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Evangelist (Jeondosa)
[Church Offices]In Korean Protestant churches, an evangelist (jeondosa) is a minister who serves in a congregation before ordination as a pastor and is responsible for duties such as education, pastoral visitation, and preaching. The position is usually held by theological students or seminary graduates.
Licentiate (Kangdosa)
[Church Offices]A licentiate is a title used chiefly in Presbyterian churches for a candidate for the ministry who has completed theological education, passed the licentiate examination, and been recognized by the presbytery as qualified to preach. The licentiate stage precedes ordination as a pastor.
Associate Pastor
[Church Offices]An associate pastor is an ordained minister who assists the senior pastor of a congregation with preaching, pastoral visitation, education, administration, and other duties. In Korean Protestant churches, associate pastors, together with evangelists and licentiates, are commonly grouped as "assistant ministers."
Pastor Emeritus
[Church Offices]Pastor emeritus is an honorary title that a church confers on a retired pastor who served that congregation for many years, in recognition of that service. The title carries no authority to govern the church; it expresses honor and respect.
Senior Pastor
[Church Offices]A senior pastor is the minister who holds responsibility for a local church and oversees its preaching, sacraments, pastoral care, and administration. The procedures for appointment and the status of the office vary according to each denomination's form of church government.
Pastor
[Church Offices]In Protestantism, a pastor is an ordained minister responsible for preaching, administering the sacraments, and caring for church members. Qualifications and ordination procedures vary by denomination.
District Leader (Guyeokjang)
[Church Offices]A district leader is a lay small-group leader in charge of a "district," a unit into which a church divides its members by place of residence or other units of daily life. The district leader leads district worship services and cares for the members. Depending on the church, the role may also be called class leader, sunjang, or shepherd.
Kwonchal
[Church Offices]A kwonchal is a lay ministry position in Korean churches, especially Presbyterian churches, entrusted with looking after the circumstances of members in a district (small group) and encouraging them in the life of faith.
Exhorter (Kwonsa)
[Church Offices]The exhorter (kwonsa) is a lay office in Korean Protestant churches whose holders exhort church members and care for them through pastoral visitation and prayer. The office originated in the Methodist tradition, and its qualifications and role vary by denomination.
Deacon
[Church Offices]A deacon holds a church office devoted to service, ministry, and the practical affairs of the congregation. In Korean Protestant churches, the office is divided into ordained deacons and acting deacons appointed annually, and its status and role vary by denomination.
New Believer
[Church Offices]A new believer is a person who has recently begun attending and registered with a church, or a church member who has only recently come to faith. Korean Protestant churches also use the terms "new family member" and "new fellow member" for such persons.
Missionary
[Church Offices]A missionary is a person whom a church or mission organization sends to another region or culture to proclaim the gospel and to carry out work such as church planting, education, medical care, and relief.
Elder
[Church Offices]An elder is a church officer elected from among the members to care for and govern the church together with the pastor. In Presbyterian churches the term refers to the ruling elders who make up the session; the status and role of the office vary by denomination.
Baptized Member
[Church Offices]A baptized member is a church member who has received baptism (or baptism by immersion) and become a full member of the church. A person baptized in infancy who later becomes a full member through a confirmation examination is called a confirmed member, and the two categories are sometimes referred to together.
Church Minister
[Church Offices]A church minister is a person whose principal work is ministry in the church, such as preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. In Korean Protestant usage, the associate pastors, evangelists, and others who assist the senior pastor are collectively called associate ministers.
Worship
[Worship & Rites]Worship is the gathering in which believers come together to adore God and hear His Word. In Protestantism, the Sunday service held on the Lord's Day is central to church life.
Officer (Salvation Army)
[Church Offices]An officer is a member of the clergy of The Salvation Army, equivalent to a pastor in other denominations. Within the Salvation Army's military-style organization, officers complete training and are commissioned, after which they lead corps (local congregations) or carry out social service and administrative work.
Laity
[Church Offices]The laity are the ordinary members of a church, as distinct from clergy such as pastors and evangelists. In Korean Protestant churches, officers such as elders, kwonsa, and deacons are usually counted among the laity as well.
Saints
[Church Offices]Saints are those who belong to God and have been set apart for him, a biblical term for all Christians who believe in Jesus Christ. In Korean Protestant churches, the corresponding term (seongdo) is used both as a general term for church members and as a form of address for members who hold no church office.
Family Worship
[Worship & Rites]Family worship is worship that a family offers together at home, typically consisting of hymn singing, Scripture reading, and prayer. In Korean Protestant churches it is widely practiced, including on traditional holidays in connection with memorial services, and serves as a setting for faith education.