NY Youth Hallelujah ‘08

I stumbled onto the ministries of some old friends in a past life back in NY and was deeply moved. Just look @ the pictures:

That was me 20 years ago. I had forgotten but it was at this large revival meeting that I first became a Christian (Hallelujah ‘89). There were over a thousand Korean youth from NY gathered in this huge warehouse and BAM, the Spirit came. I was a little kid all the way in the back and I meandered to the front at the altar call and that was that. Today I’ve been a missionary, a pastor, a seminarian, a father and the only thing left for me would be to die for the faith that began those 20 years ago. That’s how powerful those meetings were. I had the privilege in the late 90’s to become part of the leadership of these Hallelujah gatherings and since I left NY it was still going strong with some of my closest buddies assuming directorial positions on the board and the band I played with becoming the regular face of Hallelujah gatherings year after year (again this year). So it saddened me to find out…

that at one point the ministry had waned and faded out. It broke my heart to hear that. But now they’re reviving it (pun intended). From their site:

Youth Hallelujah’s vision is for the youth of New York City of all cultures to be encouraged, excited, united and challenged to reach out and share their love and joy in the Lord with others. At one time, Youth Hallelujah was the one event which brought hundreds of Korean youth in New York together for worship. God anointed this event that in each year, tens and hundreds of people were saved. With its history of over 30 years, the number of people who were touched by God through Youth Hallelujah is countless, and its impact on believers and non-believers alike is immeasurable. For the past few years, Youth Hallelujah went through many challenges and struggles, to the point of that it ceased to exist. Many, especially the younger youth, do not even know about Hallelujah at all. The desire of our staff is that God will grant the opportunity once again for this Youth Hallelujah to share His greatness to the youth in New York. This is declaration that Hallelujah still exists for youth of New York by grace of our Great God.

As I am currently taking a Christian history class (Anglican Reformation to present day) I can see the correlations between the Hallelujah gatherings and the Keswick Conventions in England, the Student Volunteer Movement, the American Great Awakenings and other great movements of renewal. I hope historians will not bypass this phenomenon coming out of the Korean church in NY. The fruits have been innumerable ministries, pastors, missionaries, leaders, influential world-changers.

Do me a favor if u r in the NY area, attend this gathering July 10 – 12. And while you’re there, weep a tear for me in gratefulness for his Providence over 30 yrs of revival history.