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Home > Praise and Thanks Volume II |
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Reverend Billy Graham’s Gospel Crusade to Korea (1)
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Reverend Billy Graham’s Gospel Crusade to Korea (1)
On the evening news of February 21st there was an announcement of the passing of Reverend Billy Graham who had dedicated his life entirely into spreading the gospel. Starting from his youthful days, through World War 2, preaching during his tenure as the Youth For Christ (YFC) etc…. many pictures of his key works were shown.
In the midst of all this picture slideshow, there was a section that was dedicated for his time during Korean War – which showed Reverend Graham encouraging soldiers in the field, spreading the gospel, visiting foster homes, taking pictures with fostered children, and visiting hospitals to pray for injured soldiers and so on.
Through Reverend Kyung Jik Han I had met Jesus more accurately, made Jesus my Lord of my life and had always admired the reverend who had led me to that path. It was only natural that I had gathered writings about him and things published by him. One of the many books I had borrowed to read about Reverend Han, I had noticed he had many times translated for Reverend Graham during his sermons when he had visited Korea.
If I remember correctly, in the year 1949 that is soon after the liberation of Korean Peninsula from Japan’s rule, Reverend Graham had a Gospel gathering in front of the Seoul Train Station. At that time, Reverend Han had translated for him. Since Reverend Graham’s wife had attended a boarding school in Pyongyang that was for the missionaries (her father was ministering in mainland China) so, it was only natural that during his early stages of his ministries he was spending his time in Korea.
There are many reasons why I had admired him so greatly.
Even though I write this memoir out of my senior apartment due to remodeling, and before moving into this one-room
motel on 3rd of January, in the apartment living room, I had hung up many awards and any important historical items into the wall of the living room. There is one award I got from Billy Graham Gospel Crusade training award as a counselor. Since the event was from near end of May of 1973 to early June – it had been 44 years since the event however I still have the award, so therefore it is a huge event in my life.
1. Billy Graham Gospel Crusade Counselor Training Program
Reverend Kyung Jik Han was in charge of the Crusade. At that time I was attending Seoul Yong Nak Presbyterian Church, working as a Bible teacher for high school students and staff for young adults committee – a time when great fire in Christ was burning. Upon seeing in the announcement of the event training for Billy Graham Gospel Crusade staff, I had submitted my application right away (1972).
The gathering place was at that time where their children gathered for worship – Bethany Building. (This was a very special location because this was the first place where the 27 people who had escaped from North Korea had their first ever held their first Sunday worship in December – currently a place for Volunteer’s Gathering place)
Upon entering that building, I sat down to listen to the lecture, the one thing I was not able to understand that time was, I had expected either an elderly, professor of counselor or a professional, but instead a young, 30year old or so looking person came out and greeting brightly, said that he would be in charge of training staff for the Young Nak Church.
But a few minutes into the lecture my thought had changed 180 degrees.
I do not recall all of the things that had happened during lecture, but the first was a “wagon wheel” to show how to have a proper Christian lifestyle.
I had at that time tried to be a good Christian and went to many bible studies held in the church and missionary ran bible studies as well and so on to learn better. However the idea of putting Christ as the center of the wagon wheel and drawing out vertical line as the Prayer and the Word while across is the passing of the gospel and fellowship – and in between the rest of the wheel spokes are of obedience – this was something very fresh and new for me and it touched me greatly. Turns out later, the lecturers were from Navigator Korean Branch’s staff. Since the movement was for young adults, it was natural that the staff was also young. But noticeably, that young man and the other lecturers, I could tell that they were very well equipped in prayers and in training.
As Reverend Graham started his Gospel Crusade, he was looking for workers of Christ to those who had accepted Him. Then he went to Taiwan where he met Dawson Trotman who was the founder of Navigator, and spoke to him about the dire situation in needing of Christian workers to spread the gospel and made a team together. After that whenever Reverend Graham had a Gospel Crusade he would request Navigator to train new staff members.
Next year in January of 1973, the laymen department reverend asked me to lead in Winter Retreat for the young adult committee members. Since I had received far more blessing than anything from the ‘wagon wheel’ I started my lecture with that. Since most of the young adult committee members were attending college and or were graduated and starting work, seeing me lecture with a single sheet of paper made some of them look disappointed initially.
But something amazing had happened! To make the writing short, as the evening of retreat came to an end which took couple hours each, it was time for review and many of the committee members had surprisingly requested that the retreat happen again soon, but that they would all bring another person along.
So another blessed retreat had happened. But in the second run, the committee members wished to all teach that method and to have a meeting for 5 days and gathered young adults. In February, in the coldest winter I believe around 300 members had gathered in the 1st session, many reverends or professors from theological seminary came and gave words of encouragement while in the 2nd session the staff committee members had taught using the ‘wagon wheel’ method I had taught them and split into many groups and had discussions.
This was truly, like the early church where the spirit of the Lord’s fire had burned strongly here. This meeting, was the starting point of “Young Nak Young Men / Women’s Gospel Movement”
The explanation of the ‘wagon wheel’ got a bit lengthy, but through the passion of the young staff member of the Navigator – I wanted to write what kind of effect he had spread. Through Reverend Graham and the Young Nak Movement, there is no denying to the historical moment – that is through the spreading of the gospel, many of the counselor’s passion had burned and that had spread all throughout.
(March 28th 2018)
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Youtuber Reverend? (23,000 views coming soon…) 
Reverend Billy Graham’s Gospel Crusade to Korea (1)