John Choi
Since August 1989, John Choi has been serving as the Chinese Speaking Congregation Pastor of the Chinese Congregational Church. He was born in Xiamen, China, and raised in Hong Kong. He accepted the Lord Jesus Christ to be his personal Savior when he was 14 years old. He was called by God to serve Him when he was in high school. He dedicated himself to the Lord and entered Bethel Bible Seminary for their four year Bachelor of Theology program after graduating from high school. Then he served with Christian Alliance College and started a church there. He served there for 20 years, as a Bible teacher, Christian Activity Directer, and Senior Pastor. John finished the Master of Ministry program at Alliance Bible Seminary while he was serving in the Christian Alliance College and CAC Church. His family moved to Los Angles in 1986, and served a church in Torrance for three and a half years. After that time, he was called by the Lord to serve Chinese Congregational Church from August, 1989 to the present! Praise The Lord! John has been married to his wife, Lydia since 1972, and has two sons, and three grand-daughters: a blessed family from God! Praise and thanks be to God!
Erik Chou
Erik Chou was born and raised in Fresno, CA with one older brother. After graduating from high school, he entered in to UC Berkeley as an atheist pursuing studies in Bioengineering. During his time at Berkeley, Erik met some Christians who taught him from the Bible about God and Jesus Christ. He learned how he was a sinner who needed forgiveness and peace with God. About the end of Erik's sophomore year in college, God changed his heart and brought him to a conviction of his sins before God. Erik then turned from his sins and asked for forgiveness believing that Christ died for his sins and was raised on the third day, just like the Bible said. After graduating from Berkeley with a Bachelor’s in Integrative Biology, Erik finished the M.Div program at The Master's Seminary. Since then, he has served as a bi-vocational pastor since 2001 in two other churches until coming to pastor at Chinese Congregational Church. Erik has been married to his wife, Jennifer since 2003, and has four children, gracious gifts from God.
Mark Fong
Mark Fong was born in Los Angeles and raised in Fullerton. His parents met while attending Chinese Congregational Church at the 9th Place, Los Angeles building. Mark grew up attending CCC with his parents and two sisters. His upbringing in a Christian home was routine. As a young boy the habit of going to church on Sunday’s, memorizing bible verses, learning about the people of the bible, and being, in general, a nice person was his interpretation of being a Christian. While in high school, Mark questioned his beliefs as he learned how man’s (his) selfish sinfulness still existed despite being brought up in a Christian family. An older brother at CCC took Mark under his wing and he walked him through the Scriptures that taught the Good News of Jesus Christ. Mark learned that Jesus Christ restored the broken relationship caused by sinfulness and this is why Jesus died for him and all who call on him as their Lord and Savior. The journey of Mark’s spiritual growth continues today as he serves his Lord and Savior by teaching the next generation in the Lanterns Christian Education class, shepherding the flock, and serving the church body. Mark loves the church God has placed him in and he looks forward to seeing the progress of the Gospel through the ministry. Mark has been blessed to have been married to his wife Carolyn for over twenty years and currently resides in Harbor City.