Some 250 people, including visitors from as far away as China, attended the fifth biennial Korean Small Group/Coffee Break Conference in mid-August at Rancho Capistrano Conference Center in California.
Several Korean Christian Reformed pastors were among the participants. “It was a good time for Korean pastors to learn more about Coffee Break small-group ministry,” said Rev. Edward Yoon, a conference speaker and consultant for the Korean Coffee Break program.
Plenary sessions, workshops, and small group Bible studies centered on the conference theme “God of Second Chances,” based on the book of Hosea.
Rev. David Ross, director of the Antioch Missions Training Center, brought a keynote address that emphasized God’s purifying and restoring love. Brent and Diane Averill, authors of the Discover Your Bible study on Hosea, titled their message “We All Have Some Peter in Us”—noting that despite the apostle Peter’s flaws, he was given many opportunities for faithful service.
A highlight was the presence of Mr. and Mrs. Jung-Suk Koh, Korean missionaries to Japan, who presented a special praise segment during a conference worship service.
Reflecting on the conference, Christian Reformed Home Missions’ Korean-ministry team leader Tong Park said, “The conference always comes with a big surprise. This year it was a team of dedicated workers who served the gathering sacrificially. Thanks to their efforts the conference went smoothly. Participants from Korea, China, and Japan were in awe.”
About the Authors
Don McCrory is senior
writer for Christian Reformed Home Missions.
