Hello, and welcome back to Nations 4 Jesus. This is part three of our series on the Korean church, and today we're going to talk about what makes Korean Christianity so unique and powerful—and what we in the West can learn from it.
When our family lived in Seoul from 2006 to 2008, we experienced Korean Christianity firsthand at Jubilee Church, and it completely transformed our understanding of what vibrant faith looks like. The vibrant prayer, the expectation that every believer would evangelize and disciple others, the passion in worship that made many American church services seem almost sleepy by comparison!
And now, as our daughter prepares to go to Korea next March for five months with Youth With A Mission, I find myself reflecting on what made the Korean church experience so powerful—and why Korean Christianity has become one of the most significant missionary forces in the world today.
[The numbers - South Korea's Christian explosion]
Let me start with some remarkable statistics. In 1900, Korea had virtually no Christians—maybe a few thousand at most. Today, South Korea is approximately 30% Christian, with about 10 million Protestants and 5 million Catholics in a population of 51 million. That's an astounding transformation in just over a century!
Seoul, the capital where we lived, has been called the "city of churches." There are an estimated 20,000 churches in the greater Seoul metropolitan area—that's one church for every 500 people! And many of these aren't small congregations. South Korea is home to 16 of the world's 50 largest churches, including Yoido Full Gospel Church with over 580,000 members today.
But it's not just about numbers or size. What makes Korean Christianity remarkable is its intensity, its commitment to missions, and its prayer culture. Let me break down what makes the Korean church unique.
[The prayer culture - the foundation of everything]
First and foremost, Korean Christians pray like their lives depend on it—because historically, they did! Remember, this is a church built by believers who survived Japanese persecution and Communist threats. They learned that prayer isn't optional—it's survival.
Korean churches hold early morning prayer meetings called "Saebyek Kido" that start between 4:30 and 5:30 AM every single day. Not once a week—every day! And these aren't small gatherings with a handful of dedicated intercessors. Hundreds, sometimes thousands of people attend these daily prayer meetings before work.
The prayer wasn't quiet or contemplative—it was intense! People would pray out loud simultaneously, crying out to God with passion and expectation. They called it "tongsung kido" (unified prayer), and it created an atmosphere of spiritual intensity I'd never experienced. Pastor Dave led us in this type of prayer every Sunday and it was amazing! I miss it.
Many Korean churches also hold all-night prayer meetings—"Cheolya Kido"—that run from evening until dawn, often weekly! People pray, worship, fast, and seek God's face for hours. Prayer mountains—retreat centers dedicated specifically to prayer and fasting—dot the Korean landscape, with thousands gathering there regularly.
One of the most remarkable of these prayer mountains is found at Osanri Prayer Mountain, also known as the Choi Ja-sil Memorial Fasting Prayer Mountain, located in Paju near Seoul. Established in 1973 by Yoido Full Gospel Church—this mountain retreat has become a spiritual landmark for millions of believers. Open 365 days a year, it welcomes visitors from all over the world who come to fast, pray, and seek renewal in quiet “prayer caves” or in massive worship gatherings that can host thousands. The atmosphere is deeply Pentecostal and prayer-driven, emphasizing the power of the Holy Spirit, healing, and personal revival. In many ways, Prayer Mountain reflects the heartbeat of South Korean Christianity itself—fervent, disciplined, community-centered, and passionate about encountering God through prayer.
[The cell group system - every believer a disciple-maker]
Second, Korean churches pioneered the cell group system that's now used worldwide. Rather than expecting people to just attend Sunday services, Korean churches organize members into small groups that meet weekly in homes for Bible study, prayer, fellowship, and evangelism.
David Yonggi Cho, founding pastor of Yoido Full Gospel Church, developed this system when his church grew too large for him to personally shepherd everyone. He trained lay leaders—many of them women—to lead small groups of 10-15 people. Each cell group became a mini-church where people could be known, cared for, discipled, and equipped for ministry.
This system allowed churches to grow exponentially while maintaining intimate community. Every believer was part of a small group where they were accountable, where they studied Scripture in depth, where they learned to pray and evangelize. This created mature disciples, not just passive attendees.
[The evangelism expectation - every Christian a witness]
Third, Korean Christians have an expectation that every believer should actively evangelize. This isn't just the pastor's job or something for specially gifted people—it's normal Christianity. Korean believers will pray for opportunities to share Christ, initiate spiritual conversations with strangers, invite people to church, and follow up persistently.
When we lived in Seoul, we noticed that Korean Christians weren't shy about their faith. They wore Christian symbols openly. They talked about Jesus naturally. They invited people to church without embarrassment. There was no assumption that faith should be private or that evangelism was pushy.
This evangelistic culture stems partly from the church's history. Many Korean Christians are first or second-generation believers who remember what life was like before Christ. They've experienced such radical transformation that they can't help but share it. They know what they've been saved from, so they're passionate about others experiencing that same salvation.
[The missions movement - Korea as a sending nation]
Fourth, and most remarkably, South Korea has become the second-largest missionary-sending nation in the world! With a population of only 51 million—much smaller than the United States or China—Korea sends out over 27,000 missionaries serving in more than 170 countries. Only the United States sends more missionaries, and the U.S. has a population six times larger!
Korean missionaries serve everywhere—in the hardest places, the most dangerous regions, among the most unreached people groups. They go to Central Asia, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, and even back to their own cultural neighbors in North Korea (working through China). Many Korean missionaries are willing to go where Western missionaries can't because of visa restrictions or security concerns.
What drives this missions passion? Several factors. First, Koreans remember when missionaries came to them—Robert Jermain Thomas dying on a burning ship, throwing Bibles to shore. They feel a debt to pass on what they received. Second, Korean Christians have a strong eschatological urgency—they believe Jesus is returning soon and the Gospel must reach every nation first. Third, Korean churches teach missions from the beginning, making it normative for Christians to either go, send, or support those who go.
[The persecution memory - never forgetting the cost]
Fifth, Korean Christians never forgot what their faith cost previous generations. Stories of martyrs like Pastor Joo Ki-Chul and Esther Ahn Kim are taught in churches. The history of Japanese persecution and Communist oppression is kept alive. This creates a deep appreciation for religious freedom and a determination not to take it for granted.
It also creates empathy for persecuted Christians elsewhere. Korean churches are among the most generous supporters of ministries like Voice of the Martyrs. They pray fervently for North Korean believers and persecuted Christians in other nations because they remember when their own church was underground.
[The challenges - not everything is perfect]
Now, I need to be honest that Korean Christianity faces challenges too. The rapid growth has sometimes led to problems. There's been excessive focus on numbers and size, with some mega-church pastors building personal empires rather than serving humbly. Scandals involving church leaders have damaged the church's reputation. Some churches have become materialistic, adopting a prosperity gospel that contradicts the sacrificial faith of earlier generations.
Additionally, the younger generation in Korea is less religious than their parents. Church attendance among Korean youth has declined. The same secularizing trends affecting Western Christianity are beginning to impact Korea. Some young Koreans see Christianity as old-fashioned or associated with right-wing politics.
But despite these challenges, Korean Christianity remains remarkably vibrant compared to declining churches in Europe or nominally Christian cultures in the West. And the missions movement continues strong, with young Koreans still responding to God's call to reach unreached peoples.
[What we can learn - five lessons for Western Christians]
So what can we in the West learn from Korean Christianity? Let me give you five practical lessons. First, prioritize prayer above programs. Korean churches built their growth on prayer, not slick marketing or entertainment. They believe prayer changes things—and they pray accordingly. What would happen if Western churches held early morning prayer meetings six days a week? What if we held all-night prayer vigils regularly?
Second, expect every believer to evangelize. Korean churches don't have professional evangelism teams while everyone else just attends services. They equip every member to share Christ naturally in daily life. We need to recover this New Testament expectation that all Christians are witnesses, not just pastors or "evangelistic" people.
Third, organize for discipleship, not just attendance. The cell group system ensures that every believer is in a small group where they're known, accountable, and growing. Many Western churches have hundreds or thousands of attendees but no real discipleship happening. We need structures that produce mature disciples, not just crowds.
Fourth, cultivate missions passion from the beginning. Korean churches teach about missions to children, teenagers, and new believers. They send short-term mission teams regularly. They support multiple missionaries personally. They make missions central, not peripheral. What if every Christian child grew up expecting that God might call them to unreached peoples?
And fifth, remember what it cost to bring you the Gospel. Korean Christians remember Robert Thomas, remember the martyrs under Japanese occupation, remember the suffering of believers in the North. That memory creates gratitude and responsibility. We need to study church history, learn about persecuted Christians today, and let that knowledge fuel our own faithfulness.
[The future - next generation challenges and opportunities]
What does the future hold for Korean Christianity? The church faces real challenges with declining youth participation and increasing secularization. In episode 9 I spoke about the recent and increasing persecution and even arrest of South Korean pastors under the new liberal, Communist-sympathetic government. But there are also exciting opportunities. Korean missionaries are positioned to reach some of the world's hardest places. The Korean diaspora—Koreans living around the world—creates natural bridges for the Gospel. And the longing for reunification with North Korea could spark the greatest missionary opportunity of the 21st century.
Imagine when North Korea finally opens! South Korean churches are preparing for that day—training missionaries, printing Bibles, developing discipleship materials, planning how to rebuild churches in the North. When the bamboo curtain falls, Korean Christians will be ready to flood the North with the Gospel that was suppressed for 70 years.
[Personal reflection - what Korea taught us]
Living in Korea transformed our family's faith. Before Seoul, we thought we were committed Christians. But experiencing Korean prayer culture, witnessing their passion for missions, seeing their expectation that every believer would actively share Christ—it challenged our comfortable American Christianity.
When we returned to the United States, we couldn't go back to business as usual. We started praying more intentionally. We became more involved in missions. We raised our children with stories of Korean martyrs alongside stories of Western missionaries. And now, our youngest daughter going to Korea for YWAM training feels like God's full-circle moment—He fueled our hearts for prayer and missions in Korea, and now He's calling the next generation back.
[The testimony continues - Robert Thomas's seed still growing]
And here's what moves me most: The seed that Robert Jermain Thomas planted when he threw Bibles from that burning ship in 1866—that seed is still growing! Every Korean missionary serving in Central Asia or the Middle East is fruit from that seed. Every early morning prayer meeting in Seoul is fruit from that seed. Every North Korean believer memorizing Scripture in hiding is fruit from that seed.
Thomas died without seeing a single Korean convert. But today, there are 15 million Korean Christians. He threw Bibles to people on shore. Today, Korean Christians are taking Bibles to unreached peoples around the world. He prayed for Korea as he died. Today, millions of Koreans pray for the world. That's the power of one faithful seed planted in obedience to God.
[Closing challenge - becoming a seed]
So here's my closing challenge: Are you willing to be a seed? Are you willing to plant faithfully even if you never see the harvest? Are you willing to pray like Korean Christians pray—early, often, passionately? Are you willing to make missions central to your life rather than peripheral? Are you willing to evangelize naturally, expecting God to use you?
The Korean church shows us what's possible when believers take Jesus seriously, when they pray expectantly, when they obey radically, when they remember the cost, and when they live for something bigger than their own comfort. They went from 0% Christian in 1900 to 30% today. They went from receiving missionaries to sending missionaries. They went from persecution under Japan to explosive growth under freedom.
What God did in Korea, He can do anywhere—including in your life, your church, your nation. The question is: Will we learn from their example? Will we pray like they pray? Will we go like they go? Will we sacrifice like they sacrifice?
Let me pray:
Thank you for joining me for this three-part series on the Korean church. I hope these episodes have inspired you as much as researching and recording them has inspired me. Korea holds a special place in our family's heart, and I pray God uses these stories to ignite passion for missions and prayer in your heart too.
Until next time, remember—keep your eyes on the nations and pray like Korean Christians pray!
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