(KOREA) Strengthened for Mission: Korea UBF Staff Reflects on God's Incredible Gospel Work in Korea Through Missionaries Baird and Adams
- by ubfhq
- Apr 17, 2025
- 1117 reads
Event Category: 2025 Spring Staff Shepherd Conference
Chapter: Korea UBF Chapters
Date: April 7 - 9, 2025
Location: Stanford Hotel, Andong
Theme: Reigniting Our God-given Mission to Preach the Gospel
Total Participants: 81
Before the conference, there were wildfires in Korea, which could have cancelled our event. But, thankfully, our location was spared from devastation, and we were able to enjoy a blessed conference.
The opening message was delivered by Pastor Nehemiah Kim, who spoke on "Daniel's Prayer Habit" (Daniel 6:10). We learned about how the influence of one person’s prayer life made a powerful impact, so we were encouraged to follow Daniel’s example of personal prayer and Bible study. In small groups, we studied Exodus 9 and met our God who leads the Exodus. In the evening, Professor Ji-chan shared a special lecture on "How to Understand the Ten Commandments in the Context of Exodus." The Ten Commandments were not merely ethical or moral laws but the ten words of truth given by God, who saved Israel and us. In Christ, these holy laws preserve and enrich our freedom. Afterwards, Pastor Sin-deok from the Tobiah Mission gave a preliminary lecture titled "Following the Footsteps of Missionaries Baird and Adams of the Northern Presbyterian Church."
On the second day, Pastor Sin-deok guided us on a hike through the Yeongnam region, a place of rich spiritual legacy. Starting from the Naptak Rock in Cheongdo, where missionaries Baird and Adams preached the gospel on their way to Daegu, we walked along the Paljoryeong Pass, learning about their hardships as missionaries. We visited the Daegu First Church Historical Museum, Dongsan Hospital, the missionary cemetery, and the site of Jejungwon at Cheongra Hill, known as the Daegu Station of the Northern Presbyterian Church. We were amazed at the incredible fruit of the Gospel in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions today, which was borne out of the faith, labor, and dedication of these missionaries. These early missionaries who preached in Daegu and the Yeongnam region were elites who graduated from prestigious universities in developed countries. For Christ, they humbled themselves and suffered with the broken people of Korea. They preached the Gospel wherever they went, established churches, founded hospitals and schools, and focused on their God-given mission. In the afternoon, we visited Jacheon Church in Yeongcheon and Andong Church. We witnessed how the seeds of the Gospel, sown by the missionaries’ dedication and sacrifice 100 years ago, transformed the cities of the Yulim region. Now, the region is sprawling with large churches. The Gospel transformed some of their leaders, who significantly influenced Korea's modernization process. We were inspired to become more passionate about preaching the Gospel and serving our God-given mission through campus discipleship.
On the third day, we met again in small groups to study Exodus 10 "Becoming a Holy Nation of Priests.” We received much grace, and afterwards, we prayed earnestly for the upcoming 50th-anniversary Latin American conference this week and the World Mission Report Conference next year. In our appreciation, we presented plaques of leadership to Moses from the Seongdong chapter and Moses from the Anam 1 chapter. Thank God for providing good weather and preparing the environment. Most of all, thank God for the enriching messages, fellowship, and rest.
