Corinne Strategy Meeting: Global Missions and North Korean Mobilization

The Manifold Wisdom of God and Cultural Breakthroughs in Missions

  • The Tibetan Restaurant Anecdote

    • Tibetan missionaries had been attempting to reach individuals working at a specific restaurant for 55 years without success.

    • They advised visitors to eat there but warned them not to bother speaking about Christ, as the restaurant workers allegedly refused to listen to anything related to the gospel.

    • The Brazilian Strategy: A Brazilian team visited the restaurant and chose to sing before their meal instead of offering a traditional prayer. They engaged in singing, tapping on glasses, and general cultural expression.

    • Immediate Breakthrough: The restaurant owner, his wife, his mother (holding a baby), his father, the cleaning staff, and the cooks all emerged to surround the team.

    • Cultural Exchange: The restaurant workers asked for the meaning of the song, providing an immediate opening for the gospel. The workers then asked for more songs and explanations, stating, "Just sing another song and tell us the meaning of that song."

    • The Lesson: A breakthrough that experienced missionaries could not achieve in 55 to 88 years occurred in minutes simply by the Brazilians "being Brazilian."

    • The Song Lyrics: The central message of the song used was "Only the power of God." The lyrics conveyed: "Only the power of God can change you. If you want to know it, ask me… you are going to know that I am a new creature, and you can be as well."

  • The Theological Principle: The Manifold Wisdom of God

    • Ephesians 3 Connection: The speaker references the "manifold wisdom of God" being displayed through the diverse, multicultural body of Christ.

    • Strategic Global Participation: Completing the Great Commission requires the entire worldwide body of Christ because specific cultures may hold the "key" to unlocking different hearts in ways other cultures cannot.

    • The Global Temple: Different cultures are placed together in the temple of God to make His wisdom known to the world.

History, Vision, and Structure of Corinne

  • Foundational History

    • Founders: The organization was the dream of two brothers, Isaac Lee and Peter Lee, who run a South Korean mission organization focused on delivering Bibles into North Korea and surrounding areas.

    • Developmental Timeline:

      • 2014: Initial "thought meeting."

      • 2015: First meeting involving several organizations.

      • 2017: Formed as a legal organization.

    • Executive Leadership: Gary Russell and others were involved at the start. Derek was invited in shortly after the initial meetings due to his vision for church planting and became the Executive Director a little over 44 years ago.

  • Mission and Vision

    • Core Vision: To see North Korea reached for Christ within our lifetime.

    • Hobbyist Missions vs. Commitment: The organization seeks to move beyond viewing North Korean ministry as a "hobby" or an additive task to existing portfolios. Instead, it requires dedicated persons asking, "What's it going to take?"

    • Organizational Identity: Corinne is not a sending agency but a network and a connecting point.

    • Scalability: The organization deliberately intends to stay small rather than growing into a massive entity with its own missionaries.

    • Functions:

      • Mobilizing for North Korea.

      • Hosting conferences and thinking strategically about opportunities.

      • Connecting projects (evangelism, discipleship, church planting) to funding partners on a project-by-project basis (not for salaries).

Geopolitical Strategies and Population Groups

  • United States Citizens

    • U.S. citizens are unlikely to be allowed into North Korea in the foreseeable future unless the government collapses.

  • The Russian Federation and CIS Countries

    • Labor Shortage: Russia is currently short approximately 1,000,0001,000,000 workers.

    • North Korean Labor: North Korea is flooding Russia with tens of thousands of workers.

    • Kyrgyzstan: Entire factories in Kyrgyzstan are reported to be employed solely by North Koreans.

    • Engagement: Corinne is mobilizing the Russian church to reach these workers. This is a "pioneering work" involving significant risks.

  • South Korea and Defector Ministry

    • Defector Statistics: There are currently between 33,00033,000 and 34,00034,000 North Korean defectors in South Korea.

    • Christian Engagement: Less than 5%5\% of these defectors are involved with Christianity.

    • Church Planting: Committed defectors are reaching back to their families in North Korea. Corinne is involved in church planting projects inside North Korea facilitated through these defectors.

  • Japan

    • Population: Approximately 200,000200,000 North Koreans reside in Japan.

    • Education: There are schools in Japan where portraits of Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il remain on the walls.

    • Missionary Presence: The speaker knows of only one team actively working to reach this population.

  • Europe and North America

    • London: Contains a specific North Korean neighborhood.

    • Toronto: Home to a couple of thousand North Koreans.

Operational Security and Missionary Safety

  • The "Inside/Outside" Separation Rule

    • A strict protocol exists: anyone performing ministry inside North Korea must be completely separate from those working outside (Russia, China, South Korea).

    • Case Study of Failure: One individual currently in prison in Russia violated this rule by performing ministry both inside North Korea and in Russia simultaneously.

    • The S. Korean Risk: People working inside North Korea should avoid South Korea entirely, as they are monitored. Attending conferences on North Korean ministry in South Korea can endanger field workers.

  • Persecution in Russia

    • There are currently 33 people imprisoned in Russia: two Russians and one South Korean.

    • Reaction to Imprisonment: Paradoxically, mission organizations are responding by sending more people. This mirrors the biblical experience in Philippians, where Paul's imprisonment led to others preaching more boldly.

Strategic Partners and Organizations

  • Raya (Jamie Kim): A network that helps place people legally inside North Korea for ministry. Corinne maintains a good relationship but keeps strategic distance to protect those working "inside."

  • Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (PUST):

    • At one time, it was the 2nd2^{nd} ranked university in North Korea.

    • Staffed largely by graduates from Liberty University in the United States.

    • They are in desperate need of teachers and doctors.

  • Luis Rodolfo Pontis: Originally from a football background (more than 3030 years), he is described as a "bridge builder" (his last name, Pontis, means bridge) working with partners in Russia and China.

  • Shun (Korean-Brazilian Pastor):

    • Based at Mackenzie Presbyterian Seminary in Sao Paulo.

    • Focuses on the selection, preparation, and training of Brazilian missionaries.

    • He is a prominent "Perspectives" teacher in Brazil.

  • Other Brazilian Agencies: Mention of PI and David Bottello, though they are noted as smaller or having different organizational roots.

Mobilizing the Brazilian Church

  • Brazilian Effectiveness: Brazilians are noted to be potentially more effective in Asian missions than North Americans due to their cultural agility and warmth.

  • The Vocation Crisis: While some talk of a vocation crisis in missions, the speakers argue the real issue is a lack of effective communication and connection with the younger generation.

  • Actionable Steps for Brazil:

    1. Prayer Mobilization: Establishing groups to pray for North Korea.

    2. Short-term Trips: Using trips to Japan, Russia, and China to give people a vision for pioneering work.

    3. Potential Corinne Brazil: Discussions about forming a localized branch to raise funds and manage specifically Brazilian projects.

    4. Prayer Materials: Printing prayer cards and email updates in Portuguese (the "Brazilian" language).

    5. Relationship Building: Corinne operates on trust and relationship; Gary Russell and Derek emphasize a "servant heart" towards Brazilian partners.

Questions & Discussion

  • Dialogue on Missionary Preparation:

    • Leandro: Highlighted that while Brazil has many good sending agencies, few know how to handle the specific complexities of isolated or restricted areas like North Korea. He emphasizes the need for Corinne's strategic expertise to help select and train Brazilian missionaries.

    • Derek: Clarified that Corinne is happy to serve organizations rather than replace them. If Shun is already training people, Corinne will support that rather than starting a rival missionary school.

  • Dialogue on the "American" Insult:

    • Gary Russell: Playfully remarked that Derek calling him an "American" was an "insult," as he prefers to be seen through his mission heart rather than just his national identity. This led to a discussion on the importance of relationships beyond national labels.

  • Discussion on Online Fatigue:

    • Leandro / Gian: Suggested that the Brazilian church is tired of online meetings. Instead of monthly Zoom calls, they proposed localized, in-person prayer gatherings, potentially connected to the "Open Doors" persecuted church day or integrating North Korean prayer into the "Perspectives" curriculum.

  • Discussion on Matteo:

    • Gary / Derek / Leandro: Debated the role of Matteo within the central leadership. It was clarified that while he should be on the "team" of those involved in mobilization, there was some question about his role in "central leadership."

  • Clarification on Birthdays:

    • Derek: Clarified that it was not his birthday that day, but rather an overdue celebration with his parents from several months prior because he had been in Brazil on his actual birthday.