By: gfesadmin on September 5, 2012
Entering the De-militarized Zone I felt a combination of curiosity and “fear”. As we went past the South Korean guards, a sense of excitement rose. This place could become a war zone again. The DMZ is a monument to the fact that there is a tense relationship between North and South Korea, demonstrating an uneasy…
By: gfesadmin on September 5, 2012
As I reflect about our Korean Advance, I am impressed by the impact Christian Missionary leaders had on Korea. Starting in the late 1800s, missionaries came primarily from the USA and England. They opened hospitals, schools and churches. They translated the Bible into the Korean alphabet which at the time was only used by the…
By: gfesadmin on September 5, 2012
A few years ago a trusted mentor shared with me an insight from his years traveling abroad. He said, “When you travel to a new continent or culture you learn a tremendous amount about that particular region and people group, but you will learn even more about where you are from.” My time in Korea…
By: gfesadmin on September 5, 2012
The Korean man and his wife wanted us “to feel their hearts.” And so, they took us on a tour of the Daejeon metropolis of Korea. The salt and pepper haired 40-ish man was on a mission to show us the things he loved about Korea. All five of us hopped in a church van…
By: gfesadmin on September 3, 2012
Hey Seoulmates! I am super excited. I submitted a picture I’ve taken in Seoul to one of my favorite blogs on Tumblr called “Passed out on public transport – P.O.O.P.T.” And there it is… !!! They really put it online. Isn’t that a nice souvenir?
By: gfesadmin on September 3, 2012
I’ve had a hard time deciding what to blog about for this entry. I could write on what I learned about the history of Christianity in Korea (did you know Korean Christianity is only about 120 years old?), or current issues (decline in membership) facing the Korean church. All of these topics would merit a post to themselves,…
By: gfesadmin on September 3, 2012
Korea and the rapidly growing church was on the lips of every notable Christian leader in my country during my early days of ministry. I remember often praying for the ‘spirit of revival sweeping across Korea’ to break out on our nation too. Little did I understand that the answer to that prayer could only…
By: gfesadmin on September 3, 2012
Its been said that you discover a country best and most originally, if you are brave enough to look into the pots and pans, to smell and taste the exotic lusciousness from the carts and cook shops on the streets or in the mouth-watering ethnic restaurants. On the first evening of our advance to Seoul,…
By: gfesadmin on September 3, 2012
The South Korea advance was a time of refreshment and frustration. For someone like me who has been journeying, trying new directions in faith, our time together was wonderful. I felt a true camaraderie among the students and with those that led the Advance. It was freeing to hear of the different places in which…
By: gfesadmin on August 31, 2012
My time in Seoul has been a rich, rewarding and inspiring one. So many highlights, but one experience that seemed to bring them all together and into focus. Yesterday I stood in the Yanghwajin Foreign Missionary Cemetery (양화진), and on reading one epitaph found my breath taken away, tears stinging my eyes. “If I had a…
By: gfesadmin on August 28, 2012
So I am sitting here in Seoul, as Typhoon Bolaven tears up through Seoul, with the wind and rain increasing in intensity. It reminded me of how Christians all to easily and to often lay claim to weather events as acts of God. For example Hurricane Isaac is currently interfering with and affecting the republican convention (and see here) in the…
By: gfesadmin on August 28, 2012
The extent of human hopelessness and suffering screened today on the North Korean situation is unfathomable. It broke my heart. But I know that every hopelessness can be redeemed through Christ. While social action stems from this conviction, often it seems the actual presentation of the Gospel is diluted and emphasis laid on ‘works’. Ms.…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
If you are anything like me, I struggle giving myself permission to slow. It’s often more gratifying to check off things on my “to do” list than to sit in silence with God! This morning I heard a common theme among our lecturers regarding the difficulty Korean ministers have in giving themselves inner permission to…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
Yesterday I visited Yoido Full Gospel church in Seoul, Korea. What impressed me was the intensity with with they prayed. The energy of a church of thousands praying together is admirable. Today as we talked with Korean pastors, the importance of spiritual formation came up. This is needed in order to preserve and strengthen churches.…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
The concern for the current crisis within the Korean church is timely and important, but it leaves me with more questions than answers. The band Wilco, in the song “You Never Know” make the observation that, “every generation thinks its the end of the world.” Coming from a context like Spain, where we have moved…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
One of the common themes we have been hearing at the LGP-DMin advance is that the church grew because, in essesnce, there was nowhere else to turn for hope during the bad times Korea was experiencing – except to Christianity. And now that things are good, people are losing the connection to Christ/Church because they…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
Listening to Myung Sook Cho being asked about (financial) support of other churches in South-Korea and her negating that (because of their different denominational or congregational backgrounds), I asked myself about the meaning of ecumenical empowerment and partnership in South-Korea. What does it mean, when we are hearing explicit rejections concerning Catholics in South-Korea (genereal…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
It was a multi dimensional perspective on the Church and the Kingdom of God in Korea. The first presentation by Rev. Lee was encouraging in that even though the Korean church has grown as a result of seeds planted by western missions, it is constantly aware that it is planted in the Korean soil and seeks…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
One thing that has struck listening to the Korean nationals sharing with our D.Min students is how Christianity was instrumental to the rebuilding Korea after the Korean war. In the face of such devastation, Christianity having largely preserved the Korean language, took shape through faith and worship, into prayer and intense missional action. There…
By: gfesadmin on August 27, 2012
One of the comments Dr. Daniel Dongwon Lee shared in his presentation that relates to my work is the “Balance in work and rest” issue.It is too easy to wake up in the morning and my first action is to check my emails on my IPhone. Technology significantly increases our work load and the pressure…
