"I Am Proud of Being a Pastor in the Church God Loves"
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 8667 |
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July 30, 2017 |
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Pastor Hyunkwon Joo, 3rd Great Grand Parish Pastor, Manmin Central Church
I was born as the first son in Jangseong County, Jeonnam Province. I was guided by a neighbor to church and attended church diligently. In 1969, I moved to Seoul with a dream. But unlike I had planned, my life became drenched in alcohol and worldly pleasure.
I heard later my mother offered up prayer for me every early morning with tears. In 1978, she finally persuaded my father to move to Seoul. At that time, however, I was already addicted to alcohol. I drank alcohol every night and went back home around midnight. My mother would pray, saying, "God, save him from Hell."
In May 1980, at her request, I attended a Revival Meeting. There I was forgiven of sins by the Lord's precious blood and experienced the Holy Spirit. I gave five-day fasting to stop drinking alcohol and smoking. I began to be renewed.
In September 1982, I registered in Manmin Church when two months had passed since its opening. I felt so thankful for the grace of God, so I prayed with longing to become a pastor and lead many souls to salvation.
In May 1984, I entered the seminary. Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee spiritually guided many seminary students including me and provided us with tuition and boarding. It was the action of his faith in obedience to the word of God to tell him to achieve world mission despite the early stage of his church ministry. Until now, he has been walking by faith unchangingly.
After I graduated from the seminary, I served as Guidance Pastor of Children's Sunday School, Manager of Manmin Prayer Center, and Parish Pastor. Now I am serving our members as the 3rd Great Grand Parish Pastor. I have learned what kinds of love, blessings, and guarantees are given to pastors who truly love God through Senior Pastor who presents the right path and shows the example in his deeds all the time. Following his teaching, I also have tried to devote myself to souls' salvation.
Senior Pastor has sought only the glory of God and had overflowing love for souls. He completely trusts God in any kind of situation and shows his trust in action. He manifests the amazing power that proves the living God and the Bible. And he never gives up on even those who are outside of the boundary of salvation and loves them and leads them to the way of salvation. I cannot but be moved by his goodness and love.
Even from when the church opened, Manmin Central Church resembled the Early Church recorded in Acts 2. Young adults, students, and children as well as grown-up members prayed with sweat in the prayer rooms. In addition, signs and wonders never ceased through Senior Pastor's prayer. When people repented of their sins and obeyed the Word of God, they were healed of any kinds of diseases and gained solutions to any kind of problems.
This good news was spread nationwide and people came to the church, which added the number of saved people. Some people seemed impossible to be healed because they were so seriously ill and even they were on the doorstep of death, but they were healed. Some of them became pastors and church workers and have served the church until now. How amazing!
God also worked through every event of the church providing the best weather. For example, in July 1987, Students' Sunday School Summer Retreat was held on the Gold and Silver Sand Beach in the upper region of Namhangang. At that time, torrential downpours hit many areas of the nation. The students set their tents only one meter away from the riverbank. Because the dams around the area released water, it seemed that the water was about to overflow the bank. However, after Senior Pastor's prayer, the water did not increase and the water level even dropped.
I have witnessed such works of power performed by Senior Pastor during the last 35 years, so I came to believe the living God assuredly. Now he wants pastors to receive the great power from God and receive love from as many people as possible. He also provides us with the word of life. We are really blessed pastors.
I give all thanks and glory to God who led me to this precious church. I hope I will achieve the heart of whole spirit quickly, become a grain of wheat that dies, and be used to achieve the world mission, which is the duty given to this church.
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Manmin News 
