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Spain UBF
February 28, 2014

This is God’s Will for You in Christ Jesus

I. God’s work in Spain in 2013

Looking back on 2013, it was a year richly blessed by God. In 2010, M. Joshua and Esther were sent to Spain. In April 2011, M. Pablo and Paula Oh were added so that two missionary families could jointly serve God’s work. As the key verse for 2013, God gave us Romans 1:5: “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” God helped us to remember the grace of salvation and God’s calling and our “apostleship.” Although I was sent to Spain as a missionary, I had neither a clear identity as a missionary nor a clear mission. But this key verse from Romans helped me to renew my life goal and find a clear direction for my life, i.e. to work for the glory of God in Spain. I praise God who has done his gracious work in Spain.

1. God blessed Spain through the European Directors’ Conference

At the beginning of 2013, God blessed us through having a joint conference for the national directors from Europe and Latin America in Spain. Many servants of God came from the two continents of Europe and Latin America to gather together to worship and praise God. We prayed foremost for Spain. In the beginning, it seemed impossible for me to organize this conference as a host because I myself didn’t know Spain too well. But God helped us through the prayers of many servants of God to prepare the conference well. Through the help of a Korean pastor, we could find a good conference place. We received much prayer support from coworkers around the world. We realized that it was not us but God himself who worked. We felt his helping hands as he worked through us. When we picked up the missionaries on their arrival, I could come to know each coworker and God’s work in each nation and have good fellowship with them. God also helped me through many servants of God who had already sown the seed of prayer and God’s word so that I could see the hope of God who will do his great work.

2. God’s work through Bible study from Genesis and Acts

In 2013, God worked among us through Bible study from Acts. In order to serve God’s work in Spain, we needed the power of the Holy Spirit and the faith of the early Christians. With this prayer topic, we started studying Acts, and the Holy Spirit was with us as we prayed. M. Joshua and M. Pablo met on campus after work, had Bible study, prayed together and invited students. M. Esther and M. Paula also had Bible study together, built a vessel of the Holy Spirit and served God’s work. After the study of Acts, we continued with Genesis. Through the study of Genesis, God helped us to look up to God who created the heavens and the earth and who leads world history. Although I had received much grace through the European directors’ conference and the study of Acts, there was a danger of being discouraged since there was still no visible fruit. But through his word from Genesis, God gave me faith and hope to continue his work.

3. God laid the foundation of mission in Spain

God led us step by step to lay the foundation of the mission work in Spain. God who gave M. Joshua the opportunity for job training at LG, now gave him a steady contract and a work permit for two years. Although he is not yet entitled to file for a long-term residence permit, God helped him to prepare for it. God helped him through working at HiLo, a sister company of LG, where he works together with Spanish colleagues to deliver God’s word in Spanish every week and thus to master the Spanish language step by step. In this way, God laid the three foundations for the mission work in Spain: work permit, financial independence and language.

4. God’s work among students in Spain

God himself worked in this manger ministry in Spain by establishing personal relationships with students. When M. José Ahn served the pioneering work in Spain, he had a Bible student named Gloria. When the mission work was interrupted, she also was no longer reachable. But God helped M. Pablo Oh to re-establish contact and study God’s word with her. Two female Chinese students, Maria and Amalia who had already had Bible study in China, came to Spain for one year of exchange studies, so we could come to know each other. They faithfully attend our Sunday worship service, and presently they study for a diploma with the vision of serving God’s work as professors in the future. We pray that through them we may reach Spanish students and invite them to Bible study.

In this way, God sent his sheep to worship service and leads his salvation work in Spain. In February 2010, there were just two people in our worship service. Now, including our little daughter Esther, we total eight people in worship service, a four-fold increase. But I repent of my unfaithfulness in doing God’s work in spite of God’s great grace. How to improve in God’s work, how to reach students, or how to serve a disciple-making ministry in Spain – thoughts like these—were of less interest to me than joy and success in the world. After working all day in the company, I was tired and wanted to return home and watch the news, especially from Korea. Therefore, I wasted my time, neglected reading the word of God and prayer. I wanted to go to campus, at least, on holidays in order to sow the seed of prayer; but without a shepherd heart, I only rested instead. When I lacked the attitude of a missionary, I lived like an ordinary person, and for this, I repent.

II. Orientation and Prayer Topics for 2014

For 2014, God gave me direction through 1Thess. 5:16-18: “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Although I am saved by God’s grace and wanted to live according to God’s will, I lacked thinking about God’s will. Although I prayed to live according to God’s will, I didn’t give much of an effort to live accordingly. Through his word from Thessalonians, God teaches me his will for us: joy, prayer, and thankfulness as the basis of living according to God’s will.

At the beginning of 2014, M. Pablo and M. Paula who have coworked with us for three years will return to Korea. Now I need to be more watchful and to have a deeper sense of stewardship to serve the mission work in Spain. I want to have a deeper fellowship with God and to struggle more personally in prayer. I want to think of God’s will continuously and serve his mission by faith. I pray that we in Spain UBF may always be filled with joy from God, prayer to God, and thankfulness toward God.

Prayer Topics for Spanish Mission

1. Sunday messages by M. Joshua Kang with all his heart
2. For M. Joshua and M. Esther to master the Spanish language and to be able to communicate deeply with Spanish students
3. For Gloria, Maria and Amalia to grow as women of faith through God’s word
4. To raise one man like Abraham and one woman like Sarah and 12 disciples of Jesus from among Spanish students
5. To invite students on campus and have one-to-one Bible study with a Spanish student
6. For Esther Jr. to grow into a good coworker for God’s work

Joshua Kang