English Compass - bringing christian fellowship to korean americans

Korean-American Adventists

Although there may be other types and exceptions to the list below — I’ve witnessed that there are mainly 3 different kind of Adventists among the 1st generation Korean immigrants (who are Korean-speaking).

1. Those who attend church because of their love for Jesus.
This group, for the most part, immigrated to the states during the 1970s and 80s and have planted Korean Adventist churches all across North America. (There are currently over 133+ Korean Churches in NAD.) They have personally encountered Jesus and are keeping the Sabbath not to be saved -but because they’re saved have experienced the joy of salvation.

The members of this group worked 20+ hour days for 6 days a week (mostly in dry cleaners, laundromats, restaurants, grocery stores or dental labs) and still managed to plant churches and model the kind of faith that still lives on in the hearts of their children. It’s amazing to note that their children managed to go through law, medical and dental (and other) schools and are heavily involved in the local church and the mission field as pastors, elders, deacons and missionaries.

2. Those who attend church to succeed on earth and go to heaven.
This group also immigrated around the same time but do not have a personal relationship with Jesus. They go to church, keep the commandments primarily to earn God’s favor and blessing for their children. The dutifully “keep the Sabbath” to make it both in this world and to make it into heaven.

This group also worked hard to make ends meet and provide education for their children. Their #1 priority in life was their children’s success. Therefore, success was always more important than commitment to Jesus. What they wanted from church was God’s blessing and moral education for their children — so that they won’t do drugs and study hard. The last thing they wanted for their children is for them to actually make a commitment to Jesus and become a pastor or a missionary. (That’s a big no no.) They just wanted just enough Jesus for their children to receive His blessing and to succeed in this world. It’s sad to note though, while many of their children did eventually “succeed” — but they have left the church and hardly ever call their parents.

3. Those who attend church to network and socialize with fellow Koreans.
This group immigrated slightly later than the first two groups and therefore needed a social hub to network & glean information to get their business started. So, the most logical to get started was the church. So this group’s primary reason for attending church was to socialize and network. They often got baptized to “get a foot in the door” and got what they needed. Some were very business savvy and charismatic — therefore they usually acquired both the spotlight and leadership positions such as the head elder or head deacon in the church.

This group was relatively more well-off and was able to give more offering (aka expenses needed for the church). So as stated earlier, they were quickly given leadership positions in the church. So, while they couldn’t care less who Jesus was — they were leading His church. As for their children, they just attended church because their parents forced them to (kind of like the second group). And they saw their parents take hypocrisy and multi-facedness to a whole new level. While their parents were smiling, singing, behaving, and saying Happy Sabbath on Saturday — they saw them lying, cheating, screaming, fighting, getting drunk and being abusive during the weekdays. They were confused, torn and scared. So, they learned to fake it and hide it like their parents (screaming in the car, smiling at the church parking lot). And it’s also tragic to note — many of them have also left the church and semi-abandoned their parents and are pursuing the American dream on their own.

Now the 2nd Generation of Korean-Americans have become parents and are making one of the following choices:

1. The children in the first group are actively involved and engaged in the local church and are passionate about mentoring and investing into the next generation. They dedicate their time and their resources to equip and empower youth and young adults. They’re launching and planting new churches that ministers to their 3rd-generation, American-born (and raised) English-speaking children. They start foundations and non-profit organizations to educate and support children in the Third World countries. They spend their vacations in mission fields proclaiming the good news and offering pro-bono medical or dental care.

2. The children in the second and third group have sworn to not be like their parents but are fast becoming just like them. Many of them live solely for their children and some live for the weekends. They can’t wait to get away from reality and just live the American dream on beaches and great vacation getaway. Sometimes they wonder about the meaning of life and what this all means — but quickly distract themselves with more work, better cars, houses, furniture, clothes, vacations, parties and social gatherings.

3. Some in the second and third group — still pitch offerings and donations to church to feel good about themselves. They almost feel that all church wants or needs from them is money. Sometimes they go to church for their kids — but only for a good moral education for their children. (Sound familiar?) They’re often asked to serve and get involved — but they decline and offer financial support instead — or every now and then, feed the youth in their homes.

Depending on which family you belonged to and grew up with — their worldview and view of Adventism greatly varied. And depending on which youth pastor you were taught by — you were introduced to “different models” of Adventism as well.

Many youth pastors in Korean churches were under a lot of pressure to make youth ministry fun and interesting to keep the kids coming. Hence, youth ministry was more about bowling, gym nights, pizza, games, and theme parks — rather than Jesus and discipleship.

KAYAMM (Korean American Youth Adventist Missionary Movement) and Korean Camp-meetings played a role in providing an alternative social & spiritual network (other than their families, youth pastors and their youth group) that have benefited some of the Korean youth and young adults.

But unfortunately, both KAYAMM and Korean Camp-meetings didn’t have a infrastructure set in place to follow-up with the youth that have committed their lives to Jesus after their “events”.

Subsequently, the commitment that was once made for Jesus didn’t survive. They eventually subsided and the youth went back to just attending church and studying to prepare for their future (career, spouse, etc.)

So now is probably a good time for us to ask ourselves some of the following questions.

Have we been doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results?
Have we been intentional in our ministry efforts to make disciples? Or have we not?
Is there a vision set in place for the next generation of youth and young adults?
Will we continue to just do what we’ve been doing — or will we make the effort to find fresh and new ways to approach youth and young adult ministry?
Does the 2nd & 3rd generation of Korean-American Adventists need a Korean or Korean-American church? If so, what would that church look like?

Recently, I enjoyed the privilege of corresponding and communicating with several different well-meaning and passionate 2nd generation of Korean-American Adventists who have become parents and are in the process of raising the 3rd generation of Korean-American Adventists.

And here are some questions and thoughts they have shared with me.

1. Why did our parents drop us off at the Youth or English ministry venues and go off to worship separately? What did they expect? What’s was the result? Are they happy with it?
2. What message were they communicating when they dropped us off? Didn’t they want to worship with us?
3. Will we repeat this cycle and drop off our kids with a youth pastor — hoping that it’ll be enough “juice” to help them be “good kids”?
4. By being “good kids” what did our parents expect? Are we expecting the same thing?
5. Why did our parents insist that we try harder to understand math — but never insist that we try harder to understand the Bible?
6. Is youth ministry or English ministry really that effective? If not, why do we still do it?
7. How do we transition effectively to a inter-generational and multi-cultural ministry model?
8. Adult services need the energy and vibrance that youth bring, youth services need the solemnity and respect for tradition that adult services brings. separating them only sets them up for failure.
9. Why is it that I never had the change to engage in a soul-to-soul conversation at church?
10. Why is it that I learned far more about being a good kid instead of having a personal relationship with Jesus at church?
11. Why was I still treated like a high school kid at an Adventist college?
12. It is so easy to maintain that “good kid” image and role in Adventist colleges because everything is basically setup for you to act or be that kid. Just follow the rules and be good. No smoking, drinking, drugs. Study hard for MCAT and DAT. Attend church. Smile and greet older people. Do dishes on Sabbath and be in group pictures of church activities.
13. But when you get to Loma Linda, there are no rules or regulations. You are pretty much on your own. So for those “good kids” who haven’t developed that personal relationship with Christ — there is no real reason for them to stay in church.
14. Contrary to what people believe, there are more young people leaving our church in Loma Linda than some of the other metropolitan cities in US.
15. I’ve gone to church for the last 30+ years of my life and all I’ve ever talked about at church is the weather, news, sports, games and other chit chat about stuff that don’t really matter.
16. What makes us so scared to talk about deeper and personal/family issues? What causes us to try so hard to save our faces and the faces of our family members?
17. Why is Sabbath the one day where we’re not able to fully be ourselves?
18. What keeps us from being fully vulnerable and honest at church?
19. Why do we carry around so much shame when Jesus is the one who took all of our shame and died on that cross for us?
20. Is our shame (and stuff we’re trying to hide) preventing us from experiencing the abundant life that is offered in Christ Jesus?

I’ve talked to countless college and post-college Korean-Americans who have turned to drinking, smoking, cars, vacations, dramas, relationships, games, sports and just about anything else — to somehow experience “freedom” from their current reality. Church is just about the last place they would go to experience this freedom. Church events (gym nights, rallies, retreats, camp-meetings) have become a joke. They come to just chill for awhile and they off to find “better things” to do with their time. As relevant as some churches are wanting to become — they’re simply not cutting it with the Korean-American young adults. They have far more deeper issues that has not been dealt with for years.

Doctors, lawyers, dentists and other professionals that have moved on from Loma Linda or other schools are struggling to find meaning and purpose in their lives. Some who have started churches see their “parents” staring in the mirror because they’re acting just like them when it comes to church. They’re kicking out pastors and dividing the church. Because all they’ve ever learned about being an elder of the church was from their parents. They’ve once determined to never be like them — but have become just like them.

And all of this is because — the church never has become the place where they experienced an authentic encounter with Jesus.

With all the time, money, and resources that has been spent on youth or English ministry for the last 30+ years here in North America — what are we left with?
I would strongly urge you to take some time to grapple with this question. And start talking about it in your groups, circles, and churches.

Pastor Justin Yang is currently the CYE Ministries Director at Center for Youth Evangelism at Andrews University and a happy father for Enoch Yang.