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YOU WILL BE MY WITNESSES

Sweden 2017    
John Joo

Key verse: Acts 1:8

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

1. Mission Report 2017

The European directors’ conference 2016 was held in Macedonia. We started the new year with the word from 1Peter and Hebrews, and this year we prayed to look up to Jesus and to devote fully to proclaiming the gospel. We had worship service with Acts and then Luke’s gospel. Each week we had Bible study over skype with Shp. James Suh from Kyungsung UBF in Korea, together with M. Joseph Chin from Norway and M. Joshua Kang from Spain. The family of Dr. Yoonjin Gu and Br. Skyjo joined the Sunday worship service after their return from Korea. A friend of Skyjo, who is a cook, also came to Bible study. God granted Dr. Gu’s family a second child; so we had worship service with 12 participants.

Joy Joo (2nd gen) started dental medicine at Karolinska University and thus started her shepherd life at this campus. We pray that she will grow as a prayer servant and Bible teacher. In this way, our pioneering ministry spread to 4 universities in Sweden. Grace Joo at Orebro University, Anna Joo at Uppsala University, Joy Joo at Karolinska University, and Sodertorn College aswell. The seed of prayer and God’s word was sown at these campuses.

The Begi family was accepted as permanent members to an orchestra in Northern Sweden. So they can remain in Sweden. They thanked us for our prayer support. We pray for them to have Bible study over skype and to become a source of blessing there. Also, sister Bolor was accepted to Orebro orchestra in Western Sweden. In 2017, several brothers and sisters of Kyungsung chapter visited us. In January, Minsu Kim and her sons and siblings Unjin Go and Rebekka Choi (2nd gens), and we had good fellowship.

Anna Joo received training in God’s word in Chicago and afterwards served God’s work more actively. In July, Johann and Isaak Joo joined the CBF conference in Czech Republic together with relatives from the USA, and they had a good time. Joy Joo joined the summer conference of Kyungsung chapter in Korea, received God’s word, danced a North Korean dance and freceived world mission vision. Br. Skyjo visited Hongkong and Korea, joined the summer conference and thus had the opportunity of receiving grace through God’s word.

In August, Miriam Kim and Unsoo Go from Kyungsung chapter came, and we had a Bible reading conference with them. Our relatives from the USA and our 2nd gens plus Esther Ahn from Chicago joined the Encounter conference in Germany and received the grace of God through his word. For Harvest festival, Elisabeth Lee and 2nd gen Johann Lee visited us, and we had good fellowship.

This year we had problems in our kitchen because of the water pipe. Br. Markus who is an attorney, helped us, and so we could renew our spiritual relationship with him. Because of this problem we had to move. We had no room for worship service. So we had to change our place of worship oftentimes, meeting at the library, in public meeting rooms and other rented rooms. But we thank God for helping us to keep our worship service faithfully.

On 24 December, we had our Chistmas worship service and invited our neighbors. We felt the birth of the Lord and had joyful fellowship with them.

2. Direction and Prayer Topics for 2018

According to our vow, God led us to Sweden in 2002, and we could serve the gospel ministry so far. We didn’t know where to go, but God led us year by year so that we could experience God’s presence. When I look back to this year, I realize my selfish life, although I really wanted to serve God’s work. Oftentimes, I forgot the key verse although I tried to hold on to the key verse. I tended to look more at reality than turning to the word of God that I had received at the directors’ conference. I realize that it is not so easy to live a holy life. But I thank God that he was with us and helped us so that we could grow in faith step by step and lay the foundation of the gospel.

We want to start the new year with the word from Acts and hold on to it. We want to serve the gospel ministry more actively. We pray to live our lives as witnesses of the gospel.

Prayer Topics:

1. For Sweden to become a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (For 60 Bible teachers, 12 house churches, 1 Abraham and 1 Sarah at each campus until 2020)

2. Sunday message of M. John Joo

3. 12 one-to-ones, 12 participants at Sunday worship service (Br. Skyjo’s growth in faith)

4. For our children to grow as 2nd gen missionaries both physically and spiritually healthy

5. M. Grace Joo’s health (Complete healing from back pain)