A Home for those
along the Way
A Home for the Third Culture
An English-speaking International Church in Seoul for expats, internationals, diaspora, sojourner, third-culture, foreigners, exiles, Christians seeking discipleship, belonging, and a deeper life with Jesus.
What to expect
Your first Sunday,
start to finish.
You arrive at Gloria Hall and someone hands you a coffee. We start at 1:30 on the dot, so come a few minutes early if you can!
We worship together and a moment of saying hello to our neighbor. Then there are announcements, a prayer of silence and a message of about forty minutes working through a passage of Scripture, space for a response and a song to close. We aim to finish near 3:15.
Then we eat. A warm meal and a warm heart is most of what we think home means, so lunch is not an extra tacked onto the service. Breaking bread is part of it. You are welcome to slip out early, and just as welcome to stay.
Come as you are. There is no dress code, no registration, no offering plate passed to visitors, and no moment where newcomers are asked to stand up!
A welcome from our pastors
We're glad you found us.
ARK is a church for the sojourner, the third culture, the ones along the Way. We understand what it feels like to leave home, to miss home, and to try to build something new in a place that doesn't always feel like a perfect fit.
We know what it's like to live in-between, carrying homesickness while trying to put down roots. We believe God meets us in that tension, shaping our faith and giving us a deeper sense of home in Him.
Whether you're here for a season or staying long-term, our hope is that you'd find something real here. A place to breathe. People to walk with. A space to know God and be known.
We pray that you are blessed as you come, and that you will be blessed as you go.
Pastor Jiwon & JaniceOur vision
A place of refuge, rest, and recalibration.
The Ark of the Covenant was central to the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness. By centering their lives around the presence and Word of God, they found refuge, rest and recalibration for their journey.
For the third culture, the wanderer, the sojourner.
Third culture is anyone who grew up in a culture that wasn't theirs or their parents'. We long for a place to belong, a place where we are known, a place of rest. But our hearts are restless until we find our home in Christ.
Following the Way of Jesus, together.
Early Christians were known as people of the Way. In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was the home of God's presence. In the New Covenant, we the believers are the home to God's presence.
Our mission
Integrative Discipleship
Our mission is the great commission, but not at the expense of our love for God and others (our soul). Our heart is to see an integration that happens along the path of discipleship, between what we do (mission), and who we are (formation). There's never a moment of arrival but a continual process of living in the tension with humility, openness and trust.
To make disciples of the Way who are known, know, and go.
Known
Identity in the Gospel. Spiritual formation and soulcare. Safe and authentic community. Spiritual direction and mentorship. Inner-healing. Life in the Spirit.
Know
Lifestyle of worship. High commitment to biblical teaching. Priority of prayer. Gospel-centered spirituality. Loving others. Loving and serving the Church. Core spiritual practices and rhythms.
Make Known (Go)
Evangelistic heart. Global outlook. Generous sowers. Equipping and empowering workers for the Kingdom. Investing into the youth. Loving the marginalized, to bless without agenda.
Rhythms
More than a Sunday Service
Sunday is our main gathering, but the life of the church happens across the week, in prayer rooms and fellowship scattered across the city.
Sunday Service
Worship, teaching, and lunch together at Gloria Hall in Jung-gu. The front door of the church.
Plan your visit Weekdays · 7–8amMorning Spaces
An open hour before the workday. Come for ten minutes or the whole thing, no one is keeping attendance!
Find a space Last Friday · 7:30pmFriday Night Prayer
Once a month we give the evening to worship and prayer for the city. Late, unhurried, open to anyone.
Friday nights Spring & fall · 3 monthsSmall Groups
Seven to ten people who journey together through a three month season, twice a year. A meal, an open Bible, and the honest version of how your week actually went. We rest over the summer.
Find a group During the serviceARK Kids
Children's ministry in English, running at the same time as the Sunday service.
For families Once a monthARK Youth
Teenagers, once a month, in their own space. For third-culture kids doing adolescence in a culture not their own.
Ask about YouthLatest sermon
What Shall We Drink
Show Me Your Face · Exodus 15: 1-2, 22-27 · Sunday 18 October
Location
Two minutes from
Dongguk University Station.
Search 장충교회 in Kakao Map or Naver Map, or “ARK Church Seoul” on Google Maps. We meet on the third floor of Jangchung Church's Gloria Hall.
Dongguk University Station (Line 3), Exit 3, and the building is right there.
Get off at Jangchung-dong / Dongdae Entrance, Dongdae Station / Jangchung-dong, or Jangchung Gymnasium.
Before you come
Questions you may ask.
What time is the English service?
Every Sunday at 1:30pm, and we start on the dot. Coffee is out from around 1:00pm, so come a little early if you can.
We aim to finish near 3:15, then eat together. A warm meal and a warm heart is a good part of what we think home means, so most people stay for lunch.
Is the whole service in English?
Yes. Worship, teaching, announcements, and the conversation over lunch are all in English. You do not need any Korean to follow the service or to belong here.
Many of our members are learning Korean themselves, and plenty of our Korean members come precisely because they want an English-speaking church family.
What ages are the people there?
All of them. High school international kids, college and exchange students, young adults in transition, couples, and families with young children.
On a given Sunday you will be sitting near someone at a completely different stage of life to you. That is deliberate, and it is one of the better things about this church.
Is there Korean (한국어) or Spanish (Español) translation?
Not yet, but it is being built. We are working on live translation you can follow on your own phone during the service, opened from a link rather than an app you have to install. The service itself is in English.
주일 예배를 휴대폰으로 한국어 통역과 함께 들으실 수 있도록 준비하고 있습니다. 앱 설치 없이 링크만 열면 됩니다. 영어가 편하지 않으셔도 괜찮습니다. 이어폰만 가져오세요.
Estamos preparando la interpretación en vivo para que puedas seguir el servicio dominical en español desde tu propio teléfono. Sin aplicaciones, solo un enlace. No necesitas hablar inglés. Solo trae auriculares.
If you need this service and want to help us test it? Email us.
What should I wear?
Whatever you are comfortable in. You will see jeans and trainers next to shirts and dresses. Nobody will look twice.
Do you have anything for children?
Yes. ARK Kids runs during the Sunday service with English-speaking leaders. We have something for the youth. If you let us know you're coming, someone will meet you and your family at the door.
I'm new to Seoul and don't know anyone. Is that okay?
That is how most of this church started. Come on your own. You will not leave on your own.
What if I'm only in Korea for a short program or short visit? Is there a space for me?
Yes, certainly there is a space for you, and we welcome you to plug right in.
How do I get there?
Dongguk University Station on Line 3, Exit 3. We are right in front of you. In Kakao or Naver Map, search 장충교회; we are on Level 3, Gloria Hall. By bus, get off at Jangchung-dong / Dongdae Entrance or Jangchung Gymnasium.
Is there parking?
Not on the church premises, that parking is for the Korean church. Street parking around the building is fine, so if you are driving, plan to park on the street.
What do you actually believe?
We are an evangelical, non-denominational church that teaches the Bible book by book. Our full statement of faith and vision are both online, in plain language.
About ARK
An English-speaking church
in the middle of Seoul.
ARK Church is an English-speaking international church in Seoul, South Korea. We serve expats, internationals, and third-culture individuals who are looking for a deeper, more authentic Christian faith.
Our focus is on discipleship, spiritual formation, and building real community in a transient city. We help people follow Jesus with clarity, grow in their identity, and live with purpose.
ARK Church is designed for people navigating life between cultures. We create a space where you can belong, be known, and grow in a meaningful and grounded way.
If you are searching for an English-speaking church in Seoul or an international Christian community, ARK Church is a place to visit and connect. Read more about third culture faith or how this church began.
This Sunday
We're coming!
1:30pm at Gloria Hall, right in front of Dongguk University Station Exit 3. Come alone, come late, come unsure. There is a seat, a warm meal afterward, and nobody expecting anything of you.
Tell us you are coming and someone will be looking out for you at the door. Two fields are all we need; the rest is up to you.