This update is late and I apologize. We have traveled some in the last few weeks and I have started an online course also. This has caused me to not have as much free time to write.
We have been in Korea for over 5 months now and have only received around $1200 of compensation. Several hundred of that has been from the pastor buying our groceries. In April, he gave us $200 and in May $600. When he talked to me in May, his first question was, "How much money do you have? Are you doing OK or do you need money?" I didn't answer the first question about how much money we have, because he didn't really need to know. I explained that it was time for us to start being paid. We were promised $2000 each/month for teaching. We haven't even had one month's salary for one person yet. I told him that we needed to see at least one person's salary this month because we can't live forever on no income. I know that God is the one who provides, but I also know that man should honor his word. I know that God uses difficult circumstances to develop His character in us. I have learned patience(which I didn't pray for), meekness (yielding my rights to be paid), humility, truthfulness(keeping my word), and deference(putting the needs of others before my own). After three months of prayer and study, I feel that it is time to confront the pastor. In Matthew 18, it tells believers to confront someone who has sinned against them and try to reconcile. I am planning on doing that this Thursday. PLEASE PRAY!!! I do not like this type of confrontation, but I feel it is necessary. As I have been studying character qualities, I have learned that we should be people of our word. As the Bible says, "let your yea be yea and your nay, nay." This pastor promised and contracted with us for a payment for services rendered and has not fulfilled it. He has purchased things that were not necessities for the school, has paid for a tour bus trip to Seoul for the school, but hasn't been able to pay us. As a pastor of a church the Scriptures say he should be above reproach. He is bringing reproach on the name of Christ by not fulfilling his promises. He also has started and grown this school on credit, not on the reliance of the Lord's provision. He goes deeper and deeper in debt each month. However, he talks about how he is going to have 5 or 6 classes in September, yet can't pay the teachers he has now. There are also philosophical differences on education between us. Lastly, there are Biblical differences between us. He is very liberal in his interpretation of Scripture in my opinion and he doesn't look at the historical background and context of the passages. He prefers teaching about having a vision for your life and positive thinking than giving a Biblical message. Once again, PLEASE PRAY as I will be talking to him on Thursday afternoon Korean time.
In His service,
Derek
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