November 11, 2008

Dear Friends,

About ending my appointment as a mission co-worker by PC(USA)

During the past four years, from 2005 to 2008, I have been under appointment as a mission co-worker by the General Assembly Council of the PC(USA). I’ve been continuing my service as a professor in St. Petersburg, Russia, which I started in 1993.  In ending the appointment, I would like to express my gratitude toward the GAC as well as other mission agencies, local churches, and friends, who have supported mission in Russia.
 
My second career as a missionary

At the age of 53, I left my secular occupation as a university professor and entered Princeton Theological Seminary in 1989. On completion of my Master’s of Divinity, I was ordained as a minister of the Word and Sacrament by National Capital Presbytery, PC(USA). I was then commissioned by the Korean Center for World Missions, Torch Foundation, in Seoul, Korea, and sent to St. Petersburg, Russia, in June of 1993.

Mission service

From 1993 until 1999, with the support of the Korean Center, I taught practical theology at the Canaan Theological Seminary, which was established by the initiative of a Korean missionary, the late Jae Kwang Kim. In addition, I was pastor of a congregation, the Light of Christ Church, which I opened with two seminary students, and I coordinated “Torch Mission” activities.

In 1995, the Korean Center invited a group of 30 Russian pastors and ministers for a ten-day seminar and church visitations in Seoul. Following that, the St. Petersburg Christian Torch Mission Association was organized to promote fellowship with and leadership of Russian pastors.  I coordinated and supported these activities.

To step back or continue in mission? 

Because of a financial crisis at the Korean Center, I had to sustain myself for almost two years and made plans to end my service in 2000. But just before that, I took a long trip on the Trans-Siberian Railroad from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. It took eight days and seven nights. While I was on the train, looking at the huge primitive and underdeveloped land out the window, I was suddenly awakened by the necessity of a special mission for Siberian development. Somebody has to do it! “Dear God,” I prayed, “help me to take a part of this development mission.

After I flew back to St. Petersburg, something happened. At a critical moment, the Lord Jesus Korean Church of the PC(USA), under the guidance of the Reverend Hyun Chan Bae, promised to support me and enable me to continue my mission service from January 2001 to the end of 2004.

At the same time, I was contacted by Medical Ambassador International (MAI), which has developed “Community Health Evangelism” (CHE) programs as instruments of self-supporting community development. In cooperation with MAI, I have initiated these programs in Siberia. I have had to discontinue this due to my health problem—surgery for stomach cancer and chemo-therapies for a six-month period.

After my treatment, I was appointed as a mission co-worker of the PC(USA) with a three-year term of service, from January of 2005 to December 2007, which was extended to the end of 2008. At the Canaan Theological Seminary, my mission has been focused on teaching. Recently, the Seminary has been losing financial support, students, and faculty, and is almost at the point of closing. It is a pity that there is no space for me there, despite my service there from the Seminary’s foundation.

Meanwhile, in an effort to resolve space problems for worship services, our church has been integrated into the Russian Evangelical Reformed church. We’ve received permission to hold worship at the Peter-Paul Lutheran Evangelical Church Cathedral, which has 700 seats. As Co-pastor with Rev. Mixail Palubayarinov, I have been taking turns preaching and leading Communion services with Mixail. I focus on developing Christian leadership in the youth, while Mixail is doing adult Bible studies and pastoral counseling for church members.

My mission service is not over yet

At the end of December, 2008, my appointment will end. In view of my situation, it might be about time for retirement. But God’s mission is not yet finished!

Remaining projects

After my appointment ends, I want to see three remaining projects through: (1) stabilization of the Canaan Theological Seminary; (2) the Light of Christ Church to be a fully grown and self-sustaining church; (3)  development to be resumed in Siberia along the lines of “all-in mission for the wholistic salvation” of this underdeveloped area.

KORUSA projects

In addition, more work is needed on Korean Diaspora Mission Projects, joint efforts of Korea, Russia, and the United States (thus its name, KORUSA). The initiative will be focused on developing a center for trilingual language studies, promoting educational and cultural exchange, and organizing a KORUSA mission foundation to support mission activities.

Assembly of the Russian Presbyterian Church 

Russia has no Presbyterian tradition. After Russia was opened, a variety of Presbyterian churches have been planted by Korean Presbyterian missionaries in Russia. In an effort to integrate these, lately a group of general secretaries of the mainline Presbyterian Churches in Seoul, Korea, has taken the initiative to gather Korean Presbyterian missionaries. They’ve organized a “Preliminary Committee” with the purpose of forming the Assembly of Russian Presbyterian Churches by the end of 2009.

As a matter of mission policy, the PC(USA) is not interested in planting a Presbyterian church in Russia, special consideration has to be given to taking part in the formation of the Presbyterian Church of Russia. That will be a historical moment in Russian mission.

A final statement

In light of Russian Orthodox Church history, Russian mission may be not necessary. But the revival of Protestant and Evangelical churches—along with Orthodox churches—is definitely necessary for the evangelization of people and their spiritual renewal. When they are fully evangelized as faithful Christians, Russia could send missionaries into the world and take a leadership role in world evangelization. 

As we understand it, mission is God’s work that every Christian is called to do in obedience to His Word: “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15,16). “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people.” In accordance with that, first we have to “repent and believe in the gospel” to become faithful Christians; then, as Christian missionaries, we should “go into all the world and preach the gospel to all people” for their salvation until our Lord Jesus Christ returns. Hallelujah!

The 2008 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 158