Mission life: THE KUKMIN DAILY

Kwangsung Church “Branches Off” - Plants 16 New Churches Over Past 18 Years

2015-01-27 17:21

Kwangsung Presbyterian Church (Rev. Jeong Seong-jin · fifth from left in front row, photo) in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, is known as the “diet church” because it encourages the spin-off of a new branch church whenever the membership becomes large enough to allow this. The mother church was established in 1997.

On January 25, Kwangsung Church held a special service recognizing its 18th anniversary and the establishment of the newly planted Light of Heaven Kwangsung Church (photo). Kwangsung Church members chose as the pastor of this new church, Rev. Park Gyeong-su (sixth from left in photo), who has been assistant pastor at Kwangsung Church for five years.

Rev. Park plans to follow the mother church’s spirit as a reform model for the Korean church; he will hold a vote of confidence for the head pastor, and adopt limited terms for the positions of pastor and elder, to nurture a healthy church.

This is the 16th time, almost once a year, that Kwangsung Church has conducted a branching-off for the planting of a new church. In half of the cases this was done by supporting the pastor with a planting fund, and in the other half, like this time, it was by splitting off members who wished to go with the pastor.

Several principles guide this church planting. First, priority is given to the current assistant pastors. The newly planted church is supported with a “planting fund” of 100 million to one billion won. The mother church provides support for the newly planted church, but never exercises influence. The new church is respected as an independent church, and the new head pastor is regarded as the pastor of a separate, autonomous church.

Members of the mother Kwangsung Church have complained. The church has to spend a large portion of its budget to plant the new churches, and core members have left repeatedly. Over time, however, the church members have learned to help the new church grow, even though that has delayed the growth of their own church.

Rev. Jeong’s church philosophy is the foundation of its practice. He worries deeply about the current tendency to prefer mega churches, believing that church planting is a sure way to save souls.

Rev. Jeong said, “I think the time will come when it is difficult to sustain large churches. Now I am readying in prayer for the division of our church into four churches.” Despite the repeated branching-offs, currently about 12,000 members attend Kwangsung Church, with 500 some new members joining every year. The church also works hard to support small churches in the area, again demonstrating its great model of sharing.

Reporter Yeong Dae Yoo (ydyoo@kmib.co.kr) from Goyang, with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)

Photo by senior reporter Kang Min Seok


Click here for the original article in Korean

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