Next week we will be holding the 25th annual National Conference on Preaching at the Korean Central Presbyterian Church in suburban Washington, DC – the first time the conference has ever been hosted by a primarily non-English speaking congregation. (www.ncpnow.com)
As is true in many large American cities, there is a substantial Korean population in the DC area, and many thriving Korean churches have been developed in the U.S. in recent decades. According to the new book The Spirit Moves West, 50 percent of all Korean immigrants to the U.S. are Protestant.
Because of faithful Christian missionaries, a Korean nation that had virtually no Protestant believers 125 years ago is today about one-quarter Protestant Christians. Indeed, some of the most dynamic evangelical churches in the world today are Korean – both in Asia and in the U.S. – and each year hundreds of Korean missionaries serve in the U.S., China and other nations.
American Christians tend to view “the church” solely in terms of what is happening in their own nation, or even their own denomination. It is valuable to be reminded that God is at work and the Kingdom is making an impact around the world. We can be thankful for those in past generations who committed their lives to carrying the gospel around the world. Let’s pray that God will call out a new generation of Kingdom servants who will carry on the missionary mandate of the church in a new century.
Blessings!
Michael Duduit
mduduit@salempublishing.com
MichaelDuduit.com
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