David Ross, the founder of YWAM in Korea and the Antioch Institute for International Ministries, spoke to the English-speaking congregation at the Korean World Missions Conference.
Meditating on the word of God and walking with Jesus is key to missions, David Ross, the founder of YWAM in Korea and the Antioch Institute for International Ministries, said at the Korean World Mission Conference (KWMC) at Azusa Pacific University.
"Everybody has a world view. Most people have a humanistic worldview,” Ross said. “But we want a biblical worldview. In order to have that, we have to read the Bible.”
A key aspect of reading the Bible is meditation, Ross explained. He told the audience that people are meditators, even apart from the 'spiritual' aspect.
“I am a meditator. It sounds like I’m proud until you realize that you are too. We all see things and we take them into our minds and into our hearts and we meditate on them.”
To illustrate the power of meditation, he reminded the audience of the story of David and Bathsheba.
“David saw Bathsheba taking a bath and as a result of those moments of meditation, a whole nation was almost destroyed,” Ross said. “We have to be careful to meditate on the right things.”
“Meditate on the Bible and God will speak to you,” Ross continued. He shared some steps he follows in his time of meditation.
“First, I read a passage. Then I ask God, ‘Is there something you would like to say to me?’ and I wait. That’s the conversation I’m having with God. It’s important to have a conversational relationship with him. When you have a friend, you talk to him or her and you have a conversation and it’s the most natural thing in the world,” Ross said.
“Meanwhile, the Holy Spirit is taking the seed of that word and planting it in your heart so that it will bear fruit,” Ross said, referring to “The Parable of the Sower” in Luke 8. “If you plant seeds, they take root and blossom. That’s the law of nature and the same thing happens with the word of God.”
When it comes to missions, burnout occurs when missionaries don’t live in the word of God, Ross observed. The key to missions is listening to God, speaking to him, responding to him, and obeying, he explained.
“Our God is the God of steadfast love. He loves even when his love is not returned. It cannot be destroyed when we sin. He keeps loving us anyway,” Ross said.
Not only does God love with steadfastness, but he also calls Christians to do the same in carrying out God’s mission, Ross continued, “to love the world with the same steadfast love. Love transforms hopelessness into hope.”
“The world is highly suspicious of God and the only thing these people are going to believe is love.”
Above all, he emphasized the importance of simply walking with Jesus.
“It’s a privilege to be a partner with the creator in the evangelization of the world. But walking with Jesus is what it means to be spiritual. Walk very closely with him so that when he whispers, you can hear him,” Ross said. “Just be open. Ask God to show you more and more of what he’s doing in the world and ask him, 'Can I be a part of that?’”
Meanwhile, Ross was one of the main speakers featured in the English track of the eighth Korean World Mission Conference, which takes place once every four years. The conference concludes on Friday.
