The Church in a Multicultural Context, “THE TRANSFORMING PRAXIS TOWARD ECCLESIOGENESIS” (Conclusion) New York, 1995

Posted on May 15, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

1. Summary

The title of this dissertation, “The Transforming Praxis Toward Ecclesiogenesis”, was inspired during my reading of several key works: Leonardo Boff’s Ecclesiogenesis, T. Richard Snyder’s Once You Were No People, Ahn Byung-Moo’s Christ in the Minjung Event, John Bradshaw’s The Family and Homecoming, Paul F. Knitter’s No Other Name, Orlando E. Costas’ Christ Outside the Gate, Joe Holland and Peter Henriot’s Social Analysis, Fred & Anita Prinzing’s Mixed Messages: Responding to Interracial Marriage, James H. Cone’s God of the Oppressed, Quentin Lauer’s Hegel’s Concept of God, Richard M. Zaner’s The Context of Self, Donald Dorr’s Integral Spirituality, Sallie McFague’s Metaphorical Theology and Models of God, Andrew Sung Park’s The Wounded Heart of God, H. Richard Niebuhr’s The Responsible Self, Walter Brueggemann’s Finally Comes the Poet, and Roger G. Betsworth’s Social Ethics.

The concept of “transforming praxis” first took root in me 23 years ago when I was a theology student at Methodist Theological University in Seoul, Korea. I was deeply influenced by the life and theology of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. My participation in urban industrial mission training in the Cheonggyecheon slum introduced me to praxis through conscientization, humanization, and organization. This journey began in my second year of seminary and has remained unchanged throughout my ministry—whether in Korea or the United States, among Koreans, English-speaking Americans, or Korean immigrants. This path is God-given, and I intend to continue walking it.

On this journey, God has introduced me to particularly marginalized communities—immigrants facing racial discrimination and, most painfully, women in interracial marriages who suffer both racial and gender-based discrimination. I founded the Korean American Women United Mission to serve such people, focusing particularly on the dehumanized and the ostracized.

This dissertation highlights two extreme forms of marginalization: domestic violence within immigrant families and prostitution as a symbol of deep social and personal brokenness. In both cases, the need for transforming praxis is urgent. At the same time, I fully acknowledge that there are many successful cases of women in intercultural marriages between Koreans and Americans who have built truly happy families and play significant roles in mainstream American society.

After World War II, American churches were full, but as fear of war receded and economic stability increased, people began to leave the church to follow other “gods.” Like the Israelites who, after entering the land of Canaan, were seduced by surrounding pagan gods, modern people abandoned divine communion. This led to two forms of brokenness: individualism locked in narcissism and fundamentalism trapped in fear and anger. Both lost the capacity for dialogue—thus losing the essence of divine image. Biblical ecclesiology requires that the church embody transforming dialogue, through which genuine community becomes real and embodied in the present. The identity of the church is found in the communal life of transformed selves. Thus, Christian life is a continuous transforming relationship between God and human beings.

Since the 1970s, Korean immigrant communities in the United States have seen a growing number of intercultural marriages. This demographic shift includes not only Korean women who married U.S. servicemen but also 1.5 and second-generation Korean Americans, and even some first-generation Koreans. As the number of broken families increases due to the challenges of immigrant life, Korean immigrant communities must now view themselves as generative communities rooted in this new reality.

This dissertation emerged from a research group within an American congregation, which eventually gave birth to a Korean immigrant church through the initiative of Korean women married to American men. From this congregation also came the Korean American Women United Mission. The core of this dissertation is therefore the pursuit of humanization for marginalized individuals through transforming praxis. More broadly, it represents the effort to move the Korean immigrant community from alienation to shalom by fostering transforming base communities.

For immigrant women—especially those in intercultural marriages—transforming praxis is urgently needed. This praxis involves three stages:

  1. Conscientization—a rediscovery of identity and the noble, equal value of all human beings, which I call Exodus-Genesis.
  2. Dialogue in equality—where individuals with affirmed identities engage in communal conversation, leading to ecclesial transformation. I call this Cross-Genesis, the transformation of dehumanization into relational identity.
  3. Lifelong transformation—an ongoing practice of Life-Genesis, where responsible selves are continually formed through voluntary service, echoing God’s incarnational self-giving.

Transforming praxis is not optional. It is the Missio Dei—God’s very mission. The church must embody communion with the marginalized—especially women and immigrants—for it to be biblically authentic.

2. Discovery

First, the Bible presents the recovery of the human archetype that was lost in Adam through the person of Jesus. God’s holy history comes alive in the present with meaning when this truth is recognized—bringing the past and future into the now. In Christ, the self that has been healed finds restoration, and this can be understood as the discovery of true identity. Moses’s identity changed three times. Paul was once Saul. In immigrant communities, the transformation of the self often reveals itself in the form of divided church identity and fractured families. Divorce may be visible, but addictions such as gambling, alcohol, prostitution, and domestic violence remain hidden, with little reported, yet they are increasing as frightening signs of inner self-fragmentation. Through research, I realized that the issue of consciousness and identity is far more serious than it appears.

Second, the church tends to fall into two extremes: a self-centered faith that seeks God’s favor for personal and family success, and an other-centered blind obedience that leaves everything to God. Both lose the essence of being human—dialogue. People attend worship, participate in education and sing praises, yet at times, these appear to be mere extensions of functionalism or a profit-driven society. When big events are considered a sign of God’s blessing and smaller ones seen as a lack of faith, a prosperity gospel and materialistic mindset dominate. In such religious attitudes and practices, we see alienation and a loss of genuine dialogue. Those who lose the ability to converse spiritually often become proud, trapped in themselves, and lead exhausting lives trying to prove they lack nothing. Without the humility to recognize their need, they also lose the spiritual capacity to intercede for others. This is another form of brokenness and loss of identity. The peak of such fragmentation is the complete loss of dialogue. Consequently, the dynamics of domination and subjugation take the place of dialogue, and instead of community, the church begins to mirror the structures of a profit-oriented society. It is worth noting that the church may sometimes have more cases of domination and victims than the broader society.

Third is the church’s role within society. The church must not position itself as a competitor among other social organizations. Today, many corporations donate part of their profits for social good. Then what makes the church different? Is it because we don’t drink or smoke? Because we don’t play sports on Sundays? No—the church is different because it “goes first” to seek out others and “gives freely” without expecting anything in return. It lives the life of “communion”—a shared life through voluntary service. This means taking responsibility for sharing. It is not an optional matter; rather, it is what makes the church truly the church, and the Christian truly a follower of Christ. This was a key discovery.

3. Proposal

First, a Christian is someone who stands as a truthful human being before God. In other words, to be truly human means to discover one’s true self. The original image of humanity, as God created, is represented by Adam in the Garden of Eden—but the archetype of this humanity can be found in Jesus Christ. While honor-based cultures are deeply concerned with how others see us, we must be more concerned with how we appear before God in the context of identity. To seek our identity is to constantly stand before God. Christ becomes the mirror. One must seek oneself. A person who has never searched for their true self tends to harm both themselves and others—imposing dominance with distorted ideas of self. A person who knows their identity does not struggle unnecessarily. One can be proudly both Korean and American, embracing that dual identity with joy. A Korean woman in an intercultural family can be proud to be Korean and American, and further, to be a pioneer in racial reconciliation and a leader in women’s liberation. This identity carries no sense of shame—it is, rather, a distinctive trait and a source of pride. The formation of a true self is a continual process of self-reflection before God, leading to ongoing personal liberation (an exodus). This is what Ruth experienced when she left her homeland with her mother-in-law and settled in a foreign land, eventually becoming the grandmother of King David.

Second, the church is truly the church when it lives a life of communion. The church is the birthplace of relationships. It is where death and life meet, where the past and future converge. Through Jesus, who is the Lord of the Church, past and future are reinterpreted. It is the time and place where humans meet God. Through the church, society must rediscover the meaning of its existence. But when the church loses the source of this reinterpretation, society also loses its standard and plunges into the deep mire of darkness. That place and that time represent absolute disconnection. The essence of darkness is disconnection, while the essence of light is relationship and dialogue. This is the meaning of the “generation of the cross.” The cross is the time and place where God meets humanity, and where human beings meet one another as equals. To be human is to discover one’s identity in the midst of dialogue. The church is the place where this happens, and to make it possible, a foundational community of becoming must be established. Just as the home is a place where love, not law, governs, the church is an expanded form of the home. Dialogue happens when we mutually recognize each other’s dignity and offer mutual respect. The circulation of blood in the body is like dialogue. The church is the most exemplary model of dialogue within society—because Jesus Himself is dialogue. To put it another way, Jesus is relationship itself. In the beginning was relationship, and this relationship took on flesh and dwelled among us, transforming broken and distorted (sick) relationships into true (healthy) ones. The church must demonstrate exemplary relationships to the world. For this, we must continuously train in relationships, develop our ability to engage in dialogue—learning to listen well and speak well—with both God and neighbors. This is how we form the “generation of the cross,” which brings about true humanity. With a new awareness of intercultural families, the relationship between Korean women in such families and the church can be renewed. This also contributes to changing common assumptions in the Korean community and shaping the future of intercultural families in a positive light.

Third, if the church focuses only on its internal affairs, it becomes nothing more than a closed social group, not the expanding kingdom of God on earth. For the church to sustain its life, it must not only develop relational identity within but also function as a vital cell within the society where it exists. If the church is only concerned with its internal operations, it degenerates into a closed-off entity—a relic of the past. But when it opens its doors, reaches out “first” and gives “freely” as a life-giving cell, the profit-driven society may begin to imitate the relational community found in the church. At the core of this relationship is God, and the one who embodies this is Jesus Christ, who is the Word and the Gospel. Forming external relationships is the recovery of the church’s responsible self. In other words, this is what mission truly is. Through this, life flows outward, and the individual Christian also confirms a new sense of identity—standing as a responsible self in completed relational identity. This helps prevent future corruption or disease. This life will transcend and address the evils of racism and sexism. The expansion of the kingdom of God is God’s purpose and the very essence of Jesus. It is not optional but is the very foundation of the church’s existence. Therefore, ministry for intercultural families must be recognized as an essential mission.

In conclusion, the method of transforming praxis toward the generation of a biblical church is conscientization, humanization, and communal becoming—and its content is the event of relationship. This must occur within existing churches and among believers. In this, time becomes eternal—and that eternity signifies the holiness of the present.

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생성 공동체를 향한 변형 실천 (참고도서) 뉴욕, 1995

Posted on May 14, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

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오성춘, “치유 목회를 통한 공동체 형성의 가능성”, 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1984년 1월호, pp. 56-66.

오재식, “교회 공동체와 시대적 증언”, 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1984년 1월호, pp. 45-55.

유복님, “여성과 성폭력 사회의 문제” 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1991년 5월호, pp. 80-88.

이경숙, “구약성서에 나타난 성폭력과 여성옹호” 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1991년 5월호, pp. 7-18.

이규태, 한국여성의 의식구조: 제 1 권 생구인가 사람인가, 서울: 신원문화사, 1993.

___________, 한국여성의 의식구조: 제 2 권 여성해방과 개화기, 서울: 신원문화사, 1993.

이순임 역, “떼제 공동체” – 새로운 공동체 운동의 전망, 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한기독교서회, 1989년 5월호.

이우정, 기독교 여성 백년의 발자취, 서울: 민중사, 1985.

이원규, “공동체성의 위기와 한국교회의 상생적 책임”, 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1992년 1월호, pp. 55-64.

이은선, “여성신학과 기독론” 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1991년 5월호, pp. 33-51.

장상, “새질서를 위한 진통: 바울과 여성” 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1991년 5월호, pp. 19-32.

전망, 뉴욕: 뉴욕 아시안 여성센터 뉴스레터, 1994년 가을/겨울호

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, New York: United Nations, 1989.

정신대문제 자료집, “왜 우리는 이 문제의 해결에 적극 나서야만 하는가?” 뉴욕: 미동부지역 정신대문제 대책 협의회, 1992년 11월.

주영희, “가출 아동을 통한 학대 조사연구”, 사회복지, 80. pp. 71-133.

중앙일보, “배우자 폭행 여전히 많다”, 뉴욕: 1992년 3월 14일, 미주판 5면.

중앙일보, “교포 1세, 자녀들 너무 모른다”, 뉴욕: 1992년 3월 25일, 미주판 2면.

한국여신학자협의회, 한국 여교역자 실태조사, 1989.

한국염, “한국역사에 나타난 여성차별” 기독교 사상, 서울: 대한 기독교 서회, 1991년  5월호, pp. 67-79.

한국일보, “이중문화 결혼의 실태” 뉴욕: 1995년 1월 31일, A7면.

_________, “한인 여학생 10대 임신 늘고 있다” 뉴욕: 1995년 3월 21일, 1면.

_________, “뉴욕시 도시 인구” 뉴욕 타임즈 한국어판, 1995년 3월 30일, B면.

한정자역, 현대여성해방사상, Hester Eisenstein, Contemporary Feminist Thought, 서울: 이대출판사, 1986.

황무연, 단전호흡법, 서울: 의약사, 1979.

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다문화 속의 교회,”창조적 교회 생성을 향한 변형 연습” (목회학 박사 논문, 뉴욕, 1995)

Posted on May 14, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

성서적 교회 생성을 향한 변형 연습

미주 한인 인중 문화 가정을 위한 목회형성

윤 태헌

“.. 어머니께서 가시는 곳에 나도 가고, 어머니께서 유숙하시는 곳에서 나도 유숙하겠나이다. 어머니의 백성이 나의 백성이 되고 어머니의 하나님이 나의 하나님이 되시리니” (롯기 1:16)

목회학 박사학위 취득에 필요한 내용 중 일부인,
본 논문을 이에 제출합니다.

뉴욕신학대학원

5 West 29th Street New York, New York

1995년 3월 4일

목 차


서론: 교회 배경과 문제

  1. 지역적 배경 2. 교회적 배경 3. 문제 개요 4. 문제 분석

제 1 장 : 성서적 교회을 향한 변형연습이란?

  1. 소외란 무엇인가? 2. 변형연습니란? 3. 교회생성이란?

제 2 장 : 교회생성을 향한 변형연습의 성서적 관점

  1. 출애급 생성
  2. 십자가 생성
  3. 변형 생성

제 3 장 : 교회생성을 향한 변형연습의 신학적 관점

  1. 상관적 자아의 신학
  2. 어떤 그리스도의 몸이 될까?
  3. 어떻게 그리스도의 몸 안에서 살까?
  4. 생성 활동

제 4 장 : 이중 문화 결혼을 향한 태도

제 5 장 : 한인 가정의 기능 마비

제 6 장 : 역사내의 여성차별의 현상

제 7 장 : 교회 내에서의 성차별과 공동체 회복

제 8 장 : 변형 연습의 역사적 실례

제 9 장 : 변향 연습을 위한 목회의 여정

  1. 자아 정체성 변형 연습
  2. 관계적 자아 생성 연습
  3. 책임적 자아 생성 연습

제 10 장 : 변형 연습을 위한 발전적 목회력

  1. 변화 목표 설정
  2. 목표 달성을 위한 시행 전략
    1）변화목표 달성을 위한 시행전략 계획
    2）변화목표 달성을 위한 시행전략 계획에 대한 실행
  3. 시행 전략 실행에 대한 평가
    1）변화 목표 달성을 위한 시행전략 계획
    2）변화 목표 달성을 위한 시행전략 실행에 대한 평가
  4. 실험 목회에 대한 종합 평가

제 11 장 : 변형적 목회를 위한 능력 개발과 평가

  1. 목회능력 사정
  2. 목회능력 개발 분야설정
  3. 목회능력 개발을 위한 시행전략
  4. 목회능력 개발 분야에 대한 평가
  5. 목회능력 개발에 대한 종합평가

결론 : 생성 공동체

참고 도서

부록 : 실험목회연습 실제와 관계된 자료

1.연구반 모임과 관계된 자료 2. 자아 정체성 생성 연습 실제와 관계된 자료 3. 관계적 자아 생성 연습 실제와 관계된 자료 4. 책임적 자아 생성 연습 실제와 관계된 자료 5. 목회 능력 계발 연습 실제와 관계된 자료

헌 정

이 글을 이국 땅에서 다문화 결혼을 통해 소외의 고통을 경험했거나 지금 경험 중이거나 앞으로 경험할 친구들, 그리고 자발적인 마음으로 타인을 섬기는 이들에게 바칩니다.

감사의 글

무엇보다 먼저, 다문화 결혼이라는 주제—성서 역사와 오늘날에도 계속되는 문제—에 참여하도록 부르신 하나님께 감사를 드립니다. 나는 이 목회학 박사 과정을 통해 한 학문적 여정이, 그와 같은 경험으로 상처 입은 이들을 위한 치유 여정의 일부라고 믿습니다.

둘째로, 나의 사랑하는 아내 완희에게 깊은 감사를 전합니다. 그녀는 꼼꼼한 코멘트와 교정, 사역의 넉넉한 도움을 통해 아낌없이 지지해 주었습니다. 이 고된 작업에 몰두하는 동안, 그녀는 대부분의 가사와 일상의 책임을 감당해 주었습니다. 그녀의 헌신 없이는 이 프로젝트를 완수할 수 없었을 것입니다. 무엇보다도, 이 길고 힘든 과정을 견디게 한 그녀의 변함없는 사랑과 인내에 진심으로 감사드립니다.

나의 자녀들, 세나, 세림, 세준에게도 고마움을 전합니다. 너희의 이해와 인내에 감사하고, 이제 이 작업이 끝났으니 더 많은 시간을 함께 보내기를 기대합니다—너희는 그럴 자격이 충분합니다.

셋째로, 나의 신실한 멘토 차원태 박사님께 깊은 감사를 드립니다. 그의 인내로운 지도는 이 중요하고 어려운 작업을 완성하는 데 큰 도움이 되었습니다.

넷째로, 엠버리연합감리교회의 한국어 및 영어 회중들, 미주한인여선교회, 로렌스한인연합감리교회 교우들께도 진심으로 감사를 전합니다. 여러분의 기도, 시간, 재정적 후원이 나를 지탱해 주셨습니다. 여러분의 이해와 배려 없이는 이 작업은 빛을 보지 못했을 것입니다.

마지막으로, 이 프로젝트에 함께해 준 현장 팀원들 모두에게 깊이 감사드립니다.

1차 팀: 윤완희, 진릴링, 에드나 마이 퀴벨, 클리포드 퀴벨, 레스터 포레스터
2차 팀: 윤완희, 최완자, 채상락, 조셉 영자, 김영, 조이 산티아고, 김정애
3차 팀: 박용옥, 김충희, 박영범, 장하워드, 이용대, 김상휘

여러분은 이 여정의 모든 단계에서 함께 걸어주셨고, 여러분의 헌신과 기여는 이 프로젝트를 완성하는 데 필수적이었습니다.

요 약

“교회생성을 향한 변형적 실천”이라는 제목은 레오나르도 보프의 『교회생성』, T. 리처드 스나이더의 『한때는 백성이 아니었으나』, 안병무의 『민중사건 속의 그리스도』, 존 브래드쇼의 『가족』과 『귀향』, 폴 크니터의 『다른 이름은 없다』, 오를란도 코스타스의 『성문 밖의 그리스도』, 조 홀랜드와 피터 헨리오의 『사회분석』, 프린징 부부의 『다문화 결혼에 대한 응답』, 제임스 콘의 『억눌린 자들의 하나님』, 라우어의 『헤겔의 하나님 개념』, 리처드 자너의 『자아의 맥락』, 도널 도어의 『통합적 영성』, 샐리 맥페이그의 『은유신학』, 박성준의 『하나님의 상한 마음』, H. 리처드 니버의 『책임적 자아』, 서쵸키의 『하나님-그리스도-교회』, 아치 스미스 주니어의 『관계적 자아』, 브루게만의 『마침내 시인이 온다』, 베츠워스의 『사회 윤리학』 등 신학 및 사회학 고전에서 영향을 받아 형성되었습니다.

“변형적 실천”이라는 개념은 23년 전 서울 감신대에서 본회퍼 연구를 하면서 시작되었고, 서울 빈민 지역에서 공동체 조직가로 실천하였습니다. 이후 미국 여러 지역 교회에서 사역하면서, 기존 구조 안에서 새로운 교회를 생성하는 꿈을 품어왔습니다. 1984년부터 시작된 한국계 미국인 간의 다문화 결혼 가족과의 여정은 하나님의 부르심이었음을 뒤늦게 깨닫게 되었습니다.

2차 세계대전 이후, 사람들은 위로와 안정감을 찾기 위해 교회를 찾았지만, 점차 물질적 번영과 안보 중심 사회로 이동하면서 하나님을 떠났습니다. 이는 약속의 땅에 정착한 이스라엘 백성이 하나님 대신 다른 신을 섬기던 모습과 같습니다. 이런 하나님으로부터의 단절은 두 가지 영적 침묵으로 나타납니다. “오직 나”의 고립(주관주의)과 “오직 하나님”의 분노(객관주의)입니다. 이 둘은 모두 참된 공동체와 하나님의 형상을 왜곡합니다. 교회는 단순히 존재하는 것이 아니라, 공동체 안에서 함께 살아야 합니다.

1970년대 이후, 미국 내 한인 이민자는 크게 증가했고, 그 가운데 한 가지 뚜렷한 경향은 타인종과의 결혼이 꾸준히 늘고 있다는 점입니다. 이러한 결혼은 문화 간의 다리를 놓지만, 동시에 이민자로서의 삶에 또 다른 부담을 주기도 합니다. 특히 한인 여성들은 언어, 정체성, 차별로 인해 고립과 상실을 경험하며, 이로 인해 정서적, 영적 상처를 입습니다. 평등과 존엄, 사랑이 있는 “집”에 대한 갈망은 교회를 향한 긴급한 요청입니다.

이 프로젝트는 뉴욕시 지역의 엠버리연합감리교회와 한인 이민 공동체 내에서 진행되었습니다. 처음에는 7명의 교회 구성원으로 시작한 현장 팀은 점차 확대되었고, 기존의 사역 모델에서 출발했으나, 한인 다문화 가족의 구체적 필요에 따라 재구성되었습니다. 이 변형적 실천 모델은 뉴욕 외의 유사 가족뿐 아니라, 소외된 모든 공동체에 적용될 수 있는 템플릿이 될 수 있습니다.

샬롬으로부터의 소외

처음에는 많은 한인 여성들이 꿈을 안고 미국에 도착합니다. 주로 경제적 어려움 속에서 미군과 결혼한 경우가 많습니다. 그러나 도착 후, 일부는 남편에게 버림받고, 재정·주거·언어·문화 문제 속에 방치됩니다. 극도의 고립 속에서 일부는 약물에 의존하거나 생계를 위해 마사지 업소에서 일하게 되며, 최종적으로는 실직, 노숙, 정신질환으로 이어지는 경우도 많습니다. 이들은 평화, 존엄, 공동체로 상징되는 샬롬으로부터 깊이 소외되어 있습니다.

이 프로젝트는 다음 세 가지 소외 형태와, 이를 회복하기 위한 사명을 제시합니다.

  1. 자아 통합으로부터의 소외 (사명: 자아 정체성)
    자존감 결여, 감정 갈등, 질투심 등 내적 분열은 가정과 공동체의 불안정으로 이어집니다. “나는 누구인가”를 알지 못하면 샬롬도 없습니다.
  2. 관계적 존중으로부터의 소외 (사명: 관계 정체성)
    문화와 언어, 가치 차이로 인한 거리감은 배우자 및 공동체와의 단절을 가져옵니다. 교회는 ‘게젤샤프트’가 아니라 ‘게마인샤프트’가 되어야 합니다. “나는 너와 어떤 관계인가”를 알지 못하면 샬롬은 불가능합니다.
  3. 구조적 정의로부터의 소외 (사명: 책임 정체성)
    제도적 보호가 부족하고, 세대 간·국내외 간 차별이 존재합니다. 교회는 고통받는 이들과 함께 고통받고, 정의를 실현해야 합니다. “나는 세상에서 어디에 있는가”를 모르면 샬롬은 없습니다.

교회 생성(ecclesiogenesis)은 단절을 치유 공동체로 전환시키는 영적 실천을 지속적으로 요구합니다. 이 프로젝트는 그 변형적 헌신을 구현하고자 합니다.

이 프로젝트는 세 가지 실천 모델을 제안합니다:

  1. 출애급 생성 실천(Exodusgenesis): 자아 정체성 회복을 통한 개인 변형
  2. 십자가 생성 실천(Crossgenesis): 관계 정체성 회복을 통한 교회 변형
  3. 생명 생성 실천(Lifegenesis): 책임 정체성 회복을 통한 공동체 변형

교회는 고정된 기관이 아니라, 계속 움직이며 그 맥락 안에서 변화해 가는 공동체입니다.

하나님의 구속 행위는 본질적으로 관계적이며, 깨어진 인류를 해방시키는 것입니다.

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The Church in a Multicultural Context, “THE TRANSFORMING PRAXIS TOWARD ECCLESIOGENESIS” (for Doctor of Ministry, New York, 1995)

Posted on May 14, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

MINISTRY DEVELOPED FOR THE FAMILY OF THE INTERMARRIAGE IN THE KOREAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY

“Where you go, I will go; where you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Ministry

NEW YORK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

5 West 29th Street New York, New York

March 4, 1995

DEDICATION

I dedicate this to my friends who have experienced, are experiencing, or will experience the pain of alienation through intercultural marriage in a foreign land, and to those who serve others with a willing heart.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

    First and foremost, I give thanks to God, who has called me to engage with the issues of intermarriage—an enduring concern throughout biblical history and in our present age. I believe that my studies and writings in the Doctor of Ministry program have been part of a healing journey for those who bear the wounds of such experiences.

Secondly, I offer my deepest gratitude to my beloved wife, Wan-Hee. Her unwavering support—through thoughtful comments, diligent proofreading, and her generous assistance in ministry—has been indispensable. While I was immersed in this demanding work, she shouldered much of the household responsibilities. Without her devotion, I could not have completed this project. Above all, I am thankful for her enduring love and patience throughout this long and challenging process.

To my children, Sena, Seryhm, and Sejun: thank you for your patience and understanding. I look forward to spending more time with you now that this writing is complete—you have truly earned it.

Thirdly, I am deeply thankful to my faithful mentor, Dr. Won-Tae Cha, whose patient guidance helped me navigate and complete this important and difficult work.

Fourth, I express my sincere appreciation to my church community—both the Korean-speaking and English-speaking congregations of Embury United Methodist Church—as well as to The Korean American Women United Mission and The Lawrence Korean United Methodist Church. Your prayers, time, and financial support have sustained me. Without your understanding and care, this work may never have come to light.

Lastly, I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to all the members of my site team.

  • In the first round: Wan-Hee Yoon, Jean Liling, Edna Mai Quibell, Clifford Quibell, and Lester Forrester.
  • In the second round: Wan-Hee Yoon, Wan-Ja Choi, Sang-Rak Che, Young-Ja Joseph, Young Kim, Joyi Santiago, and Jung-Ae Kim.
  • In the third round: Yong Ok Park, Choong Hee Kim, Young Burm Park, Howard Y. Jang, Yong Dae Lee, and Sang Hwi Kim.

You have walked with me through every step of this journey. Your dedication and contributions have been essential to the completion of this project.  

ABSTRACT

The title “The Transforming Praxis Toward Ecclesiogenesis” emerged from my extensive reading of key theological and sociological works, including Leonardo Boff’s Ecclesiogenesis, T. Richard Snyder’s Once You Were No People, Byung-Moo Ahn’s Christ in the Minjung Event, John Bradshaw’s The Family and Homecoming, Paul F. Knitter’s No Other Name, Orlando E. Costas’ Christ Outside the Gate, Joe Holland and Peter Henriot’s Social Analysis, Fred and Anita Prinzing’s Mixed Messages: Responding to Interracial Marriage, James H. Cone’s God of the Oppressed, Quentin Lauer’s Hegel’s Concept of God, Richard M. Zaner’s The Context of Self, Donal Dorr’s Integral Spirituality, Sallie McFague’s Metaphorical Theology and Models of God, Andrew Sung Park’s The Wounded Heart of God, H. Richard Niebuhr’s The Responsible Self, Marjorie Hewitt Suchocki’s God-Christ-Church, Archie Smith Jr.’s The Relational Self, Walter Brueggemann’s Finally Comes the Poet, and Roger G. Betsworth’s Social Ethics.

My concept of “Transforming Praxis” began during my studies on Dietrich Bonhoeffer at the Methodist Theological Seminary in Seoul, Korea, 23 years ago. I first applied this praxis as a community organizer in the slum areas of Seoul. Later, in my ministry within various local churches in the United States, I continually held the vision of birthing a new church within existing structures. Since 1984, I have been closely connected with Korean American intermarriage families, a journey that I now recognize as a divine calling.

Following World War II, churches saw a rise in attendance as people sought comfort and stability. However, as society shifted towards security and material prosperity, many turned away from God—mirroring the Israelites’ turn to other gods after settling in the Promised Land. This turning away gave rise to two forms of spiritual muteness: the alienation of “Only Me” (a reductionist subjectivism), and the rage of “Only God” (a reductionist objectivism). Both extremes disrupted genuine communion and distorted the image of God, neglecting the dynamic foundation of communal reality. The church is called not merely to exist but to be present in and through the life of the community.

Since the 1970s, the Korean immigrant population in the U.S. has grown significantly. Among this growth, one notable trend is the steady increase in interracial marriages between Koreans and individuals of other racial and cultural backgrounds. While these unions represent cultural bridges, they have also introduced new stresses into an already burdened immigrant life. Many of these families experience emotional and spiritual harm, especially Korean women in such marriages, who often suffer isolation, identity loss, and systemic discrimination. The longing for a “home” where equality, dignity, and love are honored is an urgent call to the church.

This project was carried out within the Embury United Methodist Church and the broader Korean immigrant community in the New York City area. The site team began with seven members from Embury and expanded as the project progressed. While drawing from existing ministry models, the project was ultimately shaped to respond specifically to the needs of Korean American families in interracial marriages. This model of Transforming Praxis may serve as a template not only for similar families beyond New York but also for any marginalized community seeking the life of Shalom.

Alienation from Shalom
At the initial stage, many Korean women in interracial marriages arrive in the U.S. filled with dreams. Often coming from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, they married American soldiers in hopes of a better future. However, these hopes frequently dissolve upon arrival. Some are abandoned shortly after arriving, left without financial resources, employment, housing, or community, while facing language barriers and cultural shocks. These women fall into extreme isolation, some eventually turning to substance use or working in massage parlors to survive. At the final stage, some lose their jobs, become homeless, or are institutionalized with mental illness. Their alienation from Shalom—from peace, dignity, and community—has become both deeply personal and tragically widespread.

This project identifies three key forms of alienation and the corresponding missions required to restore wholeness:

  1. Alienation from Personal Integrity (Mission: Self-Identity)
    Site team members reported deep internal struggles, including jealousy and emotional conflict, even among those with close relationships. Many women suffered from low self-esteem, unaware of the root causes of their pain. This lack of personal peace and fragmented identity contributed to dysfunction within families and the broader community. There can be no Shalom without knowing “who I am.”
  2. Alienation from Interpersonal Respect (Mission: Relational Identity)
    Differences in culture, language, and values often create emotional distance between spouses. Many do not engage openly in relationships or community life. Furthermore, Korean American society—consciously or unconsciously—often marginalizes interracial families, deepening their sense of exclusion. The Korean immigrant church, rather than being a Gemeinschaft (community of belonging), has sometimes resembled a Gesellschaft (impersonal society). There can be no Shalom without knowing others and “what I am in relation to them.”
  3. Alienation from Structural Justice (Mission: Responsible Identity)
    These families often lack access to systemic support. Abandoned women have no institutional recourse. Discrimination persists within the Korean American community—between generations, and between immigrants and those in Korea. The church must rise as a space of justice and compassion for the marginalized. There can be no Shalom without the church’s willingness to suffer with and for the oppressed—without knowing “where I am in the world.”

Ecclesiogenesis—birthing the church—requires a continual spiritual practice that transforms forces of alienation into healing community. This project embodies that commitment, aiming to turn fractured lives into reconciled ones through the practice of integral spirituality.

The project proposes a threefold transformative model:

  1. Praxis on Exodusgenesis: Recovering Individual Identity for personal transformation—a journey of self-discovery.
  2. Praxis on Crossgenesis: Recovering Relational Identity for ecclesiological transformation—a journey of discovering the Reign of God.
  3. Praxis on Lifegenesis: Recovering Responsible Identity for communal transformation—a journey of discovering eternal life.

The birthing church is never static—it is always moving, always transforming within its existing context.

God’s redeeming action is fundamentally relational, aiming to liberate broken humanity from alienation and bring all into the fullness of Shalom.

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Church Context and Issues

  1. Regional Context
  2. Ecclesial Context
  3. Overview of the Problem
  4. Problem Analysis

Chapter 1: What Is Transforming Praxis Toward the Biblical Church?

  1. What Is Alienation?
  2. What Is Transforming Praxis?
  3. What Is Ecclesiogenesis?

Chapter 2: Biblical Perspectives on Transforming Praxis Toward Ecclesiogenesis

  1. Exodus Praxis
  2. Cross Praxis
  3. Transforming Praxis

Chapter 3: Theological Perspectives on Transforming Praxis Toward Ecclesiogenesis

  1. Theology of the Correlative Self
  2. What Kind of Body of Christ Shall We Become?
  3. How Shall We Live in the Body of Christ?
  4. Praxis as Creative Activity

Chapter 4: Attitudes Toward Intercultural (Interracial) Marriage

Chapter 5: Dysfunction in Korean-American Families

Chapter 6: Historical Patterns of Discrimination Against Women

Chapter 7: Gender Discrimination Within the Church and the Restoration of Community

Chapter 8: Historical Examples of Transforming Praxis

Chapter 9: The Pastoral Journey for Transforming Praxis

  1. Transforming Praxis for Self-Identity
  2. Praxis for Creating Relational Identity
  3. Praxis for Creating Responsible Identity

Chapter 10: Developing Transformative Pastoral Capacity

  1. Setting Goals for Transformation
  2. Implementation Strategies for Goal Achievement
    • Planning the Implementation Strategy
    • Execution of the Strategy
  3. Evaluation of the Implementation
    • Strategy Planning for Goal Achievement
    • Evaluation of Strategy Execution
  4. Comprehensive Evaluation of Experimental Ministry

Chapter 11: Capacity Building and Evaluation for Transformative Ministry

  1. Assessment of Pastoral Capacity
  2. Identifying Areas for Capacity Development
  3. Strategy for Developing Pastoral Capacity
  4. Evaluation of Each Development Area
  5. Overall Evaluation of Capacity Development

Conclusion: The Community of Becoming

References

Appendix: Materials Related to Experimental Pastoral Praxis

  1. Materials Related to the Study Group Meetings
  2. Materials for Self-Identity Creation Praxis
  3. Materials for Relational Identity Creation Praxis
  4. Materials for Responsible Identity Creation Praxis
  5. Materials for Pastoral Capacity Development Praxis


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Doctrinal/Theological Statement for Elder Process, New York, 1986

Posted on May 3, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

For the paper which the process of Elder/Full connection status required submitted to the board of Ordained Ministry of the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church

in March, 1986

  • Prayer

… It was Wesley’s witness in life and death.

I’ll praise my Maker while I’ve breath And, when my voice is lost in death, Praise shall employ my nobler powers. My days of praise shall ne’er be past, While life and thought and being last, And immortality endures. Amen.

[I] DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE OF GOD AND THE UNDERSTANDING OF GOD YOU DERIVE FROM BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL, AND HISTORICAL SOURCES.

I. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF GOD: A Theological Reflection

Unless theology is rooted in real life, it becomes abstract and meaningless. Theology must begin not with speculation, but with the lived encounter with God. Before we speak of theology (the study of God), or Christology (the study of Christ), or even soteriology (the study of salvation), we must first encounter God, meet Jesus, and experience salvation. Theology is not primarily a system of ideas, but a living dialogue between Scripture (text) and the life we live (context).

II. A Journey of Faith in Three Movements

I understand my faith as a journey that moves through three continual, overlapping steps. These form a spiritual cycle I return to again and again until the fullness of redemption is complete.

1. Knowledge of Self through Humility

The first step is self-knowledge, which brings humility. In humility, I see my brokenness and regain spiritual clarity—what I call the purification of will. Humility comes through honest self-examination and leads to authentic faith. Without humility, one cannot truly know God, for “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

I was raised in the church, trained in seminary, and outwardly lived as a Christian for 25 years. Yet, I was, in many ways, a “whitewashed wall.” The turning point came after the Gwangju Uprising in Korea—a national tragedy that also marked a spiritual crisis for me. In the aftermath, I emigrated to the United States, leaving behind pride and familiarity. It was an Exodus, a journey from death to life. God met me in this wilderness and gave me a new heart—a true metanoia, or spiritual turning.

“But God, who is rich in mercy… made us alive together with Christ…”
(Ephesians 2:4–9)

I came to see that even my humility was not my own achievement, but a prevenient grace—a gift from God given before I ever knew how to seek Him.

2. Knowledge of Others through Love

The second step is knowing others by loving them and sharing in their suffering. Theology, when it is real, leads us toward others. In Korea, my work in community organizing amid political struggle was born out of a desire for justice and freedom. That work was love in action—what I now understand as my participation in the Missio Dei (the mission of God).

Love is not only an emotion but an imperative—God’s own love at work in us. This love leads us deeper into faith, pressing us toward what John Wesley called Christian perfection—a heart fully oriented toward God and others.

Even those who do not yet know Christ are loved by God. When I love others in His name, I encounter the mystery of faith made visible.

3. Knowledge of God through Contemplation

The third step is contemplation—the mystical awareness of God as Truth. One morning in winter 1981, at 6:00 a.m. at Drew University, I experienced the presence of God while meditating on 2 Timothy 4:6–8. That moment became a sacred memory of direct spiritual communion. I call this encounter the Communio Sanctorum—the fellowship of saints in the Spirit.

When I pray, when I listen deeply, when I behold the ordinary world with new eyes, I sense God’s transforming power:

“Be renewed in the spirit of your mind” (Ephesians 4:23)
“Behold, I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)

Through daily prayer—especially our 6:00 a.m. prayer at church—I begin each day in communion with God. This prayer has no vacation; it is a rhythm of life. Contemplation purifies the soul and fills it with God’s light.

III. Living Between Exodus and the Promised Land

Like Israel delivered from Egypt, I have left the land of uncertainty behind. But I have not yet entered the fullness of the Kingdom. I walk through the wilderness—a pilgrim, a messenger of hope, an ambassador of the world to come.

This waiting is not passive. It is filled with hope, faith, and love—and it is often marked by pain, which sanctifies us as we love.

“For the love of Christ compels us… if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation… All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation… We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors.”
(2 Corinthians 5:14–20)

Conclusion

My understanding of God is rooted in personal experience, deepened by Scripture, and informed by theology and history. God calls us first to know ourselves in humility, then to love others through service, and finally to know Him through prayer and contemplation.

I am not yet fully home. But I walk in faith, hoping for the day when all things will be made new. Until then, I remain—
a follower,
a servant,
an ambassador of Christ.


[II] WHAT IS THE CHRISTIAN UNDERSTANDING OF HUMANITY, AND THE HUMAN NEED FOR DIVINE GRACE?

The Christian understanding of humanity begins with the truth that human beings are created in the image of God (imago Dei). This image consists not in physical form, but in the soul’s spiritual, rational, and moral capacities—our ability to know, to choose freely, and to live in holiness and righteousness. These divine qualities were bestowed as a gift, not inherently possessed, and they were fully present in Adam before the fall.

Adam, as the representative of humanity, had the posse non peccare—the ability not to sin—a freedom rooted in his likeness to God. However, he also possessed the posse peccare—the ability to sin. Had he used his free will to remain faithful, he might have been raised to a perfected state of non posse peccare—the inability to sin, a permanent and glorified union with God’s righteousness. But through his disobedience, Adam fell, and with him, all humanity inherited the consequences of sin.

Sin did not originate with God. Its root lies in the mutable nature of the human will, which, though created good, was capable of turning away from the good. With Adam’s fall, the original righteousness was lost, and in its place came a twofold corruption:

  1. The loss of original goodness—a defect in our nature;
  2. The invasion of evil into the space once occupied by righteousness.

Thus, original sin affects the whole person—body and soul. Every human being is now born into a state of alienation from God, unable by their own strength to reach toward divine grace.

Because of this inherited corruption, fallen humanity is enslaved by sin and completely unable to initiate or even cooperate with divine grace without God’s prior movement. The will is bound, not free, and apart from grace, the sinner cannot choose God. This bondage to sin is both a misery and a punishment. It culminates in eternal death—the full separation from God’s presence (poena damni) and the enduring torment of the soul (poena sensus), which is the conscious suffering of those apart from God.

In this hopeless condition, grace becomes not merely helpful but absolutely necessary.

The Role of Divine Grace

Repentance, then, is not a human achievement but a gift of grace. It is God’s merciful work in the heart, enabling the sinner to:

  • Acknowledge and grieve over sin,
  • Turn away from evil,
  • Long for righteousness, and
  • Practice love and holiness.

True repentance is an evangelical virtue, given only by God’s initiative. It is the response of a heart made alive by the Spirit—evidence of God already at work. The soul cannot even prepare itself for grace apart from grace itself. The ability to respond to the Gospel is itself a result of divine mercy.

Conclusion

In the Christian view, humanity is dignified as the bearer of God’s image, but that image has been distorted by sin. We are not merely wounded—we are spiritually dead, and our only hope is in God’s sovereign grace. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, we are made new.

Grace alone awakens, restores, and redeems us. We are saved not by merit, not by effort, but by the sheer mercy of God—to whom belongs all glory.

[III] HOW DO YOU INTERRET THE STATEMENT “JESUS CHRIST IS LORD?’

To proclaim that “Jesus Christ is Lord” is to affirm a truth at the very center of Christian faith: that in the person of Jesus, God has entered fully into human life, and in Him, divine authority and human existence are perfectly united.

1. The Meaning of the Incarnation

When we speak of Christ’s incarnation, we are not talking about a divine spirit merely attaching itself to a pre-existing human being. Instead, in the mystery of the incarnation, the eternal Logos—the Word of God—took on human nature fully and completely. Without ceasing to be God, the Logos assumed our humanity, entering the fullness of human existence.

Jesus did not lose His divine nature, nor was His humanity diminished or overridden. Rather, in perfect unity, He lived fully as both true God and true man. His human body, emotions, thoughts, and will became the means through which the divine Word acted in the world. His humanity was not a costume or tool—it was real and complete, even while being perfectly obedient to the divine will.

2. Lordship Through Cross and Resurrection

Christ’s lordship is revealed not only in His divinity but in His obedience unto death and His resurrection. The crucified Jesus, raised from the dead by God, is declared Lord through the victory over sin and death. The resurrection is not only a miraculous event but the vindication of Christ’s identity and mission—the confirmation that the Crucified One is the Risen Lord.

The “raising of the dead” is a demonstration of God’s creative and life-giving power. It shows that in Christ, even death has been conquered, and new creation has begun. In Him, we see the promise of eternal life and the future kingdom of God, already breaking into the present.

3. Christ’s Kingship and Mission

To say “Jesus is Lord” also means that He reigns. His lordship is not abstract or symbolic; it is active and real, expressed in His ruling over the Church by His Word and Spirit. Through this lordship, Christ protects His people, sustains them, and equips them for mission in the world. His resurrection appearances were not simply mystical experiences—they were calls to service, commissioning the disciples to proclaim the gospel and continue His work in the world.

As King, Christ exercises divine authority now in the age of grace, and He will ultimately bring His kingdom to full completion in the age of glory. Even at the consummation of all things, when He delivers all to the Father, Christ remains forever the Redeemer, and His kingdom is the kingdom of salvation—eternal, unshakable, and glorious.

4. The Promise of His Lordship

Finally, the declaration that “Jesus Christ is Lord” is filled with hope. It points us to the future fulfillment of God’s promises: the resurrection of the dead, the renewal of all things, and the full revelation of the Kingdom of God. In this promise, we are drawn to worship, to obedience, and to mission.

Conclusion

To confess “Jesus Christ is Lord” is to acknowledge the full reality of His divinity and humanity, to receive the salvation He has accomplished through His death and resurrection, and to submit to His present and eternal reign. It is a confession of faith, hope, and allegiance—a declaration that changes everything.

영설서상환

[IV] WHAT IS YOUR CONCEPTION OF THE ACTIVITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN PERSONAL FAITH IN THE COMMUNITY OF BELIEVERS, AND IN RESPONSIBLE LIVING IN THE WORLD?

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, proceeding from the Creator (the Father) and the Redeemer (the Son). He is not a force or influence but fully God, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father and the Son.

1. The Person and Power of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is clearly identified as divine in Scripture:

  • Named as God (Acts 5:3–4)
  • Possessing divine attributes:
    • Eternal (Genesis 1:2)
    • Omnipresent (Psalm 139:7)
    • Omniscient (1 Corinthians 2:10)
    • Omnipotent (seen in His works throughout Scripture)

The Spirit’s divine works include:

  • Creation and sustaining of life (Genesis 1:2; Psalm 33:6)
  • Empowering the mission of Christ (Isaiah 61:1)
  • Distributing gifts such as tongues, prophecy, healing (1 Corinthians 12:4–11)
  • Indwelling, convicting, guiding, and sanctifying believers

He is to be worshiped, trusted, and obeyed. Our baptism is in His name (Matthew 28:19), and our prayers are offered through His help and presence (Romans 8:26–27).

2. The Holy Spirit and Personal Faith

In our individual lives, the Spirit is the one who awakens faith, convicts us of sin, and leads us to repentance and new birth. As John Wesley emphasized, the Spirit brings about inward holiness—transforming hearts to love God, to be filled with grace, and to seek righteousness.

The Spirit’s presence in a believer’s life produces:

  • A new identity in Christ (Romans 8:15–17)
  • Assurance of salvation (Romans 8:16)
  • Ongoing sanctification (Galatians 5:22–25)
  • Power for prayer, obedience, and witness (Acts 1:8)

The Holy Spirit is the breath of God in us—the divine life that enables us to live for God with freedom, joy, and power.

3. The Spirit in the Community of Believers

The Spirit does not only work within individuals but creates and sustains the Church as a living body. He unites diverse believers into one body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), distributing spiritual gifts for the common good, fostering unity, and guiding the Church in truth and mission.

In the community of faith, the Spirit:

  • Builds fellowship through mutual love and service (Ephesians 4:1–6)
  • Equips each person with gifts for ministry (Romans 12; 1 Corinthians 12)
  • Inspires worship, teaching, and witness (Acts 2:42–47)
  • Convicts the Church toward justice, mercy, and prophetic engagement in the world

The Church, therefore, is a Spirit-led community, formed not by institutions alone but by grace, truth, and love empowered by the Holy Spirit.

4. The Spirit and Responsible Living in the World

The Holy Spirit empowers believers not only for worship and witness, but also for responsible living in the world. As Wesley taught, inward holiness must always lead to outward holiness—a life of love, service, and justice.

This includes:

  • Speaking truth to power
  • Advocating for the marginalized
  • Caring for creation
  • Promoting peace and reconciliation
  • Living ethically and courageously

To live in the Spirit is to live with a holy dissatisfaction with injustice and a Spirit-filled passion to serve others as Christ served.

Conclusion

The Holy Spirit is not only the giver of life but the one who sustains it in all its dimensions—personal, communal, and global. He is the breath of God moving through history, drawing us into deeper fellowship with God and active participation in God’s redemptive work in the world. As long as we have breath, we are called to praise, serve, and be transformed by the Spirit—“inwardly holy” and “outwardly faithful.”

[V] THE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH HOLDS THAT SCRIPTURE, TRADITION, EXPERIENCE, AND REASON ARE SOURCES AND NORMS FOR BELIEF AND PRACTICE, BUT THAT THE BIBLE IS PRIMARY AMONG THEM. WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THIS THEOLOGICAL POSITION OF THE CHURCH?

The United Methodist Church affirms that Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason are essential sources for understanding and practicing our faith. Among these, however, Scripture holds primacy as the foundational and authoritative guide for faith and life.

As United Methodists, we do not invent our faith in isolation or from scratch. Instead, we are heirs of a rich and faithful tradition that spans more than two millennia. We receive Christian belief as a gift, shaped and refined by generations of believers who have faithfully wrestled with Scripture, lived the faith in various contexts, and borne witness to God’s saving grace.

1. Scripture – The Primary Source and Norm

Holy Scripture is the Word of God, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, through prophets, apostles, and evangelists. The Bible is the definitive witness to God’s revelation—the story of God’s covenantal love, culminating in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches us who God is, what it means to be human, how we are saved, and how we are to live. It is the only sufficient rule of faith and practice for salvation, and all other sources—tradition, experience, and reason—must be measured against it.

Scripture is not just a historical document but a living word, relevant and authoritative in every generation. Its truths must be read prayerfully, interpreted in context, and applied faithfully.

2. Tradition – The Wisdom of the Church Through the Ages

Tradition refers to the living faith of the Church passed down through history. It includes the Church’s teachings on doctrine (like the Trinity and salvation), the sacraments (like Baptism and the Lord’s Supper), and practices such as worship, evangelism, and service.

Tradition helps us:

  • Learn how early Christians understood Scripture
  • See how beliefs developed in different contexts
  • Celebrate and preserve rich liturgies, hymns, creeds, and church practices

While tradition is valuable, it must always be tested by Scripture and open to reinterpretation in light of the gospel. We recognize that not all traditions are equally faithful, and some may need to be reformed. As Methodists, we value tradition, but we do not idolize it.

3. Experience – The Living Reality of God’s Grace

Experience refers to the personal and communal encounters with God’s presence, grace, and power. It is the inner witness of the Holy Spirit confirming the truth of God’s Word, and the transformation we undergo as we live by faith.

Through experience, we know:

  • That grace is real because we have received it
  • That prayer changes lives because we have prayed
  • That Jesus saves because we have been saved

Christian experience is both inward and outward—a personal relationship with God that leads to action in the world. The United Methodist tradition embraces spiritual disciplines (like prayer, fasting, and worship), but also calls us to live out our faith through ministries of justice, compassion, healing, and reconciliation.

Experience, however, must never override Scripture. Rather, true experience affirms the truth revealed in Scripture and bears witness to its power in our lives.

4. Reason – A Gift for Interpreting and Applying Truth

Reason is the God-given capacity to think, discern, question, and apply our beliefs to life. It enables us to:

  • Interpret Scripture with clarity
  • Discern the meaning of faith in complex situations
  • Evaluate tradition and experience thoughtfully
  • Engage faithfully with science, culture, and the moral challenges of the world

Reason does not replace revelation, but it helps us understand and live out revelation faithfully. It allows us to see God’s fingerprints in creation, to reflect on moral choices, and to respond to God’s call with both heart and mind.

Conclusion

Together, Scripture, Tradition, Experience, and Reason form a dynamic framework—sometimes called the Wesleyan Quadrilateral—that helps United Methodists faithfully discern God’s truth and live the Christian life.

  • Scripture is our foundation.
  • Tradition gives depth and continuity.
  • Experience brings vitality and transformation.
  • Reason guides interpretation and moral wisdom.

By holding these in faithful tension—with Scripture as primary—we honor the rich, living, and growing nature of our faith, trusting that the Holy Spirit continues to lead the Church into all truth.

[VI] HOW DO YOUR UNDERSTAND THE FOLLOWING TRADITIONAL EVANGELICAL DOCTRINES: <1 > REPENTANCE, <2> JUSTIFICATION, <3> REGENERATION, <4> SANCTIFICATION? WHAT ARE THE MARKS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE?

1. Repentance – Turning from Sin to God

Repentance is a spiritual change of mind and heart, brought about by the Holy Spirit. It leads a person from a state of sin and self-reliance to a life of humility, reverence, and dependence on God. This transformation includes:

  • A deep awareness of God’s holiness and justice
  • A recognition of one’s own sinfulness
  • A grief over past wrongs and a sincere desire to live differently
  • A turning away from sin and a renewed commitment to righteousness

Repentance is not a one-time event, but a lifelong journey. Believers must continually return to God, confessing their sins and renewing their obedience. It is a gift of grace, not something we can produce on our own. It is both a response to God’s mercy and the fruit of a heart made alive by grace.

2. Justification – Being Declared Righteous by Faith

Justification is a legal act of God in which He declares a sinner to be righteous—not because of anything we have done, but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us. Through Christ’s perfect obedience and sacrificial death:

  • Our sins are forgiven
  • Christ’s righteousness is credited (or imputed) to us
  • We are made right with God by faith alone, not by works

Justification is instant and complete. It means we are no longer under condemnation, but are accepted as God’s beloved children. It is grounded in the eternal plan of God, made real through Christ’s atonement, and applied to our lives by the Holy Spirit when we respond in faith.

3. Regeneration – New Life in Christ

Regeneration is the spiritual rebirth of a person through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is the beginning of the new creation in Christ. This work:

  • Implants new spiritual life
  • Unites the believer to Christ
  • Changes the heart and awakens the desire to love and obey God

Though a believer is regenerated once, the effects of regeneration continue throughout life. The struggle between the “old self” (flesh) and the “new self” (Spirit) remains. But by grace, the Holy Spirit preserves us, empowering us to grow and endure in faith. Even when we fall, God calls us to return to Him in repentance.

Regeneration leads to a life of transformation—a life that reflects Christ through obedience, self-denial, cross-bearing, and faithfulness to our God-given callings.

4. Sanctification – Growing in Holiness

Sanctification is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. It is the process by which we are:

  • Set apart for God’s purposes
  • Made more like Christ in character and conduct
  • Enabled to live in joyful obedience and do good works

Sanctification begins at the moment of justification but continues throughout a believer’s life. Unlike justification, which is once and for all, sanctification is gradual and lifelong.

While justification happens outside of us as a declaration, sanctification happens within us as a transformation. God renews us in His image so that we may glorify Him by our lives.

What Are the Marks of the Christian Life?

A genuine Christian life is marked by:

  1. Faith in Jesus Christ – Trusting in His grace, not our own righteousness
  2. Ongoing Repentance – Turning daily from sin and toward God
  3. Spiritual Growth – A desire to know God and grow in holiness
  4. Love for God and Neighbor – Living out the two greatest commandments
  5. Obedience to God’s Word – Following Christ’s teachings with joy
  6. Fruit of the Spirit – Exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, and other evidences of a Spirit-filled life (Galatians 5:22–23)
  7. Suffering with Hope – Enduring trials while trusting in God’s promises
  8. Service and Witness – Living as ambassadors of Christ in the world

These marks are not requirements we fulfill to be saved, but evidence of the salvation and transformation already at work in us through the Spirit of God.

[VII] FOR THE SAKE OF THE MISSION OF JESUS CHRIST IN THE WORLD AND THE MOST EFFECTIVE WITNESS TO THE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL, AND IN CONSIDERATION OF YOUR INFLUENCE AS A MINISTER, ARE YOU WILLING TO MAKE A COMPLETE DEDICATION OF YOURSELF TO THE HIGHEST IDEALS OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE; AND END WILL YOU AGREE TO EXERCISE RESPONSIBLE SELF-CONTROL BY PERSONAL HABITS CONDUCIVE TO BODILY HEALTH, MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL MATURITY, FIDELITY IN MARRIAGE AND CELIBACY IN SINGLENESS, SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY, AND GROWTH IN GRACE AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND LOVE OF GOD?

Yes, I am fully willing and deeply committed to dedicating myself to the highest ideals of the Christian life for the sake of the mission of Jesus Christ in the world and for the faithful witness of the gospel. As a minister of the Church, I understand that my personal life, character, and conduct carry significant spiritual influence. Therefore, I seek to live with integrity, humility, and holiness, both in private and in public.

To guide my life and ministry, I have embraced three foundational commitments:

  1. Love in Humility – I aim to embody Christ’s love not in word alone, but through action. True humility requires doing good without seeking recognition. My desire is to reflect the Word of God through a life lived in quiet obedience and service.
  2. Rejoice with the Poor – I choose to live simply and in solidarity with those I serve. I intentionally avoid accumulating personal possessions beyond what is typical for the local congregation, seeking instead to find joy in shared community and mutual dependence.
  3. Hope in Ministry – I offer my ministry without pursuit of personal prestige or honor. I recognize that all glory belongs to God, and I place my hope not in titles or rewards, but in the faithfulness of Christ and the fruitfulness of the gospel.

As I walk in this calling, I strive to exercise responsible self-control in all areas of life—maintaining habits that promote physical health, emotional stability, and mental clarity. I commit to fidelity in marriage or, if single, to celibacy, and to live in ways that reflect maturity, accountability, and grace.

I also recognize the pastoral office as a sacred trust. A pastor must not only proclaim the gospel but live it out in personal discipline and spiritual depth. This includes cultivating a life of regular prayer, meditation on Scripture, and contemplative reflection. Without an inner life rooted in God, I cannot lead others with spiritual authenticity.

In this calling, I rely not on my own strength but on the grace of God, trusting the Holy Spirit to continue shaping me in wisdom, love, and holiness for the glory of Christ and the building up of His Church.

[VIII] WHAT IS THE MEANING AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE SACRAMENTS?

Sacraments are sacred acts instituted by God, through which divine grace is communicated to believers by visible and tangible signs. They are outward and visible signs of inward and spiritual grace, established by Christ as means through which God seals the promises of the gospel to His people. In receiving the sacraments, believers are not only reminded of God’s covenant but are also drawn into deeper obedience and relationship with Him.

The grace offered through the sacraments is the saving grace of Jesus Christ—grace that brings forgiveness, renewal, and communion with God—made real and effective by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The sacraments point us to the living Christ and mediate His gifts of redemption, reconciliation, and new life.

In the Old Testament, the central sacrament was the Passover—a continual sign of God’s deliverance of His people from Egypt. As Paul writes, the Israelites were “baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:1–2), pointing toward the future redemptive work of Christ. The Passover prefigured the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, the true Lamb of God.

In the New Testament, Christ instituted two primary sacraments for the Church: Baptism and The Lord’s Supper.

  • Baptism is the sign of initiation into the body of Christ, symbolizing the washing away of sin, rebirth in the Spirit, and new life in Christ.
  • The Lord’s Supper (Holy Communion) is the sign of continual nourishment and participation in the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. It is a sacred means of grace in which believers experience Christ’s real presence, remember His sacrifice, and are united in fellowship with one another.

Through these sacraments, the Church not only remembers but also lives into the mystery of Christ’s redemptive work. They are not empty rituals, but holy encounters through which God continues to transform and sustain the faithful.

[IX] DESCRIBE THE NATURE AND MISSION OF THE CHURCH. WHAT ARE ITS PRIMARY TASKS TODAY?

The Church is the community of all believers who are called to live in communion with God and with one another through Jesus Christ. Traditionally, the Church is recognized by four essential marks: one, holy, catholic (universal), and apostolic.

  • Apostolicity means the Church remains rooted in the faith and witness of the apostles, particularly their testimony to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  • Unity reflects our future hope in Christ, who binds all believers together in love, regardless of our differences.
  • Holiness is the present reality of the Church as it strives to live faithfully in obedience to God.
  • Universality speaks not simply of global reach, but of God’s inclusive nature, inviting all people into divine fellowship through Christ.

The Church exists as both a historical and spiritual body, shaped by its past, active in the present, and hopeful toward God’s promised future. It is not merely a human institution but a divinely inspired community that reflects the very character of God—particularly God’s harmony, love, and justice. The Church is meant to be a sign and foretaste of God’s Kingdom on earth.

The mission of the Church—often described as the Missio Dei (Mission of God)—is to participate in God’s redemptive work in the world. This mission is not limited to preaching or worship alone but includes the full embodiment of the gospel through acts of compassion, justice, and peace. The Church’s mission is to love as Christ loved, and to bring the good news of salvation into every corner of human life.

At its core, the Church carries out its mission through:

  1. Proclaiming the Word of God
  2. Administering the sacraments faithfully
  3. Living a disciplined and faithful Christian life as a community

In today’s world, the Church’s mission takes on specific, urgent responsibilities. As the United Methodist Church affirms in its Social Principles, the Church must engage with the pressing social, moral, and ethical issues of our time. These include:

  • Strengthening families and promoting healthy relationships
  • Addressing human sexuality with compassion and biblical integrity
  • Protecting the sanctity and complexity of life in discussions around abortion
  • Welcoming the stranger and supporting sanctuary for the vulnerable
  • Opposing systems of injustice such as apartheid and racial discrimination
  • Practicing ethical stewardship, including divestment from harmful industries
  • Advancing peace initiatives and resisting the violence of war and militarism
  • Responding to hunger, poverty, and economic inequality
  • Advocating for strong social services and resisting their erosion
  • Rejecting the militarization of space and unjust weapons programs (e.g. “Star Wars”)
  • Addressing the feminization of poverty and the systemic oppression of women
  • Confronting all forms of violence and working for reconciliation
  • Witnessing against war and nuclear threat, and advocating for a sustainable, peaceful future

In short, the Church is not merely a place or an event—it is a living body called to embody Christ in the world. Its mission is both spiritual and social, both eternal and immediate. In loving God and loving neighbor, the Church bears witness to the good news of Jesus Christ, offering hope and healing to a broken world.

[X] WHAT IS YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF <1> THE KINGDOM OF GOD, <2> THE RESURRECTION, <3> ETERNAL LIFE?

1. The Kingdom of God:

The Kingdom of God is best understood not merely as a physical realm but as the dynamic and active reign of God. Jesus proclaimed the arrival of this Kingdom during his earthly ministry, pointing to the present reality of God’s rule breaking into human history while also anticipating its full realization at the end of time. It is both already and not yet—a present experience and a future hope.

The Kingdom reveals God’s redemptive will for all creation—a divine harmony in which diversity is held together in unity, fragmentation is made whole, and justice and peace prevail. It is not a distant place, but the very life of God reaching into the world through Christ. Jesus is the embodiment of the Kingdom, and through him, the Church is formed as a sign and foretaste of this reign.

The Church, then, is called to live as a community shaped by the values of the Kingdom—love, justice, humility, reconciliation, and service. To live under God’s reign is to be continually transformed by God’s grace and to participate in the healing and renewal of the world.

2. The Resurrection:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christian faith. It is not merely a metaphor, nor simply an existential symbol, but the real, historical act of God that confirms Jesus as the Son of God and Lord of life. The resurrection is God’s vindication of Christ’s obedience and suffering and the beginning of a new creation.

Christian faith in the resurrection is eschatological—it looks forward to the fulfillment of God’s promises. But it is also deeply rooted in the present, as it affirms that God has acted decisively in history through the raising of Jesus. The resurrection is the foundation of our hope, the assurance that death does not have the final word, and the beginning of God’s final victory over sin, suffering, and death.

To believe in the resurrection is to live in the power of new life—to embrace a way of life that resists despair and bears witness to the hope of God’s coming kingdom, where justice and righteousness will dwell.

3. Eternal Life:

Eternal life is not simply unending existence, but a quality of life grounded in relationship with the living God. It is life in its fullness—unambiguous, whole, and free from the brokenness and ambiguity of our present condition. Eternal life begins now in Christ and continues beyond death into the fullness of God’s presence.

This life is created by the Spiritual Presence of God, shaped by the reign of God (the Kingdom), and fulfilled beyond time in the life to come. These three—Spiritual Presence, Kingdom of God, and Eternal Life—are intimately connected, each pointing to God’s desire for wholeness in creation. Eternal life is thus the fulfillment of God’s redemptive work, where the ambiguities of our existence—sin, suffering, death—are overcome by grace, love, and everlasting communion with God.

[XI] HOW DO YOU PERCEIVE YOURSELF, YOUR GIFTS, YOUR MOTIVES, YOUR ROLE, AND YOUR COMMITMENT AS AN ORDAINED MINISTER?

​As an ordained minister in The United Methodist Church, my sense of calling is deeply rooted in a lifelong journey of spiritual formation, academic study, and practical ministry. My experiences—from serving as a chaplain during my military service to pastoring congregations in South Korea, the United States, and currently in Coxsackie, New York—have shaped my understanding of ministry as a holistic vocation encompassing being, knowing, and doing.​

Being: Spiritual Identity and Formation

My spiritual life is characterized by a commitment to personal holiness, disciplined prayer, and contemplative practices. During my time in South Korea, I experienced the power of the Holy Spirit during watch night and pre-dawn prayer meetings, particularly while preaching from the Book of Ezekiel. These moments deepened my sense of God’s presence and call. Theologically, I align with the United Methodist emphasis on personal faith in Christ, nurturing spiritual disciplines, and modeling Christian generosity and service.

Knowing: Academic and Theological Engagement

I hold a Bachelor of Divinity degree and have taught philosophy at Pusan Union Theological Seminary. My academic work includes a phenomenological analysis of John Wesley’s concept of the Holy Spirit, and I am currently developing a study on the Holy Spirit in Scripture. This scholarly engagement informs my preaching and teaching, ensuring they are rooted in sound theology and biblical understanding.​

Doing: Practical Ministry and Service

In ministry, I have served in various capacities, including as a chaplain, associate pastor, and senior pastor. I have been involved in church planting, community organization, and leading congregations in worship and service. Currently, I lead a congregation in Coxsackie, New York, focusing on healing ministries that address both spiritual and social needs. I am committed to the United Methodist mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world .​

Commitment to Ordained Ministry

I perceive my role as an ordained minister as one of servant leadership, guided by the Holy Spirit and accountable to the Church. I strive to live out the highest ideals of the Christian life, exercising responsible self-control in personal habits, relationships, and social responsibility . My commitment is to faithfully proclaim the Word, administer the sacraments, and lead the Church in loving service to humankind.

In summary, my journey in ordained ministry is characterized by a deep sense of calling, continuous spiritual formation, rigorous academic study, and a commitment to serving the Church and the world. I seek to embody the holistic vision of ministry as outlined in The United Methodist Church’s Book of Discipline, integrating being, knowing, and doing in faithful service to God and neighbor.


[XII] WHAT IS THE MEANING OF ORDINATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GENERAL MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH?

Ordination is the Church’s formal act of setting apart individuals who have been tested in their life, faith, and doctrine for the specific task of ministry. It involves election by the Church community, affirmation through prayer, and a solemn act of commissioning—marking the individual as a minister of the Church of Jesus Christ. This process is not simply administrative, but spiritual and communal, invoking God’s guidance and blessing.

At its heart, ordination is not about power or privilege, but about service. It reflects the example of Jesus, who, though Lord and Teacher, knelt to wash the feet of his disciples (John 13:12–17). In this, Jesus gave a model for ordained ministry: leadership through humility, and authority through service. The ordained minister serves as a living reminder to the whole Church of the call to mutual service and self-giving love.

While Christ alone is the true and invisible Head of the Church—ruling through the Holy Spirit—the Church is governed on earth through structures and leadership established by Christ himself. This leadership is neither democratic nor autocratic, but entrusted to those whom God has called and the Church has affirmed. It is a sacred trust, not given to the crowd, but to specific individuals for the sake of order, guidance, and the faithful stewardship of the Gospel.

In this way, ordination is both a personal calling and a public responsibility. It exists to build up the Body of Christ, equipping the Church for its mission in the world and pointing all believers toward the freedom and joy of selfless service in Christ.

… … … It was St. Paul’s witness in Life and Death.

As for me, the hour has come for to be sacrificed; the time is here for me to leave this life. I have done my best in the race, I have run the full distance, and I have kept the faith. And now there is waiting for me the prize of victory awarded for a righteous life, the prize which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that Day – and not only to me, but to all, those who wait with love for him to appear. – [II Timothy 4:6-83]

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Jesus Christ Is Coming! (Sermon for Elder Process, New York 1985)

Posted on May 2, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

For the sermon which the process of Elder/Full connection status required submitted to the Board of Ordained Ministry of the New York Annual conference of the United Methodist Church

On the third Sunday of Advent, February in1985 at Coxsackie Parish, New York

Text: Luke 3:7-17

This sermon has three primary aims:

I. METHOD – A Call to Repentance

In today’s text, John the Baptist calls the people to repentance through the baptism of water, preparing their hearts for the baptism of the Holy Spirit that Christ Himself would bring. This is not about multiple baptisms or anabaptism, but about the one true baptism initiated by Christ—first by water, then by Spirit.

Purpose:
To re-create the urgency and atmosphere of John’s preaching, encouraging the congregation to be alert, to pray, to purify themselves, and to bear fruit in keeping with repentance. It is a call to readiness—a challenge to prove oneself faithful and worthy before God.

II. SOCIAL CONCERNS – The Coming Christ in Everyday Life

The coming of Christ is not limited to religious ritual or spiritual anticipation—it is also about real, tangible transformation in the world. Jesus, risen from the dead, is continually coming into our lives and communities, restoring what is broken.

Purpose:
To remind the congregation that acts of love, justice, and compassion are manifestations of Christ’s coming. These are not merely good deeds—they are signs of the Kingdom of God. The love we show to others is a participation in the healing of the physical, spiritual, and social body—in ourselves, in our history, and in society.

III. ESCHATOLOGICAL REALITY – The Kingdom at Hand

The message is urgent. Jesus is coming—not just in some distant future, but here and now. This is not only a personal issue, but also a social and historical one. The Kingdom of God is near.

Purpose:
To awaken a sense of existential and spiritual urgency. The coming of Jesus is not abstract—it demands a response today. Are we ready? Are we living in expectation and obedience? The call is clear: “Jesus is coming.”

  • PRAYER

When human beings carry the holy only in fragile jars, but you, O Holy Spirit, when you live in a man you live in what is infinitely inferior: You Spirit of Holiness, you live in our filth and impurity, You Spirit of Wisdom, you live in our foolishness, You Spirit of Truth, you live in our self-deception! O, stay here, and you who do not conveniently look for a desirable residence, which you would seek in vain, you, who creating and giving new birth, make your own dwelling place, O, stay here that it may at some time to be that you are delighted with the house you yourself prepared for yourself in my filthy and foolish and cheating heart. In the name of the Lord, Amen.

(From Soren Kierkegaard’s Journals and Papers. vol. 3, P. 572.

In the revolutionary insecurity of Asia…
And in the overwhelming mass culture of the West…
We ask:
What is God doing?
And more urgently—what is the Christian’s role?

Today, we hear the answer…
Not in theory, but in the voice of the wilderness—
The voice of John the Baptist, crying out:
Prepare the way of the Lord!
Make His paths straight!

Friends… Christ is coming!
Not just as a baby in Bethlehem long ago…
But now—today, into our world, into our lives.

I. The Mystery of Christ’s Coming

The coming of Christ… is the Good News.
Not just a story from the past—
But the very center of our faith.

The Perfect God…
Steps into our broken flesh.
This is a mystery beyond reason.

Why?
Because His love is greater than logic.
And His incarnation—His taking on of human life—
Is not just a Christmas story.
It is the beginning of the cross, the resurrection, and the ascension.

But we cannot understand this through reason alone.
Only through revelation—
When God Himself opens the door…
And shows us what love looks like.

II. A Parable That Lives in Us

Let me tell you a story Jesus told…
You know it.

There were two men.
One rich, clothed in fine linen, feasting every day.
The other… poor.
His name was Lazarus.
Covered in sores, longing for the scraps from the rich man’s table.

They both died.

Lazarus was carried by angels to Abraham’s side.
The rich man? He went to the place of torment.

He cried out:
“Father Abraham! Send Lazarus to cool my tongue with water!”

But Abraham said:
“Son, remember—you had good things in life.
Now he is comforted, and you are in anguish.”
And then these words:
“A great chasm has been fixed between us.”

That parable isn’t just about two people long ago.
It’s about us.
Every day, those two men live inside us.
One grasping, one longing.
One blind, one dependent on God.

So, I ask you today…
Which one are you feeding?

III. Christ’s Coming Is Urgent

We can’t afford to wait.
You may think you have 40, 50, even 60 more years…
But are you guaranteed even one more day?

A man once dreamed—
A friend, long dead, stood by his bed.
The room was full of light.

The friend said,
“I have come from God with a message.
You always said, ‘If someone rose from the dead, I would repent.’
Well, I have.
And I warn you—
You are walking toward death in your sin.
Unless you are born again…
You will die eternally.”

And then he vanished.
The room turned dark again.

Brothers and sisters,
Jesus is coming.
The Kingdom is at hand.
Repent, and believe the Gospel!

IV. What Then Shall We Do?

The crowd asked John:
“What then shall we do?”

And he said:
“Whoever has two shirts—share one with the person who has none.
Whoever has food—share it.
Don’t cheat in your business.
Don’t use your power to harm.
Be content with your pay.”

Such simple words…
Yet they pierce our modern lives.

We live in a world driven by economics.
Where power follows money.
Where peace is traded for profit.
Where even the poor are expected to have, not give.

But John’s message—and Christ’s—is clear:
The Christian’s role is not to receive, but to give.

When we give—peace begins.
When we share—hope is born.
And when we love—Jesus comes.

V. Faith Means Doing… and Suffering

Faith is not passive.
It means doing—and sometimes suffering.

Faith prays.
Faith listens.
Faith gives thanks.
Faith serves the poor.
Faith walks with the suffering.

And yes—faith sometimes suffers.

But let me tell you—
The sorrow of the Christian is sweeter than joy.

Henri Nouwen once wrote:
A Christian community is a healing community…
Not because wounds are gone…
But because pain becomes an opportunity for hope.

VI. Christ Among the Poor

Jesus came not as a king in luxury—
But as one of the poor.

In Him, every person’s dignity is restored.
He came to bring good news to the poor…
To set captives free…
To lift the oppressed. (Luke 4:18–19)

He is the man for others—the victim, not the oppressor.

And today, He stands among the broken:
The farmers in debt,
The sick,
The addicted,
The abused,
The lonely.

In them… Jesus is coming again.

VII. The Final Judgment

And Jesus says,
“I was hungry, and you fed me…
I was a stranger, and you welcomed me…
I was sick and in prison, and you visited me.”

And the righteous will ask,
“Lord, when?”
And He will say,
“What you did for the least of these… you did for me.”

But to those who turned away, He says,
“You refused to help Me.”

The axe is already laid at the root.
Every tree that does not bear good fruit…
Will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Conclusion: Jesus Is Coming!

So what does it mean to say,
“Jesus is coming”?

It means He is born again—
Not just in Bethlehem, but in your heart.
It means you and I must be born again,
In justice, in mercy, in love.

And when that happens—
Then the joy of Christmas becomes real.
Then the shout of “Merry Christmas!”
Becomes a cry of justice, a cry of hope.

So say it with me:
“Jesus is coming in my heart—Merry Christmas!”

  • Closing Prayer

Go now, in the name of the Lord—
the One who has called you,
the One you have chosen to follow.

Go in the strength of His mighty power.
Even when opposition comes—
from your own weakness, from the world around you,
or from the forces of darkness—
keep fighting the good fight of faith.

Take hold of eternal life—
the promise set before you.

And when the journey is finished,
there is laid up for you a crown—
which the Lord, the righteous Judge,
will place on your head on that great day.

Now may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the love of God the Father,
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit
be with you all,
now and forevermore.
Amen.

[Sermon Handout]

Sermon Handout: Jesus Is Coming!

Text: Luke 3:7–17
Advent Season, 1985

1. Introduction: A Question for Our Time

In the insecurity of revolutionary Asia and the mass culture of the West, we ask:
What is God doing?
What is the Christian’s role?

Advent reminds us:
Christ is coming—not only then, but now.

2. The Mystery of Christ’s Coming

  • Christ’s incarnation is the foundation of our faith.
  • It is not understood through reason but through revelation.
  • God steps into human history to reveal His love beyond logic.
  • This love leads to the cross, resurrection, and ascension.

“God crossed the deep pit that separates us from Him. Through this, we know love.”

3. A Story That Lives in Us (Luke 16:19–31)

  • Two men: a rich man and Lazarus.
  • In death, their roles are reversed.
  • A great chasm separates comfort from torment.
  • The warning: We cannot wait for miracles to repent—we must respond now.

“If they do not listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

4. Christ’s Coming Requires Urgency

  • Life is uncertain.
  • You may expect 60 more years—but you are not promised one more day.
  • The call is clear:
    • Repent.
    • Believe the Gospel.
    • Be born again.

“I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

5. What Then Shall We Do? (Luke 3:11–14)

John gives practical commands:

  • Share your clothing and food.
  • Be honest in business.
  • Don’t exploit others.
  • Be content with what you have.

The Christian’s role is not receiving—but giving.
In giving, hope is born.

6. Faith Is Both Doing and Suffering

  • Faith leads us to:
    • Pray and seek God.
    • Serve others in mercy.
    • Endure trials with hope.
  • True Christian sorrow is not defeat—it is sweeter than joy.

“Wounds become places of healing and vision.”
(Henri Nouwen, The Wounded Healer)

7. Christ Among the Poor

  • Jesus came as one of the poor (2 Cor. 8:9).
  • He proclaims:
    • Good news to the poor.
    • Freedom to captives.
    • Healing to the oppressed.

“What you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
(Matthew 25:35–40)

8. The Final Judgment

  • Jesus will separate the righteous from the unfaithful.
  • Those who served others will inherit the Kingdom.
  • Those who refused will face judgment.

“The axe is laid at the root… every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down.”
(Luke 3:9)

9. Conclusion: Born Again in Christ

  • Christ is not only born in Bethlehem—He is born in our hearts.
  • We must be born again in justice, mercy, and love.
  • Then our Christmas cry becomes more than tradition:

“Jesus is coming in my heart. Merry Christmas!”

Reflection Questions:

  • What part of your life is resisting Christ’s coming?
  • Who in your community needs you to give, serve, or forgive?
  • Are you preparing your heart as John the Baptist urged?

[Original]

Introduction: A Question for Our Time

In the midst of Asia’s revolutionary insecurity and the West’s overwhelming mass culture, we must ask: What is God doing? And what is the Christian’s role?

Today’s passage from Luke 3:7–17 offers us both challenge and hope. As we journey through this Advent season, we declare: Christ is coming! This is not merely a seasonal greeting—it is the heart of our faith. The coming of Christ is the Good News, not just of the past, but of this very moment.

I. The Mystery of Christ’s Coming

Christ’s coming is not a concept we grasp through intellect alone. The incarnation—God made flesh—is a mystery that transcends reason. It is rooted in revelation, not deduction. Why did God come in human form? Because His love is beyond our logic. This love made possible His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension.

God has crossed the “deep pit” that separates us from Him. Only by this revelation—this divine initiative—can we understand and experience His love. Jesus’ birth is not an isolated event in time but an ongoing expression of God’s love, unfolding in history and in us.

II. The Rich Man and Lazarus: A Story Within Us

In Luke 16, we meet two men: a wealthy man clothed in luxury, and Lazarus, a poor man covered in sores, longing for scraps. When both die, their fates are reversed—the rich man in torment, Lazarus in comfort with Abraham.

This parable is not only about two men in history—it is also about two forces within each of us, battling daily. Will we live like the rich man, blind to the suffering at our doorstep? Or like Lazarus, longing in humility and trusting God?

The rich man begs for a warning to his brothers, but the reply is clear: “They have Moses and the prophets… If they won’t listen to them, they won’t be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”

Jesus has risen. Will we listen?

III. Revelation and Urgency

We cannot delay. The call to repentance is urgent. You may expect to live 40, 50, even 60 more years—but are you guaranteed one more day?

One man dreamt of a friend risen from the dead, who warned him:
“You are seeking death in the error of your life. If you die in your current state, you will die eternally. Unless you are born again, you cannot be holy—and without holiness, there is no heaven.”

He asked, “What shall I do?”
And the answer came:
“I baptize you with water, but one is coming who is mightier than I. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

This is your invitation. Repent and believe the Gospel! Not only in word, but in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full conviction.

IV. What Then Shall We Do? (Luke 3:11–14)

When the crowd heard John’s message, they asked, “What then shall we do?”

His answers are profoundly simple:

  1. “Whoever has two shirts must give one to the one who has none.”
  2. “Don’t collect more than what is legal.”
  3. “Don’t use force or lie; be content with your pay.”

This is how Jesus comes among us—through acts of justice, sharing, and contentment.

In a world dominated by economics, where even political power is purchased with money, these teachings are revolutionary. The role of the Christian is not to receive more, but to give more. When people live only to possess, they destroy the very peace they seek. But when they live to give, hope begins to rise.

V. Faith Means Doing and Suffering

True faith involves both doing and suffering.
Faith leads us to prayer, to communion with God, to thanksgiving, to acts of mercy—feeding the hungry, visiting the sick, clothing the naked, loving the outcast.

But faith also calls us to suffer—not in despair, but with purpose. As St. John Chrysostom said, “The Christian has his sorrows as well as his joys—but his sorrow is sweeter than joy.”

Henri Nouwen echoes this:
A healing community is not one where pain disappears, but one where wounds become openings for hope. Sharing weakness becomes the source of strength.

VI. The Poor and the Presence of Christ

Jesus comes as one of the poor (2 Cor. 8:9). In Him, the dignity of every human being is affirmed. He teaches us to see the poor not as burdens, but as the extension of His own presence among us.

In His suffering, Jesus becomes the victim for others. He shows us that redemption comes not through strength, but through weakness.

And in that weakness, the oppressed of every age—from debt-ridden farmers to cancer patients, from the lonely to the addicted—can hear His voice and find hope.

VII. The Final Judgment

Jesus says,
“Come, you who are blessed. I was hungry, and you fed me… Whatever you did for the least of these, you did for me.”
But He also says, “When you refused to help them, you refused to help me.”

The axe is already laid at the root of the trees. Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire (Luke 3:9). This is the urgency of “Jesus is coming.”

Conclusion: Christ Born Again in Us

Christ is coming—again and again, not just in Bethlehem, but in our hearts, in our actions, and in our communities.

We also must be born again—in mercy, in justice, in hope. Only then does “Merry Christmas!” become more than a phrase; it becomes a cry of redemption, a declaration of God’s presence, and a promise of the Kingdom.

So let the cry rise up:
“Jesus is coming in my heart. Merry Christmas!”

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The Ministry As Healing (for M. Div., New Jersey 1985)

Posted on April 25, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

A Paper submitted to Dr. Hae Jong Kim and Rev. Victoria Samuel for “A Theology of Ministry” to earn the degree of Master of Divinity

CNMIN 522 in The Drew Theological School, Madison, New Jersey, in March 7, 1985

CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION

II. “THE MINISTRY AS HEALING” AS A CONTINUATION OF GOD’S
REDEMPTIVE WORK

A. THE DEFINITION AND MEANING OF HEALING
B. THE BIBLICAL CONTEXT OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT C. THE THEOLOGICAL BASIS OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

III. THE CHURCH IN ITS MINISTRY

A. THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF THE CHURCH
B. THE EXISTENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

IV. THE SOCIAL IMPERATIVE OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

A. CHURCH GROWTH AND THE HEALING OF COMMUNITY
B. HUMAN LIBERATION AND THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

V. THE ROLE AND PLACE OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

A. THE SERVANT MOTIF OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY
B. THE SHEPHERD MOTIF OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY. C. PASTORAL DIRECTOR AND THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

VI. THE INDIVIDUAL DIMENSIONS OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

A. THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND HEALING
B. THE RELEVANCE OF PRAYER TO HEALING C. PASTORAL COUNSELING FOR HEALING AND GROWTH

VII. CONCLUSION

I. INTRODUCTION: WHOLISTIC MINISTRY AS HEALING

Healing, in its most basic sense, refers to the restoration of health—whether through the closing of wounds, the recovery from physical trauma, or the treatment of diseases that affect both body and mind. While health is often defined merely as the absence of illness, a more holistic understanding recognizes that true health involves the harmonious functioning of the whole person. Clinical health does not require the complete absence of disease, as aging or chronic conditions may persist. Rather, a person may still be considered healthy when their body, mind, and spirit are in balance and functioning in unity.

In Scripture, the idea of healing is intimately tied to the concept of peace. The Greek word eirene and the Hebrew word shalom both describe more than the absence of conflict; they point to a deep, inner harmony and a state of total well-being. Eirene emphasizes internal calm and relational balance, while shalom encompasses spiritual, physical, and communal wholeness. In biblical theology, peace is often present not in the absence of suffering but in the midst of it.

The word “wholistic”—though a relatively recent variation of the more familiar “holistic”—captures this biblical vision of healing and well-being. According to The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, “holistic” refers to the theory that reality consists of integrated wholes greater than the sum of their parts. By incorporating the “w” into “wholistic,” we emphasize the fullness of the human person and community, created and redeemed by God, and the integration of body, mind, and spirit within the wider web of relationships.

In this light, I define wholistic ministry as ministry to the whole person within the total life context of the congregation. It is not only about treating spiritual wounds or addressing emotional needs, but about nurturing individuals and communities toward a deeper harmony with God, self, others, and creation. This approach sees ministry as a journey of growth toward wholeness, not the attainment of a static ideal.

My concept of ministry as wholistic healing has emerged through both theoretical study and practical ministry experience. It is not a novel invention, but rather a rediscovery and renewal of the way of Jesus of Nazareth—who healed bodies, restored dignity, reconciled relationships, and proclaimed the Kingdom of God. Wholistic ministry, therefore, is rooted in the ministry of Christ, who came not only to save souls but to restore the fullness of life (John 10:10).

II. “THE MINISTRY AS HEALING” AS A CONTINUATION OF GOD’S REDEMPTIVE WORK

A. The Meaning and Scope of Healing

The ministry of healing has been variously described as faith healing, divine healing, Christian healing, or spiritual healing. For the purposes of this study, however, the term wholistic healing is preferred. It signifies an inclusive, integrative approach that transcends the boundaries of physical, psychological, or spiritual healing alone. Wholistic healing refers to the liberation of individuals from the entanglements—physical, emotional, or spiritual—that hinder their growth into the full stature of their God-given humanity, destined for eternal life.

Healing, then, must be understood as the restoration of authentic personhood—a state of true normalcy characterized by integrated harmony across all dimensions of being. One of the most compelling definitions of healing is offered by Leslie D. Weatherhead, who writes:

“By healing, then, is meant the process of restoring the broken harmony which prevents personality, at any point of body, mind, or spirit, from its perfect functioning in its relevant environment: the body in the material world; the mind in the realm of true ideas; and the spirit in its relationship with God.” (2)

Healing, therefore, cannot be viewed solely as an individual phenomenon. Philip Potter has rightly argued that healing also emerges through engagement in God’s liberating work on behalf of the oppressed and marginalized. He observes that healing comes not merely through acts of individual repentance, such as fasting, but through active participation in God’s call to justice and compassion. (3) If healing is confined only to personal well-being, it fails to grasp the communal and cosmic scope of God’s redemptive purposes.

Based on the insights above, several essential aspects of healing can be summarized:

  1. Healing as Restoration of Broken Harmony
    At its core, healing involves the restoration of inner and outer harmony. It seeks the reintegration of the fragmented dimensions of human life—body, mind, and spirit—into a coherent, functioning whole.
  2. Healing as Wholeness of Personality
    True healing is not simply the alleviation of symptoms. It addresses the whole person. A person may require physical restoration, but more often, the deeper needs may lie in the spiritual or emotional dimensions. Wholistic healing recognizes that multiple levels of the human condition are often interrelated.
  3. Healing as Process
    Healing often unfolds over time. As Mrs. Horace Porter defines it, it is “the process of restoration.” (4) Weatherhead echoes this by referring to healing as the process of restoring harmony. While healing may sometimes occur instantaneously, as Frank B. Stanger affirms, the usual emphasis remains on a journey of transformation. (5)
  4. Healing as Participation in God’s Redemptive Plan
    Healing is intimately tied to the salvific mission of God. As John 3:16 declares, God’s love for the world is a redemptive love—offering life in its fullness. Healing, therefore, is not an optional addendum to the gospel but a vital expression of God’s intent to restore all of creation. It is an ongoing extension of God’s redemptive work through Jesus Christ.

Thus, the ministry of healing is not a peripheral activity of the Church—it is a vital manifestation of God’s salvation. It embraces the restoration of individuals, communities, and ultimately, the world into the wholeness God intends.

B. The Biblical Foundation of Healing Ministry in the New Testament

The Unique Healing Ministry of Jesus Christ

Any discussion of healing in the Christian tradition must begin with the ministry of Jesus Christ. Healing was not incidental to His mission; it was integral. Alongside preaching and teaching, healing formed a core dimension of His earthly ministry.

Quoting from Isaiah 61, Jesus proclaimed:

The church is the body of Christ. God’s people are the body of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the breath of the Body to animate it. It is the Apostle Paul who most frequently uses this metaphor to illustrate the life and unity of the church(Rom. 12; I Cor. 12; Eph. 4). It is through Christ, the head of the body, that we have come to fulness of life(Col. 2:10). He is the source of life, and from Him the whole body receives its dynamic for growth (Eph. 4: 16).

There is but one body, the body of Christ. God has only people in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, whether man or woman, whether black or white, whether low or high class. This concept of the church as the Body of Christ provides us the task of bringing all kinds of divisions and discriminations into the oneness of the body of Christ.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor… to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” (Lk 4:18-21)

This announcement encompassed both spiritual liberation and physical restoration. The Gospel accounts underscore that Jesus consistently healed those who came to Him, often in large numbers and across a wide range of ailments. According to Martin:

“The Gospels record twenty-six individual cases of healing. In ten instances, large groups are mentioned. Jesus is described as healing ‘all manner of sickness and all manner of disease’ (Mt 4:23), and as delivering ‘all who were oppressed by the devil’ (Acts 10:38).” (6)

Norton T. Kelsey observes that nearly one-fifth of the Gospel texts are devoted to accounts of healing or the theological reflection surrounding them. Out of the 3,779 verses in the Gospels, 727 specifically address healing, with an additional 165 verses on eternal life and 31 that refer to miracles including healing. (7)

Jesus’ healing ministry was deeply rooted in His compassion and love for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit. For instance, His healing of the paralytic was preceded by a declaration of forgiveness:

“My son, your sins are forgiven” (Mk 2:5).

This sequence reflects the deeper spiritual significance of His healing acts, which served as signs of His messianic identity and God’s will for human wholeness. Healing, then, was never just about physical health—it was a tangible sign of God’s reign breaking into the world.

The Healing Ministry of the Apostles

Jesus imparted His healing authority to the disciples. Matthew records:

“He gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every infirmity” (Mt 10:1).

This authority was exercised not only by the Twelve but also by the seventy whom Jesus later commissioned (Lk 10:1–9). These disciples returned with joy, having experienced firsthand the liberating power of Christ at work through them.

Nevertheless, Scripture also reveals the limitations of healing ministry when not rooted in faith. In the case of the epileptic boy whom the disciples could not heal, Jesus attributed their failure to a lack of faith:

“If you have faith the size of a mustard seed… nothing will be impossible for you” (Mt 17:20).

The lesson here is clear: faith is the conduit through which God’s healing power flows. After healing the lame man at the Beautiful Gate, Peter testified:

“By faith in His name, this man was made strong… the faith that comes through Jesus has given him this perfect health” (Acts 3:16).

Jesus concluded His post-resurrection appearance with a commissioning:

“As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (Jn 20:21).

The disciples—and by extension, the Church—are called to continue His ministry of reconciliation and healing. This includes the proclamation of the Kingdom, the casting out of demons, and the restoration of broken bodies, minds, and communities.


C. THE THEOLOGICAL BASIS OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

1. Persons as Divine Creation

The theological foundation of the healing ministry is rooted in the fundamental relationship between God and humanity, a relationship established in creation and fully revealed in the incarnation. According to the Genesis account, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1), and humanity was created “in the image of God” (Gen. 1:26). The author of Genesis further affirms, “God saw everything that He had made, and indeed, it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). From this biblical testimony, it is clear that every human being possesses inherent dignity and worth as a creature made in the divine image.

This theological assertion is a cornerstone of the Christian faith and serves as an essential premise for the theology of healing. Though humanity has fallen into sin, the divine image is not obliterated. The intrinsic value of the person remains because it is established by God’s creative act. The permanence of this divine imprint becomes even more evident in the doctrine of the incarnation.

The incarnation of Jesus Christ—the Word made flesh—reaffirms the sanctity of the human person. Through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God declares the redemptive worth of humanity. As Frank B. Stanger summarizes:

“The incarnation of Jesus Christ reveals the intrinsic worth of the total person. ‘Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man’ (Lk 2:52). Throughout His ministry, Jesus was concerned about the hurts of the total person—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual—and their healing.” (8)

Jesus’ ministry was never limited to physical healing alone. It was always directed toward the restoration of the whole person. Jacob Chandy insightfully comments:

“Healing for Christ meant the restoration of the whole man—his total rehabilitation. God wills for him fullness of life, and this means health of body, and health of mind and spirit. These cannot be separated, and Jesus’ emphasis is on the total health of the individual and of the community.” (9)

Thus, from both creation and incarnation, we discern that every human being is the object of God’s healing and saving love. The theological affirmation that every person is created in the image of God undergirds the Church’s healing ministry. It reveals the basis upon which healing is both necessary and sacred.

2. Wholeness as God’s Will for Humanity

A second foundational theological principle is that God wills health, wholeness, and salvation for all of creation. As the source of all that is good, God neither causes suffering nor afflicts people with disease. Rather, God’s redemptive will seeks to restore what has been broken and to bring about fullness of life.

In this light, salvation must be understood as synonymous with wholeness. It is not merely the forgiveness of sins or a promise of eternal life—it encompasses the holistic renewal of the entire person. Salvation, therefore, includes the healing of mind, body, and spirit. It also points toward the transformation of human society and the ultimate redemption of all creation.

Jesus Christ embodies and manifests God’s will for human wholeness. He declares, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (Jn 6:38). Further, He assures His disciples:

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that I should lose nothing of all that He has given Me, but raise it up on the last day” (Jn 6:39).

In His earthly ministry, Jesus never refused to heal, nor did He suggest that suffering was divinely mandated. His consistent acts of compassion and healing reflect the will of God—that broken lives be made whole.

The Church, then, confesses Jesus Christ not only as Savior but also as Healer and Restorer. In Him, God became human and bore the full cost of reconciliation so that all people might be renewed and transformed. Jesus’ redemptive mission was comprehensive, extending to every facet of human existence. Therefore, the ministry of healing must be based on the truth that God wills the salvation and wholeness of all people.

This understanding naturally extends beyond individual healing to encompass the healing of communities and the world. As Jacob Chandy explains:

“Jesus was not concerned about mere healing of the sick; His work cannot be described as health service in our modern sense. His healing work is to be understood as a symbol, a demonstration, and an arrabōn—a foretaste—of the greater healing to come.
His concern was for the community, rather than for the individual alone. The prophets of Israel addressed the entire people: ‘Hear, O Israel!’ They spoke to the nation, not to isolated individuals. Each person was understood as part of the whole, sharing in the destiny and suffering of the community.” (10)

Chandy’s communal emphasis offers a necessary corrective to modern tendencies to individualize healing. While personal restoration is vital, the ministry of healing must also engage in the renewal of relationships, institutions, and social structures. True healing in the Christian vision includes reconciliation, justice, and peace.

Therefore, the ministry as healing must reflect both individual and communal dimensions. It must affirm the worth of each person as created in the image of God, while also addressing the systemic and collective wounds of society. The Church is called to be an instrument of God’s healing grace—both in the lives of individuals and in the life of the world.

III. THE CHURCH IN ITS MINISTRY

A. THE ESSENTIAL NATURE OF THE CHURCH

The church is the community formed around Christ and established through His resurrection. It is unquestionably the primary agent and locus of God’s redemptive activity in the world. Far from being merely a human institution, the church serves as the divine instrument through which God continues His transformative work. In this light, the Gospels point toward the anticipated growth and expansion of the church on earth.

To discern God’s intent for the church and its evangelistic mission, it is essential to first examine the church’s fundamental nature and then explore its practical function in the world.

The Church as the People of God

First and foremost, the church is the people of God. It is God who calls the church into being, dwells within it, governs it, and accomplishes His divine purpose through it. This identity is clearly affirmed in the words of 1 Peter 2:9–10:
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, so that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”

The Greek term for church, ekklesia, is derived from ek (out) and kalein (to call or summon). It denotes a community of those who have been “called out”—a gathered assembly summoned by God. The church, then, is not a static or permanently fixed institution, but a dynamic reality that comes into being through God’s calling and the faithful response of men and women.

As the people of God, all believers belong to the church. There must be no form of clericalism or spiritual elitism that restricts the church to a particular class. Christ came to call all people to Himself and declared that He would build His church. Therefore, the church includes every believer, not just ordained leaders or select individuals. In this community, all members are equal participants in the life and mission of God.

The Church as the Body of Christ

As the body of Christ, the church is not merely a human institution, but it is the instrument through which the Spirit of the living Christ continues to work. The church is thus the means of Christ’s work in the world; it is his hands and feet, his mouth and voice. As in his incarnate life, Christ had to have a body to proclaim his gospel and do his work, so in his resurrection life in this age he still needs a body to be the instrument of his gospel and of his work in the world. To allow the body to continue Jesus’ redeeming work, God has given every person who is in Him a Spiritual gift.

The church, as the body of Christ, is continuing the ministry of Christ. As Christ has been incarnate, the church has been the major channel to do God’s redemptive work in the world. Therefore, the church is the carrier of Christian truth to every new generation.

The Church as the Creation of the Spirit

The church is founded upon the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Following this pivotal event, the disciples bore witness to the risen and exalted Lord through the inspiration and empowerment of the Holy Spirit. In this way, the church came into being—created, inspired, and sustained by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who continually reveals the living Christ to the community of faith.

Jürgen Moltmann offers a profound insight into this dynamic, stating:
“The community and fellowship of Christ, which is the church, comes about ‘in the Holy Spirit.’ The Spirit is this fellowship. Faith perceives God in Christ, and this perception is itself the power of the Spirit.”

In essence, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God acting through Christ, opening the way for believers to experience the saving work of God. The Spirit not only forms the unity of the body of believers but also bestows a diversity of spiritual gifts (charisms) for the building up of the church. Thus, the church owes its origin, its existence, and its ongoing life to the Holy Spirit. In this theological sense, the church is truly a creation of the Spirit.

As such, the church—formed by the Spirit—must also be incarnate in the world, actively participating in God’s mission to bring redemption, reconciliation, and hope to all creation.

B. THE EXISTENTIAL FUNCTION OF THE CHURCH

The church’s essential identity shapes its existential function. As the assembly of those “called out” from every nation, the church exists as the people of God and the body of Christ, created, inspired, and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

God has not only bestowed upon the church its identity but has also entrusted it with a divine mandate. The critical question, then, is this: What does God desire the church to do? What is our vocation as the people of God in the world?

The Constitutive Function of the church

The constitutive function of the church refers to its continuous reception and mediation of the Good News, which in turn constitutes its very identity. This process is ongoing, expressed through acts such as pastoral care and counseling, worship, adoration, prayer, and contemplation. These practices embody the sacramental nature of the church.

In this sense, the church is both a sign and a means of grace. It is a sacrament in that the Holy Spirit reveals the redemptive love of the living Christ through the church. Simultaneously, the presence of the Holy Spirit actualizes that redemptive love within the hearts of those who encounter it. Thus, the constitutive function of the church relates not only to the divine institution of salvation but also to the lived communion of the redeemed.

In summary, through its constitutive function, the church becomes the sacramental place where God meets humanity—and where God’s people encounter both the divine and one another in the shared life of faith.

The expanding Function of the Church

The expanding function of the church encompasses mission, education, and evangelism, as its leaders seek to extend the boundaries of the “Spiritual Community.”

The aim of mission is not merely numerical growth but the realization of Spirit-filled communities—concrete expressions of the body of Christ—throughout the world. This outward movement is rooted in and initiated by the love of God for all people. At its heart, Christianity is a shared life—a life lived in communion with Christ and with one another. Love, as revealed through Christ, is the defining characteristic of relationships within the faith community and among all of God’s people.

The church has been entrusted with the Great Commission: to go, to make disciples, to baptize, and to teach (Matthew 28:19–20). This divine command compels the church to proclaim the gospel and embody it in the world.

Education within the church has traditionally served to nurture Christian faith and cultivate love within the community. Without maintaining the connection between the saving acts of God in the past and the unfolding mission of the future, the church cannot truly grow. Thus, preaching and teaching are vital to the church’s expanding function, forming disciples and preparing each generation to live out the gospel in its time.

The Relating Function of the church

Churches are sociological realities, reflecting the complexities and ambiguities of human social life. They are continually shaped by interactions with other social groups—both influencing and being influenced by them. The church and society exist in dynamic relationship with one another. Theologically, the doctrine of the Incarnation provides a foundational basis for this close connection. The fact that God entered human history through Christ is the church’s greatest motivation for engaging in social action.

Beyond the theological impetus of the Incarnation, the church is also called to respond simply because it exists within the same world. It shares in the conditions, concerns, and responsibilities of the broader human community.

From this perspective, the church bears a responsibility to engage with the whole of life. It must rise to the challenge of developing a global outlook that strengthens and broadens its ministry. As such, the church’s mission should include not only nurturing individuals in their personal and relational lives, but also fostering right relationships with God’s creation and with the wider global community to which all belong.


IV. THE SOCIAL IMPERATIVE OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING


A. CHURCH GROWTH AND TIE HEALING OF THE COMMUNITY

In most cases, churches engaged in the ministry of healing are responsive to the needs of individuals suffering from physical or spiritual ailments. However, they often fail to recognize the deeper, systemic causes that lead to such suffering in the first place. Without addressing the healing of the broader community, we cannot expect the true and holistic healing of individuals. From this perspective, a meaningful approach to healing ministry must consider both the comprehensive needs of the community and the church’s responsibility to address them.

Many Koreans carry the burdens of political oppression, social discrimination, and the lingering trauma of Japanese colonial rule and the Korean War. Their pain requires more than individual care—it calls for collective healing and liberation from the many forms of bondage that continue to afflict them. Thus, the restoration of a just and peaceful society must become a vital part of the healing ministry.

Unfortunately, the Korean church has often fallen short in its engagement with the wider community. On this point, Yong Bock Kim offers a critical insight:

“This is certainly true; but a more fundamental reason may be in the fact that the Christian message of evangelism was not geared to the social and national crisis of the Korean people, but was limited to the rigid and narrow definition of salvation of soul.” (13)

When the healing of the community is ignored, the ministry of healing risks becoming isolated and disconnected from the real lives of people. Healing is not merely the absence of illness—it must be understood in terms of an integrated person living in right relationship with others. Healing should not be confined within the church walls; it must extend to the wider community.

Church growth, then, should not be seen as an end in itself, but as a means of empowering the church to participate in the healing of society. When the church focuses solely on individual salvation and healing, and neglects the restoration of the community, its growth becomes superficial and ultimately limited. True healing must encompass not only the well-being of individuals but also the renewal of the entire community and the world. The church must reclaim its role as a transformative presence within the life of the community.

B. HUMAN LIBERATION AND THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

Insomuch as we know that we are called to respond to the will of God, we cannot avoid the Christian social imperative in the world. Christians are, by nature, social and political, but there has been a tendency to neglect our responsibility for the institutions of society. This tendency comes from the other-worldly theological outlooks that cause Christians to discount the importance of doing
anything about the evils of this world and from the forms of spiritual individualism that put so much emphasis on the inner life, or on the religious conversion of individuals, or on the change in private life. Consequently, spiritual individualism and the otherworldly theological outlooks, emphasizing only the gospel of forgiveness, have paralyzed the prophetic function of the church in terms of seeking justice and peace in the world.

The world is in the grip of sin, death, and concrete powers which are incarnated in the personal dilemmas and social evils of the day. Christ is seen as the model of the authentic human
response to this situation as he gives of himself to the point of death in the cause of human liberation. It is this world that enslaves people. That is why Jesus came in and gave himself to the cross for liberating them from sin and evil

The reality of the Incarnation provides us with a guiding principle for social action, aimed at the whole person within the community. If the church seeks to remain faithful to Jesus’ command, “Love your neighbors,” then Christian social efforts to liberate the oppressed in society must be followed by the church’s ministry.

Considering that human liberation is a sign of the kingdom of God, the church must dedicate itself to the transformation of the world into God’s kingdom. Strictly speaking, we cannot fully expect human liberation until the world itself is transformed.

While we understand healing as liberation from physical, mental, and spiritual chains that prevent an individual from reaching their full potential as someone destined for eternal life, we must also acknowledge that the holistic restoration of broken harmony cannot occur in isolation. True healing requires participation in efforts to liberate the oppressed and suffering.

I want to emphasize that the church’s ministry of healing cannot be confined solely to a personal dimension. It demands a global awareness of human liberation. The ministry of healing must be concerned not only with individual wholeness but also with the restoration of broken relationships within the community. Therefore, the church’s healing ministry should strive to help individuals restore their own wholeness while also working to liberate them from the societal chains that hold them back.

I am convinced that the ministry of healing can play a unique and significant role in human liberation, extending beyond individual well-being to broader social change. With our voices, we proclaim Christ as the ultimate liberator, in whom all men and women find freedom.

With our lips, we proclaim Christ as the Liberator, in whom men and women discover the key to becoming fully human. At the same time, our verbal witness must be made real through the church’s practical ministry of healing. This healing ministry is a faithful response to God’s call to participate in His redemptive and liberating work in the world.

V. THE ROLE AND PLACE OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

In earlier times, the role of the minister was clearly defined and widely accepted within the society in which they served. During the medieval period, the minister was primarily seen as a priest. In the era of the Reformation, the focus shifted to the minister as a preacher of the Word, and during the great revival movements, the minister was viewed chiefly as an evangelist. In those times, there were also well-established understandings of ministerial authority and its source.

Today, however, there is increasing ambiguity, likely caused by profound shifts in how human beings are perceived—changes that began in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In light of this, it has become an urgent task to clarify and redefine the nature and function of ordained ministry in our contemporary context.

A. THE SERVANT MOTIF OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

All authentic Christian ministry begins with the recognition of what God has done through Jesus Christ. His unique ministry serves as the model for the servant motif in Christian leadership. When people misunderstood His mission and tried to make Him an earthly king, Jesus made it clear that His calling was that of a suffering servant.

The Greek word for “ministry,” diakonia, was commonly used by New Testament writers to describe the work and service of the church and its leaders. After Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He said:

“You call me Teacher and Lord—and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
(John 13:13–15)

The servant motif reminds us that ministry is not about power or position, but about stewardship—serving God’s purpose by helping to transform the world into the kingdom of God.

This servant-minded ministry is a faithful response to God’s will revealed in Christ. Both the privilege and the responsibility of ordained ministry flow from this calling. Ministers are, above all, servants—called to follow Christ’s example and to help others learn to love as Christ loved.

B. THE SHEPHERD MOTIF OF THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

Alongside the servant image, the shepherd motif has long been embraced by the church as a central concept of ordained ministry. The shepherd, as a loving guide, stands as the vital link between leader and follower—viewing the follower not as a subordinate, but as a fellow member of a “we” community. In this relationship, leadership is not self-derived but emerges through mutual trust and support, while the well-being of the follower is nurtured by the leader’s ability to shape a spiritual environment that fosters growth and encouragement.

Seward Hiltner offers a helpful framework for understanding congregational life through three core perspectives: shepherding (Sacrament), communicating (Word), and organizing (Order). Within this model, all ministerial functions—such as preaching, teaching, and social engagement—are expressions of one or more of these dimensions. Specifically, Hiltner identifies healing, sustaining, and guiding as key expressions of the shepherding role. Seen from this angle, shepherding becomes an indispensable aspect of contemporary ministry, especially in a society marked by vulnerability, isolation, and suffering.

Jesus Christ referred to Himself as “the good shepherd” who knows each of His sheep by name (John 10:11, 14). He also instructed His disciples to “feed My sheep” (John 21:15–17). These words affirm that the shepherd motif is not only biblical but remains a vital and enduring expression of Christian ministry today.

C. PASTORAL DIRECTOR AND THE ORDAINED MINISTRY

The term pastoral director is meant to be descriptive rather than prescriptive. In many congregations, the pastoral director is deeply involved in administrative responsibilities—organizing church groups, promoting growth in membership and budget, and managing church affairs in ways that often resemble the functions of a chamber of commerce. This business-like approach to ministry has led some to push back, longing for a return to the older roles of preacher or priest. However, the real needs of people and the responsibilities of ministry often make this return impractical.

The issue is not that the minister acts as an executive, but rather that when administrative leadership becomes disconnected from the church’s spiritual mission, the role is distorted. The “big operator” model, focused purely on efficiency or success metrics, misrepresents the essence of ordained ministry if it neglects the church’s deeper purpose.

From my own experience in parish ministry, I have found that the responsibilities of a pastoral director actually align closely with traditional pastoral roles—preaching the Word, leading worship, administering the sacraments, offering spiritual care, and guiding the life of the congregation. These tasks remain central to building up the church.

Therefore, when the ordained minister is engaged in the leadership of a faith community, their primary responsibility is to ensure that all the church’s activities serve its greater mission. Administration, in this sense, is not a diversion from ministry—it is part of faithfully directing the church toward the fulfillment of its corporate calling in Christ.


VI. THE INDIVIDUAL DIMENSIONS OF THE MINISTRY AS HEALING

A. THE CHRISTIAN FAITH AND HEALING

The Apostle Paul affirms, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). This statement reflects a foundational belief of the Christian faith: that God, who is greater than all, shares His life-giving power with humanity. In this light, Christ is revealed as both the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Through faith and baptism, believers are united with the risen Christ, who is now a life-giving spirit (1 Corinthians 15:45), and thus begin to share in the eternal life that the Gospel of John proclaims so often.

Theologian Paul Tillich sought to reclaim the true meaning of faith, describing it as “the state of being grasped by the Ultimate.” He explained that healing—in its deepest spiritual sense—is mediated through faith. Being made whole in relationship to the ultimate source and meaning of our existence brings transformation to the whole person—spirit, mind, and body.

In this light, faith becomes the central channel through which God brings healing and wholeness. It is a key condition through which we receive salvation, restoration, and transformation.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus consistently honors and responds to faith in the context of healing. Many were healed by faith alone. To Bartimaeus and the woman who had suffered for twelve years, Jesus said, “Your faith has made you well” (Mark 10:52; Luke 8:48). When the Roman centurion asked for healing for his servant, simply trusting Jesus’ word, Jesus marveled and said, “Not even in Israel have I found such faith” (Luke 7:1–10). To the Syrophoenician woman pleading for her daughter, Jesus declared, “Great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you desire” (Matthew 15:21–28). And to the two blind men, Jesus said, “According to your faith be it done to you” (Matthew 9:27–31).

These accounts reveal that healing often came through the faith of the individual or someone deeply connected to them. Faith was not a passive hope but an active trust that opened the way for Christ’s healing power.

In the context of faith healing, physical recovery should not be the only goal. True faith healing involves spiritual growth and the transformation of one’s lifestyle. Faith is a spiritual force—it not only receives healing but also shapes a faithful life. Thus, faith healing must address both the body and the soul, encouraging holistic well-being and spiritual maturity.

B. THE RELEVANCE OF PRAYER TO HEALING

Faith is a foundational condition through which salvation and healing are received by those who are united with the risen Christ, “a life-giving spirit” (1 Corinthians 15:45). Since faith nurtures a personal relationship with God, prayer becomes the primary expression of that faith—especially in the context of healing. Scripture affirms this connection: “The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up” (James 5:15), and Jesus Himself promises, “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22).

Prayer is not a way to manipulate God, but a way to open oneself to God’s presence, power, and will. It does not seek to alter God’s eternal purpose, but to align our own will with His, so that the blessings He is ready to give may enter into our lives. In essence, prayer invites God to act, to break through the distance between the human and the divine, and to heal the disconnection between creation and its Creator.

From this perspective, prayer becomes the most essential means of nurturing a living relationship with God—one that leads to healing and restoration in all aspects of life. In Korea, prayer has played a central role in the healing ministry of the church and is widely recognized as an indispensable element of spiritual vitality and church growth. The instinct of faith leads people to seek healing through prayer, and in many cases, it is through prayer that they experience both physical and spiritual transformation.

Various forms of healing prayer are deeply rooted in Korean Christian practice. These include early morning prayer, midweek intercessory prayer (such as for imprisoned clergy, poets, and advocates), overnight prayer vigils, laying-on-of-hands, fasting, and corporate prayer in unison.

Early morning prayer is a hallmark of Korean Christianity. Most churches hold this service daily—typically at 4:30 AM in the summer and 5:00 AM in the winter—with about one-tenth of the congregation participating. These early hours are a time of quiet communion with God, fostering both personal and communal spiritual growth.

Overnight prayer meetings are usually held on Friday nights, though some churches conduct them nightly. These gatherings include praise, communal prayer, gospel preaching, healing services through the laying-on-of-hands, sharing testimonies, and brief times for fellowship. They are lively expressions of spiritual hunger and community support.

Fasting is also emphasized as a form of discipline and spiritual renewal. Both churches and prayer mountains offer structured fasting programs. Many testify to physical healing and spiritual breakthroughs through fasting.

The laying-on-of-hands is regularly practiced in early morning services, overnight gatherings, fasting meetings, and revival events. It is a symbolic act of worship and healing. As Leslie Weatherhead once said, “The laying-on-of-hands is a symbolic act of worship whereby God’s love makes contact with the human soul.” Many have reported emotional and physical healing through this sacred gesture.

Prayer plays a crucial role in the healing ministry of growing churches in Korea. Without prayers of faith, neither healing nor church vitality can be expected. However, prayer should not remain only an individual act of devotion. True Christian prayer embraces both personal and communal dimensions, reflecting the vertical relationship with God and the horizontal relationship with others.

In this sense, every prayer is also a prayer of the community. The personal “I” becomes “we,” and “we” becomes “us,” as reflected in the phrase “Our Father.” Thus, when a Christian prays, they pray not only for themselves but as a representative of the whole body of Christ. Christian prayer should bridge personal spirituality with social and global responsibility. In doing so, we align with Christ, who entered into full solidarity with humanity—even with those who do not yet believe or pray.

C. PASTORAL COUNSELING FOR HEALING AND GROWTH

Pastoral care encompasses four essential functions: healing, sustaining, guiding, and reconciling.

  • Healing involves helping a broken or suffering person move toward wholeness, with the belief that such restoration also brings about deeper spiritual insight and well-being.
  • Sustaining means supporting a person through pain or loss when full recovery is unlikely or impossible—helping them endure and transcend their circumstances.
  • Guiding refers to assisting individuals who are facing difficult decisions that may impact their inner life or future.
  • Reconciling aims to restore broken relationships—whether between people or between humanity and God.

These four functions are not optional but essential components of a comprehensive ministry.

Healing, in the pastoral context, is more than just a return to a previous state of wellness. It also involves growth—leading the person to a new and deeper level of wholeness. True healing incorporates personal development across six interconnected dimensions: the mind, the body, the spirit, relationships with others, care for the natural world (biosphere), and engagement with social structures such as families, communities, and institutions. These aspects form a unified whole in what is called growth counseling, which emphasizes their interdependence. Among them, spiritual growth is central—it is the foundation upon which all other forms of growth are built.

Every illness, whether short-term or chronic, has psychological or spiritual dimensions. In fact, many physical illnesses stem from emotional wounds or spiritual disconnection. Therefore, any focus on physical healing that neglects spiritual growth lacks depth and long-term effectiveness.

Pastoral counseling does not ignore physical or social development. Rather, it seeks the integration of all aspects of growth. However, many growing churches in Korea have historically emphasized only physical healing, often overlooking the broader dimensions of wholeness. The goal of pastoral counseling is to help people become whole in personality—mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. This includes guiding those whose growth is blocked by inner conflict or social injustice, helping them move toward restored and renewed living.

Pastoral counseling is not simply about giving advice or directing others. Instead, it aims to empower people to discover and cultivate their own God-given potential. It is a ministry of presence, listening, and encouragement that facilitates personal and communal growth. In this way, pastoral counseling plays a unique and indispensable role in the church’s ministry of holistic healing and transformation.

VII. CONCLUSION: THE CHURCH AS A COMMUNITY OF HEALING

It is difficult to understand the lived reality of the Korean people without recognizing the depth of their emotional wounds. Koreans often express these deep-seated feelings through the word HAN—a uniquely Korean concept that may be loosely translated as “righteous indignation” or “deep sorrow rooted in injustice.” HAN emerges from centuries of suffering, oppression, and collective trauma.

Dr. Nam Dong Suh identifies four historical roots of HAN in Korea:

  1. Repeated invasions by foreign powers have left a lingering sense of vulnerability and pain.
  2. Persistent tyranny from Korean rulers themselves has fostered a deep sense of helplessness among the people.
  3. Under Confucian patriarchy, women were systemically marginalized, leading to a gender-specific HAN.
  4. At one point, nearly half the population was legally classified as property rather than as citizens, resulting in a HAN rooted in dehumanization.

In this light, HAN represents the heart-cry of the Korean people—a longing for healing, dignity, and social transformation.

During the 1970s, two major spiritual movements emerged in Korea in response to ongoing social and political oppression. One was the MINJUNG theology, largely developed by Christian intellectuals, emphasizing social justice and God’s solidarity with the oppressed. The other was the MINJUNG healing movement, nurtured by evangelical Christians, focusing on personal healing through the power of the Holy Spirit.

While these two movements reflect different emphases—the first symbolizing the father-like concern for justice, the second embodying the mother-like compassion for individual healing—they are not in opposition. Rather, they are complementary expressions of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. Together, they reflect the holistic nature of healing: both social and personal, communal and individual.

Jesus Christ is the model for this holistic healing. Scripture tells us, “By his wounds you have been healed” (Isa. 53:5; 1 Pet. 2:24). He not only taught and healed, but also suffered for the people of God. As Christ brings healing through His suffering, so too must the church, His body, embrace suffering as a path toward communal restoration. Henri Nouwen captures this beautifully, referring to the minister as a “wounded healer.” Likewise, the church is called to be a healing presence—not because it is without pain, but because it transforms pain into compassion and hope.

Nouwen writes:

“A Christian community is therefore a healing community not because wounds are cured and pains are alleviated, but because wounds and pains become openings or occasions for a new vision. Mutual confession then becomes a mutual deepening of hope, and sharing weakness becomes a reminder to one and all of the coming strength.”

From this perspective, the church’s suffering is not meaningless—it is the soil in which God’s healing power grows. The church, then, is not a bystander to history, but an active participant in God’s healing work in the world. As the people of God, we are called to be a holistic healing community—incarnated in the world, confronting its pain, and offering restoration through our own wounds.

All healing comes from God. God heals us through the wounds of Christ. And the church is established to be an agent of that divine healing in the world.

NOTE

  1. William Norris, editor, American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Houghton Mifflin Co., 1976), p. 629
  2. Neslie D. Weatherhead, Psychology, Religion, and Healing (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1952), P. 464.
  3. Philip Potter, “Healing and Salvation,” Ecunenical Review 33:4 (October, 1981), p.333.
  4. Horace Poter, Thought, Faith and Healing (London: H.R. Allenson, 1924), p. 67.
  5. Frank B. Stanger, God’s Healing Community (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1978), p.26.
  6. Bernard Martin, The Healing Ministry in the Church (Richmond: John Knox Press, 1960), p. 19.
  7. Morton T. Kelsey, Healing and Christianity (New York, Harper & Row, 1973), p. 54.
  8. Stanger, Ibid., p.53.
  9. Jacob Chandy, Rethinking the Healing Ministry of the Indian Church (Madras: Diocesan Press, 1970), p.24.
  10. Ibid.
  11. Jurgen Moltmann, The Church in the Power of the Spirit (New York: Harper & Row, 1977), p. 33.
  12. Tillich uses the term “Spiritual Community” to characterize sharply that element in the concept of the church which is called the “body of Christ” by the New Testament and the “church invisible or Spiritual” by the Reformation. Paul Tillich, Systematic Theology (Chicaso: University of Chicago Press, 1963), III, p. 162.
  13. Yong Bok Kim, “Korean Christianity as a Messianic Movement of the People,” in his Min Jung Shin Hak, (“Min Jung Theology”) Singapore: Commission on Theological Concerns, Christian Conference of Asia, 1981, p. 90.
  14. Seward Hiltner, Preface to Pastoral Theology (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1958), p. 182.
  15. H. Richard Niebuhr, The Purpose of the Church and Its Ministry (New York: Harper & Row, 1965), p..81.
  16. Paul Tillich, “The Relation of Religion and Health,” in Simon Doniger (ed.) Healing (New York: Association Press, 1957), p. 197.
  17. Weatherhead, Ibid., p.136.
  18. Nam Dong Suh, “Towards a Theology of Han,” in Min Jung Shin Hak (“Min Jung Theology”) ed. Yong Bok Kim, (Singapore: The Commission on Theological Concerns, The Christian Conference of Asia,
    1981), p. 54.
  19. Henri J.M. Nouwen, The Wounded Healer (New York: Doubleday, 1972), p.82.
  20. Ibid., p.94.
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My Spiritual Journey So Far, New Jersey 1982

Posted on April 15, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

An Autobiography Requirement, TH 501-01 course in the Drew Theological School, Madison, New Jersey, on September 29, 1982

THE FOUR STAGES ON MY SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

I. Awakening Personal Love – The First Stage

During my teenage years (1963–1968), I served as president of the youth group at Heuksukdong Methodist Church. There, I learned more about the Bible, Christian morality, and worship liturgy than I ever had in school. As the second son in my family, I often felt lonely, so I poured myself into church leadership. From tenth grade, I dedicated much of my time to teaching Sunday School (grades 1–6) and organizing events like Summer Vacation Bible School. I worked tirelessly, even spending nights preparing materials and plans.

One unforgettable winter day, I saw a child fall through the thin ice on the Han River. Instinctively, I dove in to save him. Beneath the freezing water, I felt death near as flashes of my life passed before my eyes. Miraculously, we both survived, emerging like frozen statues. While his parents offered no gratitude and my mother scolded me for my wet clothes, I felt something unexpected—joy. I had saved a life. In that moment, I felt as if I were soaring like a bird. This experience awakened a profound sense of love within me—the kind Jesus spoke of. It marked the beginning of my spiritual journey.

II. Awakening Love in Social Justice – The Second Stage

In college, I was deeply influenced by Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s example. Living under Korea’s military regime, many students began to awaken to the realities of oppression and dehumanization. Bonhoeffer inspired me as a pastor, scholar, and martyr—a man committed to truth.

In my second year at Seoul Methodist Seminary, I left my middle-class home and moved to the slums of Songjung-dong to live among the poor. There, two powerful experiences shaped my understanding of justice:

First, I saw a group of children laughing as they poked through the debris of a dried canal. As I approached, I realized with horror they were poking at the corpse of a newborn. Likely abandoned by a young, desperate mother, this tragedy revealed the brutal social conditions of runaways and street children.

Second, I witnessed the death of a young man, Tae-il Jeon, who self-immolated to protest the unjust labor practices of garment factories. His sacrifice stirred something deep within me. I resolved to become a radical liberator—organizing people for civil rights and resisting political oppression. Jesus, to me, became the liberator of history—the one who disrupted the legacy of Cain and turned it toward justice.

This marked my first clear calling in ministry—from 1970–1972 in Seoul, and again from 1977–1980 in Busan.

III. Awakening Myself as a Pastor – The Third Stage

During my military service (1973–1975), I built a chapel and served as a local pastor. Devotional practices, prayer, and worship sustained me. In 1976, I became assistant pastor at Buam Methodist Church in Busan. This church was filled with prayer: about 15 members prayed through the night, and over 40 joined the daily 4 a.m. prayer service. When I preached on Ezekiel, I could sense the power of the Holy Spirit moving in our congregation.

However, I soon returned to ministry in urban and industrial contexts, organizing student and labor groups in Busan and Masan. The pivotal moment came in 1980 with the Pu-Ma uprising and the Gwangju Massacre, following the assassination of President Park Chung-hee. Despite all our efforts, justice seemed out of reach.

At that moment, I felt utterly empty. Though I was a pastor, I realized I had not yet encountered the living Christ in a real way. I heard God’s voice whisper: “Go to the desert.” I understood this as a call to spiritual formation—a time of solitude and reflection. Out of this desolation came my second calling: to serve as a local pastor devoted to the inner life of faith. I believed “the local congregation is the grass root of the Kingdom of God.”

IV. Awakening the Reality of the Word through Mystical Contemplation – The Fourth Stage

One foggy December morning in 1981, while walking the campus of Drew University, I quietly sang the hymn “Fight the Good Fight.” Suddenly, the words of 2 Timothy 4:6–8 stirred my heart. St. Paul, facing death, declared: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” How could anyone speak with such assurance?

I realized it wasn’t Paul himself, but the Holy Spirit within him. In that moment, I encountered the living presence of Jesus Christ. I felt warmth and strength flood my soul. Tears streamed down my face as joy overtook me. Jesus was in me, and I was in Him.

This was not a concept, but a lived experience—the third and deepest calling in my spiritual journey. I surrendered my entire life to Christ. Love, I understood, was not about ideas but total self-giving. My heart burned with the Word.

This awakening, born through mystical contemplation, remains the most distinct and transformative experience of my journey. Since then, I have stood in the unshakable hope of God, able to say each day, “Here am I! Send me!”

Lord, please keep my pride beneath the feet of a child. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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Christ in Korean Suffering and Hope (Sermon, New Jersey 1984)

Posted on April 11, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon

at the South Orange United Methodist Church on Sunday, New Jersey, in March 18, 1984

Dear friends in Christ,

Today, we gather not only as individuals of faith, but as people who carry a deep and shared national history. As Koreans, we are living out a story that echoes the Exodus of Israel and the salvation story that unfolds in Christ. Our national journey is not just political—it is profoundly spiritual. Christ walks with us through our suffering, and in Him, we find our hope.

Our history tells a powerful story. Under Japanese imperialism, we lived as captives. Our ancestors cried out for liberation, for the dignity of self-rule, and in 1945, by God’s grace, we were liberated. But as we know, liberation was not paradise. Instead, it became the beginning of a new wilderness.

Korea was divided—South and North—with conflicting ideologies. In 1950, a devastating war broke out, a tragedy where Koreans turned against Koreans. Nearly four decades have passed since our liberation, yet the scars remain. The division deepens, and the wounds are slow to heal.

In those years, we have endured revolutions and political upheaval. We have seen economic growth, yes—but also injustice, corruption, and inequality. The society we dreamed of—a nation where human rights are honored and justice prevails—remains far ahead of us. Though we were liberated from colonial rule, we are still journeying through a wilderness of suffering. Like Israel, we walk a path of 40 years—perhaps more—toward a promised land we have yet to fully see.

Yet, there is hope.

Through suffering, we have grown. We have learned the values of democracy. We have developed resilience and vision. Our pain has become a teacher, forming within us the character of a people who seek justice, truth, and peace. In the wilderness, God is shaping us—not just as a nation—but as a people ready to inhabit a new kind of promised land.

And in the midst of this national journey, the Gospel has taken root. For over a century, the message of Christ has been proclaimed in Korea. Though the early Catholic Church was persecuted, and the Protestant mission faced hardship, the Good News endured. Today, the resurrection life of Christ is transforming us. We are no longer bound to the old creation. We are being made new.

Christian communities are emerging—communities of creative love, where people live not by power, but by grace. These are only the beginnings. We await the fullness of the Kingdom of God, but already, the Spirit is at work among us.

The Gospel supports justice and liberation, but it points us to something deeper: the liberation of the human heart, the transformation of creation through love. This work of Christ is not bound to any one political system or ideology. The church has survived through colonialism, war, and dictatorship—because it belongs not to this world, but to Christ.

Still, the church does not stand outside history. We are called to be salt and light in the world. We seek the will of God in the realities of our time—social, political, and economic. Some among us are called to be prophets, others teachers, others peacemakers. Each has a role in building up the body of Christ.

Yet we face enemies in the wilderness. Not just external ones, but spiritual ones—unbelief, injustice, greed. These are the antichrists that try to destroy the community of love. So we fight—not with violence, but with faith. This is Missio Dei—God’s mission—to bring about His Kingdom on earth.

But let us not forget the deeper truth. We must never win battles only to lose the war. We must not achieve political success at the cost of our humanity. We must not seek social reform while losing sight of the community of love that Christ calls us to build.

As Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27-28). Systems, institutions, movements—they exist for people, not the other way around. Christ is working even now to bring new life to humanity—and He invites us to join Him in that sacred work.

This is the meaning of our suffering. It is not in vain. We suffer with Christ—and therefore, we hope with Christ. The cross leads to resurrection. The wilderness leads to promise. And through it all, Christ is with us.

Let us walk with Him, in courage, in love, and in hope.

Amen.

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The Divine Dance (Sermon for Deacon Process, New York 1984)

Posted on April 8, 2025 by TaeHun Yoon
  • on Trinity Sunday (Text: John 3:1-15)

For the sermon which the process of deacon/probationary status required submitted to the board of ordained ministry of the New York Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church.

January, 1984 / Madison, New Jersey

PRAYER : You everywhere present One, when I was considering how I would speak and what I would say, you were present.When the single individual decided to go up into your house and went to it, you were present; but perhaps to him it was still not really being present – bless, then, our devotion that we all, each one individually, may in this hour apprehend your presence and that we are before you. In the name of the Lord, Amen. (From Soren Kierkegaard’s Journals and Papers. vol. 3, p. 569)

Introduction

After Jesus overturned the tables of the moneychangers in the Temple during the Passover festival, He declared, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” (John 2:16). In that moment, Jesus challenged the heart of human-made religion—a Tower of Babel constructed by tradition, power, and pride. Confronted by the religious authorities, He declared, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19), speaking not of the physical temple, but of His own body.

This declaration signals a new vision of salvation. The true Temple now stands in the body of Christ, on the horizon where night gives way to day. The old structures begin to tremble. The Son of God, a carpenter from Nazareth, tears down what is made by human hands to reveal what is eternal and divine.

It is in this context that Nicodemus comes to Jesus—quietly, at night—seeking answers. But the answers he receives are not about doctrines or traditions. Jesus invites him, and us, into a mystery—the dynamic and beautiful movement of salvation we might call the Divine Dance: the dance of the Trinity, the harmony of God’s reign, Spirit, and Word working together to bring life.

I. The Rule of Loving God

Nicodemus came to Jesus as a learned Pharisee, a respected religious leader. He had witnessed Jesus’ miracles and was impressed. “Rabbi,” he said, “we know that you are a teacher who has come from God.” But Jesus immediately redirects the conversation: “No one can see the Kingdom of God without being born from above.”

Jesus speaks not to Nicodemus’s intellect, but to his soul.

The Kingdom of God is not a realm but a reign—a rule of love, grace, and divine initiative. It is not entered by merit, knowledge, or lineage. It requires a new beginning—a new birth.

No one can stand righteous before the Creator based on status or achievements. To enter the reign of God, we must be made humble like a child. As Jesus said in Mark 10:15, “Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.”

And yet, we often cling to power—our institutions, our nations, our technologies, even our theologies. We say, “We are strong.” But before the throne of God, our strength becomes weakness unless it is surrendered in humility.

Nicodemus came by night—symbolizing spiritual blindness and uncertainty. Yet Jesus met him at that horizon, where darkness meets light. Without Christ, even the most religious among us remain blind, lost, and without hope. But Jesus shines His light into the night, offering not condemnation but invitation.

Now is the time to be born again—not by entering our mother’s womb, but by entering into the mystery of divine grace. The Kingdom of God is here and now. The Divine Dance begins when we let go of self-sufficiency and step into the rhythm of God’s love.

II. The Dynamic Power of the Holy Spirit

To be born again is to be born of water and the Spirit. Water, in the tradition of John the Baptist, represents radical repentance—a turning away from sin. The Spirit, however, represents the dynamic and miraculous power of God that gives life.

Jesus describes the Spirit like the wind—unpredictable, powerful, free. “The wind blows where it chooses… so it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8). This is not something we can control or earn. It is the gift of God, moving mysteriously, transforming hearts, opening eyes, and renewing lives.

The Holy Spirit liberates us—from sin, from the law, from fear. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom” (2 Corinthians 3:17). The Spirit does not merely improve us; the Spirit re-creates us in the likeness of Christ.

Each of us, like Nicodemus, carry the weight of our pasts—habits, wounds, regrets, identities. But the Spirit calls us forward, not to be who we were, but to become who we are in Christ. This is the miracle of transformation.

Jesus meets us not only in church, but also in daily life—when we pray, when we suffer, even when we stumble. He comes in our darkest moments and whispers, “I am here.” He knocks on the door of our hearts. If we open, He enters—not as a guest, but as Lord.

Now is the moment of joyful repentance. Now is the time to let the Spirit breathe into us new life. The Divine Dance begins with surrender.

III. The Harmonizing Word of God

The third movement in the Divine Dance is the Word—God’s self-revealing truth in Jesus Christ. Jesus tells Nicodemus, “Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up.” He speaks of the cross—the place of death that becomes the source of life.

To believe in Jesus is not simply to accept His teaching, but to trust in His sacrifice. Faith is not merely intellectual assent; it is a wholehearted surrender to the One who gave Himself for us.

The Word became flesh and was lifted up—crucified, risen, and exalted—so that we might have eternal life. This Word does not arise from human reasoning. It comes from beyond us, confronts us, and calls us to obedience.

Faith sees glory not in spite of Jesus’ suffering, but through it. The cross, which appears as humiliation, is actually exaltation. The real miracle is that God so loved the world that He gave His Son—not to condemn it, but to save it.

The harmonizing Word draws heaven and earth together, sinner and Savior, judgment and mercy. It is the voice that speaks life into death, peace into chaos, and hope into despair.

Conclusion: Let Us Enter the Dance

The Divine Dance is the movement of the Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—working in harmony to bring salvation to the world. It is not static. It is alive. It calls us to participate—not as spectators, but as joyful dancers.

In this dance:

  • The Rule of Loving God invites us to live with humility and childlike faith.
  • The Power of the Spirit breathes new life into our hearts.
  • The Word of Christ reconciles and transforms us.

There is a horizon of hope. A promise of peace. A vision of justice. A new birth for humanity. The Divine Dance dismantles our towers of Babel and calls us into the rhythm of grace.

Let us march into the Divine Dance.

Let us join the peaceful and joyful revolution of love.

Let us embrace the mystery of God’s redeeming presence.

Let the wolf lie with the lamb, the strong with the weak, the learned with the simple, and all creation join in the harmony of God.

Amen.

PRAYER: We human beings carry the holy only in fragile jars, but you, O Holy Spirit, when you live in a human you live in what is infinitely inferior: You Spirit of Holiness, you live in our foolishness, You Spirit of Truth, you live in our self-deception! O, stay her, and you who do not conveniently look for a desirable residence, which you would seek in vain, you, who creating and giving new birth, make your own dwelling place, O, stay here that it may at some time to be that you are delighted with the house you yourself prepared for yourself in my filthy and foolish and cheating heart. In the name of the Lord, Amen. (From Soren Kierkegaard’s JOURNALS AND PAPERS. Vol. 3, p. 572.)

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신성한 춤(The Divine Dance)

본문 : 요한복음 3장 1-15절

예수께서 유월절 절기를 맞아 예루살렘 성전에서 돈 바꾸는 자들의 상을 뒤엎고, 그들의 동전을 쏟아버리셨을 때, 비둘기를 파는 자들에게 말씀하셨습니다.
“이것을 여기서 가져가라. 내 아버지의 집을 장사하는 집으로 만들지 말라!”

인간 문명은 밤의 지평선 위에 거대한 종교적 바벨탑을 쌓아 올렸습니다. 이에 예수께서는 유대 당국자들에게 이렇게 대답하셨습니다.
“이 성전을 헐라. 내가 사흘 만에 다시 세우리라.”

이제, 예수님의 몸이 곧 성전이며, 이 성전은 밤의 지평선 위에 서 있습니다. 산헤드린 공회는 정체성의 위기를 겪게 됩니다.
전능하신 하나님께서 보내신 젊은 농부(목수)가 인간이 세운 가장 고상한 종교 체계를 무너뜨리기 시작한 것입니다.
주님은 자신의 몸이 성전이라고 선포하셨습니다.
여기에는 구원의 새로운 비전이 있습니다.

니고데모는 예수님의 기적에 깊은 인상을 받고, 그분을 하나님께로부터 오신 교사로 인정합니다. 그는 랍비 대 랍비로서 신학적 대화를 나누기를 원했습니다. 그러나 예수님은 그가 예상치 못한 방식으로 대화를 이끌어가십니다.

인간은 전통이나 교리, 혹은 자신의 공로와 같은 인간적인 다리로는 하나님과 교제를 나눌 수 없습니다.
하지만 예수 그리스도 안에서 인간에게 다가오신 하나님, 그 자리에 우리는 하나님과의 참된 교제를 가질 수 있습니다.
그러나 단순한 지식만으로는 충분하지 않습니다.
구원은 오직 믿음으로 오는 것입니다.

하나님의 나라는 정적인 ‘영역’이라기보다, 동적인 ‘통치’를 의미합니다. 그것은 하나님의 다스림의 역사입니다. 이 다스림은 성육신, 십자가, 부활, 승천을 통한 삼위일체의 신비 속에서 움직입니다.
이 신비는 마치 삼위일체의 조화로운 춤과 같습니다 — 밤과 낮, 초월과 내재 사이의 균형, 사랑과 생명 사이의 조율입니다.
이것이 바로 **구원을 위한 신성한 춤(The Divine Dance)**입니다.

예수님과 니고데모 사이의 깊은 대화는 바로 이 삼위일체의 춤을 보여줍니다:

  1. 하나님의 사랑의 통치, 즉 하나님의 나라
  2. 성령의 역동적인 능력
  3. 말씀의 조화로운 사역

우리는 예수의 죽음을 몸에 지니고 살아가므로, 그 생명이 또한 우리 안에 나타납니다.

I. 하나님의 사랑의 통치 (THE RULE OF LOVING GOD)

예수님의 기적은 니고데모에게 깊은 인상을 남겼지만, 그것이 곧 믿음으로 이어진 것은 아닙니다. 그 기적들은 그를 예수께 이끌었고, 유대교적 기준에서 예수를 질문하게 만들었습니다. 그는 말합니다:
“랍비여, 우리는 당신이 하나님께로부터 오신 선생님이신 줄 압니다. 하나님이 함께 하지 않으시면 아무도 당신이 행하시는 이 표적들을 행할 수 없습니다.”

하지만 니고데모의 질문이 전통적 판단 기준에 기반하고 있었다면, 예수님의 대답은 그의 이성적 판단을 넘어 그가 이해할 수 없는 세계로 그를 이끕니다.
그는 구원의 진정한 기적을 보지 못합니다.

누가 창조주의 임재 앞에 의롭고 선한 자, 학식 있는 신학자, 존경받는 종교 지도자로 설 수 있습니까?
그 어떤 지위로도 우리는 하나님의 사랑의 통치에 들어갈 수 없습니다.
들어가려면 우리는 자기만족을 벗어버리고, 갓 태어난 아기처럼 작고 무력한 존재로 자각해야 합니다.
마가복음 10장 15절에서 예수께서 말씀하십니다:
“누구든지 하나님의 나라를 어린아이와 같이 받아들이지 않으면 결단코 들어가지 못하리라.”

하지만 우리는 강합니다. 자동차도 있고, 아름다운 교회 건물도 있습니다. 감리교라는 거대한 시스템도 가지고 있습니다.
신대륙과도 같은 풍요로움도 있고, 강력한 핵무기도 있습니다.
다국적 기업들과 눈에 보이지 않는 문명의 ‘빅 브라더’까지도 있습니다.
우리는 마치 전능한 존재처럼 생각합니다.

니고데모는 사실 신뢰할 수 없는 ‘믿는 자’의 대표로 나타납니다.
그는 영적 어둠의 밤, 그 지평선 속에서 예수님을 만납니다.
그러나 완전히 어두운 길 위에 섰지만, 예수님과의 만남을 통해 그의 길 위에 희미한 빛의 한 줄기라도 비추었을 것입니다.
예수님은 그를 밤의 지평선에서 만나십니다 — 그곳은 곧 예수님 안에서의 낮의 지평선입니다.

니고데모는 여전히 애굽의 어두움 속에 있는 사람입니다.
성경은 눈은 있으나 보지 못하는 자들에 대해 말합니다.
“그들의 마음이 어두워졌으니, 하나님과 생명에서 떠나 있었고, 그 마음의 무지와 완고함 때문이라.” (에베소서 4:18 참조)
사탄, 곧 어둠의 권세는 믿지 않는 자들의 마음을 눈멀게 합니다.

예수 없이, 하나님 없이, 소망 없이 살아가는 종교적인 고학력자 —
이것이야말로 참된 가난함입니다.
그는 다음 걸음을 위한 소망이 없고, 이 세상에서의 평화도 없습니다.
하나님의 나라에 대한 확실한 소망도 없습니다.

인간은 본래 영적으로 맹인된 존재입니다.
삶은 불확실합니다. 우리는 모두 낭떠러지 끝에 서 있는 사람들입니다.
광야에서 모세가 든 놋뱀을 쳐다보아야 합니다.
우리는 사람을 죽이고 싶지 않지만, 세상은 날마다 전쟁 속에 있습니다.
우리는 마치 낭떠러지 끝에 선 눈먼 자들입니다.
우리의 날들 속에는 내일이 없습니다.

마가복음 1장 15절, 예수님의 공생애 첫 말씀:
“때가 찼고 하나님의 나라가 가까이 왔으니, 회개하고 복음을 믿으라.”
모두가 하나님의 나라, 천국에 가고 싶어 합니다. 하지만 아무도 죽고 싶어하지 않습니다.

유대 학자 사울은 바울로 변화되었습니다.
그것은 단순한 재생(regeneration)이 아니라, 완전한 죽음에서의 부활이었습니다.
그는 어머니의 자궁이 아닌, 창조주 하나님의 자궁에 들어갔습니다.
그는 살아났습니다.

죽음 이후의 삶이 아니라, 새 생명 이후의 삶입니다.
새 생명의 삶은 지금, 여기에서 시작됩니다.
하나님의 나라는 지금, 여기입니다.
하나님의 사랑의 통치는 지금, 여기입니다.

전능하신 선하신 하나님을 찬양합니다!
모든 신비의 해답 되시는 그분을 찬양합니다!

II. 성령의 역동적인 능력 (The Dynamic Power of the Holy Spirit)

예수님은 니고데모에게 “사람이 물과 성령으로 나지 아니하면 하나님의 나라에 들어갈 수 없다”고 말씀하십니다.
그분은 생명의 근원이 되는 성령의 본질과 사역에 대해 말씀하신 것입니다.

예수님은 니고데모의 영적 무지를 깨우십니다.
“육으로 난 것은 육이요, 영으로 난 것은 영이니라.”

예수님은 한 걸음 더 나아가, 성령의 역사는 눈에 보이지 않지만 실재하는 능력임을 설명하십니다.
“바람이 임의로 불매, 네가 그 소리는 들어도 어디서 와서 어디로 가는지 알지 못하나니, 성령으로 난 사람도 다 그러하니라.”

성령의 역사는 인간의 사고로 통제되거나 예측할 수 없습니다.
그분의 사역은 창조의 시작부터 있었고, 오늘날 우리 삶 속에서도 여전히 새로운 생명을 창조하고 계십니다.
성령의 바람은 우리의 차가운 심령 속으로 불어옵니다.
그 바람은 굳은 마음을 부드럽게 하고, 메마른 영혼에 생명의 숨결을 불어넣습니다.

니고데모는 계속해서 이해하지 못합니다.
“어떻게 이런 일이 있을 수 있습니까?”

예수님은 말합니다.
“너는 이스라엘의 선생으로서 이것도 알지 못하느냐?”

성령의 사역은 이론이 아닌 체험이며 실재입니다.
성령은 보이지 않지만, 존재의 깊은 곳을 움직이는 바람입니다.
그분은 마음을 변화시키고, 죽은 영혼을 살리며, 메마른 뼈에 생기를 불어넣습니다.

예언자 에스겔은 마른 뼈들에 생기를 불어넣는 하나님의 영을 보았습니다.
성령은 창조의 영이며, 부활의 영입니다.
성령은 교리나 제도 안에 갇혀 있지 않으며, 우리를 자유케 하는 영입니다.

고린도후서 3장 17절은 이렇게 말합니다.
“주는 영이시니 주의 영이 계신 곳에는 자유가 있느니라.”

우리는 그 자유를 경험해야 합니다.
그 자유는 우리의 무기력함을 꿰뚫고, 우리의 종교적 자만을 해체하며, 우리의 억압된 영혼을 해방시킵니다.
그 자유는 사랑을 가능하게 하고, 기쁨을 되살리며, 희망을 노래하게 합니다.

성령께서 바람처럼, 불처럼, 생수처럼 우리 가운데 임하십니다.
그분은 우리를 새롭게 하시고, 예수 그리스도의 생명 안에서 다시 태어나게 하십니다.

그때 우리는 더 이상 밤의 지평선 위에 있지 않습니다.
우리는 새벽의 숨결 속으로 들어갑니다.
성령의 바람 속에서 우리는 하나님의 사랑의 통치 안으로 걸어 들어갑니다.

성령이 임하시면, 모든 것이 달라집니다.
우리의 어둠은 빛으로 바뀌고, 죽음은 생명으로 변화되며, 절망은 소망으로 새로워집니다.

성령이시여, 오소서!
우리 가운데 불처럼, 바람처럼, 생명처럼 임하소서!

III. 말씀의 조화 (The Harmony of the Word)

예수님은 니고데모에게 계속 말씀하십니다.
“우리가 아는 것을 말하고 본 것을 증언하노라.”

이 말씀은 예수님의 사역이 하늘의 진리를 증언하는 것임을 드러냅니다.
그분은 단지 지식을 가르치는 것이 아니라, 하나님의 마음을 드러내고, 그분의 사랑을 삶으로 보여주는 것입니다.

예수님은 하늘에서 내려오신 분입니다.
그분은 하나님을 보셨고, 그분과 함께 계셨으며, 그분의 뜻과 사랑을 이 땅에 가져오셨습니다.

우리는 이 말씀을 통해 예수님의 사명이 사랑의 화해자, 하늘과 땅을 잇는 다리라는 사실을 발견하게 됩니다.
예수님은 단지 진리를 설명하신 분이 아니라, 진리 자체이십니다.

그분은 말씀이 육신이 되어 우리 가운데 거하시며,
어둠 속에 빛이 되어 오셨습니다.

예수님은 니고데모에게 구약의 이야기를 상기시킵니다.
“모세가 광야에서 뱀을 든 것 같이 인자도 들려야 하리니,
이는 그를 믿는 자마다 영생을 얻게 하려 하심이라.”

이것은 십자가 사건을 예고하신 말씀입니다.
예수님의 죽음은 단순한 비극이 아닙니다.
그분의 들리움은 하나님의 구원 행위이며, 사랑의 절정입니다.

십자가는 고통의 자리이자, 하나님의 무한한 사랑이 드러나는 자리입니다.
거기에서 우리는 하나님이 우리를 얼마나 사랑하시는지를 봅니다.
그분은 자신의 아들을 내어주기까지 우리를 사랑하셨습니다.

그 사랑이 바로 말씀이 전하는 핵심입니다.
그 말씀은 단지 귀로 듣는 것이 아니라, 삶으로 살아내는 진리입니다.
그 말씀은 우리의 죄를 직면하게 하며,
동시에 용서와 치유, 회복의 길로 이끌어줍니다.

말씀이 있는 곳에,
혼돈은 조화를 이루고,
절망은 소망으로 바뀌며,
죽음은 생명으로 옮겨갑니다.

예수님은 하늘에서 내려온 말씀, 살아있는 말씀입니다.
그분 안에서 우리는 하나님의 얼굴을 보고,
그분의 음성을 듣고,
그분의 품 안에서 안식을 누립니다.

IV. 새 생명으로의 초대 (The Invitation to New Birth)

예수님께서 니고데모에게 주신 마지막 말씀은,
하나님 아버지의 마음을 드러내는 놀라운 사랑의 선언입니다.

“하나님이 세상을 이처럼 사랑하사 독생자를 주셨으니,
이는 그를 믿는 자마다 멸망하지 않고 영생을 얻게 하려 하심이라.” (요한복음 3:16)

이 말씀은 복음의 핵심이며,
하나님의 구원의 마음이 고스란히 담긴 하늘의 초대장입니다.

하나님께서 세상을 사랑하셨습니다.
죄로 더럽혀진 세상,
어둠과 갈등으로 가득 찬 세상을 향해
포기하지 않으시고 사랑하셨습니다.

그리고 그 사랑의 가장 극적인 표현으로
자신의 아들을 우리에게 보내셨습니다.
그분은 우리 대신 십자가에 달려 죽으시고,
우리에게 새 생명의 길을 열어 주셨습니다.

예수님을 믿는 자는,
더 이상 정죄 아래 있지 않습니다.
어두움 속에 있지 않습니다.
죽음을 두려워하지 않습니다.

왜냐하면 그리스도 안에서 우리는 거듭났기 때문입니다.
하늘에서 난 존재,
영으로 다시 태어난 존재입니다.

이 거듭남은 단지 감정적 결단이 아니라,
하나님과의 새로운 관계의 시작입니다.

예수님께서 문 밖에서 두드리고 계십니다.
그 문은 교회의 문이기도 하고,
우리 마음의 문이기도 하며,
우리 공동체와 역사의 문이기도 합니다.

지금이 그 문을 여는 시간입니다.
지금이 주님의 초대에 응답할 시간입니다.
지금이 새 생명으로 나아갈 시간입니다.

그 생명은 멀리 있지 않습니다.
바로 여기에 있습니다.
당신의 마음 안에 있습니다.

결론과 축도 (Conclusion and Benediction)

사랑하는 여러분,
하나님의 나라는 미래의 어느 날에만 임하는 것이 아닙니다.
그 나라는 지금, 여기에서 시작됩니다.

우리가 예수 그리스도를 바라볼 때,
우리가 성령의 바람에 마음을 열 때,
우리가 하나님의 말씀 앞에 겸손히 엎드릴 때,
우리는 이미 하나님의 나라 안에 서 있는 것입니다.

그것이 바로 삼위일체 하나님의 거룩한 춤,
하나님의 사랑과 구원의 신비한 리듬입니다.

그 춤은 우리를 죽음에서 생명으로,
절망에서 희망으로,
어두움에서 빛으로 인도합니다.

이제 우리도 이 춤에 참여합시다.
두려움이 아닌 믿음으로,
비판이 아닌 자비로,
미움이 아닌 사랑으로,
이 거룩한 무도회에 발을 내딛읍시다.

우리의 삶이 하나님과 동행하는 춤이 되도록,
우리의 교회가 하늘의 리듬을 따르는 공동체가 되도록,
우리의 시대가 새로운 창조의 노래를 부르는 무대가 되도록
기도하며 나아갑시다.

축도 (Benediction)

이제,
하나님의 사랑이 여러분을 품으시고,
예수 그리스도의 은혜가 여러분을 인도하시며,
성령님의 교통하심과 능력이 여러분 안에 역사하시기를 기도합니다.

여러분의 삶이 거룩한 춤이 되고,
여러분의 걸음마다 하나님 나라가 드러나기를 바랍니다.

주 예수 그리스도의 이름으로 축복합니다.
아멘.

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