ISAAC Nor Cal Update (May 5, 2011)
May 5, 2011
Dear friends of ISAAC Nor Cal!
Happy Easter and Cinco de Mayo! I pray that you are experiencing the joy of the Lord regardless of your circumstances! ISAAC is celebrating its fifth anniversary this year, so we are eager to share with you what we’ve been doing since we started. We also want to unveil our hopes and aspirations for the next five years. So keep looking out for future updates. There are several important events and activities in this update. If you cannot participate, please invite your friends! – Tim Tseng
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1. Asian American Christianity: A Four Week Study (Sponsored by The Harvest Group’s Perspectives in World Christianity)
ISAAC is proud to offer this mini-course designed to help participants better understand and minister to Asian Americans!
Dates: Sundays, June 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 4-7pm.
Location: Community Baptist Church, 2215 Curtner Ave., Campbell, CA 95008.
Cost for the course is $88 (cash and checks only, register at the door).
To register on line go to:
http://www.theharvestgroupforgod.org/harvestGroup/classes.html [updated 5/17/11]
2. INTRODUCING….ISAAC Arts and Lectures?! (Not to be confused with City Arts and Lectures)
ISAAC Nor Cal will offer occasional talks and lectures on a variety of topics in the upcoming year. These talks will stimulate deeper reflection for Christian faith in Asian American contexts, but will not be so academic that only a specialized audience can participate. We call it our ISAAC scholar program!
First up is Dr. Amos Yong: Asian American Evangelical Theology: Its Legacy and Mandate
Thursday, June 16, 2011 • 7:30-9:30 PM
Location: Canaan Taiwanese Christian Church
4405 Fortran Drive, San Jose, CA 95134
To register, go to: http://conta.cc/jKCn45
Summary: The task of Asian American evangelical theology remains to be undertaken. This lecture explores the internal logic of North American evangelicalism, which minimizes the impetus toward theological thinking among Asian Americans, and suggests how Asian American evangelicals can remind their evangelical colleagues about the necessity of engaging contextual reflection for the revitalization of the evangelical theological enterprise as a whole. A shortened version of this talk was given at ISAAC’s Asian American Equipping Symposium at Fuller in February 2011. It can be viewed here: http://vimeo.com/20826365 (21:59).
About the speaker: Amos Yong is the J. Rodman Williams Professor of Theology and Director of Doctor of Philosophy Program at Regent University in Virginia. His research interests are in Global Pentecostalism, Theology of disability, Theology and Science, Political Theology, Inter-faith Dialogue, and in Asian American Theology. His books include Hospitality and the Other: Pentecost, Christian Practices, and the Neighbor (Orbis, 2008), Theology and Down Syndrome: Reimagining Disability in Late Modernity (Baylor, 2007) and The Spirit Poured Out on All Flesh: Pentecostalism and the Possibility of Global Theology (Baker, 2005). Prior to academia, Yong was a pastor in various churches in California, Washington and Massachusetts, the son of a pastor and missionary raised in Stockton. He is married to Alma and has three children. For more information about Amos click this link. He will be Canaan Taiwanese Christian Church’s English ministry retreat speaker on June 17-19.
3. Good news! The Doctor of Missiology cohort in the area of Asian North American leadership (through Fuller Theological Seminary’s School of Intercultural Studies) has been “green lighted” and is now accepting applicants for Fall 2011. Here is an opportunity to work with ISAAC scholars Young Lee Hertig, Tim Tseng, and others. Go to http://wp.me/p7DTu-i0 for more information.
4. Thank you for a great Beyond Tiger Mom event with Helen Lee!
More than 120 participants joined us at Grace Alliance Church (Milipitas) on March 19 to reflect on how parents can help their children develop missional values. Thanks to you, we also collected $455 for Japan Disaster relief via World Vision. To engage this topic further, go to http://themissionalmom.com/.
5. In the works….
(a) Nor Cal Asian American Pastors’ retreat to discuss practical theological issues related to Asian American contexts and to network and have fun!
(b) Forthcoming books: Worship on the Way by Russell Yee (a case for Asian American worship) and Asian American Young Adults Primer (title tentative), edited by Jennifer Ikoma-Motzko and Timothy Tseng (based on Five Cries of Asian American Young Adults and other authors).
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Whew! I’m glad you read this far. To reward you, here is a nice devotional reflection from E. Stanley Jones, mid-twentieth missionary to India and advocate for peace and justice…
Joy is a mark of maturity. The sad, morose type of person is immature. For that unhappiness is being caused, almost entirely, through inner conflicts and wrong attitudes toward life. When we get rid of inner conflicts and wrong attitudes toward life, we will almost automatically burst into joy. For we are made for joy – made for it in the inner structure of our beings. And when we are truly ourselves by being truly His, then we are joyous, constitutionally. Rendell Harris says: “Joy is the strength of the people of God; it is their chief characteristic.” Where there is no joy there is no Christianity, and where there is no Christianity, there is no joy. “So there was much joy in that city,” was said of the Samaritan city, because “Philip…proclaimed to them the Christ.” Christ and joy go together. Where He is, there is joy, and where He is not, there is sadness. “And he went away sadly” – everybody goes away from Christ sadly. For when you go away from Christ you go away from joy. He is joy – a fountain of joy. The Christian way is piety set to music. It is fun!
O Jesus, to know Thee is to know joy. And it is joy that is not spasmodic, but continuous. For as long as Thou art within, joy is within, and any little thing sets if off. I am joyous in the thought of Thy joy. Amen.
— E. Stanley Jones, Christian Maturity (Abingdon, 1957)
Five Cries of Asian American Christian Young Adults – resource available
After presenting the “Five Cries of Asian American Christian Young Adults” at a ISAAC Nor Cal workshop in Nov 2010, the Evangelical Formosan Church, LA’s Bridging Conference in Feb 26-28, and at the Bay Area Sunday School Convention on Mar 5, I’ve finally finalized the written presentation! It is posted at this link:
[download Tim Tseng’s Five Cries of Asian American Christian Young Adults pdf]
The updated powerpoint presentation is here:
Peter Wang’s presentation is here:
To contact Peter Wang and to receive Josh Lee’s presentations about retaining and reaching Asian American Young Adults, contact them directly at these links:
English Pastor
Southbay Chinese Baptist Church, San Jose, CA
Chinese for Christ Church, Hayward, CA
Reflections on the Symposium at Fuller
We had an exciting symposium at Fuller Seminary two weeks ago. Presentations and other information will be made available soon. To view some photos, go to this link: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=278672&id=18289178852&l=1f262fba1e
We are posting some initial reflections from Kevin Park and David Choi. Kevin Park is Associate for Theology in the Office of Theology and Worship, General Assembly Council of Presbyterian Church USA in Louisville, KY. David Choi is Senior Pastor of Praise Presbyterian Church in New Jersey. He received his PhD in church history from Princeton Theological Seminary. We invite others to share their thoughts, too!
Kevin Park:
One of my denomination’s (Presbyterian Church (USA)) confessions of faith includes this sentence:
“the Spirit gives us courage… to hear the voices of peoples long silenced…” (A Brief Statement of Faith, 70).
It takes courage to hear the silenced voices but it takes more courage for those voices to speak out. During the Asian American Equipping Symposium: Living Out the Gospel II—Asian American History—The Lost Coin, a symphony of courageous, creative, learned, and passionate voices was heard, not merely breaking the silence but catapulting Asian American history, ministry, biblical and theological scholarship to new levels. I was especially delighted to hear from Asian American women scholars, leaders and writers who wrote the book Mirrored Reflections: Reframing Biblical Characters. One of the ongoing challenges doing ministry in many Asian American contexts is that Asian American women are often still doubly marginalized in male dominated ministries of Asian American churches. The contributors of Mirrored Reflections have woven their stories with the stories of women in the Bible that results in fresh and often startling interpretations that inform and empower Asian American women and men. It was also gratifying to witness so many young 1.5 and 2nd generation Asian American scholars and pastors who are giving a resounding and robust voice to the often quiet if not silent Asian American experiences. The AAES was a gratifying experience that helped vindicate that Asian American Christianity in North America is embodied in thriving communities of faith with polyphonic voices that is multi-ethnic, multi-generational, and ecumenical, all grounded in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
David Choi:
What remains with me is the pride I felt at seeing so many Asian American scholars engaged in this topic. While the research seems to be still in its infancy, it was great to hear from so many scholars doing good work and I look forward to their future contributions. I thought, overall, the speakers were relevant and helpful (some, of course, more so than others). I also like the plan of the symposium of having panels and then having responses to them. My one criticism would be that the responders to the panels were not sufficiently critical. They understandably lavished praise (often deserved), but they usually failed to raise the kinds of challenges that could have pushed them into deeper and more fruitful waters. Perhaps this is a reflection of the nature of Asian Americans to keep the peace? I also benefited much from the table discussions. In the future, I would suggest slowing the pace a bit, especially toward the end. Our table was too tired after the last session and we stopped talking. And it’s too bad because I thought the last panel was the most interesting and I would have enjoyed a follow-up discussion. In any case, thank you again for organizing this and I hope to be able to attend the next one.
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More reflections coming soon! – Tim Tseng
Breakfast with James: Bible and Theology Overview (San Jose, CA)
Rev. James Chuck, Th.D.
Come join us for a low key, Taiwanese breakfast! James Chuck will be sharing with us a framework for the Bible and Christian theology. A trailblazer in English ministries and a mentor to many of us at ISAAC, James was pastor at SF Chinatown’s First Chinese Baptist for forty years and is Professor Emeritus of Theology at American Baptist Seminary of the West.
Location:
Canaan Taiwanese Christian Church, 4405 Fortran Court, San Jose, CA 95134
Dates/Times:
Saturday, March 12, 9:00 – 11:30 am
Saturday, March 26, 9:00 – 11:30 am
Saturday, April 2, 9:00 – 11:30 am
[Click here to register!] [Download Breakfast With James PPT Slide]
MARCH 12: OLD TESTAMENT OVERVIEW
How to read Genesis 1- 11; constructing an Old Testament timeline with Abraham, Moves, David, and Ezra as pivotal figures; the prophetic movement; the psalms and wisdom literature; the formation of the Old Testament canon; and the relevance of the Old Testament to Christian life and mission.
MARCH 26: NEW TESTAMENT OVERVIEW
The New Testament world; the four Gospels; the growth of the early church; the Pauline Epistles; Hebrews and the General Letters; the Revelation of John; the development of the New Testament canon; the New Testament in Christian life and mission.
APRIL 2: CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY OVERVIEW
The nature of the theological enterprise; the meaning of revelation; the Triune God; God and the presence of evil; humanity as creature, sinner, and new being in Christ; the person and work of Jesus Christ; the life and mission of the church; Christian faith in the context of world religions; and the Christian hope.
What people are saying about James:
Dr. Chuck has taught in seminary but can speak helpfully to lay persons… he has a relaxed style of presentation, a sense of humor, and great rapport with the audience.
Dr. Chuck is a rare teacher who possesses the combination of knowledge, experience, and wisdom. In three sessions, he told the story, both historically and theologically, of how Christianity developed into what it is today. I recommend Dr. Chuck’s series highly to all who are seeking to improve their knowledge of the fundamentals.
Dr. Chuck did a great job with the Overview presentations. He promotes a non-threatening informal environment which is conducive to learning and fellowship. He knows his subject matter and can condense complex theological concepts to that they can be understood, and he is able to tailor the presentations to fit his audience.
The sessions outlined in broad strokes the major events documented in the Bible, and raises thought provoking questions that an individual needs to wrestle with in his or her spiritual journey.
Our church people enjoyed the presentations, the informal fellowship, and the singing.
Asian North American Doctor of Missiology Cohort with Fuller Theological Seminary and ISAAC
Are you a leader seeking to focus on dynamic issues or burning questions within your context so that you can bring about change? We invite you to join us in this exciting program!
The School of Intercultural Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary is pleased to announce that an Asian North American Missiology Cohort is gathering interest for a Fall 2011 launch with an on-campus intensive tentatively scheduled for November 28 -December 8, 2011.
As a group of missional practitioners, the ANA Missiology Cohort will collectively unpack unexamined assumptions that dictate ministry practices in such locales as the immigrant church, the Pan-Asian American church, parachurch ministries, and various mission organizations.
With this four-year program, key leaders will continue their ministries in-context, attending a cohort-based intensive once a year for four years. Each intensive consists of an eight-unit tutorial and a four-unit methodological course that will move research forward.
Students will study with a cohort of scholar-practitioners as faculty, including Dr. Mark Hopkins, Director of the Doctor of Missiology and Assistant Professor of Leadership at Fuller Seminary, Rev. Dr. Young Lee Hertig, Southern California Regional Director of ISAAC (Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity)/AAWOL (Asian American Women on Leadership), and Rev. Dr. Timothy Tseng, Executive Director of ISAAC, who will serve as the primary cohort mentor. Further faculty will be scheduled to address the specific needs and goals of cohort participants.
Interested? Add your name to the ANA Missiology DMiss cohort “gathering interest” list by e-mailing dmiss@fuller.edu. All cohorts require a minimum number of interested applicants to be launched. The launch determination deadline for the cohort is April 29, 2011.
For further information please visit our website at www.fuller.edu/dmiss or contact Dave Stutzman at 626.584.5299.
Invite your colleagues and friends to join you in researching how you can strengthen your ministry!
Beyond Tiger Parenting – Becoming Missional! (Mar 19, Nor Cal)
The recent book Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chua has raised a number of questions about what it means to be a good parent, and to what lengths parents should go to ensure their children’s success. At this ISAAC Nor Cal event, parents are invited to meet award-winning author Helen Lee, author of a new book, Missional Mom. Talk with Helen about how to better understand the shortcomings of Chua’s “Tiger Mom” approach and how a missional parent sees success in very different terms.
Some highlights:
- Child care will be provided!
- Register your church and receive free admission for all your members!
- Nor Cal Member churches ($500 and up/year) receive an additional discount for The Missional Mom.
- Promote this event at your church! Click to download a Bulletin Insert and a Powerpoint Slide.
- We’ll begin a Facebook discussion page later this week so you can chat with Helen Lee prior to the worship. She’ll be happy to talk to you about how she understands “missional” parenting, why she chose to home-school her kids, what it’s like to work for Christianity Today, etc.
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| Helen Lee |
Tentative Topics:
–What’s wrong with the Tiger Mom approach?
–What success narratives do we embrace in our own parenting, and why?
–What are the major cultural influences that affect our parenting?
–How does the missional approach differ from that of typical modern-day parenting?
–How do you create a missional family culture?
–How do you encourage missional living in your children? What are the ramifications of not doing so?
About the book: Women have been the secret weapon in the church since the beginning of its existence, contributing significantly to the progress the church has made in the world. These were ordinary women doing extraordinary things, not out of a desire to bring credit to themselves, but from sincere hearts to serve and love those whom God has called them to serve.
Today the missional movement sweeping the church encourages all believers to adopt a mission-oriented perspective.
Helen Lee looked for mothers who lived with God-directed intentionality and purpose in their family life as well as in whatever other context God had placed them. In The Missional Mom you’ll find women who deeply desire to bring change to the world in some tangible way.
Calling Asian American Youth into Ministry (East Region internship)
From Andrew Lee (ISAAC East Region Director)
There is an overwhelming need for clergy to lead the second generation, English language ministries of immigrant Asian churches. Few from this generation go into ministry, many opting instead for high salaried professional careers at the urging of their parents.
In order to assist Asian American congregations in the CT/NJ/NY areas to address this urgent need, a summer internship program will be offered for college aged young adults who are considering full-time vocational ministry. Successful applicants will serve in their respective churches and be mentored by a team of pastoral and lay leaders at their church, as well as by the ISAAC project coordinator. Furthermore, the interns will meet weekly for support and peer mentoring.
At the end of the internship, there will be a worship service with the theme of calling at each participating church. Interns will share about their experiences and members of the mentoring team will also have an opportunity to address the congregation and advocate the pursuit of God’s call. Public conversation will be initiated on a topic that is seldom broached in the immigrant church.
Program Highlights
- Summer internships jointly funded by ISAAC and the church.[1] College students will serve in various ministry capacities at their respective churches for approximately 8 weeks from June to August.
- An English Ministry pastoral staff member will oversee the work and mentor the youth for the summer. A learning covenant between the two will serve as the basis for their working relationship.
- There will be a Lay Mentoring team of three people from the church with representation from both genders. The intern with meet with this team as a group and not individually. A learning covenant will be set up.
- ISAAC staff will coordinate the entire project and meet with all the interns. The interns will gather as a cohort to receive guidance, eat, pray, fellowship with and support each other. This weekly meeting takes precedence over any church activity or responsibility.
- End of summer service where the intern and mentoring team will share about calling with the congregation.
- End of summer banquet/evaluation for all the mentoring teams
- Application forms will be posted on the ISAAC website and can be downloaded here [download Application for ISAAC Summer Internship Program.2011].
- Interns will be accepted beginning March 1 until all five are awarded.
ISAAC Project Coordinator: Rev. Dr. Andrew Lee
[Email Andrew] or call Phone: (718) 317-7930
[1] Students will receive a $1,500 stipend. ISAAC will contribute $1,000 and the church $500. In addition, there will be transportation, food and book subsidies from ISAAC.
What are the top five cries of Asian American Christian young adults?
The greatest challenge facing Asian American churches today is reaching and growing Young Adults who are healthy disciples of Jesus Christ. What do you think are five of the top concerns of Asian American Young Adult Christian?
Complete a quick on-line survey and you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift card from Barnes and Noble!
And then come to ISAAC Northern California’s workshop on Saturday, Nov.20th (9 AM – 2 PM) at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 5038 Hyland Avenue, San Jose, CA 95127. Join Tim Tseng and Peter Wang as they facilitate a conversation about the social-cultural impacts on Asian American Young Adults today, a case study of successful retention of Asian American Young Adults, and observations of successful efforts to attract Asian American Young Adults. This is a workshop for church leaders and ministers who care about the emerging Asian American young adults.
The registration fee is $15 (discounts may apply to you). Thanks to the generous support of Episcopal Amerasia ministries and PAACCE, this workshop is now free!!
Please register on-line by Sunday, Nov. 14th Tuesday, Nov. 16th – go to:
Northern California Update (from Tim Tseng)
Nov. 1, 2010
Our last event of 2010 will be a workshop entitled Five Cries of Asian American Young Adults (Saturday, Nov. 20, 9 AM – 2 PM) at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in San Jose. This workshop is co-sponsored by the Episcopal Amerasia Ministries and the Pacific Asian American and Canadian Christian Education project with the support of our Northern California member churches.
The “Five Cries” that will be presented will address:
(1) social-cultural impacts on Asian American Young Adults,
(2) retention of Asian American Young Adults, and
(3) attracting Asian American Young Adults.
Registration deadline: Nov. 14.
Click here for more information and to register.
Northern California Updates: Read more…
ISAAC Blog 