World's Largest Church to Hold Massive Prayer Conference in Seoul

Over 100,000 Christians from all over the world are expected to attend a massive prayer conference next month in Seoul, Korea, organized by the world’s largest church. Gathering at the ''Grand Prayer Conference for World Peace and

SEOUL, South Korea – Over 100,000 Christians from all over the world are expected to attend a massive prayer conference next month in Seoul, Korea, organized by the world’s largest church.

Gathering at the "Grand Prayer Conference for World Peace and Salvation of People" on Oct. 14, Christians will be called to pray for world peace and also for "the history of salvation for the Korean people to be created through the Holy Spirit," according to Yoido Full Gospel Church (YFGC), the host of the event and the largest known church congregation in the world.

About 100,000 Korean believers, mainly from YFGC, and 1,200 oversees Christian leaders will attend the event at Sang Am World Cup Stadium. Casey Treat from Christian Faith Center, Benny Hinn from Benny Hinn Ministries, and YFCG founder Dr David Yonggi Cho were invited as the keynote speakers for the conference.

The committee for the YFGC prayer conference plan to highlight today’s global challenges, prompting Christians to pray for the world.

"While the world is advancing rapidly in the 21st century, the gap between rich and poor countries is getting more critical,” according to a statement released by the committee for the prayer conference. “Also, terrors and wars are unceasing, environmental pollution is getting more serious, and Korea still remains the only divided country in this whole world."

The statement continued, saying that, "YFGC members and Christians in the world will earnestly pray, holding the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, to change the world and that the gospel may enter North Korea for the salvation of Koreans there."

At the first session of the conference, Treat and Hinn will preach, as the audience first prays for the door of the gospel to be opened to North Korea and for the peace in Jerusalem.

Rev Cho will deliver a message at the second session. Prior to the message, attendants will pray for several topics, including "world peace and the spread of gospel," "spiritual awakening of Korean churches and salvation of Korean people," "national security and social stability," as well as the revival of YFGC and the Korea Assemblies of God Full Gospel – the denomination to which YFGC belongs.

A resolution is to be adopted at the end of the prayer conference. Attendants will pledge themselves to efforts for world peace and the salvation of Korean people.

The one-day conference will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A similar event called "Grand Prayer Conference for the Nation and Church in a New Millennium" organized by YFGC at Jamsil Olympic Stadium in 2001 drew 120,000 participants. They prayed together for the country's economic hardships and world peace.

[Editor’s Note: Dae Won Kim reported from Seoul for this article and Madison Kim from San Francisco.]