ALHAMBRA, Calif. (BP) – The Chinese Baptist Fellowship launched the Chinese Baptist School of Church Leadership (CBSCL) at its biennial meeting Sept. 16-19 at Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles, located in Alhambra.
The CBSCL, in partnership with Gateway Seminary, will assist Chinese churches in theological education and leadership development, Fellowship President Howard Li noted in his report. Li is pastor of Trust in God Baptist Church in New York City.
“This year also marks the 44th anniversary of our fellowship,” Li reported. “We have witnessed the transformation from a fellowship focused solely on coworker networking, to one with various departments such as the English Ministry, Church Planting Department, Coworker Care Department, and Church Growth/Revitalization Department.
“Additionally, we have evolved from a Cantonese-only fellowship to a trilingual – English, Cantonese, Mandarin – fellowship,” Li said. “Thank God! I sincerely thank all the churches and believers for their financial and manpower support and trust in the fellowship.”
The Chinese Baptist Fellowship connects with more than 300 Southern Baptist churches in the United States and Canada. Participants from 18 states and two Canadian provinces participated in this year’s conference.
Yu-jian Hong, pastor of Faith Chinese North American Baptist Church in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Victor Chayasirisobhon, pastor of First Southern Baptist Church in Anaheim, Calif., and director of missions for Orange County Baptist Association, served as plenary speakers. For the first time ever, 12 other Chinese pastors from across North America brought their messages in the Bible Exposition sessions. Six spoke in Chinese; six spoke in English.
Sixteen pastors and leaders from across North America led workshops at the gathering including Getting the Gospel to China’s unreached people groups (319 in all, 57 with no known Gospel witness.
“We are a family of Chinese churches,” Jeremy Sin told Baptist Press. He is the executive director of the Chinese Baptist Fellowship and National Church Planting Catalyst for the North American Mission Board.
“We really want to have input from our pastors who live in different regions, different areas, of North America,” Sin told Baptist Press. “The Chinese Baptist family will know how the Lord is using them as they know more about the Fellowship.”
“Missional Discipleship: Living Out the Mission Against the Tide” was the theme for the event. Attendees could select tracks in both Chinese and English.
“Hearing from Dr. Hong was like drinking from a firehose,” Sin said. “He gave us so much, so forcefully, about holding fast to the truth of Christ, to fight against the teaching of the world.
“And Victor is so dynamic,” Sin continued. “He spoke about being shameless in the expression of our faith and the delivery of the Gospel, being unashamed as we do it, that we move together as a family and ultimately it’s about God wins.”
Business for the Fellowship included approving a revision of the constitution and bylaws; approving a $293,000 budget and the election of officers, remembering the ministries of the three Chinese leaders who have died since the last gathering: Johnny Wang, Peter Chen and Dick Wong; and celebrating the ordinations of new pastors.
The constitution revision was to clarify administrative details, Sin explained. The budget is 16 percent larger this biennial season than last, with a significant increase earmarked for Chinese church planting.
The officers all were elected to a two-year term, except Sin, who serves as a volunteer for an indeterminate term.
President Howard Li, Trust in God Baptist Church, New York, N.Y.; First Vice President Gideon Lee, Crosspoint Church of Silicon Valley, Milpitas, Calif.; Second Vice President Jack Yuen, Richmond Hill Chinese Baptist Church in Ontario, Canada; Third Vice President Andrew Tong, Hawaii Chinese Baptist Church, Honolulu; Secretary Steve Tan, Emmanuel Chinese Baptist Church, Overland Park, Kan.; Treasurer Amy Chiang, Horaian House, Arcadia, Calif.
“So often, it is a daunting task for Christians to go against the grain and live out their life mission,” said Alan Chan, pastor of Mandarin Baptist Church, in his welcome to Chinese Baptist Fellowship attendees. “As a sojourner here on earth, our spiritual vision must be clear, and the direction of our goals determined. Commit to love God and others, and with the strength of faith from God, we can and must, overcome all difficulties to accomplish the mission given by the One who has called us to Himself.”
The next biennial gathering of the Chinese Baptist Fellowship is set for 2026 at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.
“What we as CBF try to do is encourage pastors by fostering fellowship,” Sin told Baptist Press. “Also we seek to learn from one another. And we look for partnerships for missions. As a fellowship, this is what we do.
“It’s an honor to see God’s work among Chinese churches all over North America, and to partner together through the Cooperative Program with all Southern Baptist churches. We are glad to be a part of this large family of Baptists. I feel like we’re more connected now than ever.”
Other officers of the Chinese Baptist Fellowship are: Financial Secretary: Deaconess Jady Lo, Vancouver Chinese Baptist Church in British Columbia; English/NextGen: Rev. Carter Tan, Grace Chinese Baptist Church of Richmond, Virginia; Senior Liaison Officer: Rev. Amos Lee, Chinese Independent Baptist Church of San Francisco; Administrator: Mrs. Sylvia Chan, Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles; Church Planting Ambassador: Rev. Peter Liu, Ekklesia Beyond, Houston, Texas; NextGen Ambassador: Rev. William Eng, Chinese Baptist Church of Orange County, Anaheim, Calif.; and Executive Director: Rev. Jeremy Sin, First Chinese Baptist Church of Atlanta, Duluth, Georgia.
