Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea: The Korea National District Church of the Nazarene held an Ordination Service on 12 April 2022. The service was held during the 67th District Assembly. This is the first gathering of the entire district after two years of being in the Covid-19 pandemic. 36 ordinands waited for this special day to be ordained as elders of the church.
It was also a special time that Dr. David Graves, Jurisdictional General Superintendent for Asia-Pacific to visit and be able to physically do the ordination service. Dr. Graves shared the message from 1 Kings 19:19-21 “The Call of Elisha.” Dr. Graves was joined by Dr. Mark Louw – Asia-Pacific regional director.
Pastor Jinsuk Jang has been waiting for her ordination for over two years. Pastor Jang currently serves as senior pastor of Kwangmyung Church in Mokpo. “I was anxious when the ordination was canceled for two years. But this situation gave me the opportunity to pray more and trust in God’s timing,“ she shared. “God helped me to have the heart of a pilgrim. He taught me to trust his timetable and be patient in waiting,” she added.
“God allowed me to be ordained not for myself but for the people that I lead and serve,” Pastor Jung said. On Easter Sunday, a few days after her ordination, Rev. Jang held baptism, communion, and reception in her church.” She confessed, “I was clumsy and still have a lot to learn. But God’s love and grace were abundantly poured out on me. I will love the church the Lord has entrusted to me more, and pray and serve the community to which the church belongs.”
Mireu Kim a missionary serving in Thailand traveled back to Korea for the 67th Korea National District Assembly to physically attend his ordination. He said “The ordination ceremony was a particularly meaningful time for the Holy Week. “I meditated on the words of Galatians 2. Now I really pray that the Lord will live in me and spread His name in the land of Thailand.”
After the ordination service, he and his family returned to Thailand with renewed commitment to nurture local leaders and raise Christlike disciples in Thailand. The Kims will pioneer the development of ministry in the northeastern part of Thailand.
The waiting has been difficult for the 36 ordinands, but it was all worth the wait. They have experienced God’s grace even greater during this challenging time. Now, as ordained ministers they are once again assured that God was, is, and will be with them as they continue to fulfill the mission of making Christlike disciples in the nations.
