THE KUKMIN DAILY

The recent revelation that the Korean Methodist Church (KMC) Foundation sold one of its church buildings to a heretical sect last year has brought waves of questions.

On April 13, 2017, the KMC Foundation held a special board meeting at which it decided to sell H Church building (photo) in Mapo Region, Seoul Conference, to the World Mission Society Church of God (formerly known as Ahn Sahng-hong Witness Society). WMS Church of God has been identified as a heretical group by major Korean denominations.

All local KMC assets are registered with the KMC Foundation and are not allowed to be disposed of simply by the decision of an individual church. The minutes of the April 13 meeting, recently opened to view, reveal a heated debate over whether to sell the building to a heretical group. In the end, agreement was expressed with such opinions as “If we don’t sell it now, the building will later be put up for auction and the heretical group’s ridiculously low bid will be accepted”…“So let’s not do a favor for the heretical group but sell it now at a fair price.” WMS Church of God had offered 5.5 billion won to H Church as the price of the building. A nearby Presbyterian Church had offered 4 billion won, but KMC dismissed this as too little.

It is worrisome that church buildings are being sold to heretical groups. Particularly WMS Church of God is proactive in purchasing buildings from existing churches. A Presbyterian church in Seongnam, Gyeonggi-do in 2014, and another church in Seosan, South Chungcheong-do in 2012 sold their buildings to WMS Church of God when they were no longer able to bear their financial burdens. In 2009, a Methodist church in Incheon sold its old building to WMS Church of God when it moved into a new building. A Presbyterian church adjacent to Gangbyeonbuk-ro sold its building in 2006 to a religious sect with which major church denominations had banned exchanges.

Prof. Tark Ji-il of Busan Presbyterian University commented, “Purchasing an existing church building is one of the most effective ways for a heretical group to hide its limits… WMS Church of God is especially interested in church buildings on main streets and buildings previously used by the government, for high accessibility and low initial resistance.” He also warned against church construction that exceeds a reasonable budget range. He pointed out, “The only way to avoid catastrophe is for churches to abandon the practice of constructing new buildings, which can lead to financial difficulties. Some heretical groups even wait for churches go bankrupt, after identifying those that have fallen into crisis due to unsustainable construction projects.”

Reporter Jang Chang-Il (jangci@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)


Full Story in Korean:
재정 아무리 어렵다 해도… 기감, 이단에 교회 건물 팔았다: 하나님의교회에 지난해 4월 마포 지역 교회 매각한 사실 드러나