With pride in being a citizen of Korea, I always tried to live honorably before others. Through various jobs, I met many people, and later I went to the United States to study the academic field I had long admired. There, I was exposed to cutting-edge knowledge and technology. Having lived as an engineer and scholar all my life, I was dismissive of religion. I never rejected anyone for their faith, but I was repeatedly disappointed by the improper conduct of some religious people, both at home and abroad. Deep down, I would sigh, thinking, “If you claim to believe, you shouldn’t behave like that.” I resolved never to live that way.
Three years after settling in Jeju, Korea, I began to suspect that my wife was attending church—though she never once asked me to go with her. My mild curiosity gradually grew into suspicion, and one day I decided to follow her unannounced to see for myself what kind of church it was.
That was how I first visited the Church of God. I went with the intention of scrutinizing everything I heard, ready to point out errors one by one and persuade my wife to leave if I found fault. But when I actually listened to the words, I was utterly shocked.
The reason I had never understood religious people before was that they never explained things plainly—like 1+1=2—but instead gave answers that felt vague and unrelated, like 1+1=α. For the first time, I was hearing the truth explained clearly and logically. The Bible, which I had dismissed as nothing more than an ancient record of Israel’s history, actually contained prophecies about world history. God Elohim, the New Covenant Passover, the Sabbath—all were based firmly on the Bible.
I was also struck by the church’s introductory video, which showed members from around the world smiling brightly and shouting, “We love you!” Memories of the hardships I had faced abroad—simply for being Asian—flashed through my mind, and I thought, “Here, people of the world truly become one.” Seeing a church that taught only what the Bible says, and believers who practiced it through good deeds, left me speechless. Even the name Church of God was written clearly in the Bible.
“A good church where good people gather.” That was my first impression of the Church of God. I concluded that such a church could be trusted, and that very day I received the blessing of new life. I also loved the way members greeted one another during worship, smiling and saying, “God bless you.” Watching them, I thought, “I should try doing the same,” and soon I found myself joyfully greeting others at every worship and visit.
One day, I saw my wife focused on her phone and asked what she was doing. She showed me an educational program provided by the church for systematic Bible learning. Once again, I was amazed. From that moment on, I began to see the Church of God as “a great church made up of great people.”
What moved me even more was realizing that I myself had become one of them. One day I watched a video about the sacrifice of Heavenly Father and Mother. Tears welled up as I saw the unimaginable hardships They endured for our salvation. My chest grew heavy, and all the way home I thought, “If only I had been there, I would have carried the burdens for Them.” Even now, I feel I can help bear God’s burden by courageously preaching to others. I decided not to keep the way to heaven to myself, nor to wait until I was “fully prepared,” but simply to begin—believing that God Elohim would help me.
Soon after, a junior colleague I had known since my time in America came to Jeju. I picked him up at the airport, invited him to dinner at my home, and introduced the Church of God. The next day, after finishing his work, we went to Zion together. He was so deeply moved by the words he heard that he became a child of God that very day. He asked question after question late into the night, even changing his flight schedule so he could keep the Sabbath.
Sitting beside him during Sabbath worship, singing New Songs and listening to the sermon, I was more moved and overwhelmed than when I was baptized. At that moment, I finally understood why my wife used to smile so warmly while I was studying the Bible in my early days of faith.
It has now been 450 days since I became a member of the Church of God. As one who strives to live by God’s word, I have received the blessing of salvation in this great church and have even borne precious fruit. I sincerely thank God for making me a child of the holy promise. I look forward with joy to walking the path of faith together with my brothers and sisters, under the guidance of God Elohim.
To all my Zion family members around the world who read this—God bless you!