May 24, 2025

8 Quality Characteristics #3: Passionate Spirituality

What are you passionate about? I have many hobbies that I am passionate about, and one of them is scuba diving. Back in high school, I had this admiration for the underwater world that God has created and I always wanted to go diving. I didn’t have the means during that time, but my opportunity to dive came in college. In the summer of my freshman year in college (Korean schools begin their school year in March), I finally received my certification and I explored the waters. I wasn’t able to go back to diving until I finished my military service. I resumed my diving life in my junior year in college. Since that time, until I had kids, I went all over Southeast Asian countries diving. Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Palau, Mexico (not Asia, but still), etc. I loved seeing marine life and they would always call me back to go underwater. I spent all my 20s invested in diving. I just loved it so much, and was very passionate about it.

“Passionate spirituality challenges your church leadership to observe how they, and their people, most naturally connect with God.” This is a quote from the NCD Eight Quality Characteristics pamphlet. Are you passionate about your spirituality? Are you passionate about being connected to God? When I was passionate about diving, that’s all I did. Everything I did was invested in it, that was all I was thinking about throughout the whole year. My mind was occupied with what I was passionate about. So let me ask the question again. How much are you engaged with God? Is spirituality centered in your life?

“Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fuelled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder.” Romans 12:11-12 (MSG) These words from Paul tell us how we can stay passionate about spirituality and be connected to God. I pray that our church family will always put our thoughts and focus on God all the time.

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May 17, 2025

8 Quality Characteristics #2: Gift-based Ministry

An important component of worship each Sabbath is tithes and offerings. This is considered an important aspect of worship to God, for we acknowledge God as the giver by returning back what He has given us. That’s why Jesus considers the widow’s two mites much more valuable than the rich people that gave more money (Mark 12:41-44; Luke 21:1-4). 

In a similar way, offering your gifts for God’s ministry is an act of worship. “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10. God has given each one of us unique gifts, and using the gifts for God’s ministry is a great way to acknowledge God and His gifts for us. God also rejoices when we use our gifts for God’s ministry. We can see that from the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. The reaction of the master when the two servants doubled their talents shows us how much that makes Him happy. On the other hand, the master’s response to the last servant that did not do anything shows a strong contrast. 

A blessing that we get from using our gifts for God is that your gifts grow. We know this from the story of Jesus feeding the 5000 in John 6. When the little boy gave his small sack of lunch to Jesus, He multiplied that to feed everyone present. When we use our gifts for God’s ministry and church, God will help us grow our gifts and use it for a greater ministry. 

What is your gift? What do you like to do? I pray that each one of you will offer your gifts to the Lord, that He will guide your gifts to be used for the healthy growth of our church, and that He will multiply it. I pray that the Master’s blessings be upon each one of us. “Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Matthew 25:21.

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May 10, 2025

8 Quality Characteristics #1: Empowering Leadership

Recently, I was at the conference office for a pastors meeting for two days, and the guest speakers on Natural Church Development, and they talked about eight quality characteristics that all churches should have. I would like to share them here each week.

Paul says in Ephesians 4:12, “for equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying the body of Christ.” Empowering leadership is what Jesus did for His disciples to expand the kingdom of God. The disciples of Jesus came from different backgrounds, where many were fishermen, a tax collector, and such. Most of them did not stand out in terms of social status, but Jesus empowered them with the Holy Spirit, as we find in Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…”

We see similar examples in the Old Testament as well. God called Moses out of the wilderness after 40 years to lead God’s people out of Egypt. God chose young boy David, over his qualified brothers, as the next king of Israel. A generation before that, God empowered Samuel in his childhood to be the spiritual leader for God’s people. God empowered Queen Esther to rise up in times of crisis for her people. God uses people for His work, He works through us.

I remember the time when I gave my first sermon, I was in sixth grade. My dad told me to give a sermon one day, which did not make any sense. I didn’t think I was old enough or qualified by any means to give a sermon, but he empowered me. He walked through the steps of what I needed to do, we rehearsed and prayed. It was a special moment for me. Empowering leadership will come in different forms, but it is an important characteristic that is needed for our church today. I know we all can be leaders, it’s time to empower you with the Holy Spirit.

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