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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
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.
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.
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:
Asian American Biblical Interpretation for North America (Nov. 21st) SBL Annual Meeting (Atlanta, GA)
You are cordially invited to attend the following session:
Asian American Biblical Interpretation for North America
Society of Biblical Literature Annual Meeting (Atlanta, Georgia)
http://www.sbl-site.org/meetings
11/21/2010
5:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Room: M106 – Marriott Marquis
ISAAC (The Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity) is introducing its latest journal issue devoted to the theme of Asian American Biblical Interpretation as it relates to the North American context. Several of the writers will be present to discuss their articles in the SANACS (Society of Asian North American Christian Studies) Journal.
For more information, contact:
Russell Moy, ISAAC Board Chair [email Russell]
Andrew Lee, East Regional Director [email Andrew]
An Overview of Bible and Theology for Lay People (ISAAC NorCal – CONFAB workshops)
Join Dr. James Chuck for
An Overview of Bible and Theology for Lay People
- An experiment in Adult Education scheduled for the fall of 2010.
- A Powerpoint assisted interactive experience.
Purpose:
- To bring lay people together from various churches to focus on the biblical and theological basis for the life and mission of the church; and
- To provide an opportunity for learning from one another; and
- To provide a setting for informal conversation, fellowship, and networking.
Three Saturday mornings 9:30-1:00, lunch included. Read more…
East Region announcements: Youth and Discernment events
Beginning this fall, New Brunswick Theological Seminary is offering a one-year certificate program to train those who work with Asian American youth. All classes will be taught by Asian American instructors who hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) so that classes can be contextualized for the Asian American church culture. The courses will be taught on Saturday mornings in Flushing, beginning on September 18. For more information, see http://www.nbts.edu/newsite/certaa.cfm. East Regional Director, Andrew Lee, will be teaching Old Testament Survey.
Coming in the fall, a Discernment Conference for all who are seeking to hear God’s call for their lives. This one-day seminar is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, October 16, at New Brunswick Theological Seminary in New Jersey. ISAAC East became a partner in this endeavor through its involvement with the Princeton Forum on Asian Indian Ministries.
Contact Rev. Andrew Lee, East Region Director, Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity and Adjunct Professor, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary & New Brunswick Theological Seminary. [Email Andrew]
New book! Mirrored Reflections: Reframing Biblical Characters
We are delighted to announce the publication of Mirrored Reflections: Reframing Biblical Characters, edited by Young Lee Hertig (ISAAC Southern California Director) and Chloe Sun (Associate Professor of Old Testament at Logos Evangelical Seminary). Go to the AAWOL website for more information. The book is a collection of fresh readings of the bible by a group of evangelical Christian women known as AAWOL (Asian American Women on Leadership). Dr. Richard Mouw, President of Fuller Theological Seminary (Pasadena, CA) and I were delighted to write the foreword and preface for this important ISAAC resource. The book will be available this Fall from Wipf & Stock Publishers (www.wipfandstock.com) – Tim Tseng
Download promotional flyer in PDF
ISAAC Blog 