Randy Young knows what it's like to be disillusioned by church.

When he wanted the job as pastor at a former church, he couldn't figure out what was keeping him back.

"I just kept getting a lot of downturns," he said. "Eventually people came up to me and told me the truth - that I was the wrong ethnicity."

That experience hurt Young - a third generation Chinese American - but he went on to heal from it, become the pastor of his own church and now he's helping others find that same restoration.

In August, Young moved his thriving congregation, New Community Church, from Northridge to Valencia with a continued mission to find and heal what he refers to as the "missing generation."

"I have a compassion for those who have had to go through (what I did) and worse," he said.

‘The missing generation'
There is a mass of individuals who grew up in immigrant churches but left after becoming disillusioned or wounded by the church, Young said.

Some were wounded by hypocrisy, racism or abuse in past churches, Young said. Some saw fist fights or fallen leaders and some swore off church forever.

"I call it the missing generation," Young said. "The generation that went missing and no one ever noticed."

That could have been Richard Ryoo's story. Ryoo began going to church at a young age and continued to grow in his faith through adolescence until he started to see "the dirty part in church," he said.

"Pastors and elders were into the power game in politics," he said. "They liked to rule (others) who are weak and poor."

He decided "church is not for people anymore," so he quit going to church altogether.

But when Ryoo was 35, a friend introduced him to New Community Church.

"Many people in this church welcomed me and my family," said Ryoo, now 39. "They are strong in faith and (express) no prejudice about any people."

Although Ryoo lives in Canoga Park, he said he will continue to make the drive to church services in Valencia because he has found comfort, honesty and warmth at New Community.

New Community has a knack for attracting individuals like Ryoo, Young said.

The church's mission is to heal and restore wounded souls so they reflect the glory and majesty of God in this world, Young said.

"Our heart goes out to those hurt by other churches and even other Christians," Young said. "I want to help people seek that healing and restoration so they can come back to the Lord."

Coming to the SCV
While Young is aware there are several local immigrant churches, he believes there is a need for second generation churches that is not being met.

"There are fine mainstream churches here but somehow that missing generation has not connected to the mainstream church," he said.

New Community does not plan to reach the disillusioned and wounded through mass advertising but through hospitality and personal relationships, Young said.

"It's going to require church members to really demonstrate Christ's love and the power of God in our lives," he said.

"We don't seek to compete or do any sheep stealing," he added. "Our goal is to reach people that aren't being reached right now."

The congregation of about 75 members meets at 10 a.m. Sundays at Embassy Suites in Valencia.

New Community's web site is www.beablessing.org.