WONJU, South Korea — Manmin Central Church, led by Senior Pastor Dr. Soojin Lee, held its “2026 Manmin Summer Retreat” from August 3 to 5 at the Oak Valley Resort in Wonju, Gangwon Province, under the theme “A Church the Lord Commends.”
Believers from 24 countries — including South Korea, Japan, Israel, the United States, Colombia, Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Austria, Latvia, the Faroe Islands, Russia and Moldova — took part in the gathering.
Sermon on the seven churches of Revelation
At the evening service on August 3, Pastor Lee opened with a joint prayer session for nations affected by war and conflict around the world, saying she hoped for “God’s peace, comfort and protection” to be with “all nations and people struggling amid war and conflict.”
She then delivered a sermon titled “Overcomers,” based on Revelation 3:11-12. Tying her message to the retreat’s theme, Lee said the words addressed to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation — Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Laodicea and Philadelphia — apply not only to the early church but to believers today.
She walked through each church in turn: Ephesus, she said, was rebuked for losing its “first love” despite years of faithful service, illustrating that past devotion cannot excuse present complacency. Smyrna was commended for remaining faithful through suffering, while Pergamum was criticized for compromising with worldly values and false teaching. Thyatira’s outward zeal was described as hollow without inward transformation, and Sardis was portrayed as a church with a reputation for life but a “dead” faith lacking action. Laodicea, she said, was rebuked for lukewarm faith and complacency born of material comfort, while Philadelphia — despite having “little strength” — was praised for its obedience and promised a place as a “pillar” in the New Jerusalem.
Lee closed the sermon by urging congregants to examine their own faith against the messages and to “return quickly” where they fall short, saying that only those who walk the narrow path with unwavering gratitude, joy and love “will stand in glory” when Christ returns.
Healing service draws testimonies from across the world
The sermon was followed by a healing service, during which Lee prayed — calling out ailments by name — for congregants who had pre-registered.
In the testimony session that followed, attendees described a range of physical recoveries. An 82-year-old believer coming from overseas, who had arrived in a wheelchair, said she was able to walk again, along with improvement in arm necrosis and mobility issues. A 74-year-old who had been unable to walk properly for a week due to back pain said the pain had disappeared entirely.
One congregant, who had undergone surgery and radiation for thyroid cancer with lymph node metastasis, said recent tests showed cancer markers back within normal range. An attendee from Malaysia said chest pain that had prevented her from lifting heavy objects had resolved. Other testimonies cited improvement in osteoporosis, sciatica and spinal stenosis.
Several deaf congregants also gave testimonies, describing partial hearing recovery along with relief from back pain and headaches. One deaf believer from the United States reported restored hearing, while another — who had previously been unable to use a hearing aid because one ear had no hearing at all — said that ear had begun to open.
A deaf couple from Latvia attracted attention at the retreat, attending with their two-month-old son. The couple said they had prepared to attend the retreat even before the child was born, despite being told during pregnancy — after the umbilical cord wrapped around the fetus’s neck three times — that the baby’s life could be at risk after delivery. The mother said she had received prayer from Pastor Lee over an ARS, and that the child was later born healthy and has since been calm and content during services.
Other testimonies included a congregant who said withdrawal symptoms from mental illness and alcohol dependency had disappeared, and a 24-year-old woman who said she found peace of mind after struggling with depression and auditory hallucinations requiring medication. A believer who had experienced speech difficulty following a brain hemorrhage said speaking had become noticeably easier.
Additional testimonies cited improvement in shingles complications, knee pain, acute cholecystitis, spinal stenosis, dizziness, heart conditions, gastritis, nervous exhaustion and eczema. One robust-looking man from outside Seoul said he had endured such severe pain from a frozen shoulder that he had at times had suicidal thoughts, but that the pain vanished completely that day after receiving Pastor Lee’s prayer — a moment he greeted with visible joy.
The church said additional healing testimonies were submitted online from believers in Colombia, Chile, India, Pakistan, Mongolia and various African countries, citing improvement in back pain, heart pain, acid reflux, anemia and injuries from traffic accidents.
“We continue to receive testimonies from participants who experienced healing and answered prayer even after the service,” the church said, adding that attendees experienced grace and restoration throughout the retreat.
“Power Praise” service themed on “First Love“
On the evening of August 4, the retreat held a praise service led by Pastor Soojin Lee titled “Power Praise,” built around the theme “First Love,” featuring a lineup of contemporary worship songs interspersed with prayer and reflection.
Senior Pastor Lee and Mikyung Lee, head of the church’s ministry staff, led parts of the worship while playing guitar, joining congregants in song.
The evening also included a large-screen interactive segment that had participants moving between the stage and the audience, before the service closed with a final set of worship songs.
“This retreat allowed us to reaffirm our unity in faith,” the church said in a statement. “Through the live online broadcast, believers at home and abroad were able to take part without the constraints of time or distance.”
