아무도 반박하지 못하는 찬란한 봄이 찾아왔습니다. 한 겨울에 앙상한 나뭇가지를 보면서 봄이 준비되고 있다는 것을 믿기란 쉽지 않습니다. 그래도 지금은 봄이 온 것을, 이제 대세는 봄이라는 사실을 눈으로 보고 있습니다. 동네에는 산수유가 꽃을 피우고, 산에는 생강나무가 질세라 꽃을 피우더니, 길가에는 이제 개나리까지 노란 꽃을 피우기 시작했습니다. 에스라 교정에 핀 산수유의 사진을 보내면 노란꽃이니까 개나리냐고 묻는 사람들이 더러 있습니다. 해외에 계신지 십년을 넘었으면 양해가 되지만, 한 번도 해외에 거주한 적이 없는 순수 국내파라면 생각해 봐야 합니다. 하긴 “아버지여 저희를 사하여 주옵소서 자기의 하는 것을 알지 못함이니이다”라고 극악한 죄를 범하는 무리를 향해서 하신 기도를 기억한다면, 아름다운 봄을 알리는 꽃 이름을 제대로 몰라본다고 어찌 허물하겠습니까?
네, 에스라 교정에도 봄이 찾아왔습니다. 홍매실 꽃이 노란꽃들 행렬 사이에 얼굴을 내밀었습니다. 조금 있으면 화려한 벚꽃이 온 교정을 뒤덮을 것입니다. 작년 이맘때는 1학년 신입생이 모두 21명으로 시작했던 것을 떠올리면 올해 1학년 신입생이 39명(MBS 10명, MA 11명, ThM 27명)으로 출발한 것은 경이롭습니다. (게다가 박사과정에 4명이 올해 새로 들어왔습니다). 이 놀라운 사실로 인해서 다만 하나님을 찬양할뿐입니다. “하나님이 하셨다!”는 고백을 우리 모두가 할 수밖에는 없습니다. 지난 3년의 초라한 상황을 잘 알고 있기에 우리 모두 그렇게 고백할 수밖에 없습니다. 그동안 그렇다고 노력하지 않은 것은 절대 아닙니다. 정말 “자나 깨나 불조심!”을 외치듯이 “앉으나 서나 학생 모집!”이었지만 얻은 것이 초라했습니다. “선생님, 저희가 밤새도록 애썼지만 아무것도 잡지 못했습니다.”
특히 작년에는 신입생을 위해서는 정말 온갖 노력을 했습니다. 교무처장과 학생처장을 비롯해서 모든 교직원이 한 마음으로, 그동안 홍보하던 교계의 몇 몇 잡지뿐 아니라 방송까지 처음으로 시도했습니다. 그러나 결과는 처참했습니다. 그래서 이번에는 힘도 빠졌고 지난 해에 비해서 열심히 하지도 못했습니다. 그랬는데 주께서 수시지원 첫날부터 역사하셨습니다. 23년 입학 수시+정시를 합한 것보다 두 배 가까운 지원자를 그날 하루에 보내셨습니다. 돌이켜 생각해 보니 제게 힘이 들어가 있었던 것이 주님의 역사의 가장 큰 걸림돌이 아니었을까 하는 생각이 들었습니다. “이제부터는 “힘 빼”라고 말하는 주님의 음성을 마음에 새기길 원합니다. 그리하여 주의 역사에 걸림이 되지 않게 하여 주십시오^^ 부디 이제는힘을 빼게 하여 주옵소서”라고 간구하고 싶습니다.
홍보에 힘을 쏟지 않고 오히려 기도에 힘을 쏟기 시작한 것이 변곡점을 그리는데 도움이 되지 않았을까 생각이 듭니다. 지난해 11월 중순을 넘어갈 때 <새벽을 깨우다>는 칼럼을 쓸 때부터 였습니다. 나이 70이 되어서 목회에 은퇴한 노익장으로서가 아니라 아직 아장아장 걸음마를 배우는 수준입니다. 샛노란 산수유, 생강나무, 개나리로 봄 소식을 알리기 기뻐하시는 분께서, 노란 원복을 입고, “하나, 둘” “셋, 넷”, “병아리” “삐약삐약”, “오리” 꽥꽥” 하며 선생님을 따라 길을 걷는 유치원생을 떠올리면 적절한 제 자신의 새벽기도의 모습이지만, 주님은 사랑의 시선으로 우리를 바라보십니다. 응답해 주신 하나님의 은혜로 에스라성경대학원 대학교도 이제 <대세는 봄이다>를 외칩니다. 오직 성경(sola scriptura)을, 성경전부(tota scriptura)를 배우고 싶은 분을 위해서 봄의 향연은 펼쳐져 있습니다.
An undeniable, radiant spring has arrived. Looking at the bare branches in the dead of winter, it is never easy to believe that spring is quietly being prepared beneath the surface. Yet now, with our very own eyes, we witness that spring has arrived—that spring is undeniably the prevailing tide. In our neighborhood, the cornus cherries are in bloom; in the mountains, the spicebushes have burst into blossom as if refusing to be outdone; and along the roadsides, even the forsythias have begun to unfurl their vibrant yellow petals. When I share photographs of the cornus cherry blossoms blooming on the Ezra campus, some people occasionally ask whether they are forsythias just because the flowers are yellow. If one has lived overseas for more than a decade, such confusion is understandable; but for someone who has spent their entire life in Korea, one might have to pause and wonder! Then again, when we remember the Lord’s prayer for those committing the most heinous sin—“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do”—how could I ever fault anyone for simply failing to recognize the names of the flowers heralding this beautiful spring?
Yes, spring has also arrived on the Ezra campus. Red plum blossoms have poked their cheerful faces through the procession of yellow flowers. Before long, magnificent cherry blossoms will blanket the entire grounds. When I recall that this time last year we began with a mere 21 first-year students, starting this year with 39 new students (10 in MBS, 11 in MA, and 27 in ThM) feels truly miraculous (not to mention the 4 new doctoral students who also joined us this year). In the face of this wondrous reality, we can do nothing but praise God. Every single one of us can only confess: "God did it!" Knowing all too well the lean, humble circumstances of the past three years, we have no other confession to make. It was certainly not for lack of effort during that time. Just as people once chanted, "Be watchful of fire, awake or asleep!", our hearts cried out, "Recruit students, standing or sitting!" Yet our harvest was so meager. "Master, we have worked hard all night and caught nothing."
Last year in particular, we poured every ounce of our effort into recruiting new students. The Dean of Academic Affairs, the Dean of Student Affairs, and the entire faculty and staff united as one. Beyond our usual advertisements in a few Christian magazines, we even ventured into broadcasting for the very first time. Yet the outcome was heart-wrenching. Exhausted and discouraged, we were unable to strive as vigorously this year as we had in the past. And yet, right on the very first day of rolling admissions, the Lord began to work. On that single day, He sent nearly twice as many applicants as the total number from both the rolling and regular admissions of 2023 combined. Looking back, I realized that my own tense striving—relying on my own strength—might have been the greatest hindrance to the Lord's work. I now desire to etch deeply into my heart the Lord’s gentle whisper: "Let go of your own strength." And so I pray: "Lord, let me not stand as an obstacle to Your work^^ Please, help me to release my grip and let go of my own strength."
I believe that shifting our focus away from relentless promotion and pouring our hearts into prayer instead helped mark this turning point. It began in mid-November of last year when I started writing the column Awakening the Dawn. Even at the age of seventy, having retired from pastoral ministry, I do not see myself as a seasoned veteran of faith, but rather like a toddler still taking tottering first steps. The Lord, who delights in heralding spring with bright yellow cornus cherry blossoms, spicebushes, and forsythias, looks with loving eyes upon my dawn prayers—a scene not unlike little kindergarteners in bright yellow uniforms waddling after their teacher, counting "one, two, three, four," chirping like baby chicks, and quacking like ducklings. Through the grace of God who answered our prayers, Ezra Bible Graduate University now proclaims: Spring Is the Unstoppable Tide. For all who yearn to learn Scripture alone (sola scriptura) and the whole of Scripture (tota scriptura), the grand feast of spring is widely spread before you.
’n Glorieryke lente wat niemand kan betwis nie, het aangebreek. Wanneer ’n mens in die hartjie van die winter na die kaal boomtakke kyk, is dit nooit maklik om te glo dat die lente in stilte voorberei word nie. Tog aanskou ons nou met ons eie oë dat die lente hier is—dat die lente nou die oorheersende gety is. In die buurt blom die kornoelies; teen die berghange blom die speserybosse asof hulle nie agtergelaat wil word nie; en langs die paaie begin selfs die forsythias nou hul heldergeel blomme oopvou. Wanneer ek foto’s stuur van die kornoelies wat op die kampus van Ezra blom, vra sommige mense soms of dit forsythias is bloot omdat die blomme geel is. As ’n mens al langer as tien jaar in die buiteland woon, is dit nog te verstane; maar vir iemand wat nog nooit buite ons landsgrense gewoon het nie, laat dit ’n mens dink! Maar as ons dink aan die Here se gebed vir diegene wat die vreeslikste sonde gepleeg het—“Vader, vergeef hulle, want hulle weet nie wat hulle doen nie”—hoe kan ’n mens iemand dan kwalik neem as hulle bloot die name van die lentebloeisels verwar?
Ja, die lente het ook op die Ezra-kampus aangebreek. Rooi pruimbloeisels het hul verskyning gemaak tussen die optog van geel blomme. Oor ’n klein rukkie sal pragtige kersiebloeisels die hele kampus oordek. As ek daaraan dink dat ons verlede jaar hierdie tyd met slegs 21 eerstejaarstudente begin het, is dit werklik wonderbaarlik dat ons vanjaar met 39 nuwe eerstejaars afgeskop het (10 in MBS, 11 in MA, en 27 in ThM). (Hierbenewens het 4 nuwe doktorale studente ook vanjaar aangesluit). Vanweë hierdie verstommende werklikheid kan ons die Here net prys. Elkeen van ons kan nie anders as om te bely nie: "God het dit gedoen!" Omdat ons die skrale omstandighede van die afgelope drie jaar maar alte goed ken, kan ons geen ander belydenis aflê nie. Dit beteken geensins dat ons gedurende daardie tyd nie hard gewerk het nie. Soos die ou waarskuwing: "Wees dag en nag versigtig vir brand!", was ons kreet: "Werf studente, sit of staan!" En tog was die opbrengs so skraal. "Meester, ons het die hele nag deur geswoeg en niks gevang nie."
Verlede jaar het ons werklik alles in ons vermoë gedoen om nuwe studente te werf. Die Dekaan van Akademiese Sake, die Dekaan van Studentesake en die hele personeel het as een man saamgestaan. Buiten ons gewone advertensies in ’n paar kerklike tydskrifte, het ons selfs vir die heel eerste keer na uitsaaikanale gewend. Tog was die uitslag hartverskeurend. Daarom was ons krag hierdie keer gedaan, en ons kon nie so hard soos verlede jaar werk nie. En tog het die Here van die heel eerste dag van die deurlopende aansoeke af begin werk. Op daardie enkele dag het Hy byna twee keer soveel aansoekers gestuur as die totale getal van 2023 se deurlopende én gewone toelatings saam. Nabetragtend het ek besef dat my eie krampagtige inspanning dalk die grootste struikelblok vir die Here se werk was. Ek wil nou die Here se stem, wat sê: "Laat vaar jou eie krag," diep in my hart bewaar. My bede is: "Here, laat my nie ’n struikelblok vir U werk wees nie^^ Help my asseblief om my eie krag te laat vaar."
Ek glo dat die verskuiwing van ons fokus—om minder op bemarking te steun en eerder ons krag in gebed te stort—gehelp het om hierdie keerpunt te bring. Dit het verlede jaar teen die middel van November begin toe ek die rubriek Ontwaak die Dagbreek begin skryf het. Al is ek reeds sewentig en afgetree uit die gemeentebediening, sien ek myself nie as ’n geharde veteraan nie, maar eerder as ’n kleuter wat nog wankelrig leer loop. Die Here, wat Hom daarin verheug om die lentetyd met heldergeel kornoelies, speserybosse en forsythias aan te kondig, aanskou my vroeë oggendgebede met liefdevolle oë—soos kleuterskoolkinders in geel uniforrempies wat agter hul juffrou aan waggel en sê: "Een, twee, drie, vier, kuikentjies wat piep en eendjies wat kwaak." Deur die genade van God wat ons gebede verhoor het, roep Ezra Bybelse Nagraadse Universiteit nou ook uit: Die lente is die oorheersende gety. Vir almal wat slegs die Skrif (sola scriptura) en die hele Skrif (tota scriptura) wil bestudeer, staan die lentefeesmaal wyd oop.