For Asian American Heritage Month this May, Thirty.Network’s DJ Chuang curated this list of next gen Asian American church leaders who are doing interesting things in today’s multiethnic world. Using a fuzzy-logic factor of “interestingness” a la Flickr, this list is neither comprehensive nor ranked. We hope they inspire you about the future of the church at large. (Watch videos from the first 14 days of May and browse the full list below.)
Sam Yoon – Campus Pastor at Saddleback Church South Bay (Torrance, California) and a member of Thirty.Network’s core team
• samuelyoon.com | Leadership Unplugged podcast
Angela Yee – Chief Ministry Officer of the Evangelical Covenant Church and a member of Thirty.Network’s core team • angelayee.com
Fred Mok – Pastor of Quicksilver Church, planting in San Jose, California • breadbeforerice.blogspot.com Rant of the Exiles
Kevin Nguyen – Pastor of Leadership & Multiplication at Mariners Church in Irvine, California and a member of Thirty.Network’s core team • transformed12.wordpress.com
Jay Catanus – Pastor at Garden City Covenant Church on the Northwest side of Chicago • gabrieljcatanus.com
Gail Song Bantum – Lead Pastor at Quest Church in Seattle • twitter.com/gailsongbantum
John Shin – Connections Pastor at Saddleback Church Irvine South campus and a member of Thirty.Network’s core team • facebook.com/PJSCENTER
Raymond Chang – Co-Founder of Asian American Christian Collaborative and campus minister at Wheaton College • twitter.com/tweetraychang
Taka Iguchi – Pastor of Voice Church in Tustin, California • takaiguchi.com
Michelle Reyes – Co-Founder of Asian American Christian Collaborative and church planter at Hope Community Church in Austin, Texas • twitter.com/drmichellereyes
Daniel Yang – Director of the Send Institute • koobxwm.com
Dan Hyun – Pastor of Village Church in Baltimore, Maryland • danhyun.com
Paul Sohn – leadership coach and author of Quarter-Life Calling • paulsohn.org
James Paek – Worship Leader at Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois • jamespaek.co
Angie Kay Hong – Worship leader, urban liturgist, and more • angiekayhong.com
Eddie Park – Pastor of Hug Church in Fullerton, California • instagram.com/eddiepork
Duke Kwon – Pastor of Grace Meridian Hill in Washington, DC • twitter.com/dukekwondc
Steve Bang Lee – College Pastor at Mariners Church in Irvine, California • bangblogs.org
Jason Nettles – Founder of Asia Rising • facebook.com/jasontylernettles
Chris Fukunaga – Pastor of City Bible Church in Cerritos, California and Los Angeles • youtube.com/channel/UC3Lsj6O7qr5I9Fu6fNqqVNQ | instagram.com/citizen.chrstphr
Thomas Hwang – Lead Pastor of Gospel Life Mission Church in Buena Park, California • tom-talks.org
Sammy Joo – Pastor at Point Church International (Cary, North Carolina) and Asian Ministries Consultant at Baptist State Convention of North Carolina • host of the NC Asian American Ministries podcast sjoo.podbean.com
Tom Kang – Lead Pastor of NewStory Church in Los Angeles • instagram.com/tomkangsta
Jonathan Hayashi – Worship Pastor at Troy First Baptist Church in Troy, Missouri • jonathanhayashi.com | Ordinary Radicals podcast
Wilson Wang – Pastor of Renew Church OC in Fullerton, California • facebook.com/renewchurchoc
Mitchel Lee – Lead Pastor at Grace Community Church in Fulton, Maryland • echoesofthemyth.com
Will Chung – Pastor for The Meeting Place TMP and associate of Leadership Network and Exponential • willdrea.com
Rohadi Nagassar – Pastor of Cypher Church (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) and author of Thrive: Ideas to lead the church in post-Christendom • rohadi.com
Dustin Lang – College & Young Adult Pastor at NewStory Church in Los Angeles and Founder of Revival LA • dustinlang.com
Albert Hung – District Superintendent of the Northern California District Church of the Nazarene • norcal.org/people/albert-hung
A Closing Thought
Many other next generation Asian American Christian leaders are doing wonderful things faithfully and fruitfully outside of the walls of the traditionally organized church, i.e. on college campuses, parachurch ministries, nonprofits, government agencies, families, industries, and local communities.
As the global pandemic of the COVID19 coronavirus has disrupted the world, it has prompted, even forced, church leaders to reconsider and reimagine how the followers of Christ can be the church for the glory of God and the good of the world, both online and offline. Nevertheless, it’s reasonable to say that there are things that God intends for local churches to do and to be; this holds true for a majority of Christ-followers across a wide range of denominations, sects, theologies, and ecclesiologies.
The list above primarily noted those who are working in traditionally-organized local churches. God certainly does accomplish His work beyond the walls and structures of local churches, both the organizational and the organic.