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My Personal Journey
I was born in Taeku in the southern part of
South Korea in 1953. I was raised with loving care by my parents,
the only son among four sisters. My mother was a very strong
Christian and attended a Morning Prayer service at her church
every day. Even before I was born, I was attending church during
my mother’s pregnancy. So I was acquainted with Morning Prayer
services with praising and people’s prayer to God. In my very
early childhood my mother carried me on her back to revival
services and other church events. When I entered adolescence I had
many deep questions about life. What does it all mean? What is the
purpose of life? Why am I here? I also thought a lot about death.
A person strives to live a happy life, and has a job, and has
ambitions, etc. and then death comes and everything is swallowed
up. I wondered why. It was like a “big hole” that death sucked up
all of a person’s life. These questions made me search about God
and the eternal foundations of life to overcome death. In this
changeable world we really need a connection to the eternal being,
and the eternal foundation. Without this kind of connection with
God, life just spins around without purpose and meaning.
I continually searched for these eternal
things, so after I graduated from high school, I entered Seoul
Methodist Seminary to study further about these spiritual matters
that I was seeking after. After two years of study I was called by
my country to serve in the military. I served in the DMZ for three
years. I worked in the military as a chaplain’s assistant,
visiting the soldiers who were on night duty, and counseling those
who were injured or discouraged, homesick, suicidal, and had other
needs. I learned again that without an eternal connection it is
easy to give up during a time of crisis. The world’s foundation is
very shallow during these times, and I learned a lot about this
when I had this duty as a chaplain’s assistant. After the three
years, I returned to seminary, and finished my study in two more
years. After I graduated I had the opportunity to serve in a small
country church in a farming area in Korea. After serving there for
a year I decided to go to the U.S. for further study. This
happened in 1980. It was a big decision on my part, and in the
end, I stayed here and eventually became your pastor! It is a
mystery of God who has led me and continually guided me even until
now.
I attended Garrett Theological Seminary in
Evanston, Illinois and graduated in 1987 receiving a Master of
Divinity. I was ordained a deacon and elder in the Wisconsin
Annual conference. It has been 24 years since I became an active
Methodist minister. The time has gone very fast it seems, but God
continues to guide me and bless me with his loving hands. I thank
God for the support of the congregations I have served, and for
God’s loving hands in helping me and supporting me. That’s why I
am here. Let’s continue to work together to accomplish God’s will
in our community and in the world. God bless you all.
Rev. John Chae |
