English Compass - bringing christian fellowship to korean americans

Arizona Korean SDA Company

by Malcolm Douglas

Arizona Korean SDA Church
5700 South Country Club Way
Tempe, AZ 85283
Contact: Malcolm Douglas
Backtotheword@gmail.com

Senior Pastor: Joseph Shon
911jesus@gmail.com

“Korean’s in Arizona?”
That was my thought when I first heard there was a small company forming in the states capital. But, true and determined, that small company has now sprawled into two churches. And with growing Korean Churches, comes English Ministries. Our EM group has on two occasions in the past year alone, had to relocate because of capacity constraints.
Although it sounds good now, it has not always been that way.
How far we’ve come is astonishing. It’s almost sad to think what it was like on my first Sabbath there. It felt chaotic. I didn’t know that program or order of events and many of the youth didn’t seem to know it either. I didn’t even know when I was supposed to preach. There were so many kids, and it was, well, loud. But, there was something about this group; something unique, something that I could relate to – they had potential. Great potential!
I often questioned what I would do if I were a pastor. “Where do I start?” I’m a simple guy, so-“let start simple.” Although there was great potential, there needed to be focus – spreading our wings too fast could easily burn us out. So cautiously we went old school. Let’s go back to the core of what makes us who we are.
“What makes us Adventist?” I thought. Is it the prayer meetings? The potlucks? The praise songs? The Sabbath School? Church service? After much deliberation and prayerful reflection on the situation, it became so clear: it’s our simplicity of Scripture. So, let’s go back to the Word. Let’s keep what is essential and only add what we can without getting overburdened. Let’s make it simple!
The truth is, I saw several overworked and burnt-out, or soon to be burnt-out, church members. What is church without its members? And what are members if they’re not participating? So, this past spring we made things very simple. Sabbath School would actually be focused on Bible study. The main service would be cut to only a few songs, announcements, offering, prayer, Scripture reading, and the sermon. Although it sounds like a typical EM service, there was something different about making it shorter. Sabbath afternoon’s we began FAST - a Bible memorization program that was introduced to me when I attended KASA at PUC. The effect has been astonishing.
The program begins with a simple first, “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, ‘Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee’” (Jeremiah 31:3). We began by peering into the depths of God’s love. We would come to see what that love calls us to do. It would call us to see what our sin has done to the heart of God and how that “God commandeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). Now, it becomes our choice, how will we respond to that love? Will we spurn it or will we give our sins to this loving Father? He has promised that he will accept us in our sinfulness, in our brokenness. If one thinks about it, our sinfulness is what cost the life of the Son of God, yet he died for us while we were sinners. Our sin is what separates us from God (Isa 59:2). If our sins separate us from God, and they do, than Christ taking that sin on himself was separated from the Father. He could not see past the cross. Yet he died for us! What love! And, still, regarding our sinfulness, He says, “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:9). God is not only willing to take our sins and cast them into the depths of the sea (Micah 7:19), but He will work a cleansing agent into our lives.

These young people went from not having a Bible at church, to memorizing portions of Scripture. One of them is even determined to memorize I John. He’s already memorized III John. At this point, they could quote over 50 Bible verses, word perfect, with references. But, it’s not only about memorizing verses. It’s about putting it into practice. As they have spent time in their own personal devotions, they have discovered verses that they want hidden in their own hearts (Psalm 119:11). We have studied about having that personal time with God in prayer, and now they are praying on their own. It’s amazing to witness the transformation of these preteens and teenagers in just the past few months!

Recently, they were requested by a visitor who heard them one Sabbath morning, to perform at a YEMA (Youth Empowerment through Music and Arts) concert which supports a local refugee outreach program. Their performance was broadcast locally on television.
Over the last several months, they have approached me about how to talk with friends about their unique beliefs. So, this new year brings more excitement as we plan to do outreach and learn how to share the things that make us different, unique, peculiar, and special (II Peter 1:9).