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‘70’s Young Nak Presbyterian Church Young Adult’s spiritual movement
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| ‘70’s Young Nak Presbyterian Church Young Adult’s spiritual movement |
I read the letter you sent me about Young Nak Presbyterian Church and felt heavy hearted.
Then, I started to think about the past with Young Nak young adult’s faith revival movement.
Truly, the political situation of Korea in the 1970’s was a troubling one. Many martial law declarations, anti-government student movement, labor union movement, and so on. Many of the Young Nak Church’s young adults were lost in the storm of the political madness. For a year or so the young adult group was disbanded. It was because they were unhappy about how the church, moreover about Reverend Han’s words about how not to get too sensitive with the real politics.
There were barely any members in the Young adult’s Bible study group. It was as if Bible study was not even necessary for them anymore.
I think in 1973 if I remember correctly, as I was the Sunday high school classroom teacher, at the same time young adult’s volunteer person in charge. Literally, the description of what I was doing. I wanted to save the young adult’s Bible study group so I went and learned about the Book of John from Missionary Sarah Barry (Bae Sarah). It was an overflowing with the grace of God during this time of spiritual growth.
Despite these circumstances, the young adult’s ministry must remain, brother in Christ, Hwan Kyu-Ko (whom I know has passed away recently? Was the editor-in-chief in a Christian weekly newspaper, became a pastor afterwards) was the president and I was the vice president of the young adult’s group. However, the group did not function as expected – our purpose was to make rather, revive the group and leave.
While the circumstances were uncertain, there was a prayer meeting after the Wednesday evening service in the 2nd floor balcony area. (The doors would be unlocked at this point of time, and I knew of the maintenance deacon very well.) They were all brothers and sisters in Christ who came during the young adult’s Bible study class, which at that time I remember were 4~5 of us. It was the time to pray for the young adults of our church and the nation. It wasn’t the longest time of prayer but of desperate and longing prayers.
After about 2 years later, I had become the Young Nak Young Adult’s Bible study group speaker. (Youngest group!) The reason was, Missionary Sarah Barry who was happy to see that the group had revived with handful of young adults working hard to gather and make the group strong again. But at this point time, she was going to retire and leave. She told me very seriously, “Mr. Lee, I think it’s about time Reverend Han calls you for work. Continue working diligently and faithful in work of the Lord” and left.
She had recommended me to Reverend Han and left. I was (at that point a bit over 30) bit shocked at that time when Reverend Han had announced me to be the new speaker of the young adults Bible study group in the bulletin. I went to the Laymen Office and declined the offer twice. I never had any formal training in theology and to have this position, many people were shocked. The chief of Laymen office at the point of time was Elder Ki-Hyoung Oh who encouraged me every time and said, “You can do it!”
The teaching staff of young adult’s bible study group was, Professor Kyung-Bae Min and Hyung-Suk Kim of YeonSae University, along with Presbyterian Theological Seminary Professor Jae-Min Bae (they were all very famous theologians at that time).
Who would come to my class?
When I went to the first class meeting, the only people were the acting manager, the chief and a female college student.
Through God’s grace, in 2 years period of time the class had become big and had moved the class to the Missionary Building’s where the church elders had met (which was the best place at that time). We visited new comers and starting from accepting Christ to the growth in faith and such, I had personally or made groups to meditate upon the words daily, which I taught to be very important. I heard that the class I started that time is now the biggest group in the church. Also from what I hear, some of the people I have served are staying to serve in that group. Not sure if that is of truth or not.
Through prayer and Bible study, despite the dark times the nation was in, we were faithful to shine the light of Faith upon the nation. Even bigger progress was made when Reverend Sung-Jae Lee (who was the Laymen department pastor), told me to be the speaker for the young adult’s group leaders Winter Retreat.
Even though I knew the young adults didn’t quite want me to be the speaker, (the chair of Young Adult was deacon Shin who was of my age) as I cannot decline, I was the invited speaker for the retreat. I had made a simple sermon based on the ‘wagon wheel’ path (Navigator Materials). We had spent the nighttime in the church but as it was 1974, there was the Oil Shock. There was no heater to warm up, but thanks to the members of the young adult’s faithful cooperation, the retreat was finished in much grace.
During the review session, one by one everyone they wanted to do the retreat again and volunteered to gather more people by themselves. So once again, there were about 30 people who had gathered to have the Winter Retreat once again. (Group discussion was left to the members of the Young Adult’s group leaders to do). With the Holy Spirit’s help, many of the registered members of the Winter Retreated wanted it to pass onto the entire young adult’s, and from the church front lawn, we had gathered the names of people who wanted to join. (We were blowing our hands to warm them up from the freezing weather…) and about 300 people registered. I think because of the unsurpassed amount of people gathered, Eldress Sun-Ae Ju and Reverend Han’s son-in-law Reverend Young-Hun Lee (both of them of Presbyterian Theological Seminary professors) came to congratulate us.
Professor So-In Park!
Before you left for Germany to study abroad, many of the young adults had gathered to continue to grow in passion with Christ during Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays as well.
Also the young adults had gathered and funded a program in the Far East Christian Broadcast Company called “Young Nak Young Adult’s Time” and started a program to North Korean citizens specially young adults. As for the World Missionary Fund, we had opened a Bazaar back in 1976 and sent about 80 million Won (I don’t know how much the money would be now,) During this time, this is when I got the famous word by Reverend Han, “Young Men / Women where are you?” which I hand delivered to some of the young ladies to embroidery on a piece of silk (two of them were made). One of the elders had purchase them both for 30million Won. One of them he kept, while the other was donated to the Reverend Kyung-Jik Han Memorial Library. The original writing in paper is kept by me. (in a picture frame which sits in front of me in the office)
Those young adults, served every summer in small towns, fishing towns, mountain villages in order to spread the gospel in Summer Vacation Bible Schools and in volunteer work. There are so many name to lists… (Sun-Tae Park, Sung-Nam Cho, Hyu-Kyung Ha, Dong-Chun Ji, Ha-jin Jung…) they all worked in serving for the Lord.
Professor So-in Park!
This is the reason why I had written in so much grandiose length. As dark of time is, it is more important to gather fellow workers of God, to raise workers of God equipped with the word of God, it can be achieve with encouragements.
God would not be pleased if we give up and sit on despair.
Professor! Charge on!
Have a great day.
In the Lord,
P.H. Lee
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Never Had I Experienced… 
‘70’s Young Nak Presbyterian Church Young Adult’s spiritual movement