ABHMS’ Asian Ministries convenes AAPI young leaders to cast vision for Catalyst program
VALLEY FORGE, PA (12/09/2024)—On November 8-10, a group of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) young adults visited the Leadership and Mission Building in King of Prussia, Penn., to take part in the Catalyst gathering led by ABHMS’ national coordinator of Asian Ministries, the Rev. Michele Turek. A year’s worth of online meetings culminated in this in-person gathering. Throughout the year, they utilized a curriculum developed by Asian American Ministries, a part of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA whose vision is “to help InterVarsity honor and reach all Asian American communities on campus with the gospel by developing, discipling, and empowering distinctly Asian American Christian leaders.” The diverse group included several ethnic and cultural identities, including Hong Konger, Karen, Naga, Chinese, Kachin, Chin Falam, and Korean.
The main objective of the Catalyst cohort in 2024 was to cast a vision for the future of Catalyst so that it promotes the flourishing of the broader AAPI young adult community. Catalyst participants were encouraged to use this time for self-discovery by interviewing their older relatives, learning more of their family histories and sharing it with the other cohort members. Self-discovery led to conversations about their own identity and heritage, but also learning from each other’s heritage stories as well. The participants deeply appreciated this personal aspect of working with the cohort.
The group intentionally set up guidelines that prioritized mutual respect. “We really tried to set the values for our group to say that we respect each other,” said Turek. “We’re hospitable to one another’s stories. We’re open with one another, and other people’s perspectives and cultures. Some of the participants reflected on the guidelines saying, ‘That really taught me to meet people where they’re at.’”
During the Catalyst retreat, they came together in person for the first time, having done all the work of getting to know one another, getting to know each other’s stories, and digging deeper into what it means to be an Asian American Christian. This is a foundational question, given that the stereotypical notion of what it means to be an American Christian is rooted in the Western-centered model. “The participants were really trying to think through this: ‘Well, God has created us as Asians. We have distinct gifts. We have this uniqueness in our communities, so what does it mean for us to be Asian American Christians?’” added Turek. Asian American community leaders, including Raymond Chang from the Asian American Christian Collaborative, facilitated profound discussions about the meaning of identity and faith. The young adults participating in Catalyst highlighted several areas that need attention, including insufficient acknowledgment of the importance of mental health and the lack of safe spaces which, in their view, leads to young people leaving church.
“In America, we are very diverse, and I love that. I celebrate that that’s how God created us. But sometimes you need a space where you feel comfortable with a group of people who understand you, or know what you’re talking about, or who understand your joke,” said Justin Thang, one of the participants. “I really hope and pray that all of us young adults here have the faith that we need to face our future and our tomorrow.”
All participants are staying on as the steering committee to continue working with young Asian American adults. Initiatives like the Catalyst are necessary, as there aren’t many faith-based spaces for young adults to set their own vision. If young adults don’t tell their stories, they’re invisible.
Scripture itself provides a firm foundation for the need for storytelling. In 2 Corinthians 3:2-3 Paul encourages believers to share their stories, proclaiming, “You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, to be known and read by all; and you show that you are a letter of Christ, prepared by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts.”
By Rev. Dr. Anna Piela, ABHMS senior staff writer and associate editor of The Christian Citizen
