한국교회 아시아 선교 100주년 기념 자료집 영문판 출간

한국교회 선교 100주년 기념 자료집 영문판 출간

선교행정연구소/선교 자료  2012-11-24 17:38:44

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지난 2012년 2월 필리핀 마닐라에서 개최된 한국교회 선교 100주년 기념 ‘마닐라포럼’ 자료집이 한글과 영문으로 각각 번역·출간됐다.

마닐라포럼은 한국교회 주요 선교 지도자들과 전세계 한국선교사들을 초청한 가운데 선교의 어제와 오늘, 내일을 조망했다.

이 자료집은 ‘산동반도에서 페르시아까지-아시아 선교역사와 미래’를 주제로 각 나라의 선교역사에 대해 선교 권위자들이 발표한 글들과 각국선교사들의 선교보고가 수록돼 있다.

이번 자료집 출간은 한국교회 선교 역사와 현황을 해외에 알리기 위해 기획됐으며, 이러한 자료가 영문으로 출판된 것은 한국교회 최초다.

한글판은 KWMA 412쪽 1만원, 영문판은 도서출판 복음 559쪽 2만원.

 

베트남 국가보고에 대한  영문 자료입니다.

  History and Perspectives on Vietnam Missions

 Thomas S. Won Lim (GP Missions)1)

Introduction

  One of the reasons why we need to research on how missions have been understood in history is that it helps to analyze the present and to prepare for the future.

  Missiologist David J. Bosch states "that the importance of historical research on missions is that the historical study on missions provides preliminary lessons. Whenever many churches and missionaries separate their activities from the flow of church history of the last 19th century, they call for very critical danger. When missionaries lose their sight on historical perspectives, it causes them to easily work their missionary work based on a few directly picked Bible verses. In that case, they are not aware that their interpretation of Scripture has been limited by unique situations. Therefore, they don’t see the weakness of their missionary work, and consider that only their work is right because they believe that their work is totally consistent with Scripture."2)

  Helmut Richard Niebuhr says "that in this regard, Christians in the 20th century, when faced with critical moments, are like the Israelites in Exodus, wandering in the wilderness, needing to remember covenants received from the Lord in the Bible, and who got not only comfort but also finding a way forward in the future as well."3)

  Exhibition of War Remnants Museum in Hochiminh City, Vietnam was previously called China War Crime and USA War Crime Museum, but was changed into the current one due to opposition from tourists of both countries. In this museum not only tanks, warcrafts, missiles, and other weapons used in the Vietnam War were exhibited but also malformed baby corpses due to defoliants that show the image of a horrible war. In the logo of the museum there is a dove in the center, representing the image of peace and overcoming war with background of three bombs representing France, America, and South-North Vietnam War. This museum was formerly an American CIA building, and its tourist guide states that the purpose of establishing this museum is “to arouse alertness so that there will be no more of this kind of terrible war in the future.”

  The year of 2011 is the year to celebrate the 100th year of receiving the gospel by the Protestant missionaries, and the 100th year of Protestant mission commemorating conference is held throughout Vietnam, Australia, and USA, etc., where Vietnam communities exist. The Christian & Missionary Alliance of Vietnam was registered legally 10 years ago to the government, and even though they are eager to evangelize her nation by having 100th year of protestant mission, churches belonging under the Evangelical Church of Vietnam are in a deep sleep in their missionary work.

  Korean missionaries in Vietnam say that there is no capable Vietnamese Christian leader to lead the Vietnam church in the present as well the future. There is only one theological seminary to receive permission from the government officially, which is the Evangelical Church of Vietnam Theological Seminary, but it has only graduated 100 students in four years. Due to a serious lack of pastors, there are many churches having Vietnamese pastors without the proper theological training.

  One of the biggest difficulties in establishing and developing the underground Vietnam church is the qualification of leaders. Most unregistered underground churches have many problems, such as lack of theological education, lack of ethics, untransparent handling of finance, and a mystic worship style. In addition to those problems, there are a lot of problems to be solved too, namely building a new theological seminary campus, producing theological faculty members and registered pastors, ordination of Church leaders, church planting in ethnic people, recovering the closed churches and its registration, getting permission of Christian publications including the Bible and hymns, and welfare of retired pastors and widowed pastors’ wives.

  In order to solve the problems mentioned above, many Korean missionaries use the traditional missionary method. They use primary means such as raising Christian leaders directly, training the local believers through seminars and lectures, and discipling lay leaders in the churches by their pastors, but the quality is not good enough to be independent.

  Korean churches sent the first cross-cultural missionary in the year of 1912 and they commemorate the 100th year of missionary work through Manila Forum with the theme of “Asian Mission History and Future of Korean Churches” in 2012. In this paper I like to present 100 years of protestant mission work in Vietnam, and desirable Vietnam mission strategies through understanding the current situation of Korean missionary work in Vietnam.

  First of all, I will survey the Protestant Mission history in Vietnam including Korean missionary work, then summarize the present Korean missionary work from the perspective of four stages of pioneer, parent, partner, and participant.  After that, I will suggest a paradigm shift of traditional missionary work in order to develop Korean missionary work step by step for the future in Vietnam.

 

1. Vietnam Protestant Mission History

  Christianity came into Vietnam by Roman Catholic missionaries around the 10th century. Even though the gospel was spread through some commercial traders, seamen, and foreign soldiers, it is difficult to consider it as the official stage of gospel proclamation in Vietnam. The history of Vietnam protestant church was developed in the midst of being a French Colony and persecution by the Communist regime. In spite of the Indo-China War in Vietnam during 1948-1954, Vietnamese church members were grown in numbers, and some destroyed church buildings were reconstructed.

 

  Before she became a communist country in 1975, the population of the Evangelical Church of Vietnam was 300,000. After unification, the communist government closed the theological seminary, around 50% of the church building, and then persecuted the church.

  It was estimated to have around 6 million Roman Catholics, and around 300,000 protestant believers.4) The Vietnamese government is relatively favorable towards the Roman Catholic church, but still suspicious towards the protestants. The population of Vietnam in the year of 2011 is about 85 million, and population of protestant believers is about 2 million, so the Christian rate for the whole population is 2.3%.

  The number of protestant denomination is more than 30 in the year of 2011.5) But in the year of 2007, officially registered denominations from the government are Christian & Missionary Alliance of Vietnam(Southern, North), Vietnam Evangelization for Christ, The Grace Baptist Church, Vietnam Southern Baptist, Vietnam Presbyterian Church, Vietnam Seventh-day Adventist Church(cult), Vietnam Mennonite Church, Pentecostal church, and Vietnam Christian Fellowship, which is a total of 8 denominations with around 1,800 churches. And also there are around 70 unregistered denominations with around 1,500 household churches.6)

  On March 1, 2005 the Vietnamese government declared “Ordinance on Religion and Belief,”which regulates matters needed to get permission from the government and states its office, deadlines, and required documents. Matters needed to secure government permission are divided into report, registration and permission, and the office that receives such document must reply to it with proper reasons within deadlines. After this declaration, the prime minister guided unregistered churches (household churches, house churches) through his “The Prime Minister’s Order Regarding Matters Related to the Protestant Church” and encouraged them to register.

  Those registered Southern General Assembly of Christian & Missionary Alliance(CMA) churches recently got permission to hold Praise and evangelistic meetings during Easter and Christmas for the last couple of years at a school field, and small denominations also hold enthusiastically small and large meetings for evangelization, but the North is very difficult to evangelize until now.

  1) Vietnam CMA Church (Hoi Thanh Tin Lanh Vietnam)

  Vietnam CMA is consisted of the Southern and Northern General Assembly. Unlike the Southern General Assembly having around 500 registered and household churches, the Northern Assembly has 15 registered churches, but there is one church in Nghe-An district that is occupied by the Red Cross during war and not yet returned, so there are only 14 churches. And also there are around 1,000 churches in minority ethnic households located in the northern mountains that joined Vietnam CMA church.

  In the year of 1984 French Mission Society sent the 1st pastor to Hai-Phong area, but he was a pastor for French people. During those days there were some activities by the Bible Society, but they did not produce much fruit. After the Great Revival in the Western church, when missionary movement reached its highest point and many mission societies were made, Rev. A. B. Simpson established CMA. CMA Mission Board had a great interest in the Indo-China Peninsula and tried to find a way to evangelize Vietnam.

  After learning the language in 1911, CMA missionaries started to share the gospel. But their work met many problems. When some of them were kicked out from the Vietnam, they were questioned by French people. In 1919 there was the 1st bible study group formed, and then they constructed the 1st church building that was made of hay. In 1921 Da-Nang Bible School was set up, and the 1st General Assembly met at Da-Nang. In 1926 the whole Vietnamese Bible was published. In 1927 the church had 4,326 members and 74 district churches. From that point the church became independent financially and administratively.

  In 1950 the Hymnal Books was published by Vietnam CMA. Before 1964 there was Northern Regional Assembly, Central Regional Assembly, and Southern Regional Assembly. Due to the Geneva Agreement in 1954, Vietnam was divided into the North and South, so likewise CMA was divided into two: Northern and Southern Regional Assembly. From 1960 Thuong-Hat(mainly ethnic minority people who live in Middle Western Mountain area) Assembly was added, and in 1960 Da-Nang Bible School was moved to Nha-Trang and was upgraded to Bible Theological Seminary.

  In 1961 there was the 50th Anniversary Commemoration Conference held and in 1962 Central Regional Assembly was divided into Northern Central Regional Assembly and Southern Central Regional Assembly. In 1966 there was the Great Gospel Evangelistic meeting at Thong-Nhat Stadium in Saigon. From that time on, various means of evangelism were used, using mass media, car evangelistic meeting, and social mercy ministry, etc.

  After the Vietnamese unification in 1975, all evangelistic activities of each church were done inside church meetings. In 1976 there was the 42nd General Assembly, which was held in Ho Chi Minh City, and in the 1990s there were many churches that were built or renovated. In 1992 the publication plan of the Vietnamese Bible was permitted by the government, and 33,000 Bibles and 20,000 Hymnal Books were imported from abroad. In 1994 the government permitted the printing of the Bible, so they printed 65,000 Bibles Old and New Testaments, 85,000 New Testaments, 25,000 hymnal books, 80,000 Gospel literatures.

  In 2000 General Assembly Preparation Committee prepared Church Charter(Church Law) for church’s further development, and in February 2001 there was 1st General Assembly (according to Vietnam church history it was 43rd General Assembly) was held at Saigon Church in Hochiminh City, and it was approved of its charter, and new officers were elected for 4 year terms. on March 16, 2001 by the regulation of the Vietnam Government Department of Religion CMA(Southern) received the status of religious cooperation, and can work by the charter approved by the 1st General Assembly. Furthermore, they also got the approval of 23 General Assembly officers and committee members from the government. on April 4, 2001 a celebration event of government recognition as religious cooperation was held at Tran-Hung-Dao, Hochiminh City.7)

  According to the 2004 Vietnam Southern CMA General Assembly Yearbook, it was recorded that there was 250,000 church members in their denomination. This figure was so different from the figure of 750,000 members in officially declared reports in those days. The reason for this difference was that the latter used the figure that included the unregistered churches which were duplicated, and 2004 General Assembly Yearbook used the figure to count only the number of believers of registered churches. on the other hand, the Northern General Assembly had 935 district churches with 112,678 members.8)

  2) Vietnam Baptist Church (Hoi Thanh Bap Tit Vietnam)

  Southern Baptist Overseas came to Vietnam in 1959 and continued their mission until today as a part of Vietnam Protestant missions. on October 1958 they decided to set up a mission center in Vietnam, and according to this decision Rev. H. P. Hayes and his wife came to Vietnam and started their mission work.

  3) Vietnam Evangelization for Christ (Hoi Truyen Giao Co Doc Vietnam)

  Vietnam Evangelization for Christ was established by international mission agency World Evangelization for Christ(WEC). WEC came to Vietnam in early 1957. The first missionary was Rev. G. H. Smith and his wife. Missionary Smith surveyed some areas: Vietnam North and Laos South, and some tribes in Western Vietnam high mountain area (Se-dang, Ca-tu ect.).

  4) French Protestant Church

  French Protestant church made great contribution for Vietnam protestant mission works during the time when Vietnam was under strong French influence. In 1884 French “Colony Evangelization Association” sent Rev. Gockler to Hai-Pong as a missionary, who established the First Indo-China Protestant church. But only European protestant believers who were mostly soldiers attended this church.

  In 1886 Army Chaplain Rev. T. Boisset sent a letter stating what the French Protestant church should be careful about when they come to Vietnam and the urgency of Protestant mission work.9)

  5) British Bible Society

  British Bible Society started their ministry very early by setting up a mission center in Hwa -Nam, China. During this period Vietnam in Indo-China was under the influence of the British Bible Society, and in 1895 they sent a missionary working in Hwa-Nam area to Saigon to distribute Chinese Bibles, but the result was very poor. But they recognized the importance of ministry to Vietnam, after deep discussion, they sent Mr. Bonet to Da-Nang.

  6) Mennonite Central Mission

  In 1954, due to the Geneva Agreement, the land of Vietnam was divided into two, and many became refuges. In order to help this situation, many mission agencies came with the main focus of mercy and medical ministries. one of the representative mission agencies was the Mennonite Central Mission. In 1954 they set up an organization called “Mennonite Central Mercy Ministry Committee.” The reason for this movement was to distribute goods, money, and provide service through medical missions for those who migrated from the North to South.

  7) Pentecostal Church

  The Pentecostal Church started to work later than CMA, Vietnam World Evangelization for Christ, and Southern Baptists in Vietnam. In the early 70s, when it was the end of the North and South War, Don Warren and his wife traveled to the Vung-Tau area in the South, and during their trip they saw many children who were born and deserted by Americans. They decided to open a day care center for these children. Warren contacted and communicated with many American churches, and these churches were involved in intercessory prayer for Vietnam. Mr. and Mrs. Warren built a church building, and Mr. and Mrs. Phat and Mr. Phuc, and some other families who were members of his church became pillars of Vung-Tau Pentecostal church. Furthermore, there were some Roman Catholic nuns, and they became pillars of the Roman Catholic Pentecostal Movement.

  In the Central area they sent Filipino pastors (Gioen, Luciano, Peter, Ceicel, Sony, Josep, etc.) to evangelize. Prof. Aaron Rothganber sent them to Da-Nang in Central Quang-Nam Province to do missionary work. From there they established a settlement location Thai-Thien Long-Thanh, which is in Dong-Nai Province.

  On June 23, 1973 they received recognition from the government through Department of Home Affairs signed by Vice-minister Le Cong Chat with permit no. 326/BVN/KS 14b, and Rev. Dr. John Hurston became the 1st moderator.

 

2. Vietnam Mission History of Korean Missionaries

  Korean churches played some roles in Vietnam Protestant Church history. The mission of the Korea Church on Vietnam, can be divided before reunification South and North Vietnam in April 1975, and since diplomatic relations in 1992 into diplomatic relations with Korea-Vietnam government.

  Korean churches started to get involved with Vietnam in 1964 when South Korea sent her troops to Vietnam. The military chaplains who were formed to stir up spirit of Army met Vietnam churches and minority people’s groups, and naturally initiated mercy ministry, social services, and missionary activities. And Korean civilians started to reside in Saigon, Da- Nang, and Vung-Tau and established Korean churches in the midst of favorable national ties with Vietnam at that time.

  But this first period of missionary work was closed naturally when the war was ended and missionaries had to leave the country.

  The Ministry of Defense of South Korea were announced 4,091 military men casualties, and one person missing in 1968, were dispatched in Vietnam just in three years. Since that time Missionary candidates appeared according to opinion of the Christian leaders of Korea that should be send missionaries to Vietnam, the land of Young people's blood sprinkled.

  Finally, January 27, 1970,  Tong Hap Presbyterian church missionary Rev. Sang-Jun Park who sent 1st Vietnam missionary arrived in Vietnam.Before 1970, Koreans pastors are already in Saigon for ministry. In 1966, Rev. Won-Gyun Kang who presbyterian minister came to evangelize for the engineers in Saigon as tent-maker, and in September 1967, Rev. Won-Gyun Phi Holiness minister for technicians in Da-nang in the ministry were individually, in June 1967, KNCC sent Methodist Rev. Eung-Gyun Lee in order to minister for Saigon Koreans Church, but there was a difference opinion about pastor recommendation of the Saigon Koreans Church among the Korean church, KNCC and Korea Embassy of Saigon.

  Before there was diplomatic tie between Vietnam and Korea made, in 1988 Vietnamese sportsmen came to the Seoul Olympics. Because of this there was mission challenge on Vietnam made by some denominations and mission agencies, and from 1990 they set up a mission base in Thailand, which is a neighboring country,  and sent missionaries through business.

  Here are the Korean Church denomination mission board and mission agencies at the beginning of Korean missionary work.10)

  1) Tong-Hap Presbyterian Mission Board

  On 1960 Rev. Doan Van Mieng was elected as moderator and Rev. Pham Xaun Tin as vice-moderator during Southern and Northern Vietnam CMA General Assembly at Vinh-Long. With their initiatives they sent invitation of sending foreign workers to foreign countries on the basis of the Lord’s saying of “Harvest is plentiful, but workers are few”during their Vietnam national conference. In response to this invitation, Tong Hap Presbyterian church sent Rev. Sang-Jun Park as a missionary on January 27, 1970. Rev. Park start missions work to Vietnam when Vietnam went through hard times due to the war by the support of Women’s Society. According to Rev. Park’s missionary progress report on July 1972, he had remarkable results through preaching at Vietnam churches, home visitations, literature evangelism, and refugee camp visitations.

  2) Hap-Dong Presbyterian Mission Board(GMS) and Vietnam Mission Society

  Since 1966, Vietnam had access Rev. Won-Gyun Kang made the Vietnam War as an opportunity for Vietnam mission. He first shared his vision and a need of Vietnam mission to nationwide churches, and gathered goods for mercy ministries, recruited missionaries, and raised funds for missionary work. From 1966 Rev. Kang visited Vietnam frequently and established Vietnam Mission Society, and made a plan to raise Vietnam Church leaders through studying Korea. He brought Mr. Nguyen Xuan Bao11) who was a student of Vietnam CMA and let him study at Chong-Shin University Theological Seminary on March, 1969 as foundation of Vietnam Mission. Rev. Kang he also initiated to establish a Korean Church in Saigon, Vietnam.

  Rev. Won Gyun Kang had a missionary work sent by Vietnam Mission Society until 1975. His eldest son elder Ahn-Sam Kang who was grown up during his youth in Saigon, Vietnam, He set up Asean Mission Society for Vietnam and Asian countries and became a director.

  Vietnam Mission Society sent Rev. Sang-Woo Kim who belonged Gi-Jang Presbyterian denomination as a missionary, and installed him as senior pastor at Saigon Korean Church12) which was established by Rev. Won-Gyun Kang for 5 years. He showed excellent ability to do well various ministries of not only pastoring Korean church, but also maintained a good relationship with Vietnam church, minority mission work, and public service for Koreans there.

  3) Assemblies of God Mission Board

  Korea Assemblies of God dispatched Rev. Nam-Su Kim as a missionary during Vietnam War. Rev. Kim had a ministry mainly in Da-Lat, Central mountain area. After the was over, he went to USA and is pastoring a church.

  4) Korean World Council of Churches (KWCC)

  KWCC sent Rev. Won-Gyun Shin, a Methodist pastor, as a missionary to Vietnam. This was not a mission work by denominational mission board but interdenominational partnering ministry for recovery of Vietnam and mercy ministry. At that time the world churches had a great concern to recover Vietnam after Ceasefire Agreement. For this purpose WCC set up “Ecumenical Indo-China Recovery and Reconciliation Fund” and delivered 9 tons of medicines and medical equipments to Vietnam on early February, 1973. These goods were distributed under the supervision of Rev. Shin and provided a great help to refugees.13)

  5) Korean Vietnam Development Fellowship (VDF)

  Since sent Vietnam missionaries after diplomatic relations with Korea-Vietnam government in 1992, It was started Korean missionaries’ meeting on 1993 regularly. Earlier Korean missionaries organized fellowship centered around senior pastor of Korean church, it did not last for long due to various reasons. Afterwards, Korean missionaries who were working at Southern Vietnam area met together and discussed many times as preparation committee in order to set up “Vietnam Missionary Fellowship”. Finally, on April 29, 1995 they started that fellowship with 10 missionary families that belonged to 7 different denominations.

  When they met 21th century, VDF changed their name from “Fellowship” to “Association”in order to establish mission strategy with new mind, and changed their focus from initial fellowship-centeredness to close ministerial, and strategic networking. But this new was difficult to use publically in the middle of religious persecution, they changed their name again in 2000 General Assembly into “Vietnam Development Fellowship, VDF) for official use.

  Southern Missionary Fellowship started with 10 members, then at the end of 1995 it was added 13 family members, 15 family members in 1996, 2 family members in 1997 and 1997, 9 family members in 1999, 2 family members in 2000, and 9 family members in 2001 as new members. It was grown continually, as of October, 2011, it had total of 179 members with 89 families in Southern Fellowship, the Northern Fellowship it had 101 members with 55 families.14)

  Furthermore, for the sake of unity and corporation among Indochina 5 nations’ evangelization, those missionaries from 5 nations met together to initiate to set up “Korean Indochina Missionary Association(KIMA)”, and from 2000 the annual mission conference and 12th General Assembly was held at Hochiminh City on November, 2011. Indochina 5 nations have similar culture and religion, so it is reasonable to share missionary works and strategy among them. In the light of this situation there has been always to look over each other’s ministries, to discuss to make effective mission strategy, and to corporate one another in same type of ministry. Due to this effort they produced some fruits in some ministries, especially in the area of theological education and general education, which out of their partnership there came out various research reports.15)

 

3. Vietnam Mission Work of Korean Missionaries

  Vietnam Korean missionaries’ ministry is based on “Vision Vietnam”(Vietnam Mission White Book, Vol.2), which was made in order to inform Korean churches about Vietnam Mission Work of Korean missionaries by members of Southern Vietnam Korean Mission Fellowship, and re-organized from the perspective of four stage of mission strategy, namely, Pioneer, Parent, Partner, and Participant.16)

  Mission works in Vietnam is divided basically into public ministry and not open to public ministry. Public ministry is that like NGO we can do ministry with clear social identity, not open to public ministry is ministry can be done mainly traditionally. Even though we divide the ministry from four different stage of mission work in this paper, but this division is not easy to make a clear boundary of each ministry stage because of the fact that each ministry has double or triple purposes and processes. However, I tried to apply into each stage what missionaries are doing.

  When there is no freedom of mission, and especially when it is being prohibited to contact to foreign missionaries by locals, it is most needed to make various strategies under the long term plan. In order to establish stability of mission, it is required to have ability to see the comprehensive perspective in the framework of communism, and to see current issues of each ministry sharply. In addition to that, it is also needed to have attitude of adventure to find a crack in communist society and to provide a creative approach continually.

  1) Pioneer Stage Ministry

A. Korean Church and Diaspora Ministry

  Wherever Koreans go, there is always Korean church. In Vietnam there are many Korean churches in major cities nationwide. In Ho Chi Minh city, southern Vietnam, there are more than 80,000 Koreans living, which increases the importance of Korean church ministry.

  When there are more planting of Korean churches needed, and when churches are being planted, Korean churches in mission fiend should be a good model to local churches. In order to avoid duplication of ministry and maintain orderly missionary work, Korean Church Association was formed.17)

  Furthermore, the concern for Korean Diaspora ministry was increased, and in order to do better mission work as Korean churches, there were more mission seminars and training programs begging to offer from 2011, which was done in the past by a few individual church. Korean Diaspora ministry is just a beginning to walk stage, and does not have clear ministry purpose and direction yet. Especially, there are many new churches under the 3 years of ministry, so many of them are making a lot of effort to have their own church growth at the moment. Because of this situation, the Diaspora ministry of long-time established Korean churches should be a good model to newly established churches, but they also started Diaspora ministry not for long times ago, they are also needed to learn the concept of Diaspora ministry, and they are not so much different from newly established churches.

B. NGO Ministry

  In 1975 there was 33 Creative Access nations, but it was increased to 86 countries in 1989. When the year of 2000 was passed by, it was predicted that more 4 billion people do not know the gospel and are dying without having any opportunity to listen the gospel. At the moment due to lack of food 18 million people are starving to death, and contaminated water and lack of water 25 to 30 million are dying too annually. In the light of this fact, those CSN countries belonging to communism, socialism, Islam, and Buddhism are needed to reach through NGO ministries.

  Vietnamese government passed law related NGO in 1996 in order to control international capacity reinforcement and management, which showed toleration I the past. Vietnam government had to open their country in order to have continual economic growth, liked the standpoints of NGO basically, and emphasized many benefits to them as well. There are around 400 NGOs operating in Vietnam currently, and among them around 271 are mentioned in NGO directory book.18)

 

 

  The rest that was not included in this directory was not known of their location, ministry, budget and personnel. In this regard, we need to remember that it is emphasized they cannot involve in any religious and political activities to limit their activities.

  Korean NGO workers also organized their own association in order to work more effectively.19)

  a) Vietnam Activities of NGOs registered in KOICA

(i) Jutting chin Plastic Surgery medical service activities –Korean Jutting chin(Upsweep) Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons Association.

(ii) Vietnam Ha-tai Development Work –The Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice Research Institute.

(iii) Vietnam Medical work -Global Care Corporation.

(iv) Vietnam Welfare Missions –Korean Welfare Action Organization under Methodist church.

(v) Korean Society for Mission and Service in Asia.

(vi) Hosanna International.

  b) Vietnam NGO Activities

(i) International Relationship Organization

  This organization is an organization to work freely and widely working in the area of politics, economics, and social development, etc. in cooperation with Vietnam Southeast Science Research Association, which is a Vietnam Awarding Body. She  chooses a special location and provides mercy ministries and regular medical service work, sets up kindergarten and schools, and constructs factory and farm intensively, which shows a great influence in Vietnam by the concentrated works of Korean NGO workers. In comparison of foreign NGOs, it is much easier to join and work with them, so it would be possible to have stable and continual ministries in the future.

  c) Possibility of NGOs’ Ministry Development

(i) Possibility of Team Ministry According to Each Department : Each person is possible to work according to one’s gift and each department in mission field, and can supplement to each other’s needy area, so it might not waste any finance and personnel.

(ii) Possibility of Interdenominational Support and Participation : Through many advertisements and public activities, many people can participate denominationally and interdenominationally.

(iii) Possibility of Long-term Stay of Registered People : They enter the country legally, so those registered people can stay long and provide stability and continuity of ministry.

(iv) Possibility of Partnership with Local Government : NGO ministries are easy to get favorable response from local government leaders who are in need of supply and development in backwater, and to have good relationship with them. So it might help to prepare future ministry, to reduce mistakes by sharing know-hows between workers, and can produce much result in comparison of supply and level of investment.

C. Handicapped People Ministry

  In Vietnam there are so many handicapped people. Due to lack of government support and understanding, many handicapped people by war are totally neglected and no one cares about them. Handicapped ministry can be proceeded partly with Red Cross or Women’s Coalition, or through NGOs they can set schools or participate in facility management. They can provide hearing aids to a school for the deaf, sticks to a school for the blind, walkers to physically handicapped people. Some future missionary candidates who majored social welfare came and researched various possibilities for local service. Handicapped people’s ministry is needed specialists who have ability of communication in sign language for the deaf, ability of medicine and personal care, and is working currently in financial support or supply needy goods to people.

D. Haircut and Beauty Salon Ministry

  One of professional missionary’s works is to provide haircut service to locals who live in a remote area. They do either once a month visit an area with medical team or other service team or doing alone, and sometimes they open a beauty salon or barber shop and hire locals as workers, share the gospel by living together and raise them as beauticians by training their skills. Those disciples who accept the gospel return to their hometowns or other towns open a beauty salon and do the same work which they received in the past: making disciples by the way they were trained.

E. Minority Ethnic Ministry

  Vietnam is consisted of 54 ethnic people groups with multi ethnicity and complex culture. In order to do ethnic ministry, we need to have field experience, information and data. Vietnam has very strict policy on minority ethnic people, so it is very hard to that information needed. From October 1995 exploration on the minority people groups in Central Southern area has been started. When they visited area, they used camera, memo, map and small tape-recorder, and made them as data, following the guidelines made by Korean AAP agency. Among people groups made research on May 1997, they first of all made files and pictures on 7 ethnic people group who are needed to be adopted (Khmer, Coho, Ede, Giarai, Gie, Hre, Xtieng, Cham), and encouraged to adopt these people.

  Those people group adopted and churches who adopted until now are as follow:

  (a) Khmer : Seodaemun church, Feb. 23, 1997/ After exploration, sent a missionary, that missionary is fully involved in ministry;

  (b) Gie : Gwang-Sung Church, March 21, 1999/ support scholarship regularly to pastors’ kids of Hre.

  (c) Giarai : Cheon-An University Mission department, May 9, 2000/ support scholarship to pastors’ kids.

F. Local Foreign Mission Agency and Missionary Training Center Ministry

  Korean missionary work in Asian countries has been more 50 years. Among them Korean missionary work in Vietnam will 20th year of ministry in 2012. In spite of many years of Korean missionaries’ work in mission field, there are very few mission agencies or missionary training centers, and national mission associations in Asian region. Recently, there have been missionary training centers being set up and local mission agencies in China, and started to send out their missionaries. In Philippines there has been English teacher missionary being commissioned for long time, and in Indonesia also missionaries have been sent out.

  It would be very effective strategy to recruit Asian missionaries for Asian evangelization in various ways, and reduce significant mission expenses due to short distance. Furthermore, through mission network among Asian region we can give and receive help each other in the area of sharing other nation’culture, information and providing missionary care.

For this purpose it was set up a United Missionary Training Center for Asian missionary development in Thailand as core of this movement.20)

  Thailand is located as center of Indochina Peninsular, very convenient to travel, and is the easiest entry into and departure from the country among 5 Indochina countries. In spite of many decades of ministry in Indochina nations, there is none existed to train local missionaries and to dispatch of them. It is not difficult to offer basic missionary training in some countries except Thailand, but it is very hard to provide international training (cross-cultural field experience). Therefore, it would maximize of expenses, time, and effectiveness of ministry as we use already established infrastructure Chonburi Center to provide international training and field ministry experience in the midst of no proper training institute or center around. When we use Chonburi Center as center of our missionary training center for raising missionaries of Asian nations in corporation with missionaries of each nation sharing trainees and lecturers, it will be so easy for local language training due to trainees from each country, and training English as medium language as well. It would be so inspiring to see international training center for raising missionaries of Asian countries.

  In Vietnam a mission council was formed to set up a local mission agency for evangelization of Asian region and Vietnam on March 2011, and organized Vietnam Global Mission Association.21)

  This Vietnam Global Mission Association opened a missionary training center, and started their mission training in earnest by offering a mission seminar.22)

  Vietnam Global Mission Association is providing 3 types of missionary training for minority ethnic ministry in one’s country, Vietnamese Diaspora ministry, and foreign mission of neighboring country. In order to be used for world mission by the Vietnam church and believers, and awakening local church, pastors, and believers to have partnership, we plan to have Vietnam World Mission Conference in 2012, and are working together with Korean churches and local churches vigorously to dispatch 10 missionaries by 2013.

 

  2) Parent Stage Ministry

A. Music and Praise Ministry

  Ministry through music and praise is a suitable ministry method for the Vietnamese who love to sing and listen. Vietnam church music is different with music environment of registered church from that of household church. The music of registered church is mostly jazz type, and use mainly piano or organ. Music of household church is mostly using guitar. The registered church music is very formal, but the music of household church is lively with rock style.

  It is important to train accompanists or choir members in Vietnam who are not so familiar with church music. Basically, it is needed to raise accompanists and conductors who can lead the church music, choir members (duet, children’s duet, choir) who can show the depth of praise, and to supply new church music in various means.

  One of unique features of Vietnamese church music is to modify their folk songs with lyrics of Psalms. This type of music is so popular in household church, and I believe that if we develop this, we can make beautiful church music, yet so Vietnamese. Nowadays, they are able to produce and distribute praise tapes and CDs, and print Gospel Song Books quite nice. Together with local praise singers they make praise tapes and CDs, and distribute them to people. And they translate praise songs, and make and distribute praise albums as well.

B. Literature Ministry

  Literature ministry is very important and very fitting in Vietnamese context. That the place where we cannot evangelize actively literature printing and distribution can be used effectively to develop spiritual life. There is in total need of Christian books, so it is very important to distribute theological books or devotional books based on the Bible. They also need of discipleship materials, beneficial Christian books, and much more advanced theological books for pastors. There is a team to make Bibles in order to distribute Bibles to minority ethnic people groups.

  Generally, literature ministry is done at the level of translation. There is no team of specialty of translation, and just translate spiritually enriching books with help of local people and distribute them. At first English books were mainly translated, but nowadays Korean materials and books are being translated.

C. Computer (Information Technology, hereafter IT) Ministry

  The number of people to use computers in Vietnam is ever increasing. They lack of technicians and skills significantly in the area of computer repair and programming. Therefore, many helps are being received from supporting Korean companies and personnel. At the same some missionaries are very advanced in IT.

  They provide computers to churches and pastors first of all, and give a great help for basic computer education and CD materials. They also provide computers so that people can use and make a contact point through internet cafe, computer assembly, sales, repair, teaching skills, renting VCDs, and distribution of programs.

D. School and Campus Ministry

  The importance of campus ministry from mission strategic perspective is that the youth have much freedom of time, much open-minded, and the most importantly they will become leaders in each of religion, politics, community, and culture in immediate future.

  Among college students there are many students coming from pastors’ or lay Christians’kids in rural area to colleges in cities. It is a strategy that for these students missionaries in cooperation with local churches offer rooms to stay and take care of them (in this case it is done with partnership of pastors), to Christians who move up to cities from ordinary families or students who were evangelized directly places to stay are given and make Christian community in order to train to become campus workers. This ministry has a good advantage of continuity due to having new students in every year.

  The most of campuses do not have a big campus and generally are studied in 2 or 3 campuses. For example, National Economics University in Hochiminh city it was divided into 6 campuses. And some students can study more than one college at the same time. Many students study at 2 colleges, even some study at 3 colleges. These colleges lack of specialty in their department, many colleges are densely concentrated Hanoi the capital and southern economic city Hochiminh city. Especially, in recent years increasing number of colleges offer Korean language department. Those colleges are Hochiminh University of Social Sciences and Humanities, which is a national college, Municipal Open University, Hochiminh University of Foreign Languages and Information Technology, Hong-Bang University International, and Lac-Hong University, etc.

  Late 1960s Rev. P. A. Contento visited Vietnam and led 3 days of meetings, formed a Student Mission Society Intervarsity Christian Student Fellowship, and joined IFES. Paul Monet visited Vietnam in order to establish YMCA, after YMCA Southeastern Asian Region Director Pharmaraj visited Vietnam, YMCA was legally registered at early 1957. In this way CCC was formed, but it looks like was almost disappeared after communist party took over Vietnam. Accordingly, missionaries trained students who can do campus evangelism and discipleship, so these students carried campus evangelism. Each Student Mission Society voluntarily involves campus evangelization with passion. In 1999 there was a Student Mission Society formed (9 colleges with 40 students) Southern Vietnam Vung-Tau city.

  And in order to continual support of discipleship and to raise leaders for Vietnam church, some competent students were sent to Korea to study either theological education or general studies.

E. Medical Ministry

  Medical system in Vietnam has been maintained medical system of socialism. In Vietnam there are medical doctors who went through 6 years of study at medical college, semi-medical doctors who study for 3 years at medical college, and 3 years of nursing school. After graduating medical college they are required to work at public health center for 5 years. After that, they have a qualification to an open private clinic. They do not have any specialty unlike Korea, but when they work at a department for long, they can work as specialty doctor. Vietnam is a socialist state, so government is administrating all medical clinics. But recently, private clinics are being built up. In comparison of economic level, basic medical system is well developed. As we see Ho Chi Minh city, there is a big specialty hospital set up according to their specialty to meet needs of many patients, like Heart Center, Ophthalmic Clinic, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Surgical Clinic. Each province has a public health center, and medical system was well organized.

  In Vietnam specialty medical mission has been very effective, and an appropriate type of ministry in politically and religiously restricted state. Some missionaries are working at Emergency General Hospital which is 1st level of medical clinic as doctor or nurse having ministry while they are dealing with patients or open a private clinic to work as a missionary. Some have a ministry of running mobile clinic.

 

  3) Partner Level Ministry

A. Church Planting Ministry

  According to Religion Activity Regulation article 6 published on 1991, “All citizens have a right of freedom to follow a particular religion or not to follow or to renounce or to change any religions. Anyone who interfere such right will be punished according to law”. And in article 7 it is regulated, “Each believer has a right to perform their religious activities which are not against law of state and her policy. They can save people at home, and can participate religious activities at church”.

  According to Government Religion Council Ordinance No. 2, regulation article 24, it is regulated that “When each religious organization sends personnel to attend foreign religious activities, or invites a representative of foreign religious group, or her leader or follower, they must ask permission and get approval from cabinet members council”.

  Church planting and proclaiming the kingdom of God is basic ministry of missionary, so there might be no more important ministry than planting a church. Until now, one of ways of church planting is to establish a church through missionary’s direct evangelism. But there is limitation to plant a local church by missionary to perform all duties of church such as finding a place of worship, doing evangelism activity, and getting approval of meeting from government.

B. Partnership with Local Church

  As a missionary, to work as a partner of local church is one of easiest yet most difficult works. In Vietnam the commonest way of partnership with local church is to help church renovation of already established church. Especially, Korean churches have contributed in this area, so it is true that local churches place a great deal of Korean churches as well. But at the same we should not neglect the fact that local churches might lose the mind set of independence by this. That tendency is shown that they still stretch out their hands for helps to Korean churches.

  Another way of partnership with local churches is to support financially to deficient pastors’salary indirectly. Practically, it is more often to support financially than to work together in ministry at the moment.

C. Sports Ministry

  Taekwondo is a useful to evangelize according to age level, since there are different group (adult, kids, elementary, middle, high, and college students, professionals, women) at Taekwondo gymnasium. Taekwondo ministry started for long times ago, and raised many masters. Some gymnasiums are now operated by locals, but still many gymnasiums are being run by Koreans.

  Through football and other sports ministry are being used to make contact points by sports facility and seminar and strive to share the gospel.

 

  4) Participant Level Ministry

A. Theological Seminary Ministry

  Theological seminaries run by Korean missionaries23) are Baptist seminary, Ye-Jang Korea Presbyterian seminary, Presbyterian United seminary, interdenominational seminary, and other some theological institutes though they are not theological seminaries.

  Seminaries run by Korean missionaries teach pastoral theology, leadership, evangelism, counseling, Church growth, church history, etc that are needed in field ministry, but some specialty subjects like Hebrew and Greek are not taught in the most of seminaries. Course materials are prepared by mostly translation, if that is not applicable, they ask students to write a report based on lecture after class, then those reports are used for making textbooks or study materials.

  There is also Theological Education by Extension (TEE) program in major cities in Vietnam. TEE program is helpful for church leaders for their evangelism and discipleship as they learn in cooperation of subjects which are main strengths of Korean church, such as prayer, Sunday school administration, choir and Church music, the role of pastor’s wife, pastor’s kid guidelines, invigoration of the youth and women’s associations, etc.

  In early 1996 T church lad leadership training focusing on senior evangelists and core leaders (5 executive committee members, like Korean church’s consistory). At first it was offered irregularly, without adequate curriculum, but currently is being offered regularly with budget, lecturers, and curriculum. After passing through this program, they are appointed as underground church’s pastors. They are recognized as pastors among underground church group, but government or registered churches do not recognize them. Their education period is short-term, due to limitation of faculty, subjects are only offered needed for pastoral theology as 2 to 5 days of seminar type, so those graduated are needed to take theological curriculum in addition to their studies.

  In Vietnam CMA the general assembly was organized and has theological seminary recognized by the government. There are many unregistered theological seminaries under the direct management of small denominations, but there is none recognized by the government except Biblical Theological Seminary of CMA general assembly. After communism took over, theological seminaries were closed down, and no longer pastors were produced, but 159 assistant pastors, who were graduated or finished the program in the past and not yet ordained, received ordination by the decision made of general assembly when they were recognized by the government as denominational general assembly on the 1st Sunday of May, 2001.24)

  Most of pastors of unregistered churches don’t have formal theological education, and become pastor after having some months of training. Many missionaries coming from cultic churches have entered into Vietnam, such as The Seventh Adventists, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witness, Salvation Group from Korea. There are not so many local pastors who can defend their sound theology and doctrine against these cultic churches.

  Da-Nang Bible School was opened in order to produce Vietnamese pastors in 1921, and it was upgraded into Nha-Trang Bible Institute in 1960. After communists took over the country, this school was closed down. Southern Vietnam CMA registered by government as legal entity on April, 2001 reopened Bible Institute in 2003, and currently around 150 students are studying there. 50 students were graduated as 1st graduates in 2007. If we follows this trend of every two years around 100 students graduating, there will be around 500 students will be graduated in 10 years of time.

  Growth statistics of a denomination will be proportional to the number of theological students. Registered churches under CMA were beyond 500 churches in 2010, and when unregistered churches are being registered, the number of churches will be more than double in size. In this situation, the number of pastors being produced is totally lacked.

  In Vietnam there is no theological seminary officially to offer Masters and doctrinal programs. Therefore, in this situation of there is a no pastor who has master’s degree, it is really needed to open a master’s program at Vietnam CMA’s (Southern) registered seminary, but it has been very hard to open it due to lack of faculty members who have qualification of having master’s and doctoral degree.25)

  Vietnam International Seminary which is an unregistered interdenominational theological seminary opened to offer master’s program in 2006 and granted 1st master’s degree on July 2008. one of qualifications to grant its degree is to pass through the examination of thesis in connection with doctoral program in order to develop a faculty with specialty. Vietnam International Seminary offers a doctoral joint degree with Washington College & International Seminary and 7 students was conferred Doctor of Ministry degree on October, 2011.26)

  Those doctoral degree holders are handling the whole curriculum in Master’s degree level, those master’s degree holders are teaching at bachelor level. The Bible colleges taught by these local faculties are in southern Hochiminh city, Northern Hanoi, and central Da-Nang, and one bachelor level of program in Northern Hai-Phong region will be opened in 2012. The difficulties faced to run degree program are making a schedule, place, curriculum fitting to faculty, and lack of faculty, etc.

  Another problem of theological education and pastors’ development is that there are not only a few local books for pastors available but foreign theological books translated into local language as well. Therefore, this is a reality that not many textbooks in theological education are available. And also translators of Christian books are really needed. In order to solve this problem, while we are offering theological education, we are making theological textbooks one by one by translating foreign professors’lecture notes. And also we give the right of publication of books written by Korean professors to local Christian bookstores in order to publish the translate books more.

With Expectation Paradigm Shift and Concluding Words

  As we consider local churches and denomination and 20th year of Korean mission work in Vietnam, I would like to say that except certain unique ministries of Korean missionaries most of our ministries should be in participant level. Ministries that local Christians can do should be given to them from our hands, and we must focus on pioneering stage of ministries that local people cannot do by their own ability. And those pioneering ministries should be developed further into partnership and participant level as soon as possible, and while we are working, we have to have in mind of transferring leadership to local Christians.

  Furthermore, those Vietnam Church leaders including pastors of registered church do not have any passion for church revival or church reformation mind set.

  In the light of situation, it is very critical to awake the mentality of pastors to dream of Vietnam church revival. We started to do intercessory prayer for this goal together with church leaders who take theological studies. In the past we started to pray once per week, and now it becomes our daily prayer. on the ground of this intercessory prayer we will expand this prayer movement for the sake of Vietnam Church Revival and participation for world mission.

  I would like to ask some questions in order to see paradigm shift of Vietnam Korean missionaries.

(1) Do I must do what I am currently doing as a Korean missionary?

  If there is denomination and general assembly existed, we need to let local Christians do church planting. When we plant a church, we need to do it where the local Christians cannot do or raise leaders who can serve at planted church or strengthen existed church by helping education ministry.

(2) Is it evangelical my current ministry if this ministry only can do by Koreans?

  The dilemma that many NGO workers face is under this category. Especially, it is very important to connect my current ministry with gospel directly when we do our ministry in the context of where we cannot do mission work freely.

(3) If this is much needed ministry, then which stage am I, and what is my end goal of it?

  Korean missionaries have strong conviction rooted deeply in our mind that we must be buried in the mission field. And this mind set is rooted unconsciously in our current ministry, and prevent us from transferring ministry to local believers and let them do evangelize their own nation by themselves. It is different between strong mission commitment to lay down our lives in mission field and the ministries to lay down our lives that should be transferred to local believers.

  If church planting is missionary’s ministry task, it should be moved to next level from starting to share the gospel directly to raising leaders for further church planting. If that is theological education to train church workers, then it should be moved to raising local faculty members inorder to establish the seminary or Bible college. If there is local denomination or theological seminary existed, we start from doing a missionary training to produce local missionaries to participate a part of world mission in order to mobilize churches and believers for doing home and foreign mission, and then next step would be developing mission leaders and setting up mission agencies.

  As we celebrate 100th year of Korean mission, we must do mature missionary work to make it grow to do world mission and evangelization of their own nation by local believers themselves.

  Furthermore, I will end this paper with following note: we need to be reminded that as the importance of Korean Diaspora is emerging, we need to make much effort to research on local believer’s mission strategy and to deliver them to Korean Diaspora churches.  (End)