by Samuel Choi

As a freshman in college, I remember meditating on Matthew 6:33 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” on the college campus and receiving the call to ministry from the Lord.

By God’s providence and grace, I was born into a Christian family.  At the age of twelve I received Jesus as my Lord during a winter retreat.  In 1987, I moved from Seoul, Korea to the U.S. at the age of fifteen, and my training to be a “radical reformissionary” in the global church had begun.

In my college days, I earnestly wanted to see the church reformed in the 21st century.  I desired to see another Reformation in the church – to be part of the historical movement that not only began in 1517 but from the beginning of human history! This desire led me to change my major to Classics which exposed me to the rich foundational sources of Western civilization with respect to language, literature, history, philosophy, religion and politics. Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree at UCLA, I attended Westminster Seminary near San Diego, CA. where I received training in Reformed theology through the Master of Divinity program.

My family began to grow in 2002.   After a brief long distance “Sleepless in Seattle” like courtship, I married Carol and moved up to the Seattle area for the next chapter of life as a husband, father and pastor.  In 2003, I was ordained as a pastor or teaching elder in the Pacific Northwest Presbytery of Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and served as an associate or English Ministry pastor in a first generation immigrant church. The Lord Jesus blessed us with two children, Karis (6 years old) and Kaden (4 years old) as we served in a Korean American church in Federal Way.

God convicted me in 2007, through a conference in Los Angeles, about gospel-centered missional church and evangelism.  Three questions that left strong impression in my heart and my mind were “What does Gospel centered ministry look like?”, “What does it mean for me to be missional?” and “How does evangelism look like where I live?” These questions were instrumental in making the decision a year later that would prove to be radical and unconventional to many people who knew me.  In November of the same year, Carol and I attended Church Planters Assessment in Atlanta, where we received a recommendation to plant a church that lived out the questions heavy in my heart.

In God’s providence, in 2008, I attended the Resurgence Conference hosted by Mars Hill Church in Seattle – my first connection to Mars Hill and “PTP” (pastor to pastor) training.   There I began praying and planning in earnest about a multi-ethnic church plant.  With great support from the current home church, we began to study the churches in the area during a six month sabbatical.  In July 2008, I began the church planter training program called “PTP” at Mars Hill Church in Seattle.  In October 2008, I became a member of Mars Hill Church.  I am so thankful and blessed to be at the West Seattle campus with my family.

To serve as a Mars Hill pastor is both a privilege and challenge. It is a privilege to be on a mission with a band of brothers who are on a mission for Jesus to reach out, without selling out, with the gospel – to love people, to know culture and to see the lives of people being transformed by knowing Jesus. On the other hand, a challenge to be part of a new Mars Hill church plant, in a new location and in a new culture to communicate the same gospel to a diverse group of people.  But in final analysis, just as the early church spread to different regions and people groups, I believe that the movement of the gospel goes beyond our familiar places and people groups.

I want to lead a new Mars Hill Church campus as we seek to transform the people in the image of Jesus Christ and the city in the Kingdom of God among its diverse cultures in Federal Way and the mid Puget Sound area.

Every day, I want to be found by Jesus who daily saves my lost purpose, motivation, and strength to live for the greatness of God’s glory.  After twenty years since the call to be a disciple and follower of Jesus, I still feel the passion and conviction for the greatness of God to be real in my life and the life of his people – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” Luke 19:10.

Note from the Editor: The West Seattle Campus is excited to welcome Samuel Choi to our Campus elder team. Pastor Adam introduced him from the pulpit on Sunday, February 15th, which marked the beginning of a two week waiting period in which we want to present Samuel before the body to ensure that he has a good reputation with outsiders.  If you have any concerns about Samuel’s qualifications to hold the office of elder please email them to elderprocess@marshillchurch.org