conference breakout sessions

Our two breakout sessions on Tuesday, October 28th will explore the vital intersection of Asian American identity and Christian faith, equipping you for impactful discipleship, authentic leadership rooted in your unique experience, culturally relevant ministry practices, and activating your faith to make a meaningful difference in the world around you.

Breakout Session 1

1:15pm - 2:15pm

  • (SMC 1st Floor: Sanctuary)

    Facilitator: Jenni Wong Clayville; Panelists: Eunice Hong, Sung-Ae Lim, Sharon Kim, Dorothy Pang

    In this session, pastors and ministry leaders will address their call to ministry, their leadership styles, and their greatest challenges and surprises as Asian Americans. They will also share about self-care as ministers.

  • (SMC 1st Floor: Teacher’s Lounge)

    David Cho, Soong-Chan Rah

    In this workshop, two Evangelical scholars discuss their upcoming book published by IVP Academic. The text draws from various Evangelical scholars to engage the Biblical text through exegesis and a theological reading of Scripture on the topic of race. The co-editors, Dave Cho and Soong-Chan Rah will present the need for this text and the ways that this text may serve conversations on race in the Asian-American Christian community.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 201)

    Jessica C. Kim, Dennis Yim

    In this interactive breakout, a pastor and a therapist who serve together in the same church will guide participants through a biblical and clinical exploration of church trauma as a form of exile. Drawing from both ministry and mental health practice, they will share how they are seeking to live out healing and belonging in real time. The session blends reflection and group conversation to hold space for honesty and renewal.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 202)

    Tony Wee

    FamilyLife and AACC worked together with AP-NORC to study Asian American parenting and how spirituality transfers from one generation to the next. We will examine the findings and share conclusions on how we can enhance parenting discipleship in our churches.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 204)

    Abigail Erickson, Josh Huver, Joe Jensen

    This panel explores the unique experience and complexity of mixed race Asian Americans. What does it mean to belong when your identity spans multiple cultures, heritages, and histories? The panelists will explore the lived realities and challenges of mixed race Asian Americans, reflecting on themes of identity formation and fragmentation, racialization, inclusion/exclusion, family dynamics, and spiritual formation. Join us for a discussion on how mixed race realities can complicate racial binaries and invite a more expansive understanding of Asian American identity.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 205)

    Eun Strawser

    News of leadership failure in Christian contexts has become all too common. Emerging Christian leaders will lead the next generation well if we grapple with what the first-century church practiced: sharing power. This session invites us to consider how Jesus contended with power, what it means to resist domineering leadership, and leadership learnings to apply to our own contexts.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 206)

    Janette Ok

    Do Asian American Christians read the Bible in particular ways? How can we, as Asian American ministers, interpret Scripture faithfully while grappling with our complex racial and ethnic identities? Why should we read the Bible as Asian Americans, and what happens if we don’t? This conversation explores these questions and possibilities for preaching and teaching Scripture in ways that interact with Asian American identity and disciple our communities, including those who are not Asian American, into Christlikeness.

  • (EC 2nd Floor: Overflow Room)

    World Vision

    You’ve led the meetings, planned the steps forward, and hoped God blesses the final product, but what would it look like if the first step was pausing, listening and letting the Lord determine the first step? Learn how to seek God’s voice first in your daily ministry decisions with your church teams. Hosted by World Vision.

Breakout Session 2

2:30pm - 3:30pm

  • (SMC 1st Floor: Sanctuary)

    Facilitator: David Chang; Panelists: Hugo Cheng, Charles Choe, Jayson John, Enoch Liao, Peter Lim, Mark Ro

    In this session, pastors and ministry leaders will address issues relating to leading as Asian Americans and/or in Asian American contexts.

  • (SMC 1st Floor: Teacher’s Lounge)

    Jerry Park

    In this breakout session we learn about the complex realities of Asian American Christianity and Asian American Churches. The short presentation will introduce certain basics about data collection, the difficulty of analyzing Asian Americans, and snapshot findings from multiple and recent unique data sources. We will discuss the value of data-driven ministry and prospects for future research.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 201)

    David Park and Jeff Hyun

    Many of us have seen the impact of unhealed wounds and fragmented relationships in our families, churches, and communities. This interactive session explores the importance of healing and growth in the journey of faith, particularly for Asian American Christians navigating unique cultural and family dynamics. Through personal story, teaching, and small group sharing, we will reflect on various aspects of the journey of wholeness and find encouragement for the road ahead.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 202)

    Jean Park

    Many Asian American parents find themselves caught between honoring their cultural heritage and breaking cycles of pressure-driven parenting. This interactive workshop explores how the gifts and wounds of our upbringing shape the way we parent today. Through reflection, group sharing, and practical tools, participants will learn to distinguish between their children’s needs and their own unhealed places, moving from “fixing” kids to healing ourselves. We’ll discover how grace-based parenting can honor cultural values while creating emotionally safe homes for our children.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 204)

    Grace P. Cho, Al Hsu

    You have something to say, and writing might be a strategic way to exercise your voice and minister to others. But in a noisy multimedia world, how can you contribute in ways that make a difference? Publishing professionals Al Hsu and Grace P. Cho explore the challenges and opportunities of writing and publishing as Asian Americans. Come and see how God might be inviting you to expand your ministry through the medium of the written word and gain concrete next steps for your journey.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 205)

    Facilitator: Rachel Yeung; Panelists: Samuel Chao, Dorothy Lau, Jonathan Lê, Izzy Koo

    This session is dedicated to the future of the Church, the next generation of young Asian American believers who will carry forth the message of the gospel into the world. We will be delving into the challenges, opportunities, and strategies of discipling and co-laboring with the NextGen to fulfill God’s mission for all believers. We hope this session brings hope and encouragement in God and what He can do with the Church’s future. The purpose of this breakout session is to both encourage intergenerational discipleship in Asian American churches and promote the growth of the 2026 NextGen cohort. This breakout session is meant for church leaders and members of the next generation. We hope that it will be a space to share insights about the holistic discipleship of young people as they navigate various issues. We hope this breakout session will be a dynamic and impactful addition to the conference program, offering fresh perspectives and inspiring attendees across all generations.

  • (SMC 2nd Floor: Room 206)

    Daniel Lee

    This session will explore how our Asian American identity matters for our faith and Christian formation, as well as for how God sees us. How do we talk about our Asian American identity beyond simplistic stereotypes, such as “that's so Chinese”? How do our ethnic identity, race, and migration all play a role in who we are? More importantly, so what? Why do all these matter when everything is about who we are in Christ and Christ alone? After providing a theological foundation for the place of our Asian American Identity in our faith, it will offer some practical implications for impactful ministry.

  • (EC 2nd Floor: Overflow Room)

    Convoy of Hope

    In the urgency of planting and growing churches, have we overlooked compassion? Too often, church planting today focuses on strategies, structures, and scalability, while the heart of the Gospel—compassion—takes a backseat. In this session, we'll explore how biblical compassion is not just an add-on, but the missing piece of the Great Commission. Discover how prioritizing compassion can transform your church, deepen your community impact, and reflect the true heart of Jesus. It's time to reclaim what was never meant to be lost. Hosted by Convoy of Hope.