Location, Location, Location!

One of the most difficult decisions regarding the planting of the new AMI church in the Bay Area has been the question of where to begin.  I feel confident that God has called me and my family to Northern California but narrowing down the specific location of our ministry has been an on-going matter of prayer.  We have entertained thoughts ranging from Mountain View to San Francisco and everywhere in between including East Palo Alto (although everyone seemed very fearful of this option).  All I can say is that I have been as open as possible to the Holy Spirit's leading regarding this very important matter but with the realization that there are many competing voices when it comes down to hearing from the Lord.

As Christians, we are guided first and foremost by the objective truth of Scripture but we are also led by our subjective interpretation of circumstance, intuition, and what we believe we have heard from God's Spirit.  In decisions like this, no one can be 100% sure that they have heard from God accurately but at the same time there is no benefit to constantly questioning every decision that has to be made. Many times like Abraham, we simply have to obey God's command to go and worry about the details later.

When we first made the decision to move up to the Bay Area, it was with the purpose of reaching the city of San Francisco. Those convictions have remained the same and I pray that this is the Lord's doing.  I sense that God is getting ready to do something in this great city and I hope to be a part of that.  In the weeks and months to come,  I pray that the Lord will clarify His vision for this new church and bring the right people together for this exciting work.

Humble Beginnings

Last week, we had our very first prayer meeting for the church plant that is planned for the Fall of 2012.  There were ten of us in attendance including 6 month old Nathan (who fell asleep in the middle of the meeting but still needs to be counted since he represents 10% of our present congregation).  At this point in time, we have no name for the church, no location, no mission statement, and no idea how God is going to work in the midst of us.  Yet for all of these uncertainties, I can't help but believe that this is exactly where God wants us.  At the end of the meeting, the Spirit reminded me that unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain (Psalm 127:1).

Humility and complete dependence on God are very difficult lessons to learn but it is so essential for our spiritual growth and maturity.  If there is a lesson that I have learned repeatedly as a pastor and church planter it is the danger of trying to go ahead of God and make plans based on our own initiative and strategies.  In order to avoid this pitfall, prayer and waiting patiently for the Lord's response is an absolute necessity.  I want to make sure that we are hearing from the Spirit of the Lord clearly on matters pertaining to the new church and not doing things merely on a whim.

Oddly, the day after the meeting which happened to be February 1st, I began my quiet times in the book of Numbers.  The first chapter states that on the first day of the 2nd month, God spoke to Moses regarding the names of those who would assist him in leading the new nation of Israel.  For you biblical historians, I know that the Jewish calendar is different than our modern calendar but it certainly caught my attention.  I realized that Moses waited to hear from God before he selected those men who would help lead the people.  In the same way, I hope that we will be humble enough to wait for the the Lord to speak before we make any decision that will impact the life our new church.

If you are reading this blog and would like to join us for our next prayer meeting the first week of March, please email me at markchun@gmail.com.

The Eternal Design

Recently, I have been really getting into pictures from the Hubble telescope.  I know that it seems a bit random especially since this telescope has been around for over twenty years but these images have stirred my thoughts about the purpose of man in the universe.   Why did God create us to occupy one tiny speck of dust in a universe that now spans 14 billion light years and is continuing to expand?  Why create something so grand when man can only appreciate so little?  As I thought about these things, it dawned on me that God has made the universe with eternity in mind.  That one day, we will stand beside him as he spread his arms towards the stars and proclaims that he has made all of this for us to study, explore, and enjoy for the rest of time itself.

I am a huge sci-fi junkie and the thought of space travel and moving faster than the speed of light doesn't seem like a mere fantasy. I believe that man, given time, is capable of doing anything that the mind can imagine.  In this life, we are hemmed in by our sin and the death that it brings but once those obstacles are removed, there is a limitless universe that awaits us.  In all that we do for the Lord, my prayer is that our dreams will remain grand, as grand as the universe he has created for us.

Psalm 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Freedom in Truth

Earlier this week I was deeply saddened to hear with my own ears that Joel Osteen believes that Mormons are believers in Christ just like himself.  For many years, I have tried to stay away from all the negative statements regarding the ministry at Lakewood Church because I didn't want to believe that the largest church in the United States (45,000 members with a viewership of 10 million for their TV broadcast) could be so far from the truth.  I just happened to be watching the CBS morning show when this interview caught my attention and I was left completely stunned by what was said.

Some years ago as a relatively new believer, I had an opportunity to go on a mission trip to Utah and visit the center of Mormonism in Salt Lake City.  It was clear then and clear now that we are not separated by some minor doctrinal issues but that there are fundamental differences that makes these two faiths incompatible.  To mislead people into believing that the gap between Christianity and Mormonism is minor is either the height of ignorance or the grossest deception.  In issuing this statement, Joel Osteen invalidated the ministry of all the Christians in Utah who are trying to uphold the truth of Scripture and reach out to people who are lost in a lie.

In the end, all of this points to a Christianity that is failing here in America.   We have traded authentic transformation and genuine salvation for a smile and positive thinking.  The success of churches like Lakewood, the growth of the emergent church, and the popularity of the prosperity gospel, all are indications that we have veered off the right path.  The quest for joy and happiness cannot bypass and overlook what is true.  How can we have real joy when our lives are still captive to the false desires of this world?  More than ever, we are called to seek a truth, a truth that will set us free.

Extraordinary Prayer

One of the on-going battles that I have with my 5 year old daughter is the fact that she just doesn't like to pray or at least doesn't like to be told when to pray.  I feel like most children are more obedient or more willing to humor their parents but Carissa won't even go through the motions.   Sometimes I'll ask her if she has prayed for her meal and she will reply, "Yes, in my mind."  Then I'll ask, "What did you pray for?", to which she will quickly answer, "You don't need to know, Dad."  What can I possibly say to this and so I have resigned myself to the fact that my daughter will pray when and if she wants. 

Amazingly, every once in a while I will catch Carissa in our walk-in closet (where my wife likes to pray) and I'll hear her little voice lifting up the needs of our family. Each time I find her praying in private, it really warms my heart and I can't help wonder if God feels the same way towards us every time He catches us praying in that secret place. Perhaps this is why He commands that the majority of our prayers should be in our rooms, behind shut doors, where we can reach out to Him from the depths of our hearts. I am quite aware that starting a new church takes a considerable investment of prayer but at the same time it can't be forced or come out of mere religious duty. True prayer comes when God stirs our passions to reach out for Him in a real and sincere manner. I hope that the bedrock of our endeavors to begin this ministry will be forged out of prayers that are authentic and genuine.

P.S  We will be having our first prayer meeting January 31 in San Mateo.  Please let me know if you would like to join us!

Our Future Prayer Warrior!

The Challenge

Our family recently had a chance to go up to the Bay Area to attend a wedding and continue preparations for the new church plant planned for the fall of 2012.  I was reminded how hard it is to travel with two children but in between all the complaining and bickering, I was able to think about what lies ahead for us.  In speaking with many people who are currently living and working in Northern California, it is apparent that starting this church will not be an easy task.  I don't think I fully understood the extent of the negative stigma that Christianity has in the eyes of the general public until I heard about the open hostility of atheists and the forbidding of even mentioning the word "Christmas" in the workplace.  One person summed it up well when he mentioned that people in the San Francisco Bay Area are "intolerant towards anything they perceive as being intolerant".

When a church is faced with these types of obstacles, it generally reacts in one of two ways.  The first reaction is to become completely exclusive and take an "Us vs the World" type of mentality.  There is a high emphasis on truth but little in the way of influencing the world with that truth.  The second is the opposite reaction that avoids certain hard truths of Scripture in order to maintain the appearance of being inclusive.  This may draw large numbers of seekers but it often fails to lead them to deeper spiritual growth. I believe the biblical model of church is to somehow live in the tension between these two opposite and polar reactions especially in a society that is becoming increasingly anti-Christian.  The greatest challenge facing our church is maintaining our identity as an inclusive and loving community without compromising what we believe to be true.

Jesus provides many examples of how we are called to live in this tension throughout the gospels.  As he encounters people from all different walks of life, his love as well as his message remains the same.  From the rich young ruler that is told to give up all his riches to the women who is saved from her adultery and told to sin no more, Christ alone gives us a model that is worth following.  As we look forward to laying down the foundation of this new church, I pray that we would be given the love and compassion as well the wisdom and courage to minister in the same way.
   

Beautiful Day in Nor Cal!

 

Congratulations Joe and Jing!

The Next Step

We just wrapped up the AMI lead pastors planning retreat for 2012 in NYC and it was an incredible blessing to spend time with friends and partners in the gospel.   We talked a lot, ate even more, and just had a great time of fellowship and prayer.  When I first joined AMI five years ago, I wasn't quite sure where we were headed in terms of vision and future plans but I remember Pastor Young from Grace Covenant Church talking to me about the relational aspect of the apostolic paradigm of ministry and reminding me that where we are headed isn't as important as who we are headed there with.  Somehow by God's sovereign hand, this rag-tag group of leaders has been brought together and we now find ourselves on a bus that God seems to be taking somewhere.  If there was ever a time I needed to volunteer to spend 3 whole days in a hotel room scheduling and planning, it would definitely be with this group. 

I'm keenly aware that we have something special and that the majority of pastors in the United States don't enjoy the camarderie, accountability, mentorship, support, and laughter that is shared among the pastors of AMI.  Our philosophy is a simple one: that healthy pastors equate to healthy churches and that can only be accomplished as we link our arms together in holy fellowship.  As my family gets ready to go up to the Bay Area for our second visit later this week, it is with the faith that God will be with us and provide many people who will journey with us.  And so as we look to the next step, I find myself amazed at where the Lord is taking us and who we are going there with including the pastors but also the many people who have already been placed in Northern California for this specific purpose.  It is also reassuring to know that we are a part of something so much greater than merely the plans for a new church in the Bay Area, that already doors of opportunity to share the gospel are opening in places like Vietnam and Romania.  In God's economy, the sum is always greater than the individual components as He brings us together in love and the pursuit of His kingdom.