Following a month of online pre-training in October, the Korean Union Conference (KUC) hosted the “Alive in Jesus (AIJ) Leadership Workshop” from November 1 to 2, bringing together more than 50 leaders and teachers from across the country. The workshop provided a meaningful opportunity for the KUC to introduce the newly launched AIJ Sabbath School curriculum to Korean churches, following earlier presentations by the General Conference and the Northern Asia Pacific Division (NSD).
Orathai Chureson, Children’s Ministries Director of the General Conference, opened the event by presenting AIJ’s core philosophy and emphasized that the transition represents growth, not replacement. She explained that AIJ preserves the strengths of GraceLink while offering a deeper, more biblical, and practical educational framework for children, families, and churches in the twenty-first century.
The curriculum spans 12 years, from Beginners through Juniors, and includes 624 story-based Bible lessons.
Raquel Arrais, Children’s Ministries Director of the NSD, continued with a presentation comparing GraceLink and AIJ. She explained that GraceLink follows a structured sequence of preparation, Bible study, application, and sharing. AIJ, however, uses a flexible approach that strengthens Multiple Intelligences learning. It encourages children to learn through sensory activities, nature exploration, story time bags, and hands-on experiences that help them explore and discover Scripture on their own.
Kim YoungUn, Children’s Ministries Director of the KUC, outlined how the KUC plans to implement AIJ. He announced practical strategies that reflect the educational reality and culture of Korean churches and emphasized the importance of building a faith-nurturing environment that connects home, church, and the local community. He said, “AIJ will serve as a tool that naturally connects faith across generations.”
Teachers experienced key AIJ activities, including sensory activities, the story time bag, the nature box, and biblically grounded learning. These demonstrations helped them understand how classes operate in real settings. Participants responded with enthusiasm. One teacher said, “AIJ helps children see, touch, smell, and move as they discover biblical truth for themselves.” Another said, “It is refreshing to see an approach that fully involves children’s senses and experiences instead of relying only on listening and memorization.”
Pastor Kim concluded by reaffirming the KUC commitment to AIJ. He said, “AIJ is not simply a curriculum change. It is a journey to build a faith environment where children grow in a living relationship with Jesus.” He added that the KUC will continue working with conferences, missions, and local church teachers to support the curriculum so that every child in Korea can grow as a disciple of Jesus.
