Last Sunday, I had the privilege of witnessing and participating in P. Eugene Cha’s ordination service. Many people including P. Eugene’s family and relatives were there to celebrate this very special occasion.
What really touched my heart the most was watching P. Eugene’s dad, who is also a pastor and currently pastoring a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, give the word of encouragement to his own son. His dad was ordained as a pastor at NCFC 15 years ago and served many years for our church. So P. Eugene grew up watching his dad serving as a pastor in the church. Now he is following in his dad’s footsteps and carrying on a legacy of faith which he inherited from his dad.
Most of the time when you think of passing on a legacy you think about the ways you can leave some tangible things to your children—wealth, fame, reputation. But there is a more valuable thing you can leave to your children than all of these. It is the legacy of faith.
In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Moses instructs the Israelites, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
It is very important for parents to be involved in their children’s spiritual teaching and growth. It’s important for fathers to spend time with their children and teach them what it is to be a man of God. Mothers also should spend time with them to teach them what it is to be a woman of God. 
Nothing in life, as Christian parents, is more important than how we raise our children in a godly way. Yet many believers spend more time planning their activities than how they are going to raise their children in a godly way. How important is teaching God’s words and prayer in the upbringing of your children? It is impossible to pass on your faith in your own strength and wisdom. It will not happen.
Our children do not belong to us—they are God’s children. Our children have been entrusted to us as gifts to pass on our legacy of faith. So we, as parents, have great responsibilities of raising our children in a godly way. They say there are no grandchildren in God’s Kingdom because when you fail to raise your children in a godly way, your children will not able to pass on the legacy of faith to their children. So we just can’t afford to fail at this.
So what legacy do you want to leave behind? What kind of life lessons will your children have when we are gone from this world? What will they have to look back on in their lives and say, “that was something that I inherited from my dad or mom?” What will they remember about you is the big question.
In response, P. Eugene shared that this was a very special moment of his life. He had several opportunities to get ordained in the past, but God had a better plan and had saved it for the best. He said he was so grateful that he got ordained at the church where he grew up and with his dad’s blessing for his ordination.  Who knows? There is a possibility that his son Andrew might one day find himself in the same situation. Wouldn’t that be awesome if that is the case?
So how are you going to pass on your legacy of faith to your children?  As a parent, you must live out your faith in your own life. It is impossible to give away something you don't have. When your children see you finding ways to "be a blessing," it will become a way of life for them too, and that is the best way to pass your legacy of faith onto your children.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
July 19, 2015

The Church for All Nations was founded in the fall of 2005.  Since its humble beginnings, however, God has blessed the church tremendously.  In 2010 they managed to purchase the multi-building complex that used to house the Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Virginia.  Since then, under the leadership of their passionate Senior Pastor Rev. Hong Won-ki, they have experienced even more growth and were looking forward to celebrating their 10th anniversary.
Then the unthinkable happened!  In mid-June, the Senior Pastor’s wife, Chun Myung-hee Samonim, underwent what was supposed to be a minimally invasive surgery to correct twisted intestines. However, she never walked out of the hospital alive.  From what I heard, she got infected with a deadly virus while at the hospital, which caused her organs to shut down one by one.  After several weeks of agony and suffering, she finally went home to Jesus her Savior last Sunday.
I don’ know the late Chun Samonim personally. I’ve never even met her.  But with advances in electronic communications (such as Kakaotalk, text messages, email,  etc.), literally hundreds and even thousands of people in this area, regardless of their denominations or church affiliations, were kept abreast of her latest condition and interceded fervently for her.  Many fasted and cried out to the Lord to save her. She was only in her mid-50’s,  had two unmarried children, and still had a lot to do as the Senior Pastor’s wife of a large Korean American church.    Nonetheless, God called her home at His appointed time. 
I wasn’t mad at God, but I struggled to understand why God didn’t answer our ‘good, selfless’ prayer request to save her.   So I had to remind myself of God’s absolute goodness through the song lyrics, “God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand, when you don't see His plan,  when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.” 
Then during my Quiet Time, God answered my question through the story of Lazarus.  When Jesus finally came to see Lazarus, his sister Mary fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”   That’s probably true.  But if Jesus had been there earlier, He wouldn’t have had to raise Lazarus from the dead, but just heal him.  They would not have witnessed Jesus’ power to raise the dead, and then John 12:11, “For an account of him (i.e. Lazarus coming back to life) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him,” would not have happened, either.  Jesus allowed Lazarus to die and come back to life so more people could believe in Jesus and be saved.
There was no such miracle in the case of the late Chun Samonim.  However, we witnessed a different kind of a miracle - many churches and believers coming together to cry out to God in such beautiful unity and love.  I believe this marks the beginning of a new era, with numerous Korean American churches in our area joining forces to fight against Satan our common enemy in taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth!  I firmly believe that Chun Samonim’s death will, just as much as Lazarus’ resurrection did, result in many lives being saved!   She indeed is a kernel of wheat that died to bear much fruit. That’s not a tragedy, but a privilege! She is blessed indeed.

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
July 12, 2015