How about a story of faith and refuge? Youngnak Presbyterian Church stands as a testament to resilience. It also embodies the spirit of hope amidst upheaval.
Youngnak Presbyterian Church was founded on December 2, 1945. Kyung-Chik Han established it. He later won the Templeton Prize in 1992. Twenty-seven refugees from Soviet-occupied Korea inaugurated it. More refugees sought religious freedom below the 38th parallel. Youngnak Church steadily grew in membership.
Ground broke for a new facility on March 24, 1949. It replaced the building and tent. These had become too small for the growing congregation. The new church building was completed in May 1950. Membership had increased to over 4000 by then.
By 1992, Rev. Han received the Templeton Prize. The membership had grown to 60000. At that time, it was the largest Presbyterian congregation in the world. This excludes 500 sister churches. Members of the original congregation planted them.
In 1998, Youngnak gained an English language ministry. Rev. Han was a Pastor Emeritus at the time. International Worship in English was founded by Bill Majors. He was an American missionary to Korea. Majors was made an Honorary Citizen of Seoul in 2005. He was honored for his efforts.
Youngnak Presbyterian Church has seen many senior pastors. Han Kyung-chik served from 1949 to 1973. Park Cho-joon followed from 1973 to 1985. Kim Yoon-guk served from 1985 to 1997. Lim Young-soo also served from 1988 to 1997. Lee Chul-shin led from 1997 to 2018. Kim Woon-sung is the current senior pastor since 2018.
International Worship in English offers services in two different styles. Traditional worship is at 10 am. Contemporary worship is at 3:30 pm on Sundays. Small group Bible studies are also available. Counseling and fellowship opportunities exist too. Retreats cater to the international community in Seoul. The ministry is like a church within a church.
Bill Majors ended his ministry at Youngnak IWE in 2012. Pastor Paul Song served after that. Pastor Christine Han and Pastor Issac Chang followed. They served as the Lead Pastor. Currently, Pastor Justin Yoon Ki Kim leads the congregation. English services are popular in Korean churches. They provide a home away from home. This is especially true for those coming to Korea from abroad. People who do not speak Korean can attend IWE worship services. Koreans attend for many reasons.
Youngnak Presbyterian Church and its International Worship in English. They stand as symbols of faith. It is a welcoming community for all.