Pastor With ‘World’s Largest Congregation’ Dies At 85

David Yonggi Cho, the founder of South Korea’s Yoido Full Gospel Church has passed on at age 85.

Cho had pastored a congregation of more than 500,000 people both in the main sanctuary and in satellite churches within the country.

Yoido Full Gospel Church is said to be the largest Pentecostal single Christian congregation in South Korea and the world.

Numerous churches around the world, including the Living Faith Church in Nigeria, were reported to have learnt how to grow church congregation from his life, ministry and books.

His church announced that he died at 7:13 am on Tuesday while being hospitalized at the Seoul National University Hospital.

“Arrangements are currently underway, including the preparation of a burial place,” state media reported.

His funeral will hold for 5 days.

Paying tribute to him, the global church historian, Evangelist Robert Liardon, stated that the body of Christ will miss him.

“Dr. David Cho died today. It is a sad moment for all of us. My prayers and thoughts are with his family and the great church he built,” he stated on Facebook.