Those who have been to another country can understand the comfort that comes from encountering someone who speaks their native language.
A certain camaraderie arises from sharing a language and culture. And even though a person may be fluent in a second one, it is the native language that seems to communicate with the heart.
Because of this, more and more churches in Alabama are ministering to people in their own language and culture. Among them are 11 Korean congregations, according to Richard Alford, director of language missions for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM).
The SBOM also has some form of ministry to 13 other language groups, although there are not congregations for all of them, he said.
John Yi — a SBOM consultant for the Asian population, special language ministry director with Madison Baptist Association and church-planting missionary with the North American Mission Board — said ministry to Koreans in Alabama has been going on for approximately 30 years.
Yi works with four Korean congregations in Huntsville; one in Birmingham, Enterprise, Mobile, Troy and Daleville; two in Montgomery; a Bible study in the Auburn University area; and a Bible study-fellowship in north Alabama.
Concentrations of Koreans have arisen in different areas of the state primarily for industrial, military and academic reasons, Yi said.
First Korean Baptist Church, Enterprise, in Coffee Baptist Association can trace its beginning to the military.
First Korean, Enterprise, began as a mission of First Baptist Church, Enterprise, nearly 30 years ago and took root at the west gate of Fort Rucker Aviation Center. In 1995, First Korean, Enterprise, ranked fourth in the state for baptisms, and the church has grown to be the largest Korean congregation in the state convention, according to Alford.
And it was industry — Hyundai, a South Korea-based car manufacturer, in particular — that gave rise to the state’s newest Korean congregation, River Region Korean Baptist Church, Montgomery, in Montgomery Baptist Association.
According to Ken May, director of missions for Montgomery Association, the church began as an effort of Montgomery, Elmore and Autauga Baptist associations; First Baptist Church, Montgomery; First Baptist Church, Prattville; Beulah Baptist Church, Wetumpka; and the SBOM. River Region Korean Baptist is housed at First, Montgomery.
Alford anticipates another Korean congregation may form in response to industry in years to come as South Korea-based car manufacturer Kia locates a plant just across the state line in Georgia. Because companies supplying parts for Kia could be located in Alabama, the SBOM will pay attention to population trends in the Auburn-Opelika valley to see what happens, he said.
“We watch the demographics,” Alford said, noting that is how River Region got its start. “… We work closely with the association when we find out about concentrations of Koreans (or other language groups).”
When a language group is forming a congregation, he said it is offered the same assistance through the SBOM as any new Southern Baptist church in the state. That includes financial assistance for five years, consultation services and help securing a loan for a church building.
According to a report, “Korean Population in the United States, 2000,” from California State University, Los Angeles, and the Korean American Coalition — Census Information Center, the Korean population in Alabama that year exceeded 4,100 — having grown more than 19 percent in a decade.
“[The Korean presence] in the South is relatively much higher than other Asians,” the report noted. “Twenty-one percent of the Koreans were found in Southern states whereas only 10 percent of the Japanese, 14 percent of the Chinese and 13 percent of the Filipinos were located in the region.”
Shadrach Jung, pastor of River Region, reaches out to Asians of all backgrounds in his area. He frequents the Korean market, as well as Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese restaurants, trying to reach people with the gospel of Christ.
Jung’s church isn’t yet a year old and already sees an attendance of about 40. Since the church began, a number of people have come to know Christ as Savior, he said.
International Baptist Church of Mobile (formerly Korean Baptist Church of Mobile) in Mobile Baptist Association is now also reaching out to Japanese students at the University of South Alabama (USA) in Mobile. Pastor Jae Hyun Lee said there have been eight professions of faith just in the two years since the church began ministering to these students.
He said it is the church’s desire that this ministry will have a broader impact as the students who become Christians take Jesus with them when they return to their country.
Church members also want to meet a human need through the ministry, Lee said. Realizing the students get homesick, congregants invite them to share a meal at International Baptist on Sundays and Wednesdays.
The church also opened a Korean school on Sunday afternoons to teach language and culture. About 15 Japanese students, along with others from various backgrounds, attend the free school. The ultimate plan, of course, is to share Christ with those who attend, Lee said.
In fact, the reason the church changed its name to “international” is to reflect that the gospel is for all people, and Lee envisions a church where many different cultures worship together, saying “that is our goal.”
While worshiping in their native language is important, Korean Baptists like all Alabama Baptists understand well the need for discipleship and the power of prayer.
Miyoung Shin, Lee’s wife, leads a two-hour, intercessory prayer time each day in which many concerns are lifted up, particularly the Japanese students at USA.
Jung’s church has morning and night prayer times through the week.
“We pray for Hyundai,” among other matters, he said. And it is his hope that others in the state pray for his church.
For more information on ministering to Koreans or other language groups, call Alford at 1-800-264-1225, Ext. 220.
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