Pastoral Reflections

Dear RockSpring Family! Have you been continuing in your daily Bible reading and meditation lately? I am currently reading through 1 Samuel and today I reached chapter 14. As I read this passage, I came across a scene that made my heart heavy. More than the story of one man's faith and courage, my attention was drawn to the tragic change taking place in another man's life. That man was Saul, the first king of Israel. Saul was not always this way. In the beginning, he was humb

Dear Church Family, When I was serving in Michigan, every month of May, our town’s five churches would gather together at the local cemetery for a Memorial Day worship service. Lutheran, Methodist, Missionary, Baptist, and Wesleyan churches came together as one body to honor and pray for the men and women who sacrificed their lives for this nation. Those moments remain deeply sacred in my heart. On that day, denominational lines, our theological doctrinal differences faded aw

During my seminary years, I served in an administrative pastoral role while overseeing the missions department. In those years, missions became a significant part of my life and ministry. Many times, I traveled on mission trips more than four times a year. I still remember one particular journey where I flew for over twenty hours and then endured another twenty-four hours by train just to reach a small village near the Pakistan border to serve the Uyghur people. Not long afte

Dear RockSpring Church Family, By God’s grace, and through your prayers, love, and care, I have now completed my third eye procedure today. The largest surgery took place last year when I unexpectedly suffered a retinal detachment. Earlier this year, I underwent a second procedure, but afterward a layer of tissue inside the eye tore, which required another laser procedure to repair and seal it properly. My vision has not yet fully recovered, but after another three to four we

Dear RockSpring Church Family, Although every Sunday is a precious and holy day in the presence of the Lord, this sunday was especially joyful and deeply meaningful for me as your pastor. This Sunday, eight members of RockSpring Church officially became registered church members after faithfully completing four weeks of membership training. Since we are still in transitional period, we were not able to establish every structure and process as fully as we hoped in the beginnin

Today, in the K-town area of Carrollton, an Asian man in his late sixties allegedly opened fire, killing two people and injuring three others. While the details are still unclear, it appears that this tragedy may have stemmed from unresolved business-related conflicts and uncontrolled anger. It deeply grieves my heart that such a devastating event happened not far from where many of us live and build our daily lives. At the root of every act of murder is anger. Behind much ev

Greetings to you Church! Happy and Blessed Saturday! This morning, as I read 1 Samuel 3, I found myself meditating on the moment when God called Samuel for the very first time. Biblical scholars estimate that Samuel was around twelve years old at this point still young, still needing training, still in the process of being shaped and refined by God. So when the Lord called him, Samuel assumed it was Eli the high priest speaking to him. Immediately, he ran to Eli and said, “He

Grace and Peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ. I hope your days are going well in the Lord. We are currently going through the Gospel of Mark on Sundays and studying 1 Corinthians during our Friday worship services. In addition to that, I personally spend time meditating on Scripture both in the morning and in the evening. Over the past several months, I have received tremendous grace and mercy from God while reading through the Book of Judges. Now, having finished Judges

Dear Beloved Church Family, This is a story from more than twenty-five years ago, during my time studying in Los Angeles, California. One morning, I was having breakfast with friends at a local restaurant near campus. In the middle of our conversation, a tense scene unfolded at a nearby table. A man, perhaps in his fifties, was raising his voice at a young waitress. He appeared deeply frustrated—his face flushed red, his tone aggressive. She had accidentally spilled a drink o

Day 40: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus Scripture Reading: John 19:38–42 In the silence after the cross, when the crowds have disappeared and hope seems buried, two unlikely disciples step forward—Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. They had followed Jesus quietly, even cautiously. Joseph was a secret disciple, and Nicodemus once came to Jesus at night. Yet now, at the moment when Jesus appears defeated, they move with unexpected courage. Joseph asks for the body of Christ.

Day 39: Jesus (Part Two) Scripture Reading: Mark 15:33–39 Darkness falls at noon. In Mark’s Gospel, this is not merely a physical phenomenon—it is a spiritual moment. Creation itself seems to mourn as Jesus hangs on the cross. The One through whom all things were made now bears the weight of sin, abandonment, and judgment. And from that darkness comes His cry: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” This is one of the most profound and unsettling moments in all of Script

Day 38: Jesus (Part One) Scripture Reading: Mark 15:33-39 Mark 15:33–39 draws us into one of the most sacred and sobering moments of the Gospel. At midday, darkness covers the land, as if creation itself is bearing witness to the suffering of Christ. From the cross, Jesus cries out: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” In this moment, Jesus enters fully into the depth of human brokenness. He experiences the weight of sin and the reality of separation not for His own sa

Day 37: The Chief Priests, Teachers of the Law, and Elders (Part Two) Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:32-44 In Matthew 27:32-44 draws us to one of the most painful and revealing scenes at the cross. Those who were meant to recognize God’s work; the chief priests, teachers of the law, and elders stand before Jesus not in worship, but in mockery. Their words cut deeply: “He saved others, but he can’t save himself.” What they intend as ridicule is, in fact, a profound and uninte

Day 36: The Chief Priests, Teachers of the Law, and Elders (Part One) Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:32-44 At the foot of the cross, we encounter a deeply unsettling scene not merely of suffering, but of spiritual blindness at its peak. The very people entrusted with recognizing God’s work, the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders, stand before Jesus and mock Him. Their words drip with irony: “He saved others; he cannot save himself.” What they fail to see

Day 35: The Chief Priests and Their Officials Scripture Reading: John 19:4-16 In this passage, the chief priests, those entrusted with spiritual leadership become the very ones who reject Jesus. Their cry, “Crucify Him,” reveals not ignorance, but hearts shaped by fear, control, and a refusal to accept a Messiah who did not fit their expectations. This is what makes the moment so sobering: deep religious knowledge does not guarantee a surrendered heart. They knew the Scriptur

Day 34: The Governor’s Soldiers Scripture Reading: Matthew 27:27:31A There is something deeply unsettling about this scene, not just because of the physical violence, but because of the casual cruelty. The soldiers are not acting out of deep hatred alone; they are entertained. They laugh, they mock, they play along. And in doing so, they reveal how easily the human heart can become numb to the suffering of another. Yet what is even more striking is the silence of Jesus. He do

Day 33: Barabbas Scripture Reading: Luke 23:13-22 There is something deeply unsettling about the moment when the crowd cries out for Barabbas. Standing before them is Jesus Christ, the One declared innocent, the One who healed, loved, and spoke truth. And yet, they choose another. They choose a man marked by rebellion and violence. They choose Barabbas. But if we are honest, this moment is not as distant from us as we might like to think. Barabbas walks free that day, not bec

Day 32: Herod Antipas Scripture Reading: Luke 23-4-12 There is a quiet tragedy in the way Herod Antipas encounters Jesus. He had heard about Him, perhaps even thought about Him from time to time, and when the moment finally came, when he stood face to face with Christ, he treated it lightly. He was curious, even excited, but not repentant. He wanted to see something, not to be changed by Someone. And so Jesus says nothing. That silence is not emptiness; it is weight with mean

Day 31: Pilate Scripture Reading: John 18:28-38 In John 18:28–38, we see Pontius Pilate standing before Jesus Christ—a moment that is both spiritual and personal. Pilate is a man of power, authority, and influence, yet in this encounter, he is unsettled. He asks the question that echoes through every generation: “What is truth?” But this is not merely a philosophical question. It is a spiritual one. Pilate is not far from the truth. He is standing right in front of it. He see

Day 30: Peter Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:69–75 In the courtyard of fear and uncertainty, Peter becomes a mirror for all of us. This is the same Peter who once said, “Even if all fall away, I will not.” Yet now, under the quiet pressure of a servant girl’s question, his courage dissolves. There is no sword here, no bold confession—only distance, fear, and denial. It is striking that Peter does not fall in the face of persecution from authorities, but in the ordinary, uncomf