NEARLY 5,000 MILITARY PERSONNEL BAPTIZED IN KOREA

More than 4,900 Korean soldiers were baptized during a worship service at the Korea Army Training Center in the city of Nonsan on August 6.

Forty local Baptist pastors as well as 22 American pastors and United States military chaplains participated in the baptismal exercise.

The mass baptism was part of the 60th anniversary celebration

of the Far East Broadcasting Company-Korea (FEBC-Korea), which is chaired by Billy Kim, president of the Baptist World Alliance from 2000-2005. “The future of Korea and Korean churches lie with the young generation,” Kim said, alluding to the relative youth of the majority of those who were baptized. “The older generation has the responsibility to lead the young generation who are our future. I believe that only the Christian gospel holds the answer for young people who are anxious and fearful about the uncertain future.” Kim supports what he refers to as “military mission work,”

reaching out to those who are serving in the armed services. FEBC- Korea helped raise funds for a new building for the Yeonmudae Military Church; donated some 10,000 books on Christian

Former BWA President Billy Kim participates in the baptism of nearly 5,000 military personnel in South Korea. (Photo courtesy of FEBC-Korea)

WORKSHOP ON SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE By Rachel Saliba

spirituality to Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine churches; and opened book cafes on military bases around Korea with plans for more.

“FEBC-Korea will continue to spread the gospel through broadcasts,” Kim declared. “I am confident that the gospel is the only answer that can achieve unification of the two Koreas and heal our polarized society.”

Below: Participants at a workshop in Lebanon focussed on gender and sexual based violence

The Lebanese Society for Educational & Social Development (LSESD), in partnership with World Vision, has formulated a project to address the issues of gender based violence (GBV) and sexual gender based violence (SGBV) in Lebanon, using the Channels of Hope for Gender model of addressing gender issues through biblical and Christian interpretation. Religious leaders are often great catalysts for positive change within their communities. They play an important role in raising awareness and promoting best practices for preventing and reducing GBV and SGBV. Therefore, the project is aimed at improving the capacity of church leaders to respond to such issues.

The project encouraged churches to start activities to

strengthen the relationships of refugee couples. Over a six-week period, men and women had separate counseling sessions and were encouraged to do things together as a couple to strengthen their marriage. Some couples went out for a meal at a restaurant, while at one church there was a cooking competition where husbands cooked for their wives. This was done primarily so that husbands took on roles that are characterized as only for women,

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and that the husband would get a sense of how hard their wives work at home. As a result of the workshops, counseling and activities

conducted by the churches, the lives of 75 Syrian refugee couples are forever changed. Participants vividly described this change. One woman said, “When we took the training and teachings

about forgiveness, we saw a lot of changes in our relationship and lives.” A husband commented, “I heard this story once: Someone asked about what the role of a wife is. Some said it is to cook and others said it is to clean and take care of the house. But I answered, ‘You are all wrong! She is the crown to be placed on top of one’s head.’” And a woman who was severely abused physically and emotionally by her husband said, “Jesus Christ changed my life and I don’t know where I would’ve been without him. The church is standing by me and I cannot thank them enough for that.” A longer version of this article first appeared in the June-July 2016 newsletter of the Lebanese Society for Educational & Social Development.

photo courtesy of LSESD