The multiethnic prayer gathering that Korean church leaders in the Southern California region had hosted last year has taken place once again at the Anaheim Convention Center. This year, similar to the last, attendees prayed fervently for repentance and restoration, revival and missions, social justice, and the next generation of leaders, among other topics. Unlike last year's gathering however, during which many of the leaders mentioned the issue of same-sex marriage, this year's gathering had a heavy emphasis on the upcoming elections. The organizers had also pushed the event up to October, which was previously scheduled to take place in November.
"It appears that the next president could appoint up to four Supreme Court Justices at most," said Young Min Eom, pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Orange County. "The future of America is dependent on the upcoming elections."
"Raise up leaders who only kneel before you," prayed Woo Kyung Yoon, the president of the Orange County Association of Lay Members.
Members of several ethnic communities led prayers during the event. Dion Elmore of the National Day of Prayer led those who gathered into a prayer that America would return to God's word. Jeff King, the president of International Christian Concern which is involved with advocacy efforts for persecuted Christians prayed on behalf of churches that are persecuted world wide. Fred Berry, an African American pastor, shared a short message on the Azusa Street revival and prayed in tongue. Willie Holmes, a pastor who has been involved in African American human rights movements in the Los Angeles region, led a prayer on racial reconciliation. The highlight of this portion of the event was Kato Dawood, an Egyptian pastor. Dawood, who said he accepted the gospel through missionaries in Egypt, shared a report on the revival that is happening in the Middle East, and emphasized that "America must send even more missionaries."
People who would not have heard the gospel for at least another 100 years are currently being exposed to the gospel due to the persecution they face from IS, Dawood said. Currently, refugees who are abandoning their homes to flee from IS are receiving Christ in the Middle East.
Attendees prayed for repentance and healing in the U.S. during the prayer event.
Korean American pastors were also among those who led prayers. Stephen Chong of Revival Church, Jeff Hyun of Sa-Rang Community Church, Shine Kim of Grace Ministries International, Young Lee of SOON Movement, Dennis Cole of Thanksgiving Church, and others led prayers on a diverse range of topics.
Among 28 individuals who led prayers, Woo Kyung Yoon was the only female. Most were Korean pastors who serve in the Orange County region, and a minority of those who led prayers included pastors who serve in the Los Angeles region. Six of those who led prayers were lay leaders.
This year's prayer gathering saw a lesser turnout than that of last year, with some 1,500 in attendance. Organizers invited many elected officials to the gathering but only one "” Assemblywoman Young Kim "” attended. Attendees raised their hands in prayer for a successful assembly and re-election.
The prayer event also included a time of expressing gratitude towards the leaders of the "Line in the Sand' prayer gatherings who had hosted the multiethnic prayer gatherings at the Rose Bowl in 2011 and the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in 2014.
"This year, the year in which the presidential elections will take place, is a time in which we need God's compassion and revival more than any other," Paul Gihong Han, who led the organizing of this prayer event, said. "When the churches, pastors, and congregants who represent all of the ethnic communities residing in Southern California repent and pray on behalf of the crisis our nation is facing, I have confidence that God will bring a great revival, and that he will heal and restore this land."
This article has been translated by Rachael Lee. For the original in Korean, visit kr.christianitydaily.com.
