page_title: Bongsu Church
section_title: Operation
hierarchical_section_title: Bongsu Church / Operation
caption_attribution_description: North Korea DPRK
context_page_description: Bongsu Church is a Protestant church in the Konguk-dong of the Mangyongdae District of Pyongyang in North Korea.
  It is one of just a handful churches in the country and one of only two Protestant churches, the other one being Chilgol Church. Bongsu Church was originally constructed in 1988 and was the first church built in the country during communist rule. The church was relocated to a larger building in around 2008 and now offers seats for 1,200 persons. It is debated whether the attendance consists of genuine Christians in the country or not, but service has been observed by visiting foreigners.
context_section_description: Service takes place at 10 am every Sunday. Sometimes tourists have arrived only to find the church closed at that time. Others report that the sermons consist of political rhetoric. Whether or not the local congregation are authentic believers has been debated.
  South Korean pastor Soh Kyung-suk describes his observations during visits: "There were little signs of spontaneity during a service. I also found no child in attendance and no Bible study groups there, and we were even banned from talking to North Korean service participants ... What was most startling was that church officials didn't even know any hymns at all."
  Bradley K. Martin, author of Under the Loving Care of the Fatherly Leader, also described his visit to the church. The congregation sang "Jesus Loves Me" and many seemed to know it by heart. Preaching and prayer were on political themes such as Korean reunification and nuclear non-proliferation. Churchgoers, according to Martin, were not Workers' Party of Korea members and all of them had removed their Kim Il-sung lapel pins. "This church is a sacred place. We call it the 'house of heaven'. That is why political symbols are not allowed", a church employee explained.
  The church is Protestant, but no denomination is specified. It is overseen by the Korean Christian Federation.
  The congregation was about 300 strong on Sundays before the church was enlarged due to increase in attendance. Now the church seats 1,200 persons. The building has three stories. The church is staffed by a head minister, a vicar, eight elders, five deacons and fourteen deaconesses. The church runs a theological seminary for 12 people, in a separate building in the premises.
  The church has an associated noodle factory, which is supported financially by the Presbyterian Church of the United States, and a bakery.
caption: The church seats 1,200 persons.
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