How a Former Pastor Lives in Another World

25

Campbell Cathedral Revival (2)

“I will now explain the plan for the Campbell Cathedral revival!”

In the dining hall of Campbell Cathedral.

Including Bishop Yuna, the clergy working at the cathedral, as well as Aaron, Jenny, and Henry.

All eyes turn towards Ray.

The first to raise a hand was Bishop Yuna.

“I’ve heard about the revival meeting plan, but what is this?”

Bishop Yuna pointed to the portfolio prepared by Ray.

Since there are no modern PowerPoint presentations, it’s naturally handmade.

“You’ve asked a good question. The core plan of the revival meeting consists of three parts.”

With a swish, Ray turns over a large piece of paper.

It was convenient that everyone in this world used paper.

“First!”

Ray hits the portfolio with a rod he’s holding with a bang.

“We change the composition of the mass!”

That’s the first step.

“Do we really have to do this?”

***

If one speaks of the mass in this era, it’s about reverence and solemnity.

At best, the hymns are sung by volunteers gathered to sing majestic hymns.

But what those who visited the cathedral encountered was a lively rhythm they had never heard before.

Behind the dark-haired boy in the center, not only flutes, small drums, and tambourines but also the expensive organ—a privilege of the cathedral—began to accompany.

On the platform where the bishop usually repeated tedious sermons, Ray, Jenny, Aaron, and Henry swayed to the accompaniment, and soon the melody flowed from their lips.

(Recommended BGM: Sprouting)

“Sprouting~ it sprouts~ love in my heart!”

“Sprouting~ it sprouts~ love in my heart!”

“Like the waves that come~ love in my heart!”

“Sprouting~ it sprouts~ love in my heart!”

The choir members sway to the rhythm of the hymn they’ve never heard before.

Their movements had something delightful and brought a pleasant smile.

“What on earth? Is that really a hymn?”

At first, people held their breath and just watched the scene.

But soon, they were overwhelmed with an emotion they had never experienced before.

“The scene of a sprout emerging is used to express the growth of faith and hope!”

“Such child-like behavior, yet every gesture is imbued with meaning! To think that love could surge like a wave. What is a disaster in the sea, in this hymn, signifies an abundant rush of love!”

Intellectuals visiting the cathedral marveled at the interpretation of the hymn, and even if not, the ordinary citizens of Campbell swayed their hips, immersing themselves in the song.

Music and dance have been one of the most potent forms of entertainment in human history.

Yet, when one sought to experience it, it wasn’t easily accessible, save for the rare festivals or the songs of wandering minstrels for the common folk.

But even they had never presented such lively and intriguing melodies.

It was to be expected.

Hymns that had been refined over hundreds, even thousands of years, and remixed in a modern style, possessed a sophistication that was ahead of their time.

However, the shock didn’t end there.

Ray gestured to the congregants seated.

“Let’s all rise and sing praises!”

“Eh, eh?”

“Is it alright to stand up during mass?”

Most were flustered, mumbling in confusion, but some stood up briskly here and there.

Once the wave started, people rose like a tide. Ray exclaimed.

“Now, let’s sing together! It’s sprouting!”

“???”

Sing the hymn together?

In modern Protestantism, hymn time is a moment shared by all believers.

Especially in Korean Protestantism, where the Pentecostal Church is predominant, the hymn time is notably lengthy, hence it could be called K-sing-along hymn.

“Eh, I don’t know the hymn.”

“Do you think I know? It’s all hymns I’m hearing for the first time!”

Of course. The hymns unveiled today were all the first medleys brought by Ray from modern Earth.

Naturally, the only ones who knew them were the clergy of Campbell Cathedral who had practiced the hymns and movements.

Yes, if it were the clergy of Campbell, they would have repeated the hymns hundreds of times and mastered them.

“”It’s sprouting~ It’s sprouting! Love in my heart!””

Those who had risen first began to follow Ray’s hymn.

They were the prosecutors and nuns of Campbell Cathedral.

“Since it’s the first time, we need a little help. Please, catch the wind from the congregants’ seats.”

And such a breeze would suffice after a few times.

As the hymn was repeated, citizens gradually began to sing along.

“Sprouting~ it’s sprouting! Love in my heart!”

It’s not a difficult tune.

After all, it’s dominated by ‘motion songs’ that even children can easily follow, with just a few lines repeated.

“One more time?”

“One more time!”

The chorus of a thousand voices filled the cathedral.

The resonance extended beyond the cathedral, drawing the attention of even those who were previously indifferent.

“What’s this? Is there a festival going on?”

“Sounds like they’re singing hymns in the cathedral?”

“Hey, what? They say if you attend mass today, you could win holy water in a raffle?”

In the busiest square in the heart of the city.

Here, the raffle for holy water and the massive sing-along drew big attention.

And the doors of the cathedral were wide open.

“Shall we go in?”

“It’s been quite a while since I last attended mass.”

There were still about ten minutes left before the official mass began.

The number of citizens entering the cathedral continued to grow.

‘Good, this is a fine start.’

Everything was going according to Ray’s plan.

***

“Really… Does gathering everyone to sing hymns really draw people’s attention?”

Aaron’s question resonated with everyone present.

Hymns… What difference would it make to add childish movements to them?

Does singing hymns alone truly deepen people’s faith?

“It won’t work just once. But you see, this isn’t just a simple musical performance.”

Why has Christianity developed in this form over two thousand years?

Why does the Pentecostal church, a sect just over a hundred years old, wield global influence?

The answer is much closer than one might think.

“Why does everyone sing and dance together at village festivals? Even the smallest village holds festivals for the harvest or to welcome spring, don’t they?”

“Indeed… the unity of the community and harmony with neighbors… Ah!”

“Why do you think that’s not possible in a faith community?”

At those words, the clergy present felt as if they had been struck on the head with a hammer.

Mass is a time of devotion and solemnity.

Only the preacher overseeing the Mass may speak, while the rest of the congregation remains silent, glued to their seats.

“But wouldn’t that diminish the dignity of the Mass?”

“Exactly. The Mass is a devout time to serve the Lord Soletera. Deacon Ray’s rhythmic hymns… I’m sorry, but they feel frivolous.”

There were many conservative opinions. In fact, they were the majority.

Ray countered this with just one sentence.

“I called upon the Holy Spirit with this.”

“Ah…”

All about the Holy Spirit.

To the church’s congregation, the Holy Spirit and miracles were akin to absolute authority, so much so that they would accept anything that defied their common sense as ‘the will of the Holy Spirit.’

Even Aaron, a devout nobleman, thought, ‘Well, at least that guy has some achievements…’

“Let’s do as Brother Ray suggests.”

“Bishop…”

Unexpectedly, Bishop Yuna, the most conservative, voiced his agreement.

“It’s largely my fault that our cathedral has declined to this extent. If there’s a way, especially if it’s Brother Ray who has called upon the Holy Spirit through hymns… I think it’s worth a try.”

Once Bishop Yuna conceded, the other clerics had no more to say.

“What’s the second method?”

Ray grinned.

***

The fervent 30 minutes of hymn singing came to an end.

Even though the Mass had not yet started, most of the cathedral’s seats were filled.

“Sole Estella. Everyone, it’s time for the Gospel.”

Bishop Yuna ascended the pulpit.

The citizens sensed that Mass was finally beginning.

“Ugh… Bishop Yuna’s sermons are dreadfully dull.”

“They make me sleepy every time.”

Bishop Yuna’s sermons were notoriously infamous.

Is there a saying that even a crying child will fall asleep in 10 minutes?

How can one not doze off during such a sermon that lasts three hours?

Yet, 10 minutes, 20 minutes… even after 30 minutes, more people than expected are focusing on the sermon.

“Huh?”

“Is it just me, or is the bishop’s sermon unusually clear today?”

Is it because it’s not Sunday morning?

There were two reasons.

“We’ve been belting out hymns for 30 minutes straight. The dopamine from the sleep we were in has worn off, making it hard to fall back asleep.”

While fatigue can bring on sleep, the adrenaline from active activities can keep it at bay.

The hymn movements were just enough to warm up the body.

It’s rare to see an audience fall asleep at a concert hall.

And another thing.

“We practiced vocalization.”

Rei corrected Bishop Yuna’s preaching style for the sermon.

“Keep your voice short and concise, not prolonged.”

“Monotone out! It’s like the Holy Spirit came and then said bye-bye!”

“Don’t stray from the prepared sermon!”

Of course, such corrections don’t change things overnight.

Pastor Kim was famous for his sermons and had given several lectures on the subject at the theological college, but he knew that consistent training and innate talent were necessary.

“Now, let’s stand up for a moment and sing a hymn. ‘Your mercy descends upon us~'”

Instructions for hymns to circulate the air intermittently.

And above all, a significant change.

“Well, let’s conclude the sermon here. Let’s all join hands and have a moment of reflection.”

“???”

“Hey, what? It’s over already?”

The sermon time was drastically reduced.

Bishop Yuna used to preach for three hours during the mass.

She would interpret passages from the Bible and share her views, repeatedly straying off the path, serving a full three-hour course.

But now, she had cut it down to a third… considering the intermittent hymns, almost to a fifth.

“Aren’t you cutting it too short? Brother Rei, you said you wanted to hear more of my sermons…”

Was that a lie? Ray said to Bishop Yuna, who sent a disappointed look.

“Bishop, it’s best to hear good words short and strong. The longer the time, the less focused we are on the sermon. This is actually how it remains in the congregation’s memory.”

The time a person can fully concentrate is less than you think.

Short and strong!

“Wednesday Mass! Friday Mass! Dawn Mass for the devout! And finally, Sunday Mass! Volume over margin! No, it’s about having a short and strong time.”

This was Ray’s new strategy for Mass.

And the last third.

“Bait product.”

***

After the Mass, the citizens eagerly awaited the long-anticipated holy water lottery.

“Now, when you came in, you were given a paper with a number on it.”

“Oh… right. That’s what it was?”

Each citizen had received a slip of paper with their own number.

They all prayed that the number they held would be the winning one.

“Please, Soltera!”

“Just selling it is worth ten gold coins!”

As everyone’s hopes turned to the lottery box, Bishop Yuna drew the raffle ticket.

“Number 1,223! Number 1,223, please come forward!”

“It’s me! Woaaah!”

The winning man shouted in jubilation as he rushed to the stage.

The holy water award ceremony by Bishop Yuna awaited him.

Although it was only a lower-grade holy water, outside, it was an expensive item that could only be bought with gold coins for its miraculous energy.

It wasn’t a life-changing amount, but it was enough to make a month or two’s living expenses in a day.

“Are you really giving this to me?”

“Of course. How you use it is up to you, brother.”

“Ughhh…!”

As the man received the holy water, the citizens couldn’t overcome their disappointment.

“Ah, I’m out of luck.”

“Darn, that guy hit the jackpot.”

There was no longer any reason to stay in the church. Just as the citizens were about to rise from their seats, the Mass had ended.

“Wait! You all must have been sooo disappointed not to receive the holy water, right?”

The citizens’ ears perked up at the words of Ray, the black-haired boy leading the hymn time.

Some realized what it meant.

An opportunity to acquire additional holy water.

‘Hehehe…’

Ray smirked at the citizens’ brimming interest.

Sending the citizens home now would make this nothing more than a temporary event.

They would need to hold such masses a few more times for the citizens to adapt to the changes at Campbell Cathedral and become believers.

Using the holy water as bait to ensure a substantial influx.

“For all the faithful participating in the mass henceforth, we will host a Talents Festival.”