THE KUKMIN DAILY

At the monthly gathering of the Korean Council of Evangelism (president: Rev. Lee Jeong-il), Prof. Wang Tail-il (64, photo) of Methodist Theological University presented a paper in which he asserted that if the Korean church is going to transform beyond mere self-reform, the situation must be “the church building inside the church, not the church absorbed in the church building.”

In a telephone conversation with Kukmin Daily on October 16, Prof. Wang said, “If the Korean church continues in its current way, it will end up as a memorial hall or a museum… The church needs to scatter and become communities built in local society at various levels.” He went on to explain that the scattered churches, having gone outside their buildings, should unite with each other to form a “forest.”

In Wang’s analysis, individual churches have survived through rapid growth and competition with each other. Among them, some have grown large according to the structure, size or shape of local society. Starting now, and continuing in the future, however, the church must change, he said. “From now on, the planning and practice of church transformation should be carried out in the manner of diverse forestation, where trees of different kinds and sizes are planted and mingle together.” He suggested that large churches change, share their resources, and become pivots uniting nearby church communities.

“For example, let’s say ten individual churches share one building. They may have their own worship services, but will be together in diakonia and service to the local society,” he said. “That way, the Korean church will exert influence as 'light and salt' for the society, in more creative and productive ways. If this process of change continues for 10 or 20 years, then the Korean church map will show not just reform but overall transformation.”

*Photo: Prof. Wang delivers a lecture at Udu Church in Chuncheon, two years ago.

Reporter Inho Hwang (inhovator@kmib.co.kr), with Yeara Ahn-Park (yap@kmib.co.kr)
Photo provided by Prof. Wang Tai-il

Original Article in Korean:
“교회성장시대 이후 한국교회 탈 성전화해야”