Recently, most Christians in Korean have felt shame at watching the status quo of Korean protestantism. Almost everyday, we Christians faced unpleasant news about churches and clergies. At the same time, Christians feel the crisis of church growth and mission. At this moment, it would be significant and meaningful to search for the church reforms in the history of Christianity and to be taught from the past. For this reason, the writer investigated several historical events which caused the church reform consciously or unconsciously. As a result of this research, several types of church reform in the church history could be described as follows. The first case of church reform was accomplished for the purpose of the ecclesiastical and the social change by means of the political struggle. Second, for the purpose of the ecclesiastical and the social change by the revolutionary method. Third, for the purpose of structural subversion by the political struggle. Finally, for the purpose of structural subversion by the revolution. Among these four, because the second type of reform is illogical, the writer would consider the others. The rest of three cases of reform, however, whether it would be successful or not, had the limitation that could not have accomplished the fundamental reform of problems in their own era. For this, the writer has looked for the another way which was named as the fifth way of reformation and the writer considered it as true church reform. Also, it was regarded a genuine church reform as the most effective way of mission. As the fifth way of reform in the church history, the writer analyzed three historical events: the way of St. Francis and his mendicant movement in the twelfth century; the way of religious movement of Beguine in the thirteenth century; and the way of methodist movement of John Wesley in the eighteenth century. The characteristics of these movement would be as follows. First of all, these movements did not happen to struggle or criticize the existing church power and social structure directly. Secondly, even though there were leading persons in these movements, these movements were empowered by the anonymous laities. Thirdly, the participants of these movements proliferated and flourished very rapid within very limited times. Finally, They were so creative that they created new idea, theology, philosophy, and life styles. In conclusion, the writer proposed the fifth way as the ideal both for church reform and growth simultaneously. Through the fifth way, the people who are sick and tired to churches and protestantism in Korea might come into the world of hope, new spirituality, and creative life that they have never felt in the existing ecclesiastical structure. Then, new Christian communities will proliferate such as the above creative religious movements.

16세기 종교개혁 이후 근, 현대교회사에 해당하는 시기에 새로운 신학사 상체계가 수립되고 새로운 교회체제인 교파(교단)제도가 출현하게 되었다. 루터교, 성공회, 개혁교회, 침례교, 급진종교개혁세력등으로 대표되는 개신교는 저마다 교단의 정체성을 확립하는 과정에서 여러 신앙고백과 신학체계를 확립했고 교단의 운영체제인 감독정체, 장로정체, 회중정체등도 각 교파가 처한 여건과 상황속에서 발전시켜 나갔다. 한국교회사학회 창간이후, 지난 50년 동안 학회지에 실렸던 72편의 논문들은 각 교단 관련 신학과 교회정체, 그리고 일반적인 주제들(교회일치운동 포함)을 다루었다. 하지만 특정 주제가 차지하는 비중이 상당했으며 이에 주제의 다양성 확보와 보다 다양한 교단참여와 적절한 성비 비율을 위한 대책이 시급해 보였다.