The Pastoral Journey for Transforming Praxis

Since the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950, approximately 130,000 Korean women have married American soldiers and immigrated to the United States. Even today, around 3,000 to 4,000 continue to arrive annually. These women often sponsor their families of origin—parents, siblings, and their direct descendants—resulting in exponential growth that now constitutes nearly one-third of the Korean American community.

Due to limited class resources in the American social hierarchy, many of these women are relegated to manual labor. Consequently, the working-class population within the Korean American community has become increasingly larger. Among Korean women in intercultural marriages who immigrated to the U.S. through marriage to U.S. military personnel, approximately 10% are engaged in small businesses or professional occupations, 30% work in manual labor, and 60% are employed in various service industries. A majority of those in the service sector are women who have experienced marital failure, and half of them are working in massage parlors.

Understanding how these three groups—(1) self-employed or professional women, (2) manual laborers, and (3) those working in massage parlors—perceive the church will provide invaluable insights into their lives.

Korean immigrants are among the ethnic minorities who have suffered from racism, sexism, and classism in American society. The divide between lower-class Korean laborers and the more conservative, middle-to-upper-class Korean American population—combined with gender discrimination—reflects the hidden stories of sacrifice among Korean women in intercultural families. These stories are deeply embedded within the immigrant experience.

Therefore, the issues of division and alienation in the immigrant community—illustrated by the struggles of intercultural women—should not be viewed as marginal or special interest areas for the church. Rather, they must be recognized as central to the immigrant church’s mission: to raise awareness, promote human dignity, and build a just and inclusive community, both within the immigrant society and beyond. This is the true mission of the church.

1) Research Method and Procedure

In selecting the sample, the focus was placed on women from intercultural families who attend church. The study centered on Korean churches throughout the United States, categorized into three types:
(1) General churches,
(2) Intercultural family churches, and
(3) Specialized churches (such as Bible study or Christian fellowship groups for women working in service industries, including massage parlors).

The research method involved having the mission or evangelism department representatives in each church distribute and collect the surveys during gatherings. Among the three types of church attendees, 1,000 questionnaires were distributed, with an expected response rate of about 150. The actual number of collected responses was:
(1) 100 from general churches,
(2) 45 from intercultural family churches, and
(3) 55 from specialized service-industry-related churches.

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2) Sample Characteristics

Type of Church	Respondents	Percentage (%)
General Churches	100	50.0%
Intercultural Churches	45	22.5%
Specialized Churches	55	27.5%
Total	200	100%

3) Perceptions of Intercultural Women by Church Type

(1) Perception of the Church

To understand how women in intercultural families perceive the church, they were first asked why they attend church. Please refer to Table 1 below.

The overwhelming majority of women in all three church types responded that they attend church “to live rightly.” The response rate was highest among women in specialized churches (78.1%), followed by intercultural family churches (66.8%) and general churches (60%).

A noteworthy point is that the percentage of women in specialized churches who chose “to go to heaven” or “because of sin” totaled only 12.8%, whereas those in general churches and intercultural churches showed higher rates at 21% and 22.2%, respectively—indicating a stronger tendency toward traditional religious beliefs in those groups.

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[Table 1]
Why do you attend church?

Response	General Churches	Intercultural Churches	Specialized Churches	Total
To go to heaven	11%	13.4%	5.5%	10%
Because of sin	10%	8.8%	7.3%	9%
To receive blessings	5%	0%	1.8%	3%
To make friends	6%	2%	3.7%	4.5%
To live rightly	60%	66.8%	78.1%	66.5%
No response	8%	8.8%	3.7%	7%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%

(2) The Desirable Church

To understand what kind of church intercultural women desire, the question was asked:
“What do you think a desirable church should be like?”
Please refer to Table 2 below.

Among women in general churches, a majority (53%) responded that a desirable church should help individuals cultivate character and refinement.
In contrast, women in intercultural churches (64.6%) and specialized churches (80%) emphasized that the church should work to address the problems of the poor and the oppressed.

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[Table 2]
What do you think a desirable church should be like?

Response	General Churches	Intercultural Churches	Specialized Churches	Total
A place that leads people to heaven	13%	4.4%	0%	7.5%
A place to gain wealth and blessings	0%	2.2%	1.8%	1.0%
A place for character development and refinement	53%	17.8%	9.1%	33%
A place that addresses the problems of the poor and oppressed	23%	64.6%	80%	48%
No response	11%	11%	9.1%	10.5%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%

What is noteworthy here is that even 23% of women in general churches expect the church to take action in solving the problems of the poor and the oppressed. In contrast, 13% of general church women view the church as a place to lead them to heaven, while women in intercultural churches showed little interest in this aspect. On average, 48% of women from intercultural families believe the church should actively address issues facing the poor and oppressed. Among them, women from specialized churches demonstrate a stronger awareness of these concerns than those from intercultural churches.

Women in intercultural families strive to live resiliently despite their hardships. In many ways, these “internationally married women” possess admirable strengths, yet they have long experienced marginalization. Many people hold misguided prejudices against women in international marriages. Sadly, such prejudices sometimes even appear within the church—a troubling reality.

It is in this context that church members, as carriers of the fragrance of Christ, must first cultivate a proper understanding of intercultural families. From this, three pastoral directions can be drawn.

2. The Pastoral Journey Toward Transforming Praxis

1) Personal Consciousness-Raising Ministry for Identity

Through the Korean-American Women’s United Mission, the following ministry unfolds.
The first stage is one of healing—a pastoral approach that helps recover the damaged image of God within individuals who have been oppressed or distorted due to racial and gender discrimination. This stage aims to rediscover the self and restore identity by asking “Who am I?” Without this initial consciousness-raising process, the second and third stages of ministry will be ineffective and remain mere events, lacking true transformative growth. This is the recovery of personal identity. It is equivalent to the Exodus story in the formation of the Church.

As a ministry of identity formation, it deals with the soul and the self. This is a personal transformation ministry that helps individuals rediscover their true Korean identity, often lost or misunderstood, and reclaim their self-identity.

Bernard Steinzor, in The Healing Partnership, suggests that a person’s true self exists in relationship. Martin Buber similarly states, “In the beginning was the relationship.” In the conclusion of chapter one of his book, Buber argues that:

“The world of ‘It’ (objects) exists within the framework of time and space, while the world of ‘You’ (persons) does not. A unique ‘You’ cut off from all relationship becomes just an ‘It.’ Conversely, a unique ‘It’ entering into a relational event may become a ‘You.’”
He insists that to be human is to exist in relationship. Though we cannot live without objects, if we live only with objects, we are no longer fully human.

Neither “It” nor “You” is inherently evil, but it is evil when:

• “It” pretends to be “You,”
• “You” disguises itself as “It,”
• the relationship of “It-You” masquerades as “You-You,” or
• “It-It” relationships replace genuine “You-You” relationships.

Thus, true human identity is found within relationships, and this requires the proper balance between “I-You” and “I-It” relationships. Only then can human beings become what God intended: truly free, unalienated, and in the image of God.

An ancient African proverb captures this relational self perfectly:

“A person is only a person through others, with others, and for others.”
Human beings exist within the complex webs of individual, familial, social, and historical contexts. Therefore, they must confirm their true essence both internally and externally. This becomes the basis for social transformation and the hope for an open, dialogical society of equality.

Even from a uniquely advantageous position—being bilingual and bicultural—some still experience identity confusion or self-devaluation, hiding away rather than contributing to society or the community. This pastoral model begins by embracing both languages and cultures. The Christian community must ensure that no one is excluded from worship, gratitude, fellowship, mission, or spiritual growth due to language limitations. Rather than settling for basic translation or interpretation, churches should develop ministries that recognize the value of bilingualism and biculturalism and foster mutual learning and communication.

Special focus is given to education and personal growth.

As women leaders share consciousness and pursue ministry, they must cultivate a strong self-awareness as professionals and practice their identity within concrete life situations. Criticisms arise such as:

• “Some women are unwilling to give up the privileges they enjoyed by conforming to patriarchal roles,” or
• “They replicate the methods of male-centered ministry and fall into self-contradiction.”

As Letty Russell once said, this may be the result of women’s uncritical assimilation into patriarchal clergy structures. Even if women succeed in “playing by the rules” of male-dominated leadership, they may be criticized for losing their femininity or paying an unbearable physical and psychological price. In this setting, women survive only peripherally—as symbols of token inclusion or assistants.

Despite these layers of gender discrimination, or perhaps because of them, women leaders must stake their claim boldly. They must become ardent advocates of women’s rights, help men become advocates as well, and ultimately strive for a world where such advocacy is no longer necessary—a world that reflects the Kingdom of God.

To support this journey, the following tools and programs are used in workshops to help individuals reclaim their identity:

1. MMPI-2
2. MBTI
3. Homecoming
4. Focusing
5. Enneagram
6. Breathing & Fasting

2. The Pastoral Journey for Transforming Praxis

1) Personal Consciousness Ministry for Identity Formation

Through the Korean-American Women United Mission (KAWUM), the following ministry is carried out. The first stage is a healing phase, aimed at restoring the distorted image of God caused by racial and gender discrimination. It is a journey to recover identity—knowing “who I am”—and to rediscover the self that has been lost or shattered. Without this process of consciousness-raising, the second and third stages of ministry will have no real effect—they will merely end as events without generating transformation. This is the restoration of personal identity and marks the church’s exodus-like journey toward ecclesiogenesis.

This identity-affirming ministry relates to the human soul or personality. It seeks to guide individuals in rediscovering their true Korean identity, which may have been misrecognized or lost. This is a ministry of personal transformation.

Bernard Steinzor, in The Healing Partnership, states, “The self is located in relationship.” Martin Buber famously said, “In the beginning is the relationship.” In the conclusion of Chapter 1 of the same book, Buber explains: “The world of ‘It’ (object) is situated in the realm of time and space, while the world of ‘You’ (human) is not. A ‘You’ that has lost all relationships becomes bound to ‘It,’ whereas an ‘It’ that enters into the event of relationship may perhaps become a ‘You.’” He argues that to be human is to be in relationship. Humans cannot live without things, but living only among things makes one less than human.

Neither ‘It’ nor ‘You’ is inherently evil; rather, it is evil when ‘It’ pretends to be ‘You,’ or when ‘You’ disguises itself as ‘It.’ Even worse is when the ‘It–You’ relationship imitates a ‘You–You’ relationship, or when the ‘You–You’ relationship is replaced by ‘It–You.’ At its worst, an ‘It–It’ relationship replaces a ‘You–You’ interaction.

Thus, true identity is found through relationships—both “I–You” and “I–It”—when they are rightly ordered. Only then can a person live as a truly undistorted human being, reflecting God’s original image: a free and un-alienated human.

A traditional African proverb captures this well: “A person exists only through others, with others, and for others.” Human beings exist within a web of personal, familial, societal, and historical relationships. By recognizing their reality both internally and externally, individuals become the foundation for social transformation and for the creation of an open, dialogical society.

Even when bicultural and bilingual individuals are in a uniquely advantageous position, they may suffer from confusion of values or self-deprecation. Rather than contributing their uniqueness to the community, they may withdraw or be seen as problematic. This ministry begins by embracing the strengths and weaknesses of both languages and cultures. Christian communities should not allow language barriers to hinder worship, fellowship, mission, or spiritual growth. Rather than simply relying on translation or interpretation, churches should build pastoral approaches that recognize and utilize the strengths of both cultures. This is especially important in education and personal development.

Women leaders, especially, must have a strong self-awareness as professional ministers and put their identities into practice in real-life contexts. Some critiques state that women refuse to give up former privileges tied to traditional gender roles, or uncritically imitate patriarchal styles of ministry. As Letty Russell noted, this often results in “the uncritical adoption of patriarchal clergy structures.” In this case, even if a woman excels in a male-dominated ministry environment, she may be criticized for losing her femininity or suffer physically and psychologically as a result. Thus, even when women are included in ministry, it may only be symbolically (tokenism) or peripherally (as assistants). Trapped in multiple layers of gender discrimination, women leaders must first become assertive feminists themselves, helping men also become advocates of gender equality. The ultimate goal is a world where feminism is no longer needed, and men and women work together for God’s Kingdom.

To support this, workshops are conducted to help individuals recover their identity using tools such as:
(1) MMPI-2
(2) MBTI
(3) Homecoming
(4) Focusing
(5) Enneagram
(6) Breathing & Fasting
(See Appendix B for details.)

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2) Humanization Ministry for Relational Identity Recovery

The second stage focuses on those whose identity has been affirmed. These individuals are now capable of dialogue and understand that oppressing or violating others ultimately destroys their own peace. At this stage, the individual undergoes a transformation toward living together with others, and human relationships—long lost in a society of self-interest—begin to form. Here begins the basic ecclesial community (COMMUNION), initiated by communication. On the personal level, the problem of discrimination is resolved. This is the restoration of Christian relational identity—the essential foundation for an authentic church. It is the cross-bearing journey of ecclesiogenesis.

Our cultural situation tempts us with two extreme mindsets:

1. Extreme Subjectivism – “Only I matter.”
2. Extreme Objectivism – “Only God matters.”

Extreme subjectivism believes the world revolves around the self. Extreme objectivism believes the self only exists as an offering to the lofty God. The former leads to alienation and rage, denying any relation between the self and justice. The latter believes that since God is always right, we must always be wrong—even if we know better. This contradiction generates internal rage when others reject our reason or values.

Both extremes are rooted in a lack of dialogue. These polarized lives lead to silence. The Christian role is to bring these isolated individuals into dialogue—those trapped in narcissistic silence, or in blind obedience to God, must be invited into covenantal dialogue. Without dialogue, communion is impossible. A society without dialogue becomes a closed society.

As H. Richard Niebuhr said in The Responsible Self, the unsaved are closed-off beings, unresponsive to God and neighbor. The saved are open beings—living lives of open dialogue with God and humanity.

This healing ministry is spiritual in nature. After recovering their Korean identity, individuals confirm the value of having formed a family with an American spouse. This awareness affirms that their family represents the image of the Kingdom of God on earth—God’s original design for humanity. The church, too, is such a space of mutual belonging and empathy. Just as God gave Eve to Adam so he would not be alone, God created the family and the church as nests of “being with” others. This is true healing and ecclesiological transformation.

This pastoral form emphasizes the spiritual gift of healing han (한) and emotional wounds. It comforts women, especially international women, who have endured deep suffering. They experience the love of Christ and spiritual rebirth, and go on to share that love with others. Through words, expressions, gratitude, praise, and prayer, they embody a life of faith. This ministry challenges hypocrisy and illusion in human society, and leads individuals to genuine renewal of personhood in Christ.

When women come to accept themselves as they are—without self-deprecation—they can also accept others as equals. Shared womanhood fosters solidarity. Recognizing the past of gender discrimination and choosing to overcome it allows women to take action. Because of their history of suffering, women are deeply attuned to others’ pain, able to embody and speak on behalf of it. This enables not just women but all marginalized people to act for change. This is the hidden strength of women in the church.

For the recovery of relational identity, the following are used:
(1) Conflict Inventory & Self/Partner Knowledge Inventory
(2) Firo-B & Firo-F Scales
(3) Relationship Therapy
(4) Getting to Yes
(5) Six Thinking Hats

These tools are used in the spiritual training of the Korean-American Women United Mission but are omitted here due to space. They are available during actual training sessions.

3) Generative Ministry for the Restoration of Responsible Identity

The third stage focuses on the church as a model of an egalitarian community capable of dialogue. As such a model, the church begins volunteering toward individuals and groups throughout the world, engaging in relationships based on egalitarian communication. This ongoing, multifaceted dialogue of the church is called mission.

As a living cell capable of generating human relationships within a society driven by self-interest, the church must actively form such relationships within the social sphere. If the church fails to do this, it will either remain as a shell of its original form—no different from other self-serving organizations—or eventually vanish into the past. The church, as a life-giving cell that requires relationship, must live with society and teach the world—especially the profit-driven society—how to live together. This ministry of accompaniment, or voluntary suffering, expresses God’s love for humanity through the lens of relationship.

God is not only individual identity but also relational identity. Therefore, unless the church voluntarily seeks out relationships and embraces the suffering they may entail, it cannot be in relationship with God. To refuse this is to lose the source of its existence as a basic community. Moreover, it results in the loss of connection to the foundation of individual identity. For God voluntarily became flesh to liberate alienated and fragmented humanity from their isolated selves and led them to a land of relationship—the Promised Land. A body is healthy only when every part breathes and moves together. This is what we call a responsible identity.

Thus, within the society of profit, community must be generated—and these generative communities must continuously undergo transformation to maintain their vitality through ongoing relationships. In dialogue with God, we rediscover the relational self. As these gathered selves live together and voluntarily fill in the empty places (Place) and times of pain (Time), they become living witnesses, participating in the Community of Communion that prevents decay and death in the world.

This preventive ministry addresses the physical and emotional realities of life. For instance, women in intercultural families and other members of the Korean immigrant community, upon gaining new awareness of their identity as Korean Americans, begin to reimagine how they structure home and church life. Once they understand the true mission of the church, they move into communal ministry toward society.

Such new awareness will prevent further suffering and, when suffering does occur, will not abandon those affected or relegate the work of support to only a few individuals or institutions. Rather, this becomes the voluntary ministry/suffering embodied by the Incarnation—the Kenosis of Christ, who emptied Himself. Ministry in the flesh is the source of community transformation.

This ministry transcends generational gaps, intercultural divides, racial and class barriers, and unites people as brothers and sisters before God. It creates a form of faith community that does not remain inward but actively reaches out to the wider society and history. In this way, the church becomes a unique missionary tool of God. Churches composed only of intercultural women will one day be integrated into broader communities and join in social service, becoming partners in transforming history.

If we do not build this vision through intercultural ministry, the Cross and Resurrection of Jesus Christ—who is the cornerstone of God’s kingdom on earth—will lose their meaning. We must abandon fixed ideas, ethnocentric cultural attitudes, personal stubbornness, and social prejudices to fulfill the greatest commandment: to love God and our neighbor as ourselves. This requires a missional strategy rooted in profound faith that grows deep, wide, and high—making churches vibrant and responsive to today’s world.

These three forms of ministry should contribute to the growth of the church and the globalization of the gospel by activating the potential and possibilities within intercultural families.

A generative community is:

1. A community of mutual service, not domination,
2. An open community that engages with the local society,
3. A community of education and participation,
4. A community that goes out rather than merely waits, and
5. A basic community ideally organized in groups of twelve.

To support this transformation toward generative church formation, the Korean-American Women’s United Mission includes various ministries for intercultural families, such as:

1. Prayer Line
2. Homeless Shelter (Emergency)
3. Agape House (Long-Term Shelter)
4. Credit Union
5. Newsletter (Village Newspaper)
6. Nursery and Kindergarten
7. Family Counseling Center
8. Language School
9. GED School
10. Technology School
11. Food Pantry
12. Thrift Shop
13. Visitation to Mental Institutions, Prisons, Hospitals
14. Active Engagement in Local Community Issues
15. Volunteering in local police, fire, emergency response teams, PTA, school boards, councils, hospitals, senior homes, prisons (e.g., Bible study)
16. Community Center Management
17. Support Groups (Networks)

[Notes]

1. Archie Smith, Jr., The Relational Self: Ethics & Therapy from a Black Perspective (Nashville: Abingdon, 1982), p. 13.
2. Martin Buber, trans. by Ronald Gregor Smith, I and Thou (Edinburgh: T & T Clark, 1937), p. 18.
3. Ibid.
4. Ibid., p. 62.
5. Archie Smith, Jr., Ibid., p. 27.
6. Walter Brueggemann, Finally Comes the Poet: Daring Speech for Proclamation (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1989), p. 48.
7. H. Richard Niebuhr, The Responsible Self: An Essay in Christian Moral Philosophy (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1963), pp. 35–41.