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THOUGH IT IS THE SMALLEST…

2015 Key Verse:  Matthew 13:32 “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”

I. Review of God’s grace in the year 2014

The 2014 London UBF key verse was 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” My personal 2014 key verse was Psalm 1:2, “but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.” When I review the year 2014, I can feel that God blessed me and our ministry according to these key verses. In 2014, we studied the epistle of Titus, Luke’s gospel, the epistle of 2 Peter and Mark’s gospel. God gave me His mercy and helped me to reveal His truth and message for us. Although there was a troubled time when one family left our ministry, God helped me to be close to the word of God more and more, and to find my delight in the word of God.

In such a period of turmoil, God purified our hearts and renewed our mission to serve campus souls. God sent his sheep to us one by one throughout the year. God trained us to grow as good shepherds, learning Jesus by serving campus souls one by one through one-to-one ministry. Silfo, Anda, Rai, and Corey kept on studying the Bible from last year. In February, Shirley, Edith, and Ann began to study the Bible. From June, Laird began to study the Bible. From September, Lindsay, Heather, Louise, and Emily began to study the Bible. Most of them are still studying the Bible and growing in the word of God by the work of the Holy Spirit.

God also helped us to serve the Spring Bible Academy in March with the theme, “Experiencing God.” Anna Sung served the message of John 11, “Jesus is the Resurrection and Life.” A book report based on “Experiencing God,” was prepared by Lydia Kim. God blessed this academy and helped us to think about experiencing God by just believing and obeying the word of God. On July 4-6, there was the Toronto Area Joint Summer Bible Conference, with the theme “Repent and Believe.” A total of 167 people attended this conference. The majority of the speakers were growing shepherds and 2nd gens who participated in the main roles serving the conference. We could see a great vision and have increased faith for Canadian campus ministry. On the 17th of September, there was a welcoming night for new students, following the club week. The title was “God so Loves You” based on John 3. Anna Sung served this message with good spirit and revealed the love of God for us. And Isaac Sung served a book report presentation, “University of Instruction or Destruction,” to give the right perspective and insight of university life like having many temptations. At that time, Ann, Anda, Lindsay, Heather, Shirley and Silfo attended. All of them are still studying the Bible with us.

On November 2-11, Sh. Deug-Hyun Kang from Hankang UBF visited Canada and gave some special lectures on soteriology (theology of salvation) and “the Holy Spirit.” He couldn’t sleep properly due to the preparation and continued to serve four hour lectures for five days straight in London and six hour lectures for two days in Toronto. In these days, there are so many harmful theologies, which spread rapidly through the internet. These lectures helped all attendants to have a sound doctrine of “salvation” and “the Holy Spirit.”

In December, we had a special Christmas worship service based on Matthew chapters 1 and 2 for three weeks. By God’s grace, we could offer $1,500 for supporting South Sudan Bible house construction.

M. Theresa Sung in Uganda was engaged on February 7, 2014 in Chicago with Francis Choi. It was a great decision of faith for both of them to set their hearts on God and His holy mission. God blessed their faith and led them to have a beautiful marriage on January 10, 2015. Among our co-workers, by God’s grace, M. John was accepted in the PhD program in actuarial science at Western University, where we are serving. Also in his family, their second daughter, Hannah-Joy, was born as a source of joy in April.  

II. Direction and prayer topics of the year 2015

As a two-family house church, I have longed for God’s vision and wisdom how to serve His ministry. It is because without vision and faith in God’s ministry, my mind easily becomes habitual and dutiful like the disciples rowing oars in the middle of the lake without making progress. While meditating on the word of God, God inspired me with Matthew 13:32 and gave me vision and wisdom to serve God’s ministry, “Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree. God’s ministry is like planting a mustard seed. Planting a mustard seed is to introduce the gospel to one soul and to teach the word of God prayerfully to one soul and to serve one sermon wholeheartedly for each Sunday worship service. God’s ministry begins with something small, such as giving the word of God to one soul. Even though we just plant the smallest seed, God will make it grow, though we don’t know how it grows. I deeply accept that my role in God’s ministry is to plant a small seed in one soul. I had in mind that I would do something greater or bigger but I accept that serving souls one by one wholeheartedly is the way of extending the kingdom of God. I pray that I may boldly introduce the gospel to one soul at a time. I pray that I may serve one-to-one ministry and one sermon very preciously and be faithful to them. As my personal key verse, I want to hold onto 2 Timothy 1:7, “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” I pray that I may be filled with the Holy Spirit day by day with repentance and prayer so that I may overcome inner fear and serve one soul at a time with power, love and self-discipline from God.

Prayer topics:

1. 30 1:1 ministry and one Abraham of faith with vision and faith
2. Mark’s gospel study and graceful Sunday worship service
3. Spiritual growth: Laird, Ann, Lindsay, Emily…

One Word: Though it is the smallest…