Ché Ahn

Ché Ahn (Korean: 안재호; born January 17, 1956) is a Korean-American evangelical pastor. Along with his wife, Sue Ahn, he founded Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California, in 1994. Originally a small, multi-ethnic congregation, Harvest Rock Church has grown into a megachurch emphasizing supernatural experiences, love, and equipping believers for revival and societal reformation. Ahn also established Harvest International Ministry in 1996, an apostolic network that connects over 25,000 churches and ministries across more than 60 countries.

As a child, Ahn immigrated to the United States with his family after the Korean War. A spiritual encounter at age seventeen redirected his path toward Christian ministry. Ahn earned a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. He was mentored by C. Peter Wagner, who introduced him to apostolic leadership and spiritual warfare, shaping his approach to church growth and global outreach. He is a key figure in the New Apostolic Reformation movement, promoting apostolic and prophetic governance over traditional church structures while emphasizing strategic spiritual warfare and advocating the Seven Mountain Mandate for Christians to influence societal spheres.

Early life and education Ché Ahn immigrated from South Korea to the United States as a young child following the Korean War. His father, a Southern Baptist minister, was allowed entry shortly after his son's birth, but Ahn, his mother, and his brother were only allowed to immigrate two years after in 1958. The family faced financial struggles and language barriers during his youth. He was raised by parents who heavily emphasized high academic performance, which contributed to teenage rebellion and substance abuse as he navigated cultural assimilation and strict parental expectations.

In 1996, Ahn established Harvest International Ministry as an apostolic network. Initially linking fourteen churches, the organization expanded to connect twenty-five thousand churches and ministries across more than sixty countries, focused on advancing global outreach and equipping leaders.

Books Ahn authored Fire Evangelism: Reaching the Lost Through Love And Power, published in 2006, which focuses on combining compassion with supernatural demonstrations to share faith with non-believers. He wrote Spirit-Led Evangelism: Reaching the Lost through Love and Power in 2008, exploring how believers can rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit to evangelize through empathy and miraculous signs. In 2009, Ahn published When Heaven Comes Down: Experiencing God's Glory in Your Life, discussing the spiritual purpose of divine revelations in fostering holiness and personal transformation.

Ahn also released Say Goodbye to Powerless Christianity: Walking in Supernatural Surrender and Significance in 2009, encouraging readers to move away from rigid religious practices in favor of a life yielded to the Holy Spirit. In 2013, he penned The Grace of Giving: Unleashing the Power of a Generous Heart, which teaches biblical principles of generosity and financial stewardship. Throughout his writings, Ahn maintains that believers are called to lead across all societal realms to counter humanistic influences, reflecting his commitment to the Seven Mountains Mandate within the New Apostolic Reformation framework.

Political activities and views Ahn has supported Donald Trump since 2016, aligning with political efforts such as the Stop the Steal movement after the 2020 presidential election. He spoke at a January 5, 2021, rally in Washington, D.C., where he used spiritual metaphors to declare that believers would change the political landscape under Jesus Christ's lordship while warning of consequences if Joe Biden or Kamala Harris assumed the presidency. Religious studies scholar Matthew D. Taylor described Ahn's presence at the rally as an effort to mobilize religious supporters using apostolic terminology.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ahn challenged California's COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings by holding indoor, in-person services at Harvest Rock Church despite public health orders from Governor Gavin Newsom. Facing potential fines and legal penalties, Ahn filed lawsuits arguing that the mandates violated the constitutional right to religious freedom. This resulted in a Supreme Court ruling and a subsequent settlement in which the state paid $1.35 million in legal fees and agreed to treat houses of worship equally to secular institutions during future public health emergencies. Ahn argued that the public health closures were rooted in secular and ideological shifts aimed at weakening church influence in society.

On August 2, 2025, Ahn announced his candidacy for Governor of California in the 2026 election, running as a Republican during a rally in Pasadena. He framed his campaign around platforms of faith, family preservation, and fiscal conservatism, stating that his decision to run was a response to a spiritual calling. His legal challenges against local lockdown ordinances significantly influenced regional jurisprudence surrounding constitutional religious liberties during the pandemic.

Personal life Ahn is married to Susan Roxas, known publicly as Sue Ahn. The Ahns have partnered in full-time ministry since co-founding Harvest Rock Church in 1994. They have four children: Gabriel, Grace, Joy, and Mary.