The Story of a Be:Loved Church

Written By Guest User

Forging Forward in Aotearoa New Zealand

In the heart of Auckland City, where the buzz of urban life meets the quiet struggles of those on society’s margins, Rev. Won Hyuk Joung is doing ministry differently. As an Upper City Outreach Minister and leader of WeCare Ministry and BE:LOVED Church, Won is forging a new kind of faith community—one rooted not in programmes or buildings, but in presence, relationship and compassion.

Every Sunday, a public square in Auckland transforms into sacred space. With coffee brewing, music flowing, and open hearts welcoming all who pass by, WeCare offers connection and belonging. Here, university students and young professionals mingle with rough sleepers and marginalised individuals. Some come for a warm drink, others for prayer or conversation. All are met with dignity.

This unconventional approach has deep roots in Won’s own vision: to be a “church for the unchurched”—a place where questions are welcomed, stories are heard, and healing begins in community.

“WeCare is about intentionally engaging with our city,” Won explains. “We don’t just serve—we show up. We hold space where people feel seen, known, and loved. That’s where the gospel comes alive.”

Becoming the Church in the Heart of the City

“What started as an event-based outreach slowly grew into something more organic and relational,” he reflects. “Now, we’re a consistent, trusted presence. We’re not just inviting people into church—we’re being the Church in the heart of the city.”

That commitment led to the birth of BE:LOVED Church, a spiritual home that emerged from the very community WeCare was reaching. Today, it provides support, discipleship, and a shared rhythm of life for those who are both serving and being served.

But this movement isn’t about handouts or heroism. For Won, the goal is transformation—of both the city and those within it. That means empowering local residents, especially those who’ve experienced marginalisation, to become caregivers themselves.

“It’s not just about meeting needs,” he says. “It’s about calling out purpose. We want to see people become agents of care—offering what they’ve received to others.”

One of the ways WeCare is doing this is through creative initiatives like WeSing, where music becomes a bridge between stories and souls. “Music connects,” Won suggests, “it allows people to express what words can’t. And in that shared space, healing often begins.”

Along the way, Won has learned that ministry doesn’t always look like a sermon or a service. “Transformation usually doesn’t happen in a hurry—or in a church building,” he says. “It happens in slow, sacred moments—when you hold a coffee for someone whose hands are shaking, or sit with a story that has no tidy ending.”

That kind of pastoral presence demands more than patience—it demands humility. “I’ve had to face my own discomforts and judgements,” he admits. “There are times I want to pull back from people carrying deep trauma, but then I remember the ‘odour of sin’ Christ bore for me. That humbles me. It reshapes my calling.”

For Won, being the hands and feet of Jesus means embodying God’s love in tangible, human ways. “It’s showing up—not just spiritually, but practically. It’s listening without trying to fix, and walking alongside people in their real lives. We know that Jesus is already at work—we’re just joining Him.”

In this journey, Forge Aotearoa has been an important companion. “Forge Aotearoa is a gathering of people with a deep heart to serve the Church and the world through diverse expressions of church. Forge provides a space and community for us to wrestle with important and hard questions like: What should the Church look like today and where is Jesus already at work in our world? It helps us stay faithful and creative in a world that’s constantly shifting.”

As he looks to the future, Won remains committed to that vision: a Church that listens more than it speaks, that shows up before it invites, and that lives out the gospel in coffee cups, conversation, and community.

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