Family of Willowdale, let me begin with gratitude. Thank you for the way you’ve welcomed me—open arms, open hearts, and a steady commitment to the mission of God as one team. Over the past month, I’ve had the blessing of watching from just a step back, and it has been as much a time of reflection for me as it has been of thanksgiving. I am deeply grateful.
This Sabbath, we join the worldwide church in celebrating “World Pathfinder Day.”
I still remember my own days as a Pathfinder. To be honest, I wasn’t too fond of it at first. But when they asked for a team captain, I found myself stepping up—mostly because I liked the look of that green patch on the shoulder! What the Master Guides didn’t realize was that their new “captain” was also the most mischievous, rebellious, and disobedient one of the bunch.
Yet through those years, my mother would remind me often: “You must be an example. Not simply because you’re a pastor’s kid, not because you wear a patch or hold a title. But because you belong to God, and you represent His kingdom.” She still tells me that today. And her words have shaped me—both as a Pathfinder then, and as a servant of Christ now.
This year’s Pathfinder theme, “Pathfinders on Purpose,” calls us back to that very truth. You were not born to drift. You were not saved to stay silent. You were chosen—on purpose—for Christ, for service, for others. In a world that applauds compromise and confusion, Pathfinders are called to stand out—not by accident, but with intention.
And what does it mean to be a Pathfinder? At its heart, it means this: we are pathfinders—seeking which path we should truly walk, and then bringing others to follow that path. Not every road leads to life. Not every trail brings us home. But Christ has said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
To be a Pathfinder is to learn how to walk His way with steady feet, to test every step against His Word, and to clear the way so that others—friends, classmates, even strangers—can find their footing in Him. Pathfinders are not just wanderers; they are guides. Not just followers; but leaders who point the world toward the narrow road that leads to life.
So, to every Pathfinder in uniform this Sabbath—remember: you are not just part of a club. You are an ambassador of a kingdom. Every badge you’ve earned, every verse you’ve memorized, every service you’ve offered whispers the same truth: “I am here for a reason.”
And to our parents—while your children are on this mission of seeking the right path, discovering their true identity as God’s representatives on this earth—your support remains the backbone of this movement.
And to our Willowdale Family—Speak truth. Serve boldly. Let your light shine so bright that the world cannot help but notice the Jesus you follow.
Pastor Ben Kim