INAGURATION
OF THE CONGRESS
THE
MAYOR OF THE PROVINCE, CHO TE CHIN AND DR. KWANG JAE
CHOI, PRESIDENT OF ICCC
SYMPHONY
MENDELSSOHN (Hymn of Praise)
THE
KOREA DECLARATION
We,
the delegates and observers for the 17th. World Congress
of the International Council of Christian Churches,
have just had one week of sweet fellowship at the
21th. Glory Youth Training Center, a 100-acre “prayer
mountain” in exquisite rural setting, beautifully
landscaped under the personal guidance over the last
nine years of Dr. Kwang Jae Choi, Senior Pastor of
Glory Bible-Presbyterian Church and President of the
Council.
Under
the Congress Theme of “Stand Fast & Strive
Together” for the faith of the Gospel (Philippians
1:27) as set at the last Congress of the Council in
Jerusalem in November 2000, several hundred delegates
and observers from some thirty nations in all continents
gathered in the Hallelujah Auditorium for prayers,
Bible studies (of the books of Philippians and Hebrews)
messages on issues of the day confronting the Christian
Churches, adoption of statements declaring the ecclesiastical
and doctrinal stand of the Council reports on the
Council’s witness all over the world for the
Word of God and Jesus Christ our Lord, and strengthening
of the activities of the Council through its different
Commissions on 1)Missions 2)Evangelism 3)Christian
Relief and Social Concerns 4)Christian Education 5)Publications
and Mass Media 6) Youth (ICY) 7) Younger Generatio0n
Leaders (YGLs) 8)International affairs 9)Theological
Education 10) Medical and 11) Family Concerns.
Apart
from our Congress sessions at the Youth Training Center,
we have been able to take time off during the weekend
and after the Congress, by hospitability of our hot
Church, to see the beautiful countryside, the busy
cosmopolitan city of Seoul and places historic interest.
The visit to the War Memorial is a vivid reminder
of the great sacrifice of the Allies gaining freedom
from Communism for South Korea. And the neon-light
of red crosses illuminating the night sky of the city
is a glorious and happy reminder of the advance of
the Christianity in the country. The fact that South
Korea is now the second largest missionary-sending
nation, next to the USA, is and must be an inspiring
example for all ICCC and other Bible-believing churches
to follow in obedience to the carrying out of the
Great Commission of Christ.
For
the 18th. World Congress of the Council, we have now
planned, if the Lord tarries, to meet again in South
Korea, June 8-14 (Tuesday to the following Monday).
The hospitability of our host churches, the exquisite
health-benefiting ambience of the 21th. Century Youth
Training Center as the venue of the Congress, with
expanded accommodation facilities during the coming
five years, the opportunity of sharing with the Korean
brethren in the City for specially arranged Gospel
Rallies, the freedom of speech allowed, and the friendliness
of the Korean people, are among the factors that have
led us to the decision to ask our host Church, to
let us come again to Korea for the next World Congress
of our Council.
We
have chosen Revelation 2:10 as the general theme of
our next Congress: “Be thou Faithful unto Death”
With the apostasy at this last age increasing at an
alarmingly rapid pace, and with the day of Christ’s
return drawing even nearer, the battle for the preservation
of the historic Christian Faith must necessarily be
getting hotter and hotter.
All
the more we must, as the risen Saviour exhorts the
Church at Smyrna, ”Be thou faithful unto death,
and I will give you a crown of life.” (Revelations
2:10)
We
call upon all brethren in our ICCC family all over
the world to pray, and prepare to attend the ICCC
18th. World Congress. To lighten the heavy financial
burden of our host churches and the Korean Council
of Christian Churches, especially the Glory Bible-Presbyterian
Church, we call upon all intending attendees, especially
those from the less affluent countries, to start saving
as soon as possible not only for airfares, but also
for lodging during the Congress.
An
“ICCC 18th World Congress Fund” account
is also soon to be opened in Korea, and administered
by our newly-elected ICCC Treasurer. The Fund will
take in freewill offerings, ready for use to help
our host churches meet the expected, even heavier
Congress expenditure five years from now.
To
all our ICCC friends of like precious faith, we also
extend an invitation to pray for, and join us at the
next ICCC World Congress. We are praying that they
will be in such ecclesiastical relationship as will
lead them to enter into membership with the Council.
(Article IV, Section 2, ICCC Constitution).
And
while we watch and look for the return soon of our
Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we will all occupy
“faithfully unto death”, till He returns
(Like 19:13) - Amen.
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