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| Paul Yonggi Cho | |
|---|---|
| Name | Paul Yonggi Cho |
| Native name | 조용기 |
| Birth date | 14 February 1936 |
| Birth place | Ulju County, Korea under Japanese rule |
| Death date | 14 September 2021 |
| Death place | Seoul, South Korea |
| Occupation | Pastor, theologian, author |
| Known for | Founder of Yoido Full Gospel Church, cell church movement |
| Spouse | Choi Ja-shil |
Paul Yonggi Cho was a South Korean Protestant pastor and Pentecostal leader who founded the Yoido Full Gospel Church on Yeouido in Seoul. He became internationally known for pioneering a congregation that grew into one of the largest megachurches in the world and for promoting the cell group model and charismatic practices within Pentecostalism. His ministry influenced evangelical networks across Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the United States, while also generating debate among scholars and church leaders.
Born in Ulju County during Japanese rule of Korea, Cho experienced the upheavals of the Korean Peninsula in the mid-20th century, including the Korean War. He was raised in a rural family and converted to Christianity as a young man, influenced by revivals and missionary activity from denominations such as the Assemblies of God and Wesleyan movements. Cho pursued theological training at institutions including Cambridge-affiliated studies and later engaged with seminaries connected to Hankuk University of Foreign Studies and international evangelical networks such as the World Council of Churches and global Pentecostal seminaries.
Cho began ministry work in the 1950s and 1960s, initially serving small congregations in Seoul and participating in revival meetings alongside leaders from the Pentecostal movement and Charismatic Renewal. He worked with Korean ministers influenced by figures like Aimee Semple McPherson, D.T. Niles, and Korean revivalists including Lee Jae-ro. Early pastoral roles connected him to organizations such as the Korean Council of Churches and mission agencies operating in postwar Korea, facilitating contact with international donors, missionaries from North America, Australia, and Europe, and networks like the World Evangelical Alliance.
In 1958 Cho and his wife began a small congregation on Yeouido, which developed into Yoido Full Gospel Church. Utilizing strategies linked to the modern megachurch models of leaders like Billy Graham, David Yonggi Cho's congregation adopted mass evangelism, media outreach, and infrastructure expansion similar to congregations at Saddleback Church, Lakewood Church, and Hillsong Church. Yoido's growth was propelled by the implementation of a cell group system, large-scale evangelism campaigns, and use of broadcasting outlets comparable to TBN and Korean Broadcasting System. Yoido attracted visitors and partnerships from international pastors such as Jack Hayford, Charles Stanley, and Ravi Zacharias, while hosting conferences attended by representatives of denominations including the Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church, and Lutheran Church in Korea and abroad.
Cho's theology combined classical Pentecostal emphases—baptism in the Holy Spirit, healing, and speaking in tongues—with an organizational emphasis on small groups. His "cell church" model drew on precedents in cell structures used by movements in Argentina, Brazil, Nigeria, and China, and paralleled pastoral innovations from leaders like Reinhard Bonnke and Evan Roberts. Cho also articulated teachings commonly associated with prosperity theology, aligning in part with proponents such as Kenneth Hagin and Creflo Dollar, emphasizing faith, positive confession, and material blessing. Critics compared aspects of his teaching to debates involving theologians like Gordon Fee, Jürgen Moltmann, and Karl Barth, while supporters cited results in social programs and mission expansion similar to initiatives by Mother Teresa and World Vision.
Cho's ministry faced scrutiny over financial transparency, governance, and doctrinal disputes. High-profile controversies included allegations of misappropriation and legal investigations similar to matters seen in other megachurch contexts such as cases involving Jimmy Swaggart and Jim Bakker. Cho and Yoido were involved in lawsuits and public disputes that engaged the Seoul Metropolitan Court and Korean prosecutors; outcomes included fines, public apologies, and administrative reforms within the church. The controversies sparked debate among Korean religious leaders, academics at institutions like Seoul National University and Yonsei University, and international observers from organizations such as Transparency International and the World Council of Churches.
Cho authored numerous books and pamphlets on prayer, cell ministry, healing, and leadership, contributing to literature alongside authors like Rick Warren, Joyce Meyer, and John Maxwell. His works were disseminated through publishing houses in Seoul, translated into multiple languages for distribution through networks including TBN and Korean Christian publishers. Yoido's media ministry encompassed television programs, radio broadcasts, and print periodicals comparable to ministries run by Pat Robertson and Oral Roberts, and the church hosted international conferences that drew ministers from Japan, Philippines, India, and United States.
Cho was married to Choi Ja-shil, a fellow Korean Christian leader, and they had children who participated in ministry and business ventures linked to Yoido. His legacy is contested: supporters credit him with evangelistic impact, church planting, and social services reminiscent of large-scale ministries like Compassion International and Samaritan's Purse, while critics point to organizational challenges and theological critiques voiced by scholars from Harvard Divinity School and Princeton Theological Seminary. Yoido's model influenced cell church movements across Asia, Africa, and Latin America, shaping contemporary discussions about megachurch governance, charismatic theology, and the global spread of Pentecostalism.
Category:South Korean pastors Category:Pentecostalism Category:Megachurch founders