TRANSCRIPT

NATHAN JONES

Today, we have the privilege to hear from Ara Goh in Seoul, South Korea. You will hear how Ara is stewarding connections with business and nonprofit leaders in her region for unique opportunities for the expansion of God's kingdom.

I am your host, Nathan Jones, and I want to thank you again for joining me on this episode of the Inspiring Stewards podcast.

Ara, good morning and thank you so much for your time here. I've been looking forward to jumping into this conversation and getting to know your story a bit and that sort of thing. So, let's just start. Tell us a little bit about your background, where you're from, that sort of thing.

ARA GOH

I'm Ara from Korea, now based in Seoul. And I was born and raised in Korea, but have lived in different countries, including Berlin, Sydney, New York, Taipei, and several cities in Japan very shortly. My life has been a tapestry of diverse experiences, shaped by moving between cultures and seeing the beauty of God's creation in different parts of the world.

NATHAN

That's wonderful. Well, tell us a little bit about your faith journey. How did you come to know the Lord? And what impact did that have on your life?

ARA

Yes, I was born into a Christian family. But then, you know, it doesn't mean that we just become really automatically like genuine Christian. In Korea, well, academic achievement is such a big thing. So, when I was in junior high, I had a time that I really had to just depend on God.

So, just one time when I was engaged some department of education of government organization, I couldn't attend the class several times. And then, the exam period came and that was really big thing that even my mother was really worried about me, “Ara, what are you going to do?” Because going to the good university is such a thing.

And then at the time, I realized that, oh, I really cannot do anything, but maybe this is the time that I need to totally just depend on God. And I just prayed and worship for one hour each. And my family and friend couldn't understand me because, “Ara, even you don't have enough time to study and then now you're spending time to worship God and reading a Bible? Ara, do you think that it would be really helpful?”

And you know what? I ended up at the second top of the school because of just one question of the exams. And then, I couldn't believe it. And it was the testimony that all my friends and family became the witness of this thing. And some friends became Christian because it's obvious it was by God.

So, through this journey and also my life in the career path, God showed me so many miraculous things so that in this way, I became a sincere Christian somehow.

NATHAN

Wow, that's fascinating. I always love hearing about the different cultural influences of people's faith journey. And it's kind of interesting to think about how taking time to read Scripture can get in the way of our professional development but how God just brings that background and as His kingdom pours through our life. So tremendous.

Well, catch us up to today. What does the Lord have you involved in now?

ARA

Yes, now I'm definitely engaged in business as mission. After working in some corporates such as Hyundai Motors and Bosch, now I'm having my business consulting because of the request by the tech side of CEOs.

And through this global business consulting, I support entrepreneurs who are going through many wilderness. And then, God allow me to somehow support them not only just business-wise, but also their mentally and then also spiritually.

So, in that way, I have chance to share gospel with them and that they find peace in their life. And then not only that, my role is about not just for financial success, but also about fostering purpose-driven work. So, my work goal is about supporting missionaries in all of the world. So my business, not about being a destination of the material things such as money, but the conduit of blessing.

NATHAN

This is the Inspiring Stewards podcast and so, what we want to do is unpack: How does the biblical principles of stewardship play out in your life? So, I think there's a lot of different directions you could go, but just how does stewardship play a role in what you're doing?

ARA

I think it's really about like serving people. There are a couple of Bible verses that I love. And then, the first one is Ephesians 1:11: “In Him we were also chosen, having been predestined or according to the plan of Him, who works at everything in conformity with the purpose of His will.”

To tell the truth, sometimes I feel like the burden on my shoulders is too much. So, when I'm doing jogging in the morning, time to time, now I cannot do it anymore because of my intensive schedule.

But anyway, I cried to God, like, “God, why me? Why you gave me such a mission? Because it seems like too big to serve so many people globally. And then, why I need to keep serving people? And what about me? Why you are giving me a heart to take care of marginalized people?”

Even during the COVID time, so many people on the street collecting, recycling garbage, and marginalized kids, and I'm so busy to take care of them. I feel like I just need to do so many things.

And then, as the Ephesians mentioned, now I believe that I am the chosen one to serve people in also business but through the also education with our partner and client to serve marginalized kids for their education. So, these Bible verses remind me to stay courageous and faithful.

NATHAN

Could you share maybe an example or any thoughts around how you've integrated or you've seen God create opportunity to integrate your faith in your work in consulting? You mentioned that sometimes, there's opportunities just because of what an individual is going through in life that it opens up the opportunity to share about your faith or bring biblical. Can you share an example or how you've seen that maybe play out?

ARA

So, especially as I'm supporting many entrepreneurs, every day, there are so many things happen. The verses from Joshua 1:9, I can see this verse on my laptop every day. It's about, “I've commended you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged. I am the Lord, your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.”

Through these verses, I'm also trying to give courage to many entrepreneurs. And then, not only that, many times they are thinking that, “Oh, what is the purpose of my life? Why I need to work so hard? Why I need to take care of all the employees?” And then, I'm thinking that God gave us purpose for this thing.

And then, not only making business successful. When it comes to our business, we are dealing with the number one, technology, number two, finance, and then, number three, globalization. And then, now the gap between rich people and poor people is getting bigger.

And then, what I'm thinking is that education matters. The marginalized kids, such as single mother’s kids, orphans, and refugees, such as North Korean refugees, they don't have luxury to learn about many technologies, such as AI. Many of them don't know how to handle money.

I was so shocked that when I was serving different group, they don't know how to use money. They ended up just spending money for very expensive cosmetics or very expensive food because they don't know how to save and then multiply it.

And then, number three is now with this globalization, all these marginalized kids don't have any chances to go around. So, their view of their life is very narrow. So, I think that as we are serving many technology companies, why don't we provide education for these marginalized kids? Because I think donation and the volunteer work has to be part of our life.

It doesn't need to be big, just more than what we can just handle, just step-by-step regularly. So not just giving donation, also we can teach them about technology, finance, and globalization. So, many companies, their team members also find the purpose of their life. And even through this nonprofit organization, I'm trying to also give them the chances to get tax benefit. So, this is a whole ecosystem work.

And I'm just praying God. Everything is a very beginning phase, but like a message in Joshua, God wants me to stay strong and brave. I do believe that if God gave me this idea, He will just somehow work it out. And then, this is also what I'm spreading with our partner and clients. Let's do this good work together, not just focusing on business.

NATHAN

If I could drill a little bit deeper, I'd love to hear you just share one or two of the principles of entrepreneurship that you advocate for just as good business practice. And then, maybe one or two of the principles that you bring in in light of what you just shared about helping entrepreneurs also keep in balance kind of the purpose side and the deeper side of their life. So, one or two thoughts that come to mind, maybe on both sides of that.

ARA

So, there are various type of entrepreneurs. Sometimes, they think that, “Oh, I have the skill. Why don't I just utilize it?” Some people just basically, “Oh, I want to make more money. That's why I'm doing this business.” And some people maybe can have also many different reasons.

But I think when I saw some people, their life is kind of ruined because their life and goal was very money-driven life. When they reach certain status of abundancy, suddenly they lose the purpose of their life. “Oh, now what am I going to do?”

Or even in the process of making business, so many unexpected things are coming. And then, I heard some news that some entrepreneurs suddenly passed away because of too much work. So many people just simply burned out. They're having many different issues.

I think because of that, they need to really know what is the purpose of their work, why they need to do this. They also need to know that it's just not about them. The business is not just one person performance.

They need team members, they need partners, and then, they need clients. And then in that way, maybe they can find the reason why God gave us community to take care of each other. And then, making a collaboration because just one human being cannot do everything.

NATHAN

That's great. Thanks for the extra answers because I think those listening who are in an entrepreneurial setting would be encouraged by what you have to share and keeping that in balance with the other aspects of life.

So, let's move to the next question. We're getting closer to the end of our time. So, I'd love to hear you just answer: How are you seeing God at work in the world, whether it's locally or globally? And then, as you kind of wrap that up, any final thoughts you have for those listening today?

ARA

Definitely globally, now we are all connected. And then, especially because of SNS, now younger generation, their behavior becomes similar and similar. Even today, I was thinking that God, my schedule today, I'm talking to so many people in different part of the world.

And I do believe that God want me and also our team to do the greater thing that we cannot dare imagine to serve society, not just making success for ourselves. Eventually to serve people in globally, especially what we are doing is that we are supporting tech companies.

And then, I do believe that this company can also provide so many benefit for the society. And then, not only just developed country, but also developing countries, such as through the agriculture and the food technology. In this way, we can make a global collaboration and we can help each other. And what a beauty of this!

NATHAN

So good. Ara, thank you so much for your time and encouragement. And I know that those listening will be prompted along in their journey with the Lord. So, thank you.

ARA

Thank you for this opportunity to share my testimony. And may we all grow together in faith and purpose.