Printer friendly version

Cornerstone Communications
Korea
December 07, 2005

Dear Friends & Family,

Greetings from Seoul! The song, "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas" is certainly appropriate for Korea right now. Snow flurries and blankets of snow cover the trees, bushes and hills as we prepare for a wonderful Christmas production of Christ's miraculous entrance into our physical and spiritual world. It's the best way to get ready for the holidays!

Production Update

With the cast in place, rehearsals continue on a nightly basis, with daytime filled with meetings for production, design and promotion. We have been granted the use of Yoido and its 10,000-seat sanctuary, for free! What a blessing that will be! Best of all, we'll have a chance to reach many more people with the Gospel, holiday style! Please pray for the Korean cast, the costumers, the props people, the set people, the lighting people, and me, as we prepare to share the Gosel of Jesus Christ, through a colorful musical, "Two from Galilee"!

Travel Notes on Korea

Korea dates back some 5,000 years, with Seoul being about 600 years old. The Cheonggyecheon River runs through Seoul, and is a beautiful site where many Koreans can be seen walking and enjoying the river, trees and flowers with their children. The traditional culture of Korea is very much alive here, and UNESCO has named 7 important sites in Korea as parts of the World Cultural Heritage.

Working with some of my Korean actors, I teach them the moves to one of the opening dances in the Christmas musical, "Two from Galilee"

With 70% of its land mass covered by mountains, Korea has four distinct seasons. Korean food is synonymous with health food, and serve lots of wild vegetables and seafood. Of course, there's the ever popular, kimchi, a fermented cabbage or other vegetables covered in a spicy red pepper paste. My favorite? Bulgogi, a marinated barbecued beef, and bibimbap, which has 30 different vegetables served over rice.

Korea is 60% Christian, and tiny red neon crosses can be seen peppering the nighttime skyline, as thousands of crosses can be seen. Truly, a sight that makes every Christian stare at in wonder! I can personally tell you that next to the U.S., Korea sends out the most missionaries, as I work with Korean missionaries around the world.

How to Have a MARY Christmas

"Two from Galilee" is a musical love story of how Joseph and Mary (could've possibly) met, and fell in love. This past week, I have been pondering all that Mary must have felt when the angel Gabriel announced to her that she had found favor with God, and would conceive once the Holy Spirit came upon her. Luke 2: 38 "Mary responded, ‘I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever He wants. May everything you have said come true."

At a recent Christmas concert, the audience was treated to Christmas-Korean style! It was truly beautiful, because they sang and danced Christmas music in praise to the Lord!

Mary serves as the PERFECT example of how each of us should live our lives. She was godly, and lived a life of purity. When the Lord spoke to her, she offered no excuses, but immediately, by FAITH, received whatever it was that God wanted to do, even though she didn't fully understand what the Lord intended. Imagine the pressure, being a teenage girl, pregnant and single, in that day (and today) . Imagine how much harder it was to approach her betrothed, Joseph, and give him the glorious/embarrassing news that she was "with child".

So often, we want a God of convenience. We'll serve Him as long as He fits into OUR plans, our timetable, and our over-packed itinerary. Many Christians are like that. Of course, no one ever thinks they're that way. It's "someone else" who is giving God their "leftovers" of time. My friend, it's US that I refer to! Mary didn't give God any excuses, or stories. She immediately accepted His plan for her! She didn't think about it, pray or even fast. NOW! When God calls you to action, do you respond immediately, or do you have to wait for "a miraculous sign from heaven" before you do respond?

I remember back some years ago, I was driving to get a haircut, and I was worshipping the Lord in my car. The atmosphere was wonderful, as I worshipped the Lord! I could sense His presence. Then He so softly said, "Go get your haircut here" (He was referring to a barber college I had just passed) . I said, "No, I don't go there. They're learning. I like my stylist". I then began to continue in worship. "Oh, I love you Lord, and give you my life. Use me…." Suddenly, the worship was stagnant, and the Lord said, "Go get your haircut there". I was annoyed, and turned the car around. I went in the school with a bad attitude.

Having dinner with Mrs. Cho and with an elder from Yoido, and one of the musical's sponsors, Mr. Chang. They are hugely responsible for Korea's great Christian movement.

A young man approached me nervously, and led me to his chair, and said, "Be patient, as this is my first haircut with a real person"! That was NOT what I needed to hear! I was upset that God would make me do this. What's the point? However, I did decide to be "civil", so I chatted about trivial things.

Somewhere in our conversation, I mentioned that I was a Christian. He said, "Really? That's wonderful! I just accepted Jesus into my heart one month ago, and then I moved to Dallas to go to this school. I haven't met any Christians, and I don't want to hang out with people who are drinking and partying. So, I prayed just 15 minutes ago that the Lord would send me someone to talk to about Jesus! Wow, prayer works!"

The excitement and his innocence was more like a dagger of conviction. The Lord was hearing this young man's prayer, and answering it by having me, the closest to him at the moment of his prayer, go to him. I'm glad I was obedient, but what an attitude! Is God speaking to you, only to have you argue, or worse, disobey what He's asking you to do?

I had a chance to meet Dr. Andras Batta, the Rector of the highly respected Liszt Ferenc Music Academy in Budapest, Hungary, and interpreter, Lee Han Kee. We pose in Dr. Cho's office as we both wait to meet with him.

Luke 2:35 "The angel replied to Mary, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." May I ask you a question? How does a woman conceive? The answer is through intimacy. First, there must be a covenant relationship between herself and a man. Secondly, both parties must go to a place without disturbances, and simply be alone. They must be naked, and lastly, lie together in intimacy. After this repeating scenario occurs for some time, conception will follow.

You see, the reason that the Lord established marriage as the first covenant was because marriage is simply a TYPE of what our relationship with God should be. We're to be in love with Him, desire to spend our day with Him, communicate constantly with Him, and to be intimate with Him. So, how do you conceive? First, you must have a covenant relationship with God, through His son, Jesus. Second you must go spend some quiet time with Him where you can't be disturbed. Then, expose yourself to Him for what you really are. No excuses, stories, titles. Nothing. Be yourself. Worship and love Him. When you do this, then, like Mary, "the Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you", and God will make you "pregnant" with vision, with ministry ideas, with ways of serving Him!

Mary was a mighty woman of faith. However, even Mary herself would tell you that she is NOT to be worshipped, and that all praise and glory belong to Jesus, not her. Mary serves as fine example to all of us, who, as saints, desire to be used by the Lord to make a difference to the world around us. So, my friend, have a MARY Christmas this year!

Annyeong-hi Keseo!

That's Korean for "Good bye!" May the Lord continue to bless you as you prepare for a wonderful Christmas season. I'll be here right up to Christmas. I'd love to hear what your plans are for the holidays. God bless you, and please stay in touch.

For the Kingdom,
Richard Montez