6.24 Testimony of Yonggi Cho - Instructed by the mind of Christ

This is a powerful testimony of how Yonggi Cho received instructions from the mind of Christ during a difficult trial, and went on to grow the largest church in the world.

Today, Yonggi Cho is the pastor of the world’s largest church with 760,000 members – Yoido Full Gospel Central Church in Seoul, Korea. At the age of 19, Cho contracted tuberculosis. The doctor gave him 3 months to live. A high school girl visited him and shared the gospel with him. Cho accepted Christ and she gave him a Bible. He encountered the living Christ as he read the Bible. Instead of dying in 3 months, he was out of his deathbed in 6 months.

In 1969, God told Cho to build a church building that would seat 10,000 people costing $5 million. How God supplied the finances was a tremendous testimony of faith. Cho once wrote a $50,000 check that was post-dated on 31st December. As the day approached, he could not even gather a small portion of the amount. If his check bounced, the newspapers would carry headlines saying that the pastor of the largest church in Korea wrote a hot check.

On the day that the funds had to be deposited in the bank, he still did not have the funds. It was already 5 pm and the bank was to close by 6 pm. He paced around and prayed in desperation to God. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit let a thought flow through Cho’s mind – go to the head of his bank and ask him to write a $50,000 check to Cho. He thought he was out of his mind but the Holy Spirit insisted.

So he asked his treasurer to go with him. Mr. Park said, “You have really lost your mind, haven’t you? This is December 31st. Its 5 o’clock, you have no appointment, and people are lined up to see him. Moreover, we don’t have any assets for collateral. No paper work has been done. It’s foolish. I’m not going with you.”

Cho decided to go with a “renewed mind.” When he reached the bank, the Holy Spirit said, “Walk courageously. Be very bold. Act like a big shot. Don’t pay attention to anyone else, but just walk straight to the president’s office.”

The secretary stopped him and asked him who he was, and if he had an appointment. Suddenly an inspiration came to Cho. “I’m from the highest authority,” he responded. He meant that he was from God, but she thought he was from the President of Korea. Her attitude changed and she ushered him past the line of waiting people, straight to the president’s office.

The Spirit kept repeating, “You are a child of the King, an important person. Keep acting like the big shot you are.” He walked in boldly, sat on the sofa, and crossed his legs. He told the president, “Sir, I’ve come with a tremendous project, and I’m going to do a great favor for you.” That caught his attention. He said he was the pastor of the largest church with more than 10,000 members and he would give the bank 10,000 new bank accounts, if the president did him a small favor. He asked the president to write him a $50,000 check.

The president hesitated because there was no paperwork or collaterals. Cho said he was the King’s businessman, and that they could work on the basis of trust. Then the president wrote him a $50,000 check and Cho walked out feeling 10 feet tall.

(Reference: The Fourth Dimension by Yonggi Cho, Bridge-Logos Publishers)