The journey that has brought me to the culmination of this dissertation and degree has only been possible thanks to the support of others. The churches I have been a member of have deeply influenced my love for God and his mission. In addition to those mentioned above, it has been a privilege to work alongside and be encouraged by Dr.
Mark Blackwelder has been my dean for the last year and a half of this degree and his support, wisdom and encouragement have also been indispensable. Kayleigh and Callie have been my student assistants and have made my life significantly easier because of their organizational skills and disciplined work ethic. John Mark Terry stepped in to be my advisor and thesis chair late in the process and he has been outstanding.
After speaking with my colleagues who went through the dissertation process, I know that I was very lucky to have a Ph.D. Finally, a PhD is a team effort, and this study would not have been possible without the constant love, encouragement, grace, and support of my wife, Charla.
INTRODUCTION
11 Michael Pocock, Introduction to Diaspora Missiology: Reflections on Reaching the Scattered Peoples of the World, ed. 22 Sadiri Joy Tira, “Diaspora Missiology and the Lausanne Movement at the Dawn of the Twenty-First Century,” in Im and Yong, Global Diasporas and Mission, 217. The Lausanne Movement continued its momentum in diaspora missiology in 2008 with the formation of the Lausanne Diasporas leadership team.
71 Michael Pocock, Introduction to Diaspora Missiology: Reflections on Reaching the Scattered Peoples of the World, ed. The aim of missions is the joy of the peoples in the glory of God.” John Piper, Let the nations rejoice. Third, while the mission of God as seen in the metanarrative of Scripture is central, it is not necessarily equivalent to the mission of the church.
If, as stated above, the mission of the church is to make disciples, based on. God had prepared the world with the Jewish diaspora for the coming of the Messiah. Finally, in light of the shift from the center of Christendom from the West to the majority.
Therefore, he lives in a predominantly rural area of Tennessee more than half the year. Due to the non-religious nature of his family, they were neutral towards him becoming a Christian. The story of the push factor that brought them to the United States is fascinating and sad.
Owen is the patriarch of the family and immigrated to the United States from China over thirty years ago. First, 2 of the interviewees specifically mentioned that those in the community did not understand them. As stated in the demographic information in Chapter 3, 15 of the 23 interviewees were not born in the United States.
It is noteworthy that the interviewees who were not evangelical Christians unanimously spoke positively of the Christians in the communities where they live. As previously mentioned, twenty-two of the twenty-three interviewees viewed their experience in mostly rural counties.
Asian Americans Sensed Mistreatment in Rural Areas in the Past Rural Areas in the Past
At the moment, they are mostly positive about their rural experiences, even though small-scale abuse occurs. Asian Americans in rural counties also take a positive view of churches and Christians, although a minority have had negative experiences.
Asian Americans Mostly Feel Positive about Treatment in Rural Counties in Tennessee Treatment in Rural Counties in Tennessee
Christian millennials were also more likely to say they were not bothered by what they described as "jokes" about their ethnicity. If some Asian Americans are mistreated for their ethnicity in rural counties, Christians and churches should intentionally teach about Christian values that will reduce these experiences, with a special focus on teaching children, teenagers, and the elderly the importance of Christian compassion that leads to sensitivity. Christians in rural areas should seek opportunities to understand and minister to immigrants for whom English is a second language.
Perhaps providing ESL classes will help connect Asian Americans with church members and serve to meet a sensitive need of the foreign-born population. Also, churches that provide counseling services can seek ways to serve those minorities who have been abused.
Asian Americans Feel Positively about Churches and Christians in Rural Counties Churches and Christians in Rural Counties
As mentioned in the introduction, the purpose of this thesis is not merely to gather information about the experiences of rural Asian Americans. The data collected is intended to help evangelical churches in rural areas be better equipped to reach Asian Americans with the gospel. It could also reinforce the positive image Asian Americans already have of the rural church.
Linked to the first theory, the second theory is that Asian Americans mostly feel positively about the way they are currently treated in rural counties in Tennessee. Reaching out to Asian Americans in rural Tennessee will give Christians the opportunity to put this reputation into practice. Building relationships with Asian Americans in rural counties begins the process by simply getting to know Asians.
In the rural county where I live, I know exactly where to go to talk to Asian Americans. Of all the strategies that can be used to reach Asian Americans in the rural areas of Tennessee, hospitality should be the most natural. The abuse suffered by Asian Americans, though relatively minor in the estimation of those interviewed, is a reminder of this opportunity.
The following will examine how holistic ministry can be practiced by rural churches to reach Asian Americans in need. Because of the small number of Asian Americans in rural areas, help in these areas is likely to be needed for individuals as conscious Christians see the needs in the lives of their Asian American friends. However, other reasons necessitate counseling for diaspora people, possibly including rural Asian Americans.
Churches in rural counties have been equipped by God to engage in holistic ministry to Asian Americans and all people in the diaspora, for the glory of God. The interviews made it clear that Asian Americans in rural Tennessee felt positively about churches and Christians in rural counties. If it is true that Asian Americans in rural counties view churches and Christians in their communities positively, this leads to two suggestions for rural churches.
Although the number of Asian Americans in rural churches in Tennessee is limited, several of the interviewees for this research would be excellent candidates to take leadership roles in missions. The following are some suggestions for rural churches that can equip Asian American Christians to share their faith with other Asian Americans.
CONCLUSION
