THE KUKMIN DAILY

“If you think knowing God’s Word has nothing to do with your actions, there is nothing there that can be identified as the Christian faith.”

On July 9, I met with President Mark Labberton (64, photo), President of Fuller Theological Seminary in the United States, at a hotel in Seocho-gu, Seoul. He said, “In order to communicate the Gospel with those who are outside the church, our faith must be in agreement with our actions… The world will learn what the Gospel is, when we live a life appropriate to the Christian faith.”

President Labberton visited Korea recently to deliver the keynote speech at the international forum “I’ll be the first to explore the Bible,” and spoke about “God’s living Word.” In his interview on this day, he named personalities with a balance between God’s Word and their lives.

First he picked the late Rev. Han Kyung-chik, who established Youngnak Presbyterian Church. “In his life, the world and the Holy Spirit came together. He practiced what he believed through his modest life.” During his current visit to Korea, Labberton paid a visit to Youngnak Church to study Rev. Han’s life.

“Living a life for God is not something grandiose, or great ministry. It is closely related to believers’ character or personality. In our age, what we need is not heroes but sincere Christians who live their lives in accordance with the Word. The real crisis for believers is when their lives have not changed after they were saved. We must obey Jesus, who called us to live differently.”

Labberton also spoke of Rev. John Stott. “Rev. Stott was sincere both in public and in private. Visibly, he was an outstanding preacher, but in invisible places he also was a shepherd of many people.” Labberton was once a research assistant to Rev. Stott.

As another model person with life and faith in balance, President Labberton mentioned a pastor who helps gay persons in San Francisco. This pastor, a Fuller graduate, works together with his church members to clean up the park where gays often gather, holds worship services on the street, and provides care for persons in the gay community.

Labberton said, “The pastor came to learn that homosexuals often face an exclusive attitude among church members. So he came to meet with them personally, and began a ministry of compassion for them.” Labberton quoted chapter 8 of the Gospel of Matthew, in which Jesus heals a leper.

“Jesus did not hate the leper or hide from him. Rather, he stretched out his hand and touched the leper and said, ‘I do choose (to heal you). Be made clean!’ This is the message that teaches Christians how to deal with homosexuals.”

Reporter Sangmok Shin (smshin@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo by intern reporter Shin Hyeon Ga


Original Article in Korean:
한국에 온 미국 풀러신학교 마크 래버튼 총장 “복음 전달하려면 믿음·행함 일치돼야”


Related Article:
Fuller President Mark Labberton: “Faith does not restrain intellect”