Some 100 pastors gathered in Seoul, South Korea, on Tuesday for a penitence prayer meeting in response to worldwide criticism of Korean churches’ aggressive overseas missionary work.
Pastors from the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church met at Youngdong Presbyterian Church in Jongno, downtown Seoul, to reflect on mission works in light of the abduction of 23 Korean church volunteers nearly two months ago in Afghanistan.
“Local churches have been passionate only about quantity increase in the number of church-goers and missionary workers they send overseas and big events that they hold, neglecting their original mission,” Kim Hyung-tae, head pastor of the Youngdong church, said according to The Korea Times.
Kim also criticized the popular belief held by many pastors that “excessively passionate” activities in dangerous places are an achievement. South Korea, despite its small size, is the world’s second highest missionary sending country behind the United States.
In July, 23 South Korean aid volunteers from Saemmul Presbyterian Church in Bundang, just south of Seoul, were kidnapped by the Taliban while on their way to provide free medical services to poor Afghans. The Christian workers were criticized for being ill-prepared for dangers in Afghanistan, ignoring the Korean government’s warning against travel to the country, and forcing the Korean government to negotiate with terrorists, which has drawn international criticism.
Other pastors at the meeting agreed that Korean churches tended to be rash in their effort to try to expand their influence without taking the proper steps to understand the culture of the mission field and local situation.
In addition, six progressive church groups issued a statement Tuesday calling for changes in overseas mission work by local churches.
“We regret that Christians did not follow the government’s regulations and caused the nation a lot of trouble,” the statement read, according to The Korea Times. “We now promise to comply with the guidelines of the government in the future.”
As part of the deal to free the hostages, the Korean government had promised the Taliban that it will block all Korean missionary activities from entering Afghanistan as well as pull out its 210 troops from the war-torn country by the end of the year.
“The kidnapping case can give the wrong impression that Korean churches are all anti-social and anti-government,” said Kim Gyu-ho, director of Christians for Social Responsibility. “We all should reflect on the aggressive missionary work overseas.”
The six groups that issued Tuesday’s statement include Christians for Social Responsibility, the Christian Coalition for Upgrading Korea, Small Church Movement and God’s Kingdom Mission Movement.
The statement also recommended that the local churches pay for all the expenses incurred for the release of the 21 hostages that lived through the ordeal.
Comments
I really am surprised at some of these comments. First off let me disclose that I am a Mormon. There, now you can all yell and shout about that as well as my comments.
I think you are mistaken to assume that the Lord would have us serve him by disregarding good council from a government who recognizes the obvious dangers inherent in traveling in Afghanistan. To take things a step further, would the Lord ask us to break the law to share the gospel? I suppose it is possible, especially if the law is ungodly or unfair and discriminatory. But travel warnings from Foreign Offices and State Departments are hardly discriminatory towards Christians. They are merely a wise warning.
And how far would such a slippery slope take someone? Should we break into our neighbor’s home to serve God and preach? Would we kidnap someone to preach to them?
I think there is a certain un-Christian dishonesty in what these missionaries have done. By disregarding the good advice of their government, they have put others (who are perhaps not like-minded Christians) in harms way. If they were willing to rely on the Lords arm only, then perhaps such dangerous efforts to preach could be regarded as a faithful sacrifice. But they burdened a secular government with the responsibility of saving them rather than depend on their faith. As an analogy, it's not unlike the many weekend warriors in the west where I live. They talk a good game about seeking adventure and taking risks and bravery. Then they go out into the wild, promptly get lost, and within minutes are calling 911 on their cell phones and Search and Rescue are called in at great expense and personal risk to rescue the fools.
And there is a second slippery slope here. Just because we should be willing to sacrifice all doesn't mean we can't prepare as well. Certainly the Lord can make up for limited preparedness but that doesn't mean we should entirely disregard preparation. Should we begin preaching before we have studies the Word? Should we begin preaching without taking more than a few days to learn a difficult language? Just because we can count on the Lord to guide us doesn't mean we must disregard all practical matters. Maybe we should just start swimming toward Afganistan and count on the Lords hands to carry us. Who needs a plane ticket?
And another thought. Just because someone chooses to preach in a dangerous country does not mean they are beyond any and all reproach. Well intentioned faithful can make poor judgements.
Bottom line: will good Christians at times be called upon to break a law to serve the Lord. Yes. Should we however, first seek lawful, safe means of preaching wherever possible? Certainly. Should we be willing to risk everything including our very lives for Christ? Absolutely.
ProfessorX is right on the money. Why are the Koreans apologizing for doing what they are supposed to do? One of the most inhuman societies on the planet has the audacity to put demands on the Korean Government to stop the work of its missionaries, and the Korean Government concedes. How sad for the Nation of Korea!
Pastor David Yongi Cho would have never raised up the awesome church in the name of Jesus if he had to follow the policy of giving in to the enemy. Instead of pulling out of Afghanistan, the Korean Government should have sent thousands of more troops into the region. If anyone thinks that this is a war only about terrorism and not about the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world, they are mistaken.
I praise God for these brave and courageous Korean missionaries. They have laid down their lives to introduce Hope into a part of the world that has no hope. God will not let their personal sacrifice go unrewarded and not produce a harvest of souls. God loves the Afghan people and He will not let them be left out of His plan for salvation, for blessings, and for eternal life.
To the Koreans and the missionaries around the world be encouraged because you are in God's perfect will; and do not be discouraged by the ignorance of government officials. God loves them too!
Pastor Leo
www.wclandtm.com
Repent? it sounds strange.. I think they just need to repent for poor management. The strategy just failed.
Part II
The Korean saints were NOT the ones who were beheading and shooting people; it was these wicked, demonic, Islamic extremists. Instead of loving their neighbor as they would love themselves, they kill their neighbor as they kill themselves. Therefore everyday these Muslims testify that their father is the Devil because as Jesus described, he was a murder from the beginning. The followers of Jesus seek to know Christ “in the power of His resurrection and in the fellowship of His sufferings.”
I see this as an attack on the worldwide evangelism into Islam dominated countries. We must NEVER also political peer pressure to dictate when and where we can share our faith. I assure this is only the beginning. I predict that democratic governments, yes, democratic governments influenced by secular humanism will seek to cower to Islamic extremism by passing legislation designed to penalize those who preach the gospel over radio and television. The UN with Americas backing could put political pressure on Christians worldwide even switching sides in order to use Christians as the sacrificial lamb to the Islamic extremists for their Peace and Safety. Would the real body allow that spirit of the anti-christ to stifle the message of the gospel? NO WAY. We will continue to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God.
http://evolutionfacts.blogspot.com/#the_message_that_we_were_born_to_hear
(Hint Hint hint: Read revelations again as we see it come to life. The ANTI-CHRIST (the United Nations) GOES to WAR against the FALSE PROPHET (the false prophet Mohammed)
Part I
Jesus himself said unless one takes up their cross and follows me they CANNOT be my disciple and is not worth to be my disciple. The very nature of evangelism Jesus-style is to lay down ones life for others, to leave the flesh unfulfilled, to love God more than your family, to go the extra mile, to endure persecution, to bear the hostility and wrath of sinners because we look like – sound like – talk like - act like Jesus, and remain faithful unto the end. The emergent church, on the other hand, church tries to make the gospel of Jesus Christ less offensive by creating happy little humanistic, self-empowerment renditions of the gospel where flesh is exalted. They say to us: "Let's not talk about the blood of Jesus that was shed on the cross as a sacrifice, we don't want to offend people or look like a bloody religion." Yet they are the same "Christians" who join others in American movie theaters to watch violence and blood shed all the while calling it entertainment. They forget that sin and crime always as a price tag on those innocent of the perpetrators actions. Selah. They forget that all the sins of those who would trust in Him as Savior and Lord were being absorbed into his body. When Jesus’ physical body died, their sins and God’s Holy wrath against them died with Him. When Jesus rose they rose with Him as well. Where Jesus is, His people will always be with Him.
The real issue is that they are expressing their shame of Jesus. Thus Satan may have influenced some Korean pastors to teach their congregation to disobey God for the sake of pleasing man. The gospel is the POWER of GOD unto salvation and the person of the Holy Spirit give us boldness to declare the world of God and the power to live it. The Holy Spirit-filled Korean Churches per capita have been one of the most dedicated in prayer, evangelism, and sending out missionaries all over the world.
I am NOT going to stop preaching the gospel Caesar. Many others and myself risk losing our lives everyday as we preach the gospel in hostile neighborhood. If a person is already living a lifestyle of taking up their cross and following Jesus, they understand that their physical death is of least concern. Their obedience to Christ is all that matters in light of eternity. As a disciple of Christ our physical life could be required of us at any time for refusing to deny Jesus as our Lord (Owner). Be prepared to lay it down. Remember our citizenship is in heaven. (Philippians 3:20)
Thank you Lord God that there are brethren who are obeying Your call to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. The many Korean missionaries that I have met were NEVER aggressive! I have learned alot about loving and forgiveness from the Korean brethren! The world is NOT worthy of these brethren who laid down their lives for the LORD GOD! That is our calling brethren, and WHO is the accuser of the brethren! I do not care what this world thinks, we have been commissioned by the LORD GOD! It is better to obey GOD rather than man!
When one suffers we all suffer and when the brethren were kidnapped and two slain that was a very sorrowful day and yet we do not grieve as the world grieves. They were suffering for obeying the LORD and the LORD honors that! When we suffer for things we get ourselves into, that is another story.
I want to encourage our Korean brethren, you keep letting your lights SHINE! SHINE SHINE!
Do not listen to the rest of the world, keep looking to Jesus Christ! For HIS glory!
The safest place to be is in the middle of God's will. To obey God's direction with human criticism is better than to disobey God's direction with human praise.
Can you imagine going on a mission of love and service, being kidnapped and almost dying, and then coming home from such a horrifying experience only to be met by a lot of criticisms? There may have been some lack of wisdom in the way this mission was handled, but I hope others will extend love and grace to these precious and humble servants of God at this time so they can rest and heal. They must feel so hurt and rejected. What would people rather have happened, for all them to die? What kind of madness is this? They should be shown a lot of love and appreciation at this time.
I agree. Why should they apologize for obeying the master? When does the Taliban apologize for acts of murder? rape? kidnapping? Why are Christians the only persecuted group? Rise up oh men of God....
I pray to God for their sacrifice. I also agree with you sunriseg1rl. I hope things can be safer and God's worker can preach His word freely.
I am sorry to see pastors apologizing for Christians who are actually fulfilling the great commission to go into all the world with the gospel. Have they forgotten that Jesus commanded His disciples to go into all the world? Have they forgotten that Jesus died to purchase the salvation of those in Afghanistan too? And without hearing the gospel those people will be spending eternity separated from God. I am proud of those brave Korean Christians.