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.

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.

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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

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.”

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

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 ]

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]