Maryland Central Korean Church Sparks Sabbath Movement

Allegheny East Conference's Maryland Central Korean church in Gaithersburg sparked a Sabbath movement that now reaches all the way to South Korea. The Return to the Bible Movement, a mission project to spread the Sabbath message to local Protestant pastors and elders through advertising, began in November 2011.

Story by LaTasha Hewitt, Allegheny East Conference

The project began when Pastor Namyong Kim and Jaeog Kom, an elder, met and started working with Sung-ho Han, a pastor from a local Holiness Church. Pastor Han was already studying the Sabbath and determined to spread the truth to other Protestant pastors.

In January 2012, Han placed advertisements in two local Korean newspapers, which stated that worshiping on Sunday was not biblical. Many Protestant pastors, elders and believers inquired about the message. The movement quickly spread to other states. Thirty pastors have since contacted Kim for Bible study materials.

In April 2012, Elder Hangjin Jo Cho, an Adventist in South Korea, heard about the project and started advertising in all of the country’s newspapers. Many Protestant ministers soon responded and several have already accepted the Sabbath. More than 150 Protestant pastors in the U.S. and South Korea are now actively studying the Bible.

“This movement will continue to grow as part of our lay activities movement,” says Guynam Bak, associate pastor.

Feature Photo: Maryland Central Korean church members work together to spread the Sabbath message by distributing literature on the three angels’ message door to door.