The Words of the Stephenson Family
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The Words of the Stephenson Family |
Witnessing is a matter of mind-set -- so suggests the writer of this testimony, whose willingness to simply invite people to come to church is challenging concepts about how difficult it is to witness.
I have been a member of the Unification Church and a person who believes in True Parents for twenty five years and have only really had any success in inviting guests to church and to hear Divine Principle and about True Parents since Hyung-jin nim and Yeon-ah nim started their ministry in Seoul. A person of character
I met Min-young in October 2007 and she's been attending service at the Headquarters Church since then. She has been a Christian for about five years but isn't that familiar with the Bible. She more enjoyed the spirituality and fellowship of going to church. Although she has been attending our service every week for a year and a half, she still goes to her original church every Sunday. Min-young is a very good person. She not only faithfully tithes to her church but she also freely gives about twenty percent of her monthly salary to her parents; even though they are reasonably well off and don't actually need it. She does that because she wants to keep a spirit of filial piety. She also gives donations here sometimes even though I never asked her to.
Min-young has listened to all of Divine Principle and has attended our introductory Divine Principle talks after the Saturday service. For the first few months she referred to this church as "your church" but then began referring to it as "our church." Over time Min-young has become very comfortable here at church and has made many good friends among our congregation. She told me once that it was Yeon-ah nim's warm heart and kindness that made her feel so welcome and comfortable here at first.
Min-young says that she doesn't yet accept True Father as the Messiah. I know she is warming up to the Divine Principle and True Parents, so I'm confident a fire will ignite in her soul eventually. When it does I believe all the love and welcome she has experienced here at church will be a strong foundation for her faith. I'm learning through witnessing that some people need time and we have to have the patience and constancy to take care of them, however long it takes.
Starting a few months ago I talked with Min- young about the idea of the unification of not only Christianity but all the great faiths. At first she expressed concern that our attitude sounds a little arrogant if we think we can absorb all the other faiths into our own. She also said she felt uncomfortable when Hyung-jin nim used quotes from other religious traditions such as Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism in our services. I got into my determined-yet-gentle frame of mind and explained to her how wonderful, inspiring and liberating it was that we could be free to recognize and learn things outside of Christianity. Min-young seemed comfortable with this explanation. Even so, every couple of weeks she would bring up her concerns again.
One day, Min-young again asked me how it is possible for Hyung-jin nim to incorporate the teachings of other religions in a Christian service and still remain Christian. I spoke with her about how God inspired all the great religions in order to raise all humanity, not just the Christian world. I explained that the Messiah comes for everyone, and as much as is possible God wants everyone to be prepared; ultimately that is the purpose of every religion from Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam to Judaism and Christianity.
Min-young suddenly looked deep in thought and finally said, "Actually, it's amazing because when I was first becoming a Christian, it was my dream to find a church with such a philosophy; a church that thinks like that and embraces all religions and cultures. But I never found one. Instead my church taught me that all other religions are wrong or even bad." Then she said, "It's amazing that over five years ago it was my drear to find such a church as this one, and now I have. I've found my dream."
All that time I thought I was struggling against Min-young's point of view or even prejudice, when in fact in her heart of hearts she had been longing for exactly what she had found here. I've learned that it's necessary to be patient and do my best to help nurture my contacts' faith until they feel secure enough in their connection to True Parents to make a commitment.
It moves my heart that Hyung-jin nim, along with all his other family members, has experienced emotional loss through his brothers' passing to the spirit world. If it were not for humanity's need for True Parents, their children's would not have been necessary. Yet instead of expressing resentment,
Hyung-jin nim has digested that pain and his heart is clear and pure and he loves us.
Hyung-jin nim and Yeon-ah nim's sacrifice and service to the members and their obvious love and respect for all the great faiths as expressed in Hyung-jin nim's service had moved Min-young's heart even though she mentally resisted the idea at first.
I believe that not only the wisdom Hyung-jin nim conveys in his sermons but also the example he and Yeon-ah nim have set in living by what they teach, and their consistency in doing so, have been the main factors in Min-young feeling comfortable and gradually moving closer to a connection of heart with True Parents.
When I first spoke to Matthew, it was to gently tell him off for littering (he had thrown something in the general direction of a public trash can). He said, in the polite way that Koreans do, "Oh sorry," and immediately picked up the object and put it in the bin. The next day, he approached me himself. I thought he was a bit unusual, but that I should try and witness to him. You can't pick and choose who God wants you to introduce to the church!
I chatted with him for ten minutes and then invited him to the church. He came. That was about three months ago.
When he went home, he did some research about the church on the internet and found things posted by our detractors. But he didn't care. He made up his own mind and ignored it.
He quickly made friends at the church, and he seemed to be very excited from the beginning. I think the international atmosphere caught his interest. I was surprised when he suddenly said he wanted to join. I don't think the Divine Principle itself is the key factor in all people coming close to the church. They find something they have been longing for -- an atmosphere of love. When I met the church, I also asked to join after visiting just three or four times. I wanted to be one of them.
I'm from England, and I'm basically outgoing and friendly. Just the fact that I am Western has been the biggest factor in my witnessing. That's nothing to be ashamed about -- you have to use whatever you can. The important result is that people find True Parents and find God.
That Koreans are interested in a Western community should be a massive advantage for our witnessing. Our Western service should be exploding with guests. It should be outpacing the Korean service five to one, in terms of growth, just because we have this advantage.
I feel that Hyung-jin nim wants to show us how great we all can be. When I go to Hyung-in nim and Yeon-ah nim's service and bring guests with me, I know they will meet happy people, listen to a great choir, and a short, exciting sermon. Any success I've had in bringing people to church says less about my witnessing ability and more about how wonderful their efforts have been.