How did a retired Southern Baptist preacher, a Pentecostal revivalist and a Korean Baptist who heads the South Korean World School of Prayer (mostly Presbyterians) come to be at the same table?
The answer is easy. Aaron Park, the Rev. Fred Lunsford and Dr. P. Douglass Small share a mutual passion for a pervasive authentic move of God that touches all denominations, ages, stages and walks of life. They are putting God above doctrine, and the cross of Christ ahead of differences.
On March 11 at New Life Church in Hayesville, Aaron Park shared powerful stories of countries where thrilling turnarounds resulted after pervasive prayer. For example, 50 years ago Korea was one of the poorest countries on earth. Then a Billy Graham crusade there touched 1.3 million people, and thousands came to faith in Christ.
An amazing turnaround took place as South Korea became a Christian nation. Churches sprang up everywhere, powered by pervasive prayer.
Today, South Korea has the 10th-largest economy in the world. The largest churches in the world, regardless of denomination, are located there. He shared that after a Korean prayer team visited Benin, the president of the country donated more than 100 acres of land to be used as a prayer center. He wanted for Benin what had happened in South Korea.
Small gave a peek at what God is doing across America. He mentioned Ohio, where a church they visited on their recent 20-city tour grew from 400 to more than 1,100 in just the last two years and recently baptized 200. He also told about the coldness he found in other cities, and the sorry tale of a church that dwindled, then the building was sold and converted to an occult entertainment center and bar.
The meeting closed with a time of spontaneous prayer. Thom Carter of Cherokee County described what happened this way.
“I experienced joy, peace and a powerful sense of the Lord’s presence during the prayers of pastors Fred Lunsford (Christian Lighthouse Ministries), Greg Carroll (New Life Church), Jimmy Tanner (First Baptist Church of Murphy), Philip Cochran (Murphy Church of God) and WNC Korean Prayer project hosts Ron and Elana Stockman (members of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church),” he said.
Becky Brown of Brasstown said, “Learning about the passion of the Korean prayer ministry on America’s behalf inspires me to pray more for spiritual awakening. Little Brasstown Baptist Church doors will open for prayer each Monday evening from 5-8 p.m.”
“These South Korean prayer teams are spiritual firestarters. We need a true move of God to wake up God’s sons and daughters in America,” Carter added.
Ron and Elana Stockman serve the tri-county area as WNC Korean Prayer Project Hosts. For details, email the Stockmans at goinghisway3@gmail.com or call 727-487-3124.