thoughts, I had sent the book “My Thanks” which was the interview book of Reverend KyungJik Han about 10 days ago. The letter was about how she read the book with a great impression. I enjoy reading books so whenever I meet someone who does like to read books I am very glad.
Before I was going to call her I looked up “Seoul YoungNak Presbyterian Church” website, which was the cradle of my belief. It was specially to see if there were any CDs or books that had Reverend Han’s sermons, since the website had a page to commemorate Reverend Han. I had several books and cassette tapes of Reverend Han’s sermons but they were purchased long time ago in Korea. I wanted more of his sermons to open my spiritual knowledge more by reading and hearing new ones.
While I was in the Seoul YoungNak Church website, I always click on the “Young Adults” page. This site is important because of the valuable times I had spent as a young man myself. It was the best time for me to be trained, and to dedicate myself in Christ. I was particularly interested in an article by DongYeol Lee, who wrote an article with pictures on 23rd of November, 2009. He said that he was grandson of elder ChiSun Kim. While he was cleaning his grandfather’s leftover possessions he found a note saying that, he was going to give up his skills, along with saying that he wishes to be a servant of God like Reverend Han. Elder Kim was influenced greatly by Reverend Han while he was the senior pastor in SinUiJu’s the 2nd Church in North Korea. I believe that DongYeol Lee heard many great stories of Reverend Han through his grandparents. When a young man chooses his path in life, sometimes what he has never heard or seen influences the greatest. I know this also applies to me.
The Elder ChiSun Kim I remember was he used to give lectures about labor law in Seoul Nation University of Law. When I had moved to United States, I heard he was the president of SoongJun University. While I was a youth group teacher, Professor Kim’s daughter and son attended the youth ministry. The daughter was very outgoing and outright, and his son was very sweet and friendly. Whenever the youth group went to the YoungNak Prayer Conference Center, there was explaining why their grandfather’s grave is in the prayer center. Their grandfather, who came from North Korea had worked hard all his life and bought the site of the prayer center and donated the area to the church. When the granddaughter said the story of her grandfather, her eyes shined and her face turned red. When I read this article on the internet, I remember her face.
If he was indeed elder ChiSun Kim’s grandson, I think that he was the child of the devout daughter. Of course, elder Kim would have many more children besides them. But in any case, I was happy that the story and the picture were somehow related to me through that young man. So I had printed the article along with the pictures. It was so that I can pray that he would be a great worker in God like Reverend Han. His picture had a cropped of Reverend Han, who is smiling in a forest.
I took the printed paper and went to Deacon Kyung Yi’s room to explain my memories in a short story. Deacon Lee also opened up a website to show a sister in Christ that he had influenced while he was teaching at San Jose Baptist Church. We smiled together and shared our good times. But suddenly Deacon Yi’s expression changed asked “did you hear about the passing of Reverend John Stott?” I was very surprised. I was just about halfway through reading “John Stott’s Guide in Christian Belief” which I wanted to re-read. He had written about 50 books including the very valuable, “Christian Basics in Truth” a great cornerstone in starting one’s faith. He had influenced me greatly through all of his great books.
About the start of last year he had written a book called “Discipleship”. I read that book and he explained a regret that this would be his last book to publish. It was rather sad. I had bought about any book that was published by Reverend Stott. I had read “Christian Basics in Truth” and “Cross of Christ”. His writings are simple to read, but very deep and profound books. The author himself said that he wrote these books to show his passion to loving God, not to boast his knowledge, but with modesty. He was not just an evangelist in word, but he acted his words. Therefore the more I read of his books, the more of knowledge in evangelism I was able to achieve. He was a role model I wanted to follow as an evangelist, theologian, at the same time a reverend. That is why I had always recommended strongly of his books to anyone who was looking for a guidebook to their belief. Sometimes I even gifted his books to people.
That is not the only reason why I respect him. It was also because he was my guide in doing quite time studies daily in the early morning. Like the previous chapters in “Praise and Give Thanks” I had worked as a staff in “Scripture Union of Korea” and “Scripture Union World Fellowship” which was the world organization. “Daily Quite Time” and “Bible Study for Beginner”, is his well known book written by him.
Along with “Christian Basics in Truth”, I believe that all these book were written to help all the Korean church goers to understand the Good News better. He was even the representative of United Kingdom’s “Scripture Union” from 1965~1974.
A book by Reverend Stott called “Why did I become a Christian?” was a book that he spoke of Eric Nash, a staff from the British “Scripture Union”. As a high school student he learned to meditate the word of God. He said that in February 13th of 1938, Eric Nash came as a guest preacher in “Rugby School” and that night he had repented. I think his writings are simple because he had followed the Bible. While I was I was the staff in Korean “Scripture Union”, the headquarters was in Switzerland. Reverend Stott was the first president of this “World Scripture Union”
Reverend Stott was a valuable servant in God, to lay the foundation of all Christian daily spiritual life. “The Quite Time Journal” I write daily currently to meditate on His words were a method recommended by the “World Scripture Union”. So in a way, Reverend Stott has influenced me. The QT book “Discovery”, which I have used over 30 years now was through Reverend Stott.
Also in 1974 he laid the foundation of “Lozanne World Mission Conference”. The 15 articles called “Lozanne Declaration” used by many evangelical ministers still have a huge influence. With Reverend Billy Graham, he started this mission organization, even Reverend KyungJik Han spoke as a key speaker. Reverend Stott also helped many people with his money he made from selling his books. He had sent many books and scholarships to 3rd world country ministers or seminary students from 1971. He not only gave his knowledge in his belief and trust in the Lord, but also he helped with his materials also.
Ah! How one person’s devoted work affect so many in his life!
Unfortunately, on the day he passed yesterday, (July 27th,) I had ordered 10 of his books from a Christian Books Center in Los Angeles. It was to give as a gift. In a Wednesday morning in Great Britain (that is, current time 2011, July 27th noon,) God had called this very valuable servant to return to his house. He had spent his entire life ministering in ‘All Souls Church’ located in London and retired. After he moved to a retirement center 48km away, he would listen to God’s words read by his friends and listen to G.F. Handel’s ‘Messiah’ – he had lived in celibacy all his life, a man feeling so close, everyone called him “Uncle John” – Reverend Stott finished his life beautifully at the age of 90.
I have never met Reverend Stott, but he was always feeling close to me.
You have inspired my life of God’s words! I give thanks that with your books which has so much love and care, to wake up my foolishness. I also give thanks to the Lord that he gave such a valuable servant in God, so that people may know of His Words and love, give him praise!
(July 28th, 2011)
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Why didn’t you come? (1) 
Reverend “Uncle John”