Onnuri church founding pastor dies

By Kim Rahn

Pastor Ha Yong-jo of Onnuri Community Church passed away Tuesday. He was 65.

The pastor collapsed from a cerebral hemorrhage early Monday morning and underwent surgery at Severance Hospital, in Seoul. He was declared dead at 8:40 a.m. the next day.

Ha had suffered from chronic diseases, and had surgery for liver cancer seven times.

Born in 1946, Ha studied theology at the Presbyterian College and Theological Seminary.

He established Onnuri church in 1985, with 12 neighborhood families as the first followers. The church grew to become one of the nation’s largest churches with nine sanctuaries, four prayer houses and 25 branches across the country. It has a congregation of 75,000, and has sent 1,220 missionaries to countries worldwide.

Ha was also the vice head of the Korean Association of Independent Churches and Missions and the president of Torch Trinity Graduate School of Theology.

The pastor promoted “cultural preaching.” Before establishing Onnuri, he set up Duranno, a publishing company, in 1980 that published books on Christianity. The pastor himself wrote several books during his lifetime.

Maintaining close ties with celebrities, Ha held a missionary gathering titled “Love Sonata” in Japan since 2006 together with hallyu star Onnuri church members. He officiated at the wedding of Shinsegae Group Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin’s remarriage in May.

Ha is survived by a wife and two children.

A memorial alter was set up at the church in Yongsan, central Seoul.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday at the church and continue at the burial ground in Wonju, Gangwon Province.