Rev. Moses Chung, currently associate pastor of the Sooyoungro Presbyterian Church in Busan, South Korea, was appointed as the new director of Christian Reformed Home Missions by the denomination’s board of trustees.
Chung will take up his duties on May 1.
Chung graduated from Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary and served congregations in California in both the Christian Reformed and Reformed Church in America denominations before moving to his current church in South Korea.
Chung told the denomination’s board of trustees that his vision for Home Missions and the Christian Reformed Church is to be a leading voice for mission in North America in the 21st century. “It’s a dream,” he said, “but as I pray more about it, why not?”
He said he sees his role as part of a team that helps pastors and lay leaders in local congregations. “I think our strategy needs to be to help leaders in congregations among the people. We have to seek God out and if change is needed, so be it.”
“There are different cultures and tribes in today’s world that we need to break through,” he said.
Contextualization is a key word in mission today, he said. “Context, context, context,” he told the board. “Where you are, that’s your neighborhood, that’s where God wants you to live as his people. Ministry in Pella has to be different from Seattle, Grand Rapids different from L.A., Navajo different than New York.”
Chung’s current church in Busan, South Korea’s second largest city, has more than 30,000 members.
Ben Vandezande is currently serving as interim director of Home Missions.
About the Author
Gayla Postma retired as news editor for The Banner in 2020.
