[Below is an excerpt from the testimony of Pastor Kim Jung-wook, a former member of the 7-member board of the World Mission Society Church of God. This testimony provides insights into how Kim Joo-cheol manages the church.]

The World Mission Society Church of God: Secretive and Lacking Communication

In the World Mission Society Church of God, genuine communication is nearly impossible due to a system where mutual surveillance is encouraged. The senior pastor monitors the regional leaders, and in turn, the regional leaders monitor the senior pastor. Both parties are expected to report any issues to the General Assembly, creating an environment where sincere dialogue cannot flourish.

Wives of senior pastors are even trained to report their husbands’ wrongdoings directly to the General Assembly. If any pastor's wife fails to comply, the General Assembly uses such cases as examples to severely reprimand them, further discouraging honest conversation—even between married couples.

Relationships Between Senior Pastors and Regional Leaders

The dynamic between senior pastors and regional leaders is similarly dysfunctional. Senior pastors are instructed to propose their ideas to regional leaders first. If the regional leader disagrees, the senior pastor reports the matter to the General Assembly. Conversely, regional leaders, rather than engaging in dialogue with senior pastors when disagreements arise, often bypass them entirely and file complaints directly with the General Assembly.

This culture of mutual distrust is actively promoted by the General Assembly, creating an environment where communication between members is discouraged, and all issues are funneled exclusively through the General Assembly.

The Ban on Communication Apps: A Symbol of Control

One striking example of this restrictive environment is the ban on using communication apps like KakaoTalk. At one point, members were instructed to uninstall KakaoTalk from their devices, rendering them unusable. Why would the church prohibit the use of such a widely-used app? The answer lies in the church’s reluctance to allow free and open communication among its members.

A Parallel to the Medieval Catholic Church

This practice is reminiscent of the medieval Catholic Church, which suppressed freedom of expression and prohibited the dissemination of information. During that era, all books were banned except for those selectively permitted to priests. Martin Luther himself only had the chance to read the Bible upon entering university. The church believed that the less the people knew, the more obedient they would be, no matter how the church was managed.

Suppressing Free Expression

By banning KakaoTalk, is the church trying to avoid the difficulties of controlling its members? Such authoritarian decisions raise questions about the extent to which the World Mission Society Church of God values convenience over genuine communication.

If even constitutionally guaranteed freedoms, such as the right to free expression, are restricted in favor of maintaining rigid church order, what then is the meaning of the Bible's promise that "the truth will set you free"?

Source: Testimony from Pastor Kim Jung-wook, shedding light on the internal culture and practices of the World Mission Society Church of God.