International Worker Bible Academy [IWBA] has been attracting a great deal of interest and participation from young adults. The IWBA Entrance Ceremony 2018 was held at the Okcheon Go & Come Training Institute on June 17. This is the fourth time since 2015 when its education opened. In the entrance ceremony, more than 7,000 people attended, including enrolled students, freshmen, transfer students, the pastoral staff, and teachers in charge of young adults. In addition to the IWBA photo exhibition, there were booths to show the activities at workplaces, providing useful information to the young adults who want to live both their social life and their religious life meaningfully and to spend their golden age without regret.

At the worship service, the first part of the event, Mother said with delight, “The prophecy, ‘The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation’ (Isa 60:22), is being fulfilled by you who make efforts for the gospel and good deeds despite your busy and exhausting lives.” Mother prayed that the boundless blessing of the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon them all. Mother also emphasized practice along with faith as a virtue that young adults must possess to fulfill the remaining prophecies of the Bible. “Let us deliver the good news of salvation to our co-workers first, giving thanks to God for approving us and entrusting us with the most worthy mission of the gospel,” said Mother (Dt 28:1–3; 1 Th 2:3–4; Gal 6:7–8; Php 4:1–3).

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General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol put emphasis on the roles and mission of young adults in this age, giving examples of Biblical figures. In the Old Testament times, God chose Moses to fulfill His great will and set free the Israelites from the slavery to the Egyptians for over 400 years. Later, when the Israelites suffered the oppression of the Midianites, God appointed Gideon as a judge. Moses and Gideon were fully aware of God’s will and followed His word. As a result, according to God’s predestined will, Moses emancipated the Israelites from Egypt, and Gideon defeated 135,000 Midianites with 300 warriors, thus, becoming the protagonists of history.

“God has chosen you in this age for the completion of preaching to seven billion people,” said Pastor Kim Joo-cheol, encouraging the participants. “Anyone chosen by God can become like Moses and Gideon. Let us act in accordance with the prophecy as its protagonists and fulfill the mission of prophets,” he added with emphasis (2 Co 3:6).

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The participants give a big hand whenever the awardees are announced.

After the worship service, the entrance ceremony began with the IWBA Best Student Awards Ceremony, where 39 members including the students with superior grades in 2017 were awarded. A guide to work mission and a case presentation for freshmen followed it. The activities of IWBA are divided into education, mission, and volunteer service. It is to practice God’s teachings acquired through educational programs such as regular meetings and correspondence course books, by doing the work mission and volunteer services. For this, the members who belong to the same region, occupation, and company gather together before work and start the day with prayer. They also share difficulties at work, pass on know-how, and strive for better social life. Among them, 79 members were awarded in their workplaces the certificates of appreciation, citation, exemplary employee awards, or achievement awards, positively affecting not only themselves but also their workplaces.

Also, ASEZ WAO, the Young Adult Worker Volunteer Group, launched regular volunteer services. It carried out 137 times of cleanups with 13,301 man-days in 19 countries last year. As a result, they received certificates of appreciation and citations from many governments such as the Environmental Information Center in Taipei, Taiwan, and the ward office in Lima, Peru. Moreover, the “Church of God Street” was designated in Texas, U.S.

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Booths show young adult workers’ various activities.

The IWBA Entrance Ceremony 2018, which ended with the video about the activities and vision of IWBA, gave courage and enthusiasm to freshmen, and pride and rewards to the existing members. “Quite many of my colleagues feel depressed probably because they always see patients between life and death. I’d like to convey the comfort that I’ve received from Zion to them,” said Sister Kim Dae-young, a nurse at a university hospital. “I’m greatly encouraged by God’s word, ‘I will protect you in the water.’ I will work harder, grow more in faith, and spread God’s blessings to the whole world,” said Brother Ryu Yeong-joon, IWBA Awardee with superior grades, who is working as a diver on the west coast after being discharged from the Special Forces.

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The participants take a commemorative photograph after the entrance ceremony.