Ethnic churches – racism in the pews?

By Anne Eapen

Whether it is China’s sabre-rattling in the Taiwan Straits of the 400 day countdown to its takeover of Hong Kong, the political machinations an ocean away have had a significant impact on British Columbia generally and the Lower Mainland specifically. The most immediate consequence has been the Chinese diaspora that has changed the face of this region.

Whatever the consequences of increased immigration – and these have been documented and debated at length – its impact on the local church is visible and significant.

This report focuses on Chinese-based churches, as they make up the majority of so-called ethnic churches here. There are at least 85 Chinese churches in B.C., almost all in the Lower Mainland. And that does not take into consideration the countless outreach ministries to the Chinese community by English-speaking churches. The proliferation of these ethnic churches are welcomed by some and decried by others.

First a Chinese

“I am first a Chinese, then a Christian,” Song proclaimed unabashedly from the pulpit of her church in North Burnsby. Standing beside her was an elder of the church, a Caucasian, who had asked her to describe the new ministry she was to begin at another church. She wanted to disciple Mandarin and Cantonese-speaking single mothers at that church, so she was moving on. But what made her brusque statement curious was that it was made to a congregation of mainly Chinese people from Southeast Asia.

This dichotomy appears to be symptomatic of emigrant-panted churches whose intent is to be community-based, but whose appeal to culture of origin is inevitable.

Deborah Chien, who pastors Westside Pentecostal Church in Vancouver, says she wants to build a multi-ethnic church, but her congregation continues to attract mainly Asians. “You face a lot of discouragement as an Asian to build a multi-ethnic church,” she opines. “It’s not a plus being Asian, it’s a minus.”

Chien, a Korean who came to plant this church via Malaysia, recounts being rejected by Caucasians and Asians alike. Her church is located in a predominantly Taiwanese neighborhood. “Most of them are nonbelievers,” she says. The challenge she faces is to remain a Christian in this community, not come across as pastor or as a church representative, but to reach out as a person.” She networks at PRA meets and other social events, but reiterates the need to “live an exemplary life in the community.”

Her three year old church has seen over 100 students who eventually return to their country of origin or move on to other churches. She has brought on a ‘second generation’ Canadian of Korean heritage to help her acquire a wider appeal in the community.

Numbers are not the problem at the largest Chinese church in the Vancouver area. Evangelical Chinese Bible Church (ECBC) on Marine Drive has 1,100 in its congregation. John Sun, its founding pastor, conducts multiple services in Mandarin with simultaneous English translation. Youth director Lindley Liew, who grew up in the church, ascribes the church’s growth to its homogeneity.

The church has a cross section of overseas-born and locally-born Chinese. Liew says culture and language draw their loyalties. She says those born here are ‘bi-cultural’ and describes them as “strangers to both cultures, neither Asian nor white.”

However, she considers this an asset – “a gift from God” – as they are able to adapt quickly to whatever community they are in.

A perceived problem in such ethnic churches is the generation gap which could pull families apart. But the more successful ethnic churches speak of a commonality of values between the generations. These include filial piety, the desire for a good education and firm belief in a strong work ethic.

At Richmond Chinese Alliance Church the pastor encourages the “maintenance of the uniqueness of Chinese culture as long as it does not defy Bible teaching.” At the same time he also tells newer emigrants to understand the society they’ve come into, and educate both themselves and their children to fit in.

Rev. (Dr.) Chan Kar Park is senior pastor at this 700-strong church, which has four congregations divided by language: Mandarin, English and two that are Cantonese-speaking. He considers that ethnic churches play an important role in helping emigrants settle in and carry on with their new lives here.

Bill and Sylvia Chu, who attend Heather Bible Chapel, agree that most Chinese enjoy the comfort of being with their own culture and language group. In explaining this phenomena, they are also quick to cite that “most of us have been victims of white domination.”

Some church growth proponents are willing to downplay issues of race or equity in a narrow focus on evangelism. However inter-cultural consultant Annie McKitrick sees the need “to rethink the church growth movement” in light of the changing face of our communities.

She points out that Christ, in his parable of the Good Samaritan, taught that our neighbor is everyone in need, challenging the prevalent attitude that one’s neighbor was only one’s fellow Jew.

McKitrick, who attends Brighouse United Church in Richmond, disapproves of compartmentalizing churches on the basis of race. “Racism has no place in Christianity,” she asserts, “and besides, all churches are ethnic,” she continues.

McKitrick suspects that new Canadians have been isolated into ethnic churches for convenience of evangelism. She considers it a tragedy that on Sunday mornings, “we never experience the diversity of other cultures in our worship service.” She suggests church leaders find ways of bringing in people from different backgrounds into the church or connecting ethnic churches to mainstream churches.

Trinity Baptist church at Granville and 49^th Avenue in Vancouver is an example of a mainstream denomination which imported a pastor from Hong Kong to reach out to the growing numbers of Asians in its community. Ivan Ho was hired to first head the Chinese section of the congregation in early 1990, but as the Asians in the congregation increased, so did Ho’s duties.

After attending ESL lessons at UBC, he was incorporated into the main worship service, chairing or ministering communion. Trinity Baptist has been eager to integrate the different cultures in its congregation in its main services, while maintaining separate programs during the week to cater to their individual needs.

That’s what Humphrey Tio, an elder at Full Gospel Assembly (FGA) Vancouver is hoping to achieve with his church. Although it has been planted by emigrants who were members of FGA Singapore, their vision includes “cell churches established in every neighborhood incorporating all cultures.”

Tio’s three year old church is involved in ministering at Rainbow Mission in the Downtown Eastside, the Matsqui Correctional Institute and various nursing homes. Last month, they opened the church premises to a single parents’ food bank “so that we can meet the practical needs of those living in the area around our church,” explains Tio. To that end, what began as a predominantly Asian church is fast becoming a multicultural place of worship.

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