My Christian Faith Journey (2)

  

The Cross @ Ventura, CA

My life has been growing with Christianity.  

    As I mentioned in Part 1, I have known and practiced my Christian faith since I was born.

I received grace that I have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ starting from my childhood.

Throughout my life, I have had the opportunity to live in two countries, the USA and Korea. 

While I lived in two countries, I have a few different denomination backgrounds throughout my spiritual journey.

Praying at the Cross... hahaha

    While I lived in Korea, I was growing up in Presbyterian Church.  

I was not knowing much about Presbyterian. I just happened to be there and grew up in that church.

I grew up in a church where it was a place for play and eating together during weekdays and a place to go for worship on Sunday. 

It was one of the communities that had an impact on my life.

The church was actually in a close place which is walkable distance, I can visit the church anytime I want. 

I have learned biblical knowledge and story through Sunday School teaching.

Also, I have the opportunity to receive some spiritual gifts while I was in Korea. 

It was God’s grace to receive speaking in tongue.

It was a gift for me to pray with my spirit to God.

I develop this more while I was living in the United States.

Baptism Certificate

 

    After returning to the United States, I was experiencing a couple of different denominations. 

One is a non-denomination and another one is a pentecostal denomination. 

Also, I was experiencing a spiritual growing process with an expanded perspective on different things.  

My worship perspective changed while I was in the United States.  

When I was in Korean, I went through presbyterian liturgical worship.  However, I was expanded to congregational worship in the United States. 

I had time to experience the Pentecostal denomination through college. 

I graduated from the Vanguard University of Southern California which was founded by the Assembly of God denomination.   

I was going around different churches and district councils of the denomination to play music as the requirement for Music major ensemble credit. 

It was moments to realize, that there is another perspective on Sunday worship that could be different. 

Sunday worship does not have to be a liturgical way.  It could be joyful with the congregation singing together.  

My College "Go Lion!~~"

There are things that were expanding my perspective and growing my spiritual life as time goes on. 

    One of expanding my perspective is the way of worshiping God and learning about God.

The way of worshipping God can change of thinking about God and set our attitude toward God different way.

Liturgical worship can be following the order of worship as a participant, but you are not involved in it. 

I have learned worship can be actively involved, as a participant.  

There are certain things that need to follow the order in worship but I need to be fully involved as a participant.  

I think liturgical worship can make you think about what have I missed, congregational worship is how to fully embrace worship. 

I was involved in worship through the praise team as a worship leader and guitar player.  

It was a blessing moment I had time to serve.

It was for me to dedicate my career as a music minister which lead me to study music at college and study theology at the seminary.   

    Also, learning about God was opening my eyes to the importance of learning the Bible.

I heard the Bible stories in Sunday school, but knowing stories is not enough.

I have to learn how Bible can impact my life through meditation on scripture.

I need to constantly think about the story and apply it to my life which God's word works in my life.

Also, I realize it can affect my worship. My attitude about God will change through learning and knowing God more.

It is forming my theology of God and attitude to serve.

Azusa Pacific Seminary Korean department graduation online banner. Class of 2020

    My Christian journey involves worship and music. Also, my ethnic background had a great impact on forming my theology.

I would like to lay out my theology through my life of living.

I am praying writing on this blog will shape my thoughts on theology and my life.