Pastor Walton spoke with Earl Rhee this week about his personal testimony, connections at Harvest Christian Academy, and work in coaching and business.
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Episode Transcript
Chris Harper: Welcome to Harvest Time. My name is Chris Harper, and our host on this program is Pastor Gary Walton, the lead pastor of Harvest Baptist Church. Every week, we spend these twenty five minutes together telling you the stories of our church by interviewing our members and other friends of the ministry. We’d invite you to join us at Harvest Baptist Church this week. We have two services on Sunday, 08:45AM and 10:45AM.
This week, it’s our Harvest Baptist Bible College Christmas drama, What Child is This? That will be featured in both services, 08:45AM and 10:45AM. Let’s begin today’s Harvest Time by welcoming Pastor Gary Walton. Hi, Pastor.
Gary Walton: Hey, hafa adai, Chris. If you’re listening into this today and you’ve never been a part or come to our Harvest Baptist Bible College, our HBBC Christmas drama, you really should come. Chris just mentioned we’re going to do it twice at both services this Sunday. And it’s just a great time where these young people have worked hard and they’re going to present a presentation of the Christmas story that will touch your heart. I can just guarantee you that it will.
They’re going to do some singing along with it and we’ll have some time looking at the Gospel story from the Scriptures. But it’s a great time together, and so I want to invite you to come. The question, What child is this? They’re going to answer it through the eyes and the view of a number of people that were there in the Bible times. And the ultimate answer, if I can tell you the end of the story, I’ll give it to you already, The end of the drama, the end of their reading and their drama together is that, what child is this?
Well, he’s the one who comes to save me. And that really is the story of Christmas. And I know that you’re going to be moved and encouraged by the presentation of our students, so let me invite you to come and join us this Sunday at either 08:45 or 10:45. Well, I’m really glad to have with me Earl Rhee at Harvest Time. Actually, with me.
We’ve done this a few years ago, but Earl, thanks for coming back and being on Harvest Time with us.
Earl Rhee: Thank you for having me again.
Gary Walton: Earl has been a member at Harvest, I think, for more than ten years. Gave testimony of your faith in Christ and was baptized, I think Pam told me back in 2010, sometime around there. And then also, he’s a graduate of the Academy, Harvest Christian Academy, at the same time, about that same year.
When did you graduate?
Earl Rhee: Yes, so 2010. And just a little refresher course because I have been here before. But I was saved when I was five years old. And so shout out to miss Groggins. And, you know, we actually connected not too long ago.
This is kind of a crazy story, but it really kind of shows how Harvest’s family tends to take care of each other because, I don’t know if you remember, but Mrs. Martin, Mr. And Mrs. Martin, they went to Georgia. Yeah.
And she had stayed in touch with Ms. Groggens for all this time. And, Ms. Groggens at the time was in Korea, she was looking for a job back in The States. And so she got reconnected, with or she talked with Ms. Martin,
and she helped, her get a teaching position at Georgia. And so me and Mrs. Martin kept touch, and then one of these days she was just like, Oh, do you wanna talk? I shared with Mrs. Martin the story of how I was saved when I was in kindergarten, and Mrs. Martin
was like, Oh, would you like talk to Ms. Groggens? Wow. That’s crazy. Yeah, so I got to talk to her and I actually told her, You’re the reason why God used you to share the gospel to me, and I understood it when I was five years old, and I remember kneeling beside my mom’s bed and my parents’ bed and prayed that prayer.
And so, hopefully, she knew that all that work as a teacher is not for nothing. You definitely touch people’s lives with that.
Gary Walton: Wow, that’s really powerful. No, I didn’t hear that before. I want to ask you about that here in just a minute, a little bit more of the details of that, Earl. But just to kind of catch people up, so you graduated from the academy here, went away for college, right, went to Texas.
Earl Rhee: Correct.
Gary Walton: Spent, graduated there. What was your degree in college?
Earl Rhee: I graduated with a finance degree.
Gary Walton: Okay. And then spent, I don’t remember, five, six years in Texas working in finance, right?
Earl Rhee: Correct. Yeah. Six years in Houston. I was working for a company that helped manage a retirement plan for an oil and gas company. I know that’s a lot of words, but basically it was just, Yeah.
But part of the reason why I came back was just because it was sort of as boring as it sounds, probably to a lot of listeners. But, it’s because yeah. I I mean, you’re just there, and you’re just working on spreadsheets all day. And then you know what, there’s got to be more to life than this.
Gary Walton: Yeah. Well, that’s really cool. I remember when you first came back, I mean, not very long after that and talking about it, you weren’t sure what was happening right then. I mean, you knew you didn’t want to stay doing that in Texas, but you didn’t know if Guam was long term and really just searching for what God’s plan was. I mean, God had grown you while you were there.
You were connected with churches and all that, but come back. And, you know, fast forward a few years to now, you’ve just of branched off and started your own business, right? Yeah. Tell us about that.
Earl Rhee: Right, real estate. So one of the reasons why I came back was because my dad’s in the real estate business, and so actually he was the one who opened the door for me where I was already thinking about switching jobs at the time when I was still living in Houston, and he’s like, Hey, why don’t you just try real estate? And to be honest, he was one of the reasons why I went into business in the first place, know, wanted to study business in college, was because I would I remember him meeting his clients, and, you know, he would meet meet them at the beach, you know, he would have orange juice. But, you know, I was like, this is really cool. And so so I was like when I was thinking about changing jobs, switching careers, I was like, why don’t I just try this for a little bit?
And at the time, I’ll be honest, it was sort of like a temporary thing.
Gary Walton: Yeah. Remember that. Yeah.
Earl Rhee: Yeah. I was, like, supposed to be here for two years, and then I was studying for the, GMAT, which is basically the SAT version for business school. But, you know, Guam does this interesting thing to you where it kinda, draws you in. I don’t know if it’s the beaches, but it’s probably a little bit of that, the family
Gary Walton: And people, right?
Earl Rhee: Correct, yes. Yeah, and
Gary Walton: you’ve got a lot of connections here from growing up on the island and family and friends and all that. You’ve been very involved in the soccer community as well from the time you were little. Right? Your dad was a coach soccer coach here on island. A couple different, you know, significant roles.
Earl Rhee: Right. And coached Harvest too Yeah. For the high school team. And so, yeah, right now, coached the middle school soccer team. We wrapped up our season the previous semester, and then now, you know, I helping out with the high school soccer team.
They’re currently going into playoffs right now. We’re currently in second place. And so, yeah, it’d be great if everybody came out and supported, the team as we go through playoffs. I think this year is gonna be a it is a great group. Great group of kids, not just in talent, but in terms of character and personality.
Just a solid group of kids. So, I know a lot of them, they’re gonna they’re seniors right now, and they’re gonna be graduating after this year. So, you know, they’ll definitely be missed. But, you know, until then, we still have a job to do, and, you know, hopefully, we’ll we’ll we’ll take home the championship.
Gary Walton: Well, I know, you know, you, have some of that from your dad, of course, who coached, you know, all along, coach Harvest, and then along with the parts of the national team. Is that right?
Earl Rhee: That is correct.
Gary Walton: Okay. But tell me, why coaching? I mean, why why do you get that? I know you’re a busy guy anyway. You know, you spend a lot of time with kids.
You know, what’s the point for that?
Earl Rhee: Right. You know, so coaching is very special because it’s a way to give back of what you learned, and you think about the coaches that have influenced your life and the fact that you can do that, and you can sort of give back. It’s just I think once you play for a certain amount and you gain sort of all this experience and you gain a little bit of leadership towards the end of your playing career too, I think for a lot of people, it’s natural to sort of step into that coaching role. For me, you know, also, my playing style was also very much, you know, I was kinda cerebral. I’m always thinking about the game, you know, you know, how to progress the ball, things like that.
And so I think it was just natural for me to gravitate towards that part of the sport. And so, but there’s a lot of other things to, coaching as well is building this relationship with those players and not just caring about their on field performance, but really caring about who are these people going to be. And I’ve given them advice not just about soccer, but really about life as well. And I think coaches are in a sort of a unique position where they can provide that and that players can also sort of, you know are actually more open to that kind of advice because they know that, oh, it’s not just a matter of form a coach saying, you know, oh, you know, do this or that. You know?
They’re not trying to control them. It’s more of like, hey. I actually care about you, and I wanna see know? I I want what’s best for you. And so I think sometimes it might even be better for coaches might be in a better position to give that such advice.
Gary Walton: Yeah. I really think that’s true. I’ve been saying this for a long time. You know, when I look back on my high school and college years, there’s not much question that outside of my parents, my family, the people that had the most influence on me were coaches, particularly in college. But, impacted me in just my personal character, the discipline, the work ethic, the steadfastness, courage to fight through tough times, don’t give up, you know, all those things.
But, I’m super thankful that I had some coaches that were genuinely spiritual mentors for me as well. They showed me that you could be an athlete and competitive at you know, the highest levels, at least, of your own experience, and at the same time have a testimony that was, demonstrating, you know, your faith in Christ, and you could genuinely show Christ even on, you know, a soccer field or a basketball court. And so those influences were really powerful for me, shaping me in, you know, in many, many ways, for the rest of my life. Right. And then I also realized, you know, I coached a little bit, high school level, a couple different stints.
And even now, the relationships that a coach has with people are just different. There’s something about, you know, that intensity of the experience of all the work that goes into it and going through really intense circumstances together. It just binds you together. And I still I mean, it’s been a few years since I’ve coached and at that level and I still have people that contact me regularly. And I always know it’s soccer because it’s coach instead of Pastor, you know?
Hey, coach, and that sounds a little funny to me now. But they still stay in touch because of that bonds that develop there.
Earl Rhee: Right. And, you know, for a lot of people, you know you know that saying, it says, you know, sports is how people go to war now. And I think it’s very true where it’s a very intense period where everybody comes together, you know, and then there’s a leader of that group, and we’re all working together towards a common goal. And I think there is a certain kind of, like, bonding in that experience and a brotherhood in that experience.
And I think it’s, you know, whether you win or lose, you go through it together. If you win, you know, you learn how to win, you know, together as a group. Also, in order to win, you have to be cohesive. Right? And so just learning how we can go through the conflicts and, know, there’s always ups and downs in the season, but just going through that as a team, yeah, there’s really not many life experiences like it.
And so that kinda is what draws me in. But, yeah, it is a lot of work and it is a lot of effort, but I would say it’s very rewarding in the end.
Gary Walton: That’s awesome. I love that. I’m thankful that you’re, willing and serving in that area. Let’s back up to, you you said five years old, really a teacher. What was it about that that impacted your heart where you felt like I need to talk to my mom and I really want to give my life to Jesus?
Earl Rhee: So I think it was obviously, I think there there is just a sense of no one can really explain what happens when someone is going through salvation because I really do feel like I really do believe that it’s God who decides. Yeah. And I don’t know what exactly brought me to, you know, just the the fact that I was able to understand at that age. Yeah. I think part of my experience is also the fact that I had supportive parents, and I had parents who were godly people, and so me growing up within church and seeing that they cared about people and showing me what love is, I am very thankful for that.
And so when they brought me to Harvest and so that I became a student there, It think was Harvest and their teachers, I think, play a really important role in kids’ lives because, you know, in the in the case where if Harvest said that they were a Christian school and yet the teachers didn’t reflect that, then I don’t think they would have as much of an impact in the kids. But for me, at least, because it was a Christian school and I go there and I learn about Jesus and I learn about God and then the teachers actually live out God’s love, I think that really, shows the kids, Oh, maybe there is something here. Maybe there is truth here. And so that’s when I think that really helped me, especially with Ms. Groggens and just how loving she was and how caring she was to us as kids.
I think all of that kind of brought me to a point where I was ready to accept the Gospel. But again, I think the Holy Spirit just that day, salvation, the good news is spelled out, I think. And it’s so simple, especially with kids being able to understand it, because like God said, salvation is very simple. It’s not something that’s very complex, and it makes the wise foolish and the foolish wise. And I think there is truth to that as well.
Gary Walton: I really love what you said and actually in two specific things, I think this is one of the summaries of the Gospel and of salvation. You said you understood it, right? So even as a young person, you could understand the basic ideas. This is who Jesus was, this is what He came to do, this is why it matters, alright? But that’s a mental understanding.
But you have to understand that, right? You can’t just believe generically. There has to be the belief of the truth. So that understanding. But then in addition to that, it can’t just be that understanding.
There’s something that took place that only the Holy Spirit can do, which is this conviction in your heart that says, Man, this is true and I believe it and I need to do something about this. I need to give my
Earl Rhee: Right. And I want it.
Gary Walton: Yeah, I want it. I want So it in my those two pieces, the understanding, mental, but then this thing that has to happen in the heart that only the Holy Spirit does. And it doesn’t matter the age, that’s always the same formula. You’re five years old or 10 years old or 25 or 55, the same two basic things take place. So that’s a pretty cool explanation for that.
So you became a Christian at that time. Was spiritual growth automatic from that point? I mean, just from then on, you were like a good Christian.
Earl Rhee: You know, this is hard to explain because I I think growing up as a a kid in a Christian home, you know, there’s a lot of things where you and I think when growing up, I was trying to be I I was trying to be a lot more, you know, I I was trying to please my parents, and I was trying to do the right thing. And so there’s that. But how much of it was just, oh, I’m a it’s a matter of me, obeying my parents versus me wanting to actually live for God? And I think as a someone growing up in the Christian household, it could get a little bit, confusing or maybe it’s just, you know, or maybe that’s just the way God wanted it to be. And so, you know, I would say though that there were definitely peaks and valleys.
Yeah. Like all Christian journey, I would say that there was there had to have been a point in time where I had to decide, you know, is this going to be my parents’ faith or is this going to be my faith? And so that that came to me after I graduated college. I know it’s skipping ahead a little bit.
Gary Walton: It’s alright. It’s good.
Earl Rhee: You know, I would say that when I, when I went into the world on my own and I graduated, I started my own career, I think that’s when you sort of go through those trials, alone. And, you know, you have parents who have supported you all through college, and college is sort of like a microcosm of, you know, just a bunch of young people living together and life is easy and it’s fun and you’re just playing sports all day. But once you go out into the real world and you’re you get stuck in the building for eight hours a day and you’re like, what am I doing here?
Gary Walton: Right.
Earl Rhee: Yeah. I think that’s when you sort of realize, okay. You know, what what do I want with my life? And I think that’s when I started my my gear started turning and I really started thinking about, like, okay. What does Christianity actually mean for me?
And why am I going to church on Sundays when no one is telling me to go? Mhmm. I know it’s out of habit, but, you know, why is it a habit? And why was I taught, you know, this is the right thing to do? And so that’s when I really dug deep into my faith and said, okay.
You know, I I love God, for example, and is the Bible correct? And does does the Bible want me to go to church on Sundays and fellowship with, you know, fellow believers? And so, you know, once you sort of ask yourself all these questions of, like, why do I do these things? And you’re just really honest about it, I would, you know, dare say that more often than not, you’ll find that the Bible and what it says is completely true, and it’s what’s really helpful for you, you know, in life because, you know, there’s a reason why, God put those things in place, not for his you know, obviously, for us to glorify him, but also really for our benefit too.
Gary Walton: Man, thank you for sharing that, Earl. I mean, that transparency and openness about that journey for you, because I think that resonates with a lot of people. That’s not unusual, the story that you just told, some of the peaks and valleys of your spiritual walk, And then but through all that, God proves himself faithful. Yeah, that’s really great. So you’re connected with a lot of high school students because of the coaching part, middle school students.
If you could go back and talk to your high school, you know, your junior year self, Earl Rhee, junior in high school.
Earl Rhee: Okay. I’m there.
Gary Walton: What would you say? Now, what would you say back
Earl Rhee: I to would say don’t worry. I would say don’t worry. I tend to be a natural worrier, and I think it’s helped me for the most part in actually making sure that I get things done and that I’m moving along in life. But I think there’s a part of me where I worry too much. And I do think that, you know, maybe worrying at all, right, it’s a lack of faith.
And, you know, if I were to tell my the high school version of me all over again, hey. Just don’t worry. Whatever will should happen will happen because God is in control, and you’ve already placed your life in God’s hands, and there’s really nothing that you need to worry about just because, you know, if you think you have everything that you, all the tools that you have in that you have just to make your life successful, then more often than not, you’ll likely fail or you’ll likely go in a direction that you really shouldn’t be going. And so and and at the end of at at the end of that life, you know, what is your life going to look like? You know?
You you might get bitter. There might be disappointments. Whereas if I really just completely trust in God and, you know, just say, you know what, day by day, each step, I’ll let Him, guide me where I should go next. I think a lot of times, if it the things that I worried about really just either I shouldn’t have worried in the first place or they just work out anyways. And if anything, it turns out better because you tend to have a better attitude about it.
Yeah. And you tend to have a much more brighter outlook and a more positive attitude. And usually, that kind of positivity tends to, bring other people to want to help you in whatever your goals are and things like that. And so, and I do believe that’s God’s way of bringing people to your life to help you, you know, whether it’s, you know, whatever academic, sports, work related thing it is, you know, I think God does place people in your life if it’s something that God wants in your life ultimately. To tell high school Earl, don’t worry so much.
Gary Walton: Love it.
I think it’s good advice. I think it’s good advice. So currently, what kind of things has God well, not even just currently, over these years, what kind of things has God used to help you grow?
Earl Rhee: Well, first of all, our lunches, they’ve definitely helped. And I think having that constant communion and fellowship with people in the church has definitely helped. I’ve had mentors come in my life, and even members of our church, Uncle Warren or Warren Han, he’s a mentor of mine, we would grab lunch and we would just talk about spiritual matters. He was originally supposed to be, like, a spiritual and and business mentor, but we end up talking a lot about, you know, the spiritual matters, which, you know, I I love that he he prioritizes that, and he’s helped me to prioritize that and think about, you know, things that are above. And from there, that should really dictate how, I should live out my business life too.
And so, you know, I appreciate, that kind of mentorship that he’s provided me. I’ve also, just being connected with the church, in one shape or form. You know, I’ve been doing the translation for the Koreans, for the Korean, part, you know, doing translations there, and, you know, it’s been really good. And I’ve been able to meet people through the Korean translation services and been able to connect with people like that. So I do think being connected with the church has definitely helped me a lot, and just having that godly fellowship with others.
Gary Walton: Yeah, good stuff. Maybe one more question. I’m going take an extra minute for this.
Earl Rhee: Sure.
Gary Walton: So what are the personal challenges to walking with God at this stage of your life? I would say I think everybody goes through this,
Earl Rhee: but I think there is always the two voices. Right? The the worldly nature and then the spiritual self, and then they’re always battling. And so for me, I might want something, like a goal, some kind of mission in mind, but I always have to come back and say, Okay, is this something that God wants as well? And just having that mentality of, this the worldly self that is speaking with me, or is it really the spiritual self?
And it could be something that’s completely innocuous. It could be something that’s not sinful. But is this where God wants me to go? So I think bottom line, it’s just something that I have to pray about a lot, Then sometimes I just get spiritual feedback from other people, like my friends who go to church here and my parents, of course. I think that’s helped me a lot, but it’s a constant challenge for sure.
Gary Walton: Life is challenging and it, you know, we’re kind of tracking back on your life, you know, from five years old through elementary, you know, there’s challenges in middle school and high school and college, and then you’re starting your career and even now, I mean, there are there are personal challenges along the way. And I think God uses in fact, I know God uses even those things in his process of helping us to grow. And I’ve loved watching that in your life over the last few years. I know that God’s got good plans for you. Earl, thank you for being willing to talk about it here today, praying for God’s blessing on your life.
Earl Rhee: Thank you. Thank you for having me here.
Chris Harper: And thank you for listening to Harvest Time. Of course, at this point in the program, we always want to invite you again to services this week at Harvest Baptist Church. Don’t miss our Harvest Baptist Bible College Christmas drama. It’s called What Child Is This? It’ll be featured at both services, 08:45AM, 10:45AM this week.
We hope to see you on Sunday. Thanks again for listening to Harvest Time.