Higher Calling is one of the largest conferences for young Korean-Americans. Hosted by KCCC (Korea Campus Crusade for Christ), the conference's purpose is to give Korean-American college and high school students an opportunity to find the calling and vision that God had planned for their lives. On the 14th and 15th of November, all the college campus ministries of KCCC LA region gathered at the site of Higher Calling 2014 in San Diego literally saturate the facilities in prayer.
The event is called "Joshua Prayer". Around 200 students gathered at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego on the night of the 14th and began the night with worship and a message delivered by KCCC staff Juyup Lee. The message given this day was centered around the famous story of Joshua and the people of Israel finally entering the Promised Land. Pastor Lee explained first how God had instructed Joshua and the Israelites to walk around the city playing their trumpets and crying out.
Just as Joshua and the Israelites obeyed the Lord's command, regardless of how outrageous it may have sounded to them, and importantly prayer for victory, believing in the promise that God had already given Jericho over to them. The KCCC students, most of them who were training to be leaders were strongly encouraged to pray for the conference before it happens, and to lift up even the smallest aspects of their lives to God and consult them with him.
After the message, the students broke into groups and were led around different areas of the site with the help of UC San Diego volunteers and KCCC staff. At every stop, the students took time to pray for various aspects of the upcoming conference. For instance, at the main ball room where the plenary sessions will be held, the students were led to pray for all the speakers who will be delivering God's Word during the conference and the safety of the stage crew. At the underground parking lot, where all the meals will be served they prayed for the quality of food and fellowship among the students. At the end of the "Joshua Walk" the students prayed for the goals of the conference; that God would use the Korean diaspora to spread the Gospel to the ends of the Earth, that He will raise leaders of the new generation and also for a unified Korea.
The next day, the KCCC students participated a series of trainings to be small-group leaders during Higher Calling 2014. For many, it was their second, third or even fourth time participating in the conference even as a leader. However, everyone was highly excited to be trained to do God's work for another winter break. The older students even cheered for the sophomore and transfer students who were receiving the training for the first time, to be ready to pass on their blessings to their small-group members.
3 KCCC staff took turns to lead the students into the training. They were given very practical instructions regarding sharing, Bible Study and even leading their small-group. There was even a small section devoted to ice breakers. However, the core of the training was centered around the fact that God had called all of them to simply love and serve the people that will be placed in their group. God will be the one to move their hearts, and the leaders were simply there to love on them and help them experience His love through them.
When Joshua Prayer ended, there were exactly 37 days until the actual conference begins. It was time for all the students to put their game faces on, and to constantly start praying for not only their conference, but that the people they will be leading will be blessed and challenged by the whole experience.
