Jireh Church celebrated new beginnings as part of the KPCA during their worship service on October 5.
Jireh Church in New Jersey held an opening worship service on October 5, which celebrated the church's beginnings and its recognition under Korea Presbyterian Church Abroad (KPCA).
Jireh Church is a church plant that was established by some 20 people who did not agree with the direction and stances of their previous denomination regarding same-sex relationships. After becoming a part of KPCA, their numbers grew to about 40, and together they have been aiming to establish their church to focus on the gospel and a pure-hearted faith.
The church has several facets of their mission, including being a church that is not led by people but by God alone; a church that looks not only to its own interests but to the interests of the entire kingdom of God; and a church that not only builds up those who are already part of the body of Christ, but invests in those who don't know Christ.
Pastor Young Chul Kim is the senior pastor of the recently established Jireh Church in New Jersey.
Jireh Church held its first Sunday worship service on October 6, 2013, with twelve people at a restaurant. Before Pastor Young Chul Kim, who had been studying in Los Angeles at the time, was invited to be the senior pastor of the church, Pastor Sun Ryang Kim, who had been a retired pastor of a Methodist church, had been speaking at their services. The church decided on a Little Falls, NJ location for their church building this January, and completed their membership as part of KPCA New Jersey in September.
Pastor Young Chul Kim had grown up in Young Nak Church in Seoul, completed a Master's in Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary, and has had experience pastoring in Toronto Young Nak Church, Korean Presbyterian Church of Metro Detroit, and the Presbyterian Church of New Jersey.
"A church that is full of love; a church that is united in Christ; a church that heals and restores; a church that raises up leaders; a church that prepares the next generation; a church that has missions as its purpose; and a church that is new every morning - this is the church that we strive to build," said Pastor Young Chul Kim.
