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Ryun Chang (PhD, Fuller) has been in ministry since 1982 during which time he had the privilege of serving the Lord as pastor, teacher and missionary (Mexico). For the past ten years, he has been serving as the Teaching Pastor of Acts Ministries International (AMI), a consortium of pan-Asian churches in several states and East Asia. His published works are: "Manual de Misionología" (Editorial Continental, 2005); "Theologizing in the Radical Middle" (Wipf & Stock, 2018); contributor to "Reshaping of Mission in Latin America" (Regnum Books Int'l, 2015). Upon seeing how COVID is altering the mode through which people learn, he decided to record the many things the Lord has taught him over the years and share them with the larger audience. Thanks for tuning in. God bless.

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Check latest episodes from Hard Conversations podcast

Unpacking Heiser's The Unseen Realm--Simple & Concise

2026/07/07

Although the late Michael S. Heiser published his seminal work, The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible, over 10 years ago (2015), for several AMI pastors (including myself), it feels as if the book was released recently. Many of us who love God’s word find Heiser’s work intriguing because he connects the dots of so many strange scriptures that often go untouched in our studies. This isn’t to endorse everything Heiser, a PhD in Hebrew Bible and Semitic languages, claims in the book, but there is enough in it to whet our appetite to dig deeper into the Bible.

Kissing My Self-Protective, Pretentious, Shallow Self Goodbye

2026/07/01

What I heard—a snippet of a sermon from a colleague during my daily walk—hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew what he said was true about me: part of the mixed motives behind serving the Lord that I have to REALLY grapple with. That’s why this vlog is entitled, “Kissing My Self‑Protective, Pretentious, Shallow Self Goodbye.”

How a Book on the Left's Betrayal of the Jews Revealed Korean American Blind Spots

2026/06/17

While reading the newly released "The Jews and the Left" (June 2, 2026) by Batya Ungar-Sargon, I began to notice a striking parallel: the anti-Israel Jewish students on today’s campuses and the young Korean Americans who defended the looters who destroyed their parents’ stores in 2020. What’s going on here? In this brief vlog, I explore what ails these affluent minority communities in America — and why so many feel uneasy when the Left calls them out.

How the Lord is Carrying Us -Through Our AMI Family- In Our Darkest Moment

2026/06/01

Ever since my wife’s serious illness became known to the greater AMI community in mid‑March, many have responded in ways that have touched us very deeply. I’ve been meaning to share that story at the right moment, and something that happened on the first day of the ongoing 2026 AMI Institute in Dallas finally gave me that entry point. This short vlog is about how the Lord is carrying us — through our AMI family — in our darkest moment.

Sustained by the Eight Names of God in the Valley of Shadow of Death

2026/06/01

Ever since I heard a teaching on the eight names of God from the Old Testament by a pastor friend last October (2025), I reshaped my prayer life accordingly, as my family and I find ourselves in the valley of the shadow of death. It has enriched my time with the Lord in ways I have rarely experienced in more than 40 years of following Christ.

The First Reality We Face After Death

2026/06/01

Spiritually, there are three kinds of people: those who truly believe in Jesus, those who think they do but in reality do not, and those who know they are not believers (whether atheists or followers of other religions). Yet the moment they die, all three groups are brought to the same place before they are sent to their eternal destiny. This vlog is about that.

What Pope Leo and President Trump Got Right--And What They Got Wrong

2026/04/26

There was yet another shooting last night (April 25, 2026) involving President Trump, but thankfully the shooter was stopped before getting anywhere near him. And while no one deserves that, Trump does have glaring flaws — some of which showed up in his recent spat with Pope Leo, who didn’t exactly come out looking great either. This vlog called, "What Pope Leo and President Trump Got Right—What They Got Wrong," starts there.

What Pope Leo and President Trump Got Right--And What They Got Wrong

2026/04/26

Asian American Christians Between Whites and Blacks, Republicans and Democrats

2026/04/15

In this vlog, I argue that Asian American Christians occupy a unique position to speak truth as an independent spiritual and political voice—one capable of restraining the excesses of both major parties and ultimately pointing to God’s reconciliation with fallen humanity through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Ode to Stay-at-Home Moms

2026/03/29

In this vlog—“Ode to Stay‑at‑Home Moms”—I take on the pink elephant women keep bumping into: can modern women really have it all—home and career? Riding the tension between Michelle Obama (Becoming) and Sheryl Sandberg (Lean In), I lay out what’s actually at stake for Christian couples thinking about kids—and for those already in the thick of it.

Becoming a Child Again Before the Lord

2026/03/23

I want to share a story—a series of moments that have been leading me back to becoming a child before the Lord.

A Christian Response to the War with Iran (1): A Prayer for Iranians

2026/03/17

A Christian Response to the War with Iran (2): When, If Ever, Should Christians Support War

2026/03/17

Consider the question of when—if ever—Christians should support war. As an application, this vlog examines the current war against Iran.

Illegal Immigration (1): God's Word Spoken on CNN? (a.k.a., CNN & ICE)

2026/03/17

When I first heard a guest on a CNN program say it, the words felt almost foreign to me. Why? Because culturally sensitive Christians like us don’t usually speak that way. Speak what way? Well, you’ll have to watch my vlog to find out. The backdrop, of course, is the escalating situation in Minneapolis—ICE attempting to detain those who entered the U.S. illegally, and anti‑ICE protesters fiercely resisting them. Two protesters have already been killed in ICE‑related shootings, and tensions are only rising.

Illegal Immigration (2): The Voices from the Shadows of ICE

2026/03/17

In this vlog, you’ll hear from real people from Mexico—some living here without legal status, some who have been deported, and others who chose to return voluntarily. These are stories you won’t hear on CNN or FOX. What emerges through their voices is a picture of a God who stands above illegal immigration, deportation, and even the American Dream itself.