The Bible describes the youth who follow God as the dew of dawn (Ps 110:3). It means that they have pure faith like the dew formed at dawn. Today, however, there are many obstacles for the youth to keep their faith without wavering: negative economic forecast, unemployment crisis, overheated enthusiasm for education, and worries about their career.

ⓒ 2015 WATV

In order for young adult members and middle and high school student members who are preparing for their better future to sing praise to God with joy and to strengthen their faith for the gospel, the First New Song Festival was held. On September 6, over 13,000 young adults and students in Korea attended this event held at the Okcheon Go&Come Training Institute, and emitted the energy of youth and made their passion for the gospel hotter.

ⓒ 2015 WATV

In the First New Song Festival, 17 teams participated by region. From mid-August to the end of the month, 335 teams participated in the regional qualifiers and 38 teams advanced to the finals and were restructured into 17 choir teams. The audience was the members who participated in the preliminaries.

Before the festival began in earnest, Mother welcomed the dew of dawn and delivered the words of Father, “The most necessary virtue for young adults and students is practice and faith.” Mother said, “I’m thankful to you for making efforts for the gospel work, knowing the value of salvation in your beautiful young age like a flower bud. I wish you to shine the glory of God with your fervent faith to save the world.”

General Pastor Kim Joo-cheol gave his best wishes that young adults and students’ beautiful harmony containing their firm resolution and faith would make a great consonance throughout the world, saying, “The smoke of the incense of the New Songs that you sing, being moved by the Holy Spirit, will go up to God Elohim.”

Around 1:30 p.m., the curtain of the New Song Festival rose with the New Song performances by the Messiah Orchestra. The New Song is the music that expresses God’s power, the joy of entering the kingdom of heaven, and saints’ thanks for God’s grace of salvation. It is meaningful all the more because New Songs are the church members’ own compositions.

After having a rehearsal in the gym or on the grass, the 17 teams came on the stage in turns. The first team “Echo of the Soul” was composed of the members from Incheon and the Gyeonggi Namseo Church Association. After that, next teams sang New Songs, “Let’s Go to the World,” “The Staff of Moses,” and “Let Us Be Mother’s Stars.” The 120 members of each choir sang in harmony according to the magnificent performance of the 80-member Messiah Orchestra that consisted of wind instruments, string instruments, and percussion instruments, which moved the audience deeply. And colorful costumes and surprising performance after singing were another visual treat.

In the audience seats, ardent cheering caught all eyes. As every sort of cheering tool with novel idea including placard, electronic display, and glow-in-the-dark stick showed up, the excited atmosphere heightened from the beginning. Whenever each team came up to the stage, loud shouts filled the hall. After each choir, even a bigger round of applause and cheering erupted. It was indeed a festival. The New Song, “Hosanna! Receive New Jerusalem” sung by the team “Youth Elohist” from the Seoul Gangnam Church Association was the end of the event that lasted for 130 minutes with great inspiration.

After a while, the award ceremony was held. Following the participation prize, cheering prize, the third prize, and the second prize, when the first prize and the grand prize were named, thunderous applause broke out with party poppers. The grand prize was given to the Daejeon & Chungnam Church Association team, “Third Heaven,” which showed their resolution for the gospel with great performance after singing, “Humble Brothers, Tender Sisters.” The first prize was given to the Seoul Seobu Church Association team, “Mother’s Fine Linen,” which sang “Hosanna! Praise Heaven’s Mother” with a solemn chord. Mother Herself presented the trophies to the prize winners and blessed all the participants, saying, “The beautiful New Songs you sang with one mind have echoed in heaven.”

The eyes of the participants and the audience who were returning to their places after the event were still full of inspiration. Elder Kim Jae-gon, the conductor of the team “Third Heaven” that won the grand prize, said, “In the beginning, the chord, beat, breathing, and everything did not work in harmony as the choir members came from several local churches. But as they listened carefully to each other, being considerate of one another, they could make a pleasing sound.” He pointed out that the secret of winning the award was unity. Pastor Kim Chang-su who led “Mother’s Fine Linen” said with expectation, “The New Song containing the inspiration of the Holy Spirit has special power in it. While preparing for this event and singing the New Song repeatedly, we all have become one in mind and felt that our resolution for the gospel work grew stronger. If this fervor continues, the dew of dawn will surely complete the last page of the gospel soon.”

The Old Testament has a record that men who sang to God went out at the head of the army and the Israelites defeated their enemies with the help of God (2 Ch 20:1–30). The New Testament shows the prophetic scene where the saints to be redeemed from the earth sing a new song (Rev 14:1–3). The New Song is a spiritual medium that unites the members in mind, encourages them with hope, and brings God’s power. This is why we expect good results in every move of the young adults and students who kindled a fire of faith in them by singing praise to God with New Songs.

ⓒ 2015 WATV