AN INTERVIEW WITH PASTOR JUNG (1997)

When did you become a Christian?

Early my sophomore year (September) at a revival meeting at the U of I

What were your ambitions and dreams coming into college?

To pursue engineering… I have an “engineering mind.”

When or how did you receive your calling?

It was the middle of my sophomore year. I was at this revival
meeting and I went up at the altar call after hearing a missionary give
a testimony. But the personal conviction came gradually throughout
college through different things like Urbana [missions conference], a
short-term missions trip, and Bible studies. Then I finally decided my
senior year to go to seminary… inclusive or exclusive of missions.

Can you explain what a typical day in the life of Pastor Jung is like?

It’s quite similar to that of the other pastors: morning prayer, the
office, meet people, play ball with people a few times a week, church
meetings in the evenings, and various practices (e.g. skits) after
Bible studies. It depends from week to week, but generally that’s how
it is.

When you are not doing ministry, what are you doing?

When I’m not doing ministry, I’m lonely (laughs). I was actually
thinking about this. What else is there to do for a 27-year old to do
without a job on a college campus if you aren’t doing ministry? The
only alternatives are to be lonely or to sin. But I really enjoy
spending time with students…what else am I supposed to do?

What do you consider to be your greatest dream or vision?

The Bible speaks of finishing the race. I guess what I’m saying is…
I want to be a remnant. I want to faithfully work out my salvation and
be saved on the last day. I want to finish. Right after I became a
Christian, I wanted to do all these things for God. I think I’ve
realized it’s not like I’m anything spectacular; I think I’ve come to
understand myself better. I just want to be faithful to God and finish.

What would you consider to be the biggest compliment for yourself?

I don’t know about the biggest compliment, but if I could only help
others to love God more somehow. Somehow through being a part of their
lives, that they would love God more. That’s what I really want.

Is there any talent or skill you wish you had?

Probably lots. More specifically, I wish I had the ability to make
good first impressions. I think I’m still kind of bad at it. I’m kind
of working on it. I’m the type of person you need to know for a period
of time to understand who I am. But that’s not always a good thing for
a pastor, since we are always making first impressions. But I think I’m
a lot better at it than say five years ago. But it’s something I need
to get better at, to become more “attractive” for Christ from the
beginning (laughs). Something like that.

What do you think are people’s first impressions of you?

I think people wish that I was less serious and more easygoing. But then again, I guess I am like that sometimes.

Who would you say are your closest friends?

Probably those I went to school with here at U of I and have gone
into ministry with. Some of those guys on the east coast who have gone
on to seminary to be pastors and those I’ve gone on missions trips
with, both my peers/team members in ‘91 and those team members I helped
lead later on. Those people I served with on the mission fields I feel
very close to. I don’t know if they feel like that (laughs).

How long have you been away from the campus of U of I? Is there any specific reason why you decided to come back on campus?

I’ve been away four years, and I’ve been here since about May/June
‘97. I’m here mainly to prepare for the future ministry. I think it’s
the most ideal place for someone like me at this point in my life.
Learning more about people, learning to minister, and CFC being the
place that it is, there are many different avenues I can implement
myself and grow. Since it’s such a big church, there are many different
ways to serve here, which translates to just mean more ways of learning
about different aspects of ministry.

What do you think people most misunderstand about you?

After people get to know me, I don’t think they really misunderstand
me, but in the beginning it can be difficult because I’m very bad at
verbalizing my feelings. Over the years I learned that I can’t just
care for people, but I need to show them that I care for them. I’ve
gotten a little better at it over the last five years. There’s still
room to be misunderstood. People could mean a lot to me but they may
not feel like it because I’m bad at expressing it.

You’ve been away from CFC for about four years. What are some of the lessons you’ve learned in the meantime?

There are tons of lessons. I went through pretty much everything at
CFC, like all the different Bible studies, serving as a small group
leader and officer, being involved in the missions program, things like
that. Though I never intended to, I kind of saw myself through the
responsibilities and the titles. When I left and started struggling
with the youth group by myself, I realized I really wasn’t who I
thought I was or who others thought I was. All those things that people
write in those birthday cards and collages given to me when I was a
Bible study leader, stating, “You’re such a great leader” or “You’re
such a blessing”… I realize all those things, though they really meant
it and were nice and were expressions of gratitude, don’t really mean
much when you really boil it down. In college I didn’t really realize
that. I saw myself as a blessing Bible study leader (laughs). The one
thing I quickly realized was that I wasn’t like that. I guess the
lesson was to humble me.

Going back to the question, I went through everything, but I don’t
know to what extent it became a part of me. I don’t know to what extent
the conditions and principles I lived by here became the core of who I
am. I think that’s one main thing that I need to work on while back on
campus. When I think about being in ministry in the future and being
out by myself, if I’m not one who lives strictly in obedience to the
Word of God and without compromise, that’s really bad. So while I’m
here I want to make sure who I am is one who just goes through the
programs but really lives by the principles. One of the skits this year
was about making the most of every opportunity while here at U of I and
at CFC. It is one of my personal convictions that while we are here we
are not needlessly giving our time and energy to meaningless things.
This is precious time and we really need to make the most of it to
change the core of who we are while we are here, so that when we are
not here we’ll be able to live like Christians. Being away and then
back, I feel more thankful and aware of what I need to do while I’m
here. So I’ll try.

How have you seen Pastor Min change?

(Laughs) Well, one thing that hasn’t changed… every time he
preaches, he still says, “Praise the Lord!” I think he’s done that
since the first time he stepped up to the pulpit at CFC. I think Pastor
Min’s changed a lot. Seeing him now and being in the same office from
day to day, I think he’s the one person who is constantly working to
change and improve himself for God. It’s really rare to see someone who
is actively working to change himself because changing oneself is so
hard. He’s always looking to expand and grow.

Let’s discuss this issue of you being a sentimental guy. It
strikes me that a math team president/CS major can be so sentimental.
What do you mean by sentimental?

Gosh, for example, when I don’t go out to the mission field for a
while, I miss it. When I train over a period of months with a mission
team and go through a summer, when we come back, I miss them. Stuff
like that. Even small groups I’ve led in the past…after a year of
struggles, at the end of the year it’s like there’s something missing.

What’s this about you and your poetry?

I wrote one poem when I was in college during finals week to
encourage my Bible study. Pastor Milo blew it out of proportion, saying
that I write poetry. I don’t.

What are your pet peeves?

You know when someone has a stuffed nose and breathing makes this
whistling noise…? It’s kind of like my pet peeve when someone next to
me is making that whistling noise, every time they inhale and exhale.

Any jokes?

Jokes are silly….

“What did the dog say when he sat on the sand paper?”

“Rough” (laughs)

Pastor Jung’s picks

Favorite Author: John Piper

Favorite Song: We Are Here to Praise You (It was sung a lot at the revival meeting I got saved at.); and Lord You Are

Favorite Musicians: The CFC a capella group

Favorite Sports: Baseball, tennis, basketball

Favorite Food: Not picky (something that will come in handy on the mission field)

Favorite Movie: Rocky

Pet Peeves: Disorganization

Favorite Bible Character: Peter… the only one I can probably
relate to the most… I go back to John 21 a lot. It’s the overall life
of Peter… his character and faith.