Changes. It was 3 AM in the Fall of 2004 when God woke me out of a deep sleep with this one word that exploded in my spirit. Later that week, I began reading a new book, and on the first page, in italics, there it was again - changes.
I knew something was up, but I had no idea what. Looking back now, I see God’s hand as He moved me from a church where I had served for a decade to what can only be described as a temporary assignment in a new church as He prepared me for the most fruitful years of my ministry.
And then, once again, in December of 2019, I heard it again - Changes.
I was dining with my dear friend, Gregorie, at the French Bistro, L’empriente, where he was both owner and chief chef. It was Monday, the restaurant was closed, but in light of my imminent departure from Seoul, Gregorie invited me to share some good Bordeaux as we met for one last time.
We spent a good three hours that night. There were smiles and laughter, together with tears and hugs, as we shared our hearts with one another. Gregorie was raised Roman Catholic in France, but while he was a deeply spiritual person, he was not a practicing Catholic.
Having served as pastor of an international church with a diverse congregation of people from all walks of life and at different places on their faith journeys, I had learned to expect the unexpected. God speaks to us in many different ways and through many different people. Some, who we might never expect.
So, when Gregorie told me he believed 2020 would be a year of changes, I heard God loud and clear. And boy, was he ever right in so many ways!
I returned to the U.S. in December of 2019 just in time to spend Christmas with my family. In February, I performed a beach-side wedding for our son, John, and his precious wife, Marie.
Sherri and I began visiting various churches in Pensacola - the local Korean-American church, a new church plant near the Navy base, and an awesome African American church with some of the most energetic worship and preaching I’ve heard in a long time!
Meanwhile, I was preparing to lead pastor’s conferences in India and Kenya, in addition to speaking in some churches in Korea.
Then, Covid-19 hit.
Our global pandemic forced me to go cold turkey from church and thirty-six years of teaching and preaching.
But God has been at work in my life. I’ve entered into a time of solitude and seclusion and, I believe, preparation. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” I’m waiting.
Rewriting “Masterpiece in the Making” has helped. The subtitle of the book is “Life Lessons for Spiritual Growth.” Some of you (students and church members in Seoul) read the original when it was simply a workbook for Spiritual Growth Groups and Christian Formation classes.
The book is scheduled for publication this month and it contains a lot of my personal stories from various times in my life and ministry. As a teacher seeking to make genuine disciples of Jesus, it was important for me to be transparent and share the good times, as well as the bad times in my faith journey.
In the new addition, which is the first public edition of the book, I’ve added more recent stories from my life. Writing and reflecting on these things has helped me to gain an even greater perspective of God’s work in my life.
God is at work in all our lives. Sometimes, to recognize God’s work, we need to draw aside to a quiet place and, in the words of God spoken in Psalm 46:10, “Be still, and know that I am God.”
“Cease striving” is a more accurate translation than “Be still.” And maybe, just maybe, that’s a blessing in disguise for many of us during these days. Our lives have drastically changed. Many of us are feeling cooped up, shut-in, and shut out. We’re antsy, restless, fidgety, impatient, fighting against a time of sabbath rest that God is seeking to usher into our lives.
But the still, small voice of God continues to call out to us. And, like Elijah in the cave at Mount Horeb, it’s time for us to learn to hear God’s voice, not in the wind or fire or earthquake, but in the silence of our own hearts, stilled and quieted before Him.
It’s good to be back. Over the holidays, I made some changes. All of my newsletters and devotionals will now be sent out through substack. For those of you who have been a part of Church on the Edge since the beginning, and for new subscribers, welcome!