The World Pentecostal Conference Opens... "A Church That Serves the Marginalized Is a Respected Church"

On the morning of the 12th, the 26th World Pentecostal Conference (PWC) is being held at Yoido Full Gospel Church in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seomideum] The 26th Pentecostal World Conference (PWC) opened on the 12th at Yoido Full Gospel Church. PWC is an event hosted every three years by the World Pentecostal Council, a federation of Pentecostal churches and denominations. According to the organizers, the number of believers is 650 million across 150 countries. Following the late Pastor Cho Yong-gi, the current senior pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, Lee Young-hoon, serves as the representative chairman of PWC.

The event runs from the 12th to the 14th under the theme "Pentecostal Revival of the Next Generation," held at Yoido Full Gospel Church and Paju Peace Nuri Park. The focus on the next generation is to more faithfully fulfill PWC's purpose of helping marginalized groups. At a press conference held on the 12th at the Yoido Full Gospel Church Press Center, Chairman Lee Young-hoon explained, "The church must serve a society facing poverty and hardship. The young generation must stand at the center of that. Only when such ministries increase can the church be truly respected."

Chairman Lee presented goals to establish one million churches worldwide and to nurture one billion Pentecostal activists by 2033. Although this seems to go against the global trend of declining Christian populations, the Pentecostal denomination is unusually expanding its reach. According to the International Mission Statistics Report, the number of Pentecostal adherents reached 660 million by the end of 2020. Yoido Full Gospel Church, belonging to the Pentecostal denomination, is the largest in the world, having surpassed 840,000 members as early as 2008.

Chairman Lee stated, "While traditional churches have been trapped by church authority, organization, and doctrine, Pentecostal churches have taken the lead in serving marginalized groups. They have respected the human rights of Black people, treated women equally, producing many female leaders within the church. Also, dynamic praise has sparked spiritual revival." He added, "Churches with Pentecostal spirituality will lead the 21st century."

The choice of Paju Peace Nuri Park as a venue aims to inform the world about the reality of divided Korea and to pray together. Chairman Lee said, "Many have started to question whether unification is necessary, but it definitely is. When united, we can stand tall as the world's fifth largest power." He added, "With UN approval, we plan to establish 260 people's hospitals in North Korean counties. Serving marginalized people in this way will act as a catalyst for peaceful unification."

At the opening ceremony held that day, President Yoon Seok-yeol, National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo, and Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon delivered congratulatory speeches. President Yoon said, "The Korean Pentecostal denomination has accompanied Korea's industrialization and democratization, delivering hope through faith to the people." He expressed his wish that the church become "the light and salt leading a new revival for the next generation." The congratulatory speech was read by Kang Seung-gyu, Senior Secretary for Civil Society at the Presidential Office.