Prison and Military Outreach | Medical Clinics | Youth Development (IYF) |
Overseas Volunteering (Good News Corps) | Continuing Education |
Alternative Secondary Education | Post-Secondary Education
Today’s Youth, Tomorrow’s Leaders
Around the year 1994, Pastor Ock Soo Park was introduced a young man named, Andy Kim, from the U.S. When his mother tasked Pastor Park with taking care of him, who was addicted to drugs, alcohol, and accustomed to living a freewheeling way of life, although it was uncertain as to how he would be able to help Andy, with the wisdom of God, Pastor Park put him through a rigorous month-long training program he developed in Korea. Despite being initially abrasive and closed-minded, Andy eventually received salvation and completely changed his life. Pastor Park saw Andy’s miraculous change and gained the heart from God to help troubled youths who have ventured down a path of darkness. This newfound mission sparked the creation of the International Youth Fellowship, or IYF. Since then, it has grown into one of the most effective, active, and fastest growing youth organizations in the world that has literally rewritten the scripts of many lives of so many youth.
Mission Statement
The International Youth Fellowship (IYF) was created in 2001 with the gathering together of many prominent citizens from different countries with the common mission of implementing wholesome, upstanding mindsets into the young people who will become the leaders of the next generation. From it’s creation, IYF has been and always will be intertwined with the deep roots and values of Christianity in order to administer enduring inspiration and motivation to every youth from every country from every walk of life.
IYF will provide training and guidance for spiritual and mental growth, which are two essential aspects every youth must fortify before they take the next steps into their futures. The IYF’s mission is to fill in and exceed the shortcomings of the current establishments and systems of education, which evidently cannot adequately address the problem of the youths’ need for self-control and the development of proper instincts.
It is therefore the mission of IYF to lead the youth of the world to develop strong hearts that are capable of overcoming the obstacles, which in turn, will transform them into true leaders of a newly globalized world.
Main Activities of IYF
The Good News Corps is an international initiative where students are offered opportunities to travel overseas for one year to serve as volunteers. As GNC volunteers, students are actively involved in missionary activities (through which they come to have authentic opportunities to genuinely experience God), volunteer work (where volunteers experience the joy and heart of Jesus to live for others), continuing education (where volunteers have the chance to use the education and knowledge they have gained in life and give it to others), youth outreach programs (through which our volunteers meet people their age or younger, and lifelong friendships are made when they learn that they too can make a difference), and environmental preservation (through which our volunteers not only learn the value of protecting the place where one lives, but also plant the seeds of this mindset into the youths of their host countries, thus creating a wave of change).
The IYF World Camp is the culmination of the IYF’s yearly activities organized into a two-week festival for every registered IYF member throughout the world. It is filled with activities, lectures from notable guest speakers, counseling sessions, musical and other stage performances, life-changing sermon series, touring, and a dynamic offering of enrichment academies, that have combined to become the true turning point for many students from around the world. Designed to introduce a new world to students especially a new world of the heart, the World Camp takes place in different countries around the world.
A nationwide classical music concert tour currently held in Korea, and hosted by IYF. At this concert, world-famous musicians from around the globe, including Russia, Sweden, Germany, and Korea come together on one stage for a memorable night of beautiful music and praises. It has opened new doors of the world of music to the youth, and has introduced the youth of the world to the world’s most famous pieces performed by world-class musicians.
It is a Christmas musical wonder produced wholly by the Gracias Choir. With the theme to proclaim that good news that, “Unto you is born this day a Savior,” it has spread the true meaning of having the Savior, Jesus Christ, born in our hearts. As each member of the Gracias Choir has received salvation, thus, since Christ is truly alive in the their hearts, through the time-cherished Christmas carols and hymns of the past, the Gracias Choir paints a beautiful portrait of the what Jesus has meant for them through their music. It is truly a production that cannot be explained by words.
A diverse array of proprietary programming that focuses on expanding the horizons of IYF members and participants alike, and introducing foreign culture and tradition of every sector of the world. A big emphasis through such programming is despite language barriers and cultural differences, there can be mutual appreciation through a unity that stems from hope in God.
This special event is a nationwide exhibition tour that showcases each Good News Corps volunteer’s experiences while overseas. With exciting booth exhibits, cultural dances and musical performances and activities, it is a special occasion where the volunteers bring the world that they have experienced for one year right in front of you. United with the support and encouragement and special messages from the Pastor Ock Soo Park, and the Chairman of IYF, along with many other notable speakers, it takes cultural exchange to whole new level and brings to light one beautiful truth: that the different people of the world can have one heart when they receive the heart of God.
These are annual series of events created by IYF to improve the English proficiency in young students, as well as assist them in public speaking, confidence, and developing the heart to overcome obstacles and burdens. These camps are organized on an annual basis for a wide range of young people of different age groups, from young children in elementary school to middle school, high school, and college and university students. With these camps also running in different countries around the world it has also become a source of the English language, and mixed with the heart and mindset of the IYF, it has become an effective program not only to give youth the tools to communicate in English, but a strong heart and spiritual life to communicate. Thus, their English now becomes a tool they can use to change the lives of the other they meet.
