Dr. Byoungho Zoh’s profile An activist advocating Christian Leadership in society and a Historical Doctor unfolding the meaning of Korean Christian Movement, Dr. Zoh lives by the Word with whom Jesus named our neighbours. This year calls for his 24th year in persuading others that “Chr[1] istians should present themselves as those who serve,” and with his companions does not hesitate to head down to church-less country-sides every second week of August to spread the Word. Despite the fact that he is the co-coordinator and leader of his Ministry, he is known as the model of such a one who serves the less privileged with the greatest sincerity. Dr. Zoh, also, for the past two decades, through Bible Tongdok camps and assemblies, popularized ‘Tongdok reading’ of the Bible and is an international expert of Bible Tongdok, specifying new ways in approaching the Bible not only to churches in Korea but to the whole world, fulfilling his visions. His book, ‘Bible Tongdok’ made up of the countless sweat and tears from moving to and fro from writing to actions, received the Christian Book Culture Prize, the number one prize in 2005. Following his article [Studentische Missionsbewegung] that appeared in the world-wide [Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart] in 2004, Dr. Zoh was also invited as a speaker to [A Conference jointly sponsored by the Royal Historical Society and the YMCA England] 2006 in the UK. Tong, a new method of life for Christians and a new means of reading the Bible, was first suggested by Dr. Zoh, and he stresses the importance of the union of the East and the West to work towards the future and to make peace, and that Korean Churches should lighten the path. He who with constant passion received the title ‘Dr. of Tong’ foresees from this that not only Korean Christians but also all other races will fulfill this vision, and in order to put this thought into action, he worked as the Chairman of [10,000 ministers of the future church, 21st Century Future Church Conference the Companionship of the East & the West] in May 2007, held for the fellowship of the East and the West through the Bible. Also, he acted as the co-leader of proposing the ‘Reorientation through the Bible’ campaign with 140 other Christian Theologians in June 2008. Dr. Byoungho Zoh, an active Christian who strives to fulfill the vision given by God, dreams even today of working for the Kingdom of God along with Christians of this generation, and further the Christians all over the world, displaying social leadership.
Academic profile Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary Th. B Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary Theological Graduate M. Div Yonsei University Systematical Theology Th. M University of Edinburgh Missionary Theology Th. M University of Birmingham Historical Theology Ph. D
Career profile 1988-the present: Representative of Tongdokwon 1989-the present: Director of the International Bible Tongdok House 2000-the present: Publisher of Monthly [Tongdok Q.T] 2004.06-the present: Senior Pastor of Hi-Gippeum Church 2006-the present: Director of (통)Tong International 2007.05 Chairman of [21st Century Future Church Conference: the Companionship of the East & the West] 2008.06 Co-leader of [Reorientation through the Bible] campaign
Books written by Dr. Zoh 1994 ‘My dream is impossible.’ ‘No, that’s just an excuse.’ 2000 Forest and Tree – Genesis [Testament and Vision] 2000 Forest and Tree – Exodus [A new Citizen] 2001 Forest and Tree – Leviticus [A Holy School for Citizens] 2004 A History of the Christian Student Movements in Korea 1884-1990 2004 Bible Tongdok 2005 A walk around 100 year’s History of Korean Christian Student Movements 2006 Small group Bible Tongdok series (21 altogether) 2006 God, we love you 2007 The 21st Century Disciple 2007 Children’s Bible Tongdok 2007 Easier way to approach Bible Tongdok 2007 Let’s Tong (Reprinted revised edition) 2007 The 21st Century Friends of CEO 2008 Bible Tongdok (Reprinted revised edition) 2008 The One Year Tongdok Bible 2011 Rise and Fall of the Five Empires in the Bible 2011 Bible with Ancient Wars 2011 Bible with Ancient Politics 2012 TongBible Guide 2012 A Blank Page Full of History (Intertestamental Period)
The origin of 통Tong
An understandable background exists as to why Dr. Byoungho Zoh advocates the 통Tong method when reading the Bible.
From 1988, as one of his ministries, Dr. Zoh carried out the Purigi Network and at the same time directed Bible Tongdok camps and assemblies. That the Word and actions should go together as Tong is still his strong insistence whether then or now. Also, not only should the Word and actions work as Tong but both can be seen through the Tong method individually. In understanding the Word – both the Conservative and the Progressive methods - and actions, both the happiness of God and our neighbours should create harmony using the Tong method. In particular, Dr. Zoh researched and wrote a thesis of the union of the Conservative and the Progressive inside Korean Churches and received a Ph. D in the University of Birmingham, UK, and further, in terms of acting out the Word, he has kept up the motto that one should not lack in the mission of spreading the gospel that God sees delight in, and at the same time provide our neighbours with fitting service.
Likewise, as the Missionary Representative of Tongdokwon and the Senior Pastor of Hi-Gippeum Church, he knows and understands fully that pastoral duties and Missionary work should comprise of harmony and equilibrium complementarily. He claims that God’s people in the Bible consisted of both divine and social nature, and that Christians in this generation should also stand up as true leaders in society.
The development of 통Tong
Bible Tongdok camps and assemblies, and the Purigi 뿌리기 Network that Dr. Zoh has guided for the past 24 years have become a vital background in the conception of Tong. March 2006, he set up ‘Let’s Tong’ as a slogan to diffuse the Bible Tongdok Movement, and in April 2006, shared his concept of Tong of reading the Bible to Dr. Leonard Sweet who visited Korea.
Following his sermon in Hi-Gippeum Church with the title ‘Tang and Tong’ in June 2006, on 18th December 2006 he made a formal announcement in the CNI (China Network Institution) 1-year anniversary Forum of the Conception of Tong. Subsequently, in January 2007 an advertisement of the slogan ‘Let’s Tong’ was published in the Annual the Christian Journalists Association of Korea’s notebook.
In a Press Interview in March 2007, he expressed another slogan ‘The 21st Century is Tong, Let’s tong!’ as the theme of the ‘10,000 ministers of the future church, 21st Century Future Church Conference the Companionship of the East & the West’. From his collection of writings and speeches in conferences about the conception of Tong, he published his book, ‘The 21st Century is Tong, Let’s Tong’ in May 2007.
Tongdokwon started not as a traditional form of a church but as a structure of campus ministry by Dr. Byoungho Zoh in 1988. This group is well known for “Supgwanamu (Forest an Tree) School for Bible Tongdok” and “Purigi Ministry/Muljugi Ministry.” The first work of Tongdokwon was to serve the less fortunate neighbors living in an out-of the-way place. From 1989 Tongdokwon has held the “Bible Tongdok Camp” for youth, young adult, laity and clergy. Thousands of people have been trained to see the satellite view in reading through the Bible. In 2004, Dr. Zoh found Hi-gippum Church with three themes of his ministry: Bible, History, and Practice. This is the case of a church from out to in/from scattering to gathering. Of course, they gather to scatter again.