Korean leader of world's largest church dies

South Korean clergyman who used to have the largest church and congregation in the world, David Yongi Cho, has died at the age of 85.

Cho died on Tuesday. His Yoido Full Gospel Church (Assemblies of God), the world's largest congregation, with a claimed membership of 830,000 as of 2007.

Commenting on the passing away Spirit Embassy, The Good News Church leader Uebert Angel said, "Pastor of the largest church on earth and a true General has gone home to be with his maker and is now seeing the face of the one he preached with so much zeal and love. Dr Yonggi Cho made a Great impact in my life during my formative years. His understanding of the Holy Spirit and dimensions of the spiritual realm was unparalleled.

"I am happy for him that he is now in the bosom of the father but sad that the world has lost a General. Pastor Yonggi's founding of a ministry based in South Korea became one of the biggest churches in the world. A symbol of the postwar growth of Christianity in Korea and the world."

Cho had spent more than 44 years emphasizing the importance of cell group ministry, which he believed was the key to church growth, as well as team ministry.