Praying and more eating

   This morning I attended a prayer meeting with my hosts it included an update from Korean missionaries in India who run a college in Bangalore. There were about twenty people who were there at the meeting, and they meet regularly dedicating themselves to pray for missionaries. The meeting started with singing, and praying, and reading a passage of scripture. We prayed for the hosts of the house where the prayer meeting took place, praying Korean style which means everyone all at once all at the same time, until the leader says Amen. I would have to say Korean's are very fervent in their  praying. If there is a person who is leading the praying there is a lot of 'Amen's' and indeed sometimes the leader may raise their voice slightly in order to express their passion. There was updates on the college,  and then a time when the members of the group gave updates to answered prayer in their own life. It was quite difficult to concentrate as it was all in Korean, and it reminded me how much we rely on language to give meaning and expression in our lives.

   After the meeting I had lunch with a Korean pastor, Kyoung Lee, who was a student at the same time as me in Trinity college Bristol. We haven't seen or been in touch with each other for seven years, and thanks to a mutual friend we were able to make contact. We had lunch together and shared perspectives on Korean and British churches. Kyoung Lee is probably the first pastor who has spent time in the UK that I have met so far who isn't too pessimistic about the UK church; which was quite refreshing. We talked about Korean cultural influences on the church, and the powerful prayer base of  Korean faith ( this theme is coming out more and more). We then looked around the Foreign missionaries cemetery and museum. A couple of things struck me; how many missionaries were sent to Korea, how fervent their faith was even under difficult circumstances many of whom lost children or wives, and how the missionaries set up hospitals and schools and thus modernised Korea. I think you can see the seeds of that within the churches a link between modernisation and faith, and the ferventancy of faith and prayer.

   So eating and praying seem to be important features in Korean faith.

Preaching at Daerim Methodist Church

   Today I went with Dr Donghwan Kim to Daerim Methodist Church; the church that he is a member of in Seoul. We had lunch at the church (rice, soup, fish, and of course Kimchee) and met a number of the elders who were very welcoming, and a number of them spoke English. I then met the Senior Pastor who was again very welcoming, he was very interested in what I thought about Korea he has been there for over 30 years. He gave me some gifts and welcomed me to his church. Here is a picture of us in his office.

I then was introduced to the youth minister, and with Donghwan we went to the young people's service. The service started with singing; I recognised Strength will rise, but couldn't make out the other songs we sang. Then I was welcomed forward to the platform. Where I changed my shoes to a pair of very big flip flops, and was welcomed to sit on a big chair at the front of the church. The youth pastor welcomed me to the service. Then Donghwan introduced me further (they couldn't quite believe how old I was and that I was the minister of a church!) before I preached on Romans 11. I said a line or two and then Donghwan translated it. There was a couple of Amen's and Hallalujah's so I think it was well received. I was then thanked, there was a couple of notices, before a closing song and prayer. Afterwards people thanked me and a couple of people have even invited me for dinner. Donghwan has now taken the role of social secretary for my diary working out for me which one's to accept, because I do need a translator with me! It was a great experience, and wonderful to have the opportunity. I am very thankful to the church, the senior pastor, the youth minister, and especially to Donghwan.

Here is a picture with the youth pastor, Donghwan and myself in the church.

Meeting up with some friends of WPBC

   Today I had lunch and spent the afternoon with Lee and Hankie;both of whom are students and have worshipped with us on a Sunday morning at WPBC. They have returned to Korea for the summer and hoping to both back with us in September. Hankie will be going into his third year at Roehampton to study a TEFL course and Lee hopes to be studying Systematic Theology at Kings College London. Here is a photo with us together in a cafe in Seoul.

We shared together this Korean meal at a traditional Korean Restaurant. The three main dishes were; Korean pancake with seafood and leek, Noddles, and Bimbin Bap. The smaller dishes included Kimchee, radishes, sauces, soup, and very small fish. It was really tasty. Here is a picture.

They then showed me around a Korean market and tasted some more food! Including a rice drink, rice cake, and a kind of noodle snack. It was also good to share with them their experiences of the U.K, how they see the differences in culture between Korean's and British, and their impressions of the church. It was also good to see some familiar faces here in Korea as well.  

Reflections on culture difference and my own reactions

   Here are some of my thoughts regarding my own reactions to my cultural experiences in Korea. Indeed even though some of these are quite uncomfortable revelations about myself I'm glad I'm having them as I think this helps me to understand others better.

1. Language - it is quite disorientating not being able to understand even one letter of the Korean language. Helpfully all the important signs are in both English ( well American English!) and Korean. Not knowing many words means that I am being very careful about the shops I am going into. I am avoiding shops that have no computerised till, indeed I found myself today making a subconscious decision to go into a restaurant purely because I could read the sign and menu in English. This is understandable as I do want to be understood and understand when ordering food or buying items. However, I am glad when someone else can guide me so that I can go into shops and restaurants that are Korean. On my own I am restricted to a small subculture, so to get a full picture I need a guide to help me, and I am so grateful to those who are willing to be that guide.

2. Race- I find myself subconsciously being drawn to people who are white and they are drawn to me as well; most of these people are actually American. Indeed I've had some Amercian's stop me in the street to ask me if I am American, and they seemed surprised to find out I'm from the UK. A white American child pointed to me in he street to her Mum saying 'look she's white too.' I now know why a minority race sticks together, it is though subsciously we feel more relaxed when we around people of the same race. It takes conscious effort on our part not to feel this, I think this especially so when I''m on my own, I don't feel this so much when I'm with others.

3. The shaping power of rules. When I am walking down the street and there is a woman or man trying to sell something be that fruit or veg in a cart my immediate reaction is to walk by quickly. There is something in my British mindset that says these people are breaking the rules and shouldn't be trying to sell things here. The rules of course are different in Korea but I can't seem to get that warning signal out of my mind.

4. The power of history that gives meaning. This became apparent to me when I was talking about the differences between Presbyterian's and Baptist's. Pastor  Kong was saying in Korea he didn't see much difference between the two denominations; one Baptised believers the other infants. I was quite  puzzled by this, and then he asked me what I thought. I then went into the whole history of UK Baptist's and the essence of church membership as the believers church, and it is the members that discerned the mind of Christ. It became apparent this is the history of Eureopean Baptist's but this is not the same for all Baptist's. What gives meaning for me by the language of being Baptist is not the same for all and it showed me how a particular history gives a particular meaning.


On the positive side here are some things I have warmed to quite quickly.

1. Sharing food- I like that aspect of Korean culture. There is food on the table and we share amongst ourselves, everything is much more community orientated and it does build relationships quickly when you are sharing food together. It seems pretty biblical as well.

2. Respect for one another and elders- bowing to each other when you meet someone for the first time especially someone in a position or older than yourself. This respect seems to be going now from British society, but there is something about showing respect and honour to one another which seems a good thing. I remember as a child my grandparents would talk to me about Mrs whoever, because as a child they felt I should show respect to my elders. Indeed I was taught to always listen and respect older people.

3. Hospitality- people in the church seem very warm and generous to strangers; giving them food or gifts. They seem to have taken very seriously the need to welcome strangers as though it was Christ himself. It has made me think about how other cultures might well see British people as a bit mean in comparison!


So lots to think about from this new cultural experience.

Food: a sample of a few items I've been eating

    You may have been wondering what kind of food I've been eating. The best way of describing it is a fusion between East and West. It seems I'm eating more Western food this week!

Here are some new things I've been trying. This is a drink made of some kind of bean that is like an alternative to drinking milk or juice at breakfast.

The bread they have seems sweeter to me and on the package it says particularly for toasting.

I'm also quite liking dumplings with vegetables inside, here is a frozen pack of them.

Korean's don't really go in for sweet things or puddings but one thing I do appreciate as an occasional snack is their chocopie.

Visit to Cheonan

    Yesterday I went outside of Seoul and took the train to Cheonan. Cheonan is about one hour away from Seoul. Cheonan is a small city and the main employment is through various universities, Samsung and LG have offices there, and there are some small agriculture farms as well. It was good to see another place apart from Seoul.

   Pastor Kyusuk Kong (who I met on Monday) showed me around the Baekseok University campus. Baekseok Univeristy is a Christian University established in the 1970's.

It has many departments including Theology; the undergraduate divinity school is in Cheonan and the post-graduate at Seoul. Alongside this is Baekseok Church which is a Presbyterian church with about 1,000 worshippers who are mostly  students or staff, but about 30% are not part of the Univeristy but just residents of   Cheonan. Pastor Kong is the senior pastor and there are four full time associate ministers, and three part-time student ministers. There is one associate minister who is charge of worship, one for mission, one for the seniors, and one for the children's and youth ministry. There is also four admin staff: a burser, one for media and communications, one for general office work, and one who is his personal assistant. So quite a set up!

Here is the building where their offices are.

After showing me around and describing the church I had dinner with him and one of his daughters who is studying Psychology at Chester University. She spent about 10 years of her schooling in the UK and so decided to go back to the UK for further study. It was great to hear her perspectives as a young person who is Korean  growing up in the UK. 

We then went to the student worship service; it was exam period so not so many students were around, however there was still a good 100 undergraduate students there. I was really encouraged by their passion. There was a lively worship group with musicians and eight singers; ranging from 18-22 yrs old. We sung familiar songs like The Splendour of the King, and Praise is rising. I would say the worship was lively and heartfelt. Then we were led in prayer (I didn't know what she was saying but again it sounded quite emotional). One of the associate ministers read from 1 Kings 19, and spoke of Elijah's heavy heart and how God spoke to him. I didn't know what it was he was saying but through some hand gestures and the way he spoke I could tell he was passionate and full of conviction. He then invited everyone to allow God to speak to them also. I would say the service was quite modern and lively. 

I asked whether Sunday morning worship was similar; and was told it wasn't quite so lively but still modern and passionate. I haven't had much experience of Presbyterian churches; only in North Wales as in England we have the URC, but that little experience made me think it was quite a traditional church with a dieing congregation.  I was encouraged to see a different side to Presbyterianism in Korea. I also realised the differences of the generations and the type of worship services that they engage with within the Korean context. 

After staying overnight with Pastor Kong and his family; I went along to 5.30 am prayer service. Again the style was quite different. It started with a time of silent prayer, we then sang a hymn (it wasn't a familiar one to me), said the Lord's Prayer together, and then one of he ministers read from 1 Kings 1:5-11 and spoke on the passage. We then had a time of prayer when people prayed individually quite quietly but you could hear them speaking and calling out to God. Some you could hear crying, some speaking in tongues, but again quite passionate and heart-felt. The meeting ended at 6.30, and then I had a little more time to sleep after that before breakfast and returning back to Seoul.

Helpful and stimulating conversation

   This afternoon I had coffee with one of the contacts I have made through Gina Ha-Gorlin, Dr Kyusuk Kong, who is a Professor of Old Testament at Baekesok University and is the Senior Minister at Baekesok Church in Cheonan city. He has ministered in the UK at a Korean speaking church in Sheffield for ten years and so understands both UK and Korean perspective. We had a great conversation.

   Through our conversation I came to appreciate more about the Korean Presbyterian churches.  How some Korean Christian's are concerned that the Christian church in the UK is dieing, and the need as they see it to send missionaries to the UK to help restore the churches. The key he felt to Korean churches and their growth is a real commitment to prayer. He spoke about the challenge within Presbyterian churches in Korea that have no formal process of recognising and accrediting ministers, and the challenge of the decline of young people within the church. I shared my experiences of formal recognition of ministry within the church, the challenge and opportunity of postmodernity, and my own testimony. We both recognised the need and the challenge to form multi cultural, and multi generational churches. We considered Galations 3:28 as a model to show us that in Christ we come together as one and yet we also remain distinctive. There is a difference between male and female, Jew and Gentile, slave and free, but all have a place in Christ. It has got me thinking more about what that might mean and again the issue of Jesus coming to bring a new culture. I think I need to do some more study and thinking around this idea. I have arranged to visit his church and carry on this really stimulating conversation, so much to think through and consider.