The purpose of this dissertation is to analyze, through historical methodology, the role of the transforming motive in the expansion of the Korean Church from 1884 to 1945. In order to achieve this purpose, the following research questions are raised and answered: (1) What was the Korean traditional understanding of the issues of suffering and how did the Koreans try to seek shalom through their traditional religious thoughts? (2) How did the millennial kingdom influence the missionaries and the Korean Christians in the early expansion period (1884-1905) of the Korean Church? (3) How did the suffering nation obtain hope through the expectation of the kingdom of God in the second rapid growth period (1906-1930) of the Korean Church? (4) How did millennial hope contribute to the confrontation with Shinto nationalism during the period (1931-1945) of the Japanese severe persecution?

The study is arranged in eight chapters. Chapter one includes elements of an introductory nature. Chapter two the precedent research. The third chapter gees ever research design including methodology and data. The fourth chapter deals with the Koreans' suffering and their search for peace through their traditional religions. The fifth chapter describes the early missionaries' motivation from the millennial kingdom during the early expansion period (1884-1905). Chapter six traces the swift growth of the Korean church and of the Christians' expectation of the millennial kingdom during the rapid expansion period (1906-1930). In the seventh chapter, the researcher examines the hope of the eschatological kingdom and the sufferings of the Korean church during the severe persecution period (1931-1945). The final chapter presents a summary of findings, including missiological insights from the entire investigation.

Having traced the role of the transforming motive in the rapid growth of the Korean church, the study reveals that the kingdom expectation is recognized as a significant factor in the rapid growth of the Korean church by providing valid vital motivation for the transforming motive from suffering to shalom. The kingdom expectation also provided motivation for perseverance and resistance when the Korean church was confronted with Shinto nationalism. The eschatological hope that Jesus Christ would reign over the millennial kingdom was particularly influential in transforming the motive from suffering to shalom of the Korean Christians in the period off persecution.