by Rev. Andy Yong
Covenant BP Mission in Tacoma, WA
the Missions Banner, May 2024: Online Edition
The blessings I receive from God while working at Presbyterian Missionary Union are countless, but it is a special privilege to visit different Bible Presbyterian churches in various States and have fellowship with believers through the Word of God and the Holy Spirit. Recently, I had the opportunity to visit BP churches in the Florida Presbytery. Those churches are located diagonally across the United States from Washington State, so they are the furthest by distance from us. Despite their distance, these churches are among the churches that provide the most prayers and support to Covenant Bible Presbyterian Mission.
(Proverbs 17:17) A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
They were one of those who first helped our family and mission church when we were in adversity. They always showed their love and interest in our mission. I always wanted to meet with these brothers and sisters in Christ to fellowship and give my thanks in person. By God’s gracious providence, I got to visit the churches recently.
It is always enjoyable and rewarding to visit churches to give mission reports to the believers about what God has done through the Covenant BP Mission and to glorify His name. An even more special privilege is having spiritual fellowship with them through preaching the Word of God. Although they and I have different backgrounds, cultures, and languages, the Word of God unites us all in Christ. It is because God is the God of all nations, and Jesus Christ is the Lord of all nations.
(Ephesians 4:5-6) one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
While planting a church for Korean Americans in the United States, I learned that they know each other’s difficulties well even before any explanation. Because of the awareness of each other’s hardships of living in a foreign country, it is natural to get together and help each other. Another thing I have learned is that people who speak the same language naturally gather together. These two tendencies are greatly advantageous in gathering people, but at the same time, they can also be obstacles in building God’s church.
Although it is very natural for Christians to gather with people who speak the same language and have the same background, the reason to gather must be that we have the same Lord Jesus Christ and the same faith in Him. If immigrant churches place more emphasis on helping immigrants with their difficulties than making them disciples of the Lord to serve God, they are not building God’s church. If they gather in a church for their comfort, gathering with other Korean-speaking people with different or no faith, it could be a community gathering, but not a gathering of God’s church.
I have been called by God to build His church. I hope and pray that my work will help the members of Covenant BP Mission gather in the church not only because they speak the same language or know each other’s struggles, but because Jesus Christ is their Lord and they desire to build God’s church. Thank you all for your prayers and support. May our God be glorified.
In Christ,
Andy Yong
(pictured above: Andy with pastors Steve Brinegar (Grace BPC-FL), George Oliveira (Lakeland BPC), and Phil Futoran (Suncoast BPC); Andy preaching at Grace BPC)
