History of the Church of the Nazarene in Korea - through 1985

[Excerpt from J. Fred Parker, Mission to the World: A History of Missions in the Church of the Nazarene through 1985 (Kansas City, MO, USA: NPH, 1988), 309-322.]

Korea, situated in the heart of the Far East, remained for centuries a strangely remote land, ethnically pure, and tied to its ancient traditions. It has been aptly called the “Hermit Nation.” Even the Church of the Nazarene passit by as it established work in the country's more dominant neighbors, China and Japan.

But the beautiful Land of the Morning Calm was not wholly out of mind. In 1936 Sung-oak Chang, a young Korean student who had gone to Japan to further his education, crossed paths with Rev. W. A. Eckel and Rev. Nobumi Isayama. These men were able to help him become established in the Christian faith and encouraged him to return to his homeland and start a Nazarene church there.

He successfully launched a work in Pyongyang, the capital city of what is now North Korea, and then went down to Seoul, present capital of South Korea, to establish another church. In the latter place he secured an assistant by the name of Huk-soo Sung. The work was officially under the supervision of the Japan mission, but the relationship was apparently quite tenuous. There is record that both Rev. W. A. Eckel and Rev. Nobumi Isayama held meetings in Korea, and both were enthusiastic about the potential for missionary work there. In fact, Rev. Eckel was so enamored with the country, he offered to go himself. At the same time, however, he objected to the fact that the support of the Korean work had to come out of his already strapped budget for Japan.

At the close of World War II, as part of the mandating of former Japanese territory, Korea was divided at the 38^th parallel, with the northern part being assigned to the Soviet Union and the souther part to the United States. Under the occupation policies of the Soviets, Communist doctrine was vigorously promoted in their area, and the persecution of Christian communities became standard procedure. It was the opposite in the South, where the MacArthur policy of freedom of religion and the encouragement of Christian missions was the rule.

The result was a mass emigration of Christians from the North into South Korea. Rev. Sung-oak Chang and most of his congregation were involved in the exodus and joined forces in Seoul with Rev. Sung and his people. Several Nazarene servicemen in the occupation army were regular attenders at the church, bringing encouragement to the people and cementing the ties to the denomination. The records reveal very few other lines of communication, however.

1. Rev. Robert Chung

The Church of the Nazarene was to find another channel through which to reach Korea in the person of Dr. Robert Chung, one of the country's best known evangelists. His personal story and the providential circumstances that led him into the Church of the Nazarene are witnesses to the “wondrous ways” in which God builds His kingdom.

In 1907, during a time of great spiritual revival in Korea, a lanky, red-whiskered, Presbyterian missionary by the name of Hunter came to a small village near Pyongyang to preach to the people. He was a novelty in the village because the Koreans are ordinarily small of stature with black hair and flat noses. Hunter's height, red beard, and long nose brought him much attention, particularly among the small boys of the village who had never before seen a Caucasion. But response to the gospel the man preached was limited until a prominent citizen by the name of Kang was converted. Thus began a great turning to the Lord that swept through the entire village. Among those converted was the 13-year old grandson of Kang, Nam-soo Chung. He in turn led several of his friends to the Lord. He was a special favorite of the missionaries, who gave him the Western name of Robert.

In his late teens and early 20's, Robert Chung became involved with C. H. Ahn, a leader in the nationalist movement seeking to thwart the intrusion of the Japanese into their country. Robert a promising leader, was sent to Seoul for special training in revolutionary tactics. When Mr. Ahn was imprisoned for a time for his activities, young Robert took care of him, providing him with food and other comforts.

Finally, Mr. Ahn decided to flee the country, taking Robert with him. They stowed away on a Chinese junk loaded with salt, which took them across the Yellow Sea to China. From there they made their way to Vladivostock, near the eastern terminus of the Trans-Siberian Railroad. They then made the long journey by train to Europe and crossed the Channel to England. From there they took a ship to the United States, arriving in October 1911.

Their final destination was California, where Robert found employment. Things did not go well, however, and finally in company with a newfound friend, Joseph Chae, he boarded a train for Cincinati. On the train they made the acquaintance of a tall, white-haired man who successfully persuaded Robert to go to Asbury College in Wilmore, KY. That man was the president of the college, Dr. H. C. Morrison.

At Asbury, Robert went through a time of spiritual struggle that culminated in a mighty baptism with the Holy Spirit. He committed himself to the ministry of the gospel and upon graduation in 1926 returned to his homeland. He organized the Korean Holiness Evangelistic Band and for a number of years was an independent evangelist having his own tent and a supporting cast of musicians. He frequently returned to the United States to muster financial support, principally from Methodist holiness camp meetings. His ministry throughout the land was blessed of God, and he became known as “The Billy Sunday of Korea.”

With the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the Japanese rulers began to look with suspicion on any movements that had connections with the United States. Missionaries in general, and Robert Chung in particular, were suspect and subjected to strict surveillance. After Pearl Harbor the opposition intensified. Robert Chung was imprisoned for a time and suffered torture. Forced to cease his evangelistic activities, he retired to a rural area where he farmed until the end of the war.

In 1947 he returned to the United States, renewing old acquaintances and holding services. In the course of his travels he met Dr. C. Warren Jones, then executive secretary of the Department of Foreign Missions, who urged him to join the Church of the Nazarene and set up a missionary program in Korea. He was familiar with the church, for a number of his Asbury classmates were Nazarenes, and he had spoken in their churches. He had also met Dr. W. A. Eckel of Japan and the two Nazarene preachers Chang and Sung.

Following Dr. Jone's suggestion, he returned in 1948 and contacted several of the independent pastors with whom he had worked in earlier years. He also talked with the two Nazarene ministers who doubtless welcomed association with such a famous evangelist.

In October of that year, a meeting of interested pastors with General Superintendent Orval J. Nease was arranged in Seoul. A tentative church organization was set up, and the credentials of several elders were recognized, including those of Robert Chung and the two Nazarene pastors, Chang and Sung. A five man committee was set up with Robert Chung as chairman to direct the church's affairs. Nine congregations with 835 adherents were involved.

These independent-minded pastors and churches were wary of any kind of superintendency or missionary intrusion and were adamant about the five-man committee arrangement. This made it difficult for Robert Chung to implement the administrative structure of the Church of the Nazarene. Indeed, it never was accomplished with that group, for catastrophic events soon altered the picture drastically.

2. The Korean War

At dawn on June 25, 1950, the armed forces of North Korea swept across the 38^th parallel against the hapless South Koreans, who were totally unprepared for such an invasion. Though the outmanned and outgunned defenders attempted some delaying action, there was a steady retreat toward Seoul, and the fall of that city seemed imminent.

Sensing the impending disaster Robert Chung loaded his family and possessions into his 1947 automobile and headed south, miraculously making it through to the port city of Pusan. There he sold the car and bought passage on a ship headed for the United States for military supplies. Thus the family escaped the privations of the ensuing war. It also gave Rev. Chung opportunity to speak in a number of Nazarene churches in the United States, inspiring prayerful interest in the Korean work.

When the uneasy truce was signed at Panmunjom in 1953, plans were made for Robert Chung to return to continue the development of the Korean work. In early 1954 he made a brief inspection trip in which he discovered that a number of the churches had been destroyed or damaged, and one of the pastors, Rev. Huksoo Sung, along with many church church members had been killed. Reporting back to Dr. Remiss Rehfeldt, then executive secretary of the Department of Foreign Missions, he secured the promise of funds for reconstruction and also the assurance that a missionary couple would be sent.

But when the Chungs returned to Korea to once more set up the church structure, they found the welcome somewhat less than cordial. Possibly there was resentment that they had fled the country and had not experienced any of the suffering the others had had to endure. But also the spirit of independence still prevailed, and on second thought several of the pastors decided that they did not wish to continue working with Rev. Chung or the Church of the Nazarene. Added to this, the one remaining original Nazarene pastor, Rev. Chang, had become full-time chaplain of the Young Chun prison near his former church in Seoul and was no longer available. The frustrated leader was left with eight congregations, only four of which had church buildings, and about 400 adherents.

3. The First Missionaries

The first Nazarene missionaries, in the persons of Don and Adeline Owens, arrived in Seoul on May 29, 1954. Graduates of Bethany Nazarene College, the were pastoring at Fairbury, Nebr., when they offered themselves for missionary service and were placed under general appointment. They were assigned specifically to Korea after the Panmunjom truce was signed. They were the fulfillment of the promise made to Robert Chung that a missionary couple would be sent to help him.

It is reported that some of the pastors who met the new missionaries were somewhat dismayed at their youthfulness. “They have sent us Boy Scouts,” they moaned. But in true Korean fashion, the Owenses were welcomed warmly. The name the people gave them, Oh Eun-soo, was a spin-off of their English name but also meant “Someone who has received much grace.” God gave Rev. Owens the seal of His blessing when in the first service after his arrival 30 people came forward to receive Christ as their Savior.

An initial task was to work out property settlements with the defecting churches whose buildings were legally in the name of the Church of the Nazarene. There was also the task of repairing the remaining buildings and providing chapels for the house churches. Alabaster funds were provided for this, and helpful GIs obtained trucks to transport material, supplies, and equipment to the building sites. The help and support of American military personnel in many was was of immeasurable value during this time.

An early task also was the organization of a Bible school, because indoctrination of the present pastors and the training of new workers was a pressing need. A fire-gutted former missionary home was purchased and rehabilitated for this purpose. The second floor was converted into an apartment for the missionaries. The school was opened in September 1954 with 23 students, 8 of whom were pastors.

The only teachers available were the Owenses, for by this time the Chungs had returned to the United States to retire in Florida. Their departure took place only three months after the Owenses had come, and the young missionaries were left with a staggering task. Many loose ends had yet to be gathered together, and a viable program for development and expansion needed to be set in motion.

The quick moves to repair and build churches, to provide parsonages, and to distribute huge quantities of food and clothing generously supplied from overseas boosted morale among the churches, and a spirit of optimism and courage began to grow.

Mr. Yoon-kyu Jun proved to be an invaluable assistant in these beginning days. He was the Owenses' interpreter as they taught their classes in the Bible training school, and he later became a professor himself.

In early 1955 Dr. Remiss Rehfeldt visited Korea and conducted a preachers' meeting. Many organizational matters were clarified at this time. Also it was decided to make plans to officially organize the district with delegates from the churches electing their own national leaders. Abusy time lay ahead for the missionaries who, besides conducting the complex affairs of the church, were struggling through language school, trying to learn the difficult Korean language. In addition, the church Manual that Robert Chung had helped translate had to be printed and the pastors instructed in the necessary preparations for the proposed assembly.

In mid-July 1955 a three-day preachers' workshop was held to instruct the pastors in the basics of church government. Thus, when the assembly convened on August 30, the business flowed smoothly. The evening services of the three-day meeting were also times of spiritual blessings as several sought and found the experience of entire sanctification.

When it came time to choose a district superintendent, there was only one Korean ordained elder on the district who qualified for election, Rev. Kee-suh Park. The assembly elected Rev. Don Owens as superintendent, but on the advice of Headquarters in Kansas City it was considered better to have a national in that position. Therefore, at the General Board meeting in January 1956, Rev. Park was appointed district superintendent. He had already proved himself to be a capable church planter, for he was responsible for four of the congregations that had come into the church back in 1948.

At the assembly, the Ways and Means Committee, composed of all pastors, took significant action concerning self-support. Each local congregation was to assume a portion of the pastor's salary. That salary was set at $26.00 a month plus $3.00 for each member of the family. An additional $5.00 was allowed for city pastors because their expenses were obviously greater. To take care of any special needs such as medical expenses, an emergency fund was set up to be administered by the District Advisory Board. The offerings in each church on the first Sundays of March, June, September, and December were sent in for this fund.

The orderly organization of a national district produced a healthy sense of responsibility. Pastors and people alike rallied to the new challenge. An awareness of their own mission to promote scriptural holiness in the framework of the Church of the Nazarene was established.

There began a surge of growth that was to gain momentum in the years that followed. A key method of church planting was the “Moving Nazarene Family” idea. A family would move into a new community and begin holding Bible studies in their home. If interest grew, a house church would be organized and a property search begun, leading to the building of a church. Sometimes a tent would serve as a temporary meeting place. Bible school students or neighboring pastors would hold the regular services until a full-time pastor could be supported.

When a church was ready to build, Alabaster funds would be requested, but always the local group was expected to contribute half the cost in either funds, material, or labor.

By the time the third district assembly convened on March 12, 1957, there were 45 delegates representing 23 churches with a total membership of 1,332. In June of that year Rev. and Mrs. Eldon Cornett and their two sons arrived on the field and immediately began intensive language study at a mission language school and also under the tutelage of a private teacher, Mr. Seung-jin Kim. Mr. Kim continued as a translator and teacher in the Bible college. Within a year the Cornetts were involved fully in the work of the college and in other phases of the work.

4. The Korean Bible College

The orginal buildings that had been purchased in Seoul for the Bible school were woefully inadequate to take care of the school's growing needs, let alone the mission headquarters offices and missionary residence that were also there. In 1956 Rev. Owens began searching for a possible site for a future campus.

Early in 1957 an available 21-acre tract was found just west of the city on the highway to Kimpo Air Force Base. The $5,000 cost was paid from Alabaster funds. The low price was doubtless because part of the land was owned by the government, and only user's rights would be granted. To build on that part would be a somewhat precarious venture. The mission negotiated with the authorities for months, seeking to obtain a clear title, but without success. Not until the existing government was overthrown by a military coup in 1961 and a more accommodating regime installed was a clear title to the entire tract issued. This unusual answer to prayer inspired the faith of the people.

In the meantime, the first class of five students graduated in August 1, 1958. At the same time, four Korean pastors completed the home course of study. The education program was already paying off.

That summer the buildings in Seoul had been sold to help launch the building program on the new site. An extensive project was undertaken with nine separate structures being rected. On the first week in January 1959, the school, under the name Nazarene Bible College, moved into its new quarters, which consisted of a main administration and classroom building, dormitories for men and for women, and a dining hall. In addition there were three Korean teachers' homes and two missionary homes. The prudence of this move, despite the uncerctainties of ownership at that time, became obvious when, 10 years later, this property that had been purchased for $5,000 was now valued at $1.25 million and was still rising.

The fourth district assembly convened here in March 1959, with Dr. Hugh C. Benner presiding. It was the first visit by a general superintendent since 1948. During the assembly, dedication ceremonies were held for the new campus, and at the closing service, 10 men were ordained to the ministry. Statistically, there were now 28 fully organized churches and preaching points, 2 of which were totally self-supporting. There were 35 national workers including 11 ordained elders, 4 missioaries, and 1,888 members.

At the fifth assembly in March 1960, Missionary Eldon Cornett presided, since the Owenses were home on furlough. Two new churches were reported. At the sixth assembly in 1961, there was a change in leadership when Rev. Chong-Soo Kim was elected district superintendent. He had been a successful businessman prior to his conversion and had served as district treasurer since the inception of the district, so he was a well-qualified leader.

That year also, the Charles Strouds joined the missionary staff. He was an experienced builder whose skills were particularly valuable at this time of expansion, and she was an excellent musician. After taking language training at Yonsai University, they began teaching at the Bible college and holding evangelistic services.

General Superintendent Samuel Young and Dr. George Coulter, then executive secretary of the Department of Foreign Missions, were present for the eighth district assembly in April 1963. By this time there were 39 organized churches, 5 of them self-supporting, with a membership of nearly 3,000. There were 52 national workers. During the visit of the church leaders, a Far East Servicemen's Retreat was held in Seoul with about 40 United States armed forces personnel and their wives in attendance.

Church planting and self-support were twin themes of the district program in those years. In two years' time 8 more churches were added, while those achieving self-support jumped from 5 to 11. Total membership in 1965 was 3,820.

Early in the Korean work a system for reaching the level of ull self-support was worked out in which the mission subsidy granted a church was reduced annually by 10 percent. Theoretically, in 10 years a church would become self-supporting, though many achieved this goal in much less time. The incentive was that the district would thus have more money to invest in opening new churches.

As an extension of the Bible college, teams of teachers went to the churches to hold three- to five-day leadership training courses. Doctrine, Bible, teacher training, and evangelism were the main subjects. This produced a strong laity and kowledgeable delegates for the annual assemblies. A district paper, Nazaret Sori (“Nazarene Voice”), was also useful in keeping local churches informed and involved.

In 1965 the Owenses returned to the United States on their second furlough, at the conclusion of which he became a professor at Bethany Nazarene College. They were replaced by Rev. and Mrs. Paul Stubbs, who had previously been associated with the Oriental Missionary Society in Seoul, teaching in the school that served missionary children and others in the foreign community. They were already oriented to the field and moved swiftly into the work.

In the latter half of the decade there was rapid growth. District Superintendent Kim was a resourceful church planter, and congregations sprang up both in the city and in rural areas. Revivals broke out in many of the established churches. One instrument God used greatly was the Bible college quartet organized by Rev. Stubbs.

In 1967 Rev. and Mrs. Stephen Rieder from Pennsylvania joined the missionary force, and for a brief time there were four couples on the field. But in 1968 the Strouds returned to the United States and assumed a pastorate in Oklahoma.

By 1970 there were 70 congregations with 6,155 members. At the beginning of the decade the corresponding figures had been 30 and 1,698. The work had been growing, but progress had perceptibly slowed in recent years. The emergence of strong but unyielding personalities among the national church leaders created crosscurrents of criticism and disloyalty that adversely affected the work. At the 1970 district assembly, the validity of the ballot that reelected Chong-soo Kim as district superintendent was questioned, and an acrimonious debate arose on matters of parliamentary procedure. The missionaries were frustrated in their efforts to calm the troubled waters because they could ill afford being accused of choosing sides.

As a result of this altercation, the rapid growth of previous years ground to a halt, and the future of the work was in jeopardy. General Superintendent Orville W. Jenkins and Foreign Missions Executive Secretary E. S. Phillips made a trip to Korea in 1971 to seek a solution to the problem. Their decision was to have the Don Owenses return to Korea for a short assignment along with the Paul Stubbses, who had been home on furlough. At the same time, the Eldon Cornetts and Stephen Rieders, who had unwittingly been caught in the cross fire and who were due for furlough anyway, were returned to the United States. This strategic move produced the desired result of reconciliation. But more importantly, the Spirit of God came upon the people in a healing wave that not only restored peace and confidence but set the church off on a new sweep of revival and expansion.

In March 1972 Dr. Orville Jenkins returned to conduct the district assembly at Chun-ahn. Smoothly the organizational and policy matters that had caused the rift in the first place were resolved, and in an atmosphere of revival proportions, Dr. Jenkins ordained 19 Korean pastors.

5. Golden Years of Growth

At the 1972 assembly the proposal was made that the district be divided. A committee was appointed to study the matter. When, at the conclusion of the General Assembly in Miami that summer, District Superintendent Kim accepted the invitation to become the pastor of a Korean congregation in Chicago, it seemed an appropriate time follow through on the proposed division. The study committee that had been set up was now called upon to carry the matter through to implementation.

Thus in September 1973 a special assembly was called, presided over by General Superintendent Eugene Stowe, in which the Central and South districts were organized. In the naming of the districts, there was perhaps the veiled hope that in time the Korean nation would once again be unified, and North Korea would become accessible to the gospel. In such case, a true North Korea District would come into being.

The Central District selected as its leader Rev. Moon-kyung Cho, who had been with the church since Robert Chung days, had taught theology and Greek in the Korean Nazarene Bible College, and was currently pastoring the largest Nazarene church in the country. He had been ordained by Dr. Benner in 1959.

The South District elected Rev. Jung-hwan Oh as its superintendent. He also had been ordained by Dr. Brenner in 1959 and was in the first graduating class of the Bible college in 1958. For nine years he had been the treasurer of the combined districts. His special skill was in church planting.

Earlier in 1973 the great Billy Gram campaigns had been held in Korea, and a climate of response to the Christian gospel had been created throughout the nation. Over 80,000 accepted Christ in the course of the various campaigns around the country, and in the final rally in Seoul, an estimated 1.1 million attended. It was the largest gathering in Christian church history. The students of the Nazarene Bible College actively participated in the campaign.

The effects of the Graham crusade rippled out through all the evangelical churches, but the Church of the Nazarene, partly because of encouraging developments within its own organization, reaped the most bountiful harvest of all. Within a year the number of churches leaped from 79 to 125, and membership more than doubled from 7,126 to 16,532.

In August 1974, Explo '74, sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ, was held in Korea, when some 300,000 received special training in personal evangelism, discipling, and personal Christian living. Once more the nation was exposed to the gospel in a dramatic way. On Saturday afternoon the delegates, armed with the familiar Four Spiritual Laws, attempted to reach the entire 6 million people of Seoul. It was an unprecendented experiment in saturation evangelism.

Following Explo '74, the Nazarene Korean pastors and hundreds of laymen retired to a mountain retreat and spent five days in intensive Bible study and prayer, led by their district superintendents. The result was an intensified vision of what could be accomplished in the propagation of the gospel in Korea. The two districts in their first year of separate operation gained a combined total of 2,222 members.

Rev. A. Brent Cobb, who had been appointed to Korea in 1970, became the mission director in 1975, replacing Rev. Paul Stubbs, who returned to the United States. There followed a period of unusual progress. The Korea Nazarene Theological College with its 70 students was under the capable leadership of William Patch, who was elected president in 1975. He and his wife, experienced educators, came to Korea in 1973 to teach in the college. A Korean, Rev. Young-baik Kim, was dean of the college and also the featured speaker on one of the two national radio programs sponsored by the Church of the Nazarene.

Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth Shubert were added to the college staff in 1974. Then in 1977 the coming of Dr. and Mrs. Donald LeRoy Stults gave an additional vital lift. The Timothy Mercers, who arrived in 1979, also taught at the college.

The government of Ministry of Education was exerting increasing pressure that the college would have to be accredited or cease functioning. It was also made clear that such accreditation could not be obtained if the college remained at its Seoul location. In June 1978 the decision was made to sell the college campus and accompanying mission property and relocate. In December the sale of a majority of the land was consummated for $4.5 million. With this capital, in March 1979 a 32-acre tract was purchased in Chonan, 50 miles south of Seoul, and a 4-story, 76,000 square-foot college building valued at $2.25 million was completed in 1980. This paved the way for the first accreditation as a four-year college-level institution. Enrollment began to rise, reaching 93 by 1985 with 160 anticipated by 1987.

In February 1982 the remainder of the Seoul property was old for $1.4 million. It was agreed that the total income from the property sale ($5.9 million) would be divided in three ways: a small portion would be set aside for replacing missionary homes that had been on the original property, while 70 percent of the remainder would go for college relocation, and 30% for home mission programs, buildings, and land.

In line with the practice of other denominations, it was decided to invest the district's share in an income-producing office building. A beautiful nine-story structure containing 84,600 square feet was built in the south coast city of Taejon and dedicated on October 26, 1984. It was valued at $2.6 million. After payment of the residual debt on the project was completed, rental income would go to home mission projects and a college scholarship fund.

During all this feverish real estate activity, there developed much mistrust and suspicion among the pastors and churches about how the money was being spent. It was a turbulent time that left wounds that were slow to heal. Nevertheless positive moves were being made to expand the Korean work.

It was obvious that development thus far had followed the Seoul-Taejon axis with a heavy concentration in the vicinity of Seoul. In an attempt to correct this situation, in March 1981 the Krea East District was split off from the Central District, with the veteran Rev. Ki-suh Park being appointed superintendent. The new district began with 8 organized churches and 294 members. About the same time, the Korea Honam District to the southwest was split off from the South District with Rev. Jung-moon Suh, NYI president of the South District being appointed superintendent. This new district had a healthy 16 churches with 1,201 members.

The following year, the southeastern part of the country was set off from the South District to form the Korea Yongnam District with 7 churches and 369 members. Rev. Young-sup Ahn, pastor for 15 years on the Central District, was named superintendent.

By 1983 all three of the new districts had reached mission phase. Korea Central had attained regular district status in March 1981, while South District was expected to reach that level in 1986.

By 1985 total membership in Korea stood at 28,006 with 161 churches. During the quinquennium giving had tripled, going from $770,980 (U.S.) in 1980 to $2,232,096 in 1985. The mission director during all this reorganization and growth was Rev. Kenneth Schubert, who was originally appointed in 1979.