Seoul, South Korea - South Korea`s Christian churches are facing new challenges to continue growing as they face increasing competition from digital distractions and criticisms about their wealth. If there is one thing that the big churches have in common with the country`s conglomerates, it could probably be the love-hate relationship that South Koreans have with the shining stars oftheir culture.
Business conglomerates like Samsung and Hyundai have been the pride of South Korea for their material success and innovations, as well as for providing many employment opportunities.
Likewise, churches has often been a source of pride in for the spiritual rise of South Koreans to become an influential Christian community.
Since Christianity`s initial boost in 1907 in the northern city of Pyongyang, about 60,000 to 80,000 churches have set up across South Korea with 16,000 missionaries currently fanned out in 173 countries.
The so-called "good Christians" have formed the country`s largest charity group. An unknown but large number of Christians have secretly fed the hungry, educated children of poor families and sent food to hungry North Koreans.
As with the country`s tarnished corporate star Samsung business group, however, some South Koreans are increasingly skeptical about the size and power of a Christian community that seems to have outgrown its original missionary spirit.
Likewise, a dozen mega-churches have, in particular, become targets for criticism, as they seem to be more interested in their size and earthly riches than about spiritual health and piety.
"If there are three things that could ruin pastors, they are money, women and complacence," said Kim Hong-Do, a senior pastor at Kumran church.
In September, it was a rare homecoming scene for 19 South Korean Christian volunteers who returned home after 40 days of being kidnapped by the Afghan rebels.
Arriving at the airport, they publicly asked for forgiveness, but instead encountered anger and resentment for having shamed the nation and damaged its international relations. Some people even threw eggs at their faces.
The indignant reaction to their return was a sobering reminder for South Korean churches that they are no longer uniformly perceived as good Christians.
Instead, critics chide their "Christian arrogance" with which they are pushing their faith towards non-believers.
"I feel uncomfortable and even upset each time I see Christian talking God on the street," said Kim Min-Chull, 29 in Seoul.
Some leading pastors even agree. "If we should blame someone for tarnishing the true Christianity, it is ourselves, pastors and elders who have been proud of big churches but have failed to do what we ought to do," said Ock Han-Um who leads one of the largest churches in South Korea with more than 30,000 membership.
"Size does not matter. What matters is how truthful way of life we are leading as a Christian," said Kim Dong-Ho, a senior pastor at God`s Will Soongui Church in Seoul with more than 5,000 membership.
Churches are taking on a variety of forms. There are a dozen of the world`s biggest churches like Yoido Full Gospel Church, while there are many small churches where a village pastor works hard to attract dozens of followers over a decade. There are also quite a few fake churches who often led people into ruin.
The churches claim membership of 12 million, but the government says there are 8.6 million Protestants - down 1.6 per cent from a decade ago - while the Roman Catholic population has increased by about 4 per cent to 5.1 million in the country of 49 million people.
The faith is also aging. In most churches, the mainstream members are middle-aged South Koreans of 30s to 50s who used to worship in their childhood in the 1960s to 1970s. "At that time, we were happy with small things like rice cake or Easter eggs," recalls Kim Min-Hye, 39, who teaches at Sunday schools at one large church.
Today, South Korea, the world`s most wired nation, is a great place for teenagers to play outside churches. They play 3D games and watch DVD films, leaving less time to worship.
Even churchgoing teenagers find it hard to resist temptation. It is often hide-and-seek game between church teachers and kids when they go missing after arriving at the church. The youths are usually found playing video games at an internet cafe near the church.
To combat the temptation, former "game boys" who used to play Starcraft in the late 1990s, and have grown up to teach Bible for their juniors, have produced something that kids would like: a 3D movie-like video clip named "ActionMan."
"I used to be a game boy," grinned Lee Kum-dong, 22, who starred the video clip. "So I know how to treat them."
Samil church is an exception, with many young members. Most of its 10,000 membership are youthful Christians in their 20s and 30s, including the largest group of university students.
Chun Byung-Wook, 45, a former business student, often appears in a cycling suit and talking about businesses like Starbucks and Apple, or about how to make a good romance.
"We do not need to stay within church. Neither do I talk only 'church' topics. We shouldn't always talk about what we have achieved, we should talk more about what we are going to do in the future," he said. "We should stretch out to the real world of business. Get involved with non-believers and share your life with them."