The Asian American experience adds a unique and complex dimension to facilitating gospel-centered youth ministry, requiring that we think with theological depth. Please join us for our upcoming Rooted Webinar: “Formulating a Theology of Asian American Youth Ministry” on Thursday, February 15 at 1:00 p.m. CST. This live event will feature four youth ministry practitioners—Steve Eatmon, Mimi Lam, Dorothy Lau, and Huey Lee—along with host Clark Fobes. We will consider questions such as immigration, foreignness, histories, biculturalism, liminality, and more, with time to answer your questions. We hope you will sign up to join us!
In 2022, the film “Turning Red” caused a storm in a little corner of the North American evangelical world. Christians were on opposite sides of the love-hate spectrum over the Disney and Pixar movie. Nearly all the major Christian news and culture outlets decried the film as “typical Hollywood individualistic expressionism,” and heavily cautioned parents against allowing their children to see the movie. Yet, for those of us who, like the film’s Chinese-Canadian protagonist, experienced growing up in a different culture than that of our parents, “Turning Red” carried a different, landmark meaning. For Asian North American Christians, the film presented important themes to explore. But our viewpoints were unrepresented in the online domain of Christian thought. No one thought to ask us for our take. No one, that is, except Rooted Ministry.
Prioritizing Asian American Voices
Rooted reached out and encouraged me, a Chinese-Canadian, to write on “Turning Red.” And that’s how I came to be a part of this community of youth ministers and parents. The editors (now friends!) coached, supported and encouraged me, expressing their desire to hear my voice as an Asian North American parent serving young people in the local church. As Asian North Americans, our cross-cultural upbringing colors the ways in which we see the gospel, and I sensed that Rooted valued that.
The experiences of young Asian North Americans involve many layers of complexity that we must acknowledge as we disciple them in our local churches and our homes. Many families in our churches continually navigate a cultural divide between generations, and our church leaders bear the unique challenges of shepherding multiple congregations in different languages.
Offering Spaces for Connection
So I’m grateful that at Rooted, there is space for Asian North American church leaders to connect, gather, and discuss these issues. Unpacking the intricacies of ministry to Asian North American teenagers and parents in multilingual churches with fellow saints has been a relief and a joy for me. Not because answers are easily attained, but because I have found encouragement that I am not alone in having such unique challenges—challenges that, like viewpoints on “Turning Red,” are generally not addressed in the broad domain of resources for Christian ministry. The friendships that I’ve gained through connecting spaces, like the online Asian American Rooted Regional Group, have been an incredible blessing to me as a youth leader and as a parent.
Here are a few ways Rooted is seeking to advance gospel-centered youth ministry for Asian North Americans:
- Rooted has committed to having gospel-centered, on-the-ground, in-the-know Asian American church leaders suggest and direct initiatives for the Asian American community through the Asian American Steering Committee.
- Through the monthly Rooted Asian American online regional group and in-person Asian American Pre-conference at the Rooted Conference, a growing network of Asian North American church leaders are able to strengthen connections as well as to encourage and learn from one another in fellowship.
- Asian North American speakers and writers produce Rooted content and speak at conferences. These leaders share their own experiences, demonstrating ways to contextualize the gospel that speaks specifically to Asian North American youth and adults.
- Rooted partners with Asian American organizations like Sola Network and AALC to continue to fill the resource void for Asian North American Christians and church leaders.
Jesus’ work on the cross saves us to live as a family of saints, and the sum of our individual stories illustrate the beauty and magnitude of Jesus’ love for his people. If you are a fellow Asian North American looking for community and resources to proclaim that gospel of grace for your unique ministry context, you are welcome here! I hope you will connect with us for a gathering in person or online. Come join the community, friend and co-laborer!
For more resources about gospel-centered youth ministry from a variety of contexts, check out our Rooted Youth Ministry Podcast, hosted by Danny Kwon, and for more opportunities to gather with others serving in an Asian American context, join us at this year’s Asian American Leadership Conference, hosted by Rooted and a few others.
