[Branch Church Inquiry] Troubleshooting Life in Gwangju Rev. Yeon-ok Jung, Eastern Gwangju Manmin Church
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December 09, 2007 |
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 With the bright autumn sunshine in my eyes, this reporter paid a visit to Eastern Gwangju Manmin Church located in Moonheung-dong, Buk-gu, in Gwangju Metropolitan City, in southeastern South Korea, and which has been experiencing revival upon revival as of late.
An overwhelming sense of excitement could be felt immediately upon entering the sanctuary. The voice of Rev. Yeon-ok Jung, who at the time was leading the "Church Workers' Prayer Meeting" held on Mondays at 11 o'clock in the morning, was reminiscent of that of a bold commander in charge of his army corps towards the enemy.
"Our pastor is like a dear friend. Whenever I have questions, I can easily go up to her and ask; I feel like I can tell her anything. And if church members face any problems, she does not hesitate to resolve them; though she is younger than me, oftentimes she feels like my mother."
"Our pastor is like my older sister. She sets herself as an example so that all church members could live in faith as one."
Words of admiration did not cease from the mouths of Eastern Gwangju Manmin members. This makes sense: when a new member joins the church, Rev. Jung makes certain to visit the newcomer's home for a "Welcome Worship Service" on 3-, 7-, or 21-day basis.
 ~ Church Workers' Prayer Meeting (Mondays at 11 a.m.)
From this church members are made aware of the origin of diseases and the variety of problems they face at home, work, and business, and receive specific answers to such problems. When they do according to those solutions, Eastern Gwangju Manmin members say they receive God's answers to their problems right away. This is how newcomers not only come to possess faith and settle at the church, they also keep the Lord's Day holy, give whole tithes, and become workers serving the church with devotion.
From where does Rev. Jung's love and passion for church members come? While serving as a pastor at a Gwangju church in 1995, she listened to the cassette tapes of Dr. Jaerock Lee's series on "Spirit, Soul, and Body."
"The messages were sweeter than honey and I stayed up till 5:00 a.m. the following morning. I became convinced that this was the kind of messages that could easily save dying souls."
From then on, Rev. Jung searched far and wide for Dr. Jaerock Lee's messages and began overflowing grace and devoted 5-6 hours every day for the following 3 years to prayer. At the time of God's choosing, she came to Manmin Central Church in 2001.
On the night of July 3, 2003, Rev. Jung saw in a dream how many people had gathered at a sanctuary seated on the present location of Eastern Gwangju Manmin Church. Even though she did not have more than $10 at the time, Rev. Jung obeyed in faith and as God sent along her way helping hands, Rev. Jung founded the church on February 17, 2004 and the number of the congregation today stands at more than 300.
  
~ Rev. Yeon-ok Jung visiting homes of church members
We asked Rev. Jung for her secret to church revival.
"A secret? It's the fact that we listen to Dr. Jaerock Lee's church, via satellite, simultaneously on Sundays. It is important for each churchgoer here to receive God's love and to become one with the Senior Pastor, who is the best model to take after for any Christians. It is only natural to experience for us revival as people receive answers to a wide range of problems in life when I enlighten them with the Providence of God who is the One in charge of our church, help them to obey His commandments so that their heart will take after that of Our Lord, and encourage them to receive the Senior Pastor's prayer."
When she was finishing up her studies, she had to commute between Seoul and Gwangju (a distance of about 170 miles) and split her time between studying and visiting church members' homes. Hearing Rev. Jung confess that she was simply blessed to be able to take care of her flock despite 2-3 hours sleep a night led the reporter to wonder if this would have been the kind of zeal with which Paul the Apostle spread the Gospel.
Perhaps the secret to church revival, as well as Rev. Jung's spiritual charisma, is found in passionate love by which she can readily devote and give everything she has.
Reported and photographed by David Kim
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Manmin News 
