Dialogues in Asian American Theology and Ministry Podcast

In the United States, the government has long depended on Christian organizations to aid and resettle refugees. Over the past half century, however, incoming refugees have been increasingly non-Christian and more religiously and racially diverse. How has the American refugee resettlement system adapted to these new religious circumstances, and how have non-Christian refugees experienced a resettlement system dominated by Christian organizations? Focusing on the case of Hmong refugees, this talk will show how American refugee resettlement policies transformed the religious lives of refugees, despite sincere efforts by both government and resettlement agencies to respect religious differences and put ideals of religious pluralism into practice.

In this presentation, Pastor Charles Choe of Tapestry LA Church will discuss how second generation Asian American churches can navigate their unique challenges, transitions, and opportunities. Join us as we learn about finding our identity as Asian American and Christian in the midst of many competing voices, as well as how one church has taken its missional calling in the city seriously.

Pastors and ministry leaders nowadays find themselves under overwhelming pressure. Especially in Asian American and immigrant communities, pastors are expected to lead and preach prophetically, educate as in-house experts, care for and counsel people towards healing, grow our ministries with limited resources, and model Christian maturity in our contexts. It’s a lot! Meanwhile, spiritual leaders must also receive care, tending to their own wounds and needs as persons. In this workshop, we reflect on the pastor as a recipient of mental health services, demonstrating how receiving care helps to ground ethics and clarify pastoral responsibility.

Most of us who have served in various ministry capacities (e.g., as pastors, missionaries, lay church leaders, etc.…) are intimately familiar with the potential dark realities of the ministry environment.  Empirical research confirms that ministry is indeed often a difficult endeavor, imposing significant stress upon our spiritual life, our marital and family relationships, and our own emotional and physical well-being.  Often, those who need counseling and care the most are Christian leaders who, over the course of their ministry journey, have been deeply wounded by fellow Christians, finding themselves now downtrodden, burnt out, isolated, misjudged, and discouraged.  In such cases, how does one go about engaging the process of healing?  This workshop will present practical and research-informed considerations and recommendations in the care of Christian leaders who have been emotionally wounded by the ministry context, with special attention placed on the experiences of Asian-American church leaders.

As Asian Americans church leaders, we often struggle with saying no to others’ requests. In addition to pressures and expectations, the Asian culture of sacrifice is palpable. And regardless of whether we say yes or no, we often suffer the emotional and physical consequences of our decisions. Using a mental health framework, this workshop helps us experience emotional grounding that brings clarity to the discernment process and empower us to say no when we need to.

When Asian-American church leaders discover that a congregant has experienced sexual or emotional betrayal, it’s hard to know how to respond well. It’s common to freeze, or to try to problem-solve. Worse, the mind can quickly go to protecting the church from shame or scandal. Tragically, these common responses do great damage to the victim of infidelity. Even to the point of apostasy. This workshop unpacks the experience of the victim, explains why certain responses are unhelpful, and provides concrete steps for you to minister to the victim’s bleeding heart, to the glory of God.

Asian Americans have the lowest rates of mental health service use despite struggling with mental health disorders, trauma, substance use, and suicide. Instead, we often look to the church for support. Pastors and lay leaders often feel unequipped to respond to these overwhelming needs. What is the role of the Asian American church in addressing our national mental health crisis, post-pandemic? This plenary explores what mental health ministry in Asian American church spaces can look like, and help us better understand why we cannot ignore this any longer.

Asian Americans share a collective experience of leaving one country in pursuit (sometimes forced) of a new life in a new land. How has this journey shaped our experience of ourselves, our families, communities, and our faith? This plenary explores the broader canvas of Asian American history, racialization, and identity to allow for a more nuanced understanding of our individual and collective well-being.

“Can we be Indian and Christian? What are the challenges that Asian American Christians face to become who they are? What do we need to unlearn and learn? Join our conversation with Dr. Ashish Varma and what it means for him to become an Indian American Christian.”

Billy Taing and Diane Ujiiye, Co-Directors of API RISE, invite you into conversation about humanizing sisters, brothers, and siblings who have endured war, poverty, refugee camps, and the “crimmigration” system. Join them in learning about counteracting stigma and the shame of being incarcerated and undocumented.