Chinese Baptists enrich next-gen ministry

LONG BEACH (BP) — The Chinese Baptist fellowship added a next-generation ministry leader to its executive team at its 20th biennial conference, enriching ministry to second- and third-generation Chinese Americans.

William Eng, who retired in 2016 as pastor of Chinese Baptist Church of Orange County in Anaheim, joins the executive committee of the Chinese Baptist Fellowship of the USA and Canada (CBFUSA) in the new post of vice president for Next Gen Ministry. Eng has more than 30 years of experience leading and discipling Chinese-Americans born in the US.

About 200 Chinese Baptists and their families attended the conference Sept. 24-28 aboard the Carnival Inspiration cruise ship, boarding in Long Beach for an excursion including Ensenada, Mexico.

“The conference on board a cruise ship was meant to be a time for participants to take a break from ministry and be refreshed spiritually, and have something to take home to help them in ministry,” CBFUSA Executive Director Amos Lee told Baptist Press. “We praise God for His grace that made it happen.”

The group of more than 300 churches adopted as priorities helping churches become healthy, training and coaching church planters and achieving holistic ministry, Lee said, in addition to reaching the next generation. The group adopted a two-year budget of $208,000 to support fellowship ministries.

Canadian-American Old Testament scholar Daniel Block was keynote speaker, focusing on Proclaiming the Kingdom. The Wheaton College professor of Old Testament was previously the John R. Sampey professor of Old Testament interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Joining Block as speakers were financial adviser and retired United Commercial Bank CEO Sau Wing Lam and Ting Yik Leung, associate pastor of Crosspoint Church of Silicon Valley in Milpitas.

Officers elected at the 2016 biennial conference were re-elected to second terms including Benny Wong, pastor of First Chinese Baptist Church, Los Angeles, president; and Alan Chan, associate pastor of Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles, vice president.

In addition to biblical exposition, the conference included workshops on preaching, financial management, leadership succession, next generation ministry and Baptist heritage.

The 21st Biennial Conference, set for September 2020 in San Francisco, will mark the fellowship’s 40th anniversary, Lee said.