Are you a woman in ministry who is seeking to gather with like-minded women for a time of encouragement and spiritual accountability? If so, please come to an introductory meeting with Betsy Wang and Chris Otani and let’s discuss what God may desire for our group. It will be on Tuesday March 27th from 1:30 to 3:30p in Livermore. Tea and light snacks will be provided. Contact Betsy at betsy@missiodeioakland.org or Chris at only1chriso@gmail.com.
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How Being a Cultural Alien is a Gift to the Church (Fred Mok) at the Bay Area Asian American Luncheon Oct 11, 2017
How Being a Cultural Alien is a Gift to the Church with Fred Mok
Presented at the Bay Area Asian American Pastors Network Luncheon on Wednesday, October 11, 2017 from 11:00 AM – 1:15 PM. Co-sponsored by the Healthy Church Leaders Initiative, in partnership with Transforming the Bay with Christ.
THEME: Whether you’re in an ethnic or multi-ethnic context, what would it be like to re-purpose your pain as a cultural outsider to be a redemptive gift for the kingdom? A conversation with Fred Mok and other pastors and church leaders.
Fred Mok is the Associate Pastor at Garden City Church in Santa Clara. He is a 2nd generation Chinese American who has been married to his wife, Judy, for nineteen years and they have four children. Fred was spiritually formed at Chinese Church in Christ – South Valley in San Jose and spent ten years there as English Pastor. Prior to vocational ministry, he spent nine years as a project manager and business analyst at IBM and Hitachi. Fred has a B.S. in Business Administration from UC Berkeley and a M.Div. from Western Seminary. Here are a couple of Fred’s reflections:
- http://breadbeforerice.blogspot.com/2012/09/second-culture-is-wife.html
- http://breadbeforerice.blogspot.com/2012/10/first-culture-privilege.html
Author Interview: Paranoid Science with Tony Alumkal
The recording for this webinar is also available here: [RECORDING]
Dr. Alumkal’s new book explores the Christian Right’s fierce opposition to science, explaining how and why its leaders came to see scientific truths as their enemy. For decades, the Christian Right’s high-profile clashes with science have made national headlines. From attempts to ban the teaching of evolution in public schools to climate change denial, efforts to “cure” gay people, and opposition to stem cell research, the Christian Right has battled against science. How did this hostility begin and, more importantly, why has it endured? Dr. Alumkal also highlights the consequences of the war on reality – both for the evangelical community and the broader American public.
About the Author
Antony Alumkal is Associate Professor of Sociology of Religion at the Iliff School of Theology in Denver, Colorado. He is the author of Asian American Evangelical Churches: Race, Ethnicity, and Assimilation in the Second Generation. He is a layperson in the Episcopal Church and his next book will be a critique of the popular “progressive Christianity’ movement.”
Webinar: Asian American churches in a multiethnic world (DJ Chuang)
The recording for this webinar is also available here.
Asian Americans are the fastest-growing racial group in the United States, projected to double in population by 2050. While many ethnic Asian churches are reaching an immigrant generation by ministering in Asian languages, new kinds of next generation multi-Asian and multi-ethnic churches are more effective with reaching English-speaking Asian Americans and a multi-ethnic community. We cover statistics and trends as well as unpacking how these new kinds of churches are doing ministry. Plus, we’ll consider the 3 best opportunities where Asian Americans can make their most valuable Kingdom contributions.
About Out Webinar Leader
DJ Chuang is the author of MULTIASIAN.CHURCH: A Future for Asian Americans in a Multiethnic World and a co-founder of Thirty Network, an initiative that’s advancing the leadership of Asian American pastors and church leaders. Professionally during the day, DJ works as a strategy consultant with the .BIBLE Registry, a new top-level domain for all things Bible.
DJ is a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary and Virginia Tech. He has been blogging at djchuang.com since 1999, curating links to resources pertaining to church innovations, including Asian American and multiethnic churches, churches with internet campuses, livestream worship services, and even multi-lingual, multi-racial churches.
Readings for this Webinar:
- MultiAsian.Church: A Future for Asian Americans in a Multiethnic World by DJ Chuang [participants receive a free digital review copy]
-
Tapestry of Grace: Untangling the Cultural Complexities in Asian American Life and Ministry by Benjamin C. Shin and Sheryl Takagi Silzer
Webinar: Discipleship Jesus-Style: the Tumbler Model (Dr. Grace May)
The recording for this webinar is also available here.
In this webinar, we consider the Tumbler model of discipleship that Jesus left us and consider some of its advantages over one off’s. Discernment, Bible study and fellowship (one of the pillars of the Asian American church) are primary examples of Tumbler discipleship. At the same time, we will look at developing the individual through mentoring and spiritual direction. The goal of the webinar is to provide some practical tools for growing disciples and core values of discipleship, such as love, equity, community, grace, mission and hope.
About Out Webinar Leader
Rev. Dr. Grace May serves as the Executive Director of Women of Wonder, Inc. (WOW!), a ministry that seeks to see Christian women leaders soar by fulfilling their God-given dreams. Dr. May is also the Associate Professor of Biblical Studies at the William Carey International University in Pasadena, CA. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), she pastored at the Chinese Christian Church of New England in Massachusetts and the First Chinese Presbyterian Church, Oversea Chinese Mission and Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in New York City. She is the contributing author to The Global God, Proclaiming the Scandal of the Cross, Growing Healthy Asian-American Churches, Seeking Harmony and most recently The Quest for Gender Equity in Leadership. She lives in the New York City with her mother and relishes tasting different cuisines, traveling and meeting God and the body of Christ in new and diverse ways.
Readings for this Webinar:
— Richard Lamb, “Michelangelo or the Tumbler? The Disciplemaking Strategy of Jesus” [Download Article]
— Elias Chacour on The Beatitudes: [view at https://ukashray.wordpress.com/beatitudes/]
— Simon’s Mother-in-Law by David E. Malick: [download pdf at https://www.cbeinternational.org/sites/default/files/02-simon-mil.pdf ]
Webinar: The Asian American Contexts (Rev. Dr. Daniel Lee)
The recording for this webinar is also available here.
In this webinar, Dr. Lee provides a vocabulary to articulate our Asian American experience. This vocabulary of concepts and ideas will serve as our toolbox, enable us to identify issues of spirituality and ministry in our lives and in our communities. Our goal is to understand the deeper dynamics of what’s happening in our lives and in our churches so we can know where to look for help and what kind of resources we need.
About Out Webinar Leader
Dr. Daniel D. Lee is the director of Fuller’s Center for Asian American Theology and Ministry and an adjunct assistant professor of Asian American Ministry. An ordained Presbyterian minister, Daniel has served in a number of ministry contexts, including campus ministry, chaplaincy, immigrant church, pan-Asian ministry, and multi-ethnic churches. Daniel is the author of the upcoming book Double Particularity: Karl Barth, Contextuality, and the Asian American Theology (Fortress, 2017) and a contributing author to The Voice of God in the Text of Scripture (Zondervan, 2016).
Readings for this Webinar:
- “Practical Theology and Multicultural Initiatives” by Mark Branson from Churches, Cultures and Leadership: A Practical Theology of Congregations and Ethnicities by Mark Lau Branson and Juan F. Martinez. [Download article]
- “Who are Asian Americans?” from Asian American Psychology: Current Perspectives edited by Nita Tewari and Alvin N. Alvarez. [Download article]
Webinar: “Caring for the Leader’s Soul” with Steve Wong
The recording for this webinar is also available here.
How is your soul today? Spiritual leadership starts from within. Jesus said that we can gain the world but lose our souls. Losing our souls will affect both our leadership and our well-being. This webinar looks at what it means to flourish in the context of spiritual leadership and consider six dimensions of soul care for the spiritual leader.
About our webinar leader:
Steve Wong is the founder of Grace Community Covenant Church and brings over 25 years of ministry experience with an MDiv in Theology from Talbot School of Theology and a PhD in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis on Asian American young adult development. He was a contributing writer to Growing Healthy Asian American Churches (InterVarsity Press, 2006). He has been trained as a spiritual director through North Park Seminary’s certificate program in spiritual direction. He is also a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory. Steve, his wife, Winnie and 3 teenagers live in San Jose. Steve is a big U2 fan, loves playing the guitar and cheering for the Warriors, and admits to enjoying Chinese bitter melon.
Some suggested books:
- Ruth Haley Barton. Strengthening the soul of your leadership. Uses the life of Moses to help the leader understand how to develop rhythms for soul care.
- David Benner. The gift of being yourself: the sacred call to self-discovery. Helps the leader see her/his true self honestly and be able to receive God’s transforming grace.
- Helen Cepero. Journaling as a spiritual practice. The title is misleading: Cepero describes many different spiritual practices, i.e., types of prayer, and situations in which each might be helpful.
- James Martin. The Jesuit guide to (almost) everything. An accessible description of the Ignatian approach to soul care.
- Henri Nouwen. In the name of Jesus. Describes the basic temptations of and needed spiritual practices for spiritual leaders.
- Evangelical Covenant Church, “On Being a Healthy Pastor“
2017 Pathway to Ministry (P2M) program
- What’s the purpose of the cohort?
P2M helps Asian American church leaders discern and clarify their call to vocational ministry. Each member of the cohort will, with the guidance of the P2M leadership team, tailor his or her own discernment program. Cohort meetings and the secret Facebook group page will be opportunities to share one’s discoveries, counsel and pray for one another, and discuss webinar topics in depth. Should the participant choose not to enter vocational ministry, we believe we would have helped prepare a strong Asian American Christian lay leader. - Who is the target audience of the cohort?
Our target audiences are (1) emerging leaders who are exploring the possibility of entering vocational ministry or (2) vocational ministry leaders who have had less than 3-5 years of ministry experience. - How large are the cohorts?
Each cohort will be no larger than 12 persons. We will sub-divide the cohorts into emerging leaders and vocational ministry leaders. - Who will be leading the cohort?
Dr. Tim Tseng will be the cohort facilitator. The webinars will be led by experienced (some well-known) Asian American leaders. - Are all cohort activities done remotely?
Yes. Because cohort members are drawn from across the U.S., all meetings will be conducted via video-conferencing. - Is the program new? How much will it cost?
The program is in its second year. We piloted it in the San Francisco Bay Area last year. And P2M is free! In fact, participants will receive a $200 grant with the potential to have it matched by other supporters. For 2017 and 2018, P2M will be funded by the Palmer Grant for Innovative Leadership Development and will be implemented in partnership with Rev. Florence Li of the American Baptist Home Mission Society and under the auspices of the Healthy Church Leaders Initiative of the Asian American Leadership Center (http://www.aaleadershipcenter.org ).
Requirements
- Apply on-line at bit.ly/p2m2017apply by February 28. The application will include a 15-minute interview with Tim Tseng. Email Tim at drtimtseng@gmail.com if you have any questions.
- Each cohort member must have video capability via computer or mobile devices.
- Each cohort member must sign up with a Facebook cohort group for on-going conversations and resource sharing.
- Each cohort member must identify a mentor who will meet with you at least once a month between April 2017-January 2018. The mentor should be able to observe you as you lead in your local setting(s). If you are not able to find a local mentor, we will help you find someone who can meet with you via telephone or video-conferencing. Your mentor should help you reflect on the development of your leadership skills (e.g., leading bible study, public speaking) and your self-care and personal growth in Christ.
- Each cohort member must participate in all five 90- minute interactive webinars where you will have a chance to listen and talk to recognized and experienced leaders in Asian American ministry and theology. The webinars will be conducted Saturday mornings [or Sunday evenings] (see tentative schedule below):
I. Leadership Self-care (March 18)
II. The Asian American Context (May 13)
III. Disciple-making (June 3)
IV. Leading congregations and organizations (September 9)
V. Public Witness (November 11) - Each cohort member must participate in seven cohort meetings conducted by video conferencing. These 45-minute meetings will be facilitated by Dr. Tim Tseng on Sunday evenings. The first will be held on March as a general introduction, the last in January as a wrap up forum. The other meetings will be conducted after each webinar to reflect on the webinar experience (see tentative schedule below)
- Each cohort member must provide a written or oral report by January 31, 2018
Asian American Leadership Center will provide the following:
- A $400 matching stipend (AALC will provide $200 to be matched by your congregation or supporters)
- Many of the resources for the webinar.
- A certificate in Asian American Christian Leadership.
- Opportunities for further mentoring and counsel (e.g., we will help you chart a seminary and ministry plan)
To apply, go to this link: bit.ly/p2m2017apply
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
- March 12, 2017 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):
Introductory Cohort Meeting [45 minutes]
- March 18, 2017 (Saturday 11 AM Eastern; 8 AM Pacific)
Webinar I. Leadership Self-care [Steve Wong, Grace Community Covenant Church, 90 minutes]
A. Stages of leadership
B. Spiritual direction of leaders
C. Peer coaching
Recommended Resources: Bobby Clinton, The Making of a Leader; Ken Shigematsu, God in My Everything: How an Ancient Rhythm Helps Busy People Enjoy God.
- March 19, 2017 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):
Cohort Meeting 2 [45 minutes]
- May 13, 2017 (Saturday 11 AM Eastern, 8 AM Pacific)
Webinar II. The Asian American Context [Rev. Dr. Daniel Lee, Director, Asian American Center at Fuller Theological Seminary, 90 minutes]
A. Some historical and sociological background about the Asian American contexts.
B. What to make of Asian American Christianity, especially in its evangelical contexts?
Recommended Resources: Erika Lee, The Making of Asian America: A History; Timothy Tseng and Viji Nakka Cammauf, eds., Asian American Christianity Reader, Jonathan Y. Tan, Introducing Asian American Theologies.
- March 21, 2017 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):
Cohort Meeting 3 [45 minutes]
- June 3, 2017 (Saturday 11 AM Eastern, 8 AM Pacific)
Webinar III. Disciple-making [Rev. Dr. Grace May, Executive Director of WOW! 90 minutes]
A. Leading bible study: Interpreting and guiding others into God’s word.
B. Leading small groups: Mistakes to avoid, approaches that work with Asian Americans.
C. Making disciples one person at a time.
Recommended Resources: Gordon D. Fee, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: A Guide to Understanding the Bible; Chris Surratt, Small Groups for the Rest of Us: How to Design Your Small Group Systems to Reach the Fringes; Greg Ogden, Essential Guide to Becoming a Disciple.
- June 4 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):
Cohort Meeting 4 [45 minutes]
- September 9, 2017 (Saturday 11 AM Eastern, 8 AM Pacific)
Webinar IV. Leading congregations and organizations: Asian American churches in a multiethnic world [Rev. DJ Chuang, 90 minutes]
A. The mission and purpose of the Asian American church in 21st century North American contexts.
B. The leadership dance – navigating different styles of organizational leadership (e.g., authoritarian, consensus-building, using assessments, inter-generational cooperation, gender, empowering next generation)
C. Public speaking and preaching
Recommended Resources: Eric S. Lane, Lessons in Belonging from a Church-Going Commitment Phobe; J.R. Woodward, Creating a Missional Church: Equipping the Church for the Sake of the World
- September 10, 2017 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):
Cohort Meeting 5 [45 minutes]
- November 11, 2017 (Saturday 11 AM Eastern, 8 AM Pacific)
Webinar V. Public Witness [90 minutes]
A. The biblical, theological, historical case for Christian public witness
B. Asian American Christians and public witness today
Recommended Resources: Donald Dayton, Rediscovering an Evangelical Heritage; Lisa Sharon Harper, The Very Good Gospel: How Everything Wrong Can Be Made Right; Stephanie Hinnershitz, Race, Religion and Civil Rights: Asian Students on the West Coast, 1900-1968; Anne M. Blankenship, Christianity, Social Justice, and the Japanese American Incarceration during World War II.
- November 12, 2017 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):
Cohort Meeting 6 [45 minutes]
-
January 21, 2018 (Sunday 8 PM Eastern; 5 PM Pacific):Final Cohort Meeting [45 minutes]
Burmese American young adult church leaders summit (Oct 20-21, 2016)
HCLI is a recipient of the American Baptist Palmer Grant. This grant provides opportunities for me to help develop emerging Asian American Church leaders. I facilitated a summit of young adult Burmese American church leaders, many of whom have poignant tales of migration and/or refugee resettlement. But they are also thoughtful and spiritually vibrant church leaders with a great future! Much appreciations to Rev. Florence Li, Director of Asian Ministries, for partnering with HCLI for this summit!
Healthy Church Leaders Initiative 