Imagine refugees seeking solace below the 38th parallel. They yearned for religious freedom. This is part of the story of Youngnak Presbyterian Church.
Youngnak Presbyterian Church stands as a testament to faith and resilience in Seoul. It is a beacon. Its story began in 1945. Twenty-seven refugees fleeing Soviet-occupied Korea founded it.
The church grew rapidly. More refugees sought religious freedom. They came south.
In 1949, the church broke ground for a new building. The original space had become too small. By 1950, the new church was complete. Membership had surged to over 4,000.
Youngnak Presbyterian Church continued to expand. By 1992, it had 60,000 members. It became the largest Presbyterian congregation in the world then. The church also planted 500 sister churches. These were planted by members of the original congregation.
Kyung-Chik Han founded Youngnak Presbyterian Church. He later won the Templeton Prize in 1992. He was honored for his progress in religion.
In 1998, Youngnak Presbyterian Church established an English ministry. It was called International Worship in English. American missionary Bill Majors founded it. Rev. Han was a Pastor Emeritus at the time. Majors was later named an Honorary Citizen of Seoul in 2005. He was honored for his work.
Youngnak Presbyterian Church is near Myeongdong Station. It is also close to Euljiro 3-ga Station. You can attend services in Korean or English. Traditional worship services are on Sundays at 10 AM. Contemporary services start at 3:30 PM. Children’s services also take place at 10 AM on Sundays.
Several pastors have led Youngnak Presbyterian Church. Han Kyung-chik served from 1949 to 1973. Park Cho-joon followed from 1973 to 1985. Kim Yoon-guk led from 1985 to 1997. Lim Young-soo also served from 1988 to 1997. Lee Chul-shin was the pastor from 1997 to 2018. Kim Woon-sung has been the pastor since 2018.
Today Youngnak Presbyterian Church continues to be a vibrant community. It offers worship and fellowship. It stands as a symbol of hope.