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It is most wonderful church that
provides practical services for
the Korean community with
sacrificial love for new immigrants. |
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Seunghae Yu, newly baptized female church member |
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MINISTRY
SUMMARY |
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New Korean Church |
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Pastor used FirstView to help identify area for church start |
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Focus on evangelism and meeting needs of unchurched Korean
immigrants |
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High commitment to prayer |
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High commitment to community |
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The Business of Faith |
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A model church for Korean immigrants transforms a Chicago suburb, bringing
down the unemployment rate while raising up disciples who are giving back to the
community—and their congregation—even more than they were given. |
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For Evergreen Christian Church (Disciples of
Christ) in Arlington Heights, evangelism is a pressing business. Two years ago, 43-year
old Choonja Choi, a recent immigrant from South Korea, stopped by a local dry cleaning
business in Arlington Heights, Illinois, in hopes of finding some desperately needed work.
Sookja Roh, the owner of the dry cleaners and a pastor's wife, not only gave this mother
of three a job, she also provided the training needed for her to start her own dry
cleaning business. That chance encounter at the cleaning counter would soon turn Choonja
into much more than a successful business owner. Within months, Sooka's husband, the
Reverend John D. Roh of Evergreen Christian Church, would extol Choonja as "number
one evangelist in our church." Pretty amazing when you consider that up until that
time Choonja had never even been inside a church, much less professed faith in Jesus
Christ.
Korean-Americans who are already established and successful have a strong desire to turn
around and help their fellow immigrants adjust to life in America. And, in close-knit
Korean communities like the one in Arlington Heights, Christian leaders like John and
Sooka Roh are putting into practice an old fashioned idea: the most effective way to
ensure the eternal security of new immigrants is to first help them develop the skills
that will affect their temporal security.
It's a practice that seems to be working. Evergreen Christian Church is not only
growing—over 70 percent of their congregation is now comprised of "Korean
Christians formerly known as unbelievers."
-Jenni Keast |
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There's more.
. . read the full story! |
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© COPYRIGHT 2008 PERCEPT GROUP, INC. |
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GO TO THE STORY ARCHIVE |
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