Youngnak Presbyterian Church

Youngnak (YN) Presbyterian Church was founded in Seoul on December 2, 1945 by 1992 Templeton Prize recipient, Kyung-Chik Han. Inaugurated by twenty-seven refugees from Soviet-occupied Korea, Youngnak steadily increased in membership as more refugees sought religious freedom below the 38th parallel.[2]

Youngnak Presbyterian Church
Youngnak Presbyterian Church, Seoul
Youngnak Presbyterian Church; Main Sanctuary and Mission Chapel (right).
LocationSeoul
CountryRepublic of Korea
DenominationPresbyterian Church of Korea (TongHap)
Previous denominationPresbyterian Church of Korea
Membership+10,000[1]
Websiteyoungnak.net
History
Founded2nd December 1945 (2nd December 1945)
Administration
PresbyterySeoul
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Kim Woon-sung
Youngnak Presbyterian Church
Hangul
Hanja
Revised RomanizationYeongnak Gyohoe
McCune–ReischauerYŏngnak Kyohoe

On March 24, 1949, ground was broken for a new facility to replace the building and tent that had become too small for the growing congregation.[3] By the time the new church building was completed in May 1950, membership had increased to over 4,000.[4] By 1992, when Rev. Han was awarded the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion, membership had grown to 60,000 (making it, at that time, the largest Presbyterian congregation in the world), excluding 500 sister churches planted by members of the original congregation.[5]

In 1998, under the auspices of Rev. Han, who at the time was a Pastor Emeritus, Youngnak gained an English language ministry, International Worship in English, which was founded by an American missionary to Korea, Bill Majors. For his efforts, Majors was made an Honorary Citizen of Seoul in 2005.[6]

Senior pastors
  • 1949-1973: Han Kyung-chik
  • 1973-1985: Park Cho-joon
  • 1985-1997c: Kim Yoon-guk
  • 1988-1997c: Lim Young-soo
  • 1997-2018: Lee Chul-shin
  • 2018-present: Kim Woon-sung[7]

References
  1. Dae - Won (20 October 2005). "Young-Rak Church, elected elder for three years". christiantoday. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  2. Just Three More Years to Live! The Story of Rev. Kyung-Chik Han. 2005 p. 126 ISBN 89-5721-439-9
  3. Just Three More Years to Live! The Story of Rev. Kyung-Chik Han. 2005 p. 132 ISBN 89-5721-439-9
  4. Just Three More Years to Live! The Story of Rev. Kyung-Chik Han. 2005 pgs. 132-133 ISBN 89-5721-439-9
  5. CHRONICLE - New York Times
  6. Seoul Metropolitan Government - "A Clean, Attractive & Global City, Seoul!"
  7. "Youngnak history". Youngnak Presbyterian Church. Youngnak Presbyterian Church. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
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