The Joy of Gospel Partnership in Korea

An update from Songhwan Kang, Lead Pastor of Lord's Grace Church, South Korea...

I am Songhwan Kang, serving at the Lord's Grace Church in Korea. I am grateful for the opportunity to share the Gospel & Life Conference that was recently held in our small Asian country of Korea.

The Lord's Grace Church hosted the Gospel & Life Conference from June 6th to 8th with a mission team of 17 people from the United States. This conference first began in 2012 when Pastors Larry Malament and Bill Kittrell visited Korea for the first time. Not considering the pandemic, this year now marks the conference's 10th anniversary. Firstly, I want to thank Pastor Larry, who is now in heaven, for his sacrificial love and dedication to the work he began with us many years ago. I am also grateful for the continued partnership, excellent cooperation, and sacrificial service of Pastor Bill of Cornerstone Church in Knoxville, TN.

When the Lord's Grace Church started in 2010, we were like children in the gospel and did not know what a gospel-centered church was. We wanted to learn and grow in living a gospel-centered life, but did not know how. God heard our prayers and sent a mission team from the United States, who then started the Gospel & Life Conference. This year, at our 10th conference, God poured out great grace on us once again.

For the 2024 conference, 190 people gathered, including members of the Lord's Grace Church and 18 families from outside. The theme of the conference was "Don’t Waste Your Life". Pastor Walt Alexander from Trinity Grace Church in Athens, TN delivered five thematic lectures from Ecclesiastes. He said, “life is meaningless, but God has given life as a gift, and we must live a life that fears and obeys the eternal God”. His message was clear, simple, and showed the excellent wisdom of the gospel.

Among the attendees was an unbelieving man who said, “I used to dislike the church and criticized the selfishness of Christians. At this meeting, I learned what God's love is and resolved my misunderstandings about the church.” There was also a family on the brink of separation before coming to the conference. God spoke to this couple, leading them to reconcile and restore their relationship.

The children participated in an English camp led by Pastor Jake Cronin from Cornerstone Church in Knoxville, TN. The children of our church look forward to this camp all year. This year's camp was themed around the sea, using the story of Jonah to reflect on God’s love and grace, despite our disobedience. The teachers worshiped with the children and led them in thematic songs, scripture memorization, crafts, and games, helping them to know God.

On the last day, the elementary students performed a play based on the book of Jonah, and the middle and high school students presented gospel tracts. All the parents were deeply moved. The joyful care and humble attitude of the teachers, along with their indescribable joyful service, touched the children. The children who attended the English camp said they wished it could be a week-long camp instead of just three days, and they shed tears when parting with their teachers.

God has given the Lord's Grace Church in Korea the gift of the conference. I'd like to share three clear evidences of grace over these years.

First, we are learning how to apply the gospel to our lives. Over ten years, the conference themes have included Gospel-Centered Believers, Gospel-Strong Marriages, Gospel-Based Parenting For The Next Generation, Biblical Masculinity and Femininity, The Excellence of The Word, and God Above Fear. These themes have taught us the principles of living as gospel-centered believers.

Secondly, the dedicated service and love of the American mission teams has set a wonderful example for the members of the Lord's Grace Church. We learn from our friends how to serve as those who have experienced the gospel and how to live as witnesses of the gospel.

Thirdly, we are deeply thankful that we get to witness the joy of church unity. The consistent and joyful service of American church friends to a small church in Korea spanning over ten years has been the greatest joy and thrill for us as we experience Christ, the head of the church. The reason the Lord's Grace Church in Korea is not alone today is because we have friends in the gospel. The passionate prayers, voluntary sacrifice, and loving care of our gospel friends have been great gifts and blessings to us over many years.

On behalf of the church, I sincerely want to thank Cornerstone Church of Knoxville, TN, Trinity Grace Church in Athens, TX, and Grace Church of Clarksburg, MD for serving us with humility and love at this year's conference. And I sincerely want to thank over 150 American friends who have attended Gospel & Life Conferences over the past ten years. Our church does not forget your gospel love. We express indescribable gratitude to Sovereign Grace Church for your humility and care. We praise God who builds us into His church.