H A RVA RD | On Campus
A Heart for College Students
REV. KIM CELEBR ATE S MILE S TONE WITH A MISSIONS TRIP
By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
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Harvard University chaplain sulted in 13 church plants in five ers of Antioch Baptist Church have
recently celebrated the 30 th nations, summer missions programs mentored pastors in their diverse
anniversary of her first international to 10-plus countries, and a grid of congregational plants. As well, count-
missions trip by organizing a com- about 60 missionary families. As well, less disciples from Harvard have
served at other U.S. and for-
memorative journey with her
eign campuses.
expansive church family.
The family’s heart for pro-
“God has used me to reach
claiming the Good News
out wherever I go,” said Re-
across the globe was born in
bekah Kim, who launched a
the 1980s while the couple
ministry to Asian students at
was ministering to the Uni-
Harvard and a nearby Baptist
versity of California at Berke-
church.
ley community.
Three decades after leading
Despite not fully recuper-
a flock of California college
ating from giving birth to her
students on a missionary ven-
son two months earlier, Re-
ture to Japan and the Republic
bekah Kim felt an urgency to
of Korea, Kim observed the
evangelize in Japan. Kim
anniversary with a group mis-
sensed the distinct impression
sion to East Asia. During the
that unless she seized an op-
summer, Paul and Rebekah
portunity to oversee the mis-
Kim, pastors emeritus of Cam-
sion involving UC Berkeley
bridge’s Antioch Baptist
students, she would miss a
Church, joined with church
greater evangelistic calling
members and other believers
upon her life.
to help spread the Gospel in
The 1987 trip was espe-
South Korea and Armenia.
cially significant for Kim as
While travelling across the
Korean peninsula’s rugged Rebekah Kim, a Harvard University chaplain, recently she grew up regarding Japan
landscape, the team of 200- marked the 30th anniversary of her first international as an enemy, a view steeped
in Imperial Japan’s former rule
plus, including nearly 20 Har- mission and celebrated her church’s widespread
evangelism efforts, especially among college
over the Korean peninsula.
vard alumni, shared God’s plan
students.
More recently, the Kims
of salvation with hundreds of
and Antioch Senior Pastor
students during a dozen meet-
Rebekah Kim oversees Harvard’s David Um, also a chaplain at the
ings on seven university campuses.
Such efforts reflect Rebekah Kim’s Asian Baptist Student Koinonia Massachusetts Institute of Technolo-
deep passion for evangelism. “Every (www.absk.org/harvard), and Paul gy, were among the contingent who
Christian should be a soldier and Kim serves as a consultant to South- jetted to South Korea.
This time, Philip Kim, Harvard
ambassador for Christ,” said Kim. ern Baptist Convention’s executive
committee.
’09, M.Ed. ’17, joined his parents for
“This world is not our country.”
By focusing much of their minis- the legacy journey, which took place
Today, the fruit of such commit-
ments from the Kim family have re- try upon college students, the found- from May 27 to June 6. Also joining
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