In this episode, pastor, teacher, and advocate Eugene Cho joins Jedd Medefind for a conversation at the CAFO2018 Summit. Cho shares ways he’s seen a very good passion for justice get off track…and what it takes to get back to a vibrant, healthy place. The two also discuss why our passion must always be paired with deep Gospel roots, and how we can do that in daily and weekly rhythms.
In this episode, we'll explore:
- What can happen when justice becomes for us just a cause, rather than a response to the Gospel.
- An alternative way of practicing Sabbath for those who don’t get Sunday off.
- How passion for issues far off must always be paired with service near at hand.
Key Quotes
“The whole, profound, beautiful Gospel has to be at the center of it all so that everything we do is in response to it. People can use guilt and shame, and they use it because it works. But it is not sustainable. The gospel is sustainable.“
“Sometimes, our passion for justice in a far-off place can leave us feeling righteous, even if we’re failing to love the people in our own home. Passion for justice out there always needs to be paired with work our hands are doing right here.”
“[Habits like Sabbath and other spiritual rhythms are] part of God’s plan for the flourishing of my soul, for the marathon of discipleship.”
Resources and Guests
Rev. Eugene Cho’s many passions involve leadership, justice, the Gospel, and the pursuit of God’s Kingdom here on this earth. He travels throughout the world to encourage churches, non-profits, pastors, leaders, missionaries, and justice workers – whether this happens in churches, arenas, conferences, universities, or as a guest in villages, homes, mud huts, or makeshift tents for refugees.
Eugene Cho is the founding pastor of Quest Church – an urban, multi-cultural and multi-generational church in Seattle, Washington – which Cho is now helping transition to new leadership. He is also the founder and Executive Director of the Q Café, an innovative non-profit community café and music venue (closed due to relocation in 2015).
He is also the founder and visionary of One Day’s Wages (ODW) – a grassroots movement of people, stories, and actions to alleviate extreme global poverty.
The vision of ODW is to create a collaborative movement that promotes awareness, invites simple giving (one day’s wages) and supports sustainable relief through partnerships, especially with smaller organizations in developing regions. Since its launch in October 2009, ODW has raised over $7 million dollars for projects to empower those living in extreme global poverty. ODW has been featured in the New York Times, The Seattle Times, NPR, Christianity Today and numerous other media outlets. For his entrepreneurial work and spirit, Eugene was recently honored as one of 50 Everyday American Heroes and was the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Alumni Award from Princeton Theological Seminary.
Eugene recently released his first book, Overrated: Are We More in Love with the Idea of Changing the World Than Actually Changing the World?
Eugene and Minhee have been married for 21 years and have three children. Together, they live in Seattle, Washington.
Jedd has seen (and experienced!) that lives are turned upside-down when Christians begin to reflect God’s heart through adoption, foster care and service to orphans worldwide. This kind of love transforms not only vulnerable children, but also those who open hearts and homes to them. Churches begin to look different, too, as the entire community pulls together for children who’ve known great hurt. Finally, the change touches even onlookers, who encounter the Gospel not only in words, but made visible before their eyes.
Desiring to spur this kind of transformation through the Church, Jedd serves as President of the Christian Alliance for Orphans.
Through CAFO, more than 225 respected organizations unite in shared initiatives, along with a wide network of churches. CAFO’s membership works in tandem to inspire and equip families, churches and organizations for effective service to vulnerable children and families — from adoption and US foster care, to aid and empowerment programs worldwide.
Prior to his this role, Jedd served in the White House as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush, leading the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. In this post, he oversaw reform efforts across the government to make community- and faith-based groups central partners in all Federal efforts to aid the needy, from prisoner reentry to global AIDS. As described by the Harvard Political Review, these reforms “fundamentally changed the government’s strategy for improving the lives of the downtrodden…”
Previously, Jedd held a range of posts in the California State Legislature. He also helped establish the California Community Renewal Project, which strengthens nonprofits in some of the state’s most challenged communities. He has worked, studied and served in more than thirty countries, with organizations ranging from Price-Waterhouse in Moscow to Christian Life Bangladesh.
Books written by Jedd include Upended and Four Souls. He also writes articles and op-eds for publications ranging from the Wall Street Journal and Washington Post to Comment Magazine, and engages radio interviews with both faith-based and mainstream outlets, from NPR and Al Jazeera to Moody Radio. Jedd’s most recent book, Becoming Home, offers a brief-yet-rich exploration of how families and communities can embrace vulnerable children with wisdom and love through adoption, foster care, mentoring and more.
