In 2020, when the world lived in fear due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 17th batch of Golden Angels, the singing missionaries of the Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD), continued to spread God’s love around the world. On November 14, 2020, the missionaries held their annual concert at Hong MyungKi Hall in Sahmyook University, Seoul, under the two themes of “There Are No Unknown Soldiers” and “The Final Battle’s Ended.”
Throughout the year 2020, it seemed that the name of “Golden Angels” was overshadowed by the unpredicted spread of the coronavirus. It resulted in unprecedented happenings, such as cancellations of all scheduled trips to foreign countries and loss of opportunity to sing on stage. However, where there was no hope for the future and everything seemed to disappear, the eight missionaries accepted the reality and decided to move forward. As the title of the concert states, no one has been forgotten in the presence of God. It was revealed that God delights in any little effort. This is why the 17th group was able to continue their ministry in 2020 without giving up.
The concert was held simultaneously onsite and on YouTube livestreaming so that more people were able to watch the concert safely in the midst of the pandemic. During the first part of the concert, titled “There Are No Unknown Soldiers,” the Golden Angels made beautiful harmony through songs, such as “The God I Serve,” “Jesus Messiah,” “Step into the Water,” etc. During the second part, “The Final Battle’s Ended,” they praised God with songs, such as “No Greater Love,” “When Life Gets Broken,” “Oceans,” etc.
After the second part of the concert, Pastor Kim NakHyung, NSD music ministries director, shared with the audience the mission work done by the Golden Angels in the year 2020. He said, “The COVID-19 pandemic affected all aspects of the Golden Angels ministry. The virus completely destroyed all of their plans. However, they built a new, unprecedented platform of music ministry, and they have made a miracle that amazed the world. There is no disappointment in God’s calling!”
NSD president Kim SiYoung delivered a plaque of appreciation to the 17th Golden Angels members. He said, “I am very proud of these young people who dedicated their precious time to God for missionary work, especially this year, when the entire situation pressed them to give up. I thank them for believing God’s promises and for continuing with their ministry. Their music has the power to change people’s minds and lead people to Christ because their songs are their testimonies of experiencing Him.” He encouraged them to continue to serve as missionaries to bring souls to Christ.
Also, Pastor Cho DaeYeon, associate coordinator of Golden Angels, said, “The deeper the darkness, the brighter the stars shine. Stars don’t complain about the darkness. The 17th batch of Golden Angels have spent time like those stars, so their music has shone more brightly and have been able to touch many people’s hearts.”
After the pastors’ words of encouragement, the 18th group missionaries appeared on the stage and sang, “My Name Is Jesus.” Then, the 17th and 18th groups joined together to finish the annual concert with the song, “Amazing Grace + Arirang.”
Through the annual concert, both the audience and the missionaries were touched by God’s faithfulness. Church members in Argentina, Japan, and other countries who watched the concert through online broadcasting said, “I couldn’t see God with my own eyes, but I believe that the grace of God was leading the missionaries through online ministries.”
In the interview clip that was shared during the concert, an interviewer asked the question, “Would you participate in the Golden Angels again, knowing that COVID-19 was going to explode?” They all answered “Yes” as though there was no other option. It was a definite answer that came entirely from their belief in God. Throughout the year, they knew very little about what was ahead of them, so they had to learn simple obedience to God.
All eight members shared the same sentiment in their testimonies: “This year was the most precious year of my life.” As their Golden Angels ministry is limited to the year 2020, they may feel disappointed that the COVID-19 situation has not abated, but God has controlled all things and He called them as missionaries at this time and allowed them to do their work. For some people, this year may seem like a failure, but the members realize that it was the most meaningful year in God’s great plan. How many tears, prayers, effort and praises there have been until they could say with conviction, “There is no failure in God’s missionary work.” They also said that they sincerely pray that their story will comfort the hearts of many church members living in fear and uncertainty from the pandemic.
Kim HyoKi, leader of the 17th batch, said during the concert, “People try to hold onto honor, wealth, and other achievements, but we decided that we would focus only on God. We decided not to be afraid of being forgotten, but be afraid of being forgotten by God. When I kept reminding myself of this, I could find peace and comfort. We’ve been moving forward, believing that He never forgets us, never gives us up.”
After the concert, the Golden Angels worked on producing online praise videos to send to Pioneer Mission Movement pastors serving in Taiwan. Other videos will be sent to Taiwan Adventist College. Also, they plan to support the online evangelistic meeting of Paju International Church and a church on Jeju Island. They ask for your prayers and encouragement so that the sound of praising God can be spread continuously by the Golden Angels ministry.
Testimonies of Golden Angels 17
Kim HyoKi: It was a year during which I could think deeply about true praise. It is a humble and sincere praise. And God never forgets such praise and testimonies. A singing missionary should live according to the lyrics of the song he or she sings. I will be a singing missionary for the rest of my life, following the lyrics I sing.
Ko Eunwoo: “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps” (Psalm 16:9). The expected ways were closed, but in the midst of this pandemic situation, I was always able to build a trusting relationship with God and move forward as I saw Him opening the way through YouTube, online evangelistic meetings, and other ways. Whenever I felt difficulty because things were not what I had expected, God was the Commander-in-chief who turned the situation around beautifully.
Lee YeeOn: Through this year, God has taught me that living with Him begins with small things. I was not able to throw away all my old habits at one time, but I have tried to build a life of living with God. I used to think that I had no power to get up again when I fell down with mistakes and regrets, but I learned that falling is part of God’s lesson for me and He says, “You can have another starting point.”
Seo JuHee: Through the Golden Angels ministry, God taught me the importance of ministry. Through Bible meditation every morning, I was able to establish a closer relationship with God and set a goal of following Jesus. In particular, the success or failure of a ministry does not depend on the number of souls or evangelistic meetings or mission work, but it depends on how sincerely and honestly you care for your souls at the moment.
Kamino Seika: It was a year of trying to get closer to God. Everything was new to me: living in a foreign country, singing praises with colleagues, and everything being canceled because of COVID-19. But I believe that through Bible meditation, God has taught me the attitude of seeking God at any time and under any circumstances. I will go back to my regular life in my country next year, but I will live with the living faith that I learned from living as a missionary.
Kim JiYoon: In 2020, I learned the way to find God even when I make mistakes. I learned that even when I am falling apart, God always holds me firmly. He has always prepared the way for us. I don’t think I could have had this experience anywhere. A year as a Golden Angels missionary will be remembered as the most special time of my life.
Weijie (Frank) Kao: This year means a lot to me because I had a different experience that previous Golden Angels missionaries could not have. We could not go outside of Korea due to COVID-19, but with God’s guidance we pioneered a new path and achieved it. Also, personally, it was a time to have courage to face challenges and learn about myself.
Choi JoonSoo: After the COVID-19 outbreak, the world changed in a lot of ways—I think our Adventist Church also needs to accept those changes. This year, I learned video editing and YouTube broadcasting for Golden Angels ministry. Some might say that the Golden Angels 17th group lost a year, but we are sure that we have prepared for life-long ministry here. It was a time to prepare myself for the rest of my life, which will be dedicated to God.