Scripture Union Korea

Overview

Scripture Union Korea is the Korean branch of the international mission organization Scripture Union. It is commonly called "Scripture Union" or "SU." It is an interdenominational organization not affiliated with any denomination, and it is widely known as the publisher of Daily Bible (Maeil Seonggyeong), a quiet time devotional. Quiet time (QT) is the practice of setting aside a fixed time each day to read and meditate on Scripture. The organization describes its purpose as twofold: to share the gospel with children, young people, and their families, and to help all Christians read the Bible and pray regularly and systematically. It is distinct from the similarly named Korean Bible Society.

Founding and History

The international Scripture Union began in 1867 in London, England, as a children's ministry. According to the organization's materials, the following year Josiah Spiers gathered children on a beach in Wales and told them Bible stories, an event remembered as part of its early ministry. Today it has branches in more than 120 countries.

The Korean branch was established in 1972. At the time, some observers noted that Korean churches, despite their fervor for prayer and evangelism, were weak in their engagement with Scripture. OMF missionaries who shared this concern led the effort to found the organization. According to the organization's materials, the missionary Peter Pattisson (Bae Do-seon) requested assistance from Scripture Union International, after which a committee was formed. The first general secretary was Yoon Jong-ha, a lay Bible teacher. He reportedly served as general secretary until around 1986, and he died in 2007.

• 1972: Publication of a daily Bible reading plan
• January 1973: First issue of Daily Bible (the organization describes it as Korea's first quiet time devotional)
• 1974: First readers' retreat
• August 1983: Launch of the LTC (Leadership Training Course), a training program for leaders in Bible meditation
• 2022: Fiftieth anniversary of its founding

Principal Activities

• Publication of Daily Bible: The devotional is issued in multiple editions, including editions for adults, young adults, middle and high school students, elementary school students, and preschool children, as well as an edition for pastors, an English edition, and a Chinese edition. Because all editions cover the same passage on the same day, entire families and congregations can share a single passage together. It covers all 66 books of the Bible in order without omitting a single verse and is structured so that readers meditate on the entire Bible over six years. It is also available through a mobile app.
• Meditation training: The organization runs the LTC, graded courses in Bible meditation, Personal Bible Study (PBS), and Group Bible Study (GBS).
• Children's and youth ministry: It conducts evangelistic outreach and holds retreats and camps.
• Publishing: It publishes Bible study resources and Christian books.

Organization

Its headquarters is in Songpa District, Seoul, and it has 13 branches across South Korea. It is not a federation in which denominations hold membership but a mission organization belonging to Scripture Union International. It works in partnership with local churches of various denominations. It is led by a chair of the board and a director; in 2022 these positions were held by Ra Jong-ryeol and Kim Joo-ryun, respectively.

Assessment

The organization is credited with introducing quiet time to Korean churches and spreading the practice. Yoon Jong-ha is regarded as having sought to awaken through the Word a Korean church influenced by growth-centered thinking and a blessing-oriented faith preoccupied with seeking material blessings. The organization describes its own approach to meditation as follows: unlike other quiet time methods that can easily drift toward individualism, it places the question "Who is God?" at the center and practices God-centered meditation from the perspective of the kingdom of God.