Walking with KRC Through the Years

The Motivation to Keep Serving

When KRC magazine was launched in 2005, our team wrestled with two fundamental questions. First, with so many Christian publications already available in Taiwan and North America, why did the world need KRC magazine? Second, why should readers choose to read this magazine? Would reading it—or not reading it—make a difference in their lives, daily living, ministry, and their understanding of and commitment to Kingdom Outreach, Kingdom Leaders, Kingdom Culture, Kingdom Relationships, and Kingdom Communities? The ongoing pursuit of these questions, together with the desire to fulfill this vision, has been a major source of motivation for my more than twenty years of service with the Kingdom Resources for Christ (KRC).

When I joined KRC, my hope was to help expand the territory of Chinese-language Christian publishing in North America and to equip more writers and communicators through training programs. I also longed to encourage thoughtful, lifelong learners within the Christian community to broaden and deepen their spiritual horizons through reading the magazine—not merely to gain knowledge, but to put their faith into practice.

Lily Kao, founder of KRC and KRC magazine, has consistently emphasized the “Seven Powers”—Vision, Breakthrough, Challenge, Knowledge, Application, Inspiration, and Action. These qualities are, in fact, the key to making any ministry impactful. They are both the “inner disciplines” that must be cultivated and strengthened through daily practice, and the practical “skills” that can be applied in one's personal life, family, business, church, community, and readership. They are at once the training of the inner life and the expression of that life through outward practice.

In addition, at the first Christian Writers' Workshop in 1999, I proposed a core set of values: “The worker is more important than the work; the author is more important than the writing; sincerity surpasses everything.” These principles apply not only to the ministry of writing, but also to our personal lives, families, businesses, churches, and every sphere of service. Their significance extends far beyond the written word.

The “Seven Powers,” together with these core values, have remained guiding principles throughout my years of ministry. Beyond my editorial work with KRC, I have also been involved in a variety of other ministries. These include serving as Vice President of the Family Keepers International, editor-in-chief of Family Keepers magazine, overseeing administrative operations, teaching, leading ministries in family faith transmission and family films, as well as directing retreats and holistic educational travel programs. The “Seven Powers” and these core values have enabled these various ministries and KRC to complement one another, enriching and strengthening each other along the way.

Mutual Growth and Enrichment

Throughout my years of ministry, writing and editing have always occupied a very important place in my life.

Writing is much like a painter creating on his or her own canvas. Editing, on the other hand, is like curating an art gallery—bringing together the works of different artists so that both the creators and their creations can be seen, appreciated, and valued. Writing is also like performing a solo. Editing is more like conducting a symphony orchestra. Writing resembles a player competing on the field, while editing is more like coaching—placing different players in the right positions at the right moments so they can contribute their unique strengths and perform at their best.

In my roles as an author, editor, pastor, and teacher, I have continually challenged myself to ensure that, whether writing an article, editing a magazine, preparing a sermon, or teaching a course, I approach the task from different perspectives and with different attitudes, producing work that reflects the “Four Ws”:

Who — Who am I? What experiences, resources, and personal foundation do I bring to the writing of this article or the editing of this publication? What value can I offer my readers?

Whom — Who is the intended audience? For example, KRC is published for Christians who are willing to learn, reflect, and think deeply. Therefore, its articles should be approached from the perspective of thoughtful and substantive spiritual insight. By contrast, Family Keepers is positioned as a pre-evangelistic publication. Its readers are reached through topics such as family, marriage, and parenting, presented in an accessible and engaging style that promotes a Christian vision of family values.

What — What content should be written or edited? What would be beneficial to the reader? What should readers be able to gain from it? Will they come away with new knowledge, fresh perspectives, or practical steps they can apply in their own lives?

How — How should the content be written, edited, and presented? Can it communicate with warmth, conviction, and sound reasoning, while clearly conveying the message and insights it is intended to share?

In terms of both content and presentation, I often evaluate my work from another perspective as well:

Learnability — Can readers learn something new?
Practicality — Can it be put into practice?
Relatability — Does it connect with readers and feel relevant to their lives?
Readability — Does the writing flow smoothly, and is it enjoyable to read?

These principles are not limited to writing and publishing. They can also be applied to family life, teamwork in ministry, teaching, preaching, and virtually every sphere of service.

Facing the Challenge of Change

Over the twenty years I served as Editor-in-Chief of KRC magazine, my role continually evolved. In the early days of the publication, as we blazed new trails, nearly all of the editorial team came from the writing camp as students and instructors. We learned while doing and did while learning, and my role was more like that of a teacher. As we entered a stage of pressing forward while fighting the battle, and fighting the battle while pressing forward, I became more like a coach. In recent years, as the team has gradually matured, I have slowly transitioned into the role of a consultant.

From another perspective, the progression can be described this way: from “I speak, you listen,” to “I do, you watch,” then “I do, you do,” and finally, “You do, I watch.” This is, in essence, the transition from teacher, to coach, and ultimately to consultant.

As Ephesians 3:21 says, “To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever…” This speaks not only of generational succession within the church, but can also be extended to the passing on of every ministry. It is my earnest hope that both KRC and KRC magazine will continue to raise up gifted workers from generation to generation, and that the river of grace will flow on without ceasing.

Speaking of challenges, one of the greatest challenges KRC’s writing ministry has faced since 1999 has been the rapid pace of technological change. From print magazines to digital and mobile editions, from traditional media to multimedia platforms, and more recently to AI, those of us engaged in written media ministry have had to continually adjust and adapt. It has also required the entire team to move forward together and keep pace with these changes.

When KRC founder Lily Yang and I first set our vision for KRC magazine, we intentionally chose to address issues that the church had long needed to discuss, yet was unwilling to discuss, afraid to discuss, or unsure how to discuss. That decision also made the planning and development of KRC considerably more challenging.

Yet whether in responding to new technologies or tackling editorial projects, the team has worked together in the Lord with one heart and mind—from “seeing the challenge,” to “embracing the challenge,” to “pressing on toward the goal”; and from “feeling at a loss,” to “devoting ourselves to learning,” to “mastering the task.” These have been wonderful experiences of teamwork, with each co-worker fulfilling his or her own role and contribution.

A Team Greatly Encouraged and Inspired

I am deeply grateful for this remarkable team that God Himself has called together over the years. Nearly all of the editors, reporters, and contributing writers during the early and middle years came from among the participants of the writing, reporting, and editing workshops that I led over the years.

My encounters with them, and the deep bonds forged through years of working side by side, all began among the cornfields of Paradise, Pennsylvania, or in the beautiful wooded grounds of Villa Maria. Their backgrounds and life experiences were remarkably diverse. For example, when they attended the writing workshops, Professor Yin-Kann Wen was already a well-known economist; Dr. Gleen Yue was a physicist; Yang Han Chia-hua was a nurse; Hailan Jian was an editor; Chou Lan-hui was a professional artist; Iris Liao was an award-winning journalist; Sherry Lee was a mother of three; and Linda Pang was a homemaker. Yet all of them, united by their commitment to the KRC vision, willingly devoted themselves without counting the cost. During their years serving as section editors and planners for KRC, they continued to learn humbly, grow, and break new ground, eventually becoming key pillars of the KRC's writing ministry.

Among them, our current Executive Editor, Linda Pang, and former Executive Editor, Sherry Lee, became the two primary successors to my editorial work. Linda is exceptionally meticulous and responsible in her editing. She has a keen eye for proofreading and is gifted in planning and analyzing issues from multiple perspectives. Sherry, on the other hand, is highly creative, personable, and quick to learn. She has been able to draw from her own experiences of caring for both the elderly and the young in her family, transforming them into a rich foundation for her writing and bringing a warm and engaging style to her work.

Chang Tung-ning of our Taiwan team is another co-worker who has deeply touched me. She has truly lived out these three principles: “Workers come before the work, authors matter more than their works, and sincerity surpasses everything else.” Although she has not produced a large body of written work, she has treated the food she creates with her own hands—Ha Dumplings' healthy dumplings—as her work. Through them, she expresses her convictions with genuine sincerity, becoming a unique yet profoundly authentic example of these principles in practice.

As for KRC founder Lily Yang, despite the continual challenges of extremely limited manpower, finances, and resources, she has faithfully upheld the vision and mission of the entire team. By providing steadfast support for those serving on the front lines of the writing ministry, she has been an indispensable pillar behind the work. She is undoubtedly one of the key reasons why KRC magazine continues to speak for the Lord and exert kingdom influence to this day.

Editorial Work in Step with the Times

As for succession and passing the baton, they are tremendous challenges for any ministry. It is not enough merely to find someone who can maintain the status quo; one must also find those who can surpass their predecessors and bring fresh vision and innovation to the work.

The work of an editor-in-chief or executive editor requires the ability to endure long periods of behind-the-scenes labor, exceptional attention to detail, and at the same time a broad vision and strong planning skills. One must be able to handle the details while also keeping sight of the bigger picture.

In addition, editors need the willingness to remain behind the scenes. Many times, the results are seen in the work of the author, yet the editor has invested a tremendous amount of time, effort, and care behind it.

In today’s environment, editors can no longer remain completely behind the scenes. Instead, they often need to step into the public eye, building connections for the publication, seeking support, and cultivating relationships. For many who are accustomed to working independently as writers, this can be a significant challenge. Writing may be about words, but at its core it is “people writing for people to read, and people editing for people to read.” Therefore, interaction with people remains essential.

After stepping down from my role as Editor-in-Chief of KRC magazine, I will continue to devote myself to the ministries I have already been involved in, such as promoting family faith inheritance and developing new writing-training courses. At the same time, I hope to devote more time to writing and teaching.

I am grateful to KRC magazine for giving me the opportunity to look back on more than two decades of journeying alongside this team in the ministry of writing. Above all, I offer endless thanks to the Great Author and Editor in heaven.

Reflections from Co-Workers

Chiung-yu Cheng Former Planning Editor, Relationships Section

I first attended the “Leap of the Heart and Pen” writing course in 2011 and became a student of Rev. Andrew Su. Under his guidance, I have been involved in writing ministry ever since. Through his life, he has influenced my life, continually helping both my heart and my pen to grow.

What impacted me most was Rev. Su’s patience and acceptance when I made mistakes. Being rather careless, I made several major errors in my editorial work. In a typical publishing house, I probably would have been asked to leave long ago. Yet Rev. Su never rebuked me. Instead, he would say, “Keep going—we’ll carry this together.” Those words gave me the courage and sense of security to keep moving forward toward the goal.

Gleen Yue Former Planning Editor, Outreach Section

I was privileged to be one of the earliest participants in the writing workshop. To this day, Rev. Andrew Su’s teaching on the “Seven Regular Practices” still echoes in my ears. His principles—“Workers come before the work, authors matter more than their works, and sincerity surpasses everything else”—have also served as a constant reminder throughout my years of ministry.

Rev. Su is an outstanding writer and pastor, as well as a teacher devoted to continually training and equipping workers. He has nurtured countless students, whose influence extends like the territory of Israel in its days of strength, from Dan to Beersheba. Today, many of them continue to labor faithfully in the fields of Chinese Christian writing ministry.

With his encouragement, we students enthusiastically compiled the five-volume Life’s Nourishing Soup series. KRC magazine was also launched in 2005, and both the books and the magazine were well received. With Rev. Su’s encouragement, I also published two books, The John Code and The Seven Sufferings of the Cross. Whenever we considered a ministry or individual to feature, Rev. Su always emphasized the importance of discerning God’s leading. He is now retiring from his position as Editor-in-Chief, but it is my hope that KRC will continue to encourage its readers, and that more and more writers and editors will devote their gifts to serving God’s Kingdom.

Jiahua Yang-Han, Former Community Section Planning Editor

Not naturally gifted with words, I timidly walked into the Christian Writers' Workshop in 2000 and met Rev. Andrew Su for the first time in the prime of his life. Under his patient, hands-on guidance, I began learning how to express ideas with precision and clarity, while also infusing my writing with just the right touch of literary grace.

Pastor Su always made sure that encouragement came before criticism. We would jokingly say among ourselves, “After hearing his praise, you almost start believing you're a once-in-a-generation genius.” Even when our writing was still immature, he would warmly encourage us, saying, “You've done your best.”

Later, I had the privilege of serving alongside Rev. Su on the KRC Board and with KRC magazine, which allowed me to see a fuller picture of who he was. He was a man who feared God, lived with integrity, and spoke with honesty. He invested deeply in relationships with coworkers, yet handled matters with wisdom, balance, and appropriate boundaries.

Pastor Su treated me as a friend, while I respected him as a mentor and elder. Now that he has stepped down from his role as Editor-in-Chief of KRC magazine, I am confident that, like the flourishing palm tree described in the Psalms, he will continue to bear fruit in old age—full of vitality, evergreen, and never fading.

Lan-Hui Chou, Art Director

I am honored to have been among the first group of students in the KRC Writers' Workshop. Pastor Su personally edited our articles with his red pen, and in this age of AI, those handwritten marks are more precious than ever. The foundational disciplines he taught us—such as the “Seven Regular Practices” and the use of an “Inspiration Journal”—have benefited me tremendously over the years.

Pastor Su often taught through vivid illustrations. He would say that life is like a fire truck carrying a limited supply of water. Since the water is finite, we must follow the commands of the Commander in heaven and direct it to the places where it is needed most. He and his wife have been like devoted partners in ministry, faithfully serving the Lord together and providing a beautiful example of a life well lived.

Hai-Lan Jian Former Planning Editor, Relationships Section

During the years I served alongside Rev. Andrew Su, I learned far more than writing and editing—I was deeply shaped by his life and example. He often reminded us, “Do not seek work equal to your ability; seek ability equal to your work.” With remarkable patience, he walked alongside us as we learned to write better articles and produce better magazines. More importantly, he helped us align our hearts with God's purposes.

What impressed me most was his faith and perseverance in the face of difficulties. He firmly believed that God's work often moves from “impossible,” to “filled with challenges,” and ultimately to “wonderfully accomplished.” From him, I learned not to focus on my own inadequacies, but to rely on God's grace and courageously embrace challenges I had never faced before. This experience of serving alongside him taught me a lasting lesson: when a life is willing to be shaped by God, it can become a useful instrument in His hands.

Wenping Sophia Li, Former Executive Editor

Looking back on the journey, the KRC family has lifted my life to a new level. I am deeply grateful to Lily Yang for her guidance, which opened the door for me to become part of this ministry and, in turn, to meet Rev. Andrew Su.

Among the many interactions we shared, I especially remember the voice prayer messages Pastor Su would send—a tangible expression of his pastoral care for the team as a shepherd through words. I also remember his “fire truck water” illustration. Even today, I sometimes retell that story to help others make difficult decisions. I have long admired the professionalism of his writing and his editorial excellence. Yet it was through serving alongside him that I came to appreciate even more deeply his pastor's heart—humble, warm, broad-minded, and full of wisdom, quietly nurturing and encouraging those around him.

Some encounters in life can only be described as a blessing—and meeting Pastor Su was certainly one of them.

Iris Liao — Contributing Writer

In 2002, driven by curiosity, I ventured into the Writers' Workshop held amid the cornfields. After completing the introductory course, I even went on to take the journalism and interviewing track. From that point on, for fifteen consecutive years, I faithfully returned each summer to Pennsylvania to attend the Writers' Workshop led by Rev. Andrew Su, forging a lasting teacher-student friendship with him along the way.

“Some people have stories but no pen to write them. Others have a pen but no stories to tell. You have stories, and you have a pen. Keep writing—write for the Lord!” It was this encouragement from Pastor Andrew Su that inspired me to keep writing without stopping—telling the stories of others, while also telling my own.

Dear Pastor Su, Thank you for leading and mentoring us, your fellow workers in the ministry of writing, step by step and hand in hand. Thank you for the time, energy, and care you have invested in us. Thank you for both your words and your example, which have taught and shaped us through the years.    

Sherry Lee — Former Executive Edito

On the platform, Rev. Andrew Su was full of creativity. Using the Korean drama Dae Jang Geum as an illustration, he helped us understand that an editor is like a “chef of the soul.” Just as a master chef carefully prepares nourishing and beautifully presented dishes, editors must diligently learn to serve readers with thoughtfully crafted words that nourish the heart and mind.

“There is no secret recipe for good cooking. Sincerity and time are the recipe. Only the sincerity and sweat poured into the rice and dishes can produce food that is truly healthy and delicious.” This has become a continuing reminder to me in my editorial ministry.

On one special occasion at a KRC retreat, Rev. Su needed clerical attire. He had borrowed a black suit jacket at the last minute, but it lacked the white clerical collar. With remarkable creativity, several participants fashioned one from the limited materials they had on hand, and it looked completely natural.

Through the guidance of our Editor-in-Chief, Rev. Su, a team was shaped that possessed a relaxed and gracious team spirit, yet remained rigorous and dedicated. We pursued excellence, analyzed issues in depth, and fostered creativity; we were God-centered and people-focused. To borrow an analogy from the Jin Yong novels that Rev. Su enjoys, we were disciples of the “Su school.” We trained in the inner discipline of reverence for God and sincerity toward others, while practicing the outward skills of planning, interviewing, writing, and editing. Together, these were woven into issue after issue of KRC magazine.

Linda Pang, Executive Editor KRC Magazine

“Come, let me pray for you!” Any growth I have experienced in my writing ministry has come through the prayers of Rev. Andrew Su.

From having my articles repeatedly rejected in the early days, to later reviewing all the manuscripts for the magazine; from serving as an assistant editor who initially helped with typing, to now serving as an executive editor handling every stage of the editorial process . . . Throughout the ministry, whether I felt discouraged or uncertain, whether we were discussing themes or searching for interview candidates, my conversations with Rev. Su often ended the same way:

“Come, let me pray for you!”

These prayers were encouragement, affirmation, comfort, and expectation. Through them, he put into practice one of his own guiding principles:

“Workers come before the work, authors matter more than their works, and sincerity surpasses everything else.”

Rev. Su, thank you!