English Ministry Crisis in Chinese Canadian Churches

Towards the Retention of English-Speaking Adults from Chinese Canadian Churches through Associated Parallel Independent English Congregational Models

Matthew Richard Sheldon Todd

• Publisher: Wipf and Stock
• Year: 2015
• Print ISBN: 9781498208840, 9781498208864
• eBook ISBN: 9781498208857
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christian Church

In this book, Dr. Matthew Todd looks into the anecdotal reporting of high numbers of Canadian-born Chinese leaving Western Canadian Chinese churches--what is termed the silent exodus. Some of the fastest-growing Canadian churches are Chinese, yet reportedly the highest dropout rates are among Chinese and Asian church adult ministries. This book recommends solutions towards the retention of Canadian-born Chinese adults in Chinese bicultural churches through empowerment. To address retention, the key factors that contribute to a silent exodus are established through qualitative research with participants of diverse church affiliations. Todd examines various models and proposed solutions the Chinese church has used to retain its English-speaking congregants, and gives attention to a theological basis for being inclusive in mission initiatives and for empowerment through passing the leadership baton. Todd makes some recommendations on the new wave of an emerging congregational model that requires negotiation with Chinese church leadership to give power away to English ministry leaders and congregations. He anticipates that this will permit transformational leadership practices that contribute to shalom, community transformation, and lasting congregations.

1

Introduction of the Problem

And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.

—Haruki Murakami

Statement of the Problem

The intention of this study is first to identify key factors why English-speaking Chinese adults exit (defect from, apostatize from, leave) Canadian Chinese bicultural1 churches—a problem Helen Lee has termed a “silent exodus.”2 The second intention of this study is to recommend some leadership strategies toward the longitudinal retention3 of these adults through English ministry congregations. Transformational leaders can develop healthier congregations that maximize missional capacity. The model and structure for English ministries is an area of concern. Almost all Canadian Chinese churches operate their English congregations as a youth ministry or as an “associated dependent parallel congregation.” This system can also be called a “parent-child model,” in which the Chinese congregation is the parent and the English congregation is the child. However, once the English congregation matures into adulthood and becomes intergenerational, enforcing a “systemic dependence on the Chinese-speaking congregation”4 is a significant factor in the silent exodus phenomenon. If these churches switched to an “associated independent parallel congregation model,” more people would remain in these maturing English congregations, and fewer of them would leave the church.

Audience/Ministry Opportunity Addressed

This book should be of primary interest to Chinese church pastors and leaders. This is not a homogeneous group, as it includes Chinese pastors, multiethnic English ministry pastors, lead and associate pastors, elders, church boards, and lay leaders of English ministries. This project would benefit lead pastors who want to have their bicultural churches adopt the associated independent parallel English congregation model. This project would also benefit English congregation pastors who want to guide their emerging English congregations into becoming mature associated independent parallel English congregations.

Second, this book is also directed to theologians who are interested in the transformation of their own associations, religious nonprofit organizations, or denominations and the expansion of missional capability. Faculty in theological institutions should be on the “cutting edge” of equipping parish leaders to steer through change.

Third, this book should also be of interest to leaders in multicultural churches. Multicultural churches are often the recipients of many of the wounded who exit English ministry congregations in Chinese churches. Having an understanding of some of the causes of their woundedness can help multicultural churches contribute to the healing process. In addition, many multicultural churches today are exploring the “churches-within-a-church” concept and could benefit from understanding the associated independent parallel congregation model with its potential for church planting. Leaders in multicultural churches are in denominations with leaders of Chinese bicultural churches and could have fruitful dialogue with them on transformation and the use of different church models.

Fourth, this book should be relevant for denominational leaders in the religious nonprofit sector. Denominational leaders want to encourage the missional activity of their Chinese bicultural or tricultural churches, but many of these leaders do not comprehend the complexity of why emerging generations of Canadian-born English-speaking Chinese are leaving the church. These denominational leaders should be interested in trying to promote the development of a healthier church model.

Fifth, this volume will be useful for leaders of other Asian churches. Because many Asian church pastors have similar exodus issues5 with their English-speaking adults, some may want to smoothly transition their churches into incorporating the model recommended in this study.

Sixth, this research could be relevant for leaders of non-Asian immigrant ethnic churches. The pastors of many of these churches are experiencing similar exodus issues with their English-speaking adults and may find an invitation here to smoothly transition their churches using the model recommended here.

Finally, this book will be of interest to certain other Christian leaders. Those serving in leadership positions that can influence bicultural and tricultural Chinese churches (e.g., those producing denominational journals and resources) may find in this study a means to address the exodus of English-speaking people from bicultural Asian churches.

Purpose Statement

This research on the silent exodus is based on a qualitative study using sixty in-depth, open-ended questionnaires emailed to former church dropouts and remain-ins selected from a wide spectrum of circumstances and bilingual church affiliations. The goal was to identify common patterns and risk factors (cultural, organizational, spiritual, and personal) that may contribute to the silent exodus. It is recognized that there will likely be multiple “causes” or factors; each church may have its own unique circumstances due to its own history and cultural practices. However, the desired outcome for this project is (1) to identify patterns and common dynamics in Chinese bicultural churches that are contributing to a silent exodus, and (2) to compile a list of risk factors.

My action-oriented step is to provide to transformational leaders substantiated data on why Chinese bicultural churches are losing numbers from their English-language congregations. My intention is to summarize the survey findings into a short document to share with three leadership groups/teams that either are in Chinese bicultural churches or have left Chinese bicultural churches. My objective is to test the survey findings with them, get their feedback, and create a way to address a reoccurring problem. I will be looking to these leadership groups to see what they recommend could be done differently. Many Canadian bicultural Chinese church teams have been through the silent exodus, know of it, or were part of such an exodus. I will be asking particular leadership teams for thei...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Abbreviations
• Glossary
• Abstract
• Chapter 1: Introduction of the Problem
• Chapter 2: Literature Review
• Chapter 3: Context of Ministry
• Chapter 4: The Biblical and Theological Basis
• Chapter 5: Methods of Research
• Chapter 6: Findings and Results
• Chapter 7: Desired Outcomes
• Chapter 8: Summary and Conclusion
• Appendices: Surveys, Survey Data
• Bibliography