District Leader (Guyeokjang)

Definition and Meaning

A district leader (guyeokjang, 區域長) is the person in charge of a "district" (guyeok), a small group into which a church divides its members according to where they live or other units of daily life. The district leader leads district worship services and attends to the needs and circumstances of the members. The district leader also gathers prayer requests and passes along church news. The role is usually filled by a layperson serving as a small-group leader. District leader is not a permanent office defined by the church constitution (an office that, once conferred, is held for life). In many churches it functions as a volunteer service position to which the session or the senior pastor makes appointments annually. A higher-level unit made up of several districts is usually called a parish, and the ministerial staff member in charge of the parish oversees its district leaders.

Biblical and Historical Background

The passage Korean churches most often cite as a basis for appointing small-group leaders is Exodus 18:21. In this passage Moses, following the counsel of his father-in-law Jethro, divided the people into units and placed them under "rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens." Acts 2:46, which describes the early believers "breaking bread from house to house" and sharing fellowship, is also cited. These passages, however, are cited as principles supporting today's district organization; the office of district leader as such does not appear in Scripture.

Historically, the class meeting organized by John Wesley in the eighteenth-century English Methodist movement is regarded as a close precedent. In Korea, the practice of dividing members by area for pastoral care took root in the early years of missionary work. Later, during the period of Korean church growth, large churches expanded their district organizations, and the role of the district leader grew accordingly. In particular, the district organization of Yoido Full Gospel Church, led by Pastor David Yonggi Cho, became widely known as an example of church growth.

Practice in Korean Churches

District leaders are usually chosen from among kwonsas (senior deaconesses) or deacons with years of experience in the faith, and the role is often filled by women. The main duties of a district leader include the following:

• Leading district worship services during the week, in homes or at the church
• Pastoral visitation of members and helping new believers settle into the church
• Informing the parish minister of members' family occasions, such as celebrations and bereavements, and of their prayer requests

In Presbyterian churches, a kwonchal (assistant visitor) sometimes assists the district leader by keeping track of attendance and communication.

The name of the role varies according to the denomination and the church's approach to ministry.

• Methodist churches: Methodist churches such as the Korean Methodist Church call the small group a "class" (sokhoe) and its leader a "class leader" (sokjang).
• Discipleship-training churches: Churches that place discipleship training at the center of their ministry often call the small group an "upper room" (darakbang) or a sun (also spelled soon), and its leader a sunjang. SaRang Church, founded by Pastor Oak Han-heum, is a leading example.
• House churches: Churches that follow the house church model call the small group a "pasture" (mokjang) and its leader a "shepherd" (mokja).
• Cell churches: Churches that follow the cell church model use the term "cell leader."

Although the names differ, the work is generally similar. However, the roles of sunjang and shepherd are often entrusted only to those who have completed a prescribed training course. Such churches emphasize the leader's role as one who nurtures others in the faith rather than as a mere administrator.