'80 World Evangelization Crusade

Background

In the 1970s, Korean Protestantism saw a succession of large evangelistic gatherings organized jointly by multiple churches and organizations. Notable examples include the 1973 Billy Graham Crusade; Explo '74, led by Korea Campus Crusade for Christ (KCCC); and the '77 National Evangelization Crusade. The '80 World Evangelization Crusade was planned as a continuation of this movement, with Korea Campus Crusade for Christ and its director, the Rev. Kim Joon-gon, playing a central role.

The goals set forth during preparations reportedly included fulfilling the Lord's Great Commission, creating a model of evangelism that took an entire nation as its unit, doubling the membership of participating churches by August 1980, and evangelizing the Korean nation.

Course of Events

• June 26–July 1, 1979: An international rally in preparation for the crusade was held at the headquarters of Campus Crusade for Christ International in Los Angeles. About 1,000 ministers and believers from various countries gathered, reportedly including 300 participants from Korea.
• November 1979: As part of the preparations, a "Blood Donation of Love" campaign was conducted. The 407 blood donation certificates collected were presented to the Seoul Metropolitan Government.
• August 9, 1980: The Ministry of Home Affairs decided to lift the nighttime curfew, which then prohibited movement on the streets at night, in the Yeouido area for the duration of the gathering.
• August 11, 1980: The preparatory committee held a reception at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul to mark the opening of the event.
• August 12–15, 1980: The main gathering took place at May 16 Plaza on Yeouido (now Yeouido Park). During the same period, separate daytime events were held at various locations throughout Seoul, including a high school students' retreat at Jangchung Arena and seminars for church school teachers, women leaders, pastors, and lay leaders.
• Night of August 15, 1980 (final day): At the dedication service, Kim Joon-gon called on the Korean church to open an era of missions led by the Korean church. He then asked participants to make four commitments: to pray for overseas missions, to take part in supporting missions, to commit themselves on behalf of others, and to go themselves as long-term or short-term missionaries. According to Korea Campus Crusade for Christ records, 100,000 young people committed themselves that night as long-term or short-term missionaries. The gathering is also remembered by its motto, "I Found It."

Reported figures for total attendance vary by source.

Results and Influence

The most frequently cited outcome is the large number of people who made commitments to missions. Korea Campus Crusade for Christ and participants regard the gathering as an important turning point in the Korean church's transformation from a church that received missionaries into one that sends them. Christian media have repeatedly published testimonies from people who say that the commitment they made that night later led them to become pastors or missionaries. Overseas, mission conferences have also been held to reunite Korean missionaries who made their commitments at this gathering, together with those from Explo '74 and the '77 National Evangelization Crusade. For these reasons, the gathering is often mentioned in connection with the growth of missionary sending by the Korean church from the 1980s onward.

Assessment

Those who view the gathering favorably point to its spiritual and missionary fruit, arguing that the large united gathering instilled a vision for world missions in the younger generation. Korea Campus Crusade for Christ records this gathering, together with Explo '74, as a major event in its history.

Critical perspectives focus on its timing. The crusade took place shortly after the Gwangju Democratization Movement of May 1980, while the new military leadership was consolidating power. On August 6, six days before the event, some twenty denominational leaders, including Kim Joon-gon, attended a prayer breakfast for Chun Doo-hwan, the leader of the new military leadership. This prayer breakfast was later criticized for helping to legitimize the military's seizure of power. For this reason, the large gatherings of this period and church leaders' relationship with the regime are discussed together in treatments of the church and politics and the church and the democratization movement.