The Church of God Overseas Visiting Group: Difference between revisions

The '''Church of God Overseas Visiting Group''' program was started to bring members from around the world to Korea so that they could study the truth of the [[Bible]] and experience the love of [[God the Mother]]. Korea is the place where the [[gospel]] of the [[New Covenant|new covenant]] has been restored and the [[World Mission Society Church of God|Church of God]] has been reestablished. The program can be regarded as a pilgrimage for the members of the [[World Mission Society Church of God|Church of God]] around the world. The program can range from a week to half a month. Since the first overseas visiting group from North America in 2001, a total of 75 groups have visited Korea up until the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://watv.org/history/ |title=Church of God History, 2001, The 1st Overseas Visiting Group (U.S.) |publisher= |website=WATV.org |date= |author= |quote=  }}</ref><br>During the visit, overseas members learn the truths of the Bible from various angles at the [[New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple]], the [[Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute]], and the [[Elohim Training Institute]]. Through lessons and instruction, members increase the depth of their faith and broaden their biblical knowledge. Participating in various events such as the [[Global Bible Seminar]], they interact with Korean members and build friendships across national borders. After experiencing Korean history and culture by visiting local churches and famous places throughout the country, the members also share what they learned in Korea with their respective countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://monthly.chosun.com/client/mdaily/daily_view.asp?idx=5867&Newsnumb=2019015867 |title=‘Hoping the Gospel Can Even Inhabit in High Himalayan Region’ . . . Church of God Presents ‘Hopeful and Joyful Message’ to Global Village in the New Year |publisher=Monthly Chosun |website= |date=January 8, 2019 |author= |quote= }}</ref>

In the early 2000s, the '''Overseas Visiting Group''' program was formed. At that time, the Church of God was established in many countries through overseas missions. Since overseas members visited Korea for the first time in 1999,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://shindonga.donga.com/3/all/13/1752128/1 |title=World Mission Society Church of God General Pastor Joo-Cheol Kim |website= |publisher=Shindonga |date=June 7, 2019 |quote= }}</ref> requests from members in every country where the Church of God was established flooded the Headquarters. The goal was to personally visit Korea, where the truth of the new covenant and the faith of the early Church was restored, and to strengthen their faith even more.<br>As the biblical prophecy says, “When the glory of Jerusalem shines on the whole world, people will assemble from afar, flying like doves to their nest,”<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.studylight.org/study-desk.html?q1=Isaiah+60%3A1-8&q2=&ss=0&t1=eng_n84&t2=eng_kjv&t3=eng_nas&ns=0&sr=1&ot=bhs&nt=wh&hv1=1&b=verse&d=3 |title=Isaiah 60:1–8 |publisher= |quote= }}</ref> members from many nations have visited Korea. Members from more than 80 countries have visited Korea, including Canada and the United States in North America, which claims to be the birthplace of Christianity; Germany, France, and Spain in Europe, where the Catholic Church originated from; Nepal and Japan in Asia; South Africa, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Seychelles in Africa; Peru, Mexico, and Argentina in South America; and Australia and New Zealand in Oceania. For members in some countries, it takes three days for them to come to Korea.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://news.watv.org/internal/content.asp?articleid=i20041231705 |title=Crossing Over 6,000 Years for 60 Hours |website=English WATV |publisher= |date=December 31, 2004 |quote= }}</ref> The reason members from around the world spend their time and expenses visiting the country is because it is the holy land where '''[[God the Father]] and [[God the Mother]] came as testified in the Bible. It is a historical center that has played a groundbreaking role in spreading the gospel of the new covenant throughout the world.<ref name=":4">{{인용 |url=https://weekly.donga.com/3/all/11/1614015/1 |title=Church of God Overseas Visiting Group Writes the New 21st Century 'Travels of Marco Polo' |publisher=Weekly DongAs |date=January 21, 2019  |author= |page= |quote= }}</ref>'''<br>The overseas members of the Church of God aspire to experience the “land of prophecy” even for a short amount of time, meet [[Heavenly Mother]] in Korea, the motherland of faith, and learn about Her love firsthand. The overseas members who have visited Korea have seen and felt the fulfillment of the prophecies of the Bible by visiting the Church of God History Museum and local churches to see the progression of the church.<br>

* Jamie Lazo (U.S.): “After accepting the new covenant, I dreamed of visiting Korea. (Through this visit) I wanted to meet Heavenly Mother and learn Her love, become humble, and share that love with many people when I return to my country.”<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://economist.co.kr/2016/05/09/etc/311397.html |title=World Mission Society Church of God |website= |publisher=Economist |date=May 9, 2016 |quote= }}</ref>

Truth education accounts for a large part of the schedule for the overseas visiting groups. The members fervently study the teachings of the Bible at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute, the Dongbaek Training institute, and the New Jerusalem Pangyo Temple in Korea. They also learn the mindset and ethics they should have as a believer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://monthly.chosun.com/client/news/viw.asp?nNewsNumb=201104100037&ctcd=C&cpage=1 |title=‘We Believe in God the Father and God the Mother with the Basis of the Bible's Testimony' |website= |publisher=Monthly Chosun |date=April 2011 |quote= }}</ref> The education is smoothly carried out in the official language of each country such as English, Spanish, Japanese, French, Cambodian, Sri Lankan, and Telugu. Other languages are translated by local missionaries and members with the talent to speak other languages.<br>The members of visiting groups are also moved during events because they can interact with Korean members. By participating in global bible seminars and conferences, and the Foreign Language Bible Preaching Contest, they interact with one another, transcending borders, languages, and cultures.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://watv.org/16th-foreign-language-bible-preaching-contest/ |title=The 16th Foreign Language Bible Preaching Contest |website=WATV.org |publisher= |date=2019. 5. 26 |quote= }}</ref> At the 2003 [https://terms.naver.com/entry.naver?docId=65557&cid=43667&categoryId=43667 Daegu Summer Universiade], they built friendships with people from around the world, playing an active role as Aurah Supporters together with the members in Korea.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://english.watv.org/news/content.asp?idx=175&page=39&back=all |title=We, too, are Aurah Supporters |website=English WATV |publisher=  |date=2003. 8. 21 |quote= }}</ref> In 2019, on the 101st anniversary of the birth of [[Ahnsahnghong|Christ Ahnsahnghong]], members from the United States, Peru, Mexico, Ukraine, Mongolia, Nepal, South Africa, and other countries who were talented in the field of culture and arts visited Korea.  During this event, which was held at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute, members led various performances such as performing traditional musical instruments, folk songs, and quartets with the hope to build a harmonized global village for the future.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=http://www.joongboo.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=1317621 |title=‘Hoping Korea and Whole World Can Have a New Year Full of Joy and Happiness’ . . . 73rd Overseas Visiting Group Delivers a Hopeful Message to Global Village |website= |publisher=The Joongbu Ilbo  |date=2019. 1. 7 |quote= }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |url=https://watv.org/73rd-overseas-visiting-group/ |title=The 73rd Overseas Visiting Group |website=WATV.org |publisher=  |date=2018. 12. 31 |year= |author= |page= |series= |isbn= |quote= }}</ref>