ABSTRACT Effective Evangelistic Strategies for North Korean Defectors (Talbukmin) in South Korea South Korean churches eagerness for spreading the gospel to North Koreans is a passion. However, because of the barriers between the two Koreas, spreading the Good News is nearly impossible. In the middle of the 1990’s, numerous North Koreans defected to China to avoid starvation. Many South Korean missionaries met North Koreans directly and offered the gospel along with necessities for survival in China. Since the early of 2000’s, many Talbukmin have entered South Korea so South Korean churches have directly met North Koreans and spread the gospel. However, the fruits of evangelism are few. South Korean churches find that Talbukmin are very different from South Koreans in large part due to the sixty-year division. South Korean churches do not know or fully understand the characteristics of the Talbukmin. The evangelism strategies and ministry programs of South Korean churches, which are designed for South Koreans, do not adapt well to serve the Talbukmin. This research lists and describes the following five theories to be used in the development of the effective evangelistic strategies for use with the Talbukmin and for use to interpret the interviews and questionnaires: the conversion theory, the contextualization theory, the homogenous principle, the worldview transformation theory, and the Nevius Mission Plan. In the following research exploration of the evangelization of Talbukmin in South Korea occurs through two major research agendas. The first agenda is concerned with the study of the characteristics of Talbukmin to be used for the evangelists’ understanding of the depth of differences. For this agenda, the researcher studies the ordinary lives of North Koreans in North Korea (chapter three), and the worldview of Jucheism (chapter four). Talbukmin are also different from North Koreans who stay in North Korea because defectors have experienced the societies of China and South Korea. The research investigates the defection process, hidden lives in China, and the adapting process to South Korean society for a fuller understanding of the Talbukmin (chapter five). The second agenda deals with effective strategies for evangelism and conversion of Talbukmin. This research investigates eight churches and one meeting that eagerly try to spread the gospel to Talbukmin. Reflecting on the evangelism and ministries of the eight churches and one meeting, the following seven characteristics commonly come into sight: support as a bridge of the gospel, small groups, formation of Talbukmin departments, formation of volunteers, nurturing and discipling Talbukmin faith, emphasis on homogeneity, and establishing independent Talbukmin communities (chapter six). This research also includes 52 interviews and 174 questionnaires (chapter seven). The researcher concludes that understanding the Talbukmin is the first step for evangelism. South Korean churches can only evangelize the Talbukmin as much as the evangelizers understand the Talbukmin. The researcher suggests an effective evangelistic model for Talbukmin using the following four steps: 1) invitation, 2) making relationships, 3) preaching the gospel, and 4) acceptance of the gospel. The following six main interactions exist concerning the third process of preaching the gospel: examples of evangelism, experiencing miracles and wonders, studying the Word of God, changing the worldview through dialectic, retreats and evangelistic camps, and developing a positive image of the Church. Concerning the whole process, waiting in prayer until the seed of the gospel springs forth is the essential ingredient for success of evangelism. DISSERTATION APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation, entitled Effective Evangelistic Strategies for North Korean Defectors (Talbukmin) in South Korea Written by Chaneung Jung And submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Has been read and approved by the undersigned members of The Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Dr. John Hong, Mentor Dr. Terry C. Muck, Reader May 2012 Effective Evangelistic Strategies for North Korean Defectors (Talbukmin) in South Korea A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies Dissertation Committee: Dr. John Hong, Mentor Dr. Terry C. Muck, Reader By Chaneung Jung May 2012 Copyright 2012 Chaneung Jung All rights reserved Table of Contents List of Tables ………...………………………………………………………………………………………………………. viii List of Figures………...…………………………………………………………………………………………………………x Acknowledgements ...…………………………………………………………………………………………………………xi CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUD TO THE STUDY………………1 Statement of the Problem ………………………………..……………………………………………………. 2 Research Questions ………………………………………………………………………………………………5 Delimitations ………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 6 Definition of Key Terms ………………………………………………………………………………………7 Talbukmin (North Korean Defectors) ……………………………………………………7 North Korean (Talbukmin) Independent Congregation …………………………8 North Korean (Talbukmin) Churches ………………………………………………………8 Jucheism …………………………………………………………………………………………………9 Evangelism ………………………………………………………………………………………………9 Research Methodology ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Library Research ……………………………………………………………………………………10 Questionnaires ……………………………….…………………………………………………….. 11 Interviewing …………………………………………………………………………………………12 Direct Observation ………………………………………………………………………………. 12 Data Analysis …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Significance of the Research …………………………………………………………………………….. 14 CHAPTER TWO THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ………………………………………………………16 Conversion Theory ……………………………………………………………………………………………16 The Biblical Understanding of Conversion …………………………………………16 Demands of Conversion ………………………………………………………………………17 The Role of the Holy Spirit in Conversion ……………………………………………18 Conversion Process ………………………………………………………………………………20 Richard Peace’s Understanding of Conversion ………………………20 Lewis Rambo’s Stage Model of Conversion ……………………………23 Conversion and Proselytism ……………………………………………………28 Contextualization Theory ……………………………………………………………………………………29 Homogenous Principle ………………………………………………………………………………………32 Worldview Transformation Theory ……………………………………………………………………34 Nevius Mission Plan ……………………………………………………………………………………………36 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………40 CHAPTER THREE THE DIVISION AND DIFFERENCES OF THE TWO KOREAS.42 Brief History of Division in Korea ……………………………………………………………………43 Politics …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………46 Economics…………………………………………………………………………………………………………49 Planned Economy for Self-sufficiency in Economics …………………………49 Nationalization and the Low Will to Produce ………………………………………51 iii The Public Distribution System ……………………………………………………………52 Marketplace ……………………………………………………………………………………………54 Society …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………55 The Powerful Caste System …………………………………………………………………56 The Strong Surveillance System ……………………………………………………………58 The Strong Punishment System ……………………………………………………………63 The Changes after the Great Famine ……………………………………………………64 Education ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………66 The Curriculum of the Education …………………………………………………………67 Teaching Style ………………………………………………………………………………………68 Education after Food Shortages ……………………………………………………………69 Culture …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………70 Religions ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………72 The Religious Perspective and Policy of North Korea …………………………72 Understanding Religion in North Korea ………………………………………………73 The Rise of Shamanism …………………………………………………………………………74 Christianity in North Korea ………………………………………………………………………………75 The History of Christianity in North Korea …………………………………………75 Christianity in North Korea …………………………………………………………………76 Christianity in Kim Ilsung’s Family Line ……………………………………………79 Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………81 CHAPTER FOUR UNDERSTANDING JUCHEISM AND THE JUCHE RELIGION IN NORTH KOREA AND APOLOGETICS OF CHRISTIANITY TOWARD THEM ………83 The Origin and Development of Jucheism in North Korea ………………………………83 The Main Contents of Jucheism …………………………………………………………………………84 The Philosophical Principle of Jucheism ………………………………………………84 The Socio-historical Principles of the Jucheism ……………………………………85 The Guiding Principle of the Jucheism …………………………………………………87 The Religion of Jucheism in North Korea …………………………………………………………88 Suryong as a god ……………………………………………………………………………………89 Modification of Other Religions on Jucheism ………………………………………90 Promoting the Religion of Jucheism ……………………………………………………91 Apologetics of Christianity against the Jucheism and the Juche Religion ………… 93 Critique to Jucheism ………………………………………………………………………………93 Critique to the Religion of Jucheism ……………………………………………………94 The Worldview between Jucheism and Christianity ……………………………96 Human Nature in Jucheism ……………………………………………………………………97 Sin and Death of Human Beings ……………………………………………………………99 Salvation of Human Beings …………………………………………………………………102 The Understanding of Human Beings as a Historical Being ………………107 Spiritual Warfare against the Juche Religion ………………………………………109 Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………112 CHAPTER FIVE TALBUKMIN, NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS …………………………113 General Information about the Talbukmin ………………………………………………………113 iv The Motivation of Detection from North Korea ………………………………………………115 The Causes of the Great Famine …………………………………………………………115