Korea trip in more detail

We are now back in the States after our trip to South Korea, and I wanted to give more details than I was able to before.

We were guests of the Rev. Shu Changwon, there to speak at a conference that he started about 15 years ago to minister to pastors in his denomination, called the KIRP Conference (Korea Institute for Reformed Preaching). Rev. Shu funded the conference for many years from his own stipend and reflected with me often about how hard it was in the beginning to get the conference going. His personal sacrifice and his desire to see the truths of the Reformed faith embraced and practiced by fellow pastors was an encouragement to me.

Rev. Shu was educated in Edinburgh at the Free Church College and at the University of Edinburgh and in London at the London Theological Seminary. He is now serving as the Senior Pastor of Samyang Presbyterian Church in Seoul (a part of the Hapdong denomination). Rev. Shu invited me to speak specifically on Samuel Rutherford--the man I did my Ph.D. on--and I spoke this past Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday on Rutherford as a preacher.

While in Seoul, I was also able to preach and teach at several area churches and seminaries around the area. I lectured on Rutherford at Chongshin Theological Seminary and lectured and preached the chapel services at Daeshin Christian University, which is in Daegu.

On the Lord's Day, I preached in Yang Ui Moon Presbyterian Church--the Assistant Pastor there, Dr. Kim, who is about to become the Senior Pastor next month, was also educated in Edinburgh at the Free Church College and in the U.S. at Greenville Seminary in Greenville, SC--and in Samyang Presbyterian Church. Each church was keenly interested in our situation here after the hurricane and in how they could help and pray for us.

We did get one day to look around Seoul, and Dr. Kim graciously showed us the Gyeongbokgung Palace in downtown Seoul, a palace that dates to the 14th century and the Josean Dynasty, and took Jennifer and I shopping in an outdoor market area that reminded me a lot of the French Quarter but perhaps without the French/Spanish architectural influence! Seoul is a HUGE city that, because of the mountains, offers breathtaking views at many points. Samsung and Hyundai, in particular, are both based there.

The people we meet were extremely gracious and went out of their way to make our visit pleasant. We are grateful to have met these dear brothers and sisters. Please join me in praying for the abovementioned churches and seminaries in South Korea and for the work of the gospel there!