Go
I was standing in the middle of the Seoul Bus Terminal, looking out into a sea of Koreans rushing about trying to catch their bus. I was lost. Where do I go? Where is my bus connection? Growing up in Georgia, I had never been inside a “bus terminal.” I was trying to go to Daegu, my assigned post from the SDA Language Institute. It’s difficult to stop someone and ask for directions if they are running so fast they could knock you down. But I had to be brave…I was, in fact, a student missionary!
Suddenly, I focused on a young man in front of me. He was staring right at me so I stared right back at him. Using my broken Korean, I asked him where the Daegu bus would board. He kindly showed me the exact location, pointing all the way down the terminal to the other end of the building. As I turned around to thank the kind stranger, time slowed down for me tremendously. This would be my missionary moment. This kind stranger who helped me, would suddenly turn out to be an angel. This would be the awesome missionary story that I would testify of at various churches back home. I was already praising God for sending an angel to help a poor lost missionary, in his own homeland no less. In the split second that I turned around to thank the kind stranger, all these thoughts rushed through my mind. I was fully expecting this kind stranger to disappear as I turned to thank him, because indeed, he was an angel sent from God. About a micro-second later, when I had fully turned around, he was still standing in front of me, smiling with red pepper flakes stuck between his teeth. I thought, he must have had kimchi for lunch.
Is this how we approach God’s mission work? Do we expect miracles to happen to us like they occur to other missionaries out in the Amazon jungles? Even the term “student missionary” can be an oxymoron. How can a student who has not completed a bachelors degree, go to a country where there is the highest concentration of PhD’s in the world, expect to eloquently preach God’s word, give expository Bible studies, and baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? Certainly our orientation did not cover these areas of mission work. Rather, our orientation was basically about not dating local people. What is the goal of being a short-term missionary and what should I expect from this experience?
Many missionaries use the Great Commission found in Matthew chapter 28 as their impetus for going overseas as a missionary. Verse 19 says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” But this verse does not describe what our work will look like in making disciples of all nations. It does not describe how that will take place or the various situations we will encounter as a missionary. It just says “go.” This is where Faith comes in. Without faith, we cannot do the work of God. If faith can move mountains, than surely, faith can move missionaries from the US, over to Korea.
When God called Abram out of Ur to go to a new and foreign land, it was simply a command to go. “The Lord said to Abram, ‘go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.’” (Genesis 12:1) Abram was leaving the comforts, familiarity and acclaimed notoriety of his home in Ur and told to go to a foreign land. But God does not give commands without promises. Verses 2 says, “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” Even with the promises of God, Abram still had doubts about leaving his home and going somewhere else to start a new nation. In all logic, it didn’t make any sense. The reasons for God’s command were not entirely obvious to Abram at this time. But, he had entire faith in the reasonableness of what God proposes (Barnes Commentary). So we too like Abram, must have faith in the propositions of God when He says “go!”
Once you’re in your mission field, expect the unexpected. In other words, don’t have any expectations. It was a hot a humid Sabbath day. I was giving my very first sermon at the English Institute. The Korean pastor would translate my sermon. I was quite nervous. There was no A/C inside the church, so it was really hot. Fans on the walls were blowing hot air into my face. I decided to prepare a sermon about baptism. I really enjoyed the passage of John the Baptist preaching and baptizing by water and pointing to Jesus as the One baptizing with the Holy Spirit and fire (John 1). So I preached about baptism. After the sermon, everyone went upstairs to the roof of the building. I didn’t know what was going on. Up on the roof, everyone gathered around a small bathtub and several college students were baptized. I did not know that there was a baptism scheduled for that Sabbath. Those who were baptized came up to me later and thanked me for clearly explaining the meaning of baptism to them. I said, “Praise God!”
Simply go with an open heart to be a servant for God and a representative for Jesus. We are not the organizing committee for God. The plans are already made for you and me. We need to discover what God has in store for us, each and every day. With a humble prayer and an open heart, ask God to reveal His will for you each morning before you go out your front door. 1 Peter 2:9 says, “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” God has a plan and a purpose for each one of us because we are His chosen, His priests. My favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 1:5: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” This tells me that God had a special plan just for me, even before I was born. If you spend time with God daily, He will reveal your plans to you.
Finally, embrace those around you. When Jesus walked this earth, he spent most of his time with the people. “Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people. The Saviour mingled with men and women as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” (Ministry of Healing, p. 143) Christ loved being with people and so should we.
I remember the endless nights with my students at bowling alleys, coffee shops and, singing and sharing in local parks. I remember the guy who demonstrated his Tae Kwon Do skills in class (not a good ending). I remember the student who came up to me one night, strong odor of alcohol on his breath and tears in his eyes, telling me that the doctor had told him, he had cancer. Indeed, it was the Korean people, whom I went to evangelize to, that taught me the meaning of Christ’s method. The passion and love for relationships that the Korean people possess, embraced my young heart, and showed me just how great and how deep is the love of God. I can never forget the farewell of the young Korean man, “stay with me until my final breath.”
Go.
Pastor Daniel Yim is the English Ministry Pastor at the Napa Korean SDA church.