The Korean Prayer Project May 3 – 7, 2023

Buffalo/Niagara, NY hosts, Edison St. Community Church and NorthGate Christian Community.
Host Pastors: Jon Hasselbeck and Ted Howard.

In numerous ministry contexts, Set Free Inc. disciples and mentors leaders in WNY and beyond. But could a ministry such as ours be mentored? In Earl Creps book Reverse Mentoring, the author proposes that older church leaders can learn from younger leaders who are more conversant with culture, technology, and social context. May I suggest that our ministry along with intercessors and pastors from our region were “reverse mentored” by a prayer team from South Korea?

May, 2023, Set Free along with Pastors Ted Howard and Jon Hasselbeck hosted a team of nine intercessors from Seoul, South Korea. They had a burden for Mother America who brought Christianity to Korea through Dr. Billy Graham in 1973.  They emphasized that they were NOT coming to pray FOR us, but WITH us.

We accepted their challenge. Prayer meetings were held 3 times a day, twice/day in Buffalo, once/day in the suburbs. The nations gathered to pray. Our Korean friends were up at 4 am to pray before we welcomed them to our 7 am prayer meeting. Such sacrifice and love for people and a city they had never met.

Most of us were stretched by Korean “crying out prayer.” This style of prayer is characterized by everyone simultaneously praying out loud in full voice. (Wow–earplugs were available for our locals!) Although the style stretched us, we could not deny the power of South Korea’s prayers that they believe have built a prayer canopy, protecting them from occupation and destruction by the dictators of North Korea.

As we listened and joined in crying out prayer (somewhat timidly at first), we experienced its power. Our Korean brothers and sisters discipled us in another style of prayer. Seoul and Buffalo came together as one. Was it initially uncomfortable? Yes. Did we see and feel the passion at higher levels? Yes.

Overall, the week was life-changing for so many of us.
Pastor Ted Howard summarized, “This week has been igniting, empowering, and we’re encouraged to carry on.”

Pastor Jon Hasselbeck emphasized, “The beauty of what has happened is that we have caught the fire of the Holy Spirit for prayer through our Korean brothers and sisters. We’re so grateful that they came.”

After the Koreans returned home, we continued to feel a deeper passion to pray and intercede for our city and the needs around us. Their prayers changed our hearts. We believe true discipleship includes an impartation from the teacher. We definitely received a deeper passion to pray and cry out. We may not use this style every time we pray, but we now have another manner of prayer available in our intercessory toolbox.

“Yet when holy lovers of God cry out to Him with all their hearts, the Lord will hear them and come to rescue them from all their troubles.”  (Psalms 34:17 TPT)

The Koreans definitely planted fruit that will remain. We are Better Together!

(Stay tuned. Our Korean prayer team plans to return May, 2024.)