- (1)Characteristics
- Held every March and September, the Special Early Morning Prayer Rally is separated from Early Morning Prayer service in general and has its own organization and operation principle. For 8 years during its early stage, it was held for 30 days a year, which was reduced to 2 weeks for about a decade during its mid-stage. Since a few years ago, it has been held for a week each year.
- (2)Service
- One service session is divided into 5 sections. The 1st and 2nd are for a direct sermon while videos are watched from the 3rd to 5th.
- (3)Duration of the meeting
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Before 2012 : 1st session (4:30) / 2nd (5:40) / 3rd (6:50) / 4th (8:00) / 5th (10:00)
After 2012 : 1st session (5:00) / 2nd (6:10) / 3rd (7:20) / 4th (8:30) - (4)Brief introduction of the congregation
- When the Myungsung Church was established in 1980, it had only 20 attendees. As the church more than doubled its size year after year, however, the number of Early Morning Prayer service attendees, which was no more than 25 its early stage, rapidly increased to reach 700 by 1985. In 1989, the service was divided into 3 sessions, 4 sessions in 1990 and 5 in 1995. The number of the congregation recorded 16,189 in 1995, 20,854 in 1997, 36,000 in September 2003, 42,000 in March 2005 and 49,568 in March 2006. Especially, an average of 54,800 persons a day attended the Rally held in September 2006, which were watched on TV and the Internet by a total of over 5,960,000 viewers, recording the second highest audience rating among the South Korean programs broadcasted that year. Finally in March 2007, the meetings were joined by some 50,000 attendees and watched by a total of over 7,700,000 persons, recording the highest terrestrial and satellite program rating. In the meantime, the March session of 2008, also joined by over 50,000 believers, was broadcasted live and online worldwide with English, Chinese, Japanese and sign language translations.
- (5)Meeting with a theme
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Every meeting is held under a theme andfocuses on it. The theme is utilized in an
efficient manner with regard to the preparation of sermons, prayer meetings and public
relations. The theme of each year is like the following:
[The Themes of The Special Early Morning Prayer Rally by Year] Year March September 2019 Go on with a persistent desire The Way of Faith The Way of Abraham 2018 Stand firm in faith Hidden Treasures of the Beatitudes 2017 Into the world What Is Your Relationship With God? 2016 Abraham's Offspring CornerStone 2015 Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire A Man After My Own Heart 2014 But You, Man of God Joshua's Faith 2013 Show Yourself a Man Only Jesus 2012 The lord, My Strength God Seeks the Daniel of This Generation 2011 Service and Sacrifice Why do we need to go into the Promised Land? 2010 All things are the Grace of God You give them something to eat 2009 Jesus who makes us abundant Let us go up to Bethel 2008 New Generation, New Mission Love 2007 New Generation, New Spirit, New Person You will be a blessing 2006 Privileges of God's sons and daughters Those in Noah's Ark 2005 Save yourselves from this deprived generation Harbor of wish 2004 Ebenezer Oh!Faith 2003 Jesus, the king of peace Immanuel 2002 Daniel's God Seven years like a day 2001 Those devoted to triumph Cross the Jordan 2000 God's sons and daughters leading the new age Joseph’s Life and Blessing 1999 Overflowing Grace From Egypt to Canaan 1998 It will be done just as you believed it world Be my witness 1997 It is my fault that this great storm has come upon you Come and be satisfisfied 1996 The Beatitudes Life overcoming the world 1995 Our Savior Jesus Christ Abraham's path 1994 Seek first His kingdom and his righteousness Those pleasing God 1993 Praying People God's will 1992 Prayer, Holy Spirit, and Mission Prudent believers 1991 12 baskets Holy Spirit 1990 Grapevine bearing fruit Our father who art in Heaven 1989 Church, the fountain of bliss Those rewarded in Heaven 1988 Blessed believers God knocking at your door 1987 Believers in the Acts of Apostles A man after God's own heart 1986 Believers in full maurity Receiving Jesus through the Holy Spirit 1985 God Created the universe 1984 Christians 1983 Son of God 1982 Blessing 1981 The race of blessing 1980 The Lord Only
- (1)Organization
- Arrangement committee members are appointed at least 3 weeks before the date of a Rally.
- (2)Prayer meeting
- 1. Arrangement committee members’ prayer meeting : 7 meetings after an evening service, 8 meetings at dawn(for a week before the Rally)
2. Prayer meeting by believers in general : Successive prayer meetings by district and organization - (3)Briefing room
- Each district and organization should come up with a mobilization plan, which is supposed to be reported, arranged and analyzed at the briefing session. Every district volunteer should grasp the daily mobilization status and matters of attention for mutual cooperation
- (4)Volunteer activity for the service
- Each department in charge of providing information, collecting contributions, broadcasting and so on should join the volunteer exercises and prayer meetings under the guidance of church staff.
- (1)Promotional material
- Placard, poster, name tag, vehicle sticker and other leaflets
- (2)Online promotion and initiation of application
- (1)Staff
- During the Special Early Morning Prayer Rally period, Reverend Kim Sam-Whan and some high-ranking spiritual workers (teaching preachers could be included) supported the event lodging and praying together at church.
- (2)Instructor
- Reverend Kim Sam-Whan is the major instructor of every meeting.
- (3)Teaching material
- Sermons must be centered on the teaching materials prepared in advance.
- (1)Service (prayer meeting)
- Direct sermons are given during the 1st and 2nd sessions while video-service are given during from the 3rd to 5th.
- (2)Order helper
- The officiant, prayer, choir, chorus group and special guest can serve in order.
- (3)Volunteer activity
- 30 to 40 organizations and departments are temporarily expanded and in charge of indoor and outdoor guidance, contribution collection, vehicle control and so on.
- (4)Dining hall
- Some meals can be prepared for elementary, middle, high school students and commuters.
- (5)Contribution collection
- Contributions can be collected freely, both before and during a service.
- (6)Prayer card
- After writing what he or she wants to pray for, each attendee dedicates it with some contribution during the service by placing it on the table. This is to tell God each one’s wish.
- (1) Those with 100% attendance are granted some souvenirs.
- (2) Some prizes are awarded to individual missionaries and notable volunteers to acknowledge their efforts.
- (3) Any individual believer blessed by a prayer meeting can have a chance to confess his or her faith. There confessions are made into a book.
- (1)Instructor and teaching material
- Teaching materials for sermon, prepared with prayers for several months, are offered everyday.
- (2)Co-lodging
- All spiritual workers and arrangement committee members lodge together at church during the meeting period.
- (3)Total mobilization
- The meeting is effective for mobilizing believers. (attended by more than 90% of the 800 households comprising 1 district of 150 sections)
- (4)Church school
- Children show a high attendance rate. Those younger than 10 mainly sit around the pulpit. (100% attendance by more than 80% of 10,000 attendees)
- (5)Participation of common believers
- Common believers participation can be increased by way of emceeing, prayer, choir, special guest, volunteer activity (vehicle control, dining hall, etc.).
- (6)Choir
- More than 2,000 members join, some 1,500 per district and including male and female missionary groups.
- (7)Meals
- Some things to eat are provided for participating students and commuters (ramen, milk, etc.)
- (8)Prayer rooms
- Images of the 4 prayer rooms in Bundang, Mokdong, Sanggye and Hanam, along with those of the churches requesting broadcasting are shown on the Net and through satellite and broadcasts. (church, school, military base, etc.)
- (9)Contributions
- The entire contributions collected are donated. (scholarships for Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary, relief fund for flood victims, donation for Korean reunification, etc.)
- (10)Preachers
- Participation by the preachers overseas, in South Korea and the churches evangelized by the Myungsung Church is on the rise.