English Ministry Briefing Pack: What happened in 2005?

Transcription

1 English Ministry Briefing Pack: What happened in 2005? Adopting the Parallel Model from HDGH 30, Forming the English Ministry Leadership Team, & Hiring a part-time staff for English Ministry In this section: 2007 cover letter (P.2) Summary of Muc Vu Thanh Nien from Bien Ban HDGH up to 2004 (P.3-4, Vietnamese) ( 07/14/2005) Report on English Ministry models from HDGH 30; an analysis was given and a subcommittee was proposed to look at the issue. (P.5-8) ( 08/05/2005) Under direction of the pastors, a subcommittee was formed to discuss and make recommendation to the Pastor and the Church Board. A meeting was set for Sunday 09/25/05. (P.9-10, first 2 pages out of 9) ( 09/08/2005) Bumble ed out a Discussion Starter in which he outlined the proposed Parallel Model from HDGH 30 as the future direction for Midway English Ministry (P.11-16) The EM-GuidelinesToHarmony road map was included by Bumble with progress milestone for Midway EM. (P.17-21) ( 09/29/2005) After the subcommittee meeting, the EM Transition to Parallel Model Recommendation document was drafted for review. (P.22-23) Board Minutes 10/09/2005: The recommendation was brought to the Church Board meeting. It was ratified on the meeting minute (item #6) (P.24-25, Vietnamese) ( 10/31/2005): One of the first tasks of the English Leadership Team was getting its staff. After a lot of meeting, we submitted a Letter of Intent for Connectional Coordinator for English Ministry (P.26-27) The Letter of Intent is attached here (P.28-30, including salary correction) Board Minutes 10/09/2005: An was hired into the pastoral staff (item #4) (P.31-32, Vietnamese) The Appendix included the following researches (which mentioned in Bumble s Discussion Starter) 1. Silent Exodus by Helen Lee Christianity Today Aug.12, 1996 (P.34-39) 2. The Transformation from a 1 st Generation church to 2 nd Generation/Bilingual church by Robert D. Goette, 1993 This was adopted by the C&MA Intercultural Ministries per Joe Kong in (P.40-57)

2 Friday, October 12, 2007 Dear Muc Su and BCHHT (Board Elders), Last month Muc Su Dai suggested to me to debrief the board on the English Ministry development to date. For best use of our meeting time, I am preparing here for you a briefing packet of the work on English Ministry two years ago in 2005 for your review and discussion. This packet is only an accumulation of an important milestone within a much longer ministry development for the next generation: - Summer 89: English Speaking Sunday School for 6 Jr. Highers : Christmas Outreach Program by Ban Thieu Nien (30 kids then; today only 3 is still with the church, 3 more are transferred to other Vietnamese churches) : Changing Ban Thieu Nien to English only : No graduating high-schoolers would attend Vietnamese-speaking Ban Thanh Nien : Starting English-Speaking College group in parallel with Ban Thanh Nien : Starting English-Speaking Worship in fellowship hall, paralleling Vietnamese Worship Service : Adopting SonLife ministry model from VAY : English-Speaking High School ministry was staffed by EM : English-Speaking Worship became English Speaking Congregation, meeting as 2nd Worship Service between two Vietnamese services; Jr. High Ministry was started and staffed by EM : An Assistant Pastor for English Speaking Ministry appointed; the church relocated to Midway City : Children Ministry was staffed by English-Speaking Ministry; started launching the Career home groups : Start to move the ministry from an Umbrella model to a Parallel model in accordance with Hoi Dong Giao Hat s guideline with the forming of a governing structure, the English Leadership Team (ELT); recruited a part-time paid staff for community follow-up; developed short-term Mission philosophy as annual program : Sent out the first short-term Mission team, experimented with synchronized home groups (twixters), financed a part-time paid-staff for follow-up, devised a congregational growth roadmap, implemented Ministry Evaluation process for staff, and experimented with a centralized membership database (F1) : Second year short-term Mission program; re-task the part-time paid-staff with college ministry; ratified F1; developed financial stewardship process; experiment with Super-Series : 40 Days of Purpose s synchronization of personal devotion + small group + worship service : Repeat the Super-Series twice a year for Galatians and Genesis; strengthen small group development; redeploy the short-term Mission program; additional follow-up staff; etc. I would recommend that as a Church Leaders, in addition to prayers for EM, you may also want to: Go through the packet; understand the reasons behind the decisions. The appendices were also provided as basis for discussion. Please note any additional questions you have so that we could discuss more in depth. Review the Recommendation to support the Parallel Model for English Congregation (P-23). Even though there are still a few uncompleted items on that list, you can add additional recommendations to it for future discussion. Select a subcommittee of Elders to meet regularly with the English Ministry Leaders for dialogs, understanding, and resolutions (similar to what was done in 2005). A hard-copy of this document will be provided to each of you at the meeting. Thanks - Bumble P.2

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5 10/9/2007 Page 1 of 4 Co Ho From: Sent: To: Cc: Co Ho Thursday, July 14, :00 PM David Van; Son Thai Nguyen; Lap Dac Nguyen Wayne Bui; Nhuan Bui; Quynh Bui; An Le; daisies4u2luv@yahoo.com; gary_robinson@ahm.honda.com; haiyupham@netscape.net; yen@tnsa.net; Co Ho Subject: English Ministry Report and Follow-up from HDGH 30 for Midway English Ministry Report and Follow-up from HDGH 30 for Midway At the HDGH 30 (Vietnamese District Conference 2005) the following was ratified into the District s By Law in regarding to English Speaking Ministry (the original Vietnamese version is on the left, the translated verbiage is provided on the right). Đề nghị mỗi hội thánh nhờ ơn Chúa xúc tiến việc thành lập chương trình thờ phượng bằng Anh ngữ theo một trong các mô hình sau đây: It is suggested that each church - by God s grace - starts an English speaking worship program according to one the following models: 1. Mô hình đùm bọc nhau. (Umbrella model) a. Nhóm cùng nơi với hội thánh mẹ b. Mọi sinh họat phải được BCH hội thánh mẹ chấp thuận. c. Mọi khỏan chi phải được BCH hội thánh mẹ chấp thuận. d. Vị Đặc trách là chức viên BCH hội thánh mẹ. e. Khai trình các sinh họat và đề nghị ngân sách hàng năm để được hổ trợ. f. Các số dâng phải trao về hội thánh mẹ. g. Mục sư Quản Nhiệm và BCH/HT lựa chọn vị Đặc trách và xin Giáo Hạt bổ nhiệm. 2. Mô hình đồng hành (Parallel model) a. Có nơi họp riêng. Có thể cùng địa điểm với hội thánh bảo trợ hoặc một nơi khác được hội thánh bảo trợ chấp thuận. b. Có vị Đặc trách riêng: Mục sư cho Thanh niên do nhóm đề nghị lên BCH/HT bảo trợ chấp thuận và trình Giáo Hạt bổ nhiệm. c. Có ngân sách riêng. d. Có ban chấp hành riêng e. Các chức viên BCH được quyền họp với BCH hội thánh bảo trợ 1. The Umbrella Model: a. Worship at the same location with the mother church b. All activities must be approved by the mother church s governing board c. All expenses must be approved by the mother church s governing board d. The Director is a member of the mother church s governing board e. Report all activities and propose an annual budget to be supported f. Contribution income forwards to the mother church g. The senior pastor and governing board of the mother church select the Director and request for installation by the District 2. The Parallel Model: a. Has separate worship location. It could have the same location with the sponsoring church, or another location with the approval of the sponsoring church. b. Has its own Director. The Director is suggested by the group for the approval by the sponsoring church s board and request for installation by the District c. Has its own budget. d. Has its own governing board P.5

6 10/9/2007 Page 2 of 4 e. Its governing board has the right to meet with the governing board of the sponsoring church. 3. Mô hình xen lẫn nhau (Co-operation) a. Chương trình thờ phượng song ngữ. b. Bài giảng được phiên dịch, tóm lược, hay song hành (simultaneously) c. Vị Đặc trách là một thành viên của BCH/HT d. Số vị Đặc trách tùy theo tỉ lệ số tín hữu nói tiếng Anh. 3. The Co-operation Model: a. The worship is bilingual b. The sermon could be translated, summarized or simulcasted (simultaneously) c. The Director is a member of the board d. The number of director depends on the ratio of English speaking believer in the church. Further analysis from the conference proceding: At the business meeting, the following type of questions were raised and clarified: 1. Muc Su Phan Tran Dung (Kent) requested for a clarification from the accompanied slides about the models taken from the Inter-Cultural Ministry s materials. Muc Su Nguyen Anh Tai (District Superintendent) clarified that the slides are for reference and not binding, the proposal in Vietnamese (above) is the official proposal for discussion. 2. Muc Su Nguyen Tho Tuyen (Silicon Valley) raised a question about his church, an English speaking church plant target to the next generation, which was not included in the proposal. Muc Su Nguyen Anh Tai clarified that the proposal was designed for most other Vietnamese speaking churches in the District and that it was not intend to be comprehensive for exceptional cases such as Silicon Valley s church plant. 3. Muc Su Dinh The Quan (Santa Clara) raised a question about the current practice at his church, in which English speaking worship is implemented once a month and sermon summaries provided for the other weeks. This practice is not current described in the proposal. Muc Su Nguyen Thi (Orange) also reported from the floor that the English Speaking Ministry at his church currently implements a few points from the Umbrella Model and a few points from the Parallel Model. Muc Su Le Vinh Thach clarified that the proposal intended to reflect a transition over time (from Co-op, to Umbrella, to Parallel), and therefore it should be flexible enough to allow for mix-and-match of items to fit the context. 4. A delegate asked about item 2.e where the two governing boards would meet. Muc Su Le Vinh Thach clarified that the intent of the proposal is build a harmonious working relationship and to avoid conflicts between the two congregations. Assessment of Midway Church: By the grace of God, our church has been a pioneer in English Ministry. Using the above proposal as a benchmark, we can see that our Sunday English Worship Service has passed the Co-op stage and are in between the Umbrella and the Parallel stage: The Umbrella Model: a. Worship at the same location with the mother church: [yes] b. All activities must be agreed by the mother church s governing board: [Not sure about this since Sunday English Worship Service don t have any other activities except for Sunday service, but if we consider English Ministry as inclusive to High School and College Group activities then the church governing board generally approved all activities they are made aware of] P.6

7 10/9/2007 Page 3 of 4 c. All expenses must be agreed by the mother church s governing board: [Not sure about this since Sunday English Worship Service doesn t have its own budget. A few honorarium for guest speakers for Sunday English Service came from church budget for Thanh Nien, which is separate from Thanh Nien s own sub-account] d. The Director is a member of the mother church s governing board: [May be, the Director is a member on the church pastoral staff] e. Report all activities and propose an annual budget to be supported: [Yes] f. Contribution income forwards to the mother church: [Not sure about this since offering collected on Sunday English Speaking Service goes to the church, while offering earmarked Thanh Nien goes to Thanh Nien s treasurer for record first in their sub-account before submitting to the church s treasurer.] g. The senior pastor and governing board of the mother church select the Director and request for installation by the District: [Yes] 2. The Parallel Model: a. Has separate worship location. It could have the same location with the sponsoring church, or another location with the agreement of the sponsoring church: [Not sure, right now English Speaking Service technically is the 2 nd service at Midway church] b. Has its own Director. The Director is suggested by the group for the approval by the sponsoring church s board and request for installation by the District: [Technically no. There is no governing board of the English congregation, and therefore they cannot formally suggest anything by the group ] c. Has its own budget: [Technically no. The church has budget line item for Thanh Nien and Thieu Nien, and Thanh Nien has their own sub-account to collect offering for their group s operation, which also being used to cover for training and operating expenses for Thieu Nien and Jr. High as well] d. Has its own governing board: [Technically no. Even though we has various leaders, there s no formal mechanism to make any binding decision] e. Its governing board has the right to meet with the governing board of the sponsoring church. [Technically no, although we could vote a few representatives from 2 nd service into the governing board of the church] Conclusion: What is our next step? Back in the beginning of the year, I was talking to you about having a meeting among a few members of the Midway Board together with a few leaders of the English Speaking Ministry before we bring a recommendation back to the pastoral staff and the board. My proposed participants for this meeting are: Myself, TDTN on English Ministry Mr. Quan Bui, Secretary of the board Mr. Nhuan Bui, Treasurer of the board Mr. An Tran, member of the board Mr. Quynh Bui, member of the board Dr. Hai Pham, English Career ministry coordinator Mr. Gary Robinson, English College ministry coordinator Mr. Yen Pham, English High school ministry coordinator Ms. Niki Hoang, English Children ministry coordinator Now with the proposed guideline from the District Conference, perhaps it s a good time for us to get started. However, with SportFest and VBS coming up soon, I think the good time to meet would probably be on Sunday night August 7. That way the briefing could be ready for the P.7

8 10/9/2007 Page 4 of 4 Elder board meeting on August 14. Or another option would be devote a significant amount of time of the August 14 meeting for this issue and bring in the English Speaking leaders with the full pastoral staff. After all, the 9 people above were half of the leadership in both groups already. But in the mean time, perhaps you should start praying and thinking about the direction of where we are heading in the future. I am looking forward to some brainstorming with you soon to build up the Kingdom of God among us. Bumble P.8

9 10/9/2007 Page 1 of 9 Co Ho From: Sent: To: Co Ho Friday, August 05, :59 PM Wayne Bui Subject: RE: English Ministry Report and Follow-up from HDGH 30 for Midway ok- I will push it back a week Original Message----- From: Wayne Bui [mailto:wbui@yahoo.com] Sent: Fri 8/5/2005 1:54 PM To: Co Ho Cc: Subject: RE: English Ministry Report and Follow-up from HDGH 30 for Midway Nghiep, The 3rd Sunday of September is the Sunday School day. We are very busy on that day. Can it be on the 4th Sunday of September? Thanks, Quan Co Ho <CHo@fullcoll.edu> wrote: It looks like many are taking summer vacations so this Sunday is not looking good. Let's do this then... 1) We can discuss some of the preliminary stuff over . 2) We will meet on the 3rd Sunday of September (because 1st Sunday is still Labor Day, 2nd Sunday is Board Mtg.) The best time would be 1:30pm - 3:00pm (the time the Children Voice & Ensemble has practice...) Can you send a reply back to me (not to all) and let me know if that's OK? Yea or Nea? Bumble Original Message----- From: Co Ho Sent: Thu 8/4/ :37 AM To: Wayne Bui; Nhuan Bui; Quynh Bui; An Le; daisies4u2luv@yahoo.com; gary_robinson@ahm.honda.com; haiyupham@netscape.net; yen@tnsa.net Cc: David Van; Son Thai Nguyen; Lap Dac Nguyen Subject: RE: English Ministry Report and Follow-up from HDGH 30 for Midway P.9

10 10/9/2007 Page 2 of 9 I talked with MS Dai two! weeks ago to see if his preference was to have us meet first then meet with the pastors later, or have the meetings with the board & the pastors all at once, and he preferred that we go ahead first. So far, I havenâ t heard from anyone on their availability for Sunday night Aug. 7 besides Gary. Since most of the people needed to be in the meeting are in the Anaheim Hills area, may I suggested that we meet at my house at 7pm 980 S Creekview Ln Anaheim, CA Dr. Hai Pham wonâ t make the meeting since he and his family is still in Hawaii, so the person who came the furthest would be A. Bui Quan, the Board Secretary from Irvine (I think). Can you all make it? The good thing is MS Dai will be on vacation on the week of Aug. 14 so we wonâ t need to be rushed to finalize anything for the board and the pastor until he comes back. Please read the previous report to form the basis for the meeting. Please also! pray for us as we contemplating the following questions: 1. What would our church be like in ten years (2015), in five years (2010)? 2. What would our church be like next year (2006): From the Assessment of Midway Church section in the report below, what should we focus on as the next step? How are we going to implement it. Thanks. Call my cell phone directly if you need anything else: (714) Bumble PS: Since many of you didnâ t have the opportunity to â œhang outâ with P.10

11 10/9/2007 Page 1 of 6 Co Ho From: Sent: To: Subject: Co Ho Thursday, September 08, :25 PM Co Ho; Wayne Bui; Nhuan Bui; Quynh Bui; An Le; daisies4u2luv@yahoo.com; gary_robinson@ahm.honda.com; haiyupham@netscape.net; yen@tnsa.net Reminder: English Ministry Meeting to follow-up on HDGH 30 Report for Midway Attachments: EnglishMinistryReportHDGH2005.doc; EM-GuidelinesToHarmony.doc Greetings, This is a reminder that we will be meeting on the 4 th Sunday Sep. 25 from 1:30-3:00pm to discuss more about English Ministry. Before you jump in, please take some times to read the (attached) EnglishMinistryReportHDGH2005.doc file first since it will be the basis for the discussion below. In the document, the question at the end of the analysis was What is our next step? Since then, we haven t had a chance to meet yet, and we decided to carry some of the discussion electronically first. I know that a lot of this discussion will be depending on my take of the situation. So I have been outlining some of my thoughts out here first (after a few days of musing on it) so that we can jump start the discussion. 1. Q: So Bumble, why don t you tell us first, what do you think should be our next step? A: First of all, it s good to keep in mind that we ought to think everything in tentative terms: If it is the Lord s will, we will live and do this or that [Ja.4:15]. I am not even certain that this should be our next step yet. But let s assume that all churches will shift over time from Co-op, Umbrella to Parallel models; the natural progression for us to take would be to examining the Parallel model. Looking at the immediate future, I believe that the next steps in our natural progression would be working on the following items: a) Establishing a governing board for the English Ministry since it is needed by all items under the Parallel model above especially items d & e. b) Establishing its own budget. But this item would be easily dealt with once we have a governing structure in place. Therefore, I would suggest that we defer this item until after the first item is in place. Right now, all we need to do is to track 2nd service weekly offering and see if it could adequately funded for the expenses for Thanh Nien and Thieu Nien or not. P.11

12 10/9/2007 Page 2 of 6 2. Q: Alright, so let s focus on that item then. Why don t we continue to use the existing governing structure then (vote people into the church Board to represent the 2 nd service)? A: We could continue with the existing structure for a while more, but in the long run it won t work out very well. The proposed models from the District actually came from studying many other ethnic congregations, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, etc. Many studies have been written on this subject before. [Here are a few samples: 1) The 1996 watershed article Silent Exodus on Christianity Today; 2) The Transformation Study from Robert Goette here; or 3) the recent book Pursuing the Pearl: A Comprehensive Resource for Multi-Asian Ministry by Ken Fong; preview it here]. One of the examples of potential conflict is the language. In our current board meetings, we communicate in Vietnamese, and leaders from the English Speaking service won t be able to function (like Kirk now, or people who was born and raise here). We could translate for them but that only defer the problem; and even with translation they are still handicapped. Another example of potential conflict is the culture. In our current board, we seem to delineate between the spiritual side and administrative side. Board members mostly concern about the administrative side and leave the spiritual side for the pastoral staff. That s not the same culture of the next generation. Currently, many English Speaking leaders do not want to be on the board because they see it as administrative responsibility without spiritual authority. I could cite more issues, but it won t be necessary since they are widely documented elsewhere. 3. Q: But then if we are having a separate governing board for the English Speaking now, isn t that the same thing as the church splits you talked about? A: Not really. Church split often is unintentional; while what we are doing is intentional. This is similar to kids leaving their home when they grow up. Some kids leave home without parents consent, and the whole ordeal could be very painful, especially with immature kids and/or over-controlling parents. But some other kids could leave home with parents full support, and they continue to maintain a healthy relationship, especially when both parents and child communicating and heading toward the same goal together. 4. Q: So, you think that the English Speaking congregation will become independent from our church soon? A: No, I don t think it will happen any time soon, but rather sooner or later. It takes the legendary Evergreen Church in LA only twenty-five years to decide to minister in English. But it takes the Chinese Christian Union Church in Chicago one-hundred years to have the English-speaking pastor as Senior Pastor and the other Chinesespeaking pastors as Associated Pastor. P.12

13 10/9/2007 Page 3 of 6 We are living in the heart of Little Saigon and so the Vietnamese-speaking believers will not be short-supplied any time soon. By the year 2030, twenty-five years from now, other Vietnamese Alliance churches back East would have to drop the word Vietnamese from their signage to survive (just like the Korean CM&A did two decades ago). But during that same time, we will continue to be the Vietnamese Alliance Church at Midway City here. Of course God could change the rate of church growth. Let s say if God were to bless us, and we explode with a thousand people per week in our English Speaking congregation, won t we become independent faster? But for now, I think the road we are heading down is an interdependence relationship between the Vietnamese and the English speaking congregations. 5. Q: Interdependency huh? What do you mean by that? Can you explain it a bit better? A: What I meant is that both congregations will depend on one another for a while more. At this point for example, the 3 rd service depends on the people from the 2 nd service to take care of the Children Ministry, Jr. High, and High School ministries. On the other hand, the 2 nd service depends on the Vietnamese services to cover for a lot of expenses for facility, utility, etc. (See more on that here). This is similar to the situation when you have kids growing up at home. When they were small, the parents took care of everything. But when they grow older, they need to start to take care of some responsibilities around the house. And should they start working and have some income, they should also think about paying for their own car insurance, and even room and board. Eventually the English speaking congregation should consider how to finance for their ministry, paying their share for church s operating expenses, hiring their own pastors, etc. But for now, we need something transitional to get there. 6. Q: What are you suggesting for the transitional state then? A: I would suggest that for 2006 we will continue to the process and vote two or three representatives of the 2 nd service into the board. But those representatives also need to meet with the leaders of various segments in English Ministry and form a ministry team. Right now the leaders are Dr. Hai (Career/Couple), Gary (College), Yen (High School), Tim (Jr. High), Niki (Children), An (Outreach) and Kirk (Worship). It s OK to have less people so if Kirk was already voted onto the board of deacons, then we won t have to find another representative. This ministry team will meet on a regular and informal basis to coordinate both administrative issues and plan for spiritual progress of the congregation. I would also suggest that one or two members from the Ban Chap Hanh (Elders board) will be observers at the English Ministry team meeting so that we can maintain P.13

14 10/9/2007 Page 4 of 6 open communication at all times too. (This observer could even be on a rotation of all the Elders as well). The English speaking deacons will continue to attend all the board meetings as we have been doing. From there, we should start measuring the growth of the English congregation as well as their tithing and transfer more responsibility to them as they grow. For example in the area of finance: The English ministry budget should continue to be kept together with the church treasurer as we have always been doing. But there should be a goal to shouldering facility and other expenses according to their portion. Let s say if their weekly attendance is 25% of the weekly attendance of the whole Midway church, then they should budget their expenses to plan for 25% of the church mortgage and so on. Of course, this may take a few years. Let s say the first year they can only meet 5%, but second year may be 7%, the third may be 15%, and so on. But at least they should have a goal to strive for. This way, as the older generation disappears, the younger generation can continue to sustain the church in the next few decades. In a couple of years, as the English ministry grows, the leadership team will gain more ministry experience. Probably by 2008 we might consider formalize the whole thing and turn the English Ministry Team into its own governing board, its own budget (item 2d and 2e on the District model) which is responsible for discerning God s vision for the ministry as well as implementing the administrative details with the consultation from the Vietnamese Elders (Ban Chap Hanh). Should the 2 nd service ever grow larger than the 3 rd service, then perhaps we should consider additional restructuring so that they could have more independent in their ministry as well. 7. Q: That all sounds good, but frankly I feel an easy about this. What if things go wrong A: Like we would split and form our own church, like what we have seen in many Vietnamese churches recently? First, I would like to repeat the same commitment which I had said before in many occasions. That I am not called to start a church; I am called to continue this church among the next generation. If I was called to another place, I could have left with Muc Su Ha, or Muc Su Vu, or go to a more popular church like that of Pastor Dave Gibbons, or Pastor Sam Yun. But I am called to make this church my home, where I hang out with people, and journey toward God together with them. I submit myself to the authority of the church totally. In the worst case scenario, I may be removed from ministry by this church, or I may resign. But I will not ripping the body of Christ apart by taking people out of the church. 8. Q: OK, what if the pastors and the church won t support the idea of a governing board for the English speaking generation? P.14

15 10/9/2007 Page 5 of 6 A: Then we will continue to do what we do right now. What we have right now is good. And the only reason for this suggestion is to make what is good even better. When I saw the ratification for English Ministry models at Hoi Dong Giao Hat (the District Conference), I was thinking that, perhaps this is the right timing for our church to take the next step in our English Speaking ministry. We are the biggest church in the District, and the forefront of English Ministry development. If we take the next step now, not only we will be benefited, but our experience will also be valuable to other Vietnamese churches in their English Ministry development as well. We can tell them, Look! It is possible to have a thriving Vietnamese congregation and a thriving English congregation under the same roof, just like a family. But my assessment could be wrong. That s why I want to discuss this issue with you all. I trust that plans are established by counsel [Pr.20:18] and your discernments will help guide our future. If you see that this is not a good idea for now. I then will submit to the consensus of wise counsels. I will continue to serve in the same way and will continue to wait for the right timing. The only question I wonder is, What we would lose if we delay in taking this next inevitable step? If the answer is The next generation in a similar silent exodus), then the cost is just too high. 9. Q: But then what is the danger of taking that step? A: The biggest danger is to lose the harmonious relationship between the congregations. But there are things we can do to prevent it from happening. I have been following some guidelines I got from the Asian American Church Consulting a few years ago to maintain that relationship so far. (See the attached file: EM- GuidelinesToHarmony.doc) At this point, we have a pretty good relationship between the two generations so far. And things could always be improved some more. According to that document, we should also move on to to the next step of providing some leadership structure for the English Speaking congregation as well. Some of the things we can do are: the pastoral staff could continue to meet often, make sure that the vision of the English Ministry would be biblically compatible and complimentary to the vision of the mother church, have governing board representatives to attend each other meetings, continue to the surrogated relationship with the first generation church, etc. Even my action of seeking your inputs right now in this matter is a part of making sure that we will have a good harmonious relationship later. 10. Q: So what do we do now? A: Prayer always helpful. Then you can response to this through . Raise more questions, making P.15

16 10/9/2007 Page 6 of 6 comments, read more on the matters, thinking out loud, compare notes. The more we think through this ahead of time the better. Finally we will have a face to face meeting on Sunday Sep. 25 from 1:30 3:00pm. We can always schedule for more time if we need to Original Message----- From: Co Ho Sent: Thu 8/4/2005 5:54 PM To: Co Ho; Wayne Bui; Nhuan Bui; Quynh Bui; An Le; daisies4u2luv@yahoo.com; gary_robinson@ahm.honda.com; haiyupham@netscape.net; yen@tnsa.net Cc: David Van; Son Thai Nguyen; Lap Dac Nguyen Subject: RE: English Ministry Report and Follow-up from HDGH 30 for Midway It looks like many are taking summer vacations so this Sunday is not looking good. Let's do this then... 1) We can discuss some of the preliminary stuff over . 2) We will meet on the 4th Sunday of September (because 1st Sunday is still Labor Day, 2nd Sunday is Board Mtg., 3rd Sunday is Sunday School Sunday). The best time would be 1:30pm - 3:00pm (the time the Children Voice & Ensemble has practice...) Can you send a reply back to me (not to all) and let me know if that's OK? Yea or Nea? Bumble. P.16

17 EM Guidelines for a Harmonious Working Relationship i To facilitate the growth of next-generation Korean American churches, the authors are suggesting that instead of using a traditional management style of changing the second generation to fit the culture of the sponsoring church s culture, that the first generation church use flex management and accommodate to the basic assumptions, values and norms of the second generation as long as they are Biblical. The following guidelines will not guarantee a successful English-speaking congregation, for there are a multitude of factors that contribute to the success of a church. However, if these guidelines are followed a first generation sponsoring church is much more likely to create an environment in which a new congregation can flourish. Department Stage From the very beginning of any kind of English-speaking ethnic ministry (even if they are just a collection of small Bible studies or Sunday school classes forming a department) View the English-speaking group as a different target group, not as essentially the same group, which should operate like the sponsoring church does. Rationale: Even though most of the English-speaking congregation may be the same ethnically; culturally, linguistically, and generationally they maybe so different from the sponsoring church that a totally different style of church may be needed to reach them effectively. Midway Status: [X] as of March Understand and accept their unique synthesis of two or more cultures. Rationale: To require more Americanized Ethnic Americans to function in the culture of the sponsoring church is place a cultural "yoke," "making it difficult," or "burden" upon them that is similar to Jews placing the law upon the Gentile believers (Cf. Acts 15:10,19,28). Language carries a lot of culture with it, so the Englishspeaking pastor or congregation should not be expected to speak the 1 st generation's ethnic language in the presence of other English-speaking members. Midway Status: [X] 3. Make sure they follow a similar doctrinal statement such as the Apostles Creed, a denominational statement of faith, etc. Rationale: The sponsoring church has the responsibility to protect the English-speaking ministry from heresy or becoming a cult. Midway Status: [_] This has not been look at. There is no official doctrinal statement at our church. However, we had our doctrinal position stated on our web site at: &ceid=2 4. Acknowledge and understand the trend among some of the English-speaking department's members to evangelize, disciple, assimilate, and even share the leadership with those of a different ethnic background. Rationale: Even though the English-speaking department's members will probably be able to evangelize their own ethnic group more effectively than anyone else, they do have the language skills and the cultural understanding to effectively evangelize beyond their ethnic group. Not to evangelize is to be sterile; not to disciple and assimilate new believers into your congregation is to abandon a baby at birth; and not to allow them to hold positions of leadership is to deny their use of the spiritual gifts God has given them. We need to be careful to give the same attention and respect to those of a different ethnic background (James 2:1-9; Gal. 3:26-28). Midway Status: [X] We had those with different ethnic background in our leadership 5. Acknowledge and understand the trend among some of the English-speaking congregation's members to date and marry those of a different ethnic background. Rationale: For some it is very important to retain their ethnic heritage by marrying within their own ethnic group. But we understand that there will be those who intermarry. Still we must accept those who marry outside of their own ethnic group as a part of God's family. Midway Status: [X] P.17 EM-GuidesToHarmony.doc page 1 of 5 as of Sep. 2005

18 6. Have only one committee that meets bimonthly and deals with issues of joint interest, i.e., policies, scheduling, joint projects, joint meetings, etc. Rationale: It is easy to keep our leadership so busy attending meetings that they do not have the necessary time for front line ministry. Midway Status: [_] This has not been look at until recently. We do not have a committee on this though. 7. Be the legal, accounting, and insurance umbrella for the department. Comment: This means that a CCLI number should be obtained for all music used by the English-speaking department and all offerings received should be channeled through the books of the sponsoring church. Midway Status: [X] The church is currently paying for CCLI (copyright license to be used for worship songs) every year. All of our funds are being kept by the church treasurer. 8. The Korean-speaking congregation needs to develop and articulate their long-term vision for the English ministry. This will mean moving from short-term crisis management of the English ministry to long-term solutions. Terms used to describe the relationship between the Korean-speaking congregation and the English congregation (such as independent, autonomous, and interdependent should be clearly defined. The developmental stages of the English ministry with appropriate rites of passage should be determined. Rationale: Clear expectations on both congregations parts will greatly enhance trust and communication between the two. Midway Status: [_] The church has not been developed and articulated their long-term vision for the English ministry. However, our English ministry does have its long term vision though. Congregation Stage: (Church within a Church Model) When the English-speaking department has reached the point where they want to have a regular worship service for their college students and young adults (forming a congregation) Refer to the English-speaking congregation as such and not as "the youth group" or the "2nd generation" group. Rationale: In American culture, generally "youth group" refers to grades Those who are college age and up would probably liked to be referred to as young adults. (In the US, adulthood is supposed to occur between the age of 18 to 21.) To refer to the English-speaking congregation as the "2nd generation" congregation might also be a misnomer in that the congregation will probably include some people of various ethnic backgrounds who would not "2nd generation" at all. Midway Status: [X] English speaking service had formally become the 2 nd worship service of the church since Avoid joint services at the regularly scheduled Sunday service times. Rationale: Those English-speaking members not of the same ethnic background of the sponsoring church, will feel alienated on Sundays where a bilingual or trilingual service is their only option. Joint services should probably be held at picnics or on occasional Sunday evenings or on other special occasions such as Good Friday, Thanksgiving or Christmas Eve. Midway Status: [X] Attempts had been made but we had avoided joint services back in Avoid changing the time or place of the English-speaking congregation's worship service without first presenting the request to the liaison committee and getting approval for the change whether it is for a special event, temporary, or permanent. The same goes for any change in the use of the church's facilities. Generally, the larger the regular event, the more lead time that will be needed. Rationale: To do so, is a cultural faux pas. English-speaking members would feel insulted and treated as a small child. Midway Status: [X] The church was very good at this when we first become 2 nd service EM-GuidesToHarmony.doc page 2 of 5 as of Sep P.18

19 12. If the English-speaking congregation is just beginning, please be patient concerning results. Rationale: Everyone has high expectations, but even under the most favorable of conditions, vision will be interrupted by reality. Midway Status: [X] 13. Work with the English-speaking congregation in choosing, financially supporting and evaluating their pastoral leadership. Rationale: The post-college members of the English-speaking congregation will feel like they are being treated as children if they do not have the opportunity to significantly influence the selection, financial support and evaluation of their pastoral leadership. Midway Status: [X] We had Bumble stepping up into leadership; and the church was supportive of him as well as Ti and Cau. 14. Allow the leadership of the English-speaking congregation to develop their own job descriptions and to live by them. Rationale: More Americanized ethnic Americans feel much more comfortable working on a contractual basis than merely on a relational basis. Midway Status: [_] 15. Avoid inviting guest speakers to speak to the English-speaking congregation in any formal or informal setting unless requested by the English-speaking congregation. Rationale: The leadership of the English-speaking congregation better understands which speakers might be able to communicate most effectively to them. Midway Status: [/] Since 2002 we have started moving on the book by book expository preaching format. Starting April 2005, English ministry is charting its own Sunday preaching schedule 16. Allow them to develop their own vision, ministry values, focus group, style, name, budget, organization, schedule and strategic plan in conjunction with the common vision shared by the sponsoring church and the English-speaking congregation. Rationale: The leadership of the new congregation probably understands better the heart, mind set and potential of the English-speaking congregation. Since they are ministering in English, their vision will likely be larger than just their particular ethnic group. They will want to design a ministry style, name and plan to maximize their effectiveness in reaching their generation. Midway Status: [X] Please refer to the annual reports for the past five years. 17. Continue to serve as the legal, accounting, and insurance umbrella for the congregation before it constitutes as a church. Comment: This means that before the English-speaking congregation constitutes, their business meeting minutes need to be submitted to and approved by the sponsoring church before they become binding decisions. The English-speaking congregation may have members that understand the legal (including copyright) standards, IRS standards, and insurance needs more clearly than the sponsoring church. They could certainly be used as resource people. We need to take seriously that fact that it is God who has established the governing authorities over us. (Cf. Rom. 13:1-2) Midway Status: [_] At this point, there is no legal mechanism to create binding decision similar to the main church s minutes of the board 18. Provide no more than 50% of the English-speaking congregation's budget initially. Help them plan to be completely off subsidy in three to five years. From the beginning, encourage the new congregation to give toward missions. Rationale: It is easy for some English-speaking congregations to be too dependent upon the sponsoring church and neglectful of their responsibility before God to support their own staff. They can give much more than one might think they will give if they know the responsibility is theirs. If the congregation has a median age of 23 or more, they should be able to be self-supporting in three years. Midway Status: [/] Most of English speaking ministry budget and funding is already self-sustained. However there is no 3-5 years financial plan in place. P.19 EM-GuidesToHarmony.doc page 3 of 5 as of Sep. 2005

20 19. Encourage the pastoral staffs of both congregations to meet informally for fellowship monthly. Rationale: Relationships are the glue that will hold the congregations together. Midway Status: [X] Starting this year Bumble is scheduled to meet with the pastoral staff once a month. 20. Encourage the sponsoring church's Sr. Pastor to initiate regular communication, a mentoring relationship, the adjustment of his style of leadership and proper recognition of the Englishspeaking pastor. Rationale: In many ethnic cultures, if the 1st generation pastor is older, the younger English-speaking pastor is not at liberty to initiate a relationship with him. A trust relationship is incredibly important between the two pastors. With regular, direct communication (even if there is a communication problem), trust can be built. A person developing in the areas of competency and commitment needs a supervisor that can adjust his leadership style from directing, to coaching, to supporting, and then to delegating (Situational Leadership by Blanchard & Hersey). Watch out that the mentoring relationship doesn't become a controlling relationship. Accountability will need to be clearly defined. At the congregational stage, clear lines need to be drawn for the EM and sponsoring pastor concerning the following issues: baptism, marriage, communion, funerals, and other polity issues. Midway Status: [X] Bumble has good relationship with the Sr. Pastor 21. Encourage the English-speaking pastor to give attention to his own personal development. Rationale: It is all too easy for the pastor to focus on the development of the church and neglect his own development including that of his family. Midway Status: [X] 22. Allow the English-speaking pastor the freedom not to regularly attend 1st generation committee meetings or worship services. He should not be expected to preach to the 1st generation in their language. Rationale: Same as #6. Midway Status: [X] 23. Avoid changing any policies that have already been agreed upon by both congregations. Rationale: The Americanized ethnic American is accustomed to policy decisions being firm until discussed by the general body and decided upon by them. Midway Status: [N/A] At this point there were no prior policies that had been agreed upon by both congregation 24. Encourage them to constitute as a separate but interdependent church when they become selfsupporting. Rationale: The paradigm needs to be two eyes working independently but so interdependently that together they provide depth perspective. Generally the two congregations will have greater freedom to function in their own language and cultural context, if we allow them to do so. The sponsoring church will often have an ethnic Christian heritage, occasional financial resources for special projects, godly wisdom, intercessory prayer support, etc. to share with the English-speaking congregation, and the English-speaking congregation will often have human resources for teaching the youth department (K-12) of the sponsoring church, missions personnel, intercessory prayer support, etc. to share. Midway Status: [_] Church Stage: (Church Beside a Church Model) When the English-speaking congregation has reached the point where they desire to constitute as a church Encourage the pastoral staffs of both churches to continue to meet informally for fellowship monthly. Rationale: Same as #19. Midway Status: [_] We are not in this stage yet EM-GuidesToHarmony.doc page 4 of 5 as of Sep P.20

21 26. Allow them to select, pay and dismiss their own leadership. Rationale: Same as #13. If the sponsoring church would like to interview and approve the English-speaking pastor or pastoral staff, the same privilege might be given to the English-speaking church concerning a new pastor or pastoral staff for the sponsoring church. This would assure the hiring of staff that would maintain the cooperative relationship between the two churches. Midway Status: [_] We are not in this stage yet 27. Allow them to develop their own vision, ministry values, focus group, style, name, budget, organization, schedule and strategic plan. Rationale: Same as #16. Midway Status: [_] We are not in this stage yet 28. At the church stage, the relationship between Sr. Pastors of the two churches should not be one of required accountability but one of fellowship and mutual cooperation. Midway Status: [_] We are not in this stage yet i This guideline was from Asian American Church Consulting P.21 EM-GuidesToHarmony.doc page 5 of 5 as of Sep. 2005

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23 10/9/2007 Page 1 of 1 Co Ho From: Sent: To: Co Ho Thursday, September 29, :47 PM Co Ho; Wayne Bui; Nhuan Bui; Quynh Bui; An Le; daisies4u2luv@yahoo.com; gary_robinson@ahm.honda.com; haiyupham@netscape.net; yen@tnsa.net Cc: An Nguyen; Ho, Jenney; hoangsl@yahoo.com; kathy yu; Tran, Jamila ; kirk@tnsa.net; Roselyne Hanifa Subject: RFC: Recommendation for EM Parallel Model (was: English Ministry Meeting to follow-up on HDGH 30 Report for Midway) Attachments: EMTransitionToParallelModelRecommendation.doc Greetings, First, thank you so much for your participation in the meeting last Sunday. It went very well, and I pray that our effort will continue to be that way. Attached is my draft for the recommendation for our English Ministry. (I am so proud of the fact that it s less than 1 page long). Please review and send me your comment on it. If everything s OK, I plan to discuss with the pastor Dai and the pastors next week in their pastoral staff meeting. Then it would be ready for the Board to review in their meeting on the subsequence 2 nd Sunday. Thanks. Bumble P.22

24 Recommendation to support the Parallel Model for English Congregation Dear pastors and board members, At the last District Conference 2005 (Hoi Dong Giao Hat 30), the By Law was amended with the suggestion that each church - by God s grace - have an English speaking worship program according to one the following models: The Co-operation Model, the Umbrella Model, or the Parallel Model. 1 After reviewing our own progress of English Ministry at our Midway church for the last 15 years, a committee from the Board had met with the English Ministry leaders and we determined that our church should take the next step toward the Parallel Model as proposed. The next step for 2006 would be: Charge the English Ministry leaders as the English Ministry Team, a governing structure to administer the English congregation into an interdependent and autonomous congregation paralleling our Vietnamese congregation in our church 2. This team will meet once a month on the 4 th Sunday of the month to assess and address issues related to the English congregation with the English pastoral staff under the guidance of scripture. Two or three representatives from the church Board or the pastors should attend to provide inputs if needed. At this point, decisions made from the team will need ratification by the church Board to be binding 3. All the pastoral staff from all congregations will meet regularly to pray, share, and coordinate. Since there is an amount of contribution had been earmarked for the English Ministry for pastoral help for 2006, the team should proceed immediately to draft a letter of intent for a one-year, parttime position (which include job description) to be hired by the church 4. The team will also develop an annual budget and a fund-raising plan to meet that budget every year to sustain and expand the English Ministry there after. The budget should aim for complete self-supporting by The team will annually review the strategic plan for English Ministry with the Board of the church to make adjustment needed to continue this interdependent and harmonious relationship between the congregations. Midway church is the biggest church in the District, and at the forefront of English Ministry development. By taking this next step for 2006, not only we will be benefited, but our experience will also be valuable to other Vietnamese churches in their English Ministry development as well. It is our recommendation that our church Board will take this next step in English Ministry development at our church. Committee Members: Bumble Ho Nghiep Bui M. Quan Bui T. Nhuan Bui P. Quynh Le Tran L. An Kirk Gill Yen Pham Hai Pham Niki Dam Gary Robinson 1 Please see attachment report from HDGH30. 2 See item #24 on Harmony Guideline 3 See item #17 on Harmony Guideline 4 See item #14 on Harmony Guideline 5 See item #18 on Harmony Guideline P.23

25 HOÄI THAÙNH TIN LAØNH MIDWAY CITY GIAÙO HAÏT HOA KYØ Bieân baûn soá 10/05/261 Bieân baûn buoåi hoïp cuûa Ban Chaáp Haønh Hoäi Thaùnh ñaõ hoïp laïi vaøo ngaøy 09 thaùng 10 naêm 2005 luùc 2:00 chieàu taïi nhaø thôø Midway City do söï trieäu taäp cuûa MS Vaên Ñaøi. Hieän dieän trong buoåi hoïp coù MS Vaên Ñaøi, MS Nguyeãn Thaùi Sôn, TÑ Hoà Cô Nghieäp, OÂ. Buøi Minh Quan, OÂ. Buøi Taát Nhuaän, OÂ. Nguyeãn Vaên An, OÂ. Leâ Traàn Linh Aân, OÂ. Buøi Phöôïng Quyønh, OÂ. Traàn Ngoïc Hieáu, OÂ. Traàn Thöùc Vaên vaø C. Nguyeãn Thanh Thuûy. Môû ñaàu cuoäc hoïp MS Vaên Ñaøi chia xeû Lôøi Chuùa trong Kinh Thaùnh Luca 21:28-38 vaø OÂ. Buøi Taát Nhuaän caàu nguyeän xin Chuùa höôùng daãn buoåi hoïp. Sau ñoù Ban Chaáp Haønh baøn luaän vaø bieåu quyeát. 1. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua seõ laøm baùp teâm cho 20 con caùi Chuùa trong Chuùa Nhaät 13/11/ Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù môøi MS Dale Herendeen laøm Dieãn Giaû cho Chuùa Nhaät Truyeàn Giaùo 20/11/ Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua caùc ngaøy tieán cöû vaø baàu cöû nieân khoùa : 3.1. Chuùa Nhaät Tieán Cöû: 20/11/ Chuùa Nhaät Baàu Cöû Ban Chaáp Söï 27/11/ Chuùa Nhaät Baàu Cöû Ban Chaáp Haønh 04/12/05 4. Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù toå chöùc chöông trình Leã Taï Ôn vaøo Thöù Naêm 24/11/05 luùc 4:00 chieàu. Ñoàng yù xuaát $ ñeå phuï lo aåm thöïc cho chöông trình Leã Taï Ôn. 5. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua caùc chöông trình Leã Giaùng Sinh nhö sau: 5.1. Chuùa Nhaät 11/12 Thi Kinh Thaùnh 5.2. Thöù Baûy 24/12 7:30 PM Chöông Trình Thaùnh Leã Giaùng Sinh 5.3.Chuùa Nhaät 25/12 Kyû Nieäm 28 naêm Thaønh Laäp Hoäi Thaùnh 6. Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù thaønh laäp Ban Ñieàu Haønh cho Muïc vuï Tieáng Anh. 7. Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù hoaøn traû tieàn coâng taùc phí cho Truyeàn Ñaïo Hoà Cô Nghieäp moät thaùng toái ña laø $ Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù thu hoaøn laïi caên nhaø OÂB. Nguyeãn Vaên Rong ñang möôùn vaøo cuoái thaùng 12 naêm 2005 ñeå laøm phoøng hoïc cho caùc lôùp Tröôøng Chuùa Nhaät. 9. Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù cho Coâ Nguyeãn Thò Yeán Thi möôùn nhaø thôø laøm Leã Cöôùi vaøo ngaøy 14/01/ Bieåu quyeát Ñeà cöû MS Vaên Ñaøi, MS Nguyeãn Thaùi Sôn, MS Nguyeãn Ñaéc Laäp, TÑ Hoà Cô Nghieäp, vaø C. Buøi Thuûy Tieân laøm website cho Hoäi Thaùnh. Sau phaàn thaûo luaïän vaø bieåu quyeát Muïc sö Vaên Ñaøi caàu nguyeän taï ôn Chuùa vaø buoåi hoïp chaám döùt luùc 5:00 chieàu. Nay Bieân Baûn Midway City, ngaøy 09/10/2005 Buøi Minh Quan P.24

26 Thö Kyù Hoäi Thaùnh Sao y baûn chính ñeå phoå bieán. Ban Chaáp Haønh ñoàng kyù teân. P.25

27 10/9/2007 Page 1 of 2 Co Ho From: Sent: To: Cc: Subject: Co Ho Monday, October 31, :58 PM mucsudai@gmail.com; mucsuson@gmail.com; mucsulap@gmail.com; Co Ho; 'Wayne Bui'; 'Nhuan Bui' 'An Nguyen' Final Draft: Letter of Intent for An Nguyen to be our Connectional Coordinator Attachments: EMletterOfIntentForConnectionalCoordinator.doc Dear Pastors and Leaders. Thanks God who provided for our English congregation with the fund to take the next step of having another person on board. After many discussions with the English Ministry Team, the Pastoral staff, as well as with An, we have nailed down the final few specific details for the Letter of Intent for An Nguyen to be our English Ministry Connectional Coordinator. (I picked the title Coordinator to reflect An s preference for the lay-leader Christian Worker title Cong Tac Vien Muc Vu, instead of any other pastoral titles available from the District). Please review this final draft letter attached here. And if there is no other major revision, please include this for the Church Board s Agenda for the November meeting. In the mean time, if you catch any error of have any further question, please me. Also please note that none of this is official until the Church Board approves it formally. If all goes well, perhaps we could invite Muc Su Tai for installation sometimes in December Please continue your prayer for us all. Thanks. Bumble. From: Co Ho Sent: Wednesday, October 19, :06 PM Subject: RE: First official EMT meeting Importance: High GOOD NEWS: Today is the end of 40 days for Ti An Nguyen to consider "the call" to our ministry. I met him at the informational mtg. re: Single Adult Group tonight, and he gave me a YES answer. Attached here is a very draft Letter-of-Intention for Ti. Please review if you can before we clean it up at this Sunday EMT meeting. Bumble -----Original Message----- From: Co Ho Sent: Mon 10/10/2005 9:37 PM Subject: First official EMT meeting Greetings, P.26

28 10/9/2007 Page 2 of 2 Our recommendation was discussed and adopted at the board meeting yesterday rather smoothly. Praise God, and thanks to all of you. There were no questions raised for the time being and the idea of a ministry team (Ban Dieu Hanh in Vietnamese) for English Speaking was well received. Now the actual hard work is waiting for us. We need to pick a time so that we could meet monthly to discuss ministry topics for the English Congregation. How about the 4 th Sunday of the month? From 1:30pm 3:00pm at the same room like last time? Spouses are more than welcome to join us in the discussion. If it s OK with everyone, then our meeting should be on Sunday Oct. 23 the agenda will be - Review the Letter of Intent to call for a pastoral support person for the English Congregation. - Plus the usual Assess / Address / Apply items from SonLife ministry team meeting convention. Is everybody OK with the time suggested above? Any more items needed to be on the agenda? Bumble P.27

29 Mr. An Nguyen 9934 Thistle Fountain Valley, CA Midway City, November 13, 2005 Dear An, For the past 10 years we have the privilege of seeing you grow in God among His people here at the Vietnamese Alliance Church at Midway City. In the past we were encouraged by your commitment to serve God in our English Ministry (EM). Most recently we were excited to see you completed the Master of Theology at Regent College. And we are blessed with your returning and strengthening to this congregation for the past year. As you see, God have been steadily guiding our church for the past few decades and now He is leading us to build up the second-generation church among Vietnamese American here. At this point, our English Congregation is growing and we are seeking additional pastoral care assistance for our new and potential members. Recently God blessed us with a large sum for English ministry through a generous couple from our congregation. With that provision, we started thinking about a part-time Connectional Coordinator position to oversee outreach, follow-up and discipleship at our church. After some prayer, we thought that you would be a good candidate for this needs. If you choose to serve us in this capacity: 1. You will focus on pastoral care, especially in drafting the new comers, and connecting them to a disciple-making community (small groups, fellowship groups, accountability partner), even though you will not be directly responsible for creating those disciple-making communities. 2. You will also share the load of preaching occasionally but regularly (like once a month or once every two months). 3. Most importantly, you will need to constantly grow deeper in God personally. This part time position would take 20 hours a week with the assignment load of about 8 hours on the weekend (including serving and attending worship services, fellowship groups, meetings, etc.) and 12 hours during the weekdays for visitations and administrative duties. Typical duties over a month period would be as followed: 1. Oversee the ministry of the Welcoming Team (ushers) to identify and welcoming new comers (on Sunday). 2. Teach Sunday-School, preferably an outreach-oriented class. 3. Visit to follow-up for new comers and/or discipleship (on weekdays, except for any week where you have to prepare for sermon). 4. Attend a weekly fellowship group and assisting the group to become a more effective disciplemaking community. 5. Prepare and preach for the English Congregation once a month. 6. Attend the EM monthly Prayer Meeting (leading the meeting once every two months). 7. Attend the following monthly meetings: with the pastoral staff; with the English Pastor (Bumble); with the English Ministry Leadership Team. Obviously as we pray that the ministry will grow in the future, your responsibility will grow with the ministry as well. We will evaluate and review our responsibilities and ministry function annually to make sure that both you and the congregation will continue to be in steps with what God would be leading us to. As with all paid ministry positions, the intent is that the ministers will not have to concern so much with their tent-making activities so that they can wholeheartedly focus on the ministry. Therefore, we would P.28

30 encourage you not to work more than 20 hours a week in any other employment so that you can serve adequately. But we are also committed to care for you adequately so that we will be benefited from your well being when you serve us. So if you ever have any concerns in your ministry with us, please let us know immediately. We promise to be honest, trustworthy and constructive in all manners of interaction with you. Right now, our finance is only enough for one-year part-time salary, for All of us will need to take a step of faith to build our future: you by accepting this call from us; and our congregation by finance this position for 2007 and the future. Our trust is that God can evaluate our endeavor and provide for His ministry. At this point, we are prepared to support you financially as followed: Monthly part-time salary of $1, which includes $1,250 base-salary $150 health-benefit provision so you can buy your own plan. $150 automotive expenses provision. $150 ministry expenses provision. and $ FICA, Federal and State Tax withholdings. (Please note that all provisional allowances will be included directly in your taxable income). Annual paid vacation leave of 40 hours, not exceeding four weekends a year. An annual professional development budget of $2,000 this budget will be used for things which help you grow deeper next year in the form of books, software, travel expenses, conferences, seminars, tuition reimbursements, etc. You can request the EMT and the board for funding in relating to this. As for working relationship accountability, you would directly accountable to Bumble, who in turned would be accountable to the English Ministry Leadership Team (EMT) and the church Pastoral Staff. We know that we have been talking to you in general for the past few weeks. But with this letter of intent, we would like to solidify our support for your ministry and service in written form with as much details as possible. Please review this offer and let us know if you have any additional question. Please respond to us in writing as soon as you can so that we can request our Vietnamese District of the Christians and Missionary Alliance to install you as an official Christian Worker of the C&MA at our church as early as December 1 st, We pray that God will lead both you and us in being faithful to His call. Senior Pastor English Speaking Ministry Director Rev. David Dai Van Co-Nghiep Bumble Ho P.29

31 Mr. An Nguyen 9934 Thistle Fountain Valley, CA Midway City, January 1, 2006 Dear An, Attached is the first payroll check for you for the period from Dec. 1 st through Dec. 31 st However, there are some adjustments. I ve made a few errors in calculating your salary. The letter we sent you on November 13, 2005 stated that: At this point, we are prepared to support you financially as followed: Monthly part-time salary of $1, which includes $1,250 base-salary $150 health-benefit provision so you can buy your own plan. $150 automotive expenses provision. $150 ministry expenses provision. and $ FICA, Federal and State Tax withholdings. (Please note that all provisional allowances will be included directly in your taxable income). As you can see, $1,250 + $150 + $150 + $150 + $260 did not add up to be $1,830 - (shame on me and my business degree). As your check indicated, here is the new corrected breakdown: Your monthly part-time salary is $1, which includes $ Federal Tax Withholding deduction $ Social Security Employee Tax deduction $ Medicare Employee Tax deduction $ CA State Tax Withholding deduction Your after-tax-net-pay amount is $1,446.88, which reflects a base-salary of $1, and $ provisional for health benefit, automotive, and ministry expenses. I am so sorry for the mistake I ve made I wish that we could give you a higher adjustment instead of reducing your base-salary and the provision. However, our current finance could not allow for that. Please accept my sincere apology. On behalf of the English Leadership Team Co-Nghiep Bumble Ho P.30

32 HOÄI THAÙNH TIN LAØNH MIDWAY CITY GIAÙO HAÏT HOA KYØ Bieân baûn soá 11/05/262 Bieân baûn buoåi hoïp cuûa Ban Chaáp Haønh, Ban Chaáp Söï, Tröôûng Ban, Tröôûng Toå Hoäi Thaùnh ñaõ hoïp laïi vaøo ngaøy 13 thaùng 11 naêm 2005 luùc 2:00 chieàu taïi nhaø thôø Midway City do söï trieäu taäp cuûa MS Vaên Ñaøi. Hieän dieän trong buoåi hoïp coù MS Vaên Ñaøi, MS Nguyeãn Thaùi Sôn, MS Nguyeãn Ñaéc Laäp, TÑ Hoà Cô Nghieäp, OÂ. Buøi Minh Quan, OÂ. Buøi Taát Nhuaän, OÂ. Nguyeãn Vaên An, OÂ. Leâ Traàn Linh AÂn, OÂ. Buøi Phöôïng Quyønh, OÂ. Traàn Ngoïc Hieáu, OÂ. Traàn Thöùc Vaên, C. Nguyeãn Thanh Thuûy, OÂ. Tröông Ñình Huy, OÂ. Ñaøm Höõu Thanh, OÂ. Leâ Thaønh Thoâng, OÂ. Nguyeãn Vaên Tieán, OÂ. Lyù Chính Thaéng, OÂ. Voõ Minh Ngoïc, OÂ. Tröông Ñình Hieán, OÂ. Buøi Minh Haûi, OÂ. Lyù Chính Thaéng, OÂB. Traàn Ngoïc Phuùc, B. Leâ Thaønh Giaøu, OÂ. Kirk Gill, vaø C. Roselyne Môû ñaàu cuoäc hoïp MS Vaên Ñaøi chia xeû Lôøi Chuùa trong Kinh Thaùnh I Coâ-rinh-toâ 13:1-13 vaø caàu nguyeän xin Chuùa höôùng daãn buoåi hoïp. Caùc Tröôûng Ban Ngaønh töôøng trình sinh hoaït cuûa caùc Ban Ngaønh trong thaùng 10/05. Caùm ôn Chuùa coù ban phöôùc cho caùc Ban Ngaønh trong Hoäi Thaùnh. Ban Chaáp Söï chaám döùt buoåi hoïp vaøo luùc 4:00 chieàu. Sau ñoù Ban Chaáp Haønh baøn luaän vaø bieåu quyeát. 1. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua Ban Tröôøng Chuùa Nhaät seõ toå chöùc ngaøy Caûm Ôn Giaùo Vieân vaøo toái thöù Saùu 7:00 10:00 PM 02/12/05. Dieãn Giaû laø MS Dave Holden. 2. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua chöông trình Leã Giaùng Sinh nhö sau: 2.1. Chuùa Nhaät 11/12 Thi Kinh Thaùnh 2.2. Thöù Baûy 17/12 7:30 PM Chöông Trình Ca Nhaïc Giaùng Sinh (Ban Hoøa Taáu) 2.3. Thöù Baûy 24/12 7:30 PM Chöông Trình Thaùnh Leã Giaùng Sinh 2.4. Chuùa Nhaät 25/12 Kyû Nieäm 28 naêm Thaønh Laäp Hoäi Thaùnh. 3. Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù môøi MS Nguyeãn Thaùi Sôn theâm moät nhieäm kyø 2 naêm, töø thaùng 10 naêm 2005 ñeán 10 naêm Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù môøi A. Nguyeãn Duy An laøm Coâng Taùc Vieân Muïc Vuï cho muïc vuï Anh Ngöõ trong naêm Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua Ban Thanh Nieân II döï Traïi Muøa Ñoâng töø 26/12/05 ñeán 29/12/ Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù baét ñaàu thaùng 12/05 ñoåi giôø thôø phöôïng Leã III thaønh 11:30 1:00 PM thay vì 11:15-12:45 PM ñeå Ban Thôø Phöôïng coù thôøi giôø chuaån bò. 7. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua Ban Baûo Trì seõ xaây nhaø kho vôùi ngaân khoaûn $2, Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua cho Ban AÂm Thanh mua duïng cuï aâm thanh nhö sau: 8.1. Microphone cord (6) $ Microphone stand (6) $ Stage light socket replacement (8) $ Stage light bulb replacement (8) $ Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù xuaát Quyõ Queâ Höông $4, giuùp cho caùc baø Muïc Sö Quaû Phuï qua Toång Lieân Hoäi. P.31

33 10. Bieåu quyeát Ñeà cöû MS Nguyeãn Ñaéc Laäp nghieân cöùu xaây neàn cao leân cho phoøng nhoùm Thieáu Nhi vôùi ngaân khoaûn $5, Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua Ban Baùo Chí seõ phaùt haønh ñaëc san Giaùng Sinh vôùi ngaân khoaûn $ Bieåu quyeát Ñoàng yù xuaát Quyõ Xaõ Hoäi $ giuùp MS Nguyeãn Minh Haûi. 13. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua Ban Thieáu Nieân (J.A.R.) seõ phaùt aåm thöïc cho ngöôøi voâ gia cö vaøo ngaøy 19/11/05 töø 12:00 4:00 chieàu taïi Santa Downtown (hoaëc Los Angeles Downtown). 14. Bieåu quyeát Thoâng qua MS Nguyeãn Thaùi Sôn seõ nghæ pheùp töø 26/12/05 ñeán 08/01/06. Sau phaàn thaûo luaïän vaø bieåu quyeát Muïc sö Nguyeãn Thaùi Sôn caàu nguyeän taï ôn Chuùa vaø buoåi hoïp chaám döùt luùc 6:00 chieàu. Nay Bieân Baûn Midway City, ngaøy 13/11/2005 Buøi Minh Quan Thö Kyù Hoäi Thaùnh Sao y baûn chính ñeå phoå bieán. Ban Chaáp Haønh ñoàng kyù teân. P.32

34 Appendix

35 Silent Exodus Can the East Asian church in America reverse the flight of its next generation? By Helen Lee (reprinted from Christianity Today, Aug ) Asian churches in the United States are discovering that despite their spectacular growth they are simultaneously losing their children. At an alarming rate, many young believers who have grown up in these Asian congregations are now choosing to leave not only their home churches, but possibly their Christian faith as well. In many respects, the Asian church in the United States has been hugely successful since the mid-1960s, when immigration restrictions were dramatically relaxed. The surge in Asian immigration led to an explosion of new churches. But the flip side of this success story has been a silent exodus of church-raised young people who find their immigrant churches irrelevant, culturally stifling, and ill equipped to develop them spiritually for life in the multicultural 1990s. The Korean church I attended as a child was uncomfortable for kids, with no English sermon or children s program, says 34-year-old John Lee from Venice, California. Church was more for my parents. There wasn t a lot for us in terms of learning about the Bible and Christianity. Many in younger generations either immigrated with their parents at a very early age or were born in the United States, placing them in a stressful bicultural context of balancing the oft-conflicting Asian parental and American cultural influences. Of those young people who have left their parents churches, few have chosen to attend non-asian churches. The second generation is being lost, says Allen Thompson, coordinator for multicultural church planting in the Presbyterian Church of America. They are the mission field we need to focus on. MAKING MINISTRY RELEVANT: Dave Gibbons, a half-korean, half-caucasian pastor, spent five years working in a first-generation Korean church, developing an English-only ministry for its young people. One day, he was sitting in a required elders meeting, conducted entirely in Korean, which he was unable to understand fully. As he read his Bible instead, he was subsequently stunned by a realization about his own efforts. I was trying to pour new wine into old wineskins, he explains. In the process, I was raising a generation of spoiled saints, with no accountability or ownership of their own ministry, because the parents had always been in charge of the church. Other Asian-American leaders have started having similar realizations. And for the past several years, these emerging leaders have been remolding Christian outreach to Asian Americans. They aspire to engage a disaffected generation of former churchgoers, while retaining a strong Asian dimension to their ministry. This task of reclaiming the younger generations is difficult in different ways for each Asian ethnic group. While Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans share similarities, their history in America, immigration patterns, and ethnic heritages differ significantly and pose distinctive problems. Asian churches are confronted with similar dilemmas of identity and mission: whether their principal role is to serve new immigrants, to disciple an Americanized next P.34 Christianity Today Aug. 12, 1996 Silent Exodus - page 1 of 6

36 generation, to blend their congregations into Christian America, or to move their churches into some yet undiscovered form and function. RESISTING DISCRIMINATION: Of the three major East Asian groups that have immigrated in large numbers to the United States, the Chinese possess not only the longest history in America but also have suffered intense immigration discrimination in the way of now-amended federal laws. In coping with decades of discrimination, Chinese Christians responded by bonding tightly to their ethnic culture and language. The Chinese chose as their principal church paradigm to have Chinese-language-only churches, says Stan Inouye, founder and director of Iwa, an Asian American ministry-consulting organization in Monrovia, California. In addition, many Chinese-American churches have formed schools within their congregations to teach Chinese language and culture. But as the Chinese churches in America matured, significant change has been avoided or resisted, especially in introducing English worship services. The drive to preserve their culture and to be a safe haven for new immigrants has had unintended negative consequences for their children American-born Chinese, known as ABCs. As a result, Inouye says Chinese churches have lost countless ABCs who desired separate services in English for their comprehension and spiritual growth. Samuel Ling, director of the Institute for Chinese Studies at Wheaton (Ill.) College, estimates that only about 4 percent of ABCs who constitute 40 percent of the U.S. Chinese population are integrated into the Chinese church. For the Chinese church, as well as among Asian American Christians overall, the intense emphasis on new immigrants is easy to understand. Federal census projections report that Asian immigrants are the nation s fastest-growing group. The total number of Asian Americans is expected to increase to 13.2 million by 2005, an 81 percent increase from Sang Hyun Lee, systematic theology professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, says, As [Asians] come together in their ethnic churches, they experience an inversion of status, a turning upside down of the way they are viewed in the society outside.. Without the linguistic and cultural barriers that Asian immigrants usually face in mainstream America, the church becomes a place where new Asian Americans feel comfortable and where fresh immigrants can learn from and support each other. Chinese church-growth statistics reveal how immigrants are flocking into new congregations. There was a 500 percent growth in Chinese churches in America between 1968 and 1990, for a total of 644 congregations. But this growth has not effectively stemmed the departure of many of their Americanborn children in search of cultural relevance and English-language church services. GROWING PAINS: The Korean church in America, in general, is very busy just trying to survive, says Daniel Lee, a first-generation Korean pastor at Global Mission Church (GMC) in Silver Spring, Maryland. It hasn t had enough energy or time to focus on the second generation yet. Christianity Today Aug. 12, 1996 Silent Exodus - page 2 of 6 P.35

37 Koreans have embraced Christian belief as have few other Asian groups. More than 20 percent of the population in South Korea is Christian, and the percentage is much higher among Korean immigrants to the United States, with more than 2,000 Korean churches, attended by about 1 million Korean Americans. Some 70 percent of firstgeneration Korean Americans are affiliated with a Korean church in the United States today. This is an extremely high church-to-person ratio made all the more remarkable because it has taken place in the past 30 years. In 1965, federal immigration reform abolished restrictive quotas that for decades had severely limited Asian immigration. In addition to opening the doors to previously excluded Asian immigrants, the 1965 law included provisions that facilitated the entry of immigrant family members. Koreans in particular took advantage of the new law, often emigrating as entire families, one factor that has contributed to skyrocketing Korean immigration. As Korean churches in America developed, they were immediately faced with the costly proposition of developing ministries for all generations at once. This problem was intensified as children of the immigrant wave became young adults attuned to life in the American mainstream. A recent study by pastor Robert Oh surveyed Southern Californian second-generation Korean Americans who are members of first-generation Korean churches and found that 80 percent hope to attend a church where English is the primary language. Scholars Young Pai, Delores Pemberton, and John Worley from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Education have also studied Korean-American adolescents, and they believe there is a deeper problem. Korean-American young people at the college level are not likely to seek out either Korean or Caucasian churches, they wrote. [They] may tend to feel uncomfortable in both Korean and Caucasian churches. OVERASSIMILATION? For centuries, the Japanese have had a near legendary resistance to Christian evangelization. And among the 870,000 Japanese Americans, there are only 195 Christian churches and about 35,000 Christian believers, according to John Mizuki of the Japanese Evangelization Center in Pasadena, California. However, churches for Japanese Americans have not had the same disputes over language as the Koreans or Chinese. Because the Japanese assimilated very quickly, the services were divided into English and Japanese long ago, says Carl Omaye, senior pastor of the 75-year-old Anaheim Free Methodist Church. We have three or four generations coexisting together in our church. And leadership problems have not been as prominent. During World War II, the forced internment of Japanese Americans in relocation camps had a profound and lasting impact on the Japanese church. In this trying period, ministry consultant Inouye notes that Japanese Americans met together generationally in the camps and developed structures of leadership, which carried into the formation of church leadership after the war ended. So churches had different paradigms of leadership coexisting under one roof one style led by the first generation, the issei, and [another] style led by the second. P.36 Christianity Today Aug. 12, 1996 Silent Exodus - page 3 of 6

38 The Japanese-American church also does not have the challenge of coping with an ongoing spurt of new immigrants and rapid population growth. Japanese immigration peaked around Nevertheless, Japanese-American Christians still have difficulty retaining their believing children within an ethnic church context. Many Japanese find themselves more comfortable in an English environment, which means we ll see fewer and fewer specifically Japanese churches, says church history scholar Tim Tseng. I don t see too many new japanese-only churches forming unless the younger generations start them-which I doubt they will. The maturing Japanese-American church is caught between an ethnic culture resistant to Christianity and a population of highly assimilated third- and fourth-generation American believers who have a weakened loyalty to their ethnic Christian identity. PRESSURE POINTS: On top of the intense attention paid to native language, ethnic discrimination, and immigrant needs, Asian-American Christians grapple with additional pressure points concerning the demands for leadership equality, the role of ethnic identity in the church, and the importance of spiritual development Unless these added difficulties are solved, they have the potential to hinder church growth among younger people. These young people, often influenced by Western ideals of democracy and equality, tend to differ with Asian cultural views on hierarchy and authority. In Asian culture, you have a very slow giving over of authority and control to the younger generation, says Robert Goette, director of the Chicagoland Asian-American Church Planning Project. Often, the control resides with the parents until they die. Scholar Tseng agrees: Unless the first-generation leaders are able to give secondgeneration pastors the freedom to lead, their young people will not go to these churches. First-generation pastors need to be aware of this dynamic. Second-generation leaders also note their responsibility in this process of partnership with the first-generation leaders. The relationships between the first- and secondgeneration pastors has to be stronger, says Grace Shim of Parkwood Community Church in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, a second-generation, Asian-American congregation. If there are two pastors who are willing to compromise and put aside cultural differences, there s hope. Another area in which older and younger generations frequently differ is in the preference of the first-generation members for a monocultural setting, while the younger generations often feel restricted by such rigid ethnic-identity boundaries. While Peter Cha, also of Parkwood Community Church, was serving as a young adults pastor in a first-generation Asian church setting, he began to see a growing number of non-koreans coming to the church as well as an increasing number of interracial marriages. The first-generation parents began to complain to me about it, Cha says. The nature of the immigrant church is that the mission of that group is to provide for the needs of the first-generation. And while they want a vibrant second-generation ministry, they find it hard to deal with the side effects, like having non-koreans come. Christianity Today Aug. 12, 1996 Silent Exodus - page 4 of 6 P.37

39 But today s Asian Americans live in a society where they are typically spending less time in a monocultural setting. And even for those who are fully Asian in their ethnicity, acculturation has often made the ethnic-enclave atmosphere of the first-generation church unbearable for them. When Grace and Tony Yang moved to Southern California, they spent many Sundays hopping from one Korean church to another, but the process of finding a good fit was difficult. Most churches we went to didn t have services in English, says Tony Yang, a second-generation Korean American. Gibbons, who left the Korean church setting to plant his own independent church with a more multiethnic flavor, believes that the younger generations require churches with a broader cultural vision in order to feet comfortable. Today s busters think that if you re not being multiethnic in your endeavors, you re not real, he says. They see the diversity everywhere else in society, but if they don t see it in the church, they think the church is superficial. A third pressure point concerns providing quality spiritual education and training For the younger generations in first-generation churches. Due to the lack of teaching resources in Asian churches, or the decision to conduct services and teaching times in Asian languages, the quality of spiritual instruction the young people receive often falls short of their needs. Parents assumed that if you just sent the kids to church through high school, they d come out being good Christians, Global Mission s Lee says. We thought our kids would go to church in college. That was a very naive thought. In addition, Asian parenting styles are frequently based on the Confucian values of hierarchy and authority. Charles Kim, a 29-year-old coordinator of youth programs at Oriental Mission Church in Los Angeles, says, The kids don t own the faith. They come to church because they are forced to. They can t differentiate between Asian culture and Christianity, and then they often develop a hatred of the culture which they then extend to Christianity. Gibbons also notes that the second generation has to take responsibility for its own watered-down faith. We have been given ministries on a silver platter. We have had all of our ministries provided for us, which has-resulted in a weak Christianity. ENDING THE EXODUS: As AsianAmerican Christian leaders have assessed their congregational needs and opportunities, they have undertaken three principal means of solving their problems: renewing traditionalism, developing a multiethnic approach, and planting new churches. Julia Yim, a youth pastor at the First United Methodist Church in Flushing, New York, has chosen to sacrifice for the first-generation church. I get tempted to leave the Korean church millions of times, says Yim. But it s helped to build my character, learning to be a servant. Others in the first-generation, traditional church setting have tried to develop what is called the church within a church model, where the English ministry forms its own autonomous body within the first-generation context. Lee s GMC is an example of a first-generation church that has tried this approach, and he believes it has aided the P.38 Christianity Today Aug. 12, 1996 Silent Exodus - page 5 of 6

40 church in keeping more of its young people than it could have without the independent leadership of the second generation. A handful of Asian American churches, rich in many resources, are developing into multiethnic congregations with a wide range of Asians and non-asians as members. Originally a Japanese-American church, Evergreen Baptist Church in Rosemead, California, today is a congregation of 1,000 with ministries to many races and generations. In contrast, church planting in the Asian community can be a delicate matter. Before planting New Song Community Church near Los Angeles, Gibbons obtained the blessing of first-generation Korean church leaders, explaining he was not trying to steal their young people but was partnering with them to reach unchurched Asian Americans. This is where the Asian American churches have erred so far, Gibbons says. We have not gotten the blessing of the first-generation leaders! Nonetheless, church planter Goette estimates that there are 20 second-generation Korean-American churches and about 70 more pan-asian American churches, nearly all of them relatively new congregations. CALL TO PARTNERSHIP: The success of churches such as New Song in forging new partnerships between generations has given a measure of hope to those ministering to younger Asian Americans. However, many Asian churches in the United States do not have ready access to the financial and personal resources to duplicate New Song s success. Other leaders are cautious, predicting that it may take years to reverse the generational exodus of young Asians from their home churches. Due to the lack of young Chinese-American pastors, for example, scholar Ling says, I don t think we ll see vast improvement for another 10 to 20 years. Meanwhile, Goette says more non-asian churches should view Asian Americans as an unchurched people group for specialized evangelistic outreach. We shouldn t assume that just because these Asian Americans were born here and speak English that they will want to come to our Anglo churches. While innovative strides have been taken recently in the Asian American church, a formidable task remains in retaining and reclaiming Asian-American young people. Gibbons believes that the key may be for the younger generations to took at the legacy native Asian churches have already left, and then follow their example. The reason the Korean church is thriving is because of its commitment to prayer and willingness to sacrifice, he says. We of the younger generations need to be given the same opportunity to sacrifice, and we need to stress this value in our churches, so that we are willing to die for one another. Then, maybe, we ll be able accomplish great things in the church. Additional reporting by Ted Olsen. Christianity Today Aug. 12, 1996 Silent Exodus - page 6 of 6 P.39

41 CHAPTER 9: THE TRANSFORMATION OF A FIRST-GENERATION CHURCH INTO A BILINGUAL/SECOND GENERATION CHURCH i Robert D. Goette With the rapidly increasing number of Korean Americans who prefer to communicate in English, ii Korean church leaders realize in order to develop a successful church they need a thriving English ministry. Various models are being developed and copied with little consideration given to the inevitable, turbulent transformation process Korean American churches are experiencing. The Korean American church needs both direction and an understanding of some of the crises it will encounter in order to effectively minister to both the Korean and English-preference Korean American communities it seeks to target. Failure to carefully navigate the crises has unnecessarily disenfranchised large segments of both communities. The Context While the Korean American population is rapidly approaching the official U.S. Census count of one million, iii Korean churches are continuing to proliferate. But one should not hastily assume that all Korean Americans are being served adequately by these churches because of the diversity of Korean Americans (see Figure 1). Figure 1 iv ASSIMILATION GUIDE TO CHURCH PLANTING Alienated Ethnics Marginal Ethnics Fellow Traveler Ethnics Nuclear Ethnics WASP Church Multicultural Bilingual Language P.40

42 Most Korean churches in the U.S. target nuclear Korean Americans who speak Korean fluently and prefer Korean cultural values over American values. The large number of youth groups and English ministries which have begun in these churches are aimed at fellow traveler Korean Americans who are somewhat bilingual but prefer English over Korean and American cultural values to Korean ones. The two groups that currently need greater attention are the marginal and alienated groups. Marginal Korean Americans usually speak very little Korean and feel uneasy around first-generation v Korean immigrants. At the same time they are not completely comfortable in predominantly European American social settings. Prejudice from both sides due to either language ability or race is the major reason for this sense of marginalization. Alienated Korean Americans rarely associate with other Korean Americans outside their own family and feel at ease among European Americans. As Peter Cha has demonstrated in the following chapter, Figure 1 is not a static model (Cha 1999, pp?). A given individual may move back and forth from one category to another. The individuals he interviewed migrated between various categories throughout their lives as they sought to more fully understand their ethnic identity. If one understands the model's fluid nature, the model can adequately fulfill its purpose to illustrate the diversity of the Korean American community. Almost every church leader would agree the church should take the gospel to each person in his own heart language and cultural context (Acts 10:34-35, 1 Cor. 9:19-22). Likewise, the Korean American church would like to minister to the spiritual needs of every family and individual, both recent immigrant as well as native born. Ideally each individual of every family would be both bilingual and bicultural so that communication would never be a problem. Everyone would also like to see each family worshipping together and respectful and understanding of each other. Reality, however, causes those involved in ministry to creatively develop different methodologies to meet the complex problems and needs of real people who are seldom completely bilingual or bicultural. Robert D. Goette s The transformation of a 1 st generation church into 2 nd generation church p. 2 of 18 P.41

43 Since I was raised both in Korea and the United States and received seminary education in the area of missions both in the U.S. and in Korea, my perspective is itself bicultural. While studying in Korea, I was challenged to view English-speaking Korean Americans as an emerging new people group vi (Dayton and Fraser 1980, pp. 6-7). To gather data for a paper concerning English-speaking Korean Americans, I traveled to New York City, Washington D.C., Chicago, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston and Seattle. I interviewed Korean pastors, elders, deacons, campus and youth pastors and young people from a variety of churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the Presbyterian Church USA and the United Methodists concerning the status of emerging ministries to English-speaking Korean Americans. Subsequently, I saw the need for existing Korean churches to design programs and adjust church structures to accommodate this new people group. Brand new churches would also be needed to meet the specific spiritual and sociological needs of this particular group. This has been confirmed repeatedly during my fifteen years of full-time ministry with English preference Korean Americans in the context of youth groups and new churches connected to first generation Korean churches and separate from them. As I conversed with Korean American church leaders throughout the U.S., I recognized a distinct, developmental pattern occurring in Korean American churches. This pattern did not seem to be significantly different from the experience of local year-old Japanese and Chinese American churches that I had observed in Chicago. A telephone conversation with Peter Yuen vii confirmed the validity of this pattern and its similarity with the experiences of other Asian American communities. P.42 Robert D. Goette s The transformation of a 1 st generation church into 2 nd generation church p. 3 of 18

44 The Transformation Process Just as the immigrant family goes through tremendous changes during the first two or three generations after they have immigrated, so does the immigrant church. The following diagram describes the transformation process Asian-American churches have and will continue to go through over a 25 to 40 year time period (Yuen 1990, p. 3). See Figure 2. Stage One In a church of very recent immigrants, as long as both the adults and the children communicate well in the home-country language, the only major problem is the enlistment of willing adults to help with the children. Because new immigrants often work long hours, volunteers may be few. First Crisis (English-speaking Sunday Leadership Crisis) A Korean American church composed of recent immigrants soon faces its first crisis when their young children begin having Robert D. Goette s The transformation of a 1 st generation church into 2 nd generation church p. 4 of 18 P.43