큰 용사라도 Even a Mighty Warrior

큰 용사라도 Even a Mighty Warrior 이민교회 목사로서 초창기에 교회 건축을 할 수 없어 뉴욕 퀸즈 플러싱에 이전 타운홀을 빌려 주일에 모이기 시작하다. 주중에는 그곳이 많은 용도로 사용되다가 주일에 교회로 모이니 담배와 알콜 냄새가 가득하고 앞 길은 참으로 험악한 분위기라 예배당 건물을 빌려 모이려고 교회 문을 두드린다. 어떤 목사는 문 앞에서 거절하고 만나주지도 않는 거절에 거절을 당한다. 그러다 한 교회의 목사는 주일 설교 목사로 이미 주일 저녁 예배를 위하여 다민족 회중에게 장소를 빌려주고 교회 예산에 조금의 도움을 받고 있던 터에 주일 예배를 모이도록 허락하였다. 본 교회 회중은 일찍 모이고 우리에게 11시에 모이게 하고 수요일 저녁에도 모일 수 있게 하였다. 빌린 교회가 활발하게 모이고 성장하자 교회 주변의 주책에서 불편을 느끼고 어떤 사람은 네 나라로 돌아가라는 말을 하기까지 한다. 어느 날 본 교회 목사가 세 목사 회의를 하자고 하여 갔더니 회의 예정 시간에 주민이 교회 가득하게 모여든다. 정말 뜻 밖의 일이다. 다민족 교회 목사가 주민에게 사과를 하더니 그는 얼마 후 모임 장소를 옮겨 갔다. 예상 못한 나는 당황하여 주를 바라보며 앞에 서서 먼저 불편을 끼쳐 미안하다고 하고 본론에 들어갔다. 주민 대개가 폴란드 출신 이민의 후세라 그들 조상이 이민 와서 언어와 문화가 다른 곳에 함께 모여 적응하던 모습을 상기시키고 우리 한인은 한국에서 교육 받고 미국에 와서 열심히 일하여 세금 내는 좋은 시민으로 살고 있다. 우리가 이민 일세로서 함께 모일 필요가 있음을 인식시키고 미국 정부에서 허락하여 살게 하니 여러분도 함께 살도록 하자고 제의하였더니 이의를 말하거나 반대할 사람이 아무도 없고 오히려 지역에서 인정 받는 목사가 되었다. 결국 한인 교회는 본 교회를 흡수 병합하여 뉴욕시 노회 최초의 타민족 병합교회가 되었다. 사사기에 나오는 입다는 큰 용사이지만 그는 길르앗이 기생을 통하여 나은 자식이라 본처 자녀들의 미움을 받아 쫓겨났다. 힘이 좋은 큰 용사라도 그는 대항하지 않고 도망하여 외지에 살았다. 그러다 암몬 사람들이 길르앗을 침공하자 대항하여 싸울 지도자를 찾다가 장로들이 입다를 찾아간다. 그가 싸움에 기기면 길르앗의 머리가 되리라는 약속을 받고 응한다. 그러자 하나님의 영이 그에게 임하여 큰 용사의 역량을 발휘하고 전쟁에 승리한다. 큰 용사라 해도 자기 힘만으로는 도망하여 피할 수 밖에 없으나 하나님의 영이 임하면 큰 일을 하게 된다. 이민 교회 구성은 개개인 모두 큰 용사와 같으나 주민에게 밀리고 미움을 받지만 하나님의 영이 도움으로 주민을 설득하고 그들의 신임을 얻어 지역 교회와 병합하고 주민과 하나가 되는 역사를 만들었다. 인종적인 차별만 아니라 신체 정신 생각과 삶의 방식의 차이로 일반 공동체에서 소외 될 때가 있어도 믿음의 주요 온전케 하시는 하나님 아버지를 향하면 그는 의로우사 우리를 돕고 실망하지 않게 하신다. 유유상종이라는 말처럼 꽃이나 새들이 같은 종류가 함께 하면 더욱 아름다워 보인다. 다 인종 사회에서 인종별로 함께 하는 것이 아름다움이요 사회에 기여하는 힘이 되가도 한다. 어제 주일 프린스턴 얼라이언스 교회에서 예배하며 다인종 회중이 여러 목사와 한인 담임목사를 중심으로 주 예수님을 거룩하다 거욱하다 합당하다 합당하다 찬양하며 주의 영이 함께 하는 것을 느끼니 땅에 있는 하나님 나라를 경험하는 은혜와 감사로 기쁨과 행복을 누렸다. Even a Mighty Warrior In the early days of my ministry as a pastor of an immigrant church, we were not able to build a church of our own. We began meeting on Sundays in a former town hall in Flushing, Queens, New York. During the week, the building was used for many different purposes, but when we gathered there for worship on Sundays, the place was often filled with the smell of cigarettes and alcohol. The atmosphere on the street outside was also rather rough. Because we wanted to worship in a proper church building, I began knocking on the doors of churches, asking whether we could rent their sanctuary. Some pastors rejected us at the door and would not even meet with us. We experienced rejection after rejection. Then one pastor agreed to let us use his church for our Sunday worship. He was already renting the church to a multiethnic congregation for Sunday evening worship and was receiving some financial help for the church budget. He allowed our Korean congregation to meet there on Sunday mornings and also on Wednesday evenings. The host congregation met earlier, and we were given the 11:00 a.m. worship hour. As our Korean church became active and began to grow, some residents living around the church became uncomfortable with us. Some even told us to “go back to your own country.” One day, the pastor of the host church asked me to come to a meeting with three pastors. When I arrived at the scheduled time, I was surprised to find the church filled with local residents. It was completely unexpected. The pastor of the multiethnic congregation apologized to the residents and, not long afterward, moved his congregation to another location. I was caught completely off guard. I stood before the people, looked to the Lord, and first apologized for any inconvenience we had caused. Then I explained the situation. Most of the residents were descendants of Polish immigrants. I reminded them that their ancestors had also come to America as immigrants. They had lived together, adapted to a new country, and built their lives in a place where the language and culture were different from their own. I explained that we Koreans had received our education in Korea, had come to America, worked hard, paid our taxes, and were trying to live as good citizens. As first-generation immigrants, we also needed a place where we could gather and support one another. I reminded them that the American government had permitted us to live here, and I appealed to them: Since we are now neighbors and fellow residents of this community, let us live together in peace. No one objected. No one opposed what I had said. Instead, I eventually became a pastor who was respected and accepted by the people in the neighborhood. In the end, the Korean church absorbed and merged with the host congregation, becoming the first congregation in the Presbytery of New York City to merge with a church of another ethnic background. In the Book of Judges, Jephthah is described as a mighty warrior. Yet Jephthah was the son of Gilead by a prostitute, and because of this, he was rejected by the children of Gilead's wife and driven away from his family. Even though he was a strong and mighty warrior, he did not fight against them. Instead, he fled and lived in another land. Later, when the Ammonites attacked Gilead, the elders of Gilead went to Jephthah, looking for a leader who could fight against the enemy. They promised that if he led them to victory, he would become the head of Gilead. Jephthah accepted their offer. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him. Empowered by God's Spirit, he demonstrated the ability of a mighty warrior and won the battle. Even a mighty warrior, when relying only on his own strength, may have no choice but to flee and seek refuge. But when the Spirit of God comes upon him, he can accomplish great things. The members of an immigrant church may each be like mighty warriors. Yet even strong and capable people can be pushed aside, disliked, or rejected by the surrounding community. But when the Spirit of God helps us, we can speak to our neighbors, win their trust, and bring about something far greater than we could accomplish by our own strength. Our Korean church was eventually able to merge with the local church and become one with the people of the community. When we are excluded from the larger community—not only because of racial differences, but also because of differences in our bodies, minds, ways of thinking, or ways of life—we can still turn our eyes to God the Father, the author and perfecter of our faith. He is righteous and faithful. He helps us and does not allow us to remain in disappointment. There is a Korean saying, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Flowers of the same kind look more beautiful when they grow together, and birds of the same kind often appear more beautiful when they gather together. In a multiracial society, it can also be beautiful and beneficial for people of different ethnic backgrounds to gather together, preserve their identity, and contribute their own strengths to the larger community. Yesterday, I worshiped at Princeton Alliance Church. There I saw a truly multiracial congregation gathered together, with several pastors and a Korean senior pastor leading the congregation. Together, we praised the Lord Jesus, proclaiming again and again that He is holy and worthy. As I sensed the presence of the Spirit of the Lord among us, I experienced a glimpse of the kingdom of God here on earth. My heart was filled with grace and gratitude, and I experienced deep joy and happiness in worship.