Menu

WOLMYEONGDONG

Virtual Tour

Man of God

FOUNDER OF WOLMYEONGDONG
Home — Story  — Man of God
—

Growing Up

In his childhood, Pastor Jung only knew war. South Korea had been devastated by Japanese imperialism, by WW2, and then again, by the Korean War. By the 1950s, the war-torn country had nothing left to give. The war was brutal, tearing the country asunder, and civilians bore the brunt of the suffering. Food was scarce, electricity was in short supply, and houses were destroyed.

More than half of the population lived in absolute poverty – defined by the United Nations as the most severe type of poverty. These conditions, coupled with political tumult, limited the government’s effectiveness to provide for its people. In fact, South Korea was so mired in poverty that in the immediate years after the Korean War, its economy was worse than North Korea’s.

For Pastor Jung, living in a far-flung village in the valley meant that poverty was felt even more acutely in the form of starving nights and bitter-cold winters. His family was so poor that they often had to live off of tree bark and whatever edible plants they could scrounge up. When Pastor Jung was six, a missionary visited their village and gave him a Bible. It was the only book he had owned. He read it with excitement, enthralled by the stories of God’s love and Jesus’ selfless acts.

Finding God

To Pastor Jung who lived in such extreme conditions, Heaven seemed like an unbelievably happy paradise. In God’s Heaven, he could fill himself with delicious food, live comfortably with God, and require nothing of the world want for nothing.

Having grown up in a life of hardship, Pastor Jung wondered to God about the purpose of life – the two sides of happiness and suffering. Pastor Jung was also moved by Jesus’ kindness. He accepted those shunned by society – the leper was healed by Jesus, the tax collector was loved by Jesus, and the sinners were forgiven by Jesus.

In his lifetime, Jesus sincerely prayed for and healed the sick, unceasingly preached God’s Word of love and loved the outcasts. Above all, Jesus, in his ultimate act of selfless love and forgiveness, bore the cross for us. Pastor Jung, a six-year-old boy who lived in suffering, came to rest in Jesus.

Moved by Jesus’ pure love for mankind, Pastor Jung eagerly awaited the return of Christ. It was proclaimed in the Bible that the Lord will one day return, and with his return, mankind will be saved and brought to Heaven.

Pastor Jung clung to this promise desperately and followed the scriptures faithfully. He scaled mountains because it was prophesied that Christ will come again on clouds (Revelation 1:7 NIV). There, on the desolate mountaintop, he laid out a red carpet to welcome the Lord’s return.

In 2 Peter 3:10, it was prophesied that the second coming would be accompanied by the judgement of fire. One day, on a clear night, a house in his village caught on fire. He immediately rushed to the scene – if Jesus had returned, he hoped to catch a glimpse.

Faith Questioned

Instead, what greeted Pastor Jung was a scene of horror and devastation: a mother, weeping for her son who had tragically died in the fire; her heart-breaking cries echoing in Pastor Jung’s ears. Witnessing the distress and sorrow, Pastor Jung felt his world crumble: why must the second coming of Christ, heralded as the greatest hope of mankind, bring such destruction?

You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:6-8 NIV).

How could God, whose love for mankind has endured over centuries, bear to wreck such havoc on humanity? Why must the second coming be accompanied by disasters, famines, earthquakes, and wars? How then could we say that God is merciful and full of grace and love for humans? 

Shaken, Pastor Jung kept questioning Jesus: Is this what it will be like when you come again? Is this the Will of God, who proclaims His Word of love?

Indeed, Pastor Jung could not believe that God, who had loved mankind so much that He sent His one and only Son for our salvation, could be capable of such cruelty. This sparked in Pastor Jung a burning curiosity to know God’s Word properly.

Since then, Pastor Jung started reading the Bible even more deeply. His Bible grew increasingly dog-eared and was filled with handwritten notes scribbled furiously in the margins. On his own, however, finding the answers proved difficult.

He listened to sermons faithfully, relentlessly questioning pastors about the Bible and the second coming. Yet, they were unable to answer his questions, and simply told him to believe. Refusing to give up, Pastor Jung resorted to more drastic measures. Inspired by how Jesus often retreated to the mountains to pray, he decided to do the same.

Faith Strengthened

Placing himself in complete isolation, Pastor Jung prayed to God in the mountains. The days did not pass easily. At every turn, Pastor Jung faced danger: wild predators, the biting winter chill, starvation. There were times where Pastor Jung questioned whether it was worth it. Several times, Pastor Jung came close to giving up.

But he persevered for God – Pastor Jung did not believe that God, who had waited for man for 6,000 years, would be so cruel as to bring destruction when the Lord returns. So, amid the cold and hunger, Pastor Jung prayed. He asked God about the hope of humanity, about His love, and about His purpose for us. Yet, it was of no use – his prayer yielded no result.

The conditions of his environment were so extreme that Pastor Jung was on the brink of giving up. Yet, during those difficult periods, Jesus comforted him and gave him hope.

From Jesus, Pastor Jung learned about God’s heart. That the second coming served as man’s greatest hope because it signified the completion of God’s history – all that God has done throughout history was to prepare mankind to receive the Lord and therefore be saved eternally.

He learned that God has endured betrayals and tragedies for 6,000 years. Beginning from the fall of Adam and Eve, God has been waiting to restore man – which can be achieved only with the second coming. He learned that the signs of the time were not literal but were parables. The fire was an allegory for the Word, because just as fire is fuel, the Word fuels us to find spiritual fulfilment.

Pastor Jung found his calling: to teach the world properly about God. But first, to teach the world, he had to go to where the people were.

Armed with only an easel, lesson materials, and a resolute belief in God, Pastor Jung made the long journey from his backward village to Seoul – his first time in the capital. The mission of preaching was not easy; Pastor Jung arrived with little money and lived not knowing where his next lodging and food would come from.

God's Calling

But amid this difficulty, he continued preaching. Wherever he could, he spread God’s gospel. In dilapidated buildings, with makeshift podiums, Pastor Jung would earnestly teach God’s Word to whoever came. And just as Jesus did, Pastor Jung would care for beggars and the sick, providing food and warmth. Pastor Jung, who did not have much, could often be found in a small room sharing a bowl of instant ramen with the hungry. He cared for them, just as Jesus did, and shared with them the Word of God.

It would take three years before he evangelized his first life. Then, his congregation grew to ten, hundred, and then, into the thousands. In the 1980s, Pastor Jung received inspiration from God to preach overseas. He went to different continents, earnestly wanting to share all that he had learnt from Jesus with the world. From just one person in Seoul, Pastor Jung has brought the Word to more than 70 nations across the world.

He shares the Word not only through sermons, but using prose, poems, and song, he captures God’s teachings. Within the past decade alone, he has written over 10,000 proverbs, preached over 2,000 sermons, published more than 1,000 poems, and composed more than 170 songs. Through the arts, God’s Word has come alive.

The Providence of today has been forty years in the making; a history of perseverance and love that began from one man’s earnest desire to know God’s Will.

To Pastor Jung, God’s Will was not a vague term, an arbitrary standard for life. Rather, God’s Will embodies His hope for humanity – that Christianity does not end at Jesus but is awaiting the return of Christ so we may be saved. And God’s Will is found in His Words, in the scriptures and sermons. Pastor Jung has endured for decades because in God’s Word, he sees hope.

Having gone through immense difficulties and hardships, Pastor Jung understands that everyone, in every circumstance, is fighting their own battles. To those who are weary in heart, Pastor Jung brings the Word as a light of hope. He preaches tirelessly to the world so that people may come to rely on and believe in God.

That we can learn perfectly about God’s Word today is a testament to Pastor Jung’s perseverance, and God, who has seen him through the highs and lows of life. In spirit, heart, and action, Pastor Jung has become a man of God’s Word.