1st WMC and Pastoral English Workshop

Two thousand years ago, the apostles preached the gospel not only in Israel but also across Asia Minor and Europe, in obedience to Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples of all nations.” At the foundation of this cross-border evangelism was the gift of tongues granted by God. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, the apostles broke through language barriers and boldly delivered the gospel to people of various nations (Ac 2:1–11).

Today, as the New Covenant gospel rapidly spreads around the world, the importance of language as a vessel for delivering the words of truth is growing ever greater. In response to this trend, the World Mission Society Church of God Head Office hosted the 1st English Workshop at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute to promote the learning of English, the global language, and to enhance communication between the Head Office and local churches, both domestically and internationally. About 1,700 participants, including Head Office staff and pastors in Korea, joined the WMC English Workshop held from April 21–23, and the Pastoral English Workshops held in two rounds from May 19–21 and June 16–18.

Heavenly Mother attended the entire schedule and prayed at the opening worship service and morning prayer gatherings throughout the workshop, asking that participants be abundantly filled with the Holy Spirit. Mother encouraged them by saying, “In order to fulfill the mission of preaching the gospel to Samaria and to the ends of the earth, we must strive to learn languages so we can confidently deliver the truth to anyone, anywhere.” She expressed Her hope that the workshop would be a time to not only learn language but also strengthen unity and gain power to work together in completing world mission.

General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol emphasized, “To effectively support the explosive growth of world evangelism at both the General Assembly and local church levels, globalization must begin from Korea. Language acquisition is not a choice but a necessity.” He added, “The gospel is fulfilled by the power of God. Let us boldly go out to the world with faith that God grants us the gift of language, and with the heart of God who desires all people to be saved” (1 Ti 2:4; Isa 41:10; Ro 1:16; Mk 16:15–16; Mt 28:18–20). During the Third-day service, he preached in English, showing by example that anyone can succeed through effort.

The workshop featured enriching content, including a special lecture by General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol, an English speech contest, and booths for experiences. The booths, prepared by English-proficient members of the Head Office, realistically recreated overseas mission and daily life scenarios, allowing participants to practice various situational dialogues applicable in the field. Participants formed teams to engage in diverse programs, easing the burden of language learning and solidifying their foundational skills.

Before the closing worship, an award ceremony was held, where Mother presented awards to outstanding speech contest participants and exemplary teams. The workshop was filled with cheerful laughter and proved to be a joyful and educational time for everyone, just as Mother had hoped.

During the closing worship, Mother expressed Her gratitude to all the participants who devoted themselves to the gospel and once again encouraged them, saying, “With love and strong faith in God, let us equip ourselves with language skills and lead the way in uniting the global members and completing the gospel work.”

Pastor Park No-gyun said, “Mother’s words expanded my perspective on world evangelism from the domestic viewpoint. I will actively share the experiences and insights I gained at the workshop with fellow members to further participate in completing world evangelism.” Head Office Staff Missionary Han Geon-chan, a speech contest winner, shared his thoughts: “Studying English alone can be difficult to sustain, but doing it together really creates synergy and provides opportunities to learn from each other. I’ll continue studying English consistently and apply it fully in my work.”