
	Helping Georgia Baptists Share the Good News

Home

Current Issue

Asian pastors meet in Duluth

By Joe Westbury, Managing Editor

Published March 13, 2008

DULUTH — Nearly 80 staff from Georgia Baptists’ Asian congregations gathered at the Missions and Ministry Center March 6-7 to explore avenues of mutual ministry.

Jerry Baker, GBC specialist for Language Missions Ministries, said the meeting served as both an orientation to GBC resources as well as solicit feedback from how the Convention can help reach the Asian community for Christ.

“I have been very pleased with the attendance at this first meeting of Asian ministers. About 75 percent of our Asian pastors are bivocational so this represented quite a commitment on their behalf,” he added.

Bobby Boswell, GBC assistant executive director and vice president for ministries, announced that the GBC recently passed the 100 mark in the number of Asian congregations affiliated with the state convention. He said the conference was designed to express appreciation to those congregations and to affirm the spiritual contribution they make in their communities.

The GBC has begun a three-year cycle of sponsoring such meetings among the Convention’s growing ethnic congregations. Last year the first meeting was held for African-Americans, Haitians, and Africans; 2009 will focus on Hispanic, European, and Middle Easterners.

Scott BarkleyIndex

Keith Chandler, consultant in Worship and Music Ministries, leads a group around the Missions and Ministry Center.

Scott BarkleyIndex

Younis Farhat, pastor of First Asian Indian Church in Marietta and Asian-Indian Church of Greater Chattanooga in Rossville, receives information on the conference from GBC employee Misty Mathis as An Van Pham, GBC statewide Asian missionary, looks on.

Scott BarkleyIndex

Angela Popovici of GBC Language Missions Ministries relays information to Thong Huynh, pastor of Vietnamese Baptist Church in Jonesboro.

Scott BarkleyIndex

Paulette DeHart speaks on GBC Literacy Missions to Shu Chin Tu, pastor of Central Chinese-American Baptist Church in Warner Robins, and his wife, Mis Suk.

Scott BarkleyIndex

Truett-McConnell interim president Mike Simoneaux, right, speaks with, left to right, Sam Evangelista, pastor of International Bible Church in Hampton; Biak Ceu, missions pastor of Atlanta Chinese Baptist Church; Tacho Joseph Lee, pastor of Vision Connexion Church of Atlanta; Jimmy Change, pastor of Open Door Korean Baptist Church in Atlanta; and Cher Pao Her, pastor of Heavenly Baptist Church in Monroe.

Scott BarkleyIndex

Son Kim Ly, associate pastor of West Rome Vietnamese Mission, center, visits with First Vietnamese Baptist Church of Dalton associate pastor Thanh Tran, right, and his wife, Kim Chi Tran, during the evening banquet. West Rome Baptist Mission pastor Hien Van Huynh, standing to the left, listens in on the conversation.

Front page of the current issue. Click to view larger.