1. The Example of the Apostle Paul
When the Apostle Paul says, "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect" (Phil 3:12), he makes it clear that he is under no illusion that his life is flawless or that he has achieved everything. On the contrary, he confesses that he "presses on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold" of him. Paul's constant forward movement is rooted in his deep trust in the God who called him and in the fact that he has been apprehended by Christ Jesus. Therefore he refuses to settle for the limitations of the present and, "forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what is ahead" (Phil 3:13), he exerts himself tirelessly, declaring, "I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14).
Such a posture is not merely a reflection of Paul's personal willpower or human zeal. Rather, he identifies the fundamental source of that dynamic, living stance in "the call of God from above." Because the call rests on redemption already accomplished in Christ and on the heavenly reward yet to be given, Paul can advance without growing weary.
The theological and spiritual orientation revealed in Paul's letters offers profound insight to today's pastors and leaders who must shepherd the church. Paul's attitude-tying up the successes and failures of the past and refusing to be bound by them while moving straight toward the purpose set by God-is indispensable for contemporary evangelism and communal life.
That one who had violently persecuted the church became its planter and a globe‑trotting apostle of the gospel is no accident. Behind it stood the power of Jesus Christ who declared, "I have overcome the world" (Jn 16:33). Trusting wholly in that power, Paul did not lose heart even amid suffering, and though repeatedly brought to the brink of death, he devoted himself to "giving life and building steadfast disciples." As the saying goes, "We must never circle around or repeat ourselves but move straight ahead." Where does the power for such linear advance come from? Paul offers a clear answer in 2 Corinthians 1.
First, suffering teaches us to rely on God alone (2 Cor 1:9). When seeking security, humans easily lean on visible resources-wealth, power, fame. Yet the "death sentences" Paul often received were horrors no worldly asset could overcome. He confesses that he "despaired even of life" (2 Cor 1:8), but in that abyss he clung to the living God. Consequently he ceased trusting in his own or the world's credentials and relied solely on "God who raises the dead."
Second, in affliction God comforted Paul so that he could share the same comfort and salvation with others in trouble (2 Cor 1:4). This shows that the church's communal life is meant not merely to "celebrate good days and mourn bad days together," but to open for each other the path of life itself.
Pastor David Jang has emphasized such pastoral vision: to apply Paul's understanding of suffering, hope, calling, and reward to today's church in tangible ways. In laying the foundation of faith and order, he urges believers to practice viewing church trials through the lens of God's call, as Paul did. Modern life grows more complex, clashes with secular values increase, and even within the church conflicts, complaints, and disappointments can erupt. At such times we must ask Paul's essential question: "Why has God allowed this suffering?" The answer, he insists, is twofold: (1) to restructure us so that we rely on God alone, and (2) to let us share the comfort we ourselves receive with those undergoing the same pain.
David Jang stresses that in pursuing such goals the church needs "a breakthrough level of spiritual concentration matched by equally concrete preparation." Paul was not merely "zealous"; he planned intentionally. When he traveled through Asia and Europe planting churches, it was never a vague "I'll just go preach." He deliberately considered which region to visit first, whom to meet, how to preach, how to organize a local body. The same structural planning, paired with attentiveness to the Spirit's guidance, is required of the church today.
Instilling Paul's spirit of "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead" often demands that we refuse to rehearse personal failures or wounds, choosing instead to step toward a new chapter. David Jang counsels believers: even when God's past grace and works are undeniable, do not settle for them-or conversely, do not remain shackled by past losses and regrets.
What then drives us to keep "pressing toward the goal"? It is "the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Phil 3:14). This prize is an eschatological reward that anchors the community in hope; looking to it, the church can advance undeterred by the world's trials and confusion.
David Jang emphasizes that "God's work is fulfilled not when humans judge themselves ready, but when God appoints the time and season." Instead of waiting for circumstances to suit us, we must discern and prepare for God's timing with keen sensitivity. Jang maintains that when strategic thinking and spiritual discernment move together, the church's corporate vision bears fruit.
As the church follows Paul's path, a "shepherd's heart" toward the flock is essential. David Jang especially exhorts every member-steadfast disciples and even teens-to reject viewing themselves as mere children and instead to "cast the net of the Word, evangelize, and shepherd."
Ultimately, keeping in view "the prize of the upward call," the whole church must gain a unified sense of direction. When trials come, some, like prisoners in Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, may lose hope and give up life instantly. Paul, though equally convinced he bore a "death sentence" (2 Cor 1:9), overcame despair by fixing his eyes on "God who raises the dead," and he comforted and revived others. David Jang continually teaches his flock to adopt exactly this "Pauline faith and attitude"-to ask first, "Lord, why did You allow this?" and then to move naturally into serving others out of the comfort and power given there.
He also urges cultivating "the habit of writing"-daily records that clarify how one is living and what one is pursuing. Just as Paul's letters became Scripture that edified later churches, today's believers should accumulate and share their spiritual experiences, prayers, and ministry journeys so that future generations inherit clear direction and foundation. Such writing also helps individual souls stay focused on the daily goal.
2. The Community's Resolution Toward the Vision (Goal)
Paul's confession and race-"forgetting what lies behind and straining toward what is ahead"-do not indicate personal fervor alone. He delivered the same message to church communities, coworkers, and those he evangelized. For the contemporary church to recover such awakening, coworkers, leadership circles, and even denominations and mission agencies must sense and share a single "corporate calling." Pastor David Jang has spent many years concretizing that call: establishing headquarters, setting up centers, and strengthening church structures. Now, as those headquarters and centers near completion, he declares that it is time to focus on mass evangelism and gospel outreach through school planting. Formerly the emphasis was on laying the foundation of faith and order; now the pace of world mission must accelerate.
"We must never circle around or repeat ourselves but move straight ahead" is a strong declaration that despite countless failures, delays, and hardships in the church's history, we will not repeat or evade them but learn and advance. To facilitate such progress, David Jang calls every believer to keep "life records" so that no one loses their identity and mission.
He also teaches that gospel mission must never be reversed with financial concerns. In Scripture, mission always begins with "God's call." Paul did not embark on mission only after securing financial stability. Preaching the gospel was the first priority; economic matters were secondary. This "priority of calling" is critical today. David Jang says, "First, evangelize and set up steadfast disciples; after that we can do anything." Steadfast disciples-those who do not flee when trouble comes-must be firmly established in the church before explosive expansion of gospel work is possible. Jang insists that the moment to raise such disciples en masse is imminent, and the church must fast, pray, and labor for it.
He advises: "Pray, meditate, and record your life each morning; then begin the day's work, and repeat this every day." Just as the Holy Letters of Paul enriched later believers, today's church must accumulate stories, testimonies, and prayers.
As Thanksgiving Day approaches and the Christmas season nears, some may feel they have produced "only failure." Paul counted even his past achievements as refuse in order to gain Christ (Phil 3:8). Instead of wallowing in regret, we should echo Habakkuk: "Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior" (Hab 3:18). David Jang encourages: "Even if your personal hands seem empty, has not the church as a body borne much fruit? And do we not still have seed to sow for next year?" Therefore he urges believers to fully enjoy the feast of gratitude and stand once more at a fresh starting line.
In facing church difficulties, David Jang has long guided believers to find "the meaning of suffering" personally. Those gathered thus begin, like Paul, to comfort others voluntarily. This becomes the basis on which the church persuasively "gives a reason for the hope that is in you" (1 Pet 3:15).
From Paul and David Jang we may glean four shared core principles:
- Do not be held captive by the past ("forgetting what lies behind").
- Grasp the future "prize of the upward call" with certainty ("I press on toward the goal").
- Record, meditate on, and apply these truths daily ("the habit of writing").
- Build structures that embody and advance the corporate vision.
All this depends on "people seized by Jesus Christ" standing together. As the church rises to confess, "I too press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me," genuine advance and transformation become possible. On that path, the Word of Christ, the guidance of the Spirit, and the spiritual insight and shepherding of leaders like Pastor David Jang will work together for good.
