1장 번역_예수 교회 회복을 위한 24시간 기도정보 영어 번역 초본

제1장. 흔들리는 위기의 교회

Chapter 1: The Church in Crisis and Turmoil

 

교회, 이대로 괜찮은가? Is the Church okay as it is?

16세기 유럽 종교개혁의 '교회개혁'은 앞을 향해 나아가는 동시에 '근원으로(Ad Fontes) 돌아가자'는 신앙운동이었다. '오직 믿음', '오직 은혜', '오직 성경'은 507년 전 마틴 루터가 타락한 중세 교권주의에 맞서 주창한 개혁의 원칙들이다. 이 원칙들은 교회의 핵심 가치로 이어져 오고 있다. 하지만 안타깝게도 오늘날 한국과 세계의 교회는 종교개혁의 정신을 잇지 못한 채 침체를 겪고 있다는 자조 섞인 지적이 나온다.

The "Reformation" of the 16th-century European church was a movement of faith that sought not only to move forward but also to return to the source (Ad Fontes). "By faith alone," "by grace alone," and "by Scripture alone" were the reformative principles proclaimed by Martin Luther 507 years ago in opposition to the corruption of medieval ecclesiastical authority. These principles have continued as the core values of the Church. However, it is lamentably pointed out that today’s churches in Korea and around the world are experiencing stagnation, having failed to carry on the true spirit of the Reformation.

이미 한국교회를 향한 경고음은 곳곳에서 나오고 있다. 그 중에서도 교인 수 감소 현상이 두드러진다. 최근 한국교회총연합과 목회데이터연구소가 발표한 '한국 기독교 장래 인구 추계' 결과에 따르면, 우리나라 기독교 인구는 2050년 11.9%까지 하락할 것으로 조사됐다. 인구수로 보면 828만 명에서 560만 명까지 줄어들 것이란 전망이다.

교회의 미래를 이끌어갈 다음세대의 상황은 더 심각하다. 교단 중 대한예수교장로회 통합만 보더라도 지난 10년간(2013~2022) 교회학교 학생수가 34만명에서 21만명으로 38%나 감소한 것으로 조사됐다. 이 수치는 같은 기간 일반 초중고 학령인구 감소 비율(19%)의 2배에 달한다.

Warning signs for the Korean church have already been sounding in many places, and among them, the sharp decline in church membership stands out the most. According to a recent report titled “Future Projections of Korea’s Christian Population” released by the United Christian Churches of Korea and the Pastoral Data Research Institute, the percentage of Christians in South Korea is expected to drop to just 11.9% by the year 2050 — a decrease from 8.28 million to 5.6 million people.

The outlook is even more serious for the next generation, who are supposed to lead the future of the Church. For example, within the Presbyterian Church of Korea (Tonghap), one of the major denominations, the number of students in church Sunday schools fell by 38% over the past decade — from 340,000 in 2013 to 210,000 in 2022. This decline is double the 19% decrease in the general school-age population (elementary through high school) during the same period.

 

오랜 기독교 전통을 자랑해왔던 미국교회도 최근 수십 년간 급격한 변화를 겪고 있다. 교단들의 분열, 신자 수 감소, 젊은층의 신앙 이탈 등 다양한 문제가 대두되면서 미국 기독교가 위기에 처했다는 우려의 목소리가 커지고 있다. 1990년대 90%에 달했던 기독교인 비율은 2020년에는 65%에도 미치지 못할 정도로 크게 줄어들었다. 더욱 우려스러운 것은 미국의 다음세대인 청소년들 사이에 신앙에 대한 의구심이 확산되고 있다는 점이다. 조사 결과에 따르면 기독교인 절반가량이 자신의 신앙에 대해 의심해본 경험이 있다고 한다. 이에 따라 2045년에는 비기독교인 인구가 기독교인 인구를 넘어설 것이라는 암울한 전망도 나오고 있다.

Even the American church, once proud of its deep-rooted Christian heritage, has undergone dramatic changes over the past few decades. With denominational splits, declining church attendance, and a growing exodus of young people from the faith, concerns are rising that Christianity in the U.S. is in serious crisis. The percentage of Americans identifying as Christians, which was close to 90% in the 1990s, dropped sharply to below 65% by 2020.

What’s even more troubling is the growing skepticism about faith among the next generation — American teenagers. According to surveys, nearly half of Christians in the U.S. say they’ve had doubts about their faith. Based on these trends, some predict a sobering future where, by the year 2045, non-Christians may outnumber Christians in the United States.

예수교회 영영 왕성하리라! Let the Church of Jesus thrive for eternity! 

독일 내 등록된 기독교인은 1953년도에 총인구의 92%, 2018년도에는 64.2%였다. 1년 뒤인 2019년에는 가톨릭 신자 2260만 명, 개신교 신자는 2070만 명으로 독일 총인구의 52%로 하락했다. 참고로 독일에서는 오래전부터 주일성수를 신앙의 척도로 여기지 않았기 때문에 등록교인이라 하더라도 평소 교회 출석은 하지 않는 경우가 대부분이다.

In Germany, registered Christians made up 92% of the total population in 1953, but by 2018, that number had dropped to 64.2%. Just a year later, in 2019, the number of Catholics stood at 22.6 million and Protestants at 20.7 million — together accounting for only 52% of the population. It’s worth noting that in Germany, regular Sunday worship attendance has long ceased to be seen as a core measure of faith, so even registered church members often don’t attend church services.

그런데 최근 등록교인 탈퇴 현상이 급속도로 증가하고 있는데 2015년에서 2019년 사이 총 210만 명이 탈퇴하였으며 그 중 절반 이상이개신교 교인이었다. 그 이유는 적지 않은 종교세를 더 이상 내고 싶지 않다는 것과 교회에 대한 회의감과 거부감이다.

Recently, however, the rate of formal church withdrawal has surged. Between 2015 and 2019, a total of 2.1 million people officially left the church — more than half of them Protestants. The most common reasons cited were the desire to stop paying the substantial church tax, as well as growing disillusionment and discomfort with the church.

더욱 심각한 현상은 2020년 한 해에 탈퇴한 교인만 250만 명에 이른 것으로,독일교회협의회는 ‘탈퇴 속도가 기록적이다’라고 발표했다. 최근 뉴스에서 가톨릭과 개신교 지도자들의 인터뷰를 진행했는데, 교인탈퇴에 대한 유감과 자기방어적인 대답만 할 뿐 특별한 대책이나 방안은 없어 더욱 안타까움을 자아내고 있다. 

Even more alarming is that in 2020 alone, approximately 2.5 million people left the church. The Council of Churches in Germany described the rate of withdrawal as “record-breaking.” In a recent news interview, both Catholic and Protestant leaders expressed regret and offered defensive explanations about the trend, but failed to present any meaningful solutions — only deepening the sense of sorrow and concern.

교인 없는 교회가 늘어나고 예배당은 콘서트 연주를 목적으로 대여해야 교회를 유지할 수 있고, 심지어 교회건물을 매각해야 하는 상황은 이미오래 전부터 있는 일이다. 교회시설 일부를 카페로 전환하거나 주거용으로 세를 주기도 하고 노숙자 숙박시설로 전환하여 국가나 시로부터 지원금을 받아 유지하는 경우도 허다하다.

Churches without congregations are becoming increasingly common. Many can only stay open by renting out their sanctuaries for concerts, and in some cases, even selling the building altogether has become unavoidable. Portions of church facilities are often converted into cafés, rented out as residential units, or repurposed as shelters for the homeless — maintained through government or city subsidies.

이렇게 전 세계 교회가 흔들리고 있다. 성도가 교회에 나가지 않으며 성직자가 성직을 포기하고,많은 예배당이 문을 닫는 현실 앞에 우리는 ‘예배는 무엇인가? 교회는 무엇인가?’를 다시 물어야한다.

In this way, churches around the world are being shaken. As believers stop attending and clergy step away from ministry, countless sanctuaries are closing their doors.

Faced with this reality, we must once again ask: What is worship? And what does it mean to be the Church?

기도제목

1. 전 세계 교회 안에 이미 오래전부터 경고와 증상이 있었음에도 경각심을 갖지 못한 채 나태함과 안일함에 머물렀던 우리 모습을 직면하자. 교회인 우리는 더 이상 주저할 수 없다. 이제는 깨어 일어나야 할 때다. 하나님의 마지막 경고일 수도 있는 지금, 오직 경외함으로 정직하게 서자.하나님께서 진단하시는 말씀으로 우리 교회의 실상을 돌아보며 마음으로 인정되기까지 기도하자.

그들이 평안하다, 안전하다 할 그 때에 임신한 여자에게 해산의 고통이 이름과 같이 멸망이 갑자기 그들에게 이르리니 결코 피하지 못하리라 그러므로 우리는 다른 이들과 같이자지 말고 오직 깨어 정신을 차릴지라(데살로니가전서 5:3,6)

Prayer Points

1. Let us honestly face ourselves — the Church — for having remained spiritually lazy and complacent, even though warning signs have long been present throughout the global Church. As members of the Body of Christ, we can no longer hesitate. Now is the time to wake up and rise. This may very well be God’s final warning. Let us stand in holy fear and honesty.
   Let us pray until our hearts truly acknowledge the reality of our churches as diagnosed by the Word of God.

“While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:3, 6)

 

말씀 기도

A. 먼저 본문을 읽고 묵상하겠습니다. 

(예레미야 14:7-9) 7 여호와여 우리의 죄악이 우리에게 대하여 증언할지라도 주는 주의 이름을위하여 일하소서 우리의 타락함이 많으니이다 우리가 주께 범죄하였나이다 8 이스라엘의 소망이시요 고난 당한 때의 구원자시여 어찌하여 이 땅에서 거류하는 자 같이, 하룻밤을 유숙하는나그네 같이 하시나이까 9 어찌하여 놀란 자 같으시며 구원하지 못하는 용사 같으시니이까 여호와여 주는 그래도 우리 가운데 계시고 우리는 주의 이름으로 일컬음을 받는 자이오니 우리를버리지 마옵소서

(예레미야 14:19-22) 19 주께서 유다를 온전히 버리시나이까 주의 심령이 시온을 싫어하시나이까 어찌하여 우리를 치시고 치료하지 아니하시나이까 우리가 평강을 바라도 좋은 것이 없고치료 받기를 기다리나 두려움만 보나이다 20 여호와여 우리의 악과 우리 조상의 죄악을 인정하나이다 우리가 주께 범죄하였나이다 21 주의 이름을 위하여 우리를 미워하지 마옵소서 주의 영광의 보좌를 욕되게 마옵소서 주께서 우리와 세우신 언약을 기억하시고 폐하지 마옵소서 22 이방인의 우상 가운데 능히 비를 내리게 할 자가 있나이까 하늘이 능히 소나기를 내릴 수 있으리이까 우리 하나님 여호와여 그리하는 자는 주가 아니시니이까 그러므로 우리가 주를 앙망하옵는 것은 주께서 이 모든 것을 만드셨음이니이다 하니라

*말씀을 묵상하며 깨닫게 된 생각을 나누겠습니다. 

Scripture & Prayer

A. Let us begin by reading and meditating on today’s passage.

Jeremiah 14:7–9 (NIV)
7 Although our sins testify against us, do something, Lord, for the sake of your name. For we have often rebelled; we have sinned against you.
8 You who are the hope of Israel, its Savior in times of distress, why are you like a stranger in the land, like a traveler who stays only a night?
9 Why are you like a man taken by surprise, like a warrior powerless to save? You are among us, Lord, and we bear your name; do not forsake us!

Jeremiah 14:19–22 (NIV)
19 Have you rejected Judah completely? Do you despise Zion? Why have you afflicted us so that we cannot be healed? We hoped for peace but no good has come, for a time of healing but there is only terror.
20 We acknowledge our wickedness, Lord, and the guilt of our ancestors; we have indeed sinned against you.
21 For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.
22 Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, Lord our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.

Let us now take time to share what we have personally realized through meditating on God’s Word.

 

B. 이제 말씀이 결론이 되도록 기도하겠습니다.

1. 교회의 위기는 바로 나의 위기이며 곧 온 세상의 위기이다. 이는 누구의 탓이 아닌 진리를 떠나눈에 보이는 것을 쫓았던 우리의 죄악임을 인정하자. 우리가 주께 범죄했음을 깨닫는다면 우리의 회개는 지적동의나 대의적인 마음에 머무를 수 없다. 우리의 영혼 깊은 곳에서 터져나오는애통함으로 회개하자.

2. 교회 회복의 근거는 오직 하나님께만 있다. 우리를 돌이켜 하나님께로 다시 돌아가게 하실 수있는 분도 오직 하나님 뿐이시다. 주의 이름을 위하여, 주의 영광을 위하여 다시 한 번 우리에게은혜와 긍휼을 베풀어 주시기를 간구하자. 주께서 우리와 세우신 언약을 기억하사 이 땅의 교회에게 회복의 은혜를 허락하여 주시기를 기도하자. 

B. Let us now respond in prayer as God's Word leads us.

1. The crisis of the Church is my crisis — and a crisis for the entire world. It is not someone else’s fault, but ours. We confess that we have turned away from truth and chased after what is seen. If we truly realize that we have sinned against the Lord, our repentance must go beyond intellectual agreement or noble intention. Let us repent with deep sorrow that wells up from the depths of our souls.
2. The only foundation for the Church’s restoration is God Himself. Only He can turn our hearts back to Him. Let us earnestly cry out for His mercy and grace — not for our own sake, but for the sake of His name and His glory. Let us ask that God would remember the covenant He made with us and pour out His restoring grace upon His Church in this land.

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Prayer Focus 1: [South Korea]

“Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
(2 Corinthians 6:2)

A Rapid Decline in the Protestant Population: From 20.3% to 16.6% in Just Five Years

The percentage of Protestant Christians in South Korea (ages 19 and up) peaked at 22.5% in 2012, but within just ten years, it plummeted to 16.6%. Among those in their 20s to 40s, the drop is even more dramatic—nearly half have left the faith.

According to a large-scale national survey conducted by the Pastoral Data Research Institute (PDRI, led by Ji Yong-geun), the current state of religion in Korea was assessed through responses from 5,451 participants between October 18 and November 1, 2023. The survey was carried out by JI&COM Research.

The percentage of all “religious people” (including Protestants, Buddhists, and Catholics) reached a high of 57% in 2004 but has since steadily declined—down to just 37.1% in 2023. Particularly concerning is the trend among younger generations: Only 16% of those in their 20s and 19% of those in their 30s identify with any religion, nearly half the rate from 2017.

Protestant identification dropped from 20.3% in 2017 to 16.6% in 2023. Among those in their 20s and 30s, only 9% and 11%, respectively, still consider themselves Protestant—that’s roughly 1 in 10 young adults. Meanwhile, the aging of the church is accelerating faster than the rest of society. Among churchgoers, 52% are age 60 or older, compared to just 32% of the general population.

The proportion of Protestant teenagers is even lower than the adult average. Only 13.6% of youth identify as Protestant, about the same as the combined percentage of Buddhists (7.6%) and Catholics (5.7%). Among middle schoolers, the Protestant rate stands at 17%, but it drops to 10% among high schoolers. Notably, 17% of male youth identify as Protestant compared to only 10% of female youth.

Looking ahead, what might the Protestant population look like in 10 years? Based on the current rate of decline over the past 11 years, PDRI predicts that the Protestant rate could fall further to 12.6%, while the percentage of “nones” (those with no religious affiliation, sometimes called "Canaan Christians") could rise to 37.1%.

The institute adds:

“The Korean Church now faces not only de-Christianization, a shrinking Protestant base, and the rise of ‘Canaan Christians,’ but also the massive demographic challenges of declining birthrates and a rapidly aging society. While ministry to the elderly is important in an aging era, if we are to think about the future of the Church, we must now prioritize next-generation ministry.”

It continued:

“First and foremost, we must ensure that teenagers and young adults can build and sustain their faith. Currently, church attendance among youth is 64%, but this drops to 55% once they enter their twenties. A resilient faith that can withstand the temptations of the world must be formed during adolescence. The Korean Church must now commit to cultivating a spiritual environment where youth and young adults can truly encounter God.”
(Source: Christian Today Korea)

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“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh... Then you will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you will be my people, and I will be your God.”
(Ezekiel 36:26, 28)

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Prayer

God, we confess that the Church in Korea has fallen into spiritual crisis. We have become hardened by sin and intoxicated by the visible, glittering things of this world, forgetting what is unseen and eternal. In this age of de-Christianization, we ask for Your mercy. In the midst of darkness, only Your grace can give us hope — so we cry out for the saving power of Your Spirit.

Lord, awaken a generation of young people and youth to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Remove their hearts of stone and give them hearts of flesh. Restore them as a generation that follows after You.

As the Korean Church cries out in faith, trusting in Your promises, reveal Your glory — You who are the Head of the Church.

🕊️
Provided by: Prayer 24·365 Korea

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Prayer Focus 2: [Global]

“Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other.”
(Isaiah 46:9)

Churches Are Disappearing in the Once-Christian West

Four out of five people have left the faith. Some churches that have stood for over 180 years are shutting their doors due to dwindling congregations. This is the reality now facing nations once called “Christian strongholds” — like the United Kingdom and the United States. Experts warn that the Korean church is following in their footsteps.

In Scotland, the decline of the Church of Scotland has continued for over 60 years. According to the General Assembly’s administrative committee, as of 2022, the Church of Scotland had only 270,300 members — a 4.7% drop from 283,600 the year before. Compared to the year 2000, the number has more than halved, and from its peak in the 1950s (1.3 million members), the decline now approaches 80%. The average age of church attendees is 62.

A similar trend is emerging in the United States. According to LifeWay Research, membership in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) was 13.22 million in 2022 — a 3% decrease from 13.68 million the previous year, and the lowest since the 1970s. From the peak in 2006 (16.3 million), about 1 in 5 members has left. For three consecutive years, SBC has seen a 3% annual decline.

A 2022 report by NORC at the University of Chicago (General Social Survey) found that only 49.6% of Americans say they are sure God exists — the lowest on record. In comparison, 60% said so in 2008, 57% in 2012, and 53% in 2018 — all showing a downward trend.

Roughly 1 in 3 Americans (34%) say they “never attend church,” the highest rate recorded since surveys began in 1972. The percentage of religiously unaffiliated Americans — the “nones” — has grown steadily, rising from 16% in 2006 to 27% in 2022.

Yet, some observers note that “spiritual capital” remains in the West. Even among those who have left the church, spiritual interest still lingers. In the UK, more than 52% of Gen Z respondents said they are interested in life after death. In the U.S., only 7% said they were not.

Experts point to small groups as a potential path forward for revitalizing the struggling churches in historically Christian nations. Professor Joo Sang-Rak of Bakke Graduate University (USA) stated,

“As secularization sweeps across society, churches in the U.S. and U.K. have lost much of their social capital. Conflicts over issues like homosexuality are increasingly common.”
Still, he added,
“We all witnessed the revival at Asbury University. Just like the 1904 Welsh Revival and the 1907 Pyongyang Great Revival, the Asbury movement began with small prayer gatherings.”

Similar signs of post-Christian decline are now emerging in Korea — including the rapid increase of “Canaan Christians” (believers who do not attend church), polarization between large and small churches, and the rise of non-institutional church models.

Reflecting on these trends, Professor Jang Dong-Min of Baekseok University Graduate School commented:

“Church growth is merely a byproduct of revival. There has never been revival without repentance. For the Korean Church, which seems to be stalling, repentance must come before the pursuit of revival.”
(Source: Kukmin Ilbo)

 

“Remember this, you who are arrogant and far from righteousness... I am bringing my righteousness near, it is not far away; and my salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion, my splendor to Israel.”
(Isaiah 46:12–13)

 

Prayer

Lord, we pray that the churches of the Western world and Korea — once vibrant with revival and powerfully spreading the Gospel to the ends of the earth — would rise again through the Gospel, though they have lost their vitality and been overtaken by secularism.

May every heart that has drifted far from Your righteousness remember the mighty works You have done in the past. Let them listen again to the truth of Your Word and return to You in repentance that brings life.

And as Your people devote themselves once more to gathering and seeking Your Kingdom, may a new wave of spiritual revival rise up — a movement of blessing that reaches the nations and ushers in Your Kingdom on this earth.

 

Translation & Prayer Adapted by: Prayer 24·365 Korea