ISAAC to launch the Equipping and Resource Center
ISAAC will be starting an Equipping and Resource (ER) Center to equip English Ministry Leaders in San Francisco Bay Area Chinese American Churches in 2009 (we plan to expand in 2010). We are grateful for the generous donation of Mr. Thomas Leung, Founder and President of Peakway, Inc. and member of Chinese for Christ Church, Hayward. Mr. Leung’s support has enabled the ER Center to begin its programs.
So what is the ER Center all about? It is one of the fruits of Dr. James Chuck’s Bay Area Chinese churches research project. In addition to providing information about Chinese churches in the Bay Area, Dr. Chuck has always been concerned about maintaining the vitality of Chinese Christians in the Bay Area. Thus, the ER Center was formed to cultivate a new generation of disciples who are:
- Passionate about growing spiritually.
- Proclaimers of the gospel in word and deed.
- Catalysts for the common good as ambassadors of God’s kingdom
- Effective servants in Chinese, Asian American, and American contexts.
Unlike other equipping programs, the ER Center will be enhanced by ISAAC’s expertise in Asian American Christianity. The Bay Area ER Center values genuine partnerships with local pastors, churches, and ministry organizations. It is led by pastoral advisors Ken Carlson (Chinese for Christ Church, Berkeley), Donald Ng (First Chinese Baptist Church, S.F.), and Steve Quen (Bay Area Chinese Bible Church). Johnson Chiu (director), Darren Lim, Norman Low, Viji Nakka-Cammauf, and Russell Yee serve on the leadership team. We are actively seeking more volunteers.
Tentative Workshop Schedule for 2009
- Feb. 28: Financial Planning in Difficult Times
- Mar. 28: Ministering to Twenty-something Asian Americans in bi-lingual Chinese Churches
- Apr. 25: Preparing Your Teens for College
- May 30: Healthy Church Boards
- June 27: Mentoring ministry prospects
- July 25: Pastoring Multigenerational and Multicultural churches
- July: Youth leaders/counselors Asian American heritage plunge
- Aug. 29: To be determined
- Sept. 25-27: ISAAC Retreat for seniors, on prayer and spirituality, and/or women’s leadership
Tentative Four-week courses
- July (Theme: Christian Education)
- Teaching to Change Lives (Monday evenings)
- Facilitating Small Groups (Wednesday evenings)
- August – October (To be determined)
- Advent series (Nov. 23rd -Dec. 14th)
More information about the workshops, classes and the benefits of congregational memberships will be available soon. Please contact Johnson Chiu if you have any additional questions.
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