Kalbi, Kimchi, and the Word of God

Engineer expats and exchange students may attend Holland Korean Church for delicious,  koren-style Kalbi barbeque and spicy Kimchi, but some of them are also encountering the living God for the first time.

“Eighty percent of the people who come to [Holland Korean Church] are non-Christians,” said Pastor John Kim of the West Michigan church plant he leads, a ministry supported by Home Missions. “They come for cultural reasons, to hear their Korean language and eat Korean food at the lunch after church. So I preach the gospel every Sunday.”

Under the wing of Bethany CRC, Holland Korean Church was started one-and-a-half years ago, partly in anticipation of a flood of Korean engineers and their families who were moving to Holland to work at the Korean-owned LG Chem battery factory.

Even though many of the LG employees are now “furloughed” and seeking temporary work elsewhere, a number of spouses and school-aged children have remained in Holland and are attending the church.

Holland Korean Church also draws exchange students from Holland Christian High School and Hope College. Many of the non-Christians who attend are Buddhist.

“We had two girls from Holland Christian High School come to our church; they were homesick for Korea,” said Kim. “They both became Christians and I baptized them.”

The veteran pastor moved to Holland a couple of years ago from the Netherlands, where he was teaching at a seminary.

Kim is currently meeting with three women, who “had never heard the meaning of the real gospel, grace, and salvation. They believed Christianity was a Western religion.”

The three women meet with Kim after Sunday lunch for a Bible study. “They have so many questions, and it’s wonderful to see them open their hearts and realize their need for Jesus.”