A Tribute to Pastor Bae, Hyung-Kyu

The following email was sent by a colleague to an internal Christian mailing list at my work.

From: Chang Lee
Sent: Friday, July 27, 2007 9:43 AM
Subject: A Tribute to Pastor Bae, Hyung-Kyu

I apologize for writing a long email, but I feel this is one way of overcoming grief over the recent death of my dear friend and mentor, Pastor Bae, Hyung-Kyu:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19913035/

I am realizing that sometimes living can be harder than dying. I wish that I am the one who took the bullets. He is a far better person than I am. Why God did not take away a wretched man like me first, I wonder. If this were an act of the Satan, I can see why he was chosen. Because he was so ‘dangerous’; hardly anyone can come out unchanged after spending some time with him. If it were an act of God, I can see only one reason why I am still alive. So that I can tell others about him and his Savior.

When I heard the news yesterday, it seemed as if I suddenly moved into a different world. In truth, everything remained the same. I was working in a comfortable office, going through emails, attending meetings, etc. It was a beautiful sunny day in Seattle. After work, I walked past a mother pushing a baby stroller, a couple of joggers talking to each other, children playing, giggling on a playground. But they felt completely foreign to me. Now that my friend and dear brother in Christ is gone, the world became a little bit … lonelier place.

I first met him 17-8 years ago in the young adults group of our church. He was one of the leaders and I just came to that church. Although I always attended church, through my teenage and college years, I grew up to be very cynical about church and faith. I became very critical and skeptical about the whole Christian beliefs. Christians appeared to be just a bunch of hypocrites. Hyung-Kyu ‘hyung’ (older brother in Korean) and other brothers in Christ completely changed my views through the very life that they lived.

He was finishing his graduate study (MBA, I think) and working for a big company in Seoul. He rented a small basement studio with 3 other guys. This is probably something unthinkable in North America where personal space and privacy are almost unalienable rights, but not so uncommon in any crowded Asian countries. What is amazing even in Asian standards is the fact that he completely opened his place. I mean, anybody can stop by any time of the day for any reason. He would cook for them, listen to their problems, giving advices, or just spending time with them. Of course, I am one of those who frequented his studio, but almost not a single day passed without having other visitors as well. In fact, at one point, they got kicked out by the landlord because there were just too many visitors. But he continued to do it for several more years till I left Korea.

Before I encountered him, the Gospel was no more than some stories in the Bible. Having met him, I saw the truths of the Bible. This might sound corny, but I saw a glimpse of Jesus in him. He was rather small in height, but a giant in faith and love. I cannot remember him without that huge smile on his face. He loved the Lord and His loving creation, the people.

After hearing the news, I almost wanted to go there and personally hunt down those murderers. I know I have enough violent inclinations left in me that will allow me to do so. But the truth is he loved those people. That is why he was there even though he was not physically adapted to that place. I remember he had some serious health problems (TB, maybe) which required him to rest for a year or so and I heard that he always got sick whenever he went to a foreign mission field.

In a way, I am glad that he is the first one to be killed. He was the leader of the group and it makes sense that the shepherd dies before the flock. Just like his master.

He once wrote an article for a church newsletter in which he said that a disciple should be ready for three things at any moment of his life:

1. Ready to leave (everything behind).
2. Ready to move (to a different place).
3. Ready to die.

I never had any brother, but he was more than a brother to me. So I am extremely saddened by his tragic death

But this sadness is not without any hope.

In mourning, I was comforted by the words in Isaiah 55:

   [8] "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.
   [9] "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
   [10] As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
   [11] so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

His blood is spilled and it will not return to the Father before giving life to other people.

Thanks for reading.

God bless,

Chang

Romario: "The King of the Goal"

What Is Anglicanism?

As a cradle (and now ex-)Episcopalian, and having recently attended for a few months a "Continuing Anglican Church" (more about which in the future), I am closely following the reactions to the astonishing heresy of the Episcopal Church (TEC) here in the USA.

One of the African Archbishops who has established a beachhead here to protect the faithful, Ugandan Henry Luke Orombi, has written a bracing article on Anglicanism from an East African perspective, What Is Anglicanism. It's a wonderful read.

In the Church of Uganda, Anglicanism has been built on three pillars: martyrs, revival, and the historic episcopate. Yet each of these refers back to the Word of God, the ground on which all is built: The faith of the martyrs was maintained by the Word of God, the East African revival brought to the people the Word of God, and the historic ordering of ministry was designed to advance the Word of God.

Odd at first to hear an Anglican talking about martyrs, isn't it?

So let us think about how the Word of God works in the worldwide Anglican Communion. We in the Church of Uganda are convinced that Scripture must be reasserted as the central authority in our communion. The basis of our commitment to Anglicanism is that it provides a wider forum for holding each other accountable to Scripture, which is the seed of faith and the foundation of the Church in Uganda.

The TEC has declared its autonomy from this accountability, in defiance of the Communion. So, the Africans are setting up shop here, and former Episcopal parishes are fleeing TEC into the welcoming arms of the orthodox, even as the TEC pursues a scorched earth litigation policy against these parishes.

The Bible cannot appear to us a cadaver, merely to be dissected, analyzed, and critiqued, as has been the practice of much modern higher biblical criticism. Certainly we engage in biblical scholarship and criticism, but what is important to us is the power of the Word of God precisely as the Word of God—written to bring transformation in our lives, our families, our communities, and our culture. For us, the Bible is “living and active, sharper than a double-edged sword, it penetrates to dividing soul and spirits, joints and marrow, it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). The transforming effect of the Bible on Ugandans has generated so much conviction and confidence that believers were martyred in the defense of the message of salvation through Jesus Christ that it brought.

As they say, read the whole thing.

How interesting if another aspect of the reverse colonization of the ennervated West is a restoration of orthodox Anglican Christianity.

May God Bless Archbishop Orombi, and may He have mercy on us all.

Getting Underway

This could be the start of something beautiful...