Spreading Joy through Religion
Pastor Kim Taek Young speaks to Joy Club members at their weekly meeting.
February 21, 2018
With the goal of providing a platform for students to hear the word of God on campus, Joy Club and Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club both hold weekly meetings to help empower the various Christian students at Diamond Bar High School.
Mimicking a Korean-style church and worship service, Joy Club meets in Korean teacher Robert Hwang’s classroom for worship. Every Wednesday, Pastor Kim Taek Young from Inland Church visits the class during lunch to spread the word of God and interact with students.
The topics he covers range from mental health to individuals connection with God. Before each service, officers of Joy Club and the pastor lead praise songs in Korean for students to follow along.
“It’s just good to have a Christian club to go to during lunch because at school it’s really easy for some students to forget that they are Christian,” president David Lee said. “ I think it’s amazing how you can have fellowship with your school peers.”
A majority of the members in Joy Club are also a part of DBHS Korean class, as the sermon and worship are in Korean. After the service, members bond together as they eat the provided lunch.
FCA, on the other hand, focuses on helping Christian athletes bond while learning about religion. During their weekly meetings, the members begin with an icebreaker for members to feel comfortable with one another then move on to small Bible study groups led by officers. After each meeting, students also bond by eating the lunch provided by the club.
In addition to the meetings, once a month, FCA holds a game day in which members of the club meet at lunch to play an outdoor game such as dodgeball or capture the flag as a group activity.
FCA is in the process of planning a worship concert for next year, to help spread fellowship and Christianity amongst the student body on campus.
“The goal of our club is to provide a sanctuary for athletes and Christians and anyone else with a place to have people to fellowship with and be comfortable around,” vice president Rachel Tashima said. “It’s a great place to hear the word of God and what he’s doing in other people’s lives.”
