“We will go to Korea,” announced Youngil Cho, “and The Layman will join our delegation.” Whatever grousing may have been whispered that day in the Presbyterian Center’s hallways, not one peep made it into the General Assembly Council’s chambers, for the Chairman had spoken, and that was that!

Editor’s note: Youngil Cho, 77, a leader in the Presbyterian Church (USA), died May 22 in Raleigh, N.C. According to the Presbyterian News Service, Cho was active at all levels of the PC(USA), moderating his presbytery; serving on the Permanent Judicial Commission of the Synod of the Mid-Atlantic; and serving two terms on the General Assembly Council.

“We will go to Korea,” announced Youngil Cho, “and The Layman will join our delegation.” Whatever grousing may have been whispered that day in the Presbyterian Center’s hallways, not one peep made it into the General Assembly Council’s chambers, for the Chairman had spoken, and that was that!

Youngil was not a man to dally with small talk. “Do it,” he said, “and we’ll find the money.” That was the order that sent workmen scurrying to build a chapel inside Presbyterian Church (USA) headquarters. Determined that prayer would emanate from the heart of that building, Youngil came up with the cash, including a sizable sum from offshore Presbyterians.

So it was that the tough minded GAC chair ferried his council members across the Pacific. “The PCUSA is dying because we have forgotten how churches grow,” he said. What better way to relearn evangelism than by mingling with those whose congregations are vibrant and booming?

At five o’clock the next morning Youngil rustled his colleagues out of bed and into 5:30 prayers with 2,000 Presbyterians at the So-Mang Church. This was the second of three similarly attended services at So-Mang that morning and every other week day morning for members of this 50,000-member congregation.