News > North America

Atlantic City UBF, USA
March 21, 2014

Preach the Word in Season and Out of Season

2013 Annual Review

Our key verse for 2013 was Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”

During this year, we studied the gospel of Matthew and we learned that Jesus is the King of kings. Our chapter consisted of my family members. My family moved from Durham, NC, to Atlantic City, NJ, in the mid-summer of this year. This is the eighth time we have moved in the USA since 2002; my family became a student lay-missionary unit. I studied in the math education PhD program from August 2007 to May 2013 at SUNY at Buffalo. After this six-year effort, I was awarded the PhD degree by God’s grace. With this new degree, I would like to find a suitable and permanent working place. I have sent many applications and had an interview at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey near Atlantic City. God moved the search committee members’ hearts—in particular one influential senior professor’s heart. This professor has a Korean professor wife and understands Korean culture and mentality very well. With the committee members’ strong recommendation, I could receive a tenure track assistant professor position at this college. Praise God!

At the International Summer Bible Conference 2013 at Indiana University in Pennsylvania, I served as a panel member for the IG: “Life and Ministry in 50s and Beyond.” Through this panel discussion, I reflected on my 50 years and was able to prepare my future life with clear direction.

After moving to New Jersey for a new job, I had to adjust to many things: a new school, new faculty, new system, new curriculum, and new students. However, with God’s help, I had many supportive colleagues, so I could easily adjust to the new circumstances. Even though I taught a new course, I tried to teach students with confidence and a shepherd heart. As a result, I could get very good student course evaluations at the end of the semester. From the first Sunday at Stockton College, we offered Sunday worship services in one of my classrooms. We wanted to pray for the campus and invite students to worship service.

2014 Vision and Strategy

The new year’s key verse is 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.”
As a professor-missionary, I would like to preach the gospel both in season and out of season. This year will be busy with much work to do, but I would like to prioritize on preaching the gospel. At the beginning of the course, I will announce to my students that I am a missionary and will have a one-on-one Bible study with anyone who desires. In addition, I will do my best to teach students with a shepherd heart so that I may be a positive influence. We will keep doing Sunday worship service in the campus classroom so that we may invite campus students directly.

My daughter, Hannah, graduated from the nursing program at Duke University in December 2012 and got a job at a hospital in Greensboro, NC. She will start the nurse practitioner Master’s program at the University of Pennsylvania in May 2014. May God give her wisdom to finish this program successfully and grow as a mother of prayer! May God give my wife, Christine, good health, so that she may serve God’s ministry with prayer and a shepherd’s heart! May God help me to publish good papers and serve the college community with God’s wisdom!

Peter Cho