On Sunday morning, one person indicated an interest in salvation.  After every service, Christians commented posetively about the marriage principles we learned. Thanks so much for your prayers.   It is great to work together for something larger than ourselves -the Kingdom of God!  The next Sunday, I went to India.  Click here for the India ministry.
Steve Nicholes, Mike's brother, leads the school.   To find out more about  working short-term  in the school, check out
www.wolkorea.org
Ministry Weekend in Korea
March 23-25, 2003
Several prayed and God responded!
After an 8 1/2 hour flight from Anchorage, Alaska to Seoul, Korea,  I am to take a 2 hour bus ride south, to Songtan. I do not have much time before the bus leaves, but I know exactly where to go because I have saved my notes from last year.  However, I have found that the bus stop for Songtan has moved!  To where? The nearby police officer does not speak a bit of english.  If I do not make this bus, I will have to wait another hour.   Finally, a sympathetic  Korean man understands  my  pronunciation of "Songtan" and points me in the right direction. I make it on the bus with about 60 seconds to spare. I am thinking, "Wow, God sure is taking care of things!" 
After a good nights sleep, it is Sunday morning and I have the pleasure of speaking at Mission Baptist Church, pastored by Charles Ross .
My goal is to encourage the Christians on the subject of, "Intimacy In Marriage,"  and of course, present the Gospel message. I am to speak in both of the morning worship services.
This church is made up of our American military, school teachers and missionaries, as well as some Koreans.  As we look at marriage intimacy from the Bible, everyone's attention is focused on the subject.
Some Koreans are listening to the sermon as it is translated into their language. Notice the small earpiece that this guy is wearing.  He is listening to the sermon in Korean.
Peter, a Korean brother I met last year, is doing the translating.  He is listening in another room with headphones.  He interprets what I am saying into his own microphone, which is heard through the earpiece.   Earlier, I had also e-mailed him a transcript of the message. So, he has an idea of where we are going in the sermon.  Koreans love to use the technology available.
After the morning services, I am really hungary (because, of course, I was too nervous to have a big breakfast.) So we do the logical thing:  We go get some Chinese food! 
As you can see, Koreans love to participate in the worship service.
In the Sunday evening service, Pastor Bae interprets for me again -as we talk about intimacy in a Christian marriage.  The people are listening intently.  I had wondered if there would be cultural obstacles in talking about marriage.  But, as my wife reminded me, Biblical
principles for marriage intimacy are for every culture.  The responses from people after the service indicated that she was right.

Word of Life Korea!
Word of Life Korea!
Mike and Alicia Nicholes direct  the seasonal ministry camps with the help of a great staff.
The Camps and the School
The Camps and the School
At camp, kids learn the Word of God in a fun environment!
Many are exposed to the Gospel for the first time, and Christians are challenged to have a deeper walk with God.
SYME - School of Youth Ministries in English is the second avenue by which Koreans are exposed to God's Word.
SYME  is an intensive one year English-only program for young Korean adults. It is a discipleship training school that gives a taste of youth ministry with classes in counseling, camping, life management, public speaking and evangelism.
What makes SYME so attractive to many of the  young people is that it is an opportunity for Koreans to learn English, as they learn God's Word.  Tuesday morning, I had the priviledge of speaking in chapel on the subject of "Godliness."  Each week the students learn about new subjects such as  evangelism, discipleship and spiritual gifts.
You might notice in a few of these pictures that the teachers are not Korean.  In fact, they are American.
There is a wonderful ministry opportunity here for those who  are interested.  SYME needs Christians who would devote one to three months of their time teaching Koreans. 
If you come,  there is housing and transportation waiting for you.  The teaching materials have already been prepared.  Just speaking English for these Koreans on a regular bases helps them to learn the language in a Christian atmosphere.
(Above) Toby Lee is a graduate of SYME and now works with the school.
Steve Nicholes, Mike's brother, leads the school.   To find out more about  working short-term  in the school, check out
www.wolkorea.org
Steve and Mike are both great guys to work with, and the kids are very fun!  It is really wonderful to be with a group of young people that have such a sincere desire to know God.
On Sunday morning, one person indicated an interest in salvation.  After every service, Christians commented posetively about the marriage principles we learned. Thanks so much for your prayers.   It is great to work together for something larger than ourselves -the Kingdom of God!  The next Sunday, I went to India.  Click here for the India ministry.
The bus has arrived late into Songtan and my missionary friends are not able to meet me, because of another obligation.  "I sure wish I had a cell phone for over here,"  I am thinking.  Amazingly, a gentlemen walks up holding a cell phone.  I am about to walk around the corner to use the pay phone, when he asks if I need any help. So, he lets me use his phone to call the missionaries, and will not accept any money for it.  So far so good!  Little things like this remind me that friends back home are praying.
Towards the end of my meal, we get some interesting news over the phone.  It turns out that the 2pm service at the Central Baptist Church, where I am to speak, will not be married adults. Instead, there will be about 75 single college age young adults.  So whats the problem?  Well, I was planning to speak on "Intimacy in Marriage!"
The question is: "Should I switch sermon topics, or adjust?"   God is impressing upon me to adjust.  I will use portions of the "Marriage sermon" to talk about how to recognize my future life mate.  This should be good for couples who are thinking of marriage. A little later, we are sitting in the church service.  We are enjoying the music time -at least most of us are. I still do not know what my "New" sermon outline is.  Amazingly, about one minute before I am to stand up, the outline becomes clear!  Even as I arrive at the pulpit, I write down a final thought for the sermon.  Obviously, people are praying -and God is responding!

I  notice that these guys and gals are really listening, laughing and contemplating what the Bible says.  This is definately a topic of interest.
The sermon is over now, and the jet lag is catching up. It is time to get some rest before the service tonight.  By now, you can probably guess the topic of tonight's sermon.

First, I want to tell you a little about getting to my destination, then the ministry update.
Monday  was spent in fellowship with missionaries and members from Mission Baptist, during an evening church dinner.  The church had "Date Night."  How appropriate for our topic of the weekend!  About 20 of us went out for dinner and dessert....and I was missing my wife!  Tuesday, the teaching ministry continued at a ministry school, SYME.