Comments on: New Series: 30 Days on the Chinese Church

By: PK

PK — Sat, 23 May 2009 04:12:50 +0000

Thanks for taking the time to read about Chinese churches and sharing your comments. It’s very interesting to learn about the similarities between various ethnic immigrant churches. I hope that we can find ways to learn from each other.

By: Erick Cardenas

Erick Cardenas — Sat, 23 May 2009 01:07:15 +0000

Thanks for your series and for posting your dissertation presentation. I’m from a Spanish/English bilingual church and many of your points are applicable and relevant to where we are now, especially the stages of development and the translated services.

Though our church began in Spanish, our English service is now larger, yet we haven’t fully adjusted the leadership styles to accommodate all the members. As a 2nd-gen/American-born Hispanic, I also see the tension between the services, cultures, and leadership styles. Thanks again for your work.

By: Three Bay Area Chinese church leadership events in April 2008! « ISAAC Bulletin Board

Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:03:13 +0000

[...] I have been thinking about this topic, you could look at the series of articles that I wrote on my blog about ministry in the Chinese church. The presentation is open to anyone who is interested in attending. Feel free to bring any of your [...]

By: PK

PK — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 18:34:34 +0000

My church also includes a number of mixed language couples. Some are mixed race couples as well, while others are ABC/OBC couples or Mandarin/Cantonese couples. In some cases they go to different worship services on Sunday, while in other cases they go together to a single service. I agree with you that translated services might be ideal for these couples, but for many others translation does not work as well. For more thoughts on the problems with translated services, especially for ABCs, see my post in this series on Why Translated Services Don't Work. I think that in the long run, mixed language couples might need to settle on a "main" family language, and attend worship services using that language.

By: John Yan

John Yan — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 15:08:03 +0000

This topic is especially real in the Silicon Valley where there are many Parents from Asian countries with kids who were born here. However, I think we should not exclude those couples whose have different native tongue (i.e. Mandarin and Cantonese) or language (i.e., Chinese and English). Although they might understand each other by a common language such as English, they rather attend a worship service of their own language. This causes them to split up every Sunday unless the Church offers literally a Bilingual service (i.e., Mandarin with English Translation). In my case, I speak Cantonese/English while my wife speaks Mandarin/English. Before we found a church in San Jose with a Bilingual service, we used to attend different services offered by one Church. She would go to the Chinese side and I would go to the English (often the ABC kids) side. This was not a very harmonious situation because we heard different messages and couldn’t have any real good discussions about them with each other. I imagine that this would be the same with the kids unless the parents join the English service. What has been your experience?

By: PK

PK — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 04:08:16 +0000

You have touched on an important issue. Many second gen. Asians enjoy the fellowship that they experience in college and become frustrated looking for that same experience in a church. I think that there are (at least) two reasons for this: (1) A church is not a campus fellowship. No church is going to feel completely like a campus group. On campus it is possible to spend time with Christian brothers and sisters every day, but once they start working this is next to impossible. Also, campus groups are very homogeneous, made up of bright 18-21 year olds who are largely going through the same things. But a church needs to minister to all ages. For this reason, it is essential that we help Christian college students to make the transition from campus life to the working world as Christians. (2) The cultural background of the campus groups is very different from that in a bilingual Chinese church. I have much more to say on this point, but I don’t want to go into it here.

Because of this felt need, there have been quite a few new Asian American churches launched that have more of a “college fellowship” feel.

By: NKL

NKL — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:51:13 +0000

I’m the English pastor of a Chinese Church. Born and raised in North America (my father and I both), I feel more akin to thinking like a “white guy”. Anyhow before things get busy again at my church, I will try to take in your series and go through one or two days at at time.

Question 2 is not moot.

So Question 1: Many of the second generation of Asian Christians are experiencing their spiritual formation outside the church: campus fellowships, mission experiences, conferences, small groups, etc. When they find themselves in the traditional church setting it doesn’t feel like “home”. They would be more comfortable in churches that intentionally adapt their style to be more like a “campus” or “theatre” or “conference”.

And many church elders don’t get it. They think because these students grew up attending a church, it’s their home.

By: PK

PK — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 04:55:29 +0000

Sorry for my slow response--I was busy with a wedding on Saturday, and Sundays are always busy. The topic of my dissertation is on reaching the next generations in bilingual Chinese churches in North America. I introduced my Dissertation Proposal in an earlier blog post. I have a number of resources in which you might be interested. I'll contact you be email.

By: Daniel L. Wong

Daniel L. Wong — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 07:02:04 +0000

Thanks for your response. What is the topic of your dissertation? I will be writing an article for the Canadian Presbyterian Record on “The Chinese Church in Canada” for Spring/Summer ‘08. I have also been in conversation with Dr. Timothy Tseng of the Institute for the Study of Asian American Christianity (I.S.A.A.C.) to write an article on “English Ministry in the Canadian Chinese Church.” If you have additional resources on the Chinese church in North America, let me know. It is interesting to draw some distinctives and comparisons w/ this ministry in the U.S. and Canada.

By: PK

PK — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:41:37 +0000

I’m glad that you found my series, and I hope that it is helpful to you. I already have a copy of your paper, and have cited it in my dissertation. My readers might be interested in looking at it as well. I’d be interested in anything else that you have written on the subject since that time.