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| THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN: FOLLOWING JESUS INTO NORTH KOREA
CHAPTER 15: WHO WE MUST BE (Part 2)
SERVANT ANOINTING
The Church will not "take the land"in North Korea by force. We will "take the land"by going in barefoot like servants. When we love our North Korean brothers and sisters and lay down our lives for them, the love of Christ will shine through. This is what will win their hearts and drive the roots of the Church deep into North Korea.
In the Old Testament, a servant walked barefoot in the house of his master. The servant could not leave the house without his master's permission. He walked in submission to his master. In a similar way, we walk barefoot before God as we lay down our rights and our plans. We walk as servants of God. We also do this as we walk before our brothers and sisters. We lay down our rights in order to love and serve each other with the love of God. Jesus is exalted when we love each other with the love of Christ.
The people of North Korea are fragile and broken. They have been abused and trampled on through many decades of oppression. One of the great challenges of reaching North Korea is how the Church will become a channel of healing and grace to the people there. We need to lay down our pride and our rights. We must become like Jesus, who became a servant for us.
How can we do this on our own strength? It is impossible. This is why we need a servant anointing. We need God to touch us and put in us the heart of a servant. Then we will be able to serve others, even to North Korea.
As we lay down our rights before God, I believe He will take us into deep community with Him and others. A great challenge of North Korea missions lies in our relationships with the people around us. We need to be released into greater levels of intimacy, trust and vulnerability with each other. The Jesus in us and our community will be the testimony that breaks through to the hearts of the people of North Korea.
WORKERS FOR THE HARVEST
Jesus urges us to pray for harvesters because the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. This is true with North Korea mission work.
There are so many opportunities right now to be involved in reaching North Korea, but there are not enough workers. Though there are lots of people interested and many people with good intentions, few people are "workers"who know how to harvest. These harvest workers are those that go to the harvest to reap. They take initiative. They are the ones who put their lives on the altar to be part of God's harvest work.
I am reminded of the late Keith Green's song titled "Here Am I, Send Me."Lord, please raise up workers for the harvest.
Oh Lord, there's just so much to be done.
Oh Lord, so many souls to be won,
Oh Lord, this world is falling apart,
Dying for love from a broken heart.
Here am I, send me, though there's really not that much I can do.
What I have seems so small, but I want to give it all to you.
Oh Lord, you said the harvest was great,
But Lord, looks like the workers are late.
It's getting hard to understand,
How they ignore your great command.
Here am I, send me, though you said the ones who labor are few,
Still my heart hears the call, and I wanna give it all to you.
Oh, to reach the ones nobody does,
Give up my pride and even work in the mud,
I wanna be like those who spilled their blood,
And gave it like water to you.
Here am I, send me, though there's really not that much I can do.
What I have seems so small, but I want to give it all to you.
Here am I, send me,
Though you said the ones you've chosen are few,
Still my heart hears you call,
And I wanna give it all to you.
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| THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN: FOLLOWING JESUS INTO NORTH KOREA
CHAPTER 15: WHO WE MUST BE (Part 1)
By NK Dave
Plans, strategies and visions are great, but what will ultimately determine our effectiveness in reaching North Korea is who we are. We cannot escape the reality that the quality of our service is an outflow of our being. We should not to get overly caught up in the planning and execution of strategies. What is ultimately important is who we are and what flows out from us.
Perhaps the greatest need for North Korea missions is for God to work in and through us. We need His presence and His power working in us. We desperately need to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit and to be walking in Him.
In this chapter, I want to share what I call the "three anointings for North Korea ministry."They are not something mystical or out of reach. They are simple mandates and callings in which I believe we must start living right now, through which God's work is released, even to North Korea.
FAITH ANOINTING
In order to continue growing in our involvement toward reaching North Korea, we need to see with eyes of faith. We need a "faith anointing"or, in other words, to have the ability to see North Korea the way God sees it.
The main reason why Moses' generation did not enter the Promised Land was that they did not believe. When Joshua and Caleb brought back the report and proclaimed in faith that they should take the land, people were afraid. They trusted what they saw with physical eyes over what they should have seen with eyes of faith.
Those who believe that North Korea will open and that they will play a significant role in "taking the land"belong to what I call the Joshua generation for North Korea. This is the generation of people who see with eyes of faith, who see North Korea as a country that God loves and that has a divine destiny. With eyes of faith, they are able to see the day when the people of North Korea will worship and praise God for the entire world to see. It is difficult for us to see North Korea with eyes of faith on our own. Sometimes we will face deep times of discouragement.
I recall a time when I was in a hotel in the capital, Pyongyang, and I was hit with an overwhelming spirit of discouragement and hopelessness. I sank into despair. "God, I don't see North Korea changing. It doesn't even seem like the people are seeking You."A hundred thoughts of despair ran through my head. I felt like I never wanted to think about North Korea ever again. I contemplated quitting everything I was doing related to North Korea missions. I was on the verge of completely giving up.
But then God spoke to me in prayer. I felt Him redirecting my focus away from my efforts and to the hope I have by way of just obeying God. I felt Him saying, "Even if you don't see North Korea change for the next 50 years, will you still obey me?"Wow, what a question! I responded, "Yes, Lord. I will still obey."When I prayed that, suddenly the spirit of hopelessness and despair lifted from me. I was infused with a peace and courage beyond myself. What happened when I prayed that prayer? I think God was showing me a vision of what He could do if I just obeyed. Our hope for North Korea lies in our obedience and following Jesus, not in our plans and efforts.
This is the anointing of faith that we need for North Korea. We need to be able to believe that simple acts of obedience can lead to great miracles performed by God. We need to see that God cares for North Korea far more than we do. We can trust in Him, believe in Him, and follow His lead.
WORSHIP ANOINTING
I am excited about the praise and worship movement that has been growing around the world over the past half century. I believe it will continue and will play a crucial role in finishing the Great Commission, and in reaching North Korea. Let me explain.
I believe that many of the spiritual strongholds still holding countries in bondage are in place because the Church has yet to experience worship that overpowers those spiritual strongholds. When the Church grows in experience and authority in worship, we will discover spiritual power and authority that is greater than the spiritual strongholds in North Korea. Worship will enable breakthrough. I think the same will happen in the remaining unreached people groups and regions, including the Middle East. The final climax is when the Church, Jesus' Bride, has come to maturity in worshipping Jesus and is ready to meet Her bridegroom. By then, the whole world will have heard the Gospel because the Church will have broken through the darkest places through worship, prayer and love.
I find it interesting that many people God has called to be part of the North Korea prayer movement are worship leaders and those passionate for worship. I do not think this is a coincidence. I believe God is raising up a worship generation, not just for North Korea but for the nations. He is equipping us for battle as we worship and praise Him.
However, it is difficult to grow deeper in praise and worship on our own. We need a release from God, or an anointing. We need God to touch us and give us a vision of praise and worship, a vision of who He is and what He is doing. This is what I am calling the "worship anointing"that we will need to reach North Korea.
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| THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN: FOLLOWING JESUS INTO NORTH KOREA
CHAPTER 14: GETTING INVOLVED (Part 2)
THE ROLE OF GIVING
An important strategic way to impact North Korea missions is through giving. We have seen giving play an enormous role in advancing the work for North Korea. Some of the most impacting donors are those who give small amounts but give faithfully every month. It might be twenty dollars a month or hundred dollars a month. Regardless of the amount, certain donors are extremely diligent and faithful in giving regularly. These donors allow for an organization like ours to build a solid donor base and to grow as an organization. I have learned that even if your giving is small you can still make a significant impact by giving consistently over a long period of time. You are sowing into God's work.
Another type of strategic giving is generous special gifts. Certain special gifts over the years have allowed our organization to launch into brand new areas of ministry. One example is a donor I will call Will. Will was on the original team that started NK Missions back in 2001. He has since then become one of our largest donors. He not only gives monthly but he gives generous donations on various occasions. Sometimes he will ask us if we have some special needs or exciting projects that are coming up. He is always looking for a way to help. Just last week I told him about this book we were planning to write and how we were looking for seed money o get our book published. I sent the email to him at 7 o'clock in the evening this past Monday. By 9 o'clock the same night he had made a large donation through our website. His donation not only allowed us to publish this book, but also gave us the inspiration and courage to start and finish this book in a matter of a few days. He is making a strategic and significant impact through the giving of generous gifts.
If God has provided some extra financial resources for you, consider the ministry of generous giving. I am not saying this just for our organization! There are many organizations playing pioneering roles in North Korea mission work but are barely getting by financially. Generous special gifts can be a huge blessing for the ministry beyond one's expectations or imagination.
Whether your gift is small and consistent or generous and occasional, please consider the ministry of giving. In order to break through into North Korea, the Church will need to release significant resources into the Kingdom.
VOLUNTEER NEEDS
The following is a list of areas for which our organization (and others involved in North Korea work) needs volunteer help in. This is meant just to give you an idea of volunteer areas are most strategic and urgent. You may contact us through our website, phone or in person if you would like to get involved. We also want to advocate to you the many partnering organizations that we work with. We all need help.
Graphic Designers to design brochures, newsletters, documents and books
Video Editors to make video and media resources for prayer events, prayer groups, trips, and training
Online Librarian to manage our online server library (pictures, books, resources) for prayer coordinators
Podcast Coordinator to schedule and upload a weekly podcast from the NK Missions staff
Editors to proofread and edit documents and books
Web designers to redesign our nkmissions.com website
Web programmers to customize our website functions
Webmaster to manage the nkmissions.com website
Prayer Group Coordinators to lead prayer groups in their city
Mission/Discipleship Community Coordinators to organize training in their city
International Events Coordinators to organize events in their city around the three international prayer events for North Korea (21 Days of Breakthrough in April, 8.15 Day of Fasting in August, and the International Week of Prayer for North Korea in November)
Short-term trip Coordinators to organize teams to North Korea, Japan, China, and South Korea
Quick Response Conference Coordinator to organize a conference to help churches and groups become Quick Response Communities
Conference Mobilization volunteers to help us mobilize and recruit at various conferences
Retreat Organizer for our yearly prayer group coordinators retreat
Life-on-Life Retreat Coordinators to organize retreat with North Korea mission workers
An accountant to help us grow our accounting system
Lawyers to give us legal counsel and review documents such as bylaws
Translators to translate prayer points, newsletters, and other documents from English to Korean
Publicity Volunteers to manage publicity campaigns for our international prayer events
Fundraising Volunteers to help us raise funds and build a stronger donor base
Mailing volunteers to come into our office to help stuff envelopes
CHURCH OPPORTUNITIES
Consider being an advocate for North Korea missions in your church. Opportunities for churches include short-term mission trips, adopt-a-people movement, training, prayer events, prayer groups, and developing a Quick Response Community. Contact us or a partnering organization for more information.
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| THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN: FOLLOWING JESUS INTO NORTH KOREA
CHAPTER 14: GETTING INVOLVED (Part 1)
By NK Dave
The effort to reach North Korea requires the whole Body of Christ to get involved. Each of us will play a different role. But each role is important. This is the beauty and mystery of the Church acting as one.
This section is dedicated to practical suggestions and opportunities for involvement. We hope it helps you find next steps of involvement.
YOUR ROLE IS IMPORTANT
We live in an exciting era of history when technology is opening up new and creative ways to reach the unreached. Our organization is envisioning a new generation of lay people who impact the nations without necessarily becoming full-time missionaries. With training, community, vision and support, this up-and-coming generation of lay missionaries will become the largest missionary force in history. The Church will be activated in missions like it has never been before with more people finding more ways to be involved making a difference in missions. These lay missionaries will work together with full-time missionaries to exponentially increase the effectiveness and scope of mission work in the field. This will ultimately lead to the completion of the Great Commission.
If you are not called to become a full-time missionary, your role in reaching North Korea is still critical. We should all affirm one another's role and significance in the Body.
If God has called you to become a full-time missionary for North Korea, then I want to encourage you to take the following practical next steps to see your calling to fruition. You cannot do it alone. Join a community, get to know organizations and missionaries doing work in and around North Korea, and get plugged into tangible mission training and mentoring.
FIRST STEPS
I would like to offer some practical suggestions for anyone wanting to get more involved in North Korea mission work.
First, get plugged in. Start reading about North Korea and learn as much as you can. Attend North Korea and/or mission-related seminars, conferences, and meetings. Get connected with others that have an interest in North Korea. One great place to start is our website at www.nkmissions.com. We have numerous discussion boards and opportunities to connect with others. Start learning about key organizations doing work in and around North Korea and find out what their unique approaches are. Meet missionaries, leaders, and mobilizers that have been involved in North Korea mission work. In other words, make an effort.
Second, join a local prayer group for North Korea. Groups are springing up all over the U.S. and other countries. You may check nkmissions.com to see current listings of prayer groups. If you cannot find a prayer group in your area, you can start a local prayer group for North Korea. You may find resources on our website and also contact our office for help. We have created resources to help with beginning new groups, as well as resources to help keep groups ongoing. Local prayer groups are where you can connect with others who have a calling to be a part of reaching North Korea. Also, local prayer groups are the best way to get connected to the network of organizations working together to support the North Korea prayer and mission movement.
Third, commit to receiving North Korea mission training. More and more organizations are starting to offer training seminars, conferences, and equipping programs. Our organization is rolling out an exciting equipping program based around discipleship communities. We are creating a three-part curriculum to be done in community over the course of one year. It includes training on the foundations of intimacy with God, discerning His will, and being effective in reaching North Korea in tangible ways.
The key to involvement is to keep taking small steps. If you are able to do that, you will see yourself making progress. Do not give up. Do not be discouraged. North Korea mission work is highly sensitive and some organizations will not want to disclose information or open up opportunities. Remember that there are many organizations that are in desperate need of help and would welcome your help, as long as you prove yourself to be serious and trustworthy. The best way to do that is to journey in community and to continue to grow deeper in tangible involvement.
Start out by being willing to help out in any way. Let me take a tiny example that might sound a bit ridiculous. At our office we have for some time wanted someone to stain our door. We have not found the time to do it, but it would be helpful to us if someone could volunteer to do it. It would make our office more attractive and encourage our staff team. Sure, this might not seem the most effective way to reach North Korea, but it is a great opportunity for a volunteer to get involved. Most people would pass over this opportunity and look for something that suits them better. The person who volunteers to stain our door would get to meet our staff, and we would be thankful to that person, a first step to build trust and relationship. From that relationship more opportunities of greater significance probably would surface.
Do not look down on the "small"things or tasks that do not completely fit your skills and passions. Reaching North Korea is more about doing it in community and doing it together. Be open and start small.
TAKING INITIATIVE
Many organizations doing work in and around North Korea do not have a large staff and resources needed to support a strong volunteer program. As a result, I often come across many organizations that desperately need help, but do not have the energy to manage volunteers. These organizations, including our own, need volunteers who will take ownership of the volunteer process and initiate creative ways to serve.
One volunteer has helped us tremendously with accounting. She took initiative and contacted us asking if we needed some volunteer help. She told us her background in accounting. We enthusiastically responded with a yes. She then stated the exact times and hours she could come into our office to volunteer. She added, "I am willing to do anything you want me to do. I just want to help."That willingness to serve put our staff at ease, and allowed us to open up opportunities for her to input data into our accounting system. We were hesitant to give her the work because it seemed tedious and boring. But she was so excited to help. We noticed she genuinely enjoyed serving. She ended up being one of our key volunteers for year. She helped us develop a solid accounting system that will serve us well for many years to come.
Another of our key volunteers is a new mother. She comes in once a week for a few hours to help us with grant proposals. She is an invaluable resource to our organization. It helps also that she was a lawyer. But what makes her so special is her attitude. She is willing to do anything and whatever it takes to help out. She genuinely wants to serve and be a blessing.
We have tremendous needs for volunteers like these two amazing women. In fact, our staff has so much to do and we would welcome enthusiastically good help. However, many volunteers either do not take enough initiative or they are too picky with their initial involvement. In other words, they do not have the attitude of wanting to serve in any capacity.
If God has given you a desire to volunteer in some capacity to help reach North Korea, please do so. Take initiative. Do not get discouraged if you do not receive the response you were anticipating. Keep trying. In order to reach North Korea the Church needs you. You have specific giftings, skills, and experiences that are going to play significant roles in the future. However, start small. Have a willing attitude to serve in any capacity. I am confident that you will find a wealth of opportunities and needs to fill.
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| THE WALLS ARE COMING DOWN: FOLLOWING JESUS INTO NORTH KOREA
CHAPTER 13: CHONGRYUN, A FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY (Part 2)
MAKING INROADS
Since the exploratory visit of our 2005 short-term team, our staff and many others have been praying for the Chongryun community and what God would have us do among them. We are sensing urgency. We need to reach out to this community and see the power of God's love break through.
I have been feeling a growing conviction that the Chongryun community is a testing ground for the Church in North Korea missions. If we fail to hear God's heart and follow His leading with respect to this community, then how can we hear God's heart for the entire nation of North Korea? If we fail to reach out to this community in an open country like Japan, how can we reach out to the same people in a closed country like North Korea? We can dream of how great it would be to serve in North Korea, but if we aren't willing to serve this small North Korea-affiliated community in Japan, how sincere are our desires?
A CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENT
I have also been feeling a growing conviction that we need to see a church planting movement in the Chongryun community soon, perhaps within the next few to several years. We do not have all the time in the world. In fact, the Chongryun community is searching and becoming increasingly open to outside ideas. The Church worldwide needs to seize this opportunity not only to speak the message of the Gospel with the Chongryun community, but to be Jesus' hands and feet in their midst. I believe we need to share the Gospel by embodying Jesus, forming and transplanting into Japan Christian communities that will actually demonstrate God's sacrificial love and grace.
What will a church planting movement look like in the Chongryun community? I do not see clearly the final picture, but I do have a sense of what we need to be doing right now.
First, we need to see a global prayer movement of people interceding on behalf of this community. This is something that we are praying about and for which we are beginning to set a foundation.
Second, we need to have experienced church planters and pastors receive a vision for this community. We need leaders to lead the way and mobilize their churches and communities by sending short-term and long-term teams. Our organization is beginning the process of bringing church leaders to visit this community on vision trips in hopes that God would reveal His heart for these people and show a glimpse of the vision that He has.
Third, we need to collaborate among churches and organizations to come up with a unified strategy and coordinated exchange of resources and knowledge. No single group or organization can reach this entire community. We need to think beyond our own church and organizational lines and work together to see this community reached. We are currently laying the foundations for what will hopefully become an Adopt-A-People Movement for the Chongryun community in Japan. (Please visit www.nkmissions.com for more information.)
RECONCILIATION IN ACTION
Not too long ago, I met a group of students from the Chongryun community during a trip to Pyongyang. They were taking their senior year high school field trip to North Korea. I was surprised to learn that Pyongyang hotels are filled with many visitors from the Chongryun community in Japan.
I asked one of the students we had befriended, "What have you learned during your trip to North Korea?"He responded, "I visited a museum of U.S. war crimes against North Korea and I am now convinced what an evil nation the U.S. is. They don't deserve to exist."
I was flabbergasted. Thousands of students from the Chongryun community visit North Korea every year and this is what they are learning! How can we counter this? How can we bring healing and freedom from this cycle of bitterness and unwavering resentment?
I believe when we reach out to the Chongryun community, we need to approach them in a posture of humility, forgiveness and love, acting as agents of reconciliation and healing.
I am imploring Korean Americans to see what might be a unique call to bring healing to the Chongryun community. The Chongryun community sees Korean Americans as their own people. They receive them because of the blood and ethnic bond. It is true that Korean Japanese have historically resented Korean Americans, believing that they selfishly abandoned their homeland and brothers for a better life in America (as opposed to Korean Japanese, who left their beloved homeland only because they were pressured or forced by foreign invaders). Korean Japanese have misunderstood Korean Americans. At the same time, Korean Americans have lacked interest in the Korean Japanese. The two groups do not currently have mutual understanding or a working relationship. Nonetheless, common ethnic roots create an open door for Korean American Christians today to approach the Chongryun community in friendship. Korean Americans have the ability to stand on behalf of their immigrant predecessors and even the U.S. and humbly ask for forgiveness. Korean Americans can be agents of God's love and reconciliation.
In bringing reconciliation and healing to the Jaeil Chosunin, I believe Korean Americans need to work together with other ethnicities as well. Having a Japanese American on our team in 2005 allowed our team to show the Chongryun community what it means to walk in forgiveness and unity between ethnicities. The Chongryun community carries deep wounds from the historical and ongoing mistreatment by Japanese in Japan. Japanese Americans can be agents of healing by asking for forgiveness on behalf of the Japanese people, humbly honoring the Jaeil Chosunin, and extending to them a hand of friendship in the name of Jesus.
As the Church becomes an agent of reconciliation in reaching the Chongryun community, our naked eyes will see God's hand releasing people from a spirit of unforgiving and bitter spirit. I believe it is then that we will have a clearer idea of how to reach North Korea.
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