by Rev. Andy (Myungjoong) Yong
Covenant BP Mission in Tacoma, WA
the Missions Banner, March 2022: Online edition
I am preaching on 1 Thessalonians in the morning worship service. Through Paul’s ministry and his letters, I have received a lot of grace as well as many challenges. In God’s work, wherever Paul went, people who believed in Jesus Christ appeared. They forsook idols, whatever they had previously served, and came to serve the living and true God (1 Thess. 1:9). However, the Jews rejected Paul and the gospel, and, in many cases, Paul was forced to leave a city in a hurry. Although Paul moved to another city and preached the gospel there, he always kept in mind the Christians from the city he had left. “But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart” (1 Thess. 2:17).
This was because they were like Paul’s spiritual children. At times, Paul was gentle to them just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children (1 Thess. 2:7), and at other times he exhorted and charged as a father would do to his own children (1 Thess. 2:11). Paul did all these things for the glory of God (1 Thess. 2:4) and did them sacrificially out of love for them (1 Thess. 2:8). Paul was not at all selfish, because Paul received such love from Jesus Christ first and then followed Jesus.
The members of the Covenant Bible Presbyterian Mission were people I had no relationship with until I came to the city of Tacoma. But now, I am like a nursing mother and father to them with the word of God and the Holy Spirit. It is right for me to love them with the sacrificial love that I received from Jesus Christ. They have also become my crown in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming again (1 Thess. 2:19).
On April 17th, it will be 5 years since I began work as a PMU missionary. The temporal time given to me by the US government ends then. PMU sent a petition to the US government 27 months ago so that I would be able to continue this ministry permanently. The progress of this ministry so far is a testimony of God’s grace and power. How long I preach the gospel here in Tacoma is in God’s hands. I believe in God’s wise providence for this ministry and my family.
Paul confidently said that God would be a witness to all his heart and deeds (1 Thess. 2:5). Here, Paul was not claiming his perfect righteousness before God because he knows salvation was freely given to him by the perfect righteousness of Christ. This is Paul’s confession—that he honestly gave himself to God in Jesus Christ. When I look back on this ministry in the future, I hope that I will be able to make the same confession as Paul.
Thank you to the many people who pray for the ministry of the Covenant Bible Presbyterian Mission and its members.
(pictured above: Pastor Andy with the Korean School Intermediate Class, Isaac and Isabella)
