Pastor Choi Il-do Steps Down From Church Post
By Joo Jae-hyun
Staff Reporter
Pastor Choi Il-do, better known as the "rice-scooping pastor," has stepped down from the chief pastor post at Dail Church, a move he said will allow him to concentrate on volunteering activities to help the needy.
The 54-year-old has been the chief pastor of the church in Namyangju, Gyeonggi Province over the last two decades. Choi has set up a number of centers and institutes to help the homeless and underprivileged, providing them with free meals and medical services.
"I have thought about yielding the chief pastor post for about 10 years. I've had to consider whether it's right to retain the job for such a long time while there are many younger pastors," he told Yonhap News. "I hope my resignation will be understood as my intent to focus on volunteering work."
The work of a pastor should not be limited to stay within the church, he said.
"Preaching before hundreds of followers is not the only act of ministering. Taking care of poor people is also ministering. It can be accomplished in the streets and even in red-light streets. A church is nothing more than a building," he said.
Choi also returned 400 million won in severance pay to the church that will be used as a scholarship fund for poor students.
He has also promised to donate the 200 million won deposit on his rented home.
His resignation came almost 11 years ahead of the official retirement age of 65. Pastor Kim Yoo-hyun, 42, will succeed Choi.