Going on a Sabbatical Month (Departing May 7 – Returning June 12)
It has now been 24 years since I founded this church. Back in 2022, the church proposed a sabbatical year for me. However, due to the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, those plans could not go forward. This year, thanks to the support of the denomination, I am able to take a “sabbatical month.”
The denomination recommends at least three months, but given the responsibilities of the Oceania House Church ministry and the situation of the church, it was not easy for me to be away with a fully at-ease heart. After much deliberation, I decided to take just one month and travel to Korea, a place familiar to me.
The purposes of this sabbatical are threefold.
First, rest. This month is something I personally need, but it is also a special gift for my wife, who turns 60 this year. Our itinerary includes a 4-night, 5-day trip to Vietnam. Past visits to Korea have almost always been filled with ministry schedules and preaching, with little time to simply rest. This time, I intend to avoid ministry as much as possible — though some unavoidable commitments, such as the International House Church board meeting and a missionaries’ conference, will still need to be attended.
Second, learning and renewal. There are churches I have long wanted to visit — churches known for doing House Church well. Pastors too must observe and learn, and this time I hope to visit these churches simply to see and absorb what they are doing, apart from any ministry obligations. Among these visits, I also have a plan to bring some of my wife’s family members who have not yet attended church — and through that journey as well, I hope to learn from the churches I visit.
Third, preparation for the future. Rather than this sabbatical being merely a time of rest, I hope to step back and look at our church from the outside — to reflect on how we should prepare for the next stage. I will set aside my own plans and seek counsel from pastors I have long respected, listening for God’s leading.
I thank our church and its members for making this sabbatical month possible. To ensure I do not lose the flow and rhythm of ministry upon returning, I will keep in regular communication with you and keep you informed of how things are going. Please pray that my wife and I may go with joy and peace, that we may be refreshed in body and spirit, and that upon returning I may serve even more fruitfully.
Word of the week
There is a Receiving Jesus Meeting today. The Receiving Jesus Meeting allows those who already believe to gain assurance, and those who wish to believe to receive Jesus. Those who have not yet been baptised and wish to be baptised are also welcome to participate in the Receiving Jesus Meeting.
아랫글
이동주 2026.04.25 22:03
신고
It has now been 24 years since I founded this church. Back in 2022, the church proposed a sabbatical year for me. However, due to the unexpected COVID-19 pandemic, those plans could not go forward. This year, thanks to the support of the denomination, I am able to take a “sabbatical month.”
The denomination recommends at least three months, but given the responsibilities of the Oceania House Church ministry and the situation of the church, it was not easy for me to be away with a fully at-ease heart. After much deliberation, I decided to take just one month and travel to Korea, a place familiar to me.
The purposes of this sabbatical are threefold.
First, rest. This month is something I personally need, but it is also a special gift for my wife, who turns 60 this year. Our itinerary includes a 4-night, 5-day trip to Vietnam. Past visits to Korea have almost always been filled with ministry schedules and preaching, with little time to simply rest. This time, I intend to avoid ministry as much as possible — though some unavoidable commitments, such as the International House Church board meeting and a missionaries’ conference, will still need to be attended.
Second, learning and renewal. There are churches I have long wanted to visit — churches known for doing House Church well. Pastors too must observe and learn, and this time I hope to visit these churches simply to see and absorb what they are doing, apart from any ministry obligations. Among these visits, I also have a plan to bring some of my wife’s family members who have not yet attended church — and through that journey as well, I hope to learn from the churches I visit.
Third, preparation for the future. Rather than this sabbatical being merely a time of rest, I hope to step back and look at our church from the outside — to reflect on how we should prepare for the next stage. I will set aside my own plans and seek counsel from pastors I have long respected, listening for God’s leading.
I thank our church and its members for making this sabbatical month possible. To ensure I do not lose the flow and rhythm of ministry upon returning, I will keep in regular communication with you and keep you informed of how things are going. Please pray that my wife and I may go with joy and peace, that we may be refreshed in body and spirit, and that upon returning I may serve even more fruitfully.
Word of the week
There is a Receiving Jesus Meeting today. The Receiving Jesus Meeting allows those who already believe to gain assurance, and those who wish to believe to receive Jesus. Those who have not yet been baptised and wish to be baptised are also welcome to participate in the Receiving Jesus Meeting.