A Quick Story

I have a quick story for you:

I went to a 'Bible Study' yesterday. It wasn't open discussion, like I'd expected it to be. That, I suppose, would have been too western, encouraging independent thought. It was rather more like a church service. We sat in rows of folded chairs, facing the front, and sang a few songs. Then the pastor came and delivered a 'lecture'. Or at least he began to. He wasn't fifteen minutes into it, though, before he stopped in the middle of his train of thought, and said,
"I don't feel like God's Spirit is here. Please give me just a minute."
And then he just stopped talking. I suppose he was praying, even though he didn't bow his head or close his eyes. It might have been an uncomfortably long silence for some, but I was intrigued. I've never seen or heard of a Korean figure of authority, especially a religious one, exhibit any degree of...well, of humiliation, for lack of a better word. Especially under the gaze of inferiors. It must have been hugely embarrassing for the Koreans present.
After a bit, he began again.
"I'm not going to teach what I prepared. I can give a dozen lectures, and teach you to know all about God, and you'd go away with religion. But religion isn't God."
And then he left his notes folded up, and proceeded to teach spontaneously.
I can't really say that I got a whole lot out of what he taught. His ideas may have been new to some, but they weren't especially to me. And I didn't entirely agree with all of his doctrine. That wasn't really the point, though. He spoke of God from his soul, and not from a page. I think I've finally found what I've been looking for in a leader: a man whose heart is soft toward God, and who is willing to be faithful to the point of foolishness. Someone who teaches about God because he loves, and not simply because he's expected to, or because it's his 'job', and he's payed a salary, and he'll be asked to resign if he doesn't fulfill expectations.
I had begun to wonder if I was being too picky. If I was perhaps holding out for a good orator, rather than a good man. If I hadn't been spoiled by Travis's teachings. But I know now that that' wasn't the case, and it rather relieves me.
At any rate, they're going to start an English church service this Sunday. I'll go, and rather expect it to be people with Koreans, almost exclusively. I'm good with that. I've been thinking about joining a Korean service, in order to have more opportunity to interact with Korean Christians. The only thing that had held me back, was that I didn't want to turn my church experience into a Korean study session, which is what it would be if the service was in Korean. But this will fulfill both expectations. A 'real' pastor, an English sermon, and lots of Koreans to interact with afterwards.
I'll let you know how it goes.
With love...