2017.04.30_Faith On God’s Word

I was ordained as a pastor in the assembly of Independent Christian Mission on 11^th August, 1966 and began leading evangelism crusades across the nation. I established Sungrak Church in Singil-Dong, on 30^th November, 1969. The reason I established an independent church was that church must resemble the Bible. That is why I set up the structure of ministry integrating the excellence of the Presbyterian Church, the advantages of the Methodist Church, and the strength of the Baptist Church. After that, I established ‘Berea Academy’ as a movement to return to the Bible. Meanwhile the church was growing despite of many hardships.

I ordained and appointed some assistant pastors to help my ministry, since I could hardly deal with all aspects of ministry, and I devoted myself to church revival. At that time, it was hard for so many members to gather in one place at the same time for a worship service, so I divided Lord’s day worship into nine times a day. The church moved into another larger building, alleviating the need for so many worship services. But in order for the members who came to the church from remote places to be able to worship in their local area, I established branch churches so that they could worship together through satellite broadcasting.

Over the years the assistant pastors have been routinely rotated or reassigned fostering an atmosphere of cooperation and collaboration. The assistant pastors have contributed to the development and growth of the church under the guidance of the Overseer who appointed them, and as a result, our church has become a role model for the world church.

Presently however, our church is facing a great trial and is beset with worry. Although the Overseer appointed assistant pastors to work in the fields, many of them are failing to carry out their duty, even going so far as taking the offerings from the branch churches and discontinue sending them to the main church office.

Our church has never mistreated the offerings that are devoted to God, but has gathered all of the offerings to the church office, depositing them into the bank for the budget of the church and the expenses of the ministry. The process was structured so that the holy offerings which are given to God could not be held ransom. But, there are some assistant pastors who are breaking the law. They should have sent the offerings to the main church so that the church can continue the ministry with proper funding.

Most of those who are doing these illegal actions in the church are the assistant pastors. They are the ones who were ordained and appointed by me. There is an order and a hierarchy in the church. For them, they are accountable to the one who has sent them, just as in the past, for Israel, there were the commanders of thousands, of hundreds, and of tens, who led the people in perfect order.

If you have a sickness in your legs, you might have to cut them off out of necessity, but you cannot cut off your head if even if your head hurts. I am earnestly asking all of them to repent and return. I, Semuon who established Sungrak church, will leave the church, only after I die.