We thank the Lord for a successful conclusion to the second semester of Logos Poland 4, taught by Pastor Jo Kim from October 3rd-5th, 2024. With only limited time to fit much information, Pastor Jo tried earnestly to unpack the will of God from the Bible, while the 52 attendees worked hard to listen. Despite the intensive schedule, she noticed faces becoming lighter across the span of 10 lectures, as learning about Jesus brought many hungry souls to life. The class feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and Pastor ended her trip by preaching the Lord’s Day message at a church in Nowa Sol before returning home to Church of Jesus. Even though Pastor Jo was missed dearly, Pastor Kang and COJ members prayed for her ministry to add and preserve (hopefully many) disciples in the kingdom of Yeshua. 

The 2024 Annual Summer Retreat was held in Canadensis, PA from July 07-09th. “This, Then, Is How You Should Pray, Part 2,” was the theme, a natural continuation from Part 1 last year (listen to the previous SR sessions here!). Pastor Jo methodically preached from the Lord’s Prayer in the Bible over the course of five sermons. As Jesus taught us to pray (Matthew 6:9-13), so we heard as each part was explained; we pray and live all for one purpose: to glorify the Name of Yeshua.

We came to retreat with bags for our clothes, but were reminded of a heavier kind of baggage, that which everyone carries. As we praised the Name of Yeshua and heard the word preached, we were reminded to live for this day as our last, knowing God is faithful to provide what we need for His will to be done. Knowing ourselves as souls is to know that above all else, we must be forgiven by our Father in heaven. Yet, as we heard, this can only come once I forgive my brother, my sister, unconditionally, and infinitely. The focused time at retreat allowed us to reflect and pray sincerely, forgiving hurts held onto from yesterday, and asking for strength to pass through any test yet to come. Miraculously, eight souls were baptized in His Name, and  many received the Holy Spirit and healing. Bracing to return home, we received clear and practicable teaching, that tests and temptations are to be expected but through prayer in His Name we will overcome. And through our victory, we will give glory to the name of Yeshua. Having put our faith in Yeshua, we must put our prayer into action - “Pray like this, live like this!”. The retreat concluded with sharing of personal testimonies, a moving testament to Yeshua our Lord - who answers, heals, and saves. 

The Logos USA 13 and Logos 37 commencement was held on March 17, 2024. 40 and 10 graduates from the English and Korean ministries, respectively, were honored to receive their certificates of completion for the year-long Bible Institute class.

Pastor Jo Kim and Pastor Sung Kang addressed the graduates, encouraging them to remain committed to the purpose of their hard work in attending the two-hour lectures each Saturday night, and studying for exams over four semesters: to know Yeshua (Jesus). The God-centered teaching at the backbone of Logos equips students not only with knowledge, but with the lens they need to arrive at the purpose of studying the word of God – to receive eternal life. Through personal testimony, graduates expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the clear and thoughtful framework of Logos, a critical piece to growing in their faith, and a treasured part of spiritual life in Church of Jesus. Awards were given for honor roll and perfect attendance, in addition to a small gift for each of the instructors, Pastor Kang and Pastor Jo. Many church members were in attendance in support of their group members, friends, and family, giving thanks to God for what we pray will be many new disciples for His kingdom. Both past and current graduates echoed the words from the hymn which opened the ceremony, ‘for there's no word ear ever heard, So dear, so sweet as Jesus.’

On August 6, 2023, our church gathered to take an appreciation photo for Samaritan’s Purse along with Jaime who joined the Sunday service—a welcomed visitor from Samaritan's Purse.

Our partnership with Samaritan’s Purse began with the inspiration from Pastor Kang’s preaching on sharing in Christ’s suffering and serving neighbors who are in need. And since September 2022, more than 200 of our members have volunteered for disaster relief with Samaritan’s Purse in: Jackson, KY; Fort Myers, FL; Englewood, FL; Griffin, GA; Fort Lauderdale, FL; and Highland Falls, NY.

Our church members who volunteered, from high school students to elderly deacons, have expressed how participating in the disaster reliefs with Samaritan’s Purse has refreshed their spirits. Offering help and compassion in Jesus’ name to those in need, as well as meeting other dedicated volunteers has truly energized our entire church!

We are grateful for the opportunity to support Samaritan’s Purse and serve together in Jesus’ Name. And our gratitude was felt as Jamie and the staff from Samaritan’s Purse shared their thanks back to us.

We give all the glory and thanks to our Lord Jesus Christ!

The 2023 Annual Summer Retreat was held in Canadensis, PA from July 09-11th. The first session, “This, Then, is How You Should Pray,” began a five-part series built out from the Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), taught by Pastor Jo. 

As souls born again in the blood of Yeshua, we revisited the pattern of prayer given to us by our God of covenant - not doubting, but believing He will answer. That evening, church members cried out to the Father in heaven, and already received much grace in prayer. On the second day, 20 souls were baptized in the Name of Yeshua, and all were witness to His glory and power - as many received the Holy Spirit and miraculous healing. The sessions continued, as they focused in more detail on the fulfillment of the will of God in His kingdom on earth, the church, and the mercy we receive in our opportunity to pray honestly, deny ourselves, forgive one another, and live each day, for His glory, as our last. From morning to night, the meeting room was packed - not only with our members, but with joy in fellowship, tears in prayer, and heartfelt praise for the goodness of God.

Our Vacation Bible School team returned from their trip to the Happy Church in Jackson, Kentucky, where they served from June 28th-30th, 2023. Between the Jackson and Clayhole church campuses, the team (church members Bob, Sam, Minjung, Erin, and Kate) hosted 60 children spanning from 5-13 years old. Initially learning of the severe need of this community through our relief work in 2022, we sought to return with the mission of planting a seed of hope for its youth: the gospel of Christ. 

The trip was not unmet with challenges, especially with regard to travel, but by grace the team arrived safely, and beginning with the first message (knowing ourselves as souls created by God) the program took off. The children quickly opened up, and were filled with the joy of heaven as they learned dances, made crafts, and sang songs centered on the teachings delivered under Pastor Jo’s direction. 

By the final day, the young members had learned about this world that will become hell, how Jesus is the way we can return to the Father’s house in heaven, and where the home for their soul is on earth, in the body of Christ, the (Happy) Church! As the VBS team gave their gifts, hugs and goodbyes, they were encouraged to see how much the Lord worked in these precious lives in just a brief time; God willing, there will be more time ahead. Our church welcomed the team home and prayed for the truth of Yeshua to prevail in this town, in this church, through the growing faith of these souls.

Below is an excerpt from the testimony of one of the VBS team members, Deacon Sam Kim:

Last year, I joined the relief mission work with Samaritan's Purse… In March of 2023, I visited KY with Deacon Bob Jyung to aid in our refrigerator donation work. Pastor Kang, looking for an opportunity to teach the truth, told us to suggest to the pastor of Happy Church that our church would conduct a children's Bible study program there. This proposal was accepted.

Finally, the day came… However, something that we never expected happened. The flight continued to delay, and was canceled …. I stayed at the airport for 15 hours until late at night… but the airport was a mess, and we were unable to receive our luggage. Even still, after speaking with Pastor Kang  the next day, the team members gathered and we rented a minivan and headed to Kentucky. The 13-hour drive was tiring, and it rained heavily on the way.

The next day, the busy schedule began. When we greeted them and taught praise and dancing, the children quickly opened their hearts. Deacon Minjung Park taught the children a hopeful message of "I am a soul! We can go to heaven!" Then we played a game together with the praise song "Come and Go with Me to That Land." The children, the church members, and all of us were joyful.

After the meeting, we accompanied the children back home. Many children there were growing up in broken families and foster care due to drug addiction.… The people were dependent on government assistance… they could not escape from the swamps of drugs and poverty. I felt sad to think that this would be repeated in the lives of these pure children. I wanted to give them hope in Jesus.

Due to the unexpected air travel crisis, we were unable to bring the supplies that we had relied on. However, it seems that the gift that God really wanted us to bring there was not those things, but His love… I appreciate Pastor Jo and Pastor Kang for giving me the opportunity... Above all, I give thanks to my beloved Lord Yeshua, who came to us from the highest place to here below with the commandment of love that He received from the Father.

Passionately committed to fulfilling Jesus’ command “to make disciples of all nations,” members of the Church of Jesus gather in Manhattan at Broadway/32nd Street every Saturday afternoons from 3:00pm – 5:00pm to evangelize. New York City provides a unique evangelism opportunity to testify our faith to a cross-cultural melting pot of peoples from all nations. As the Praise Team captures the attention and hearts of passers-by, other members share one-on-one the message of the Gospel with whoever is willing to listen.

Do you have a sense of urgency and a strong inward desire to proclaim and share the gospel? Do you weep and does your heart ache to save lost souls? Do you feel something stirring inside you, compelling you to want to speak the truth of salvation? We invite and encourage you to join us in this proven evangelism ministry to reach the unreached with the Good News and save one more soul.

On April 28th and 29th, 2023, Pastor Jo organized a seminar for pastors and church leaders, along with graduates from the Logos Poland Bible Institute, at the Church of Swiebodzin in Poland. Centered on the theme, “For His Kingdom and His Righteousness,” Pastor Jo taught and preached over the course of four sessions. The Word, though challenging, inspired many to make disciples and bear fruit in their own churches. The grace and glory of Yeshua was magnified through detailed teaching; many even shared their prayer for a fourth Logos Poland class. Concluding her visit, Pastor Jo delivered a fitting message titled "For the Glory of the Kingdom of Christ" during the Lord's Day service on April 30th. We thank the Lord for her safe return and will continue praying for her ministry’s lasting impact on every soul in attendance.

On Tuesday, April 11th, the Church of Jesus hosted our first Praise Night at the Manhattan Mission Center (MMC) in New York City. The event started with fellowship and refreshments to welcome the 49 guests. The night was followed by a powerful praise session where many were touched by songs such as "What a Beautiful Name It Is," "I Speak Jesus," and "How Great is Our God." Pastor Jo shared the essence of the Gospel with us. She explained how man became a living being (Gen 2:7), how sin brought death to all people (Rom 5:12), who Jesus is (John 1:1, 14), and how we can be forgiven through the blood of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:7). The preaching concluded with the hope that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21).

Our church was humbled that the Lord had given us the chance to share the Gospel with these new souls and had shown His grace and mercy through the praise and the Word. Hallelujah!

Since September of 2022, Church of Jesus has sent several groups to Eastern Kentucky to volunteer in the flood relief work through the Samaritan’s Purse organization. We were honored to share the love of Christ and provide help in the name of Jesus to this extremely impoverished area, which was hit by catastrophic flooding in July of 2022. Each member returned home with a heavy-hearted testimony, and without delay, Pastor Kang announced her vision to donate 300 new refrigerators to these families – and on the front of each one would be the Name of Jesus.

In subsequent months, a team of church members under Pastor Jo’s direction partnered with the Happy Church in Jackson, Kentucky, to locate individuals in need. Screening and identifying good candidates proved challenging, but with God’s abundant help, we were finally ready to deliver the first 50 units.

Our brothers Bob Jyung and Sam Kim were sent on March 13th, 2023, to meet with these homeowners and local volunteers who helped coordinate the deliveries. Bob and Sam were both met with an outpouring of love and gratitude, and even had the privilege to be on site for an installation. After losing everything, the final piece of her rebuilt home was rolled into Cambi’s kitchen, and sure enough, there was an aluminum plaque square on its front: ‘JESUS.’ Indeed, there is no other Name we need.  

As Bob shared with the church, Yeshua will receive glory every time these individuals will see their gift. We are so grateful for our continued partnership with the Jackson community, and will continue delivering the good news of Jesus Christ and doing good in His name.

Shared by Yuwei

We landed in Florida and headed to the church directly without even time for lunch. I was prepared for hard labor work, but my team didn’t have much work to do in the first afternoon. So instead, I spent most of the first session talking with two chaplains from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. They were very interested in how I came to faith as a young Chinese and even converted my family. That conversation reminded me of lots of things in my early stages as a believer and our church members’ effort to save my soul. At the first night I shared my takings before the congregation - I said that all the hard work we do here, the sweat of moving trees, the arm and shoulder pain from pulling nails and breaking walls, the risk of climbing up and down and fixing the roofs – all this work reminded me of how costly it is to save one soul, how much God has done for me and how other people have labored in a similar way for my salvation. I shall never lose gratitude or take anything for granted.

Our team worked on two major houses with mud-out and roof work. One of the homeowners was a believer, she cried after we finished all the work in just two days and presented her the Bible and kept thanking God. It was a very touching moment. At the other house, the homeowner used to go to church when he was very young but doesn’t keep faith actively. Two chaplains from Billy Graham had a long conversation with him; they managed to break the surface of his faith and convinced him of the problem of sin that only Christ can resolve. In the end they prayed together, and the homeowner received Christ. Samaritan’s Purse keeps track of such cases as “one salvation,” and they updated the count every evening. By the time I left, they had already gotten to “82 salvations,” and that was counted from only three weeks (in the Punta Gorda site alone). It is very encouraging to see the instant outcome of our work. I also asked the chaplains what they will do for these souls; they said local churches will follow up (that’s the contract they have with Samaritan’s Purse) and try to involve them in discipleship classes. Our effort will for sure not be in vain. I pray that among them there will be good and real fruits coming up.

Lastly, I want to share a special connection I had with one of my team members. Her name is Pam; she came with her husband Dennis, both are around 70. Pam was very lively and super friendly to us; she became good friends with Deacon Grace (Sookyeon). On the third day, she was amazed to know my English name is Jacqueline, which is the same name as her adopted daughter. But her daughter is a “prodigal,” and struggles with sexual orientation, which greatly troubles the mother’s heart. On my third and last day (after other members left) we just stayed with each other all the time and talked a lot. Finally, before I left, she shared with me that it’s no coincidence that God put us together; I was like a daughter by her side, and my presence was such a comfort for her and an encouragement to keep the hope in her daughter. She also dearly loves our church members and wants to come for our Zoe Conference with her husband. I pray that she will receive even more grace from Zoe and her daughter will one day come back to God.

This is my testimony. I’m very tired but very happy. I see God planned well for me to not be able to join Kentucky but able to make this trip. I hope we can have more opportunities to go out like this and let our presence be a blessing for others in the light of Jesus!

Shared by Christian

Hello, my name is Christian, and this is my testimony in regards to the relief work we did in Florida. At first, I had anxious thoughts because I knew nothing of what I would encounter in Florida. I thought I was going to go and wrestle some alligator or something to save my group, but that was not the case. I was assigned to lead our team and go to the first home where we arrived after the home had been completed. The homeowner and volunteers were tearing up and crying because they were so touched about all that they experienced before we arrived. I felt out of place because we had no connection yet. We huddled in a circle and the team lead began to introduce us COJ-ers to everyone. Speaking so highly about our church, she asked me (the least qualified person) to speak on behalf of the church and introduce ourselves. I could only speak of how proud I was of our church and how humbled I was to be a part of it. We immediately went to the next home, and we went right to work. Hard work. It's hard to explain it all, you just had to be there, but the work was humbling. It's like the Lord renewed my strength every hour. The next morning, we led praise, and I was blessed to hear the one voice of COJ. Usually on the praise team you can’t hear the voice of the whole church but at that very moment I heard the voice of the bride, the united, beautiful, and pure voice of the united Church of Jesus. Every soul playing a part. We went to the next home, which was completely destroyed, moldy and even an experienced carpenter said this home should’ve been a complete loss. But we went to work to rebuild the broken home. At one point I could not hear because I was surrounded by hammer clamming on the wall, and I couldn’t see because the humidity fogged up my goggles. I heard our leader say, “Alright, we need a volunteer to go under the trailer and gut it out,”  No one answered. I didn’t hear him, so I said, “sorry what,” but he thought I said, “I’ll do it,” So immediately he gave me a protective suit and prepared me for war. Jesus told us to enter through the narrow road and I'll tell you what, I’ve never seen this verse more clearly displayed. The narrow opening under the trailer was so small that you couldn’t turn sideways. It was pitch dark and basically you had to army crawl through and out the bottom of this trailer to grab wet insulation and drag it back into the small hole opening. At one point the person who crawled in front of me poked a hole in one insulation bag to rip it out and the floodgates of mud water and God knows what else started soaking the ground under us. At this moment I laid my face down on my arms and started praying, “Lord, have mercy.”

The night before the day we would leave, there was talk about another hurricane, hurricane Nicole, and how it may delay our stay. We wouldn’t have been able to fly back under these conditions. We went to sleep and before our sleep I prayed that Yeshua could allow us to not be delayed but that this hurricane can pass over us. We woke up to the news that the hurricane passed over us as we slept. How amazing is that, that the hurricane passes us while we are peacefully sleeping. I saw on the news how this hurricane destroyed and sunk land and devastated even more parts of Florida, but it all occurred as we slept peacefully.

Fast forward: we finished that home and signed the bible, and the homeowner began to cry. The next day we worked on our last home before we had to reunite with the ‘gator boys’ group aka Dustin. Our group hugged us and exchanged contacts; it was so touching. I never thought you could build such bonds in such a small period of time. On the plane back I couldn’t help but be in awe of how “blessed” I am. I was once like that homeowner. The flood of life, depression, hopelessness, darkness, and all that comes with it had once broken me too. But Yeshua sent his soldiers to come and rescue me too. The last time I took a plane to Florida my parents were just divorced, and we were broken. What a 180-degree turn around, that now I am on a plane on the way back from delivering the message of the King. I am a son of the King; we are children of the King.

The victory is ours. Thank you.

Shared by Raul R.

Hello all, my name is Raul, but most of you know me by my last name: Roca. I was part of our church’s first relief work trip at Punta Gorda, Florida. Everything from planning the trip to getting on site was so nerve-racking, but with a lot of prayers and willing hearts, we all made it to the host church safely and ready to work! Arrival was at noontime, so we settled down quickly, had orientation and headed straight to the first site to begin an afternoon shift.

For me, the first home we went to was the most memorable. As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by other Samaritan’s Purse volunteers from all over the nation. They were on lunch break, so we had the opportunity to introduce ourselves and get to know one another. Gary, our team leader, explained that the house had flooded with about three feet of water. This doesn’t seem like much, but the house was already lifted off the ground and on a hill. There was a river behind the house whose top was about 20 feet below the ground level of the house. That means that the water had to rise about 27 feet. This was unimaginable and only seeing all the damages caused to this home could you really understand.

The family was not there on the first day, but our team tried its best to finish as much as possible so the next day we could have the house done for them. We had to remove grout, tiles, and wood from the floor, moldy drywall in all the rooms, and shock charge all areas to remove mold. The work was hard and tiring and the heat made it all the more difficult, but our church members finished all tasks quickly. Our team leader and all other volunteers were super impressed by our efforts and youthful energy. The first day ended and we were headed back to the base church. We began the next day by leading praise and other volunteers were so thankful and asked if we could do it again the next day since that was the best way they had started their day volunteering there. We headed to another home in the morning before returning to the first home in the afternoon.

We were almost done with the home when we finally got to meet the family. It was a young couple, with their two children, a boy, and a girl. Despite us being dirty and smelly, the wife greeted us all with a hug as her eyes were teary. They explained that they were already Christians and that even through this trial they were confident that God would guide them through it. None of them seemed upset or resentful to God. They were standing next to all their possessions destroyed and the home they had built completely ruined and still smiled. They really reminded me of Job except even better if (I can say that) since they had the assurance of Christ and did not think of themselves as self-righteous. We had sent them a signed Bible and the wife asked to pray for us. She began to cry and gave such a moving and touching prayer that had us all holding back tears. She also asked us to take a group photo so that she could print it out and hang it on her fridge once her house was rebuilt to always pray for us and thank Jesus for everything we did. This one moment made the whole trip worth it all. As the Church of Jesus has been praying for so long to do relief work, I pray that we may continue to make a difference while giving all glory and honor to our lord Jesus.

Shared by Bob

To be honest, I had both excitement and apprehension about the Kentucky relief trip. Tim Chi’s description about sharply curving roads with no guard rail and sharp drop-offs gave me concern. Also, we had been forewarned about the lack of bathroom access at the work sites. Given my irregular GI system, I even considered bringing some adult diapers along but decided that bringing them would not be an act of faith. So, I spent a lot of time praying in preparation for the trip, including these issues. I got some reassurance about the roads during the trip Pastor Jo, and I took for the “Together for the Mountains” summit the week prior. But I repented and prayed repeatedly for Jesus to protect me from GI attacks during the entire trip. I also prayed specifically for moments when I could meet the homeowners and for Jesus to give me the words I needed for those moments. Finally, I prayed that I would meet at least one Christian co-worker that I could befriend and invite to our annual Zoe Conference.

As we were departing this past Monday, I had a strong sense that Yeshua was going to make a way for us throughout the whole trip, which He certainly did! The roads were fine, and I had no diarrhea or other GI problems the entire time. Even though my sleep wasn’t the most restful each night, He helped me to settle into a routine of early morning prayer, which was blessed with tears each time. The Lord gave me two specific moments when I could witness to two different homeowners, both of them somewhat stubborn husbands of very faithful women. And I met not just one friend but a number of friends whom I have been staying in contact with. On the team we were assigned to, I met not one but two other physicians! My favorite co-worker was Dennis, an older man from Wisconsin whom I am still in awe of, for his incredible abilities and the way he expressed Jesus with his actions. I also met Chaplain John Magwood and his wife Anika, and John asked me to give a short devotional talk on Wednesday morning. I reviewed the sermon notes but still didn’t quite know what I was going to say about the God of Hope until I prayed Wednesday morning, when it all crystallized. The next day, Pastor Steve Taylor told me that that devotional was the best he had ever heard at Samaritan’s Purse! Our Church of Jesus group was allowed to lead praise on Thursday morning, and the praise was very blessed. John told me more than once that he and Anika wanted to accept Pastor Kang’s invitation and attend Zoe, hallelujah! God led us safely back to New Jersey, on schedule, and He attested to His faithfulness in leading us the whole time! So, my summary of the Kentucky relief trip is this: Jesus answers prayer!

My final memory about the trip is that many Samaritan’s Purse workers made very effusive and unsolicited comments about how impressed they were with our young people. I believe that the Holy Spirit was working in our members, truly. I am so proud of them and of our pastors’ teaching at COJ, all bringing glory to Christ!

Shared by Michael

My experience with Samaritan’s Purse made me realize that there is not only one way to preach the gospel. During my time there, I was able to see how people who are in their 60’s and 70’s worked harder than any of us who are barely half their age. One couple even spent seven months every year going out to different cities and countries volunteering, and they probably helped thousands of souls through their acts of kindness. With this, they won many hearts through their actions while at the same time reminding us that physical labor is only a medium to reach their goal: to bring one more soul to Jesus. They reminded me how Jesus commanded the disciples to help those who are in need as if they are doing it unto Him. I realized that I have been selfish and spoiled because of the comfort of living in the places where we don’t have as many disasters like in Kentucky. This comfort made me take the easy way and complain when things got too hard - wanting to testify to people while forgetting to acknowledge or help with their needs. Now I know we can’t pick and choose what is comfortable to us, just like how we are taught not to pick and choose which bible verse we like. Now I want to win someone’s heart in any way possible, even if I have to labor and dirty my hands. 

Extra:

A couple of days before we left, I had this throbbing pain on the back of my head as if someone took a sharp object and stabbed me. It was really painful to the point that I couldn’t sleep or do anything properly. Tempted to take medication, I was reminded about Pastor Kang’s story when she refused to take medicine, willing to continue serving Yeshua even if she wasn’t healed. The pain was gone during Sunday service, but it came back when we left for Kentucky. But I told myself that even if this pain continues to bother me, I will finish my volunteer work strong. After working from one house to another I completely forgot about the pain, and now I can finally say for sure that during the trip back to NJ, the pain was completely gone.

Shared by David

This four-day journey was absolutely amazing where I got the chance to do volunteer relief for a Christian organization. It was not even about the long drive, but the incredible work we did. Helping one lady’s home and picking up yard garbage for two and a half hours was thought to be a challenging task. Going to the second job site was a whole 100% change in the work we had to do. It was a church that got flooded - or should I say, submerged entirely and we opened  the door up for the first time since the flood. It was something I have never experienced, and with less volunteers for this site than the other. We tore down walls and insulation , while picking up the muddy dirt mixture from a fallen ceiling.. It was slippery, moldy, dusty, dark, and not a safe place to be, where the ceiling may collapse. I told myself it was time to get to work so that in the eyes of God, He can see me and this team that will help rebuild the church. In the Lord, we always help each other in a time of need, and this was one of them for Joyce and David (pastor of the Lost Creek Church). It was very kind of Joyce who injured her foot and still offered to help with the heavy mixture of mud and tile,  putting it in a garbage bag weighing roughly 50 pounds for a small amount. It was an emotional moment to leave these fellow brothers and sisters in Christ who worked together doing Jesus’ work. It felt like we wanted to stay longer and complete the work. This will be a memory of mine that will last a lifetime - also, Samaritan’s Purse welcoming us with open arms. Lastly is the girls from Queens (whom I know from the church van I drive) - that God saw these girls and me and helped us to never give up in the name of Yeshua - even in pain and tiredness. We did every last minute of it! The last day God saw what we did and answered our prayer to complete our mission at this job site at 11am - being the first van to head back to COJ around 10:30 pm.  We still only thought and talked about what we did for this county in Kentucky and went back home with a happy smile on our faces, remembering theirs as well.

Shared by Lyn

The second site where our team arrived was a local small church. The flooding river is right behind the church so everything inside was soaked in the flood. Church is our shelter in this world. It's hard to imagine how the pastor and members felt when they saw the church was destroyed by the flood. What impressed me was that there was a photo board with pictures of members, full of memories. The pictures were wet and all muddied and had become blurred. The pastor and his wife slowly took them off one by one.  They were supposed to be thrown away, but they picked them up, held them in their hands, and looked at them for a long time. One of our team members who taught me a lot during the work was 71 years old. He had joined Samaritan’s Purse for 12 years. When Samaritan’s Purse helped to build the temporary hospitals in Central Park during Covid in 2020, he was also there to help. He was tall and big, but he worked very quickly. His eyesight was not very good. Because the room was dark, he couldn't see the nails on the wall, so he took off the gloves to find nails with his hand and pulled them out one by one. Then he stepped on the ladder and started to remove the nails on the highest place. Just like him, in a limited time, under the captain’s guidance, everyone was taking the time to do more. What caused everyone to work so hard? I believe it’s all because of Jesus. 

The last morning, singing Amazing Grace with our COJ brothers and sisters, I felt the light of the Lord was among us, shining in every corner of the room. The presence of the Lord Jesus is so true, so intimate, so full of hope. How could all this have happened if it had not been for the Lord Jesus and His grace. How can one in a desperate situation, still be with hope, not muddling along, but full of joy and gratitude, to face all? It’s because no matter what our circumstances are, we can always find comfort in Jesus, in the words of His truth, and hope for Life. So, we can also encourage and deliver this hope to others. The darker the darkness, only means the brighter the light of God will shine in. I started to know the purpose of living is not only for the salvation of my own soul, but to lay myself down, to bear the image of Jesus for the delivery of this eternal hope.

I am so humbled by this unforgettable experience. I truly felt the joy of eternal hope and the unity in the Lord, and I pray that He will use us more, with all that we have for His glory.

By His grace, we are honored to report that COJ Poland Mission 2022 was a success. On August 8, 2022, Pastor Jo and the COJ Mission Team took a flight to Poland to assist refugees from Russian-Ukrainian war and to share the gospel. Here’s a summary of the Poland Mission Trip 2022:

After a long flight, Pastor Jo and COJ Mission Team finally arrived at Wroclaw, Poland. The Team worked with Pastor Edward and Pastor Pavel from Belarus to bring donations to refugees, to host kids programs, and more!

On Day 1, the Team started to pack up for the food distribution for the refugee families. Afterward, the worship began.

Praise and worship were led by the Poland worship team and then… a special song! “I Speak Jesus” was sung by Erin, Brian, Bob on acoustic guitar, and Pastor Jo on piano. Thereafter, Pastor Jo preached the Word starting with Jeremiah 29:11 and Pastor Jo reminded “it is God’s plan to give us hope and a future… that is in Christ Yeshua!”

On Day 2, Pastor Jo and COJ Mission Team had a full day of children’s camp at Nations Church in Wroclaw. Despite the challenge of going through translation, the COJ Sunday School teachers shared the good news of Jesus Christ, led praise dances, played fun games, created arts & crafts, and more! It was an exhausting day but grateful to see kids smiling and spreading the Word.

After 4 hours of drive from Wroclaw, Pastor Jo and COJ Mission Team arrived at Pastor Mietek’s church in Wloclawek, Poland. Over Day 3 and Day 4, Pastor Jo and the team ran a children’s program with Pastor Meter’s team at his church and at a hotel that houses many Ukrainian refugee families.

Then the Lord’s Day came!

On Day 5, Pastor Jo and the team joined the service at Pastor Mietek's church. Pastor Jo preached the message which was translated into two different languages - Polish then into Ukrainian! Afterward, she and the team went to a Christian campsite where Pastor Jo once again delivered the Word - sharing the gospel: the salvation of our souls from sin, the price of sin, from the burning universe.

On Day 6, Pastor Jo and COJ Mission Team continued the children’s program at the Ukrainian camp - Bible study, worship dance, Bible memorization, and - distribution of COJ Yeshua t-shirts!

Day 7 was the last day at the Christian camp in Wloclawek and also the last day for the COJ Mission Team. It was clear that the Lord blessed the gathering and it was difficult to say goodbye to our new friends. With grateful and heavy heart, COJ Mission Team took the flight back to USA.

However, Pastor Jo and Bob continued to Nowa Sol, Poland. In Pastor Jurek’s church, Pastor Jo led a seminar for pastors and leaders. It was a great joy to reunite with former Logos Poland graduates! Afterwards, Pastor Jo and Bob returned safely.

Let us continue to pray for the new friends we met in Poland and their church.

Thank you, Yeshua, for guiding us through this new mission - Hallelujah!

Under the theme of “In the Name of Yeshua,” 2022 Annual Summer Retreat took place during July 10-12 in Canadensis, PA. Over the course of three days, Pastor Jo Kim delivered the Words of encouragement. The hall was packed to the fullest, as COJ members - new and old - gathered. Through Pastor Jo’s preaching, COJ members were once again reminded that the Name of Yeshua is the Name of Life, is Gracious, is Our Righteousness, of Power, and is the Glorious Name. Many hearts became open and souls came alive as the members were soaked in the presence of the King in the room and fed the Word of life in their souls. In 2022 Summer Retreat, 12 souls were baptized in the Name of Yeshua and many left recharged to serve the Glorious King Yeshua.

The 2021 Annual Summer retreat took place from July 11-13 in Canadensis, PA. The theme of the retreat was, “Awake, My Soul!” and over the course of five sermons preached by Pastor Jo Kim, COJ members were reminded of the critical importance, and therefore immeasurable worth, of the salvation freely given in Yeshua. Pastor Jo taught from the Bible on what it means to live as a soul, and the very real battle we face each day as believers. New and seasoned members alike were brought to repentance and prayer that refreshed their needed strength to persevere in a world which, even since one year before, has intensified its glorification of evil and disregard for what once was common rational thinking. Even so, that one more soul can learn of their belovedness in Christ and turn to Him for life, the Word very much focused on the good news of His grace. All thanks and praise was given to Yeshua, as COJ baptized 12 new members into His body, the church.

The 2020 Annual Summer retreat took place from July 12th-14th in Canadensis, PA. “Father, Give Us Faith,” as the theme, was an especially poignant prayer before and during, as COJ members sought to separate from the world’s climate of doubt and fear to nurture their souls with the Word of God.

Over the course of three days, several sermons were preached by Pastor Jo Kim and the gathering enjoyed fellowship that awakened joy which was long-dormant for some. Pastor Jo taught on Yeshua, who trusted the Father enough to lay down His own life, having 100% confidence it would be raised. Such a redemptive love, specific to Christ, was alive again within hearts. By God’s grace, 10 souls were baptized and a blessed night was spent praying, casting out curse, and watching young new lambs in the body of Christ receive the Holy Spirit. Yeshua is the almighty Father in heaven - this was the summation of the summer retreat, as those attending and serving alike were kept safe, and not only that, received new faith to trust that all things are possible for one who believes (Mark 9:23).

June 28th, 2020, besides marking halfway through a universally challenging year, was also a day for celebration, as Church of Jesus held its 35th Anniversary Service. Members young and seasoned alike came together with grateful hearts as they looked back 35 years to the founding of their second home. Though decorated that day with performances by Sunday School, Youth Group, and a mix of Korean and English ministry members, the original church gathering in 1985 was not quite as elaborate. Still, the same grace of God worked through one woman’s passion to spread the Truth to souls, and slowly but surely, Church of Jesus was built.

With that same passion, the founding Pastor SungKee Kang, led the Lord’s Day service. The Bible describes the church belonging to Christ to shine with brilliance, and those in attendance felt the Holy Spirit working to reveal as much as this. The final presentation was to “Song of the Beautiful Bride” by Paul Wilbur (click to see the video below), a hand-picked conclusion to a day of thanksgiving for the love Yeshua has shown COJ over the years. The members both on stage and off were honored to bow at the feet of the King, looking forward to the day He returns for His bride. 

Though more and more unpredictable seem the times, the chance to reflect on the victories provided by God to Himself through His Church gave the souls attending in person and online encouragement to march on.

Logos USA 10 commencement was held on March 15, 2020 with 47 graduates successfully completing the Logos Bible Institute, an intensive, year-long program that teaches the God-centered view of the Bible and the will of God. 

Pastor Jo Kim, Logos USA lecturer and English Ministry pastor, gave the commencement sermon that emphasized the values of knowing Jesus and the power of His Resurrection. We need to be found in Him and used for His purpose until He calls us a second time to meet Him in the air. Pastor Kim exhorted the class that they have the tools to know Him every day and to partner with Him to expand His Kingdom and lead souls to Him.

Pastor Sung-Kee Kang reminded the graduating class that they have been equipped to live by the Word of God. As disciples, who received the Holy Spirit, she said, we have three privileges: to know what the Truth is in Jesus, to be equipped with the language to speak the truth and to share in the call of making disciples of all nations.

On the following evening, the Logos graduates along with the Pastors shared a graduation/ appreciation dinner in the fellowship hall. The graduates shared their personal testimonies, reflecting on the lessons they learned during Logos. Many graduates expressed that through Logos they realized how ignorant they were in understanding the Word and the Plan of God. Through the Bible-based teaching they received in Logos, they felt better prepared to teach and confidently share the gospel with friends, family and those they seek to evangelize.