In March 2022, Kevin Nguyen planted Broken Rice Baptist Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma. The vision of the church is to connect all unbelievers to God through the Savior Jesus Christ, starting in Tulsa County.
Kevin and his wife, Qua, along with the rest of the Broken Rice team, have a burden to reach Asian Americans, which can be challenging. Kevin said there are various strongholds that make ministry to this people group challenging.
“The strongholds are multifaceted and interconnected,” he said. “Many come from some sort of other religious background or ancestral worship.
“Dishonor and shame are also factors in that there is a risk of rejection by family and the community if they put their faith in Christ,” Kevin noted. “Lastly, many are affluent and successful, which makes them blind to their need for a Savior.”
Being a new church in a community, resources are few, but outreach is very important. God has proven to be faithful to provide what is needed.
“As a new church plant, we wanted to bless our community with the giving of back-to-school backpacks,” Kevin said. “We couldn’t pay for them, but I knew it needed to be done; therefore, I prayed. One day, the children’s director at [Riverview Baptist Church, Tulsa], which is our sending church, informed me that their children’s ministry project and tithe would go to Broken Rice. The kids’ giving provided money for the school supplies, tracts and Bibles.”
Kevin said the favorite part of his ministry is being able to walk alongside hurting people and share the gospel with them.
In this way, he noted, he gets to pour God’s love on them by pouring out his own love for them. He believes everyone has value, and this is reflected by the name “Broken Rice Church.”
In the past, rice mills only sold unbroken rice grains. Grains broken during processing were unwanted and were either discarded or sold to the poor, giving broken rice the nickname “poor man’s rice.”
Over time, people began to prefer broken rice, and its worth increased. Broken rice symbolizes broken sinners being redeemed and made worthy through the work of Jesus Christ.
Ways to pray
Pray that Broken Rice would be faithful to continue the work of church planting and that faithful people will come alongside them to serve and reach the Asian American community.
Pray God would raise up ministry partners who will invest in this Kingdom-building work.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Beverly Cooper and originally published by Baptist Messenger.
