Following the March 19 decision by Seoul Myungsung Church (Pastor Emeritus Kim Sam-hwan) to merge with New Song Myungsung Church (Rev. Kim Ha-na), along with its decision to call commissioned pastor Kim Ha-na, church circles are paying close attention to New Song Myungsung Church.
The message delivered by Rev. Kim Ha-na during the fourth worship service on the afternoon of March 26 at New Song Myungsung Church in Hanam, Gyeonggi-do, urged caution in dealing with conflicts possibly between the two churches over the issues of the merge and the pastor’s call. “Churches are strong against attacks from the outside. But when there are inner conflicts, it is easy for a church to collapse, and difficult for it to recover,” he noted. “The church is a place where people with different thinking gather to worship God, and we are one because of God. We need to respect those who think differently from us.”
On the evening of the same day, New Song Myungsung Church held the first appointment ceremony (photo) since its establishment. The church has been classified as an “unorganized church,” but through the appointment ceremony it now has the conditions required for an organized church.
A source at the General Assembly of Presbyterian Church of Korea - Tonghap conveyed the current atmosphere: “Looking at the opinions Rev. Kim Hak-na has been expressing, there are many clergy who expect that he will not go to Myungsung Church.”
Article and photo by reporters Jang Chang-Il & Lee Saya (jangci@kmib.co.kr), with Marion Kim (marionkkim@icloud.com)
Full Story in Korean:
김하나 목사 “내부 갈등 있을 때 교회 무너져”: 새노래명성교회 주일예배
Related Article:
Myungsung Presbyterian Church Resolves to Merge with New Song Myungsung Church
Rev. Kim Ha-na: “Inner conflicts cause churches to collapse”
2017-03-27 15:00
