Welcome!

Hello! My name is Pastor Philemon Yoo (you can call me Phil).I am so thankful to be in Memphis and to be the pastor of Good News Memphis Church.I never wanted to become a pastor. Although I went to church ever since I was very young, I never aspired to do ministry, nor did I really care about serving others. I just wanted to live a comfortable life—collecting a stable salary and spending my time doing the things I liked (mainly doomscrolling social media and watching the NBA and NFL). By the time I graduated from grad school, I was so burned out with church that I decided to "resign" from attending and start doing whatever I wanted. I got a comfy office job crunching numbers into a computer, and I thought I was happy.One day, however, I reluctantly attended a community revival at my church. The guest preacher asked the audience, “Everyone, what do you think is a better life? Being a hotshot businessman, doctor, or lawyer—or being a missionary?”Everyone in the church laughed because, of course, there’s a “churchy” answer and there’s a realistic one. The pastor smiled and said, “Yes, many people think that being a hotshot businessman, lawyer, or doctor and making a lot of money is the best life to live. And many people think that being a missionary—maybe in a faraway land, maybe suffering under harsh conditions, maybe even facing persecution—is the worst kind of life.”Then the pastor said something that changed my life. He said, “However, the day is coming when everyone on earth will realize that being that missionary was the better life. But on that day, it will be too late.”I was deeply convicted. It truly felt like the sky fell on me. Through that conviction, I quit my job, went to seminary and missionary school in New York, and began my life as a full-time pastor and preacher.My first stint in ministry was in Memphis when I came here in September 2020. Ever since then, I have been privileged to get to know this amazing city, to minister to people with the Word, and—most of all—to fellowship with the most loving and wonderful people on planet Earth.I give God all the glory and thanks.

What We Believe

What the Gospel IsThe Gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ has fully and completely saved sinners. To understand this fully, it is important to recognize our condition, how Christ acts on our behalf, and what it means to respond in faith.---1️⃣ Man as a SinnerMany people think they are sinners, but they do not realize they are complete sinners.
This matters because if someone thinks they are a sinner but can redeem themselves, they do not actually need a Savior. They may want a “helper” or someone to assist them in reaching God, but that is not the Gospel. The Gospel requires a Savior who does 100 percent of the work for salvation.Romans 3:9-18
9 What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.
11 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
12 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips:
13 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways:
14 And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes.People often underestimate how completely sinful they are. If sin is partial or forgivable through human effort, then salvation is not necessary, only improvement.Romans 5:19
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.Misconception: “I only need to avoid sin from now on.”
Truth: Being born again addresses the root condition—sinfulness—not just individual sins.---2️⃣ Jesus’ Purpose for ManJesus came to free man from all sin. Not some sin, not partially, but completely.John 8:33-36
33 They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
34 Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
35 And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.Matthew 1:21
21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.John 1:29
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.Isaiah 53:6
6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.A common misunderstanding is that Jesus is merely a guide or helper. The Bible is clear: He completely removes sin. Anything less is not the Gospel.---3️⃣ How Christ Makes Us Free from SinThrough the cross, we die with Christ. Our old, sinful self is crucified; we are freed from sin.Romans 6:5-11
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.Galatians 2:20
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.When we died with Christ, we died as sinners. When Christ rose we rose as righteous.Romans 4:25
25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.Titus 3:5
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.Romans 3:24
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.Romans 5:1
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.Romans 5:18
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.Romans 5:19
19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.Philippians 3:9
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.Hebrews 10:10-14
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.Many people think righteousness is earned by obedience or effort. The Bible is clear: righteousness is given completely through faith in Jesus, not through works.---4️⃣ What Repentance Really IsRepentance is more than changing behavior physically. It is a change of mind about:- Jesus: He is the complete Savior, not a helper.
- Ourselves: We are complete sinners; no effort can save us.
- Our role in salvation: We cannot contribute to our own salvation.
- God’s definition of sin: Sin is anything not grounded in faith in Christ.Acts 20:21
21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.Romans 14:23
23 For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.Misconception: Repentance = doing better.
Truth: Repentance = turning away from ourselves and our works and fully trusting Jesus Christ alone for our salvation---5️⃣ Confession and FaithConfession acknowledges our sin, but forgiveness comes only through Jesus’ blood.1 John 1:7-9
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.Confession is a step within faith, not a separate means of earning forgiveness. Salvation comes entirely from Christ’s finished work.---ConclusionThe Gospel is not partial, conditional, or earned by works. It is:- Complete freedom from sin
- Full righteousness before God
- Forgiveness that requires faith in Jesus’ finished workJesus Christ has finished the work. We are saved by His grace, through faith — not by our efforts. Believing in Him means we are fully forgiven, made new, and have peace with God. There is no more condemnation, no more shame, and no more trying to earn what Jesus already accomplished.

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