Pastoral Reflections

Day 6: Hometown Folk  Scripture Reading: Mark 6:1-6a In Day 6, we are brought face-to-face with one of the quietest yet most sobering tragedies in the Gospel story: the people who knew Jesus best recognized Him least. When Jesus returned to His hometown, the people were astonished at His wisdom and works. Yet their amazement did not become faith. Instead, it became resistance. They said, in essence,  “We know Him. We know His family. We know His past.”  And because they belie

Day 5: The Devil Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:1-11 Beloved in Christ, The wilderness is a place none of us willingly chooses, yet it is often the very place where our real battles are fought. After His baptism, when the heavens had opened and the Father’s voice declared,  “This is my beloved Son,”  Jesus was led into the wilderness. There, in silence and hunger, the devil came. It is striking that temptation did not meet Jesus at a moment of weakness caused by sin, but at a m

Day 4: John the Baptist Scripture Reading: John 1:29-34 Beloved in Christ, As we reflect on Day 4 of  Jesus the Stranger , we are invited to step into the wilderness alongside John the Baptist, that bold and faithful forerunner whom God raised up to prepare the way of the Lord. The prophets had long foretold that a messenger would come before the Messiah, and in John we see that promise fulfilled, echoing the ancient words of Isaiah and Malachi. God’s timing is never hurried,

Day 3: Herod the Great Scripture Reading: Matthew 2:1-16 Dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Herod was a king surrounded by power, authority, and influence. Yet when he heard that a true King had been born, fear—not faith—rose within him. His throne was secure, his army was strong, and his rule was recognized. Still, a child in a manger unsettled him. Why? Because worldly power trembles whenever divine authority appears. Herod’s story reveals a sobering truth: it is possible

Day 2: Simeon Scripture Reading: Luke 2:25-35 Beloved in Christ, There is something deeply holy about a life that waits well. In a world that rushes, demands, and insists on immediate answers, Simeon stands before us as a quiet witness to the sacred discipline of patient hope. Scripture tells us that Simeon was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. His life was not marked by public miracles or great achievements, but by

Day 1: The True Light Scripture Reading: John 1:9-13 Dear Friends, As we begin this journey through  Jesus the Stranger , I invite you to pause with me today and reflect on John’s words about Jesus:  “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world”  (John 1:9). What a beautiful, yet sobering truth! The Word of God, who existed before time itself, stepped into our world—not as a distant figure, but as the light that illuminates every corner of our hea

Beloved brothers and sisters in Christ, May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace that surpasses all understanding, rest upon you and sustain you in every season of life. Around this time last year, my life was unexpectedly interrupted by a diagnosis of retinal detachment. What followed was an urgent surgery and a long season—nearly a year—in which I lived without sight in one eye. As a pastor, as a disciple of Christ, and as a fellow pilgrim walking the fragile r

Dear beloved church family, What we eat and drink never lies. What we take into our bodies eventually becomes our body and shapes our health. The same is true for our souls. What we watch and what we listen determines the health of our spiritual life. When we see what we should not see, hear what we should not hear, and then dwell on those things all day long, our souls slowly but surely become weary and unhealthy. Not long ago, as I was filling my car with gas, I noticed a n

Dear Beloved Church Family, Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we enter the fourth week of our journey through the Gospel of Mark, I am reminded that the pulpit is the place where my greatest joy and my deepest reverence meet. I ascend to proclaim the Word with gratitude and holy anticipation, yet also with a weight upon my heart—a trembling responsibility—because what is spoken is the Gospel itself: the living Word whose power shapes, confronts,

From the Pastor to you: I immigrated to Canada with my parents when I was ten years old. It was not a decision I made, nor one I could influence. I had no choice. My early years in Canada were shaped by the weight of immigrant life—by struggle, by experiences of racial discrimination, and by a growing awareness of the injustices embedded in society. After graduating from high school, my parents decided to relocate once again, this time to Los Angeles, California. And once aga

From the Pastor to you. Recently, I received an urgent call from someone I once pastored many years ago. With a heavy heart, they shared, “Pastor, the mother of our grandchildren left home, and we haven’t heard from her. It’s so cold outside. The children are just waiting and praying for their mom to come home.” While it is possible that a friend may have picked her up, there are still many uncertainties surrounding the situation. For this reason, the family has reported the

Dear Church Family, Today, because of the inclement weather, we gathered not in our church building but in our homes, worshiping together through our RockSpring online service. During the COVID-19 pandemic a few years ago, I found myself in a similar place. I am not really a tech-savvy person and I had to teach myself how to use my phone to record messages, edit files, and distribute them to the congregation completely alone. I had no assistance, no sound system, no media tea

Dear Church Family, Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! Due to the inclement weather expected this week, and out of deep concern for the safety of our congregation, RockSpring leadership has made the prayerful decision to cancel both our Friday and Sunday in-person worship services. This decision was not made lightly. It was made out of love, responsibility, and a commitment to care for one another well. I am grateful for our faithful leaders who cons

Dear Beloved Saints! When I was 10 years old, my family immigrated to Canada from South Korea. Despite my parent’s best efforts to explain the process to me, I had very little understanding of what was actually going to happen once we arrived. I spoke no English, knew nothing about the country that would be my new home, and understood even less the long-term ramifications of immigrant life. Nevertheless, I put my little hands into theirs and happily boarded the plane. You cou

Dear Beloved! Beginning this week, I am entering into an expository journey through the Gospel of Mark. If we confess that we believe in Jesus Christ, then at least once in our lives we must walk slowly, carefully, and prayerfully through the Gospels. For the Gospels are not merely books but they bear witness to the life of Jesus—His ministry, His compassion, His suffering, His death, His resurrection, and His promised return. The Gospels are entirely and exclusively about Je

Pastoral Letter Dear Beloved Saints! A historic moment in the life of RockSpring Church has begun this week. This moment is the fruit of seven years of faithful prayer by the leadership who longed for an English-speaking church here at DCMC. God has worked in His perfect time and in His sovereign way. Since my arrival—when I was appointed as the lead pastor of what was then the Bridge Ministry—only six months have passed. Yet within those six months, we have transitioned into

Dear Church Family, As we step into a new year, we are also stepping into something new that God is doing among us. In the coming days, we will begin a new 11:00 AM worship service—a fresh expression of our shared desire to seek the Lord, to listen to His voice, and to respond faithfully to His leading. New beginnings always carry a mixture of emotions. There is excitement and hope, but there can also be uncertainty and even fear. Stepping into something unfamiliar requires c

From the Pastor to you: As we celebrate Christmas, we are reminded that our RockSpring Church, like the manger in Bethlehem, was born in humility, faith, and obedience to God’s calling. Christ came into the world quietly, yet His coming changed everything. In the same way, RockSpring Church was not born out of human ambition, but out of God’s grace and divine purpose. It has now been several months since RockSpring Church was established, and as we approach the final stretch

From the Pastor to you: As the church enters the season of Advent, we step into a sacred time of waiting, anticipation, and hope. Advent is more than a calendar marking the days before Christmas; it is a spiritual journey that calls us to prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ—not only as a child in Bethlehem, but as the Lord who comes to dwell within us and to reign in our lives. In the midst of a world rushing toward holiday celebrations, Advent invites us to slow down

From the Pastor to you: I recently came across a very interesting set of survey findings. According to research by Barna and Cornerstone, among worshipers ages 18–29, 67%—more than half—preferred traditional worship over a trendy contemporary style. Even more striking, 77% said they would rather worship in a “sanctuary” than an "auditorium", and 65% preferred a worship atmosphere that is “quiet and sacred” rather than “loud.” In the wave of recent revival movements across U.S