earticle

영어

The Korean church has had a firm attitude of Diakonia which allowed it to sincerely participate with affirmation in the agony of the Korean people from the early days of the church. This in turn established rapid growth and public confidence that is almost unparalleled in history up to now. It is very unfortunate, however, that the Korean church, which should be the salt and light of the world, has now become a target of accusation and criticism from society as she neglected the mission of serving and sharing with society and focused solely on church growth. As a result, a call for self-examination toward the Korean church is rapidly increasing, and other voices are also being raised in various ways from different parts of society. The symptoms of the crisis of the Korean church are being found elsewhere. Firstly, the reason we define the Korean church as in crisis is due to the seriousness of the rapid decrease of the number of church members. It is almost a certainty that the number of Korean churches will reach an all time low within a few decades without special and innovative plans to solve this problem. The second reason we define the Korean church as in crisis is the collapse of the Korean church’s Sunday school. It is shocking that about 50% of Sunday schools disappeared in the process of decrease. Without the next generation, the church is going to die out naturally before long. Thirdly, another evidence of the crisis of the Korean church is the damage on the public confidence that the Korean church heaped up for more than 100 years of church history with unspeakable endurance and endeavor. Loss of public confidence is the most dangerous and threatening factor among the three factors driving the Korean church into crisis. Unless the Korean church restores this fallen public confidence by putting in a great deal of effort, the fruits of missions of churches cannot be expected, no matter how diligently the church spreads the Gospel. If so, how can the Korean church restore the public confidence that has hit rock bottom? To answer this question plainly, it is necessary to carefully examine the wholistic mission of the early Korean church and missions which combined the Gospel and social sharing, and a guideline as to how the early Korean church served society and what kind of attitude the Korean church had toward society needs to be provided. Needless to say, the Korean church sustained an attitude of social orientation from the beginning, which automatically established firm public confidence, gaining the heart of the people. In this way, the only way to restore the fallen public confidence of the Korean church is by shifting the paradigm into serving the church and the society as a servant of Jesus Christ. In short, the church should not ignore the problem of the society in which the church is located, and have a desire to solve its problems to gain the heart of the community. Then, there is no doubt that the society that turned its back toward the church will warmly welcome church again, and the Korean church will stand firm.

한국어

한국교회는 선교의 초기부터 민족의 아픔 및 고통과 함께 하는 통전적 선교적 자세를 분명히 견지하였다. 그리하여 오늘날 한국교회는 세계 역사 가운데서도 그 유래를 찾아보기 힘들 정도의 급속한 성장을 거듭하여 오늘에 이르고 있다. 그러나 안타깝게도 1990년대에 들어 한국교회는 그동안의 사회적 관심을 포함한 통전적 선교자세를 버리고 오로지 교회성장에만 열을 올림으로서 세상의 빛과 소금의 역할을 감당해야 할 교회가 오히려 사회적 지탄의 대상이 되고 있다는 사실은 참으로 안타까운 일이 아닐 수 없다. 오늘날 다양한 측면에서 한국교회의 위기에 대한 목소리가 고조되고 있다. 이는 단적으로 한국교회가 사회적 공신력과 신뢰성을 상실한데 그 원인 있다고 본다. 그렇다면 추락할 대로 추락한 기독교의 사회적 신뢰도를 어떻게 극복할 것인가? 그 궁극적인 해답이 바로 섬기는 교회로의 페러다임의 전환 즉 교회가 종의 자세로서 사회를 섬기는 디아코니아적 교회로 전환될 때에만 가능한 것이다. 그러나 아무리 디아코니아가 한국교회를 새롭게 하고 무너진 사회적 공신력과 신뢰도를 형성하는 중요한 도구로 작용한다 하더라도 여기에 대한 분명한 실천원리와 철학, 그리고 분명한 방법론이 제시되지 않는다면 이는 그 효과를 극대화 할 수 없는 것이다. 따라서 이 논문은 교회가 이 위기의 시점에서 디아코니아를 어떻게 구체적으로 실천해야 하는지에 대한 분명한 인식과 더불어 성경이 제시하는 섬김의 원리, 실천 방법들을 제시함으로서 사회적 공신력을 회복은 물론 다시 한번 한국교회의 올바른 성장과 부흥을 향하여 나아갈 수 있게 하는데 그 목적이 있다.