WHEATON, Ill. – A quadrennial Korean mission conference that drew 5,000 people from over 80 countries came to a closing Friday with hope for future global mission and fulfilling the unfinished tasks of evangelizing the whole world.
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(Photo: Christianity Daily)Closing Service of 2008 Korean World Mission Conference at Edman Chapel in Wheaton College. -
(Photo: Christianity Daily)Missionaries at 2008 KWMC taking a group picture. -
(Photo: Christianity Daily)Rev. Loren Cunningham of YWAM speaks on the opening day of 2008 Korean World Mission Conference. -
(Photo: Christianity Daily)Edman Memorial Chapel at Wheaton College is filled with audience during 2008 Korean World Mission Conference. -
(Photo: Christianity Daily)Rev. Joon Won Kang delivering message at the closing service of KWMC 2008.
The 6th Korean World Mission Conference (KWMC) consisted of daily services, mission forums, and special lectures which provided missionaries with mission strategies from various mission specialists and scholars. This year’s speakers included the Rev. Lorean Cunningham of Youth With A Mission, the Rev. Reinhard Bonnke from Christ for All Nations, and Dr. Ralph Winter of the U.S. Center for World Mission.
At the closing service, the Rev. Joon Won Kang, the chairman of KWMC, urged the missionaries in his message to keep going after the unreached.
“There are a lot of people running in this world … but where are they running toward?” he asked.
The mission leader reminded attendees to run toward God and remember to direct others to run toward God.
“Even in difficult situations, remember that you are taking part in delivering the Gospel globally,” he said. “If God is with us, anything can happen.”
Korean missions has grown rapidly since the first KWMC conference 20 years ago. Korea now sends around 18,000 missionaries to 168 countries, making it the second largest missionary-sending country in the world. The July 28 – Aug. 1 conference concluded with a new goal to send out 100,000 missionaries by 2030.
Another highlight to this year’s conference was its fully-documented declaration which was formally composed and presented. KWMC staffs the Rev. John S. Ko and the Rev. De Heung Kang read the declaration, titled the “2008 Wheaton Manifesto,” in the honor of the world renowned evangelist the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham and Wheaton College who supported the founding of the conference 20 years ago.
The declaration starts with stating the historical significance of the mission conference, which started in 1988 to avoid “mistakes of misguided zeal and amateurity” of the earlier attempts of Korean missionaries. It also proposed 21st century mission strategies to be developed in the future.
The next KWMC conference is slated for 2012. Held every four years at Wheaton College since 1988,KWMC was founded by a small group of Korean-American pastors and endorsed by Dr. Billy Graham. It is sponsored by three Korean mission organizations – Korean World Mission Council for Christ, Korean World Mission Association, and Korean World Mission Fellowship.
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Kim J.I.
안녕하세ìÅ¡â€,
Not cynical at all. Just echoing what others, including my Korean pastor are saying. Plus, nothing of what I said has not been included in other published research papers and newspaper and magazine articles - including at least one article in this very newspaper. Why do I sense the usual hypersensitivity to criticism of anything Korean?
hey, tamna, why do I sense a cynical atmosphere from what you have to say?
While I applaud their efforts, I believe Korean missionary "zeal" would be better directed at opening up their own churches in the US and elsewhere to accept and integrate non-Koreans in their churches. Instead of going to Outer-Afgumbia - how about going downtown and inviting non-Koreans to join your churches.
How about worrying less about perserving Korean culture and instead worry about building up a truly Christian culture in Korean churches.
How about training and equipping Korean Christian churches with the tools to overcome their own exclusivity and xenophobia.