SEOUL, South Korea—At the break of dawn, thousands inside the Myungsung Presbyterian Church cry out in unison “Ju-yeo! Ju-yeo! Ju-yeo!” or “Lord! Lord! Lord,” followed by a chorus of prayers.
This happens twice a year during the Early Morning Prayer Festival held at the church. It spans five days in March and September and daily attendance surges to about 25,000 as people seek God for breakthroughs, healing and spiritual renewal.
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Not only has it been a church tradition but for many it is a family tradition, as well. Children who have been attending the early morning prayer are now parents who are bringing their own children to the service.
“Since I was a child, I experienced the grace and the blessings from the early morning prayer,” church member Jinju Jung told CBN News. “He answered my prayers especially blessing me with good health. And this is why I bring my children so they too will make it part of their life.”
She adds that the prayer festival has been a lifestyle for her family.
Jung’s daughter, Sira Kim, also shared about the answer to her prayers.
“I was 4 years old when I first joined the early morning service. It was hard to wake up but I am happy because God answers my prayers,” she explained. “The most recent [prayer] is I prayed (to attend) a summer camp in the U.S. and God answered my prayer. I was able to join the camp.”
Dawn prayer meetings have been a meaningful part of Korean Christian life, dating back over 140 years. As urbanization swept the country, however, the tradition began to fade.
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Reverend Sam-hwan Kim, founder of Myungsung Church, helped bring it back by launching the week-long early morning prayer festivals.
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