Meet the Pastor
"Feed my sheep" is my calling to ministry. So, I've been trying to be a good cook with spiritual food (preaching and teaching the Bible) and physical food (like pasta or Korean BBQ) to feed the people I serve. I love serving food and seeing people enjoying and growing. :)
I grew up mainly in South Korea in a Christian home. Part of my youth, I spent about two years in New Zealand (yay, kiwis!). I remember that time mostly fishing, playing basketball, diving into the deep water, and going around the town barefoot.
I was ten when I first responded to the call to ministry. It was during the revival night at Kwanglim Methodist Church in Seoul, South Korea. Toward the end of the service, Bishop Rev. Sun-do Kim (1930-2022) made an altar call. “If anyone here wants to become a pastor, come forward. I will anoint you with my prayer,” he said. No one urged, not even my mom beside me, but something stirred my heart. Soon, I found myself walking the aisle following the call. Bishop Rev. Kim laid his hands on me in front of five thousand people.
However, my relationship with the Lord became loose as I grew older. I started idolizing myself to be successful in the world. This desire propelled me to double major in Business Administration in college and later had a secular job, fantasizing that my dream would come true one day - to become a billionaire. Throughout these years, I persuaded myself that I could do more incredible things for God with more fortune.
As you can imagine, the more I pursued idols, the more I drifted away from the Lord. What's the consequence of it? The Bible says, lost and death. Despite having graduated from one of the top universities in South Korea, served successfully as an Army officer, and been employed by a large corporation, Shinsegae Inc., all of which, on the outset, promised me security and dignity, by my mid-20s, I felt utterly empty. I became suicidal and abusive. I felt that something had gone very wrong. I was lost. I experienced death.
It was around this time that God's Amazing Grace was shed abroad on me. While still working at Shinsegae Inc., wrestling with this extreme vanity, I attended a Wednesday evening service to which my mom invited me. Toward the end of the worship, I was praying, and suddenly, I heard a mysterious voice. It told me to resign from the job immediately. I couldn't believe what I heard, so I asked back to this voice. "Pardon me?" It came back with the same answer. It was an indescribable force that I could not say 'No' to. So, I said I would do so, and once I said it, "I felt my heart strangely warmed." Propelled by the divine impulse, I confessed further. "From now on, I will live for You, Your Kingdom, not my kingdom" (cf. Mt 4:18-22). That night, I finally accepted Jesus Christ as "my" Lord and Savior - not someone else's. From thence on, my life has never been the same. Hallelujah!
The following day, I resigned and left the job without knowing where I was going. A few months later, I crossed the Pacific Ocean. Studying at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, was not at all on my to-do list (if I had any) when I left the job. God's plan is higher than ours. I met my wife (Yeon Me Kim) in DC, who, at the time, was a student at Washington College of Law. Currently she has been working as an immigration attorney since 2012. We married in 2011, and God gave us two precious daughters - Charis and Noelle.
I have learned so far in this faith journey that the most vital part of this lifelong journey is to "be with Jesus" (cf. Lk 10:41-42). Having Jesus as the hidden treasure (Mt 13:14) and knowing Him as my uttermost joy (cf. Phil 3:7-8) is the true mark of the Christian faith. Above all, that is God's desire for each of us. That's why God sent us His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, as Immanuel (God-with-us), to heal, forgive, and give us life.
My heart is to witness this life-saving name of Jesus - something I have seen and tasted! - so that you too may have fellowship with God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. And as the person who has also seen and tasted this divine love and truth, we may witness His name to the world together, and all God's creation will make a joyful sound for the marvelous things He has done for us (cf. Ps. 98)!
God is good - All the time!
I pray that you believe in Jesus and you and your household be saved (Acts 16:31)!
I hope to see you on Sunday in the pulpit, or in the kitchen, or both.
- Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Ho Kang
Education:
- Asbury Theological Seminary, Doctor of Ministry (Preaching and Leading), 2023 - Present
- Dallas Theological Seminary, Master of Theology, Completed 45 credits, 2019 - 2023
- Wesley Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity, 2010 - 2014
- Korea University, Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, 2003 - 2007
