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Mark Lau Branson, Ed.D.
Mark is the Homer L. Goddard Associate Professor of the Ministry of the Laity at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he teaches courses in congregational leadership and community engagement.
Juan F. Martínez, Ph.D.
Juan is Associate Dean in charge of the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community and Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies and Pastoral Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Videos
Fong Video: Members Initiate & Leaders Create Space
When Japanese American members took the initiative to share their stories about relocation camps, Pastor Fong remembered how his own previous learning had shaped his cross-cultural empathy. His story created space in the congregation for a deeper appreciation for cultural … Read the Post
Fong Video: Cultural Differences – Stewardship
Pastor Fong tells a story in which a decision about cleaning the church’s carpets surfaced different cultural values. Even seemingly unimportant decisions are arrived at on the basis of deeply held beliefs. Fong shows how their conversation about theology and … Read the Post
Posted in: Part I: Theology and Context, Part III: Leadership, Communication and Change, Videos
Tags: Asian American, Chinese American, Church Story, Communication, Decision-making, Intercultural communication, Intercultural Leadership, Japanese American, Leading Change, Multicultural churches, Relationships, Worldview
Carson Video: Willing to Change – Passion & Patience
Pastor Elwood Carson portrays the complexities associated with becoming a multi-ethnic congregation. He talks about having to adapt his African American preaching style as Latino neighbors join the congregation. Also, the congregation embodies differences between people and their various stages … Read the Post
Fong Video: Latino Neighbor Becomes Key Staff Person
As the church became willing to engage with the neighborhood and crosscultural experiments, Fong explains that Steve, a Latino neighbor, visited and left then returned and left…. Today, Steve is a crucial part of the church and its mission. Fong … Read the Post
Carson Video: Friendships
Pastor Carson’s church is currently doing the work of building intercultural friendships, even with the challenges of a bi-lingual context. To do this, he stresses the importance of hospitality, time spent together, and the practice of sharing meals. → On … Read the Post
Fong Video: Transition Beyond Asian American
After participating in the vision of an Asian American church for an extended period of time, Ken Fong sensed the Spirit calling him in a new direction. The senior pastor noted that they voiced two different directions – so they … Read the Post
Carson Video: Prophecies, the Economy, and from Commuter to Local
Pastor Carson’s story shows how transformation is not a straight line. Turbulent economic times forced many commuters at Carson’s congregation to stop coming to church in an effort to save money on gas. This difficult loss led the church to … Read the Post
Carson Video: Learning Spanish and Connecting with Neighbors
Pastor Elwood Carson, of New Life in Christ Church (Los Angeles), shares about how evolving neighborhood demographics prompted him to learn Spanish. Over time, as church members engaged their neighbors, a series of events and experiences led this predominantly African … Read the Post
Posted in: Part I: Theology and Context, Part II: Sociocultural Perspectives, Part III: Leadership, Communication and Change, Videos
Tags: African American, Church Story, Intercultural communication, Intercultural Leadership, Language, Latino/a, Leading Change, Local neighborhood, Missional church, Multiethnic Congregation
Fong video: First Steps to Being an Asian American Church
Pastor Ken Fong discusses how Evergreen Baptist Church moved from being a Japanese American church to an Asian American church. He tells of how the Japanese Americans displayed an attitude of openness toward the Chinese American newcomers, but real intercultural … Read the Post
Fong Video: Disruptive History – Japanese to Japanese-American
This is the first of a series of clips with Pastor Ken Fong of Evergreen Baptist Church, Los Angeles. The bombing of Pearl Harbor and subsequent relocation of over one hundred thousand people of Japanese descent into internment camps uniquely … Read the Post