Duranno Ministry

Overview

Duranno Ministry is a Protestant publishing and literature mission organization that publishes Christian books, monthly quiet time (QT, a devotional discipline of daily reading and meditation on a Scripture passage) magazines, and ministry periodicals. It also runs educational programs for church members and pastors. It is not affiliated with any denomination and is described as a parachurch organization, that is, a mission organization that supports the church from outside it. Its name comes from the "school of Tyrannus" (Acts 19:9), where the apostle Paul taught daily in Ephesus.

Founding and History

• Pastor Ha Yong-jo founded the organization in December 1980, before he resigned from the Entertainers' Church and left for England. Ha later recalled that while in England, under the influence of John Stott, he formulated a fourfold vision of church, culture, world, and future.
• In April 1985 it issued Bread of Life as a supplement to the monthly Light and Salt. Beginning with the November 1987 issue, this was relaunched as the quiet time devotional Living Life.
• In July 1989 it launched Ministry and Theology, a monthly magazine devoted to pastoral ministry. In 1992 it launched The Word, a Bible study periodical designed to assist with sermon preparation.
• Ha founded Onnuri Church in 1985 and served as president of Duranno Ministry and senior pastor of Onnuri Church. He died in August 2011.
• A 2016 news report identified Lee Hyung-ki as president.

Major Activities

• Quiet time devotionals: Living Life is published in New Korean Revised Version, Woorimal Bible, and large-print editions. Quiet time devotionals are also published for youth, children, and preschoolers, along with English, Japanese, and Chinese editions, and they are available through a mobile app.
• Magazines: The organization publishes Light and Salt and Ministry and Theology. The Word is included as a supplement to Ministry and Theology.
• Publishing: It publishes Christian books, Bibles, and reference works such as the Vision Bible Dictionary.
• Education: It has operated or promoted the Duranno Bible College, the Father School, the Mother School, quiet time seminars, and the one-to-one discipleship ministry. It is also reported to have been involved in the praise and worship movement through Duranno Praise and Worship.

Organization

Duranno is not an umbrella body with member denominations but a publishing and mission organization incorporated as a nonprofit association. Its headquarters is in the Duranno Building in Seobinggo-dong, Yongsan District, Seoul. It is also reported to have opened Duranno branches abroad, including in Los Angeles and in Japan. Its publications and programs are used by churches across denominational lines.

Assessment

A paper published in the journal of the Korean Society of Old Testament Studies assessed the launch of Ministry and Theology and The Word as an important attempt to bridge theological scholarship and pastoral practice. Duranno states that Living Life has a broad readership regardless of age or spiritual maturity.