The World cup and the Kingdom of God

Dear Rock Spring Church Family,

The World Cup has begun. Every four years, people around the world rally behind the nations they love. They celebrate victories, endure disappointments, and proudly wear the colors of their teams. For me, the World Cup is always a little unique. I was born in South Korea, raised in Canada, and now live in the United States as an American citizen. So when the World Cup comes around, I find myself cheering for all three nations. Some people ask “Pastor, which team are you really rooting for?” The truth is that I feel gratitude toward all three. God has used each of these countries in different seasons of my life to shape who I am today. Yet every World Cup also reminds me of something much greater. It reminds me of our vision for RockSpring Church.

Rock Spring Church is a beautiful picture of what God is doing through the gospel. We are a congregation made up of people from different nations and backgrounds. We have Koreans, Americans, Latinos, Asians, and many others worshiping together as one family.

We come from different root, and we have different stories. We may even be cheering for different teams this month. But every Sunday, we gather around the same Savior. The world often divides people according to nationality, ethnicity, language, culture, or politics. The gospel does the opposite. The gospel brings together people who would otherwise remain separated and makes them one family in Christ.

The Apostle Paul writes: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28) The cross not only reconciles us to God; it also reconciles us to one another. Jesus Christ breaks down the walls that divide people and creates a new community centered on His grace. In many ways, Rock Spring Church is a small glimpse of God's Kingdom. This is not something human effort alone can accomplish. It is the supernatural work of the gospel. May this World Cup remind us not only of the diversity of the nations, our heritage but also of the greater reality that God is gathering people from every nation into His eternal Kingdom through Jesus Christ.

Grace and peace,

Rev. Won Kim

Lead Pastor of RockSpring Church