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Who is Pastor David Yonggi Cho, founder of South Korea’s biggest church
Popular pastor, David Yonggi Cho is dead. Reports had it that the founder of South Korea’s biggest church, Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God) died on Tuesday morning at the age of 85 after battling complications from a stroke.
Popular pastor, David Yonggi Cho is dead. Reports had it that the founder of South Korea’s biggest church, Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God) died on Tuesday morning at the age of 85 after battling complications from a stroke.
Meanwhile, David Yonggi Cho was born on 14 February 1936, in Ulju-gun, now part of Ulsan metropolitan city; he was the first son of Cho Doo-Chun and Kim Bok-sun and was the eldest of five brothers and four sisters.
More so, he graduated from middle school with honours. Because his father’s sock and glove business went bankrupt, he could not afford high school or university tuition.
Subsequently, he enrolled in an inexpensive technical high school to learn a trade. At the same time, he began frequenting an American army base near his school and learned English from soldiers whom he befriended.
He mastered English quickly, and became an interpreter for the commander of the army base, and also for the principal of his school.
Pastoral Life and Ministry
Pastor David Yonggi Cho has spent more than 44 years emphasizing the importance of cell group ministry, which he believed is the key to church growth, as well as team ministry.
Apparently, in November 1976, Yonggi Cho founded Church Growth International, an organization dedicated to teaching the principles of evangelism and church growth to pastors all over the world.
In January 1986, he led the way in establishing the Elim Welfare Town, a facility for the elderly, the young, the homeless, and the unemployed.
The latter would be given training and a choice of four occupations. In 1988, he founded a newspaper company, Kukmin Ilbo.
He was Chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship from 1992 to 2000 and did not pursue another term, and has served as Chairman of the Korean Christian Leaders Association since November 1998.
He has also served as Chairman of the Good People charity organization since February 1999. In 2008, Cho retired, with Young Hoon Lee succeeding him as senior pastor.