The name “Seventh-day Adventist” was adopted on October 1, 1860, about 158 years ago, and it was confirmed by the pen of inspiration: “The name Seventh-day Adventist carries the true features of our faith in front, and will convict the inquiring mind” (1T, 224). Among all the signboards of Seventh-day Adventist churches around the world, no other signboard has been exposed to the sight of public eyes as the Daegwallyeong Church, pastored by Im JongHyuk, during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.
The Daegwallyeong Church was established 70 years ago. One time in the history of this church, on any given Sabbath, more than one hundred people attended. At the beginning of this century, however, many people left the small country churches for the city. Now at Daegwallyeong Church, around ten are in attendance every Sabbath. For many years the adjacent neighbor has asked the church to sell the church land to them at a very reasonable price, but one of the elders stubbornly refused to sell it, and in the long run, it ended up being a wonderful providence of God.
During the PyeongChang Olympics, many passengers came and went around the Daegwallyeong Church. The church invited passersby to the church’s tent and treated them with hot drinks, gifts, and Adventist books
As the church would not sell the property to him, the neighbor bought other plots of land around the church and began construction. Because of the construction, the area all around the church became very dirty, and the Seventh-day Adventist signboard was not visible to passersby. Just a few weeks before the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the local government had the construction company clear out all their unfinished construction, which consequently brought to clear view from all angles the precious name of Seventh-day Adventist. Now the Seventh-day Adventist signboard is visible by day with sunlight and by night with neon lighting.
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Free gift packets including Steps to Christ were given to Adventist church tent visitors
During the 2018 Winter Olympics, the Daegwallyeong Seventh-day Adventist Church was like a beacon light, right behind the Olympic Plaza, where medals were given out to the athletes every evening. Kitty corner to the church was the main stadium where the Olympic torch was burning. Tens of thousands of athletes and tourists from every nation, kindred, tongue, and people passed by the church and saw the name of our Church.
Right in front of the church, there are bus stops for buses going in all directions. With the Olympic Games going on, many passengers passed the front of the church. Many Christian groups came and handed out literature, but they stayed less than half an hour because of the cold weather and strong wind. Jehovah’s Witnesses took turns every fifteen minutes. The Seventh-day Adventists in the vicinity pitched a tent in the church yard and invited the passersby into the tent. Those who entered the tent were served hot red ginseng drinks and given hot hand-warming packs. As they left, they were given Steps to Christ and other Adventist literature.
Kwon JohngHaeng, Director
Stewardship Ministries for the Northern Asia-Pacific Division