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6. Birth, rapid growth, stabilization and integration of Sunbogeum pentecostalism (1953-1972) 6.1. INTRODUCTION In this chapter we describe the birth, growth and indigenization of Korean pente- costalism in Korea (Sunbogeum pentecostalism) in two decades (1953-1972). The three most important factors that formed Sunbogeumism in this period were the support of the American Assemblies of God (missions and theological aspect), the activity of Yonggi Cho (leadership aspect), and the receptivity of Korean religiosity (socio-cultural aspect). From the time that the armistice between the United Nations and North Korea was signed in July 1953, the South Koreans began to enjoy freedom for the first time in many decades since the Japanese interference (1876). The modernization of Korea began to be realized in the true sense of the word by Koreans themselves. Christianity also began to be fully active for the first time in two centuries since its introduction. Classical pentecostalism in Korea also began to flower at this time, finding the right supporter, the right personality, and the right soil. Since 1961, through military revolution and regime, Korean society has experienced a wide spectrum of changes resulting from rapid industralization and economic revolution. Such a situation provided Korean pentecostalism with an opportunity to flourish in it.1 Even though pentecostal theology was introduced through missionaries, it was fully developed by Korean pentecostals in Korean soil. We call this Sunbogeum pentecostalism. While American pentecostals planted pentecostalism in Korea through theology, organization, and finances, the Koreans received them and tried to re-produce an ‘original pentecostalism’ according to Biblical principles. The topics that we describe in this chapter are as follows: the history of the forming and solidifying of the Korean Assemblies of God; the roles of Americans and Yonggi Cho2; and diffusion of pentecostalism in Korea and the securing of its position among Korean churches. To describe them, we divide this chapter into four parts, following the chronological order: the birth of Sunbogeum pentecostalism (6.2); Ja-Sil Choe and Yonggi Cho as leaders of the Sunbogeum movement (6.3); the rapid growth and stabilization of the Sunbogeum movement (6.4); and the integration of the Sunbogeum movement (6.5). The main reference sources for this chapter are the articles of the Pentecostal Evangel (PE) of the American Assemblies of God; the Minutes of the Korean Assemblies of God General Assembly; I Was the Halleluja Lady (1981) by Ja-Sil Choe; letters, interviews; and the three books referred to in the previous chapter. 1 See 4.3.2.3. 2 We describe his mother in law, Ja-Sil Choe, as well because she also played an important role in forming Korean pentecostalism. 94 6.2. BIRTH OF SUNBOGEUM PENTECOSTALISM (1953-1958) Classical pentecostalism was sown in Korea by women missionaries as well as by early Korean leaders. It was established as a denomination by the support of the American Assemblies of God (1953). But, it became a national movement through the pioneering of a tent church by Yonggi Cho (1958), who played the main role in forming Sunbogeum movement. While the designation Sunbogeum (Pure Gospel) was adopted for the designation of the theological school at the inaugural general meeting, its spirituality had begun to be formed by Ja-Sil Choe and Yonggi Cho when they were studying at the seminary (1956-1958). In this section we first deal with the roles of the American Assemblies of God in the formation of Korean pentecostalism because it made a great contribution to its early development. Then the establishment of the Korean Assemblies of God in this early stage will be discussed how it met with trials that were caused by both outer and inner factors. Finally I discuss how Sunbogeum pentecostalism was born through Korean way of prayer, American pentecostal campaigns in Korea and the founding of Yonggi Cho’s tent church. 6.2.1. The Role of the American Assemblies of God Korean Protestantism is seriously influenced by American missionaries. The same must be said about the Korean Assemblies of God: it was dependent upon the American Assemblies of God in setting up the organization and catching fire in the early pentecostal revival. Because the Korean pentecostal leaders had grown up under Japanese colonialism, it seems that they were not trained to exercise the authority to form a denomination and lead it.3 At the same time the socio-political situation was unfavourable for Koreans to establish it. Therefore, having keenly felt the necessity of an organization, Koreans alone could only have a convention but were not able to set up a denomination as we have already observed in the previous chapter. At this point, the American Assemblies of God committed Arthur B. Chestnut to set up a denomination in Korea. When these two elements (the desire and the authority) met, the Korean Assemblies of God was born. The roles of Americans in forming it are apparent in two ways. The first was the various missionaries that were believed to have been called by God to Korea and the other was its authoritative support. We first introduce the early missionaries. Mary Rumsey is known as a person who was called by God, as we have already observed in chapter 5. The story of the first missionary, Arthur B. Chestnut, is as follows. He once prayed to God when he was in the Bible school in Seattle that “he would go where no one else wanted to go and he wanted to have ability to love the unlovely and to go on until the least person of the last house in the smallest hamlet ...”4 Later, he worked in Hawaii and Japan each for several years and finally he was called to Korea (see 5.5.4.3). The second 3 Japan Assemblies of God, 30 Years History of Japan Assemblies of God, Tokyo, 1979, pp.44-45. In the Japanese case, when they formed the denomination in 1949, the chairman (general superintendent) and the two members of the board of directors were all Japanese. American missionaries were only selected for the members of the representative committee. 4 Arthur B. Chestnut, Put … Shoes on His Foot, Tulsa, OK, 1989, p.34. 95 missionary of the American Assemblies of God, John Stetz, reported in a different way. He was a soldier in World War II. His last three years in the army were spent on the Marianas Islands about 2000 km southeast of Korea. Stetz received permission to preach to 3,000 Koreans (men, women and children) who had been brought there by the Japanese as plantation farmers. About 40 Korean Christians attended. He began to love these Koreans much and they loved him. After the war, all were to leave the island. Stetz wrote how God called him at that time: Several asked me to go to Korea to be a missionary. I answered through the interpreter that if it were the will of God, I would gladly go to Korea. Then the last person to bid me farewell was an old grandmother, perhaps about 70 or 75. She took my hand that I stretched out to shake hands and kissed it with tears trickling down her cheeks, she begged me to go to Korea as a missionary. I was about to call the interpreter to explain to her as he did to the others, when the Holy Spirit came over me ... like holy anointing oil from head to foot. So without waiting for the interpreter to come, I said in broken Korean, “I go Choseon (Korea).” She understood and there appeared a big smile on her face.5 Missionary evangelist Louis P. Richards wrote that he and his wife were called by God to go to South Korea in November 1953. They soon entered Korea and worked for four years as faith missionaries6 before they were appointed as denominational missionaries by the American Assemblies of God.7 John Hurston said that he was called by God to Korea as he accompanied Ralph Byrd in carrying out evangelistic campaigns in 1958. During that time, he became greatly burdened for the evangeli- zation of Korean large cities.8 Except for these pioneering missionaries, there was no specific calling by God to Korean pentecostal missions. The systematic support of the American Assemblies of God began when it sent its missionaries to Korea. Stetz formulated its purpose and scope as follows: “The Assemblies of God officially began to establish a mission work in Korea in 1952 to help the Korean people financially, socially, and spiritually.”9 The primary contribution of these Americans to the development of Korean pentecostalism can be summarized as follows. First, it confirmed pentecostal faith through authoritative organization and theology. This was accomplished by helping in setting up the Korean denomination and the theological school. Second, it established and maintained friendly relations between American pentecostals and Korean pentecostals. Its missionaries introduced Korean situations to Americans and asked them for help with prayer and material aid. At the same time they reported the result in Korea to them. Third, it held evangelization campaigns and started new churches through the missionaries. Tent meetings and literature distribution were used as their good means. Fourth, it took advantage of the contemporary Korean 5 John Stetz, “History of the Korea Assemblies of God.” A brochure, 1974, p.3. 6 Faith missionary means that that a missionary goes to missions by faith differently from those missionaries who are sent by mission organizations. It is a similar word to private missionary. 7 Louis P. Richards, letter to AAOG (9. 6. 1974/ AAOG archives). 8 KAOG, 30 Years …, pp.132-133.

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