"One day I went to the church, knelt down and prayed, 'God, thank you so much. But I have nothing to offer you. All I have is my own body, but where could this be useful? I am a human of no use, and I have nothing to offer you. So I will offer you my own body. If you would accept my body, I would gladly offer myself." (April 2002, Monthly Chosun, "Interview with Pastor Ock Soo Park")
On October 7, 1962, after a young Ock Soo Park was born again after being forgiven of his sins through the grace of God, he wanted to give an offering but regretted that he had nothing to offer, so he decided in his heart to offer his own body. From this day on, his life was not based on his own way but completely based on the will God and focused on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The most important to him was to be where God wanted him to be and to live according to the image that God is pleased with. This is the primary reason why even through countless difficulties and hardships he was able to live an exemplary and sincere life of preaching the gospel. Finally, he received the attention of the media as the "New Leader in Christianity".
"Forty years ago during my ministry in Changpal-li, we were very poor and the chapel was hardly equipped. Especially in winter, I put on the Sunday School chart instead of a blanket, sleeping on the cold floor without heating. I feared, 'wouldn't I become a frozen corpse one day?' My home was close by in Seonsan, but lest I die depending on God, I did not want to go ask for help. One day, God showed me fish swimming around in the stream under the ice. He gave me the heart, "If God protects the fish under the ice, why wouldn't he protect me?' This heart helped me endure countless winters in my spiritual life." (Pastor Ock Soo Park's Testimony, "A Mustard Seed")
One with true faith of devotion is not tempted by or submitted to any difficulties because one with such faith has transcended a life based on individual profit and sacrifice. Life in the military often reveals the true image of faith because the military gives a lot of exposure to hardships and temptations. Many young Christians experience limits to their faith in the military, but the life of Minister Park was an exception. His service in the military between October 30, 1965 and June 8, 1965, clearly revealed his life of devoted faith.
"While I worked in the examination division, many trainees offered a lot of money requesting me to fabricate the test results for them to be dispatched to a southern base. Since this could easily be done, it was a great temptation. At the time I thought, 'If the Lord comes tonight, how would I receive him? No matter what, I should not disappoint the Lord,' so I was able to defeat this temptation. The Lord protected my heart through the truth that nothing I gain through breaking the Lord's heart is profitable." (Monthly Good News, August 2002)
"In the military God wanted me to read the Bible, pray, and preach the gospel. So I volunteered to be on duty from four in the morning, which was the shift that everyone hated. I spent these two hours to read the Bible and pray. Although I was a soldier, God allowed me to live like the military chaplain. I was able to lead the services every week and preach the gospel to many soldiers without going out of the base even once in the three years I spent in the military. By the time I was discharged, I was able to build a chapel with the support of the major general. Since God helped me in so many ways during my service in the military, my nickname became the 'Extremely Lucky Man'." (Monthly Good News, September 2002)
Even Pastor Park's life after being discharged from the military clearly shows that his decisions were not based on his own will or desire but on the will of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This means that his life was a life of complete devotion to God with a heart focused on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. This heart is at the core of his faith and at the core of over 40 years of his life consistently dedicated to the gospel.
The press covering Pastor Ock Soo Park takes note of the fact that problems commonly found is numerous ministers today are not found in the life of Pastor Ock Soo Park in the 45 years he spent preaching the gospel since he was born again in 1962.
"When I first began the church, I was afraid that I might lead the church and the saints in a wrong direction, so I led the church while praying and being guided by the Bible and the Holy Spirit. God led our church in the same direction that churches with the gospel had walked, so I can only thank and glorify God."
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