Asian American Church Leaders Program:
Understanding and Serving the Asian American Church More Effectively
What is the purpose of this program?
This is a pilot educational program designed for Asian American church leaders to enable them to understand better the uniqueness of their Asian American identity and the complexities of the Asian American experience. The objective is to equip them to more effectively navigate the ministry challenges in their churches by covering topics that are not typically emphasized in seminary training.
What topics will be covered?
Module 1: Exploring Asian American Identity & Faith: Dr. Andrew Lee, May 2024
Module 2: Assessing and Adapting to Organizational Culture in Asian American Churches: Dr. Yulee Lee, August 2024
Module 3: Asian American Church Leadership Issues: Dr. Michael Lee, October 2024
Module 4: Evangelism & Missions for Asian Americans: Dr. Sam George & Dr. Michael Lee: January 2025
Module 5: Preaching/Teaching to Asian Americans: Dr. Daniel Wong, March-April 2025
All the instructors listed are experienced in graduate-level teaching and in Asian American church ministry. They are affiliated either with Wheaton College Billy Graham Center or with Tyndale University.
What is the program structure?
There will be a cohort consisting of about 7 Asian American English language congregations. Each church team will have 2 – 4 participants. At least 1 team member must be on the pastoral staff.
What is the program format?
To balance the time commitment required for study with the demands of adult life and ministry, this program consists of 5 modules that can be completed in approximately 1 year. Most modules are 1 month in length with study breaks. There will be an application assignment after each module to implement what is learned. Teaching will be hybrid but primarily online. There will be time for individual study, online instruction, virtual meetings with the professors, and in-person retreats which bookend the beginning and completion of this program. Upon successful completion, each participant will receive a certificate acknowledging this accomplishment.
Module Sessions: Each course module consists of required reading plus a set of weekly instructional videos with a maximum length of 60 minutes total viewing time each week. There will be adjustments for Modules 1 and 5 as these include in-person retreats.
The professor will pose questions each week for participants to answer online related to the reading material and respective videos. Questions for the instructor can also be posted each week by students for the professor to answer. Students are invited to respond to the shared online conversations.
Between weeks 2 and 3 of each module, the entire cohort will meet virtually with the professor for approximately 2 hours for further explanation, discussion, and participant sharing as to how the study material relates to their respective churches. There will be a similar session following the end of the module, between weeks 4 and 5.
After each module, there will be a minimum 4-week break before the next module begins. This will provide time to design, and possibly begin implementing the application exercise unique for each church. The break period will also be a time to do reading before the next module begins.
When will the program begin?
The goal is to begin in May. This will be confirmed after the cohort is finalized.
What is the cost?
There is no cost except for the purchase of select reading materials. Retreat expenses are covered.
Who is sponsoring this program?
This program is funded by a sub-grant from Grace Mission University to ISAAC, in collaboration with the Global Diaspora Institute at Wheaton College Billy Graham Center.
Who can I contact for more information?
Please direct inquiries to andrew.lee.01@wheaton.edu.
How do I apply?
To apply, please click below.
