Power of the Uri-kiri and power of the Holy Spirit

Koot van wyk (DLitt et Phil; ThD) Visiting Professor, Kyungpook National Univeristy, Sangju Campus, South Korea, Conjoint lecturer of Avondale College, Australia

The Uri-kiri is a powerful social instrument in the Korean churches that is used also for secular and non-church activities. It is a team of people that play together and associate together and forms a self-expression unit in a cooperative way. As we have pointed out, it can be a powerful tool in the hands of the Holy Spirit provided that the members are all Spirit-filled believers. If some or all of them or most of them are sinning, corrupt, then one faces problems.

And that is what we faced when the Uri-kiri decided among themselves they are going to sack the pastor. They thought they can do things by themselves “we do it our way” and that they do not need a minister.

The pastor was approached by the head-elder to tell him people do not like his sermons. The other elders were angry that he did not tell them that he will approach the pastor. But, since he and his wife is the leaders of the Uri-kiri, they were adamant to stick to their position. The members of the Uri-kiri were invited one by one to their house and they were provided some food and instructed why the pastor is leaving and how advantageous it will be for him to go. For the one deacon they emphasized that money will be sent by the conference because there is no pastor and that money can then be utilized by the local church, an option that sounded well to the deacon. The conference policy is to send 30% of the tithe-income for the year back to the local church. If the church in the countryside is full of poor farmers then it is natural that they will eye the $3000 coming their way at the end of the year. Without the pastor of course. And that is the reason for them to take a dim view of ministry or ministers of any kind in their congregation. In essence the conference policy is designed to assist laymen ministry in local churches but in effect the outcome is, as is the case here, that it is an opportunity for getting hands on money, although for eating together or camping together or having picnics together.

So as of date all the Uri-kiri members then decided that the pastor should go since it is beneficial for them and that they can do the ministry by themselves.

They decided to call the conference and tell them that they need a pastor. That is before the pastor has announced in church that he is leaving. A gross error actually. It is putting the cart before the horse.

But then today was the day of the Holy Spirit and His power. Despite the strong decisions of the Uri-kiri and despite their actions to let him go and refusal to telephone calls to let him stay, the Holy Spirit decided today that He will perform a miracle. And this is how it happened . . .

My wife and I visited an uninformed elder yesterday to update him of the event and asked him to call the pastor to encourage him to stay. He called this morning a sister in the church who picked up the phone and called the pastor and asked him why do you want to leave the flock without a shepherd?

She then called the headelder and pleaded with him that the pastor should stay.

Then the Holy Spirit worked on us the same as with this elder and sister and we got in the car and drove over to see the headelder. While we were with the headelder we had to speak straight and my voice was high, self in the way, I spoke German since he can understand German. I pleaded with him not to be like Ahab and Jezebel against Elijah, what a shame he and his wife has brought over the church, how me and my wife will have to move to another congregation for the sake of the ministry since this church wants to send the pastor away and put pastoral garments on one of the sheep as substitute. I complained that he did not ask the elders’ opinion, that he listened more to the deacons than to the elders. After all the saber rattling, I came to the end of the speech, very tired and closed my case by saying “I have said enough. I wash my hands before the Holy Spirit with innocence.” My wife pleaded with his wife that her actions led to the Uri-kiri view to cast the pastor out since she dropped on and off negative comments about him. She denied that she ever said that and walked up and down and out of the apartment. We then all calmed down, the headelder saying almost nothing but just listening and then we prayed and my wife was full of tears praying for them and the issue. We left and in the car we said that we pray the Holy Spirit will be the afterglow with a miracle. And He did and this is how it happened . . .

The pastor was sent by the Holy Spirit to walk into the apartment of the headelder and his wife, the leaders of the Uri-kiri rebellious team, the chief rebels thus, just as we walk out. We did not know about each other.

He told them that he thought about his words to resign but since the members are not happy with his decision, he will rather stay. The miracle happened. Both the headelder and his wife said that is a good idea. Praise the power of God for his miracles. Even five minutes before closing bell, the Holy Spirit can do a miracle. When we got the news, members who wanted the pastor to stay were crying and sobbing with wonder, jubilation, joy, and respect for the headelder and his wife. We sent messages to the headelder and his wife to deeply regret our saber rattling. The reader will know that the Holy Spirit used it in His favor.

And we all live happily after . . . .