ETHNIC CONGREGATIONS
BRIARWOOD PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Reaching and discipling internationals in their “heart language.”
Meet our International Pastors:
Sunghoon Shin,
Korean Pastor
Pastor Shin has served as the Korean Community Pastor with Briarwood since 2022. God
called him to full-time ministry while he was still in college, which led him to earn a Master
of Divinity from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He regularly hosts personal
Bible studies to teach Koreans how to apply Truth and restore hope in Christ as the Head of
the Church. Sunghoon is married to Young Mi, and they have one son, Jaehyun.
Kotaro Hamamatsu,
Japanese Pastor
Pastor Hamamatsu has been leading the Japanese congregation at Briarwood since 2006.
He felt a call to become a pastor the day after he became a believer, through the faithful
witness of a Briarwood missionary. He went on to obtain a Master of Divinity from Reformed
Theological Seminary in Orlando and now works to send our Japanese congregants back
to Japan as cultivated seekers or equipped believers to reach people in their hometowns.
Kotaro is married to Jackie, and together they have four children.
Luis León,
Hispanic Pastor
Pastor León has been serving the Hispanic congregation since 2018 and became the Pastor
in 2025. He is currently attending Birmingham Theological Seminary here at Briarwood in
pursuit of a Master of Divinity. With the great need for Hispanic churches with solid theology,
the church’s familial atmosphere and completely Spanish-speaking services are built to
minister to its 80 Hispanic congregants from 10 different Spanish-speaking countries. Luis
is married to Amanda, and together they have one son and another on the way.
ETHNIC CONGREGATIONS
Hispanic Congregation
Briarwood Español is our thriving Spanish-speaking congregation that worships together every Sunday morning in Shelby County. Since the year 2000, this congregation has been a familial presence in its area for Hispanics from dozens of different Spanish-speaking countries. For worship and discipleship opportunities in your heart language, you are invited to come worship with us!
Briarwood Español is our thriving Spanish-speaking congregation that worships together every Sunday morning in Shelby County. Since the year 2000, this congregation has been a familial presence in its area for Hispanics from dozens of different Spanish-speaking countries. For worship and discipleship opportunities in your heart language, you are invited to come worship with us!
Japanese Congregation
Briarwood’s Japanese Community Church is a completely Japanese-speaking congregation that worships together every Sunday morning in the Mountain View Building on Briarwood’s campus. Since the year 1993, this congregation has been ministering to Japanese people living in the Birmingham area. For worship and discipleship opportunities in your heart language, you are invited to come worship with us!
Briarwood’s Japanese Community Church is a completely Japanese-speaking congregation that worships together every Sunday morning in the Mountain View Building on Briarwood’s campus. Since the year 1993, this congregation has been ministering to Japanese people living in the Birmingham area. For worship and discipleship opportunities in your heart language, you are invited to come worship with us!
Korean Congregation
Briarwood’s Korean Community Church is a completely Korean-speaking congregation that worships together every Sunday morning right down the road from Briarwood. Since the year 1994, this congregation has been ministering to Koreans living in the Birmingham area. For worship and discipleship opportunities in your heart language, you are invited to come worship with us!
Briarwood’s Korean Community Church is a completely Korean-speaking congregation that worships together every Sunday morning right down the road from Briarwood. Since the year 1994, this congregation has been ministering to Koreans living in the Birmingham area. For worship and discipleship opportunities in your heart language, you are invited to come worship with us!