Pastor David Jang - The Unstoppable Path of Discipleship
Ipchun (立春), the first breath of spring, arrives like New Year's Day, bringing hope and new beginnings. For farmers, ipchun marks the critical moment to launch the year's planting. At such a hopeful time we stand before the piercing question, "Were you there?" One day, when asked, "What did you do in that historic hour?" we must be able to answer, "I was there with faith, passion, and devotion." Pastor David Jang and many other leaders grasp the weight and value of this calling.
This mission was not of our own design; it swept in, as if destined by a vast current. We must believe it is a God‑given opportunity-not born of human will or ambition but opened by the Spirit's power and holy purpose.
Life, Death, and the Hope of Heaven
Within our community there is great rejoicing and expectation, yet personal pain and sorrow coexist. A fellow minister recently shared news of his father's passing, only seven months after losing his mother. To depart in the same lunar year feels like two hearts reunited after longing for each other, touching us with bittersweet comfort. The father-who missed his wife so dearly-reminds us that even heartbreaking farewells are part of life's inescapable flow. Still, "God works all things together for good," and the hope of heaven brings profound consolation.
Last year the mother was laid to rest on our Riverside campus, within sight of the Admin Building. As early churches placed burial grounds in their courtyards, so we keep loved ones near. It echoes Mary's burning desire to guard even the body of her Lord.
Discipleship in Matthew and Luke
Pastor David Jang and many leaders insist that everyone who follows Jesus must walk the road of discipleship-forsaking possessions, rising above blood ties, taking up the cross, and pressing on to the end.
- Beyond Possessions and Blood Ties (Matthew 8)
When a scribe volunteered to follow Him, Jesus answered, "The Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." The disciple must not cling to comfort or property but seek first the kingdom. To the man wishing to bury his father first, Jesus replied, "Let the dead bury their own dead; you follow Me." God's summons outranks every human relationship. - No Looking Back (Luke 9)
In Luke 9:62 Jesus warned, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." Once the decision is made, we advance without regrets-a spirit of no retreat.
Core of Discipleship in Luke 14
Luke 14 drives the meaning still deeper:
- Choosing God over Family
"If anyone comes to Me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters-yes, even their own life-they cannot be My disciple." In Semitic speech "hate" means to reset priorities: embracing a greater love (the kingdom) may require surrendering a lesser love (family). This is no ordinary life but an extraordinary path of love. Pastor David Jang recalls how the previous generation "went all‑in" for evangelism and insists we need that consecration today. - Bearing One's Own Cross
"Whoever does not carry their own cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple." Each disciple must willingly shoulder personal pain and sacrifice. From its beginnings in China, Young Disciples endured relentless persecution yet grew strong precisely because they carried the cross. - Finishing the Tower
Just as one estimates the cost before building a tower, so the would‑be disciple must count the price of sacrifice beforehand. To quit midway is to invite mockery. To the vast crowd Jesus proclaimed stern conditions: relinquish possessions, relinquish blood ties, carry the cross, and persevere until completion.
Why We Cannot Stop: The Spirit's Power and Our Mission
Pastor David Jang repeatedly stresses that this entire movement is possible only by the Spirit's power. Even amid biting cold and viral threats, we cannot pause the mission, because it is the Spirit's work. Compared to the trials faced by the Lord and the apostles, today's hardships are no cause to abandon the path.
This is the meaning of "Enter through the narrow gate." Only by passing the narrow gate do we discover true freedom and joy. We have begun erecting towers of prayer and missions in this age, and we dare not stop halfway.
Enduring to the End
Above all, discipleship demands persistence. The fire that follows a dramatic encounter easily cools with time. Thus the Lord declared, "He who endures to the end will be saved." Pastor David Jang continually challenges us to adopt this unstoppable posture.
Whenever weariness creeps in, recall the question, "Were you there?" One day before Christ we must confidently reply, "Yes, I stood in that place, holding fast to the calling God gave me." When we gladly surrender possessions, family, and our cross, we will see discipleship fulfilled and reap God's holy harvest.
