Welcome to a new season of ‘Leading and Thriving in the Church’

The gift of immigrant congregations

It’s time for a brand-new season of “Leading and Thriving in the Church,” where we delve into the challenges, opportunities and innovations shaping church leadership today. This season, we’re excited to bring you thought-provoking conversations with pastors, theologians and leaders who are navigating the complexities of faith in an ever-changing world. From exploring the dynamics of ministry among immigrant communities to thinking about the shifting paradigm for worship in the present age, we’ll uncover fresh insights that will inspire and empower you to lead with conviction, vision and resilience. Join us on this journey of growth and transformation as we explore what it truly means to lead and thrive in the church!

Our first episode features an insightful conversation with Dr. Peter T. Cha. Peter is the director of the Thriving Immigrant Congregations Initiative (TICI) project and is a professor of practical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, where he has taught since 1997. Both as a researcher and a practitioner, Peter focuses on Asian immigrant congregations across the United States. In this episode, we talk with Peter about what makes immigrant congregations unique. In addition, we explore:

What are the most pressing challenges today for Asian immigrant congregations?
What can non-immigrant congregations learn from first-generation immigrant churches about cultivating faith in younger generations and embracing change?
How do the congregations Peter studies balance the desire to preserve cultural heritage and the trend of adapting to the broader cultural norms in society?

Peter offers a great perspective on Asian immigrant congregations that’s sure to help you understand this vibrant segment of the Christian community in the U.S. This episode will also provoke your thinking about Christian formation and intergenerational ministry, which are timely topics for all of us.

In the first episode of our third season, Prince talks with Peter T. Cha, director of the Thriving Immigrant Congregations Initiative (TICI) and professor of practical theology at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.

A matriarch of Asian American theology discusses storytelling, representation and capacity building with a director of educational programs at Leadership Education at Duke Divinity.

Interview with Kwok Pui Lan

Puentes Collective works to address the spiritual needs of the children of immigrants.

Humility, communality and authenticity are key aspects of a leadership style developed by Asian immigrant leaders to adapt to the American context, says a professor at Boston University.

Interview with Choi Hee An

I think you’ll really enjoy the conversation with Peter. So often, conversations about American congregations gets flattened. We view the complex dynamics of ministry through the lens of our experience. Consequently, we don’t always notice the rich array of congregations that exist all around us. Asian immigrant congregations are alive and well. At the same time, they face similar challenges that more established churches are quite familiar with. They struggle with discerning which traditions to maintain and which to relinquish. The institutional future feels uncertain when younger generations choose to worship in less culturally traditional spaces.

As an African-American pastor, I found that Peter’s insights resonated with my experiences. The Black church has moved past the Civil Rights era and finds itself, in some ways, seeking to redefine itself for a younger generation that has many more options from which to choose. But all of us are seeking to understand how to form Christians in post-Christian culture. That’s why I think you’ll enjoy listening to Dr. Peter Cha. Check out the podcast or read the transcript!

You can always reach me and the Alban Weekly team at alban@duke.edu. Until next week, keep leading!

Editor

Alban at Duke Divinity

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