The 2022 Nationwide Pathfinder Bible Experience (PEB) was held on September 25, 2022, at Hankook Sahmyook High School in Seoul, South Korea. It was hosted by the Youth Ministries Department of the Korean Union Conference (KUC) and organized by the Youth Ministries Department of the West Central Korean Conference (WCKC). The event was attended by 114 participants from 24 clubs that had passed regional preliminaries. This year’s competition covered the Gospel of John.

This onsite competition was held for the first time in three years. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament had been postponed or held online. As it was reopened face-to-face after that stretch, the climate of the territory was even hotter. In the audience, teachers, family members, pastors, and church members of the club joined in cheering.

Dressed neatly in Pathfinder uniforms and seated by clubs, the participants wrote down the answers to the questions asked through the video. Difficult questions were discussed among team members in a collaborative way. Any objection to the correct answer was reviewed through the supervisor. As a result of the final scoring, fifteen teams received grade 1, six teams received grade 2, and three teams received grade 3.

The Pathfinder Bible Experience is the official Pathfinder Bible study program of the North American Division. It allows Pathfinder members to deepen their understanding of God’s Word from an early age by studying and memorizing it, as well as build a personal spiritual relationship with Jesus. KUC introduced it in 2015 and has been running it every year since then.

The contest examines the knowledge of team members on a specific scope of the Bible. It is a team-based program, not individual. Participants are not ranked because it is a Bible study, not a competition. There are preliminaries in regions or local conferences. With respect to the maximum score, a team that achieves 90% or more will receive a grade 1; 80% or more, grade 2; 79% or less, grade 3. Because participants get a grade to commemorate their study efforts, they can get a sense of accomplishment and acknowledgement for their results. Participants are given pins for participating in the program and receiving a grade.

At the dedication service, Pastor Kim HyunTae, director of KUC Youth Ministries, said, “The more important thing than getting grade 1 is to study the Bible. We must always live a life of obedience to God, who comes through the word. God will appreciate your heart and will use it greatly for the gospel work in the future.”

Next year, Pathfinders in Korea will be challenged again to win the competition as they study the books of Joshua and Judges.