Call to prayer for peace on the Korean peninsula

#forjustpeace | #NorthKorea

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Evangelical leaders and pastors from across the political spectrum

call Christians everywhere to pray for peace on the Korean Peninsula

 

March 27, 2018

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As American Christians with diverse approaches to force and nonviolence and yet all committed to pursuing peaceful relations among people and nations, we unite in prayer for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. We do this mindful of the millions of lives, including more than 230,000 Americans, that would be threatened by an escalation of conflict there. 

 

We are heartened by proposals for dialogue between our national leaders at a time when increasing tensions seemed to be marching our countries perilously in the direction of greater conflict, if not war. We call on all Christians everywhere to join us in praying for a just and peaceful resolution.

 

We pray for wisdom for our political, diplomatic and military leaders as they work across differences toward a goal of peace, security and freedom. We pray that God will bless the efforts of citizens who seek to bridge the vast differences between our countries. 

 

Decades of people-to-people contact between North Korea and the United States- through business, educational and other humanitarian exchanges - have put a human face on those who are sometimes characterized by one another as enemies. So, we pray with empathy and in a spirit of friendship, noting the image of God in every human being.  However profound the differences between our governments, we do not view the North Korean people as our enemies.  On the contrary, we desire only the best for the people of North Korea.

 

Most of the nearly two million Korean-Americans are Christians, and many belong to evangelical churches.  This community too has contact with North Koreans through humanitarian and family ties.  South Korea is also home to many evangelical churches, including some of the world’s largest.  Many of these Korean brothers and sisters have been praying for North Korea for years and we humbly join them. These connections with Koreans in North Korea, South Korea and the United States strengthen our resolve to seek God for mercy and, so far as it depends on us, to pursue peace between our respective countries.

Initial Signatories

 

Leith Anderson

President

National Association of Evangelicals

 

Hyepin Im

President/CEO & Founder

Faith and Community Empowerment

 

Dr. John P. Hartley

Chair

Evangelicals for Peace

 

Rev. Johnnie Moore

Founder

The Kairos Company

 

Nikki Toyama-Szeto

Executive Director

Evangelicals for Social Action

 

Joined by (alphabetical)*

 

Onleilove Alston, Founder, Prophetic Whirlwind: Uncovering the Black Biblical Destiny

Rollie Anderson, President, Anderson Trucking Service

Scott Arbeiter, President, World Relief

Jay Barnes, President, Bethel University

Scott Bessenecker, Director of Missions, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship

Darrell L. Bock, Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, Executive Director for Cultural Engagement, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement

Vernon Brewer, Founder, World Help

J Ron Byler, Executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S.

Pastor J Edgar Boyd, Sr. Minister & CEO, First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, CA

Vernon Burger II, Founder, His Voice Global

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)

Galen Carey, Vice-President for Government Relations, National Association of Evangelicals

Noel Castellanos, President, Christian Community Development Association

Peter T. Cha, Professor of Church, Culture, and Society, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Eugene Cho, Senior Pastor, Quest Church

James Cho, English Track Director, Grace Mission University, Board Chair, ByGrace Trust, President, Great Commission Research Network

James Chen, Executive Director, Institute for Global Engagement

Bishop Ronnie Crudup, Sr., Administrative Bishop for the Fellowship of International Churches, Chief Bishop for the Mid-South Diocese and Senior Pastor of New Horizon Church International

Alan Cureton, President, University of Northwestern

Adam Estle, President, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Margaret Feinberg, author and speaker, Transparent Faith, Inc.

Bishop Todd H. Fetters, Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA

Dr. Ronnie Floyd, President of the National Day of Prayer

Pastor Jentezen Franklin, Senior Pastor, Free Chapel

Micah Fries, Senior Pastor, Brainerd Baptist Church

David Gibbons, Lead Pastor, Newsong, Founder, XEALOTS.ORG

Dr. Jack Graham, Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church

Timothy Haahs, Lead Pastor, Calvary Vision Church in Blue Bell, PA

Bishop Grant Hagiya, Resident Bishop of the Los Angeles and Hawaii Area of the United Methodist Church

Lisa Sharon Harper, Founder and President, Freedom Road, LLC

Kyle Healy, Pastor & Global Field Manager, Willow Creek Community Church

L. Randall Heckert, Ministry Director of Leadership Development and Multiplication, Evangelical Friends Church - Eastern Region  

Mitch Hescox, President, Evangelical Environmental Network

Dennis P. Hollinger, President, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary

John Hopler, Director, Great Commission Churches, National Office

Jon Huckins, Co-founder, Global Immersion Project

Rev. Peter J. Hwang, Pastor, The First Korean Baptist Church of Philadelphia, President, The Friendship Council of U.S.A.

Bishop Harry Jackson, Bishop and Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church

Pastor Allen Jackson, Sr., Pastor, World Outreach Church

Steve Jones, President, The Missionary Church

Kathy Khang, Board member, Evangelicals for Social Action

Rev. Chongho James Kim, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church of Flushing, New York, Advisor, UMC Korea Peace Committee

Jamie Kim, Director, Reah International

Dr. Patrick Kraft, Orthopedic Surgeon

Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, President and Professor of Hebrew Bible, Claremont School of Theology

Sarah Withrow King, Deputy Director, Evangelicals for Social Action

Pastor Greg Laurie, Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship

Hak Joon Lee, Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological Seminary

Rick Love, President & Co-founder, Peace Catalyst International

Rev Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, Ambassador General and Superintendent Emerita, The Wesleyan Church

Shin Maeng, Artist

Kathy Maskell, Pastor of Discipleship, Blue Route Vineyard Community Church and Steering Committee, Vineyard Justice Network

Carl Medearis, Author, Speaking of Jesus

Eric Metaxas, Author, Speaker, and Radio Host

Russell D. Moore, President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Jim Mullins, Pastor, Redemption Church, Co-Director, Surge Network

Rev. Mark M. Nakagawa, West District Superintendent, California-Pacific Conference, The United Methodist Church

Rich Nathan, Senior Pastor, Vineyard Columbus

Terry Palmberg, Retired Business Executive

Deborah Pegues, Author, Ministry Financial Consultant

J. Nick Pitts, Executive Director of the Institute for Global Engagement at Dallas Baptist University, Author, The Daily Briefing

Soong-Chan Rah, Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism, North Park University

Mark Reddy, CEO, The Justice Conference

Vickie Reddy, Executive Producer, The Justice Conference

John Robb, Chairman, International Prayer Council

Bob Roberts, Senior Pastor, Northwood Church

Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, Senior Pastor of New Season Christian Worship Center

Philip Ryken, President, Wheaton College

Rev. Dr. Gabriel Salguero, President, National Latino Evangelical Coalition, Pastor, Calvario City Church

Ron Sider, Founder and President Emeritus, Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA)

Mark Siljander, Co-Founder, Trac5

Dr. Jay Strack, Founder, Student Leadership University

Rev. Tony Suarez, Executive Vice President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference

Stephanie Summers, CEO, Center for Public Justice

Don Sweeting, President, Colorado Christian University

Jer Swigart, Co-founder, Global Immersion Project  

Aaron Daniel Taylor, Producer, We Know Not What We Do

Joseph Tkach, President, Grace Communion International

Miroslav Volf, Professor, Yale Divinity School

Rev. Jim Wallis, President & Founder, Sojourners

Sealy Yates, Chairman, My Faith Votes and Founder of Yates and Yates

Josh Williams, Lead Pastor, Elm City Vineyard Church

Dr. Sophie C. Wong, President/CEO, Chinese For Christ, Chinese For Christ Calvin Chao Theological Seminary

Jeanette Yep, Pastor, Global and Regional Engagement, Grace Chapel

Dr. Stephen Yoon, Founder and Executive Field Director, Ignis Community/Sunyang Hana Foundation

Robert Zachritz, Vice President, World Vision

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* Affiliations listed for identification purposes only

Korean and Korean-American Advisors:

Younghoon Lee

Senior Pastor

Yoido Full Gospel Church 

 

Hyepin Im

President/CEO & Founder

Faith and Community Empowerment (Formerly Korean Churches for Community Development)

 

Jamie Kim

Director

Reah International

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Additional Signatories:

(Consecutive order)

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Rev. Sandra Maria Van Opstal, Author of The Next Worship

Adam Estle, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding

Keaton Shenk, Community Mennonite Church

Rev. Ramiro Pena, Christ the King Baptist Church

Glenda Landis, Mennonite Church USA

Hyun Hur, ReconciliAsian

John Robb, International Prayer Council

Jennifer Lien

Linda Moh

Tim Meagher

Bev Sesink

Kati Short

Nick Armstrong, Glocal Community Partners

Jason Coker, First Christian Church of Oceanside

Tony Portell,

Tim McDonell, Peace Catalyst International

Mike Karim, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship

Carolyn Weber, Travel Experts, LLC

Fern Wood, FBC Amarillo, TX

Lee Eggers

Tim Hanson

Reita Rea Hawthorne, Christian Writers Workshop

Frank Huth

Miroslav Volf, Yale Center for Faith and Culture

Mina Lindsay

Betty J Tennison, Baptist missionary

Carol MacNaughton, St. George’s Episcopal Church

James Foxvog, Mennonite Church USA

Henry Sun, Fairfield Presbyterian Church

Hyok In Kwon, The Peace Committee of the Korean Association of UMC

Rebecca Griffin

Namjoong Kim, Presbyterian Church in the Republic of Korea

Machielle Denmon, United Methodist Church

Kim Ports, United Methodist Church

Wooil Moon, Seoul Theological University

Keith So, Physician

William Glenn

Elizabeth Brick, United Methodist Church

Hyun Ho Park, Berkeley Korean United Methodist Church

Jong Chui Lee

Se Hyoung Lee, Korean Methodist Church

Barbara Troxell, United Methodist Church

C. Donald Smedley, Rivendell Institute

John Ross, Aurora Christian Ministry Network

Cynthia Brewington, Catholic Church

Kyungmok Lee, Claremont School of Theology

Burt Yin, Oakland Chinese Community United Methodist Church

Susan Newby

Linda Pate, Episcopal Church

Sunglac Wi

Bob Fox, Abundant Life Fellowship

Rev. Daniel Sardar, Evangelical church

Laura Armstrong, Glocal Community Partners

Junhyup Lee, Immanuel Korean United Methodist Church

Daniel Cho, United Methodist Church

Steve Kim

Ilsun Kim, Presbyterian Church USA

Jieun Han, Presbyterian Church USA

Kathleen Nicholson

Ohyeun Lee

Wendy Blackmur, Christian Solidarity Worldwide, Hong Kong

Martha Knutson

Katherine Anderson, Fundacion Apoyo Para El Embarazo

Kiseong Shin, newsnjoy.us

Brian Seok Joong Kim

Michelle Lee, Gordon Conwell Seminary

Thomas Finger, Mennonite Church USA

Isaiah McAleese, Vineyard Church

Ellie VerGowe, Covenant Church

Sung-ok Lee, United Methodist Women

Kristin Kauffman, Immanuel Mennonite Church

Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil, Quest Church

John W Park

John Morehead, Evangelical Chapter Foundation for Religious Diplomacy

Joseph Handley, Asian Access, Evangelical Covenant Church

Marvin Webster, Retired Baptist pastor

Bill Armerding, Christian Brethren

John Chowning, Saloma Baptist Church pastor

Khari Brown, Wayne State University

Chaplain John Rauch, United Methodist Church

Conrad Hempel, Southfield Community Church

Timothy Woodruff, Presbyterian Church of the Covenant USA

Rev. Elgin Taylor, Training and Empowering Leaders International

James Neil

George Sebek, Reliant Mission

Eriberto Soto, United Methodist Church

Lou Theriault

Chris Old, Great Commission Churches

Jonathan Park, Abundant Life Community

Eric Riddiough

Lawrence Locklin, Engage Daily

Kristyn Komarnicki, Evangelicals for Social Action

Chris Selstad

Jan Rayburn, Pioneers

Rev. James Cha, i43 Ministry

Cory Wilson, Calvin Theological Seminary

Violet Corey, Foursquare Church

Frank Costenbader, Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Bill Sellstrom, Hope Chapel

Todd Komarnicki

Judy Douglass, Cru

Randy Ruth, Presbyterian Church of America

Drew Henderson, Deep Water Care and Counsel

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