교단 선교 50주년을 바라보는 시점에서 뒤를 돌아보지 않고 앞만 바라보고 달려온 교단 선교현실입니다. 그 결과 5대양 6대주 전 세계를 가슴에 품고 320여명의 선교사를 파송했습니다. 은퇴한 후에 사임한 선교사가 9명, 그리고 사임한 선교사가 42명, 소천한 선교사가 2명이고 현재 267명의 선교사가 전 세계 46개국에서 활동하고 있습니다. 한국 교회 전체로 보면 선교참여율이 30%를 넘지 않는데 비해서 우리 교단은 1600여 개 교회 가운데 806개의 교회가 참여하므로 한국교회 평균 참여율에 훨씬 앞서는 동참을 하고 있습니다.
그러나 단순한 현황 평가만 아니라 미래에 대한 정책과 전략을 수립하기 위해서 이번에 고신 세계선교 포럼을 가지기로 한 것입니다. 내년에 열릴 교단 선교 50주년기념 선교대회에 앞서 국내외의 선교 지도자와 목회자, 선교학자와 경력 선교사들이 한 자리에 모여서 지난 50년을 평가하고 이에 근거하여 새로운 총체적이고도 종합적인 선교방향과 전략을 수립하여 내년 기념대회를 통해서 21세기 교단선교의 정책과 전략을 채택하는 일을 돕도록 하는 데에 이번 포럼의 목적이 있었습니다.
이번 포럼에서는 12가지 주제를 논의했습니다. 다룬 주제는 고신선교 50주년의 회고와 전망(발제: 이상규 교수), 개혁주의 선교신학 확립(김형규 선교사), 고신선교훈련의 새 방향(남후수 선교사), 여성 선교사 사역 활성화(이혜련 선교사), 전문인 선교자원의 개발과 동원(김한중 선교사), 세계선교 동향과 고신 선교의 역할(김종국 선교사), 선교사 자녀 교육(백인숙 선교사), 멤버 케어(류영기 선교사), 현지 선교부의 역할 강화 (이신철 교수), 선교재정의 효과적 운용(정근두 목사) 해외 한인교회의 선교역할(김만우 목사), 선교와 목회 리더십(배굉호 목사)입니다.
방콕 포럼을 위해서 국내에서 총 38명이, 해외에서는 선교사 12명, 목회자 9명, 현지 태국선교사가 6명이 합류했습니다. 그 외에도 국내에서는 총회장, 교단총무, 선교부 집행위원들 등 6명이 동참했습니다. 회의는 도착 다음날 화요일부터 목요일 밤까지 쉴 틈 없이 진행되었고 다행히 금요일에는 방콕시내 공식 관광일정도 있었습니다. 어제 토요일 아침 7시 30분 인천도착 편으로 귀국했습니다. 교단선교를 위한 여러분의 변함없는 사랑과 관심, 기도와 물질적인 후원을 감사하게 생각합니다. 이번 포럼의 논의가 내년 대회에 채택이 되어서 교단 선교의 길잡이가 되길 기도해 주십시오.
As we approach the 50th anniversary of our denomination's missions, the reality of our missionary work is that we have run forward steadfastly without ever looking back. As a result, embracing the five oceans and six continents of the world in our hearts, we have sent out more than 320 missionaries. Nine missionaries retired and subsequently stepped down, 42 resigned, two were called home to the Lord, and currently, 267 missionaries are actively serving across 46 countries worldwide. While overall mission participation among Korean churches barely exceeds 30%, 806 out of about 1,600 churches in our denomination are actively participating, demonstrating an involvement far ahead of the national average.
Yet, this Koshin World Mission Forum was convened not merely to assess our current state, but to formulate sound policies and strategies for the future. In anticipation of the 50th Anniversary Mission Conference to be held next year, mission leaders, pastors, missiologists, and seasoned veteran missionaries from home and abroad gathered in one place. The purpose of this forum was to evaluate the past 50 years and, on that foundation, establish a fresh, holistic, and comprehensive missionary direction and strategy, ultimately helping adopt 21st-century denominational mission policies and strategies at next year's commemorative conference.
Twelve key topics were discussed during this forum: A Retrospective and Future Outlook on 50 Years of Koshin Missions (Presented by Prof. Sang-Kyu Lee), Establishing a Reformed Theology of Mission (Missionary Hyung-Kyu Kim), New Directions for Koshin Missionary Training (Missionary Hoo-Soo Nam), Revitalizing the Ministry of Female Missionaries (Missionary Hye-Ryeon Lee), Developing and Mobilizing Tentmaking/Professional Mission Resources (Missionary Han-Joong Kim), Global Mission Trends and the Role of Koshin Missions (Missionary Jong-Kook Kim), Missionary Kids (MK) Education (Missionary In-Sook Baek), Member Care (Missionary Young-Ki Ryu), Strengthening the Role of Field Mission Boards (Prof. Shin-Chul Lee), Effective Management of Mission Finances (Rev. Keun-Doo Jung), The Missionary Role of Overseas Korean Churches (Rev. Man-Woo Kim), and Mission and Pastoral Leadership (Rev. Koeng-Ho Bae).
For the Bangkok Forum, a total of 38 participants traveled from Korea, joined by 12 overseas missionaries, 9 pastors, and 6 local missionaries based in Thailand. In addition, 6 denominational leaders from Korea attended, including the General Assembly Moderator, General Secretary, and members of the Mission Executive Committee. The sessions proceeded relentlessly from Tuesday—the day after arrival—straight through Thursday night. Thankfully, an official sightseeing tour of Bangkok was arranged for Friday. I safely returned home yesterday, arriving at Incheon Airport on Saturday morning at 7:30 a.m. I am deeply grateful for your steadfast love, interest, prayers, and financial support for our denomination’s missionary endeavors. Please pray that the fruitful discussions from this forum may be formally adopted at next year’s conference and serve as a faithful compass guiding our denomination's missions.
Terwyl ons denominasie die 50ste herdenking van sy sending nader, is die werklikheid van ons sendingwerk dat ons sonder om agtertoe te kyk, net vorentoe gebeur het. Gevolglik het ons, met die vyf oseane en ses kontinente van die ganse wêreld in ons harte, meer as 320 sendelinge uitgestuur. Nege sendelinge het ná hul aftrede bedank, 42 het bedank, twee is deur die Here tuisgehaal, en tans arbei 267 sendelinge aktief in 46 lande regoor die wêreld. Waar die algemene deelname aan sending onder Koreaanse kerke nie 30% oorskry nie, neem 806 uit die sowat 1 600 gemeentes in ons denominasie aktief deel—'n betrokkenheid wat die nasionale gemiddelde ver oortref.
Die Koshin Wêreldsendingforum is egter nie slegs gereël vir 'n eenvoudige ontleding van die huidige stand van sake nie, maar om beleid en strategieë vir die toekoms te formuleer. Vooruitlopend op volgende jaar se Sendingkonferensie ter viering van 50 jaar van denominasionele sending, het sendingleiers, leraars, sendingkundiges en ervare sendelinge uit die binneland en die buiteland saamgekom. Die doel van hierdie forum was om die afgelope 50 jaar te evalueer en op grond daarvan 'n nuwe, holistiese en omvattende sendingrigting en -strategie te bepaal, ten einde te help dat 21ste-eeuse beleid en strategieë tydens aanstaande jaar se herdenkingskonferensie aanvaar kan word.
Tydens die forum is twaalf hooftemas bespreek: Terugblik en Toekomsperspektief op 50 Jaar van Koshin-sending (Aanbieder: Prof. Sang-Kyu Lee), Die Vestiging van 'n Gereformeerde Sendingteologie (Sendeling Hyung-Kyu Kim), Nuwe Rigtings vir Koshin-sendingopleiding (Sendeling Hoo-Soo Nam), Die Versterking van Vroulike Sendelinge se Bediening (Sendeling Hye-Ryeon Lee), Die Ontwikkeling en Mobilisering van Professionele Sendinghulpbronne (Sendeling Han-Joong Kim), Wêreldsendingtendense en die Rol van Koshin-sending (Sendeling Jong-Kook Kim), Sendelingkinders (MK) se Onderwys (Sendeling In-Sook Baek), Ledesorg (Sendeling Young-Ki Ryu), Versterking van die Rol van Plaaslike Sendingrade (Prof. Shin-Chul Lee), Doeltreffende Bestuur van Sendingfinansies (Ds. Keun-Doo Jung), Die Sendingrol van Oorsese Koreaanse Gemeentes (Ds. Man-Woo Kim), en Sending- en Pastorale Leierskap (Ds. Koeng-Ho Bae).
Vir die Bangkok-forum het 38 deelnemers vanuit Korea gereis, waarby 12 oorsese sendelinge, 9 leraars en 6 plaaslike sendelinge in Thailand aangesluit het. Daarbenewens het 6 nasionale leiers uit Korea deelgeneem, insluitend die Moderator van die Algemene Sinode, die Algemene Sekretaris en lede van die Sendingbestuurskomitee. Die vergaderings het vanaf die dag ná aankoms, Dinsdag, tot Donderdagaand onverpoos voortgegaan. Gelukkig was daar Vrydag ook 'n amptelike besigtigingstoer deur Bangkok. Gister, Saterdagoggend om 07:30, het ek veilig by Incheon-lughawe teruggekeer. Ek is innig dankbaar vir u onwrikbare liefde, belangstelling, voorbidding en finansiële ondersteuning vir ons denominasie se sending. Bid asseblief dat die besprekings van hierdie forum by aanstaande jaar se konferensie aanvaar sal word en as 'n getroue rigsnoer vir ons sendingwerk sal dien.