The Sahmyook University Overseas Mission Congress was held from Dec. 17 -19, 2021, in commemoration of the university’s 115th anniversary. Under the theme, “Reaching Out to the End of Time, to the World Mission Fields,” the meeting was co-organized by the department of Adventist Mission of the Northern Asia Pacific Division, the department of World Mission of the Korean Union Conference, and the World Mission departments of the five local conferences in Korea.
The spiritual revival session of the congress featured lecturers, including Pastor J, former missionary to Congo, Elder Ha YongPan from Chinese Missionary Group, and Pastor Kim JeongGon, director of the Adventist Training Center in Korea. The congress also had reports from mission groups, including the Chinese Missionary Group, Bicycle Mission to the World, Adventist Mission, Pioneer Mission Movement, Public Campus Mission, 1000 Missionary Movement, Compass, and HisHands Mission Movement.
There was a research presentation session, titled, “Contemplation on the Path of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Mission in the Pandemic Era,” where experts in mission and/or history, including Professor Lee KukHyeon, Professor Choi GyeongChun, and Pastor Jeong HaeSeob took part to further solidify the concept of mission theology. Moreover, activity reports and testimonies of missionaries from over twenty countries around the globe further touched the attendees’ hearts.
The highlight of the congress was the chain of earnest prayers on the following topics: safety, health, and mission work of missionaries; blessings of mission supporters and sponsors in their continued generous donations for the mission work to expand the Kingdom of God; Sahmyook University to carry out its mission as the hub of overseas mission; campus mission and the mission for foreign students; and for the mission in North Korea.
Professor Kim WonGon, chairperson of the Mission Congress Steering Committee, said, “The Korean Adventist Church, which now celebrates its 118th Anniversary of its mission, has grown from a missionary-recipient country to a missionary-dispatching country for the mission work in different parts of the world.” Kim further explained the purpose of the congress: “Sahmyook University, celebrating its 115th Anniversary, organized this meaningful event to support the world Adventist mission, as well as to enhance its capability to lead the university for world mission.”