Rev. Jongkook Bang, Lead Pastor of Unnam Church located at Neolbeun Geuneul Dongsan (“Broad Shade Hill”), was born in Goryeong, North Gyeongsang Province. After losing his father at age twenty, he worked by day and studied by night, attending Daegu Theological Seminary (Daeshin University) before withdrawing. He later earned a B.A. in Korean Language & Literature from Daegu Haany University and an M.A. in Healing Counseling from Chongshin University, for which he wrote the thesis “A Study on Functional Characteristics of Christian Families for Healthy Child Rearing.” He also graduated from the Graduate School of Theology at Chongshin (Practical Theology).
Before serving in Muan, Jeollanam-do as Lead Pastor of Unnam Church, he ministered as the installed pastor of M Church in Daegu for 15 years. He served with his mentor Rev. Hyung-Uk Kim in the Gospel of the Kingdom DNA Network as Yeongnam Regional Director (4 years) and Daegu–Gyeongbuk Key Man (8 years). His ministry experience also includes Associate Pastor at Cheonggye Central Church in Muan (8 months) and service in several churches across the Daegu–Gyeongbuk region, totaling 40 years of pastoral ministry. In addition, he volunteered in prison-preaching ministry and hosted a program on FEBC–Daegu (Far East Broadcasting) for six years.
Committed to building a healthy, gospel-shaped community through the Gospel of God’s Kingdom, he cherishes each person and, together with his wife, quietly devotes himself to one-to-one discipleship to raise disciples who faithfully pass on the Gospel of the Kingdom. He lives by the motto, “a Christian who longs to be a Christian.”