Korean Church Plant Helps Families in Transition
Pastor Young Yoo moved from Rocky Mountain Classis to Cascades with the idea of starting a new church in the greater Seattle area. He started, however, without a core group or place to meet. He simply started to serve and bless people in the name of Jesus.
He funded his ministry initially from the severance he received from his former church and then later through his family and friends who believed in his vision to start a cell based church. Strategically he developed a ministry to serve Korean families caught in the throes of cultural transitions and emotional issues. He uses his expertise in Pastoral Counseling to teach people in groups and then funnels them into cell groups led by a growing number of trained leaders.
As a condition for the Classis Cascades to support the new plant, Pastor Yoo was asked to challenge his Core Group agree to a covenant of commitment to the new mission. On December 7th, twelve adults signed the follow set of agreement:
We will..
Gathering faithfully (joining the weekly communion of the church and meeting with their small group)
Giving regularly (Investing in the new church and their pastor)
Serving joyfully (Using their spiritual gifts to edify the body and represent Christ in the city)
Proclaiming Christ winsomely (Especially in ways that reach their friends and family through the ministry of Sungwha)
AND Support our pastor.
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Since that time the church has continued to meet on Sundays and in three other locations during the week. Pastor Yoo has trained three cell group leaders who gather the people together for prayer and encouragement. The main function of these cell groups is outreach and spiritual encouragement. Teaching happens at their mid-week Bible Study led currently by Pastor Yoo and on the weekends. Sungwha Reformed Church currently has two cell leaders, but expects to multiply that number to 10 by the end of the year.
The Classis Cascades spans four states in the Northwestern United States. The western edge of the Classis has seen a large influx of Asian immigrants primarily from Korea and the Philippines. People with a passion to reach out to these immigrants and form churches in this region are encouraged to contact Neil Tibbott who spear heads the Church Multiplication advancement for the Classis.
