The question lingers. Can Korean churches grow anymore? The answer lies within Buwang Church.
Buwang Church began humbly in May 1949. The pastor, Kim Sang-hyeon, used a leased house. It was called Bupyeong First Church. During the Korean War it was almost destroyed. But in October 1950, Seongdo Kim Eun-ja provided a two-story building. Around 50 people worshiped there.
From 1951 to 1974, Buwang Church expanded. It grew steadily. The church added educational facilities and mission halls.
Pastors like Lee Hwa-rok and Park Dong-hwa led the way. They inspired dedication. The church grew due to their passion.
In 2004, Pastor Kim Sang-hyeon became the eighth pastor. He focused on evangelism. Buwang Church became known for its mission work.
Pastor Kim Sang-hyeon wanted to fulfill God’s mission. He promoted evangelism. Since his time in college he valued sharing the Gospel. He helped churches grow through evangelism.
Buwang Church is called a model evangelistic church. Pastor Kim started a church in Busan. It grew to over 1000 members. At Buwang Church he focused on evangelism. The church saw a 20% increase in attendance within a year.
Pastor Kim is passionate about evangelism. He wrote books about it. He encouraged church members to share their faith. He believed in sharing the Gospel first. Then encourage others to do the same.
How did Buwang Church respond to the COVID-19 crisis? Pastor Kim said the church remained vibrant. He emphasized finding ways to stay active. Buwang Church opened its doors for prayer. It continued its mission work. Services followed distancing guidelines. The church focused on evangelism and prayer.
Despite online services Buwang Church saw a drop in donations. However, it still supported other struggling churches.
Pastor Kim said they reduced spending. They cut back on mission trips and events. The church managed its finances well. Leaders need to analyze and respond effectively.
Buwang Church emphasizes evangelism. It organized an Evangelism Headquarters. It also has an Evangelism Operations Headquarters.
The Evangelism Headquarters is led by Pastor Ji Gyeong-seop. Lay leaders assist with evangelism. Inside the Evangelism Operations Headquarters is an evangelism mart. Church members can buy gifts for newcomers. They get a 50% discount. About 150 items are available.
The Evangelism Headquarters has several teams. They include planning, education, and marketing. They support the evangelism efforts.
Evangelism involves 133 teams. Each team focuses on a specific area. They plan execute and evaluate their efforts.
Pastor Ji Gyeong-seop said evangelism is key at Buwang Church. All members participate in daily evangelism. Every activity centers on evangelism. Evangelism is essential at Buwang Church. They aim to make evangelism a lifestyle.
Through these efforts Buwang Church creates good ideas. One example is the evangelism cart. It carries evangelism materials and coffee. Many churches now use similar carts.
How many new members join? According to Pastor Ji, around 250 to 300 new people came last year. Many had no prior church experience. Street evangelism is effective. Regular street evangelists connect with people. They build relationships.
Street evangelist Kwon encourages people to attend church. He shares the Gospel with friends. He says evangelism transforms people.
Pastor Ji says prayer is also important. Buwang Church focuses on both evangelism and prayer. They operate with both in mind.
Buwang Church serves the community. It supports the Nehemiah Foundation. It also supports Buwang Senior College.
The Nehemiah Foundation expanded in 2005. It provides free meals. It supports low-income individuals. It offers social welfare programs.
Buwang Senior College started in 2005. It is the largest senior college. Pastor Kim Sang-hyeon said they need to educate and help seniors. The college offers practical courses.
Anyone over 60 can enroll. Classes are on Tuesdays. The college offers three-year and two-year programs. There are 30 departments. These departments range from liberal arts to health. Students participate in competitions. They also engage with international organizations.
Despite challenges Buwang Church remains hopeful. They seek solutions. They continue to pray and evangelize. Buwang Church offers hope for Korean churches.