Transcript Asian American Ministry

G2G Ministry
Presented to ACCESS Bible Conference
On
September 15, 2007
By
James Yu
G2G – Ministry
• Generation to Generation Ministry
• Perhaps one of the biggest concerns in our immigrant
church is the concern for our next generation. Over the
past 30 years in our immigrant history, a great chasm
developed between the generations. This caused friction
in leadership, family crisis and even to the extent of
church split. What is this chasm and how we can bridge
the generations together will be our discussion in this
workshop.
Discussion
• What is that biggest problem in our North America immigrant
church today?
– Ministry from the perspective of a single generation
– Ministry from the perspective of a single culture
– Ministry from the perspective of a single language
• As Asian immigrants living in America, what are some
tendencies that are unique to us?
– Preservation: The Lost and Found of our Culture
– Fear of Discrimination/Fear of Assimilation:
Generational/Cultural/Linguistic
– Actually we’re not unique, every foreign cultural that came to America
had to struggle through these same concerns.
• How do these tendencies affect the way we do
parenting/church?
– Impact from Culture: Patriarchal/Class Valuation/Gender Roles/Conflict
Avoidance
– Impact from Fear: Segregated and Territorial
– Impact from Isolation: Loss of Kingdom Perspective
Ephesians 2:11-22
•
•
•
11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called
“uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the
body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from
Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the
promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you
who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the
barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its
commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man
out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them
to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and
preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For
through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.
19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with
God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the
apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him
the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22
And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives
by his Spirit.
No More Ethnic Barrier:
Jews or Gentiles
• 11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are
Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those
who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in
the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at
that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from
citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of
the promise, without hope and without God in the
world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were
far away have been brought near through the blood of
Christ.
No More Cultural Barrier:
Physical & Traditional
• 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two
one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of
hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its
commandments and regulations. His purpose was to
create in himself one new man out of the two, thus
making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both
of them to God through the cross, by which he put to
death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to
you who were far away and peace to those who were
near. 18 For through him we both have access to the
Father by one Spirit.
No More Identity Barrier:
Foreigner and Alien
• 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and
aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and
members of God’s household, 20 built on the
foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ
Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the
whole building is joined together and rises to become a
holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are
being built together to become a dwelling in which God
lives by his Spirit.
I Corinthians 12:12-27
• 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are
many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one
Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given
the one Spirit to drink.
• 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say,
“Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason
cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I
do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole
body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged
the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were
all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
• 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the
feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be
weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat
with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special
modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has
combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that
lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should
have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if
one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.
• 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
Spirituality brings Equality
• 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of
many parts; and though all its parts are many,
they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For
we were all baptized by one Spirit into one
body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—
and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Individuality brings Diversity
• 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If
the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong
to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the
body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I
do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to
be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where
would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear,
where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has
arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he
wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the
body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
Interdependency brings Unity
• 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the
head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” 22 On the
contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are
indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable
we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable
are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts
need no special treatment. But God has combined the members
of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked
it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its
parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part
suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every
part rejoices with it.
• 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a
part of it.
Ethnic Identity/Assimilation
Grid
HIGH
Cell: A
Mainstream
Cultural
Cell: B
BiCultural
Cell: C
ACultural
Cell: D
Asian
Cultural
Cultural
Assimilation
LOW
Ethnic
Identity
HIGH
Trans-Cultural View of
Churches in America from the
perspective of the Chinese
Immigrant
MEC
AAC
CAC
DCC
DAC
1st GEN
CIC
2nd GEN
SIC
1.5 GEN
TBC
AAC
Asian American Culture
CAC
Chinese American Culture
CIC
Chinese Immigrant Culture
DAC
Dominant American Culture
DCC
Dominant Chinese Culture
MEC
Multi-Ethnic Culture
SIC
2nd Gen Immigrant Culture
TBC
True Bi-cultural
ICD
Intentional Cultural Development
• The church is called to Shape the Culture, not the other way around.
• What is ICD?
– Understanding Social DNA of a Church
• Understanding the complex structures within a church organization that cause them to
formulate their values and worldviews in the way that they do.
• This is done in multiple levels. i.e. Mandarin service, English service, Taiwanese service,
Different age groups, etc.
– Leveraging Cultural Diversity in the Community
• Overcoming Cultural Myopia in the individuals and the community.
• Aiding the Development of a level of awareness, sensitivity and competence in a cultural
diversified environment.
• Create Intercultural Synergy through understanding what strength each group or individual
brings to the community.
• Leverage Cultural Diversity using the synergy resulting from the dynamic and enriching
interactions.
– ILD (Intentional Leadership Development)
• Identify and Develop People of Influence for specific cultural needs.
• Ministry Cross-Training to develop Cultural Bridges between ministry gaps.
• Assemble and Position the right team member to fill in the gaps.
– Smoothing the Pathways of Change
• Leadership not Management
• Massage the Process
ILD
Intentional Leadership Development
•
Identify and Develop People of Influence
– Identify Bi-cultural or Multi-cultural leaders in your community. They are most influential in
your community’s cultural development.
– Pay extra attention to Mentor or Disciple your most influential leaders.
– Develop your leaders by offering them greater mobility to expose them to all facets of intra
and inter-church organization.
•
Ministry Cross Training
–
–
–
–
•
Assess the Cultural Strength and Weakness of your community.
Identify the Greatest Gap in your community.
Mobilize your leader(s) to cross-train between the ministry Gap.
Reevaluate with the cross-trained leaders on how to Smoothing the Pathways of Change.
Assemble and Position the Right Team Member
– Assemble the team and position the leaders that will assist with the ICD at strategic cultural
juncture. Note: not every good leader is able to escape from his or her own Cultural
Myopia.
– The team must reflect the gifts/talents needed to achieve the organizational/ministry
objectives.
– Assemble the leadership team that will reflect the cultural or ethnic demographics.
Reaction
and Q & A