Is it possible that a church founded in 1958 has grown to become one of the world’s largest? That’s the story of the \uc5ed\uace1\uc21c\ubcf5\uc74c\uad50\ud68c.
\uc5ed\uace1\uc21c\ubcf5\uc74c\uad50\ud68c is more than just a church. It is a testament to faith and community. The story of \uc5ed\uace1\uc21c\ubcf5\uc74c\uad50\ud68c begins with humble origins. Pastor David Yonggi Cho and Choi Ja-shil started it. They were both Assemblies of God pastors.
In May 1958, they held a worship service. It took place in Choi Ja-shil’s home. Only a few people attended that first service. Besides the two pastors, there were Choi Ja-shil’s three daughters and one elderly woman. She had come in to escape the rain.
The two pastors started a vigorous campaign. They knocked on doors. They provided spiritual and humanitarian help to the poor. They prayed for the sick. Within months, the church had grown to fifty members. It was too many to fit in Choi Ja-shil’s living room. Worship services moved to a tent in her backyard. The church continued to grow. It soon outgrew that tent.
Pastor Cho began preaching on the Three-Fold Blessing. This blessing included the spirit, soul, and body. He proclaimed that physical health and financial prosperity were part of God’s will for Christians. His message of hope attracted many new members. By the beginning of 1961, membership had grown to a thousand. The church purchased its first plot of land. It was located at Seodaemun.
Expansion plans faced a setback. Pastor Cho was called up for military service. Fortunately, he was assigned to an American Army base near Seoul. This allowed him to continue his Sunday preaching. He was aided by John Hurston. Hurston was an American missionary. Cho’s army service was short. Ill-health required an operation and discharge. Despite his illness, Cho continued to pastor the church. In October 1961, the new auditorium was opened in Seodaemun. It was named the Full Gospel Revival Center.
Church membership continued to grow. It reached three thousand by 1964. By 1968, it was eight thousand. Cho suffered a physical collapse. This happened while leading a baptismal service. In 1967, Cho restructured the church. He divided Seoul into zones. Church members in each zone formed a “cell.” These cells met for worship and Bible study. They met in the home of a “cell leader.” Cell members invited friends to learn about Jesus Christ. Each cell leader trained an assistant. When cell membership grew, it was divided. The assistant led the new cell.
Cho believed women would make ideal cell leaders. They had the time and desire to visit other members. This was something many men were unwilling to do. His decision to appoint women as cell leaders went against Korean culture. At that time, it was not open to women leading groups with male members. He persisted. The cell concept was a success. From 125 cells in 1967, the church grew to several thousand cells by 2015.
Aside from cells, a Women’s Fellowship started in 1960. A Men’s Fellowship followed in 1963. These enabled lay members to serve the church.
Membership grew rapidly. It reached ten thousand in the early 1970s. The church outgrew its Seodaemun premises. It began looking for a new place to build.
The \uc5ed\uace1\uc21c\ubcf5\uc74c\uad50\ud68c stands as a symbol. It embodies faith and community spirit. Remember its humble start. It began with a few devoted individuals. They gathered in a small home. They spread a message of hope and blessing.