Past: While Pastor Danny Han worked on staff at a church called the Presbyterian Church of NJ ("PCNJ"), he enjoyed great favor from the PCNJ leadership. In 1999, he sensed God's calling to start a new church for a new generation. Joy Christian Fellowship was birthed on November 1, 1999. This new church would be an environment where second-generation Korean-American believers could be encouraged and equipped to step up to become leaders for their generation. By having an independent second-generation church, the second-generation believers would now be radically challenged to take on higher personal responsibility, ownership and leadership to reach their generation. With the blessing of the sending PCNJ church, JOY became only one of five Korean-American churches in the U.S. that was established with the sending church's blessing at that time. Pastor Danny takes this to be a testament of PCNJ's generosity and also God's early affirmation of His plans for JOY. Present (2006): What began as a new church plant of 50 people gathering in a small KCCC (Korean Campus Crusade for Christ) office in Fort Lee, New Jersey, has grown to over 350 people worshipping on Sundays with over 20 small groups (known as TLC's at our church). We acknowledge that it is only by God's grace that He is continuing to build a community who love Him here. We want this to be a worshipping community "where God feels right at home." In recent years, our church has been impacted to discover and show the joyful character ("face") of God to others. Several years ago, an individual had a dream warning him that 185,000 young Korean-Americans were spiritually dying in the East Coast. If nothing is done, the number would soon become 400,000. This dream highlights what we already know is happening. About 80-90% of Korean-Americans leave the church by the time they graduate from college. One of the main reasons is because they have a misconception of who God really is and His emotions towards them. They wrongly believe that God is angry or distant when God, in fact, loves us and wants to draw near to us. In spite of our weaknesses, God delights over us. Knowing this frees us to become passionate worshippers who celebrate His love. So for our generation and for the next, we are actively pursuing God to enter into deeper places of intimacy and joy with Him. Future: We look forward to how God will continue to lead our community to fulfil His purposes in the world. First, Joy looks to continue to grow spiritually. We will grow more passionately in love with the Son of God, and surrender our lives wholly to His marvelous purposes. Second, we will engage Bergen County with the Good News of Jesus. We will invite back those who have lost touch with their faith and introduce those who have never trusted in Him. Third, we will continue to pray, give and go to world missions. Fourth, we will plant new local churches on the East Coast.