The Calling to Evangelism
Deaconess Baek BongHwa is a devoted woman who lives by the calling, “Life is evangelism, and evangelism is life.” Holding firmly to Romans 10:15—“How shall they preach unless they are sent?”—she goes from house to house sharing the gospel and always experiences God’s guidance. She testifies that whenever she went out with the sword of the Spirit—the Word of God—God led her to souls prepared to receive Him. She also confesses, “It was such a joy to seek out souls and share the Word with them.” For her, evangelism has been not only a way to save others but also a channel of grace that renews her.
Calling and Spiritual Growth
Although Deaconess Baek began her spiritual journey relatively late, she experienced the deep grace of personally encountering God through His Word. Introduced to the gospel by a friend, she began serving as a literature evangelist, but initially hesitated due to fear and a lack of knowledge. Her greatest burden was the pressure that “I must know God’s Word well in order to guide others.” One day, while attending an evangelistic meeting, she realized that God’s Word itself is the way to meet God. Clinging to Jeremiah 29:13—“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart”—she prayed earnestly and read the Bible six to seven hours a day. As the Word filled her heart, her fear of meeting people gave way to joy. The gospel began to flow naturally through greetings and conversations, and the grace of meeting the living God in His Word guided her steps toward the path of mission.
Deaconess Baek’s Evangelism Strategy
Her method of evangelism is simple yet unwavering. First, everything begins with prayer. She offers prayers of repentance and thanksgiving, entrusts her weaknesses to God, and pleads, “Lord, please send me to the soul I must meet today.” She testifies that God always responds with remarkable encounters. Second, she does not skip a single house. Even if it takes years for a person to accept baptism, she consistently visits and continues to show love. Third, she cooperates. Evangelism is never a solitary endeavor, but a ministry carried out in partnership with God, fellow church members, and pastors. Fourth, she opens hearts through practical service. She discerns the needs of people and shares love in many ways—through meals, errands, walking together, invitations to health seminars, and even offering rides. Fifth, she does not hurry. She does not pursue “quick results,” but instead continues in patience and kindness, sharing the Word as relationships grow. She believes that every step of the long journey becomes a testimony of God’s work.
Fruits of Ministry
Encounters led by God have left touching stories. One day, while coming down from the mountains after reading Scripture, she met a retired principal suffering from rectal cancer. His wife was struggling with depression. Through meals, health guidance, and sharing the Word, she ministered to them, and in time they both recovered health and faith, ultimately experiencing the grace of baptism.
Another time, in the middle of a cold winter on Ulleungdo, she met a man abandoned by his wife and dependent on alcohol. She shared in his grief, helped clean his home, and invited him to a church evangelistic meeting. He experienced comfort and recovery and came to accept faith. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she also experienced remarkable encounters. Before an evangelistic meeting where no one was expected to attend, she prayed earnestly. By chance, she met a man whose uncle had been studying the book of Revelation. Through this connection, his uncle joined the church, participated in prayer groups, and eventually received baptism.
She also visited a Buddhist family faithfully for three years. Through acts of love and service—helping with chores, offering transportation, providing support for detox programs—the whole family eventually accepted the gospel and rejoiced together in baptism.
Confession and Appeal
Deaconess Baek confesses, “Whenever I go out in prayer, God always leads me to souls.” Visiting homes to seek souls has become her greatest joy. Like her vow, “Even in the deepest valley, even in the darkest night, if the Lord is with me, I will go,” she dedicated her life wholly to God. “When hearts that seemed closed open to receive the Lord, like the walls of Jericho falling down, my heart overflows with gratitude and joy,” she says. She testifies that the secret of evangelism is this: it begins with prayer, is armed with the Word, and is carried out in love.She emphasizes that God chooses to use weak human beings, not angels, to carry out His mission. Through that process, He shapes us into the likeness of Christ. Deaconess Baek has gladly committed herself to learning Christ’s character and rejoicing in the salvation of souls. Even today, she knocks on the doors of people’s hearts, experiencing how God places those who need Him in her path. “When I empty my heart with prayers of repentance, pray earnestly for souls, arm myself with the Word, and step forward house to house, the joy of saving souls becomes my restoration and strength. This is surely the work of the Holy Spirit,” she confesses.
The life of Deaconess Baek presents both a challenge and an invitation to us all: “Let us be faithful witnesses and share the gospel together.”