In an age of constant change in North America, small Korean-American immigrant churches and their leaders face special challenges to survive.
Korean-American pastors share wisdom on small church ministry.
Almost 90 percent of the 3,500 Korean-American churches have fewer than 100 members. In early June, leaders of some of those churches gathered at TtoKamsa Mission Christian Reformed Church in Los Angeles, Calif., to pool their wisdom and to select 15 pastors to participate in a mission trip to Korea.
The 2013 conference provided a place for pastoral reflection, experiences, and peer interactions, as well as presentations in small groups. Along with providing some time to relax and reflect, it also helped give a common voice to the small churches.
“This is not just a place to pack the brain full of learning facts, but it really is a place where all participant pastors are formed for small churches ministries with their unique struggles at their current immigrant setting,” said one participant. “And it does take a ‘village’ of retired pastors, missionaries, professors, and local pastors to do the vital work of preparing pastors for this unique small churches ministry.”