The Launching of the Korean Clergy Leadership Conference

Read True Mother’s address at the Hyojeong Offering Ceremony for the Inheritance of Heavenly Fortune, one of several events that took place in celebration of the launch of KCLC, here.

Photo credit FFWPU-USA

From October 30 to November 3, hundreds of pastors and ministers gathered in Korea for the launching of the Korean Clergy Leadership Conference (KCLC). From America, there were 40 members of the American Clergy Conference (ACLC) who traveled to Korea to support this important moment.

Through the establishment of KCLC, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, co-founder of Family Federation for World Peace and Unification (FFWPU) with her late husband Rev. Dr. Sun Myung Moon, affectionately known as True Parents, is seeking to overcome decades of resistance and persecution throughout the Korean Peninsula and the world.

Dr. Moon is again reaching out her hand to the community of Christian leaders in South Korea, asking them to work together and become one for the sake of fulfilling God‘s providence on the Korean Peninsula. Dr. Moon is leveraging the foundation of ACLC, and the hearts of the American clergy, to develop a KCLC that will testify to the world of True Parents’ work to bring about world peace. 

During this entire journey in Korea, we were always greeted by such incredibly kind and gracious hosts. We were treated so kindly, fed so well, and you could feel the hand of True Mother’s love behind every detail, creating the perfect environment for people who don’t usually meet one another, much less work together, to actually create bonds of friendship and platforms for real change.”

These pastors and ministers have witnessed and experienced a bigger vision and a deeper dynamic range of love than ever before. “We need to come together on the commonality of Jesus and God. You can divide us by our ‘whats,’ but our ‘whos’ will unite us,” said Pastor Joel Barnaby of the Greater Church of Philadelphia.

“I have never heard any minister tell their enemies that we must unite as one. Yet, True Mother says we all must unite together, and build the foundation by working together. The bell must ring, the flag of peace must rise,” said Archbishop Sulanch Lewis-Rose.

FFWPU President Demian Dunkley said, “True Parents are asking the Christian clergy to work together in the love of God and humanity. To reach beyond man-made boundaries and borders, and establish a wider foundation for God to work His plan for peace in the world.”

Rev. Dunkley added, “Bringing about world peace is a process. It requires the ability to pivot on deeply seated perspectives, in order to embrace the fullness of who Jesus is, and what God is doing at this time. None of it would be possible without first establishing a bridge of true love. It will take time, but I can see the team working harder than ever before to repair these relationships with our Christian brothers and sisters.”

On November 3, ACLC members visited Korean churches. Dr. Luonne Rouse, co-chairman of ACLC spoke at the Cheonbuk Gung Church. “As Co-Chairman of the ACLC, I contributed to the installation of the KCLC. But I want you to know that was not all we can do for you. It’s not over. We will pray with you, we will study with you, we will sing with you and we will praise God with you. I vow today that we are going to work with you and with True Mother until there is a Unified Korea and there is Peace on Earth.”

This new beginning, the proclamation of KCLC working together with ACLC, is the perfect foundation for the successful launch of the World Clergy Leadership Conference (WCLC) this December in New York.

Dr Ki Hoon Kim, Vice President of Family Federation International, and co-chairman of ACLC, opened the launch of KCLC with a message encouraging KCLC members with a brief history of True Parents’ work in America and the establishment of ACLC.

The following message was given by Dr. Ki Hoon Kim, Vice President of Family Federation International, at the Opening Banquet at the launching of the KCLC in Korea on October 30, 2019.

America is a country blessed by God. True Parents want to connect Korea to American Christianity, which God blessed more than 200 years ago. True Father said that America is prepared by God and that America is the outcome of 2000 years of Christian history. So, we are the most blessed country in the world. Don’t you think so? We have the most blessed pastors and churches. True Parents really want to share this blessing that we received from God and from True Parents with the world.

If America just exists for its own sake, America will decline and disappear. We know what happened to King Saul and King David and King Solomon. God chose them to govern His people, His nation. God showered them with all kinds of blessings. As each of them failed before God, God moved from one king to the next. In the same way, America is also faced with many difficulties. Something must happen, otherwise we cannot bring unity.

The Washington Times’ top news yesterday was about President Donald Trump’s negative comments toward the Chicago police chief. They argued with one another during Trump’s first visit to Chicago since becoming president. Chicago is not Trump’s kind of city. Chicago is my kind of city.

So, how can we bring love and unity? As religious leaders and as pastors of churches, how can we give God-centered messages? This is the reason we are here. We really want to share the blessings of our American churches with the Korean church foundation. We are so grateful they prepared so well for this conference and invited us as true brothers and sisters from the ACLC and KCLC.

Remember in 2017, Mother called us and we participated in a big rally of 80,000 people, who gathered for the sake of reunification between North and South Korea. At that time, True Mother had the same idea: 120 ACLC clergy came and True Mother really wanted them to go out to the countryside and testify about True Parents, about how they sacrificed for the sake of America and for the sake of the worldwide providence of restoration.

We selected just 40 people among the many ACLC pastors. Many people emailed me, asking why I did not choose them. They wrote, “I brought so many people to Korea. I brought so many people to New York. I brought so many people everywhere! Why have you not included me?” I replied to them, “You will have another chance. Another chance. Take it!”

So for this, you are chosen by Heavenly Parent and True Parents. Think about it. True Parents suffered for 50 years in America. Many people didn’t understand their mission, so they accused True Parents when they came to America. How can an oriental man and oriental woman lead America, God’s most blessed country? They started to persecute True Parents. True Parents prayed to God, “God, you invited us to come over here to America to save this country because this country is blessed. I chose this country America, but they are pushing me away. Can you come to America and save this country?” This was True Parents commitment, whether the American government wanted it or not. True Parents remained standing, upholding God and God’s providence for the sake of America.

I want you to understand True Father and True Mother. When you truly understand True Father and True Mother’s spirit, your heart, like mine, will melt. I become like True Father, I become like True Mother.

With the spirit of the WCLC centering on True Mother, let us welcome True Mother on December 28. We are confident, centering on True Mother, that we will have 30,000 ACLC pastors and local pastors in attendance. Of course, we will also have our own family members and thousands and thousands of clergy from Europe, Africa, Middle East, Central America, South America, Asia, Japan and Korea.

So, please, at this time, we ask each one of you to testify to True Parents. Tell them how great they are as representatives of Heavenly Parent and Jesus.

In 2017, many ACLC pastors went to the Demilitarized zone in Imjingak in Korea, and we prayed. We melted the icy relationship between North and South Korea. After we prayed hard at Imjingak, two heads of states met together: Mr. Donald Trump and Mr. Kim Jong Un. They tried to negotiate all kinds of issues. Because of ACLC pastors, our mission to unify North and South Korea will be successful.

True Mother has never believed these political figures alone can bring unification between North and South Korea. We religious leaders will bring this reunification between North and South Korea by coming together, bonding, and praying together. At this time, we have a very important mission on our shoulders. We have to awaken the Korean Christian clergy, our beloved brothers and sisters, and invite all of them to America and show them ACLC, which was founded in 2000. We supported True Father’s 50-state speaking tour.

Thank you so much to all our clergy, including Dr. Rouse, Bishop Stallings, Bishop Edwards and Bishop Sykes. Thank you all so much for coming and supporting True Mother’s efforts. On November 2, we are going to participate in the 30,000 Korean clergy and family rally at the CheongShim Peace World Center. Mother already asked some ACLC pastors to testify to and revive these people.

How do we revive these people? By understanding God’s providence and True Parents’ providence in America, in Korea and around the world. We are world crusaders. World crusaders bring world peace. This is what True Mother is doing every other week; she is going around the world and asking leaders, even leaders from small nations like Albania. True Mother visited Albania and spoke to the leaders. Albania really wants to become a part of the European Union (EU), but the EU rejected them, saying that because of their culture and economic foundation, they are not qualified to be a part of the EU.

So, True Mother appeared to this small, spiritually and economically oppressed nation. “Don’t worry,” she said. “Even though you are a small nation and very oppressed by the strong neighboring countries and the EU, don’t worry. If you welcome True Parents and Heavenly Parent, you will become the first and they will become the last.”

This is the right kind of leadership mentality. It is not just, “I like the strongest, I like the richest, I like to receive big benefits from my congregation and churches.” True Parents say, “Don’t worry, even if you have suffered a lot and have been oppressed, God is on your side.” This is God’s providence of restoration. This is True Mother’s message.

True Mother is never afraid to testify to God. True Mother says that this coming December 28 rally is the dream of God. The dream of God! God really wants to come back to America because this is God’s country, not Satan’s country. So, True Mother wants to bring this mentality, change this country and make it absolutely clear that America is on God’s side. This is the only way we can save America. America needs a Messiah. America needs a savior more than any other country. So, we must support this mission. Let us be like Jesus for the sake of our church, our community, and our nation. And let us be like True Parents for America and for the world.

Once again, we are not just sitting in a classroom understanding other people. Right now, more than ever before, let us stand up and testify that God is our God, True Father is the Second Coming and True Mother is the Only Begotten Daughter of God. Let us proudly share these testimonies with people around the world. You will see how True Mother laid down the foundation for each one of us.

Thank you so much. If you have any other questions or if you need any other means of support, please reach out to your subregional leaders who are here with us. Once again, thank you to our President, Demian Dunkley, and also Dr. Michael Jenkins, and the five subregional leaders. Let us bring great unity and great inspiration from America, as the leading nation, for the sake of Korea and to bring about a very successful launching of the KCLC. After this, we have a big mission to embark on, including the launching of the WCLC.

Do not fear. Do not fear to testify about God, Jesus and True Parents. The blessing is ours and God is on our side.

True Mother is expecting something big this December 28. So, we are preparing and working hard. Please let us help and let us revive America with this spirit again.

When True Father invited the 172 religious leaders to Korea in 2011, he invited us to the Cheon Jeong Gung Museum. I told True Father that we have don’t have the space to accommodate 172 clergy. “Don’t worry,” he said, “They can sleep with me, on my living room floor with sleeping bags.” Then, a savior came: True Mother. True Mother said no to True Father. Mother rearranged the room to accommodate American-style beds. True Mother also invited us to the Cheon Jeong Gung Museum and some of you stayed here, in a deluxe condominium in Azalea Village.

So, this is the ideal home for you. True Mother is really looking to welcome you back home the same way she did in 2011, but this time True Mother has prepared for everyone, even for those who have never experienced a five-star hotel before. This is True Mother’s standard and hopefully we can share our appreciation for her throughout the next four days.

True Mother will hold a welcome banquet where she will invite everyone to her place. We will have a wonderful, wonderful time with True Mother. So, this time, understand one another and understand True Parents’ leadership and foundation. Then, let us bring the spirit of God and True Parents back to our homes, our churches and to our nation of America. I believe America, where True Parents spent over 50 years of their lives, is the chosen nation.

Thank you and God bless you!