A young couple from our church once took time off to attend Kosta held in Eastern Europe. They were so deeply impacted that they arranged an opportunity for me to meet Stephen Oh, a Hollywood cinematographer who had been one of the speakers there. Director Oh shared that after seeing how much his own child had changed through Kosta, he decided to participate actively as a speaker despite his demanding schedule. He also suggested that since our church has many young people, it would be worthwhile to start Kosta in the UK.
To be honest, I was not particularly interested at first. My focus had always been on multi-ethnic churches within the city and the next generation of believers. There were already plenty of events aimed at Koreans, so I questioned whether I really needed to take on something like this given everything else I had to do. However, as the recommendation persisted and when I had an opportunity to visit Korea, I met the Korean representative of Kosta. He was a very humble person. As I listened to his testimony about dedicating himself, alongside the late Rev. Pil-do Jeong of Suyeongro Church, to evangelizing all the young people in Busan during his youth, I began to feel that it would be good to work with someone with such genuine passion.
What truly opened my heart, however, was when he shared about Kosta in Houston two years ago. For the first time, non-Koreans were invited to participate, and they received such grace that they requested twice as many spots to attend the following year. Hearing this, I realized that if we could host a Kosta in London where international young people could participate, the diaspora mission I had long envisioned might become possible. Moreover, because Kosta has a strong global network, I became convinced that if not only Korean youth but young people from all nations could gather together, the next generation could play a central role in completing global missions.
Although Kosta began with a focus on international students, it must now also consider the next generation born in these countries. If all programs are conducted in English or local languages rather than Korean, young people from diaspora churches across the city can participate together. If such a model takes root in London, one of the most influential cities in the world, it could spread globally with ease. Korea’s modern style of worship, its passion for prayer and evangelism, and its unique culture of jeong—a warm, relational care that balances personal space while genuinely caring for each individual—are powerful missional strengths that resonate across cultures. In particular, Korean churches abroad, which are already familiar with local languages and cultures, are uniquely positioned to play a significant role in missions.
For this reason, I hope people will not approach Kosta UK simply by asking whether it is a place for them to receive personal blessing, but rather see it as a meaningful opportunity to ignite a crucial spark for the completion of global missions. Each time I pray, I ask that God would move hearts and bring those He is calling to this place.
Jesus said that the kingdom of God begins like a small mustard seed, but when it grows, it becomes a tree large enough for many birds to rest in. Although Kosta UK is the most recent to begin among the global Kosta movement, I look forward to seeing it become one of the leading ones in the future.
