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Testimony - Going to Africa (16 April, 2012; Midwest Staff Meeting) - Sh. Daniel Rhee (Namsan UBF, Korea)

Jesus is Our True Vine

‘“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.’ John 15:5

Many people here call me a 'silver missionary' but I don't want to be called that because my hair color is not silver. Of course I have my hair dyed, so that I may not be called as a silver missionary, but I wish you honor my struggle and effort.  I intended to go to Africa secretly. But I am astounded to be found out by God's people here. I accept this as God's will for me to work hard, not to live in obscurity after my retirement.  I will retire as a staff shepherd in Korea and begin a new life as a shepherd in Africa. I realized it was very hard to turn the leadership of Namsan UBF to Shepherd Elisha Kim, a new director, as long as I stayed in Korea. I also perceived that it was time in Korea UBF history for younger shepherds to take more of a leadership role.

I started the pioneering ministry of DongKook University in March, 1972. When Dr. Lee told me to pioneer the school, I didn’t know the school’s location. Shp. Joshua Lee showed me a rental flat by the school and that’s when I first visited the campus. The rental property was an old, wooden, two-story structure that was built during the Japanese occupancy. When I told the landlord that the size of our meeting would be about ten people at a time, he refused to rent it to me saying, “If ten people go into the tilted second floor, the whole house will collapse.” So I promised him I would not let more than five people in at a time and he agreed to sign the contract. That’s how Namsan UBF ministry began--in a shabby, second-floor unit.  I used to have Sunday worship service at 3 p.m. and often nobody showed up for worship service. I would look at the clock on the wall as the time was ticking through 3, 3:30, and then 4. As I was checking the time my heart was sinking. And finally I would get up and go visit the sheep. If I met them at their house, I would deliver the Sunday message right there. However, I didn’t even get to do that very often since I rarely caught them. So I often returned to the center alone in despair and sometimes even shed a few tears.

That manger ministry has grown in the last 40 years. We have a six-story church building and a student dormitory is under construction. There are many co-workers who are willing to give up anything for God’s ministry. 100 missionaries were sent out from our ministry and three staff shepherds are serving their own ministries in Dankook, Jungang and Soongshil Universities. Two more staff shepherds are preparing to pioneer new ministries. At our CBF Christmas Worship service last year, I was amazed as I realized that we had over 100 second generation children. There is really nothing that I had done as a leader to raise this ministry. I’m not trying to be humble but it is my true confession. The only thing I ever did was to remain in him through the whole time. Even if I was in absolute despair in my heart, I kept the meetings as I had initially set them. Even if I felt like dying out of despair, I did not prepare for Bible studies or messages half- heartedly. I never hid myself in the mountains trying to find a special vision from God.  I believed in serving God’s ministry whether it was a good or hard day, without emotional ups and downs. I gave my heart to remain in Jesus and his flock of sheep and that was what I could always offer as an unable and dull servant. So I want to witness John 15:5 as my testimony of 40 years of life as a shepherd.

As I remained in Jesus, God sent wonderful co-workers. I wasn’t even good at taking care of sheep. But God sent many loving and sacrificial shepherds to our ministry. I was not a shrewd manager. Every time we had to find a new place for our center building I didn’t know what to do. But many shepherds worked on the project when the time came for us to move. Material needs for managing church and supporting missionaries overseas were met by sacrificial offerings from our sacrificial layman shepherds. When I remained in Jesus, he covered all my weaknesses. I’m introverted and impatient. I easily worry since I’m not so courageous. With such a character I’m quite unfit as a leader. However, as I remained in Jesus, he used my fearful character to have a holy fear of God. He helped me to be faithful though I was introverted and full of worries. Most of all he sent me many co-workers who helped me by covering my weaknesses.

Jesus is our true vine. As I leave Namsan, I pray that Namsan co-workers would find a new opportunity to graft themselves onto Jesus’ vine and remain in him rather than clinging to me. I also pray that I would go to a new place and renew my relationship with Jesus as I serve a new mission.  I will participate in Wits UBF pioneering ministry in Johannesburg, South Africa. I visited Africa once or twice each year for the last 20 years. Now I will be staying closer to our missionaries. I pray that I would be able to serve them better rather than burdening them or becoming a hindrance to their ministry.  I pray to be able to give my full strength to Bible study and complete writing Bible study materials for all New Testament books. I also pray to be able to help African missionaries with their Bible study and message writing.

I want to be able to re-examine my faith and newly learn the faith that pleases God. Also as I mainly helped leaders for a long time, I want to start finding new sheep and taking care of them in this new stage of my life. In order to do so I pray that God may help me to be able to study English, and overcome my fear of going to a foreign land.