The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God. (Mark 1:1)
There are not only the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Holiness Church and the Baptist Church but also a denomination named ‘gospel’ in Korea. ‘The Gospel Church’ is the very denomination. It is comparatively healthy denomination with not much conservative but even not the progressive. There is a denomination which is much more closed to the word of gospel though it doesn’t put the word gospel at front. ‘The Assembly of God’ is the very denomination. I cannot remember the exact name for it has divided. However, the Assembly of God is famous for not such official name but another name so called, ‘Full Gospel Church’. The reason that the popular name ‘full gospel’ overtakes their official name is due to ‘Yoido Full Gospel Church’ while a pastor Yongki Cho is attending his pasturing work. Unknown people can misunderstand full gospel as a name of denomination. The name full gospel is funny. Is there false gospel in the world? A false gospel is not rather gospel. If it goes in this way there will be a possibility to come named ‘true full gospel church’.
When we indicate a tendency of faith we use ‘evangelism’. It seems to call the believer’s attitude as ‘evangelism’ that try to keep a certain distance with society by keeping Christianity’s tradition and recognizing evangelical work as their important mission. Though they call themselves as ‘evangelist’ practically they are conservatism or fundamentalism. We call the people’s faith attitude as ‘Neo-evangelicalism’ who has same stands with conservatism in all but comparatively has openness toward ecumenical movement. They involves in social salvation differs from conservatism who biased on individual salvation only. It doesn’t mean that they are able to carry on dialogue with a liberation theology or Minjung(Popular) theology at some level. I don’t remember clearly but they seemed to raise their voice about social justice after Lausanne international meeting in Switzerland in end of 1970.
However, it is right to divide their faith and theological tendency as conservative and progressive, fundamentalism and liberalism but it seems conceptually incorrect to arrange it by making ‘evangelism’ stand before ranks. In German, all protestant churches are called ‘evangelical church’ (evangelische Kirche) except Roman Catholic. Literally ‘evangelische Kirche’ means gospel church but practically it means protestant church. Why do they call it in this way should be studied at the church historical point. Strictly speaking, Roman Catholic churches also an evangelical church. As Mark’s gospel sees it clearly at the first verse, Christian community which regards Jesus Christ as gospel is basically evangelic church whatever their forms.
As no one can possess wind exclusively gospel is either. Gospel is not give to those who approach to Jesus’ incident conservatively neither is give to the people of progressiveness. Gospel is not the object of possession to the church that shows a certain tendency toward Jesus’ incident but God’s salvation incident of God that is raised through Jesus Christ. Practically those who want to be sincere to gospel should concentrate on the things to believe and follow it absolutely. If a conservative churches want to find out their identity from gospel they have to protect the tradition of church. If a progressive church wants to remain as an evangelical church they have to participate in present history with evangelical way. If a conservative and a progressive in Korean church extents the power of gospel showing their own special quality, there will be no more quarrel each other. When it will come? Such day surely will come? The day evangelical conservative and evangelical progressive entrust each other and work for the kingdom of God!
There are not only the Presbyterian Church, the Methodist Church, the Holiness Church and the Baptist Church but also a denomination named ‘gospel’ in Korea. ‘The Gospel Church’ is the very denomination. It is comparatively healthy denomination with not much conservative but even not the progressive. There is a denomination which is much more closed to the word of gospel though it doesn’t put the word gospel at front. ‘The Assembly of God’ is the very denomination. I cannot remember the exact name for it has divided. However, the Assembly of God is famous for not such official name but another name so called, ‘Full Gospel Church’. The reason that the popular name ‘full gospel’ overtakes their official name is due to ‘Yoido Full Gospel Church’ while a pastor Yongki Cho is attending his pasturing work. Unknown people can misunderstand full gospel as a name of denomination. The name full gospel is funny. Is there false gospel in the world? A false gospel is not rather gospel. If it goes in this way there will be a possibility to come named ‘true full gospel church’.
When we indicate a tendency of faith we use ‘evangelism’. It seems to call the believer’s attitude as ‘evangelism’ that try to keep a certain distance with society by keeping Christianity’s tradition and recognizing evangelical work as their important mission. Though they call themselves as ‘evangelist’ practically they are conservatism or fundamentalism. We call the people’s faith attitude as ‘Neo-evangelicalism’ who has same stands with conservatism in all but comparatively has openness toward ecumenical movement. They involves in social salvation differs from conservatism who biased on individual salvation only. It doesn’t mean that they are able to carry on dialogue with a liberation theology or Minjung(Popular) theology at some level. I don’t remember clearly but they seemed to raise their voice about social justice after Lausanne international meeting in Switzerland in end of 1970.
However, it is right to divide their faith and theological tendency as conservative and progressive, fundamentalism and liberalism but it seems conceptually incorrect to arrange it by making ‘evangelism’ stand before ranks. In German, all protestant churches are called ‘evangelical church’ (evangelische Kirche) except Roman Catholic. Literally ‘evangelische Kirche’ means gospel church but practically it means protestant church. Why do they call it in this way should be studied at the church historical point. Strictly speaking, Roman Catholic churches also an evangelical church. As Mark’s gospel sees it clearly at the first verse, Christian community which regards Jesus Christ as gospel is basically evangelic church whatever their forms.
As no one can possess wind exclusively gospel is either. Gospel is not give to those who approach to Jesus’ incident conservatively neither is give to the people of progressiveness. Gospel is not the object of possession to the church that shows a certain tendency toward Jesus’ incident but God’s salvation incident of God that is raised through Jesus Christ. Practically those who want to be sincere to gospel should concentrate on the things to believe and follow it absolutely. If a conservative churches want to find out their identity from gospel they have to protect the tradition of church. If a progressive church wants to remain as an evangelical church they have to participate in present history with evangelical way. If a conservative and a progressive in Korean church extents the power of gospel showing their own special quality, there will be no more quarrel each other. When it will come? Such day surely will come? The day evangelical conservative and evangelical progressive entrust each other and work for the kingdom of God!
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