The Most English Minister

"Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, KG, GCB, PC (20 October 1784? 18 October 1865), known popularly as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman who served twice as Prime Minister in the mid-19th century. Popularly nicknamed "Pam," or "The Mongoose", he was in government office almost continuously from 1807 until his death in 1865, beginning his parliamentary career as a Tory and concluding it as a Liberal."--Wikipedia.

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.

If you want to discuss development and transitions of a growing English ministry you’ve come to the right book. If recruiting and training youth workers, or development of worship, discipleship and mentoring is your concern – you’ll find ideas here. Many Chinese churches lack a long vision for their English ministry rooted in the Great commission. The author explores maturing English congregational models, the Silent Exodus, and why partnering is imperative. A celebration is given to the Chinese churches multicultural potential and challenge to reconcile the CBC hybrid culture. This volume has one goal – healthier churches to the glory of God.

America gets more diverse than ever before, and it is our responsibility to respect this diversity before us. Although many people claim that diversity matters, there are so many marginalized people who have not been heard yet. Korean-speaking young people are one of them. They have been marginalized not only by the main culture but also by their own community. This study illuminates this hidden population and their stories as emerging adults with socially, emotionally, and spiritually unstable status. With a practical theology approach, this study provides not only about who are the Korean-speaking young adults but also what is the current praxis and how the immigrant community can have different imaginations about their future with these young people. Including data gathered survey and in-depth interviews, Ignored is the first comprehensive study that addresses Korean-speaking young people. By sharing unheard stories, this book invites us to understand our diverse community. Furthermore, this book brings new imagination of listening others who have been ignored.

There is a great difficulty in the way of a writer who attempts to sketch a living Constitution-a Constitution that is in actual work and power. The difficulty is that the object is in constant change. An historical writer does not feel this difficulty: he deals only with the past; he can say definitely, the Constitution worked in such and such a manner in the year at which he begins, and in a manner in such and such respects different in the year at which he ends; he begins with a definite point of time and ends with one also. But a contemporary writer who tries to paint what is before him is puzzled and a perplexed: what he sees is changing daily. He must paint it as it stood at some one time, or else he will be putting side by side in his representations things which never were contemporaneous in reality.