Dear Beloved Church Family,
Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. As we step into this new year, I am reminded of the steadfast faithfulness of God and the privilege we share in being His people. Each new year is a gift, a fresh chapter in the story God is writing in our lives. It is also an opportunity to deepen our commitment to Him and to His Word.
In recent months, we have seen an encouraging trend in our nation: a significant increase in Bible sales. By October of 2024, approximately 13.7 million Bibles were sold, a 22% rise from the previous year(https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/christianity-news/article-831788?utm_source=chatgpt.com.). Many of these purchases came from first-time buyers, signaling a growing hunger for spiritual truth. Amid global conflicts, economic uncertainty, and political challenges, countless individuals are turning to the Bible for guidance, hope, and peace.
The Reformers, such as Martin Luther and John Calvin, championed the importance of Scripture, emphasizing that the Bible is the ultimate authority for faith and practice. Luther declared, “The Bible is the cradle wherein Christ is laid,” urging believers to find Christ and His redemptive work in its pages. Similarly, John Calvin described the Scriptures as the spectacles through which we see God clearly, underscoring the transformative power of engaging with the Word.
John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, shared this passion for Scripture, famously calling himself “a man of one book.” Though Wesley read widely, he centered his life and ministry on the Bible, seeing it as the living Word that speaks to every generation. Wesley’s commitment to reading, meditating on, and applying Scripture serves as a model for us all.
As we begin this new year, I urge each of you to embrace or renew the habit of reading the Bible. Whether you are a seasoned student of Scripture or opening its pages for the first time, God’s Word has something profound to say to you. Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” In a world filled with confusion and uncertainty, the Bible provides clarity, direction, and the assurance of God’s unfailing love.
Let us also take to heart James 1:22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” Reading the Bible is not merely an intellectual exercise but a transformative journey. As we apply its teachings, we become vessels of God’s grace and truth in our families, workplaces, and communities.
My prayer for you in this new year is that you will encounter the living God through His Word and that your life will be shaped by His truth. There is a Bible reading chart inside this newsletter. I strongly encourage you to use it to read the entire Bible this year. May we, like Wesley and the Reformers before us, be people of the Book, committed to knowing and making Christ known.
Happy and blessed New Year!
Pastor Dr. Hyuntae Kim
