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Look Forward To The Day Of God (I Pet 3:11b)

We had the 11th Asia Director’s Conference from January 5th to 7th in New Delhi, India. Total of 52 people attended this conference.\ For India where we held ADC, this year is very meaningful because it marks the 30th anniversary of its pioneering. God has received the faith, prayer, and sacrifice of many shepherds and shepherdesses including Jimmy, Maria Lee, and others, and also helped us raise God’s disciples including Msn Abraham Lincoln, Msn Matthew Sing, Dr. John Angam, Samuel Palaka while 9 chapters were established throughout India. We praise and give thanks to God for allowing amazing work of campus ministry in India. 

Similar to last year, this year we decided to make the conference programs as simple as possible, so that we can concentrate on the bible studies. There had been various opinions regarding the schedule of the programs, however, we realized that as missionaries and shepherds/shepherdesses, we needed God’s words the most. We decided to study I Peter and II Peter for this Asia Director’s Conference. God allowed us to have a total of 5 Group Bible Studies during the conference, and helped all of us put on new power and hope through intense bible studies. Moreover, God allowed us to socialize and strengthen relationships in Him. God has accepted our prayers, and He worked powerfully through 1st and 2nd Peter during GBS, the opening message, main lecture, and closing message. We thank God because all participants were able to gain strength and receive consolation. We praise and give thanks to God who has comforted each one of us, and supplied us with new hope and energy. 

The opening message, titled “Living Hope” (I Pet 1:1-4) was delivered by Asia Director missionary Peter Lee. Through this message, we were able to learn that even if there are hardship and persecution on this world, all of us are the chosen wayfarers to God. In our daily lives, we have to confront many difficulties but we can still give thanks and praise God whenever we remember that He has promised to give us the kingdom of God that lasts forever. He has promised that we will have a living hope through Jesus’s cross and salvation, and be born again and never perish in the kingdom of God. Last year, it is known that Missionary Peter Lee had to suffer due to many health issues. He suffered for one whole year due to periodontitis that required 6 months of treatment, abscess surgery that lasted 2 months, and also frozen shoulder. He had learned the hard way that life on this earth cannot be forever. We praise God for allowing us to be born again through God’s words, for giving us a living hope for the everlasting heaven, and also for blessing us to live by our calling. Missionary Peter Lee has determined to prepare the lectures of 66 books in Indonesian and work hard for the spiritual heritage and discipleship training in Indonesia, as long as God allows. 

After the opening message, we divided into 5 groups and had total of five Group Bible Studies. Shepherd David Kim, missionary Jacob Lee, shepherd Uhm Gi Seong, shepherdess Sarah Kim, and shepherdess Esther Lee served again this time by leading the group bible studies. All participants took part in bible studies seriously with spiritual desire. On the first day, the lecture was titled “Living Hope” (I Peter 1:1-2:3), and after dinner, we had the 2nd lecture titled “Come to Jesus, the Living Stone” (I Peter 2:4-3:7).

On the 2nd day, we studied the main lecture of II Peter chapter 3 in the morning, and the UBF world director Missionary Abraham gave the main lecture. Missionary Abraham Kim encouraged us to live holy and godly lives on the world that is coming to an end, by looking forward to the day of God and speed its coming, and also grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord. After lunch, we wrote sogam based on the main lecture, and shared it with others. Even though there are many challenges and trouble in each of our mission fields, we determined to live holy and godly lives on this world, and look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. We give thanks and praise God who will accept His servants’ determination of repentance and faith, and allow everyone to win victory in each of our mission fields in 2017. After dinner, we had our 4th Group Bible Study, which titled “Be Examples to the Flock” (I Peter 3:8-5:14).

On the last day, we had our last Group Bible Study on “Participate in the Divine Nature.” (1:1-2:22) After it was over, Dr. John Angam served the closing message of Peter 4:12-16, which titled “Rejoice As You Participate In the Sufferings of Christ.” Dr. John Angam encouraged us to participate actively, rather than avoid the sufferings of Christ. This is because when we suffer, we will grow strong and we can be more like God, and also participate in revealing his glory. Dr. John Angam is a professor in New Delhi University, and when he decided to live with faith, he had many difficulties: the persecution of his Christian friends who couldn’t understand his decision to live with faith, the challenge to travel more than 50 km to work, and also the difficulty in spreading God’s words after the entering of the powerful Hinduism government. He realized he wasn’t trying his best to raise disciples, and so repented and determined to actively participate in the sufferings of Christ, which greatly moved our hearts and made us accept it as a challenge. We could make a resolution of faith to participate in the sufferings of Christ throughout the year of 2017, and turn Asia away from idol worship, so that God can be in favor of this continent. After the conference ended, we visited one of the most prestigious universities in India, the JNU University, and prayed together.

Compared to any other conferences, this 2017 Asia Director’s Conference was more abundant with God’s words. Also, due to our fellow workers in India who served with great sacrifice and patience, we could be recharged both spiritually and physically with delicious foods in the best environment. While studying the 1st and 2nd Peter, I personally experienced the great work of God, who has changed the stinky fisherman Peter; he used to be full of human weaknesses and flaws, but God changed him into someone completely different. God trained him to be one of the greatest apostles of Jesus Christ, and raised him to be a servant of faith. It reminded me of 26 years ago, when God gave “Peter” as my bible name through Shepherd Mark Yang. I was being sent as a missionary to Indonesia, and Shepherd Mark Yang prayed for me and blessed me to become a great servant of faith, just like Peter in the Bible. However, every time I faced difficulty, I tried my best to avoid it, rather than confront the problem boldly. So I repent my sin of avoiding all my sufferings. I cannot help but confess all my weaknesses that made me distrustful and afraid over the smallest problems. I bring all my sins to God, and I deeply repent for making Him unhappy. Only by God’s grace, I was given a great power and courage to determine to follow the steps of Jesus Christ and Peter in this year of 2017, and for my whole life. Also, I hope to bear the cross of praying for all of our fellow workers around the world who are fighting everyday for God, in difficult situations. I pray earnestly that through God’s grace, I would be able to make God happy and win victory by bearing spiritual fruits abundantly and making significant progress in faith. I pray for all of our fellow workers, so that they too will be given this amazing grace of God abundantly. Amen.

One word: rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ.