World Mission Society Church of God
The World Mission Society Church of God is a new religious movement established by Ahn Sahng-hong in South Korea in 1964.[5] The church believes that Ahn Sahng-hong is the Second Coming of Jesus, and that Zahng Gil-jah is God.[6] Ex-members and several experts have called it a cult.[12] Its headquarters as well as its main church are located Sungnam City, Kyunggi Province, near Seoul.[5]
World Mission Society Church of God
하나님의교회 세계복음선교협회
WMSCOG
Kim Joo-Cheol
Worldwide
"WMC Building" (37°22′49″N 127°07′03″E / 37.3804°N 127.1175°E)[2] in Sunae, Bundang, 25 km southeast of Seoul center, Korea
April 28, 1964
South Korea
"Church of God" on June 2, 1985[3]
"Church of God", "Witnesses of Ahn Sahng-hong Church of God"
We Love You[4]
Ahn Sahng-hong founded the Church of God in South Korea on 28 April 1964.[13][14] After Ahn Sahng-hong died in February 1985, a group of people in the Church of God including the man Kim Joo-cheol and the woman Zahng Gil-jah moved from Busan to Seoul.[15][16][17] On a meeting in Seoul on 2 June 1985, they proclaimed Zahng Gil-jah to be the bride of God, and established a church called Witnesses of Ahn Sahng-hong Church of God led by Kim Joo-cheol and Zahng Gil-jah.[3][18] Two major new doctrines were codified:[6][19]
A change in religious practice, as reflected in the change of name from "Jesus Witnesses" to "Witnesses of Ahn Sahng-hong", was, that prayers were no longer conducted in the name of Jesus Christ but in the name of Christ Ahn Sahng-hong.[15]
Around 1997, Witnesses of Ahn Sahng-hong Church of God established a non-profit organization titled the World Mission Society Church of God for the purpose of registering and managing the organization's assets.[22][23]