Korea: Seventh-day Adventist Church Marks 100 Years of Mission, Growth

On November 6, 2004, the Seventh-day Adventist Church celebrated it’s centennial in Korea . The celebration brought more than 15,000 members to the Olympic stadium, and it was broadcasted live through both satellite and internet. 4 of the top daily public newspapers in Korea featured the event introducing what the Adventist church is and has contributed to Korean society.

Among the ten thousands of participants, there were incumbent lawmakers, former ministers of government, and a lot of Adventist members from around the world including America , Japan , Hong Kong, and Taiwan .

Dr. Michael L. Ryan, vice president of the worldwide Adventist Church delivered the sermon in Sabbath morning of the celebration, saying “It is my privilege and honor to be here to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Korea . After 100 years of mission, sacrifice and dedication, the Church in Korea is nearing 200,000 members. I want to give heart-felt respect to all of early pioneers of this country.”

“I believe that we do not have another 100 years to finish this work. Sacrifice can finish our mission. I think the Korean Church is strong and full of passion for mission. It is not enough for the Korean Church to think about evangelism only in Korea . They have resources to go forward. The Korean Church must be partners in the worldwide mission of the Church” concluded Dr. Ryan while urging all of us to be faithful to the Lord who is coming soon.  

Im Chang-yeol, former governor of the Gyeonggi Province , and former minister of Finance and Economy and Deputy Prime Minister, attended the centennial ceremony. He is a grandson of Elder Im Ki Ban, pioneer missionary with whom Son Heung Cho, one of the first Adventists in Korea , shared the Gospel on board ship in 1904.

He said at his congratulatory speech, “My heart is full of deep emotion and thankful to be invited to give a congratulatory message as a descendent of the Adventist pioneer. Our family thanks especially the Adventist Church and Sahmyook University , because the Sahmyook University found records of my grandfather and he could be honored by receiving the independence decoration from the government.”

Congresswoman Kim Hee Sun featured with special a message saying “I congratulate with my heart the 100 year Celebration of the Adventist Church in Korea who has spread the Gospel of Jesus as a the first priority sharing the truth based on the Bible.  Especially, I am certain that the Adventist church has contributed to the development of this country with positive activities, Evangelism, Education, Health, Relief, and Publishing in the last 100 years of turbulent situation.”

Also, Congresswoman Kim Young Sook said, “I think the Adventist Church has made a great contribution to this society in many areas throughout the modern history of this country. I hope your Church will continue to contribute to develop this country.”

Dr. Jan Paulsen, president of the Adventist Worldwide Church , delivered a congratulation message through a video because he was not able to participate. He said, “I wish I could be in there for a special celebration of the 100 year life of our Church in Korea . Our church in Korea began in the difficult times 100 years ago. Our pioneers made great sacrifices. I want to thank you because you are able to share resources in the life of Church even outside of Korea .”

“I want to acknowledge that you are important to our global family and mission work as a Church. I would challenge and urge you to remain focused and committed to give all of your best to finish the work and hasten the coming of our Lord. There is nothing which is more important to us than to be faithful to our Lord and to finish what He has entrusted to us. No one in our Church is surplus to our Task. We all need to stay in Church together and we are one family around the world, bonded together by one Spirit. As we move into the future, let’s be useful together to the Lord” addressed Dr. Paulsen.

“I thank God for guiding the Church in Korea with His blessings for 100 years. Our church in Korea has become one of global mission leaders sending a lot of missionaries across the borders of the mission field outside of Korea as well as evangelizing inside Korea . As we face a new century the past 100 years of our Church is now history, it is time we should renew our resolution and dedication to finish our mission and hasten the second coming of Jesus Christ within this new century,” said Dr. Jairyong Lee, president of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

At a ceremony awarding plaques, 8 families deeds were commemorated who sacrificed their life for the faith and Church including Mr. Choi, Hee Man, a son of Pastor Choi Tae Hyun who was martyred during the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula .

Pastor Chun Jung Kwon, president of the Adventist Church in Korea, said "All of our Adventist members thank, praise, and glorify the Lord, God of Ebenezer, for the celebration of 100 years of Mission” “Since 1904, by the time of the flowering of civilization of Korea, our predecessor pioneers overcame a lot of hardships and trials especially during the Japanese occupation of the Korean peninsula and the Korean War. They were with people as a good Samaritan helping those who were suffering from starvation and sickness in those difficult times. Our Church has grown until now in spite of these difficulties.”

“Now, our Church should grow for the world as well as our nation with loving and being loved. Our Church should be born again as the Church which brings the Hope to our brethrens in the world. In the new century, we should share the Gospel, and give our love, resources to others just as we had received from the outside during the last century” appealed Pastor Chun.

According to “Dong-A Ilbo,” one of the big 3 newspaper in Korea , “The Adventist Church has been famous for the “Well-Being” or “Health” Ministries such as the Health Foods, Hospitals, and the NEWSTART fever. Especially the Stop-smoking campaign was initiated first by the Adventist Church in 1972. Also, Dong-A Ilbo with other press featured about some campaigns of blood and organ donations by the Adventists.

While celebrating the centennial, the Adventist Church has been closer to the public with the sacrificial love. Since September of this year, they have had a campaign of blood and organ donations to become aware of the precious life and love. Since September of this year, as of November 8, 1,266 members joined the blood donation, 289 for a bone-marrow transplant, and 397 for the organ donation. “This will be known as a new fever in Christian society in Korea ,” said Koo, Hyun Suh , communication director of the Adventist Church in Korea . 

As the last program of the celebration, there was a dedicational ceremony for 15 Korean families of the Pioneer Mission Movement (PMM). They will dedicate their lives to planting churches for next 6 years in other countries including Japan , Taiwan , Mongolia and others. Since 2003, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division has sent 15 PMM missionaries to Japan and Taiwan . 

In 1904, Seventh-day Adventist Christianity began with two pioneers, Son Heung Cho and Lee Eung Hyun who were baptized at the Kobe , Japan Seventh-day Adventist Church . Son returned to Korea to spread the Adventist message to his neighbors, and was joined by Im Ki Ban with whom he had shared the message on board ship. Now, there are currently 889 congregations in Korea . Annually 6,000 new souls join the church in Korea . There are also nearly 140 Korean-speaking congregations worldwide.

Related News at the Adventist News Network (November 9, 2004)