3월 1일은 나라를 위해서 일제에 항거하여 분연히 일어난 선열들을 기리는 국가적인 공휴일입니다. 동시에 제게는 은퇴 후 1년을 쉬고, 새로운 사역을 시작하는 첫 날이기도 합니다. 오후 1시 30분, 에스라성경대학원대학교 제5대 총장 취임식이 있었기 때문입니다. 동시에 올해 에스라 25기 신입생의 입학식 및 개강예배도 함께 갖게 되었습니다. 이날 감사예배의 말씀은 홍정길 목사님께서 딤후 2:1~2절의 말씀으로 은혜 안에서 <충성>하라는 메시지를 들려주셨습니다. 구주대망 2021학년도 신입생을 비롯해서, 현장예배에 참석한 하객들도 있었고, 온라인으로 참여한 학생과 성도들도 있었습니다. 우린 이런 조촐한 감사예배조차도 온라인, 오프라인이 동시에 가동되는 새로운 하이브리드 시대를 살고 있습니다.
그날 감사예배는 남서울 교회와 특별한 삼겹줄이 있었습니다. 영적 양식인 설교 말씀은 남서울교회 원로이신 홍정길 목사님께서 전해 주셨고, 육신의 양식인 점심 도시락은 현직 담임 목사님이신 화종부 목사님이 제공해 주셨고, 지난 주에 에스라 성경대학원대학교 제4대 총장으로 퇴임하신 이철 목사님은 남서울교회 은퇴 목사님이셨기 때문입니다. 영적 양식도 한평생 주님을 사랑하고 뜨겁게 교회를 섬긴 노익장 목사님의 농익은 은혜의 말씀이었고, 거기에 경쟁이라도 하듯이 점심 도시락의 수준은, 저를 비롯한 많은 분이 맛본 것 가운데 아마 최고의 도시락 이었을 것입니다. 남서울교회 성도들의 관심과 사랑에 빚진 에스라 식구들의 감사를 꼭 전하고 싶습니다.
저희 울산교회도 에스라와 관련이 깊습니다. 제 2기생 김차순 전도사님을 시작으로 십수년 동안 계속해서 학생을 에스라에 보냈기 때문입니다. 신학교 졸업 10년 차에 울산교회 사역 6년차가 되는 부교역자들을 안식 겸 연구년으로 1년간 에스라에 보냈습니다. 때로는 학원 사역을 하는 간사들이나 선교사들의 안식년 기간에 등록금을 부담해서 보내기도 해서 1학년 한 명, 2학년 한 명은 기본이고, 많으면 동시에 5~6명도 에스라에서 공부했습니다. 합숙을 해야 하는 1학년 학생을 위해서 언제부터인가 학교근방에 사택을 하나 얻어 해마다 온 식구가 이사를 와서 사용하도록 했습니다.
물론 그 1년 간은 그동안 받던 사례 전액을 드리고, 거기에 등록금을 추가로 지원해서 에스라로 보내되 주일 사역 뿐만 아니라 여름, 겨울 방학 때도 교회에 와서 봉사하는 것조차 면제해 주는 엄청난 특혜를, 내일의 한국교회를 사랑하는 마음으로 제공했습니다. 숨가쁘게 돌아가는 한국의 목회현실을 알기에, 그런 기회는 다시는 오기 어렵다는 것을 잘 알고 있기에 최대한 배려를 했습니다. 중이 자기 머리를 못 깎는다고 24년 간 담임이었던 자신은 1년 안식년을 갖지 못했지만 담임이기에 부교역자들을 연구년으로 한 해를 온전히 보내도록 할 수는 있었습니다. 이제는 은퇴 목사이니 더 이상 부교역자를 보내는 사역은 할 수 없지만, <성경>을 사랑하는 이 학교에 자신이 와서, 또 다른 차원의 봉사를 하는 새로운 시작을 하게 되었으니 감사할 따름입니다.
March 1st is a national holiday commemorating our patriotic ancestors who rose up resolutely against Japanese colonial rule for the sake of our nation. At the same time, it marked my very first day of beginning a new ministry after resting for a year following retirement. At 1:30 PM, the inauguration ceremony of the 5th President of Ezra Bible Graduate University took place. Along with it, we also held the matriculation ceremony and opening chapel for the 25th incoming class of Ezra this year. For the thanksgiving service, Pastor Jung-Gil Hong shared a message based on 2 Timothy 2:1–2, calling us to be "faithful" within grace. In the year of our Lord 2021, along with the incoming students, there were guests attending in person as well as students and church members joining online. We are truly living in a new hybrid era where even such an intimate thanksgiving service runs simultaneously both online and offline.
That day's thanksgiving service was bound by a special threefold cord with Namseoul Church. The spiritual food, the sermon, was delivered by Pastor Jung-Gil Hong, pastor emeritus of Namseoul Church; the physical nourishment of the boxed lunches was generously provided by the senior pastor, Rev. Jong-Boo Hwa; and Rev. Cheol Lee, who stepped down last week as the 4th President of Ezra Bible Graduate University, is a retired pastor of Namseoul Church. The spiritual nourishment was a deeply seasoned word of grace from an elder statesman of faith who has loved the Lord and passionately served the church throughout his life. As if in friendly competition, the quality of the boxed lunches was perhaps the finest meal that many, including myself, had ever tasted. I truly wish to convey the heartfelt gratitude of the Ezra family, who are deeply indebted to the care and love of the congregation of Namseoul Church.
Our Ulsan Church also shares a profound connection with Ezra. Starting with Evangelist Cha-soon Kim from the second graduating class, we have consistently sent students to Ezra for well over a decade. We sent associate pastors—those ten years out of seminary and six years into their ministry at Ulsan Church—to Ezra for a one-year sabbatical and study leave. At times, we also covered tuition to send campus ministry staff or missionaries during their sabbatical years. Thus, having one first-year and one second-year student was the baseline, and at times, as many as five or six were studying at Ezra simultaneously. For the first-year students who were required to live in the dormitory, we eventually secured a ministerial residence near the school so that their entire families could move in and stay there each year.
Naturally, during that full year, we continued to provide their full ministerial salary and covered their tuition to send them to Ezra. Furthermore, out of a heart that cherishes the future of the Korean church, we granted them the extraordinary privilege of being exempted not only from Sunday ministry duties but even from serving during the summer and winter breaks. Knowing the breathless pace of pastoral ministry in Korea, and realizing full well that such a rare opportunity might never come again, I extended the greatest possible consideration. As the old proverb goes, "a monk cannot shave his own head"—serving as senior pastor for 24 years, I never had a one-year sabbatical myself, but as senior pastor, I could at least ensure that our associate pastors enjoyed a full year of study and renewal. Now that I am a retired pastor, I can no longer continue the ministry of sending associate pastors here. Yet, my heart is overflowing with gratitude that I have come in person to this school that loves the Scriptures, embarking on a new beginning of service on a completely different level.
1 Maart is 'n nasionale vakansiedag ter herdenking van ons patriotiese voorvaders wat vir ons vaderland vasberade teen die Japannese koloniale bewind opgestaan het. Terselfdertyd was dit vir my die heel eerste dag om met 'n nuwe bediening te begin, na 'n rustyd van een jaar ná my aftrede. Om 13:30 het die inhuldiging van die 5de Rektor van Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit plaasgevind. Terselfdertyd het ons vanjaar ook die openingsdiens en verwelkoming van Ezra se 25ste nuwe studentegroep gehou. Tydens hierdie dankseggingsdiens het ds. Jung-Gil Hong die Woord bedien vanuit 2 Timoteus 2:1–2 met 'n boodskap oor binne genade. In die jaar van ons Here 2021 was daar, benewens die nuwe studente, gaste wat die diens fisies bygewoon het, asook studente en gemeentelede wat aanlyn ingeskakel het. Ons leef vandag in 'n nuwe hibriede era waar selfs so 'n intieme dankseggingsdiens gelyktydig aanlyn en van aangesig tot aangesig plaasvind.
Daardie dag se dankseggingsdiens was deur 'n besondere driedubbele koord met Namseoul Gemeente verweef. Die geestelike voedsel, die preek, is gebring deur ds. Jung-Gil Hong, emeritus-leraar van Namseoul Gemeente; die liggaamlike verkwikking van middagete is voorsien deur die huidige leraar, ds. Jong-Boo Hwa; en ds. Cheol Lee, wat verlede week as die 4de Rektor van Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit uitgetree het, is 'n afgetrede leraar van Namseoul Gemeente. Die geestelike voedsel was 'n ryp genadewoord van 'n bejaarde godsman wat lewenslank die Here liefgehad en die kerk met oorgawe gedien het. Asof dit 'n wedywering was, was die gehalte van die middagete sekerlik van die keurigste wat ek en baie ander nog ooit geproe het. Ek wil baie graag die hartlike dank van die Ezra-familie oordra, wat diep verskuldig is aan die omgee en liefde van die lidmate van Namseoul Gemeente.
Ons Ulsan Gemeente het eweneens 'n hegte band met Ezra. Vanaf die tweede jaargang se evangelis Cha-soon Kim het ons vir meer as 'n dekade aanhoudend studente na Ezra gestuur. Medeleraars wat tien jaar tevore hul kweekskoolopleiding voltooi het en ses jaar lank by Ulsan Gemeente gedien het, is vir 'n eenjarige sabbats- en navorsingsverlof na Ezra gestuur. Soms het ons ook die klasgelde van studente-arbeiders of sendelinge tydens hul sabbatsjaar gedek sodat hulle kon gaan; een eerstejaar en een tweedejaar was die standaard, en by tye het soveel as vyf tot ses tegelykertyd by Ezra gestudeer. Vir die eerstejaarstudente wat verplig was om in die koshuis te bly, het ons mettertyd 'n ampswoning naby die skool gehuur sodat hul gesinne elke jaar daarheen kon verhuis en daar kon woon.
Natuurlik het ons gedurende daardie volle jaar hul gewone traktement ten volle uitbetaal, boonop hul klasgeld betaal en hulle na Ezra gestuur. Uit 'n hart vol liefde vir die toekoms van die Koreaanse kerk het ons hulle die buitengewone voorreg gegun om nie net van Sondagbediening vrygestel te word nie, maar selfs van dienswerk gedurende die somer- en wintervakansies. Omdat ek die asemlose gejaag van die Koreaanse bedieningswerklikheid ken, en maar te goed geweet het dat so 'n geleentheid selde weer kom, het ek die ruimste moontlike toegewings gemaak. Soos die spreekwoord lui: "'n monnik kan nie sy eie kop skeer nie"—as senior leraar vir 24 jaar kon ek myself nooit 'n sabbatsjaar gun nie, maar as senior leraar kon ek darem verseker dat ons medeleraars 'n volle jaar as navorsingsverlof kon deurbring. Noudat ek 'n afgetrede leraar is, kan ek weliswaar nie meer medeleraars stuur nie, maar ek kan slegs dankbaar wees dat ek self na hierdie skool wat die liefhet kon kom, om met 'n nuwe begin van dienswerk op 'n heeltemal ander vlak te begin.