Chen and his wife, Sue, have been senior pastors at Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California since 1994. Choi is the chairman of the International Ministry of Harvest, an apostle network of over 70 countries and international prime minister of Wagner University. He received the M.Div. and d.min. He has written numerous books from Fuller Theological Seminary, including his latest release.
Compassionate justice, common sense policies, and justice reforms can turn California around and help the nation awaken.
1. How did you know that God was calling you to run for the governor?
There are moments in life when the direction you are heading is suddenly interrupted. Not by ambition, but by a quiet clarity that can only be explained as a call. I felt that moment in the early morning hours of April 28th, 2025. At 2:30am I felt God speak to my heart to recognize that he had been walking with him for over 52 years.
Running for governor was not part of my personal plan. But as I began to pray, sought advice, and became so deeply heavy, it was personal and public. I shared the moment with my wife Sue. Sue quickly confirmed her sense of calling. Trusted friends, mentors and national leaders repeated the same encouragement. Then came the one I didn’t write: Within an hour of throwing the fleece in front of the Lord, I received the text message followed by an email. It is a nudge that reminds God that he is watching, and he speaks precisely.
Breaking news. A story full of spirit. Subscribe to Charisma on YouTube!
Since then, I have felt a greater sense of responsibility. He is willing to lead him as a servant, not as a politician who seeks a platform. I have spent my life helping people find hope, healing and purpose. I think California is ready for the same update. It’s not just spiritually, economically, socially, or culturally. This campaign is to answer that call.
2. Why do you think you’re the right person for this role?
I have not come from the road to political machinery or traditional offices. But I bring what California believes is urgently looking for. This is authentic leadership rooted in service, personality and real-world influence.
My journey began as an immigrant. I was born in Korea and came to the US with my family in search of freedom and opportunity. My parents did things the right way, with respect, patient and deep respect for the laws and institutions of this country. Their work ethic and integrity shaped me early on.
As a teenager, I made a mistake. I dropped out of high school. I struggled with addiction. But in 1973 my life changed. I came across hope. I found my purpose. And from that moment on, I dedicated my life to helping others find the same thing.
Over the past 50 years, I have built churches, led global humanitarian work, trained thousands of leaders, and stood in the gaps when it mattered. During the pandemic, when churches were threatened with closures, I took legal action and won a groundbreaking case that protected the constitutional rights of places of worship, not just for Christians but for all faiths. That experience taught me that leadership is about standing up when others don’t do it, and doing it with both courage and compassion.
What qualifies me is not the title. That’s a track record. I was caught up in a crisis. We created a union. I fought for my family, walked hurt, and stood up to the system of keeping people out. I think leadership is about personality, not career. And I think California is ready to be a leader who listens, serves and connects people around common sense solutions.
3. How does your faith shape your vision for governing California?
My faith is not a political tool. It is the foundation that shaped all the major decisions I have made in my life. It taught us that people are important, that truth is worth protecting, and that true leadership begins with humility and service.
One of my life’s teaching poems is Matthew 6:33, and Jesus said, “First, seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness; all this will be added to you.” For me, this continues to be good when prioritizing the right things: accuracy, fairness, compassion, accountability. Safety, stability and prosperity.
This is not just a spiritual belief, but a practical approach to governing. When we care for vulnerable people, protect public safety and reward responsibility, we create the kind of society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. This includes the fetus and the elderly. This includes neighbors living in poverty and floating small business owners.
Pre-order Jonathan Kahn’s latest book, “Avatar” at Amazon.com!
Psal 89:14 says, “Rightedness and justice are the foundation of your throne, and mercy and truth go before your face.” That’s the model I believe in for the government. It’s about protecting the right thing, fixing the broken thing, and doing it wholeheartedly, not controlling it.
Whether someone shares my faith or not, I believe these values resonate: integrity, accountability, compassion, and the courage to do the right thing even when it is not popular. These are the principles of building strong communities and better outcomes. As governor, I lead from those principles every day.
4. What have been done before?
The challenges we face in California are not new, but the way we approached them didn’t work. For too long we have seen top-down leadership, driven by ideology instead of practicality, and driven by special interests rather than real-world outcomes.
What I bring is a different kind of leadership. It is rooted in service, not self-interest. I’m not here to manage my political career. I’m here to fix what’s broken and help Californians get results they can feel in their daily lives.
It starts with the basics:
We pay the highest gas prices and utility rates in the country. Our income tax is the highest in the country, rising at 13.3%. Almost a third of Californians live on or near the poverty line. Despite spending more than $24 billion on the homeless, the crisis has risen 40% in just five years. The state’s budget has lost $12 billion from a $97.5 billion surplus over the past three years.
These numbers do not refer to shortages of resources. They point out a lack of accountability.
As governor, I will focus on clear, measurable goals. That means reducing the tax burden on working families and small businesses. It means streamlining regulations, allowing job creators to flourish. This means investing in energy policies that reduce costs and make the grid more reliable.
Get our free charisma newsletter today! Stay up to date with current issues, Holy Spirit News, Christian teachings, charismatic videos and more!
It also means making an effort to rebuild trust. Audit homeless spending and redirect funds to the program. We ensure that parents, not bureaucrats, have final say in their children’s education and health. It also restores consistency to infrastructure projects by prioritizing local needs, securing roads and dams, and ending expensive Bundogurus such as high-speed rail projects that have swelled over $100 billion.
I don’t claim to have all the answers. But I ask the right question. I’ll listen. And I lead both with courage and compassion, working across the aisle to serve all Californians. Good policies should not be partisan. It must be personal. And for me, that’s true.
5. Why is this bigger than one race in California? What does that mean for our country?
California was a long time ago. What happens here doesn’t stop here – it expands. Our policies, innovations, and cultural changes often lead the nation. That’s why this race for this governor is important far beyond our state’s boundaries. It’s not just about changing who will hold the office. It’s about changing what we expect from leadership.
In recent years, we have seen a policy passing that has been quietly questioned by many Californians. Not because they are trying to make a political statement, but because they know something is off. Proposal 1 is a typical example. It allowed abortions throughout the ninth month of pregnancy. It did not reflect the values of balance, compassion, or common sense.
But instead of staying stuck in the past, we can throw a better vision for the future. Life is respected, women are supported, and children are given the opportunity to flourish. The data is clear. Investing in prenatal care, community support, adoption access and actual economic channels for young families improves results. The abortion rate will decrease. The community will be stronger. Hope rises.
Join Charisma Magazine Online and follow everything the Holy Spirit does all over the world!
This campaign is about doing hard work to update. It’s not a reactionary politics. It’s not a partisan. However, principled reforms that put people into ideology. I see it everywhere: parents, pastors, teachers, business leaders are stepping up. Not from anger, but from a common desire for California to thrive again.
Just as California goes, it is said that so is the case. If that’s true, what we’re doing here in 2026 is more important than we understand. Because if we can change things here, and if we can build a state where our families can afford to stay, small businesses can grow and all life is treated with dignity. We are giving the country new examples of what is possible.
This article was originally published in the American Faith and has been reposted with permission.
