Promise Church Focuses on Multigenerational Global Ministry

Promise Church, with two locations in New York and New Jersey, has grown from its origins as a church for Korean immigrants in the 1970s to a multigenerational, multicultural church with a global impact today.

Ben Hur, senior pastor since 2018, has worked at Promise Church since 1995. Before Hur, the church was pastored by Nam Soo Kim for over 40 years. Kim was an Assemblies of God executive presbyter and served eight years as superintendent of the Korean District Council.

Hur shares that the growth of the church has been a result of its ability to adapt to the needs of its community throughout the years.

“Promise Church began as an immigrant church, serving many first-generation Korean Americans who were working hard to establish their lives in the United States” Hur says. “Many of these early members were blue-collar workers who carried the heavy burdens and uncertainties of immigrant life. The church became a sacred space where they could worship freely, pray together, and find spiritual encouragement and community among people who shared similar experiences.”

As the years passed, families grew and the needs of the next generation of attendees changed. Promise Church created Promise International Fellowship (PFI), an English-speaking ministry for members of the church.

“Many of these young people grew up in the United States and did not speak Korean fluently, so the church created a space where they could worship, learn the Bible, and grow spiritually in English within their own cultural context,” Hur says.

As the congregations in both New York and New Jersey expand, they continue to meet the needs of the community.

“Our Queens campus in particular is located in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the world, where more than 100 different ethnic communities live within the surrounding area,” he says. “Our prayer is that PIF will continue to grow as a church that welcomes people from many backgrounds while remaining deeply rooted in the gospel and the mission of God.”

While the needs of the church members and local community help direct decisions, there is another mission of Promise Church.

“Even in its earliest days, the vision was never only about serving ourselves but about reaching others with the love of Christ,” Hur says, “Through missions, education, outreach, and child-focused ministries, the church sought to extend the gospel beyond its walls. In particular, God has placed a strong burden on our church for the next generation and for children around the world, which eventually led to our deep involvement in the 4/14 Window Movement.”

The 4/14 Window Movement centers around reaching children ages four to 14 and equipping them to share the gospel with their family and friends. This age group has been shown to be the most receptive to hearing about Christ.

“We believe that reaching children with the gospel reflects the very heart of God. Children are not merely the future of the church—they are an important part of the church today. They are not too young to know Christ or to be used by God in His mission,” says Hur.

The 4/14 Window Movement seeks to meet the needs of children locally and globally, believing that they are a priority in ministry. In addition to Sunday School, Promise Church provides community activities for children, church services for youth, after school programs, and a weekly Saturday outreach, known as Powerhouse, where they offer classes, activities, and meals for hundreds of local children. They also host events across the globe where children can learn about Jesus while experiencing professional soccer games. The church has also developed a musical program about the life of Jesus that has been performed across multiple continents.

“All of these ministries—conferences, partnerships, musical missions, and sports outreach—have helped expand the vision of the 4/14 Window Movement so that more children around the world can encounter the gospel and grow as disciples of Christ,” Hur shares.

He adds, “Both in our local community and in many places around the world, children who came from very difficult circumstances—poverty, broken families, or communities with little access to the gospel—have experienced new hope through the love of Christ. When children encounter Jesus, they often bring that transformation back into their homes, influencing their families and communities.”

Joseph Kim, lead pastor of Promise International Fellowship in New Jersey, shares about the effect of focusing the gospel towards this age group.

“The impact of the 4/14 movement has been undeniable. I've witnessed it firsthand in a number of countries,” Kim says. “Churches and communities have visibly shifted their focus toward the next generation, and the change has been transformative. Communities that had been struggling under a range of obstacles found renewed purpose once their leaders embraced the 4/14 vision.”

The church has observed the benefits of focused investment in children and teens.

“I've heard testimony after testimony from young people who grew up benefiting from what our church has poured into them…and lives being shaped by an environment that took their spiritual formation seriously from the very beginning” Kim says. 

Promise Church’s focus on multi-generational discipleship and training has led them to create additional leadership training programs, including a Bible college and a missions college. One of their current projects seeks to create support and resources for families in the church so that they are able to help fulfill Promise Church’s mission and reach others with the gospel.

“Through this training,” Hur says, “many of our leaders are now actively involved in advancing the 4/14 Window Movement, using their gifts and experiences to serve both the church and the world.”

As the church grows and adapts to meet the needs of its members and the world around it, Hur says that it all relies on the faithfulness of God.

“History offers valuable lessons for those living today. As we look back on the many things—both great and small—that God has done through Promise Church, one truth becomes clear: God is able to accomplish extraordinary things even through an ordinary immigrant church like ours,” Hur says.