According to a 2025 analysis by the Policy Research Institute of the Presbyterian Church of Korea (PCK), the proportion of churchgoers in their 20s and 30s fell from 40% in 2012 to around 20% in 2023. A 2024 survey also found that 44% of Christians in their 20s were “Canaan Christians”—those who no longer attend church.
Meanwhile, Shincheonji has reported large numbers of graduates from its Zion Christian Mission Centre. In 2019, a survey of 1000 graduates found that 67% were in their 20s and 30s. The church also reported that 99.2% of graduates surveyed that year felt their understanding of the Bible had improved.
Shincheonji attributes its appeal to its systematic teaching of biblical parables and prophecies, particularly the Book of Revelation. In another internal survey of people scheduled to graduate in 2025, 97.9% reportedly expressed satisfaction with changes in their lives after completing the programme.
These figures come from Shincheonji’s own surveys and should not be taken as representative of all its members or as independent proof of its overall growth. Nevertheless, they raise an important question: What are young people seeking from religious education that they feel is missing elsewhere?
Regardless of theological differences, established churches may benefit from reflecting on whether they are adequately addressing young people’s questions about the Bible, faith and the meaning of life.
The challenge facing the Korean church is not simply how to replace retiring pastors or maintain membership numbers. It is also how to understand why younger generations are leaving—and why some are seeking answers through Shincheonji’s Bible education programs.
Perhaps the deeper issue is not only an ageing congregation, but also whether established churches are meeting the spiritual needs of the next generation.
No comments:
Post a Comment