The international conference has always been one of the most important events in the Lay Pastors Ministry. I began attending the international conferences of Lay Pastors Ministry International (LPMI) in the United States in 2000. Since the ministry began more than thirty years ago, LPMI USA had held an international conference every other year, usually during the last week of April.
The conference was the centerpiece of the ministry’s vision and activities. Enormous effort went into its preparation. In fact, planning for the next conference began immediately after the current one ended. At the closing banquet, the organizers would announce the date and location of the next conference, to be held two years later. This allowed participants to mark their calendars before returning home, and the entire organization could begin preparing for the next gathering without delay.
In April 2000, I attended my first LPMI International Conference in St. Louis together with members of Hallelujah Church. There, I met Dr. Melvin Steinbron and the leadership team of LPMI USA for the first time. Since the LPM Korea Institute had opened on July 1, 1999, this was also my first opportunity to experience the international ministry firsthand.
The conference made a deep impression on me. It was like breathing fresh air. I saw a vibrant ministry with a clear vision, careful organization, and enthusiastic volunteers. As I observed everything that was happening, I said to myself, “One day, LPM Korea will hold conferences just like this.”
That thought did not remain merely a dream. After returning from St. Louis, Hallelujah Church and the LPM Korea Institute immediately began planning our own national conference. The first Korean conference was held in June 2001 at Hallelujah Church. We invited Tom Parrish, the General Secretary of LPMI USA, as our keynote speaker. Dr. Melvin was unable to attend because of his age and health, and the long journey from Ohio to Seoul was too difficult for him.
The conference at Hallelujah Church was a great success. The church invested tremendous effort, careful planning, and generous financial support to make it possible. That conference became the foundation for the annual LPM Korea conferences that followed, usually held every June. Through these yearly gatherings, our ministry continued to grow, our leaders were encouraged, and our vision became stronger.
Looking back, the St. Louis Conference in 2000 was a turning point in my ministry. I went there simply to attend an international conference, but I returned with a vision for what the Lay Pastors Ministry could become in Korea. What I saw in St. Louis became a model that we could adapt to our own context.
Sometimes God gives us a vision not through a great revelation, but simply by allowing us to see what is possible. For me, St. Louis was such a moment. It opened my eyes to a larger vision and inspired me to pursue that vision with faith, patience, and perseverance.