By Byeong
One of the most encouraging results of the PACE ministry is seeing ordinary believers become leaders of significant ministry.
At one church where I conducted PACE training, a woman marked “10” on the commitment circle, indicating that she wanted to serve in this ministry for the rest of her life. Even before the training, she had faithfully cared for and helped many people for years. In fact, her ministry was often more effective than that of some associate pastors. Yet she had been serving almost entirely on her own. Neither the church nor its leaders had fully recognized or affirmed her ministry. Although she had a deep passion for caring for others, that passion was slowly fading because she lacked encouragement and support.
During the PACE equipping sessions, however, her passion was rekindled. She realized that God had called her to this ministry and that she was not serving alone. Soon afterward, she became the PACE ministry leader in her church, and later she was appointed as one of our national PACE leaders. Her story demonstrates how proper equipping and affirmation can transform a faithful servant into a confident ministry leader.
Another example comes from one of the pastors in our PACE network. He told me that one day the church’s PACE leader, Mrs. Oakja Kim, came into his office to express her gratitude. She thanked him because the church had entrusted her with leading the PACE ministry. Through this responsibility, she discovered a new sense of dignity and self-worth.
Mrs. Kim had spent her entire life as the wife of a farmer, while also working as a farmer herself. She had assumed that her life would simply end as an ordinary farmer’s wife. Yet God had a different plan. Through the ministry, she became the leader of an important caring ministry in her church. Listening to her testimony was both moving and inspiring. It reminded me that God often raises extraordinary leaders from the most ordinary backgrounds.
I experienced another unforgettable moment while leading PACE training at a rural church. The training lasted two evenings, beginning on Wednesday night and continuing on Thursday night. Each session started around 8:00 p.m. and was expected to finish around 11:00 p.m. or midnight. However, on the second evening, the participants were so engaged that we continued until 4:00 the next morning.
Before concluding, I invited everyone to share what they had experienced during the training. Nineteen participants spoke one after another about how God had touched their hearts. Then one gentleman, Mr. Han, who appeared to be about fifty years old, stood up. He said that through the PACE training he wanted to make two promises. His testimony became one of the most memorable moments of the entire training.