Hard Conversations

For those of us who feel that teaching the Bible looks fun. . . Think again before you take a stab at it.

Not many people have heard of PUBLIC THEOLOGY. In the Post-COVID-19 world, THAT theology looms large because of two reasons. One, the current culture is moving rapidly away from shared values necessary to sustain a stable and secure society. Two, the Church, who took a lot of body blows during COVID, may have become wary of addressing important sociocultural issues that are very consequential to our world. This is no time for the Church to remain silent; she must discover public theology and equip herself to articulate it for the common good of everyone in society. Consider this vlog as a short introduction to public theology.

I returned home late last night (June 27) after spending a whole month on the road. Of all the cities I visited during this trip—Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Francisco, El Paso (TX) and Las Cruces (NM), the most significant place has to be Silver City—a small town in eastern New Mexico—that I first visited in 1981, that is, 42 years ago. So why is this city so personally significant to me? Well, that’s what this vlog is about. Enjoy.  

Who is this "45"-year old Lead Pastor? Check out the vlog and find out.

This is a compilation of videos and photos of my visit (along with my wife) to Montreal, Canada (May 18-21). Once there, we got to spend some quality time with Pastor Andrew and his wife, Jessie, and the Alive congregation.

AMI Institute is my organization's annual event (for 2 weeks) to expose those pastors and interns who are new to AMI to its spiritual and theological DNA. Since we just finished the first week of the Institute, consider this vlog as a progress report..

Joe Suh is an assistant pastor at the Church of Southland in Anaheim, California. Michael Choi is Professor of Systematic Theology at Torch Trinity Graduate University in South Korea. They do not know each other because they have never met. Nevertheless, they have one thing in common: Pastor Eddie Kim. Through this connection, I am sharing two vital biblical messages these men embody: one, putting God first above all else, including our own families (Luke 14:26-27), and two, finishing well in our faith journey (2 Tim. 4:7-8). 

Before heading home from my trip to E. Asia, I stopped by Los Angeles to spend a week at Tapestry Church to film twelve teaching videos and also to preach on Sunday (4.16). And after the service, I was greeted by the most significant person in my life (not including my parents and wife); it was a great surprise and joy! I also spoke to Grace Choe, the better half of Pastor Charles as well several Tapestry staff whom I have gotten to know over the years. Here I share my brief conversations with some of them. Enjoy. 

After I got done teaching in Taiwan, I flew over to Seoul, S. Korea a day before the Easter Sunday to see Pastor Eddie Kim, literally my neighbor who is getting retreatment for his late-stage cancer there. Besides needing to deliver cards and gifts to him from his Canvas congregants, I wanted to pray for him as well as have a conversation about his thoughts on faith, life and death.

Meet Pastor David Son and his wife Grace who came to Taipei four years ago to serve as missionaries. They are a couple who learned well from their mentors before coming here to serve. Their story goes to show that the best preparation to serve the Lord on the mission field is faithfully serving him on the home front. Check out their stories; they will warm your heart. Enjoy.