The 3rd quarter, 4 schools had commissioning service

By Joshua K. Kim/ Editor

September 19th marked the end of the third quarter, and there was a commissioning ceremony for four schools: INDTS (Intimacy Discipleship Training School), CDTS (Crossroad Discipleship Training School), SBS (School of Biblical Studies), FCM (Foundation of Counseling Ministry).

Before the ceremony, the school leaders who led the schools reported what God had done in this semester. INDTS discipled 21 students from June 3rd to August 23rd with the theme of “Dwelling In.” The participants were divided into two teams, and one was sent to Thailand and Laos while the other was sent to Korea and Japan.

In CDTS, 16 students, 1 spouse, and 4 children finished the lecture phase and were commissioned to bring the gospel to Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The leader of the school, Insun Cho, remarked, “It was interesting to watch that God faithfully sent to Uganda a single student who came to this school with a vision for that nation.”

FCM sent two teams of 20 students to Thailand and Chiang Mai. The leader, Yonghyun Kim, says, “FCM has three goals. Firstly, our purpose is to restore the identity of students through intimate relationship with God. Secondly, we desire to offer the healing experience of the spiritual family. Thirdly, to equip the students to be engaged in the restorative ministry of Godʼs. In this sense, the third team of 12 students are unique because instead of going overseas, they would do home ministry. Please pray that they would continue to be ministers of reconciliation.”

The eleven students of SBS had their graduation after a nine month-long journey of studying the sixty six books of the Bible. The key verse of SBS is Ezra 7:10, and the school trains the students to “study the word of God and seek His righteous character and goodness in the society and nations.”

After the speeches of the school leaders, the students and staff worshiped God with gratitude. The student representative of each school shared what God had done through his/her school during the worship service. Their testimonies witnessed the grace of God and glorified Him.

Arum Choi, the participant of INDTS, shared “before DTS, I thought I had an intimate relationship with God. I was born into a Christian family and did not see any problem in my Christian walk. However, I did not realize that I sought after God out of fear, rather than love. My religious life was motivated by the fear of punishment for disobedience. 

One day during the school, I wrote down my negative thoughts about God and cried out to Him. I complained, ‘I heard that you are good and great, but I do not know what to think. I have financial difficulty… I do not know whether you really love me.ʼ Godʼs response surprised me because He said, ‘What I desired was your honest confession. This is the real you. Letʼs be together and feel my intimate presence.ʼ He could have not been more different from the divine being that I had known for the last 20 years. My hardness of heart was broken at that moment, and I have been enjoying the peace in His presence more than any place. I learned to be myself in front of Him. The intimacy with Him brought peace that I have not known before.”

Eunmi Koh held her teaching position in college on hold and came to CDTS. “While I was teaching for last 20 years, my goal became to keep the teaching position, and I compromised with the world and was hurt by othersʼ betrayal. I could not believe that God loved me. During prayer, God spoke to me that He knew me. He let me know that I believed the lies that had penetrated into my life through painful failures and He informed me that I did not forgive myself. I have listened to many lies because of my failure. I said to myself, ‘Discipleship would not change anything. You betrayed Jesus. You are a failure!ʼ God let me proclaim that I was a forgiven and redeemed daughter of God and no more under the curse. I became to enjoy the peace of God, not because I would not fail any more but because Christ was within me. I read Gal. 2a20, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who love me and gave himself for me.”

Ho-gul Ki who graduated from FCM shared about his hardship of participating the school as a minister. However, he also shared how his FCM experience became a critical turning point. The knowledge of bible was in my head, but wasnʼt in my heart and I couldnʼt submit to God. After I believed in Jesus, I lived a life as a minister, but I came to realize the thick mask that I was wearing, and what kind of a dirty life that I lived. Through this school, God helped me to confront myself covered with sin. I thank my Lord who showed me my hidden sins and helped me to unload those sins. I firmly believe this was possible because I was within a safe community.

Among the people who shared testimonies, Yeo ju eun who graduated SBS shared her experience with a witty joke: “I prayed for the second coming of Jesus because the school was too tough for me.” “I joined SBS because I wanted to know more about the God that I have met. In my early days of wandering, I became curious about my motherʼs God, and at the end, I joined DTS and* met the personal God. However I came to realize that I lacked understand of the bible. I didnʼt know that there was a book of Joel, didnʼt know who Onesimus was, and furthermore, I didnʼt even know my God well enough.

Through SBS, I learned few things. First, the meaning of Jesus Christ has changed for me. Learning about the work of God in terms of history, I came to realize the grave meaning of Jesus Christ. It is never a simple name, rather I experienced and fell in love with its glory and power through my heart. Praise and worship changed also. Knowing that the praises were based upon the powerful words of God, I was able to praise the Lord with depth rather than just superficial emotions. My worldview also changed, my viewpoint towards the world changed. I see Godʼs divine providence. I am certain that my thinking process has changed with confidence.

I also found inner sins and limitations when I hit my very bottom. I have never tried harder in my life. It was very tough. However, through these times, I practiced giving myself to the Lord, forgiving and receiving forgiveness, and worshiping the Lord at all times despite the situation. SBS is a miniature time of oneʼs life. Time to time we feel as if our lives may crumble and fall apart, but I came to realize that there is salvation even for me. In January, I never thought that September would come. But just like the fact that I am standing here still at this moment, after long grief, Jesus will come again at the day of salvation, this is why I hope and long for Jesus.”

As she shared her witty but sincere testimony, many people laughed at one point and had second handedly experienced God who worked in her life. The ending worship was overflowed with praise, thanks, and prayer for Godʼs mighty work in the mission fields for the outreach teams.

U of N was originally started to become a Multiplier for Missions. So it is not an overstatement to say that the final goal of UofN is the mission field rather than the U of N campus. We all hope that each outreach team will return with great fruits and that their prayers will be answered with powerful providence. Also I hope all students who will return to their home will experience much providence from God.