SOLA Network's Asian American Book Awards Honorable Mention

Greatness is overrated.

People tend to measure success by worldly standards. We assume that greatness comes from charisma, influence, and followers. But God cares more about our character than about what people around us think of our reputations.

Pastor Jae Hoon Lee challenges us not to pursue greatness but to grow in goodness. Jesus called his followers to cultivate character of goodness, not to aspire to positions of power. The faithful Christian life is one that seeks to become good. These reflections and meditations on the good Christian life unpack what it means for the church to live in obedience and faith, to strip awayambitious self-glorification, and to instead live humble lives of goodness and love.



Jae Hoon Lee (DMin, Gordon-Conwell) is the senior pastor at Onnuri Church and chair of The Gospel Coalition Korea and Handong Global University. He is chair of the Korea Lausanne Committee and served as cochair of the host committee for the Seoul2024 Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. His books include Great to Good, and he and his family live in Seoul, Korea.



Introduction

Part One: In Search of a Good Christian



1. Cultivate a Good Conscience



2. It's Morality, Stupid



3. Pain Is a Part of Joy



4. Torn from Evil and Set Apart for Good



5. A Christian Without Following Christ?



6. We Represent a God of Love



7. Justice Comes from Love



8. Strip Away Your Facades



9. True Blessings of Christ-Followers



10. Goodness Shines

Part Two: A Good Leader Builds Christ's Church



11. Be the Best Man, Not the Bridegroom



12. Signs of Judas's Betrayal



13. Fools for Christ



14. Why Is the Church Weak?



15. Happiness Comes When We Come Back



16. The Spirituality of Simplicity



17. Seek Wisdom



18. Relyon Teamwork



19. Not the Authority but a Steward



20. Your Best May Not Be God's Best

Part Three: Choose Truth, Even When It's Painful



21. Making the Right Decisions



22. The Right Mentality



23. Why Do Humans Want to Be Gods?



24. Truths Everyone Must Accept



25. Finding Your Place in Life During Disaster



26. The Key Is Always the Gospel



27. Truth Cannot Be Divided into Public and Private



28. Lives Are More Important Than Rights



29. Truth with a Gentle Embrace



30. True Authority Leads to True Freedom

Part Four: Deny Yourself and Take Up Your Cross



31. Have You Lost Your Humility?



32. Only Shepherds Answered the Call



33. The True Leader Steps Up in the Storm



34. Embracing Conflict



35. Look to the Self, Then the Situation



36. Real Change



37. Know Thyself



38. Faith or Stubbornness?



39. Time for Job's Repentance



40. God Loves Cities of Sinners

Part Five: Live Out Your Good Life



41. The Christian Life Is a Syntropy Drama



42. Your Mission Is to Go Beyond Your Backyard



43. Unlock the Future with Faith



44. A Calling Requires Courage



45. God Will Guide Us



46. Love Has Many Hues



47. A Bucket List Is a Calling List



48. When Duty Transforms into Joy



49. A Friend Who Will Never Leave



50. Not Success but Service!



Acknowledgments



"Rev. Jae Hoon Lee is a good man. Many know him as pastor of the globally influential megachurch Onnuri. Many know him currently as well as co-chair of the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization. I know him in both capacities and more. I've seen him endure through challenges. I've seen him bear the weight and joy of leadership. And through it all, I can say that he is a good man. A man who embodies what Billy Graham described as 'the spirit of Lausanne.' A man of humility, study, friendship, prayer, partnership, and hope. It's a true honor to be his partner in the gospel and his friend."



"Martyn Lloyd-Jones often said that the Christian faith is designed partly to teach people how to think. That is what Great to Good does. And if you will apply what is put forward, it will truly reshape your ambitions. It is one of the mostpractical, relevant, and stirring books I have read. This book is also prophetic, addressing the very issues that many are afraid to mention. Yes, Pastor Lee enters where angels fear to tread! He writes simply, clearly, and above all, soundly. I recommend this book that unashamedly supports Holy Scripture. This book will change your life."



"This wonderful collection of thoughtful essays was a balm for my soul. Encouragement, exhortation, compassion, sacrifice, and humility resonate through the book. Building on international experience and biblical wisdom, Pastor Lee has offered a remarkable spiritual gift to the global church."



"Everyone who has a place of influence—and that is all of us whether in business, politics, church, family, or friendships—should read Jae Hoon Lee's book, Great to Good. The point is not that we are to give up excellence in our callings but that we are to emulate the way of using power demonstrated by Jesus. We should lead not for personal acclaim or advancement but to bring justice and blessing to those under our care. I am particularly glad to recommend this book because its authornot only teaches us these truths but personally lives a life of service that reflects the goodness of Christ Jesus."



"Having had the privilege of having Pastor Lee as a doctoral student, I can recommend this book as embodying the ideal of our program: nurturing passionate, reflective practitioners. Pastor Lee's passion for God, the church, and the world pervades each page. His concisely captured insights invite reflection. His practitioner's wisdom and experience transform inspiration into action."



"In the context of a highly competitive and success-oriented society like South Korea, it is very refreshing to read the insights and wisdom from Jae Hoon Lee, senior pastor of one of the largest churches in Korea—and the world. Lee integrates hisunderstanding of Christian ministry with practical suggestions for daily practice. This volume provides deep insight and wisdom for Christian leaders as well as for individual Christians who wish to reshape their theological and ministerial understanding of the church and their practical life in order to shift the direction of the church from 'good to great' to 'great to good.'"



"Jae Hoon Lee is an exceptional leader for the global church. As senior pastor of Seoul's dynamic Onnuri Church—and as chairman of the host committee for the Fourth Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization—Pastor Lee's vision for global discipleship truly reaches all nations. In this wide-ranging guide to transformational ministry, he shares pithy principles for good and faithful Christian ministry."



"Pastor Lee provides us with encouragement by sharing his deep love for God, inspiration from God's Word, and a reminder of the simple but clear invitation Jesus offers us to follow him and love others. Just as Jesus has been a Good Shepherd to each of us, we are now called to bring this same love, joy, hope, justice, and restoration to a hurting world."



"Pastor Lee's Great to Good is a book that needs to be on your bedside table. The insights and challenges will be ones that you'll return to over and over. The fifty short chapters encouraged, energized, and motivated me to think deeply andbiblically about the most crucial issues facing our world, the church, and my own walk with Jesus. Pastor Lee's spiritual insight and grasp of history, theology, and culture, combined with decades of pastoral ministry, provide a rich and much-needed critique of contemporary Christianity and a clarion call to Christlikeness to all who follow Jesus. God spoke to me with grace and conviction through this small but powerful book. I highly recommend it!"



"Everyone in the church talks about following Christ, but so many of us struggle to know exactly what that means in our day-to-day life. If only we had a pearl of wisdom for every area of life! Well, thanks to Jae Hoon Lee's new devotional book, we do. Great to Good will not only make you think but will also challenge you precisely in those areas where the culture is pushing you in a different direction."