A newly-organized church designed for young people -- the first of its kind in South Korea -- is attracting teenagers to the Toegyewon Seventh-day Adventist Church, 10 kilometers Northeast of Seoul, the nation's capital. The church structure is along the same lines as a church for young adults which opened in 2004 in the same city.

"There is not enough suitable culture or programs for the youth or teens in church," says Joshua Dong Hee Shin, youth director for the church in the Northern Asia-Pacific. The young people are not very satisfied with the current church [culture]."

In the new church teenagers are given more freedom and more responsibility, operating their own worship service and programs. More than 100 attended the first service on May 28.

Byung Kyu Kim, teenage group leader, said, "When I came to the church, most of the church programs were focused on adults. But now I am very happy to have our own space in church."

"The Teenagers' Church is established to make church attractive to students and get them to love being active participants -- not just passive bystanders. They may realize the vision and mission of the Lord through their services in the church," said Toegyewon Church Pastor Jong Ho Yang.

"The youth in the current church are the future leaders of the church," said Dr. Jairyong Lee, president of the Adventist Church in the Northern Asia-Pacific region.

Young people under the pervasive pressures of secularism and materialism in South Korean society often find it difficult to become involved in church activities, regional church leaders say; this opportunity provides religious education and evangelism. The protestant mainstream Adventist Church in South Korea has 177,900 adult baptised members worshipping in 664 local congregations. [Editor: Song Sung Sub and Christian B. Schaeffler for ANN/APD]