Major Christian Leaders From All Denominations Issue Urgent Call to Prayer Over Korean Peninsula

As American Christians with diverse approaches to force and nonviolence and yet all committed to pursuing peaceful relations among people and nations, we unite in prayer for permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula. We do this mindful of the millions of lives, including more than 230,000 Americans, that would be threatened by an escalation of conflict there.

We are heartened by proposals for dialogue between our national leaders at a time when increasing tensions seemed to be marching our countries perilously in the direction of greater conflict, if not war. We call on all Christians everywhere to join us in praying for a just and peaceful resolution.

We pray for wisdom for our political, diplomatic and military leaders as they work across differences toward a goal of peace, security and freedom. We pray that God will bless the efforts of citizens who seek to bridge the vast differences between our countries.

Decades of people-to-people contact between North Korea and the United States—through business, educational and other humanitarian exchanges—have put a human face on those who are sometimes characterized by one another as enemies. So, we pray with empathy and in a spirit of friendship, noting the image of God in every human being. However profound the differences between our governments, we do not view the North Korean people as our enemies. On the contrary, we desire only the best for the people of North Korea.

Most of the nearly two million Korean-Americans are Christians, and many belong to evangelical churches. This community too has contact with North Koreans through humanitarian and family ties. South Korea is also home to many evangelical churches, including some of the world’s largest. Many of these Korean brothers and sisters have been praying for North Korea for years, and we humbly join them. These connections with Koreans in North Korea, South Korea and the United States strengthen our resolve to seek God for mercy and, so far as it depends on us, to pursue peace between our respective countries.

Sincerely, Leith Anderson, president of National Association of Evangelicals

Hyepin Im, president/CEO and founder of Faith and Community Empowerment

Dr. John P. Hartley, chair, Evangelicals for Peace

Rev. Johnnie Moore, founder, The Kairos Company

Nikki Toyama-Szeto, executive director, Evangelicals for Social Action

They are joined by the following, named in alphabetical order:

• Onleilove Alston, founder, Prophetic Whirlwind: Uncovering the Black Biblical Destiny
• Rollie Anderson, president, Anderson Trucking Service
• Scott Arbeiter, president, World Relief
• Jay Barnes, president, Bethel University
• Scott Bessenecker, director of missions, Intervarsity Christian Fellowship
• Darrell L. Bock, senior research professor of New Testament studies, Dallas Theological Seminary, executive director for cultural engagement, Howard G. Hendricks Center for Christian Leadership and Cultural Engagement
• Vernon Brewer, founder, World Help
• J. Ron Byler, executive Director, Mennonite Central Committee U.S.
• Pastor J. Edgar Boyd, sr. minister and CEO, First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, California
• Vernon Burger II, founder, His Voice Global
• Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, executive director, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
• Galen Carey, vice president for government relations, National Association of Evangelicals
• Noel Castellanos, president, Christian Community Development Association
• Peter T. Cha, professor of church, culture and society, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School
• Eugene Cho, senior pastor, Quest Church
• James Cho, English Track director, Grace Mission University; board chair, ByGrace Trust; president, Great Commission Research Network
• James Chen, executive director, Institute for Global Engagement
• Bishop Ronnie Crudup, Sr., administrative bishop for the Fellowship of International Churches, chief bishop for the Mid-South Diocese and senior pastor of New Horizon Church International
• Alan Cureton, president, University of Northwestern
• Adam Estle, president, Evangelicals for Middle East Understanding
• Margaret Feinberg, author and speaker, Transparent Faith, Inc.
• Bishop Todd H. Fetters, Church of the United Brethren in Christ, USA
• Dr. Ronnie Floyd, president of the National Day of Prayer
• Pastor Jentezen Franklin, senior pastor, Free Chapel
• Micah Fries, senior pastor, Brainerd Baptist Church
• David Gibbons, lead pastor, Newsong; founder, xealots.org
• Dr. Jack Graham, pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church
• Timothy Haahs, lead pastor, Calvary Vision Church in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
• Bishop Grant Hagiya, resident bishop of the Los Angeles and Hawaii Area of the United Methodist Church
• Lisa Sharon Harper, founder and president, Freedom Road, LLC
• Kyle Healy, pastor and global field manager, Willow Creek Community Church
• Randall Heckert, ministry director of leadership development and multiplication, Evangelical Friends Church—Eastern Region
• Mitch Hescox, president, Evangelical Environmental Network
• Dennis P. Hollinger, president, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
• John Hopler, Director, Great Commission Churches, national office
• Jon Huckins, co-founder, Global Immersion Project
• Rev. Peter J. Hwang, pastor, The First Korean Baptist Church of Philadelphia, president, The Friendship Council of U.S.A.
• Bishop Harry Jackson, bishop and senior pastor, Hope Christian Church
• Pastor Allen Jackson, senior pastor, World Outreach Church
• Steve Jones, president, The Missionary Church
• Kathy Khang, board member, Evangelicals for Social Action
• Rev. Chongho James Kim, senior pastor, First United Methodist Church of Flushing, New York; advisor, UMC Korea Peace Committee
• Jamie Kim, director, Reah International
• Dr. Patrick Kraft, orthopedic surgeon
• Kah-Jin Jeffrey Kuan, president and professor of Hebrew Bible, Claremont School of Theology
• Sarah Withrow King, deputy director, Evangelicals for Social Action
• Pastor Greg Laurie, senior pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship
• Hak Joon Lee, Lewis B. Smedes Professor of Christian Ethics, Fuller Theological Seminary
• Rick Love, president and co-founder, Peace Catalyst International
• Rev. Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, ambassador general and superintendent emerita, The Wesleyan Church
• Shin Maeng, artist
• Kathy Maskell, pastor of discipleship, Blue Route Vineyard Community Church and steering committee, Vineyard Justice Evangelism, North Park University
• Carl Medearis, author, Speaking of Jesus
• Eric Metaxas, author, speaker, evangelism, North Park University
• Mark Reddy, CEO, The Justice Conference
• Vickie Reddy, executive producer, The Justice Conference
• John Robb, chairman, International Prayer Council
• Don Sweeting, president, Colorado Christian University
• Jer Swigart, co-founder, Global Immersion Project
• Aaron Daniel Taylor, producer, We Know Not What We Do
• Joseph Tkach, president, Grace Communion International