It was a joy to travel to Seoul, Korea to attend the 26th Pentecostal World Conference. The PWC is a triennial conference hosted by the Pentecostal World Fellowship. I would like to share just a few reflections.
First, Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God) hosted the event with excellence. This church is the largest Christian congregation in the world. Our week began by attending a Sunday service. There were thousands of Korean Christians in attendance. I was struck by the seamless blend of traditional and charismatic Christianity. Worship songs included contemporary choruses and traditional hymns; a contemporary praise band and a traditional choir with full orchestra. Pastor Younghoon Lee preached a wonderful message on the day of Pentecost. It was interesting to hear him reflect on the excesses of the prosperity movement, and to speak of the Covid pandemic as a time of discipline that God brought up on the church. I found it interesting that this congregation recited the Apostles Creed, sang the Lord’s Prayer, and spent several minutes in concert prayer speaking in tongues. The blend of traditional and charismatic worship was refreshing to me.
The Pentecostal World Conference reflected the identity of a global movement that has impacted every tongue and tribe, and religious tradition, on the planet. Pentecostals from every continent attended this meeting. The Pentecostal movement is by no means homogeneous. It transcends culture, ethnicities, and theological traditions.
This was also an ecumenical meeting of sorts. Delegates included representatives from the Roman Catholic Church, the Reformed church, the Lutheran Church, and the Orthodox church. The Pentecostal movement is certainly an ecumenical movement of the Holy Spirit. This was so refreshing.
One might say that the early Pentecostals could have never imagined the worldwide impact of their movement. But one would be wrong. In fact, early Pentecostal leaders envisioned the outpouring of the Holy Spirit across the world. Even so, it’s safe to say they never envisioned the Pentecostal movement as ecumenical. This is indeed one of the Spirit’s surprises.
On the final day of the conference, we traveled to the DMZ Peace Park for a prayer service. We prayed for peace and reunification of the two Koreas; for an end to the war in Ukraine; and for a new Pentecostal revival to impact the next generation. There were thousands of Koreans from across the country in attendance.
My week in Seoul has left me with a deep appreciation for the Korean people, and I remain amazed by the power of the Christian witness on this Asian peninsula. Much of Asia continues to be closed to the Christian message. The presence of the Korean church is a symbol of what can happen throughout Asia.
Finally, much remains to be done. The election of the new advisory board demonstrated that the structures of the Pentecostal World Fellowship need to be reformed to make way for the participation of women Pentecostal leaders. Also, more work needs to be done to include independent churches and networks into the fellowship.
I wish to extend my gratitude to Dr. Billy Wilson (PWF chair) and Dr. Younghoon Lee (host pastor) for a magnificent event. I hope to attend the next PWC in Helsinki. I encourage you to do so.
