SfK Ministries

SfK Ministries

Thursday, June 10, 2021

SfK June 2021 Newsletter

 

Synergy for the Kingdom
Mark 10:42-44
"Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all." 
JUNE 2021
 
How Should Evangelicals Respond to the Israel-Palestine Conflict?
This Op-Ed was featured Religion Unplugged 05/20/2021
by Joash Thomas
 

(OPINION) Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a renewed escalation of geo-political tensions in the Middle East. At the time of this article’s publication, at least 227 people in Gaza (including at least 61 children) have been killed by hundreds of missiles fired via Israeli airstrikes. On the other hand, Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel (most of them intercepted) – killing 12 people in Israel (including 2 children)According to the United Nations, more than 2,500 Palestinians are now without homes and more than 38,000 are considered internally displaced.

As a theologically conservative (but politically nomadic) evangelical, the evangelical response to this conflict has been incredibly disillusioning. Over the past few days, I’ve seen a barrage of #StandWithIsrael social media posts by conservative evangelicals and a flood of #StandWithPalestine posts by more progressive Christians.

So should evangelical Christians #StandWithIsrael? Or must we #StandWithPalestine?

Truth be told – if we, as citizens of Christ’s kingdom, think about political theology from a “binary choice” perspective, we are already losing. As Christians, when it comes to framing our political theology, there are never just two options. God’s beauty and majesty (as captured by Scriptural wisdom) are deep and wide enough to always give us another option!

As Dr. Tony Evans often says, “Jesus didn’t come to take sides. He came to take over!”

Given that our ultimate citizenship is in Christ’s kingdom (that is already but not yet fully here), and given that our churches are local embassies of Christ’s kingdom that point to the full establishment of his kingdom upon his return, here are four ways I’d like to see fellow evangelicals respond to the Israel-Palestine conflict:

1)    Instead of standing with human governments and authorities, stand with the Church

As the Church, our job is not to think and act like the State. Our job is to think and act like the Church. When we think and act like the State by buying into its temporal agendas, we lose sight of our kingdom citizenship and its eternal agenda – the redemption and restoration of all of creation from sin. When we start to blindly co-opt the temporal, fallen agendas of human governments (whether it’s the U.S. government, the Israeli government, the Hamas-backed Gaza authorities or the Palestinian National Authority), instead of staying faithful to the kingdom agenda that Christ purchased for us on the cross with his precious blood, we lose our saltiness by becoming political pawns for these fallen human governments.

The sad reality is that we have brothers and sisters in Christ who are caught up on both sides of this conflict. So instead of blindly posting #StandWithIsrael or #StandWithPalestine, consider praying for your brothers and sisters in Christ who are losing their lives, livelihoods and homes in both Israel and Palestine. For Christians to say, “I stand with Israel” or “I stand with Palestine” is to also say, “I don’t stand with my brothers and sisters in Christ on the other side.”

2)   Instead of standing with governments, stand with the poor and oppressed

A big part of thinking and acting like the Church is to always care for the poor and oppressed – regardless of what side of the geo-political battlelines they’re on. Loving our neighbor and loving our enemies demands that we seek out and move towards the victims of this conflict and the victims of historic systemic oppression in Israel and Palestine. Similarly, a big part of advocating for the poor and oppressed is to invest the time in listening and learning from their perspectives. I’ll be the first to admit – even though I have a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and a master’s degree in Political Management, and even though I enjoy watching Mossad thrillers on Netflix, I have much more to learn about the historical context for this conflict. So I’ll be investing time in research hours this summer to read, listen and learn from the unique perspectives of the poor, oppressed and marginalized in Israel – regardless of whether they’re Christian, Muslim or Jewish.

Government authorities are always going to be more concerned with preserving earthly power and getting re-elected over caring for the poor and oppressed. When we as Christians blindly hitch ourselves to any human government (without any regard for the people they oppress), we’re neglecting the poor and oppressed – while also doing great harm to our public witness.

3)   Instead of standing for earthly ideologies, stand for the Gospel

Scripture clearly commands us:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

When we prioritize any earthly ideology or -ism (whether it’s Capitalism, Socialism or Zionism) over the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we’re doing great harm to our public witness. Make no mistake – unequivocal evangelical support for the U.S./Israeli government and its mistakes will do great harm to our credibility with our Arab and Muslim neighbors. After all, how could these neighbors possibly receive the Gospel proclaimed in word by evangelicals, who in deed, turn a blind eye to human rights violations against their fellow Arabs and Muslims?

 

Continue reading...
 Ministry Updates 
 
  • SfK Life held its in-person board meeting in California, and SfK Korea board meeting was held online in May. Please pray that all board members remain faithful to the Lord's calling.
 
  • Open BMT was held online on May 15Please pray that the spark made in the hearts of participants will continue to grow to be a strong fire in the BAM ecosystem. 
  • Post BMT for May was held online on the subject of Organizational Behavior led by Professor Sunghoon Kim of the University of Sydney. 
    Please pray that the learning will bear fruit in the missional business practices. 
  • SfK MB Academy has conducted two training sessions online on BAM for the leadership team for missions at New Jersey Harvest Church.
  • Joybells America, the marketing arm in the U.S.reported a profit for the past two consecutive months. Praise the Lord! Please pray that this trend will continue under God's gracious guidance. 
 Upcoming Events 

1. JUNE 2021:  Hesed Cambodia's products will be promoted through a collaborative campaign in cooperation with Ezekiel Mission in Korea. Please pray that this campaign will receive God's favor and produce abundant fruit.

2. SfK Trading is setting up an online sales channel on two prominent social media platforms. A team is being formed and the products are being lined up. Please pray that this initiative will remain faithful to the purpose and be fruitful.  

3. SfK is continuing to explore a few collaboration opportunities with a Dutch missional business focused on agriculture. Please pray that these endeavors will make meaningful progress seeking only the glory of the Lord.  

4. AUG. 14, 2021-NOV. 27, 2021:  SfK MB Academy will hold its BMT 2021, a 16-week long online training program. Please pray that all the preparation will be made thoroughly with a joyful attitude. 

5. JUNE 2021:  SfK MB Academy will conduct its Post BMT on the subject of MarketingProfessor Christine Kang of Cal State University Long Beach will lead the training. Please pray that the program will continue to be refined over time to be more effective. 

6. SfK Fund has decided to make an equity investment in MOI Coffee in Cambodia. Please pray that this investment will help expand the product lines for a greater impact on the lives of the people it serves. 
 
Thank you for standing with us through prayer and support in equipping and empowering missional businesses in Asia and Africa.
.   .   .

May the Lord bless you abundantly so that you may become a greater blessing to people in need around you and around the world!
Consider a charitable contribution in partnering with SfK
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SfK 뉴스레터 - 2021년 6월호

 

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Synergy for the Kingdom
마가복음 10:42-44

예수께서 불러다가 이르시되 이방인의 집권자들이 그들을 임의로 주관하고  고관들이 그들에게 권세를 부리는 줄을 너희가 알거니와 너희 중에는 그렇지 않을지니 너희 중에 누구든지 크고자 하는 자는 너희를 섬기는 자가 되고 너희 중에 누구든지 으뜸이 되고자 하는 자는 모든 사람의 종이 되어야 하리라

2021 6월
 
How Should Evangelicals Respond to the Israel-Palestine Conflict?
This Op-Ed was featured Religion Unplugged 05/20/2021
by Joash Thomas
 

(OPINION) Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen a renewed escalation of geo-political tensions in the Middle East. At the time of this article’s publication, at least 227 people in Gaza (including at least 61 children) have been killed by hundreds of missiles fired via Israeli airstrikes. On the other hand, Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into Israel (most of them intercepted) – killing 12 people in Israel (including 2 children)According to the United Nations, more than 2,500 Palestinians are now without homes and more than 38,000 are considered internally displaced.

As a theologically conservative (but politically nomadic) evangelical, the evangelical response to this conflict has been incredibly disillusioning. Over the past few days, I’ve seen a barrage of #StandWithIsrael social media posts by conservative evangelicals and a flood of #StandWithPalestine posts by more progressive Christians.

So should evangelical Christians #StandWithIsrael? Or must we #StandWithPalestine?

Truth be told – if we, as citizens of Christ’s kingdom, think about political theology from a “binary choice” perspective, we are already losing. As Christians, when it comes to framing our political theology, there are never just two options. God’s beauty and majesty (as captured by Scriptural wisdom) are deep and wide enough to always give us another option!

As Dr. Tony Evans often says, “Jesus didn’t come to take sides. He came to take over!”

Given that our ultimate citizenship is in Christ’s kingdom (that is already but not yet fully here), and given that our churches are local embassies of Christ’s kingdom that point to the full establishment of his kingdom upon his return, here are four ways I’d like to see fellow evangelicals respond to the Israel-Palestine conflict:

1)    Instead of standing with human governments and authorities, stand with the Church

As the Church, our job is not to think and act like the State. Our job is to think and act like the Church. When we think and act like the State by buying into its temporal agendas, we lose sight of our kingdom citizenship and its eternal agenda – the redemption and restoration of all of creation from sin. When we start to blindly co-opt the temporal, fallen agendas of human governments (whether it’s the U.S. government, the Israeli government, the Hamas-backed Gaza authorities or the Palestinian National Authority), instead of staying faithful to the kingdom agenda that Christ purchased for us on the cross with his precious blood, we lose our saltiness by becoming political pawns for these fallen human governments.

The sad reality is that we have brothers and sisters in Christ who are caught up on both sides of this conflict. So instead of blindly posting #StandWithIsrael or #StandWithPalestine, consider praying for your brothers and sisters in Christ who are losing their lives, livelihoods and homes in both Israel and Palestine. For Christians to say, “I stand with Israel” or “I stand with Palestine” is to also say, “I don’t stand with my brothers and sisters in Christ on the other side.”

2)   Instead of standing with governments, stand with the poor and oppressed

A big part of thinking and acting like the Church is to always care for the poor and oppressed – regardless of what side of the geo-political battlelines they’re on. Loving our neighbor and loving our enemies demands that we seek out and move towards the victims of this conflict and the victims of historic systemic oppression in Israel and Palestine. Similarly, a big part of advocating for the poor and oppressed is to invest the time in listening and learning from their perspectives. I’ll be the first to admit – even though I have a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs and a master’s degree in Political Management, and even though I enjoy watching Mossad thrillers on Netflix, I have much more to learn about the historical context for this conflict. So I’ll be investing time in research hours this summer to read, listen and learn from the unique perspectives of the poor, oppressed and marginalized in Israel – regardless of whether they’re Christian, Muslim or Jewish.

Government authorities are always going to be more concerned with preserving earthly power and getting re-elected over caring for the poor and oppressed. When we as Christians blindly hitch ourselves to any human government (without any regard for the people they oppress), we’re neglecting the poor and oppressed – while also doing great harm to our public witness.

3)   Instead of standing for earthly ideologies, stand for the Gospel

Scripture clearly commands us:

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever” (1 John 2:15-17).

When we prioritize any earthly ideology or -ism (whether it’s Capitalism, Socialism or Zionism) over the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we’re doing great harm to our public witness. Make no mistake – unequivocal evangelical support for the U.S./Israeli government and its mistakes will do great harm to our credibility with our Arab and Muslim neighbors. After all, how could these neighbors possibly receive the Gospel proclaimed in word by evangelicals, who in deed, turn a blind eye to human rights violations against their fellow Arabs and Muslims?

 

Continue reading...
사역동정
 
  •  SfK Life 캘리포니아에서 대면이사회를 열었고 SfK Korea 이사회는 5 월에 온라인으로 열렸습니다 이사진이 각자를 부르신 주님의 뜻에 충실하게 반응하도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

 
  •  Open BMY 지난 5 15일에 온라인으로 진행되었습니다참가한 모든 분들의 마음 속에 만들어진 열정의 불씨가 BAM 생태계에 크고 강한 불로 변화되고 확대될  있도록 계속해서 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

  • 5월에 진행된 Post BMT 시드니 대학교 김성훈 교수께서 조직 행동을 주제로 인도해 주셨습니다이번 배움이 선교 사업의 현장에서 열매를 맺을  있도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

  • SfK MB Academy 미국 뉴저지 하베스트 교회 선교위원회에 속한 리더들을 대상으로 2주에 결쳐 BAM 관한 온라인 교육을 실시했습니다.  교육을 받으신 분들이 교회와 지역사회에서 보다 적극적인 역할을 감당할  있도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

  • SfK Trading 미국 유통업체인 Joybells America 2 개월 연속 이익을 창출했습니다인도하신 주님을 찬양합니다이러한 추세가 하나님의 은총을 입어 지속될  있도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

앞으로의 계획 

1. 헤세드 캄보디아 6월중 한국의 에스겔 선교회 협력하여 판매 공동 캠페인 가질 예정입니다.  캠페인이 하나님의 은혜로 진행되고 풍성한 열매를 맺도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

2. SfK Trading  알려진 소셜미디어 2 채널을 통해 온라인 판매 채널을 구축하려고 추진하고 있습니다이를 위한 팀이 구성되고 제품이 준비 중에 있는데 이러한 과정에서 선교기업의 유통을 돕고자 하는 목적에 충실하고 결과적으로 아름다운 열매를 맺도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

3. SfK 복음전도가 미약한 지역에서 농업을 통해 선교사업을 추진하는 네덜란드 선교 사업체와 세나라에서의 협력 기회를 계속해서 모색하고 있습니다이러한 노력들이 주님의 영광만을 구하는 의미 있는 동역으로 발전되도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

4. SfK MB Academy 8  14 일부터 11  27 까지 16 주간 온라인 훈련 프로그램 <BMT 2021> 개최할 예정입니다BMT 2021 위한 모든 준비가 즐거운 마음으로 면밀하게 이루어 지도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

5. SfK MB Academy 마케팅을 주제로 6 월에 Post BMT 진행합니다. Cal State University Long Beach Christine Kang 교수가 이번  프로그램을 진행할 것입니다시간이 지날수록 프로그램이 더욱 효과적으로 개선되어 가도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.

6.SfK Fund 캄보디아 MOI Coffee 지분 투자할 것을 결정했습니다.  투자가  사업체가 제품 라인을 확장하는 것을 도와 섬기는 모든 분들에게   임팩트를 미칠  있도록 기도해 주시기 바랍니다.
 

아시아와 아프리카에 있는 선교 사업체들을 훈련하고 역량을 강화 하는 저희 SfK 사역에 신실한 기도와 후원으로 함께 동역해 주셔서 감사합니다.

.   .   .

주님께서 여러분을 풍성하게 축복하셔서 주변 이웃과  세계 흩어져 있는 많은 소외된 자들에게 여러분이  복의 통로로 사용되시기를 간절히 기도합니다.

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make a donation
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