By Garry Sanossian
It’s early morning and the sun is just beginning to rise as Oliver Yang climbs into his delivery truck for another workday. The 500 kilometre round trip between Sydney and Orange has become routine, but for Oliver the drive has become about more than delivering vegetables and chicken to local restaurants. Since he began this work, each journey has become a space where God has slowly stirred something deeper in his heart – a vision to move his family to plant a house church in Orange.
Trip after trip to Orange, Oliver found himself in conversations with local Korean business owners that went far beyond business. “I realised there was no established Korean community there. I could sense their loneliness,” he said.
The Town of Orange. Image sourced from Orange City Council.
“I didn’t move to Orange right away,” Oliver explained. “I needed time to discern if it was just my idea or God’s calling. I prayed for six months, asking God for clarity.” In time, that clarity came. “I felt like this would be my mission field to plant a church,” he said.
In December 2023, Oliver and his family took a leap of faith, leaving the familiarity of Sydney to plant a house church in Orange and serve the Korean community.
Before moving to Orange, Oliver was part of a house church at Sydney Crystal Church under the leadership of senior pastor Martin Song. Their network consists of 47 house churches, with Oliver having served as one of their church leaders.
Martin said, “What keeps our churches strong isn’t big gestures, its people caring for each other. Oliver is passionate about saving souls.”
Oliver’s approach to ministry reflects a deep conviction about returning to New Testament simplicity. “We just simply want to return to the early church,” he said. “When you look at the church in the New Testament, they met in houses, shared meals and prayed together. We’re trying to return to that simple church.”
This simple vision shapes a slow, relationship-focused way of sharing Jesus’ love, which Oliver sees as essential. He and his family regularly invite what they call ‘VIPs’ people who do not yet know Jesus into their home for dinner. No agenda, no programs, just honest connection over a meal of home-cooked Korean food.
The Yang family.
Beyond the dinner table, Oliver and his family continue to find creative ways to build bridges. Last year, they hosted a Korean Thanksgiving festival that drew around 20 people from six non-believing families, who came together to enjoy traditional Korean games and food.
Oliver said, “When we first invited families last year, they weren’t interested at all. They asked, ‘Is this some kind of church meeting?’”
“We didn’t push them. We just kept inviting them to dinner, sharing meals and spending time as friends.”
After a year of building relationships, Oliver gently asked if they would be open to meeting as a church. “Thankfully, God opened their hearts and they said yes,” he said. “At our last gathering, one of the VIPs, a term we use for guests, said something that really moved me, he shared that when we meet, all his worries disappear and he feels peace. That really encourages me because I see God working in our ministry.”
Moments like this have shaped Oliver’s understanding of what it means to plant a church. “I used to think it was all about my effort – like the more I put in, the more I’d see,” he said.
“That’s not how it works. It’s God’s work first. It’s never about just my plans or energy.”
While these moments of breakthrough bring great encouragement, the journey has not been without its challenges and cost. After nearly two years in Orange, Oliver says his family is still adjusting to their new life. “The biggest challenge we face in Orange is loneliness,” Oliver said. “We left a city we knew well for a place where everything is new.”
Despite the challenges, Oliver is not alone. Sydney Crystal Church continues to provide support for his ministry. “Orange is not an easy mission field, but we continue to support Oliver in his ministry,” Martin said.
Still, Oliver remains encouraged by what he sees God doing through their ministry. “What encourages me these days is that I can see God works in our ministry,” he reflected.
“This is not my job, God is with me. I don’t have to feel pressure about church planting because I’m just doing what I can according to God’s guidance. The fruit depends on God.”
Looking ahead, Oliver is preparing for their second Korean Thanksgiving Festival in September, hoping it draws even more families into community. As the house church continues to take root, he is asking the wider churches of Christ network to pray.
The Yang’s celebrate their first snowfall in Orange.
He asks for prayer for open hearts at the festival, wisdom to build relationships without pressure, strength for his family in the isolation of regional ministry and for opportunities for the Korean business community to encounter Christ’s love.
