Our History

In 2021, the Hiebert Center for World Christianity and Global Theology of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) received a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment to launch a five-year (2021-2025) project called the Thriving Immigrant Congregations Initiative (TICI). During the following years, the TICI team led two cohorts of immigrant churches from various ethnic backgrounds through two cycles of a two-year learning journey (2022-23 and 2024-25). Then, in early 2025, when TEDS decided to relocate to Vancouver, Canada, the TICI ministry had to find a new U.S. organization to host and support it.

A few months later, the Open Door Presbyterian Church (Herndon, VA), a Korean immigrant church and a key partner of the TICI ministry, graciously decided to take on this role and began partnering with the TICI leadership team to shape TICI’s future plans, which include raising half a million dollars to receive Lilly’s matching grant. When the TICI ministry began at the start of 2021, during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was unclear how well this new ministry might serve immigrant churches in the U.S. Five years later, we can clearly see how God has used it to bless many immigrant churches, bringing much-needed healing and hope to these churches. So, it can only be said, “To God be the glory!”

TICI Project Leadership Team

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    Peter Cha, PhD

    TICI Director

    Before he began teaching at Trinity in 1997, Professor Cha earned his M.Div and served as a Youth Pastor and as an English Ministry Pastor in Korean immigrant churches. He went on to earn his Ph.D in sociology and has researched and written about immigrant church experiences in the U.S. and has mentored many younger immigrant church pastors over the years.

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    Joshua Joseph, M.Div

    Associate Director

    Joshua Joseph is a pastor and ministry leader with extensive experience in the Indian immigrant church. Now Senior Pastor of the same congregation, he brings continuity, cultural insight, and trusted leadership. He is pursuing a PhD in Intercultural Studies at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and is passionate about fostering healthy, thriving immigrant churches.

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    Angelica Barahona, M.A.

    Administrative Coordinator

    Angelica is a leader with ministry experiences in both South American and U.S. church contexts. Currently, she resides in West Palm Beach where she planted a bilingual church in a primarily immigrant neighborhood alongside her husband and she serves there as Director of Ministry Development.

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    Grace Teo, M.A.

    Project Intern

    Grace served with Youth With A Mission in Malaysia, ministering to refugee children and families, and in Singapore, discipling and leading Southeast Asian migrant domestic workers. Now based in Chicago with her husband, Solomon, they serve diaspora and displaced communities through their neighborhood and a Chinese American church, while sensing a call to return to Asia as missionaries.

TICI Project Consultants/Coaches

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Pastor Paul Kim

TICI Project Congregational Consultant/Coach

Pastor Paul Kim is Pastor Emeritus(FG) of Open Door Presbyterian Church’s Korean Congregation (Herndon, VA)

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Pastor John Cha

TICI Project Congregational Consultant/Coach

Pastor John Cha serves as the Assistant Pastor of Open Door Presbyterian Church’s English Congregation (Herndon, VA)

Pastors Paul and John served together for more than two decades to build a healthy intergenerational partnership between their Korean- and English- speaking congregations.

TICI Partners

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Logo of Open Door Presbyterian Church with a stylized blue door icon and black text