I met Rev. Kim and his wife Lee Mi-suk recently at a caf? in Yeouido. “Pilgrims’ Church has nothing except a building. God must be directly guiding those who visit,” he said. An average 50 persons come daily to the church, which was completed in August 2011.
One in three visitors is non-Christian. “On one occasion, two teachers outside the faith visited the church,” Rev. Kim said. “They wept tears of contrition, saying, ‘We have realized that we possess too many things and have been grasping at too many things.’ In that place, where their tourist bus just happened to arrive, they experienced God’s presence.”
Such events are far from rare. Some persons come to Jeju after business failures, with the intent to commit suicide; and as they pray their last prayers in Pilgrims’ Church, they hear God’s voice and regain hope. Others have left their churches due to skepticism about the faith, then at Pilgrims’ Church have been comforted by God and have decided to return to church. Rev. Kim often finds such confessions in the church’s visitors’ book or on the internet.
How can so many works happen in this small place? Rev. Kim said he thinks it is because of the solitude, which allows people to meet God alone.
He stops off at Pilgrims’ Church about twice a week to share conversation with visitors. “Some of them are very critical of Christianity, and the majority of those are former church members. I have listened to their comments and asked their forgiveness when they tell of hurts sustained in church. When I do this, most of them open their hearts.” Pilgrims’ Church thus is a space for communication and reconciliation. How did Rev. Kim come to dream of such a space?
Following the financial crisis of 1997, Kim lost his job and his house, and fell into a deep slough of despair. “I thought about killing myself. But I was haunted by the faces of my two sons.” As he spoke, Rev. Kim’s lower eyelids grew red, and Ms. Lee’s eyes filled with tears. “But I had enough faith to hope that if I clung to God, I would be saved.” In 2000, he entered Yungnam Theological Seminary Graduate School, and Ms. Lee supported him by operating a street stall selling ddeokbokki (rice cake in red pepper sauce, a popular snack).
In 2002, Kim began his ministry as an evangelist in Jeju, without any previous connection to the region. “I gave a lot of thought to what makes a ‘churchlike’ church. The church is the body of Jesus Christ, not a building, right? I wanted to build a church where anyone could come, and anyone could meet God: a ‘churchlike church.’” He says his resolve to do this was greatly strengthened by the devotion of one senior deacon.
After many ups and downs, Pilgrims’ Church was built, but it encountered all kinds of difficulties in the process. “I had to listen to abusive words and criticism from people in the area about the form of the church building, and I underwent investigation by the authorities for violating the law related to construction. I got depressed and even suffered from avoidant personality disorder.” Consequently, Rev. Kim couldn’t enjoy the tranquility and joy experienced by visitors in the church’s earliest days.
“Now? Now I’m truly happy. I’ve been greatly comforted watching God work at Pilgrims’ Church. Looking back, I see that the difficulties ended up giving me this time when I can feel closer to God.”
By God’s grace, all things were resolved in orderly fashion, and in 2013 Kim planted his present church. The year after that, he established a foundation to set up mini chapels. His face bright, he explained that “the foundation is preparing to establish second and third Pilgrims’ Churches.” In future, travelers along the East Sea coast, the West Sea coast, or somewhere deep inland may meet other Pilgrims’ Churches.
Reporter Kang Ju-hwa (rula@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)
Photos provided by www.ywampubl.com
Original Article in Korean:
‘순례자의교회’ 김태헌 목사 “7만명 발길 이끈 8㎡의 작은 교회 하나님을 더 가까이 만나는 큰 공간”: 제주 올레길 옆 ‘순례자의교회’ 김태헌 목사
