Dear Reader,
In Rev. 2:4-5, Jesus calls out the church in Ephesus to remember, repent and recover their first love. He keeps calling me to do the same.
What love comes first? What captivates, consumes and drives you and me most? In my life, many loves are exposed. To not love Jesus first means to love something else first. Always. The love of my own name and worth gets in the way of His. When we obsess and place expectations on good things—relational status and chemistry, friend or spouse, performance of a child, growth and success, health, wealth and beauty—to function like a “god thing”, it turns toxic as it fails to fulfill the job description only God can do.
The love of God in Jesus alone defies the law of diminishing returns. Like fine wine, His love gets better with time. And His love precedes and outlasts our own (Rom. 8).
I’m grateful for western reformed teaching and emphasis upon the centrality of God’s word. And yet, as God calls us to love Him with all our hearts and souls along with our minds – how does this happen as well?
As a traveling preacher for much of last year, I’ve rediscovered my Korean and charismatic roots in extended, persistent, uninhibited, free to be fully expressive times of corporate prayer and worship in response to God’s word. In revivals, including my own during college, the Word of God and the Holy Spirit work together in dynamic harmony. We would all do well by dedicating more time and space, intention and attention to the Holy Spirit who moves us to love Jesus first and with our whole being.
Recover your first love. Everything else follows.
Next Call
In April 2025, my wife, SunHi and I moved to Seoul, South Korea as I serve as the International Ministries Director at Onnuri Community Church, an epicenter to a global missions and church planting movement.
Given the rise of kdrama/ kpop/ k everything attracting over 13 million international visitors to Seoul in 2024 alone, crises loom as well, beginning with the lowest birth rate in the world for which dependence upon migrant and international workers and residents only grows. For such a time as this and into a city as beautiful and broken as Seoul, SunHi and I sense God’s unmistakable call.
Pray
As I miss and pray for SOLA – would you pray for the power of the gospel to spread in Seoul? God has lit a fire for evangelism and revival in me and faithful believers already there. As Seoul serves as a gateway for much of Asia, pray for conversions and empowered missionaries to be sent back for all the world. And cover my marriage and beloved daughters, Taylor and Elizabeth, to grow in loving, trusting and obeying God into this next season.
In His Love,
Harold Kim
Director of International Ministries, Onnuri Church (Seoul)
Former President, SOLA Network