The Great Need
When we were praying for God’s direction for our next church plant, a man that Rachael taught with came to us and told us of the need in Gwang-Ju. He told us that he used to live in Gwang-Ju and had several Bible studies on the college campuses. He was grieved because when these students would get saved there was no good church for him to send them to. God used this conversation to begin stirring our hearts to reach this vast metropolis.
As we did more research, we learned that Gwang-Ju is a city of 1.4million people (roughly equivalent to Phoenix or Philadelphia). Gwang-Ju is known as one of the most superstitious cities in the entire country. Buddhism, Confucianism, ancestor worship, and other eastern mysticism are prevalent in this city. Additionally, Gwang-Ju is an arch-diocese for the Catholic Church in Korea and a Stake for the Mormon Church (like a diocese in the Catholic Church). Gwang-Ju also has a Muslim Mosque and an Islamic cultural center. But in this city of 1.4 million people, to our knowledge, there is NO fundamental, gospel preaching church.
In this context one hears the cry from the Lord of the Harvest, “How shall they hear without a preacher – and how shall they preach except they be sent?”
The
Great Potential
While
the tremendous need of the city can be overwhelming, we believe that
Gwang-Ju
holds great potential for furthering the work of the gospel. Consider
these facts. Gwang-Ju is larger geographically than Atlanta, GA and has a
greater population than Phoenix, AZ. With this tremendous size and
population Gwang-Ju can sustain numerous fundamental Baptist churches.
If we can reach this city with the gospel and start multiple solid
Churches then the potential for a fundamental Korean mission board
(which does not exist today), more bible colleges, and other ‘gospel
infrastructure’ comes closer to reality!
But
aside from Gwang-Ju’s size this great city holds another avenue of
potential in global evangelism.Gwang-Ju is a city of education. In our
city there are more than 10 institutes of higher education. These
thousands of students are preparing for a global economy. Many of these
students will likely live and work in other cities of Korea, or in other
countries of the world. Can you imagine the gospel potential if these
students would get saved and then take the gospel wherever they go? God
could use these students like he used the early believers fleeing
persecution in Acts 8:4. The potential in Gwang-Ju is astounding!
The Great Lord of the Harvest
The third reason to reach Gwang-Ju, is the primary impetus for our ministry. My friends, we serve the Sovereign Lord of the Harvest. We serve a God who delights to reach the city. God reached down and brought the entire city of Nineveh to repentance (Jonah 3:5-10). God reached down and saved all those bound in darkness in the city of Samaria (Acts 8:9-12) God reached down and saved all those who dwelt in Lydda and Saron.(Acts 9:35) God used the Apostle Paul so that by his ministry at the school of Tyrannus “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord”. (Acts 19:9) God worked so mightily in Ephesus that people bound in the occult burned their books worth 50,000 pieces of silver. (Acts 19:18-20) God reached into Corinth (the most wicked city of that day) so that “many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized” (Acts 18:8).
While we don’t know all that God will do we do know He desires to reach this great city with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We believe there is a great door of gospel opportunity in the city of Gwang-Ju. We know God has called us. But “how shall they preach except they be sent”.
Gwangju's Need
