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Problem statement
The early Korean church was an indigenous Christian community with similar characteristics than Christian communities in the first century of the Common Era (Choi 2015:18). Before the first American missionaries arrived in Korea in 1885 and started mission work through well-structured institutions, local churches with as many as 75 baptised members had already been established (Kim & Roh 2007:51). These were planted by the indigenous evangelists who came to believe in Jesus Christ after translating the Bible from Chinese to Korean (Bae 2008:33). They emphasised the propagation of the gospel and living according to the word of God as a community of disciples. Although they experienced rapid growth, they did not get stuck in church building, but rather focused on a life of worshiping wherever they were gathering at the houses of olunteer believers (Choi 2015:90).
Following Lohfink’s (1984:177) analysis and description of the early church, it could be said that the early Korean church presents us with similar characteristics. It had no structures and strategies for systematic missionary activity, but practiced a Christian lifestyle based on Biblical truths. Like the church described in Acts 2:47, the Korean church was a joy to God and enjoyed the favour of all the people for its life of sharing and serving. During the dark age of Korea, when the police authority and the sovereignty of the state were usurped by Japan in 1905 and 1910 respectively, many of the
Korean people indulged in alcohol, drugs, prostitution and gambling. They were living without hope (Kim & Roh 2007:37-38). In these difficult circumstances the young Korean church had a positive influence on the Korean people, for instance through the “Pyongyang Great Awakening” in 1907 which was accompanied by remarkable manifestations of the Holy Spirit (Kim & Roh 2007:125). The Korean church became the hope of the nation in leading a non-violent independence movement and a national enlightenment during the Japanese colonial period. A number of martyrdoms happened during the colonial period and the Korean War, which demonstrated to the world the commitment of ordinary believers to the kingdom of God.
1. Introduction
1.1. Problem statement
1.2. The purpose of this study
1.3. Research questions.
1.4. Scope and Limitations
1.4.1. Scope
1.4.2. Limitations
1.5. The research methodology
1.5.1. Hermeneutical perspective
1.5.2. Historical perspective
1.5.3. Empirical perspective
1.5.4. Strategic perspective
1.6. Chapter Outline
2. Hermeneutical Perspective
2.2. Missional ecclesiology in the biblical meta-narrative
2.2.1. Missional ecclesiology in the story of Creation-Fall-Redemption-New Creation ..
2.2.2. Creation
2.2.3. Fall
2.2.4. Redemption
2.2.5. New creation
2.3. Missional Ecclesiology in the biblical micro-narratives
2.3.1. The people of God
2.3.2. The body of Christ
2.3.3. The communion of the Saints
2.3.4. The creation of the Spirit / The temple of the Holy Spirit
2.4. Scope by the missio Dei to the extremes on missional ecclesiology
2.4.1. A different understanding of missio Dei
2.4.2. Two extreme views on missional ecclesiology and setting up the Scope
2.5. Conclusion
3. Historical Perspective on the Korean church
3.1. Introduction
3.2. The Apostolic and Post-Apostolic mode (1879-1945)
3.3. Comprehensive assessment
3.4. The revival movement and Japanese colonial period (1903-1945
3.5. Comprehensive assessment
3.6. The Advanced and Triumph of the Pseudo-Christendom mode (1945-2000)
3.7. Comprehensive assessment
3.8. Economic development and the church
3.9. The church in modernising Korea
3.10. Comprehensive assessment
3.11. The Missional mode (Past 20+ years)
3 .12. Comprehensive assessment
3.13. Conclusion
4. Empirical Perspective
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Case study of mega-churches in Korea..
4.3. Case study of missional churches in Korea
4.4. The public perception the Korean society have of the Korean churches in the megachurch
phenomenon and the missional church movement
4.5. Conclusion
5. Strategic perspective
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
8. Appendix
