What Makes the Korean Church Grow?
This article first appeared in the November 23, 1973, issue of Christianity Today.
Korea's stunning response to Billy Graham's crusade in Seoul this summer has called attention once again to the surprising vitality of Christianity in this small land on the edge of a continent that, for the most part has proved to be the most resistant of all continents to the gospel message.
Only about 3 percent of Asia is Christian. In Japan, for example, after four centuries of Christian witness, only one in a hundred is Christian. In China, which Christian missionaries reached more than thirteen hundred years ago, the percentage of Christians has never risen higher than a possible 1.5, and today after a quarter of a century of Communist repression that tiny proportion has eroded to a brave remnant.
But Korea has one of the fastest-growing churches in the world. Though it is situated squarely between China and Japan and far more recently opened to the Gospel (Protestants are ninety years old, Catholics a century older), Koreans have turned to Christ in unprecedented numbers. It is true that in North Korea Communists have wiped out the organized church, but in South Korea where there is freedom of worship some 10 to 13 percent of the population is now Christian. This makes Christianity the strongest and probably the largest organized religion in the country, outdrawing in fact, if not in dubious religious statistics, both Confucianism with its dwindling social influence and Buddhism with its more religious appeal.
Why has the church grown so spectacularly in Korea? The Christian community there just about doubles every ten years. There are now some three million Korean Christians, and if marginal semi-Christian sects were included, the total would be four million. The growth rate is approximately 9 percent a year, which is four times the rate of population growth in South Korea as a whole.
Korean Christianity has its problems and weaknesses, but lack of growth is not one of them. The contrast between this enthusiastic, expanding church and the more static churches of most parts of Asia and the West raises the question, What makes the church in Korea grow?
More than one answer has been given, but few have improved upon an answer given by my father, Dr. Samuel A. Moffett, more than half a century ago. Korea was already then one of the miracles of the modern missionary movement, and a commission of inquiry was sent to study the methods that had produced such great results. Since the first dramatic leap in church growth had occurred in my father's area of work in north Korea, they came to ask him the secret. I think his answer disappointed them. It was too simplistic. Too pietistic. But I think he was right.
"For years," he said, "we have simply held up before these people the Word of God, and the Holy Spirit has done the rest."
Any analysis of Christian strength in Korea that does not begin, as he did, with the power of the Spirit to cleanse and vitalize and the priority of Scripture in Christian faith and education will miss the mark. The mark of the Spirit was startlingly and indelibly imprinted on the Korean church in the very first generation. Within twenty years of the arrival of the first resident Protestant missionary, early stirrings of a great revival began to sweep through the staid Presbyterian and Methodist beginnings of missionary effort. The climax came in 1907 with "extraordinary manifestations of power," that reminded observers of the revivals of John Wesley. Church membership spurted upward, quadrupling in the five years between 1903 and 1908.

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Join the Conversation
Ashok Gaikwad
The article gives only figure of growing Christianity in Korea.the reason is hidden.I think the reason of growing Christianity in S.Korea can be find out by study.In short i would like to explain with some points 1) mentality of Korean people to accept something new 2) till today Buddhism is stronghold in S.Korea,but to follow Buddhism is not easy as Christianity. 3,)the main reason is influence of U.S.A actively withpouring money. 4) the poor population easily accepted Christianity,the other countries poor population with their rooten traditionally,are away from Christianity 5) the people of S.Korea are under tense of war with N.Korea,they need invisible moral support,the Christian teaching gives assurance of lifeafter death,it gives relief to panic people.
magnus
My contact with Korean Christians has not been positive. I have found the ones with whom I have to do to be extremely materialistic, exploitative, dishonest and operating under a strong sense of entitlement. While I am glad that Korean churches are growing I think they need to work on teaching their many adherents that a faith that doesn't affect one's conduct is suspect as disingenuous. I have observed that Korean culture tends toward conformity rather than individualism. Is it possible that many "converts" may simply be conforming to pressure from their respective leaders? If this is the case, much of this growth may be a kind of cultural Christianity rather than a personal faith.
A friend of Korea
To Sung Hee Lee - note that the article was written in 1973, and give thanks for the growth!
Rev. David Mullan
This article is helpful and encouraging, especially when you consider the contraction of the Church in Western Europe, especially the United Kingdom.
Sung Hee Lee
Dr. Moffet wrote a wonderful historical summary of church growth in Korea. However, there is a need of statistical correction. The actual number of Korean Protestant Christians in Korea by last year's national census (done by Korean government) was 8 million. There are also 6 million Roman Catholics. So the total number of Christians in South Korea today is 14 million.