(From left to right: Dr. Kevin Park, Dr. Hak Joon Lee, and Dr. Gil Jae Park.)
From April 10 to 12, the conference, 'A Vision of Building Up the Second Generation,' took place at Korean Community Presbyterian Church of Atlanta. Dr. Hak Joon Lee, the director of Generation to Generation Christian Education Center (also known as G2G) and professor of theology and ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary; and Dr. Gil Jae Park, the manager of general affairs for G2G were invited to speak at the conference.
G2G is a non-profit organization that was formed in 2007 with the purpose of helping bridge the gap between parents and children of immigrant families, to help immigrant parents to form a greater interest in the identity of their second generation children, and to help first generation Korean Christians to best pass on their spiritual heritage to the next generation.
"Within the immigrant church, education regarding the second generation is still on the outskirts of discussion," said Dr. Lee. "Although there's a culture that places a high emphasis on education, many churches are more concerned about trying to increase the number of congregants by appealing to parents who are interested in good education, rather than being deeply concerned for how to build up our children in the right way."
"The generation in which children of Christian parents simply and naturally become Christians themselves has already passed," Lee continued. "There are many examples of individuals who used to attend Korean churches regularly during their childhood but get into alcohol, drugs, and live the same kinds of lifestyles as non-believers by the time they go into college. This is a generation in which young people are wondering if there is a good reason they should remain as a true Christian."
Dr. Hak Joon Lee was one of the speakers featured at the conference, 'A Vision of Building Up the Second Generation' that took place in Atlanta.
"Up until now, Korean immigrant churches have been good at emphasizing the 'actions' of praying, serving, and giving offering, but there has been a lack of explanation as to 'why' they should be carrying out those actions," Lee said. "It's because the first generation has only been pushing the younger generation to do everything while not explaining their own spiritual stories, experiences, and theology. Many Korean immigrant churches say that they lack Korean American ministers, but we now must train and build up the 1.5 and second generation members within our congregation to become the Korean American pastors and ministers that are needed in our churches."
Dr. Kevin Park, who was ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), and was formerly the associate director of the Asian American cohort at Princeton Theological School, and Dr. Gil Jae Park spoke on Saturday, April 11. Dr. Kevin Park has over 20 years of experience ministering to youth and young adults.
"Korean American young people are not taught how to live their lives after they are saved and after they belive in Jesus," Dr. Kevin Park said. "So when they go into college, they have a difficult time spiritually. We need to teach them how to live abiding in Jesus within this world and this community."
"Also, as a minority ethnic group, we need to allow them to share about the hurts that they receive through racism or other issues, rather than letting them hide the pain. We need to help them to receive healing through the Word," Dr. Kevin Park added, explaining the resources that G2G offers regarding identity.
"Korean American youth are growing up in a completely different background than that of their immigrant parents, and is one foot closer to American society. Many of them are struggling with a deeply rooted tension they feel as they're 'stuck in between' two cultures," said Dr. Gil Jae Park.
"The incident involving Seung-Hui Cho came as a deep shock to the Korean community," Dr. Gil Jae Park continued. "And through that incident, it was as though the issues that Koreans have been facing as a minority ethnic group were suddenly zoomed in. We had countless meetings over the three years following that incident, and developed this Christian resource focusing on identity."
"Did not God call us not only to be 'in' the world, but to be 'mediators' and 'ambassadors' set apart from the world?" Dr. Gil Jae Park said. "We're hopeful and excited about the seminars that will continue regarding immigrant families and churches and building up the next generation."
