This painting and the Good Friday one are part of a series by Kim Ki-chang, a Korean artist.These images of Christ as Korean may be a bit startling, but it certainly hit home for me personally in the sense that he looked like us. The power of the incarnation is that God became man, one of us. He poured himself out for us. While I know that Jesus was Jewish, these images move me because they are so visceral. Is that me crucifying him? Is that really me whom he poured out his life for? Does he really care for me?Yes, he is risen indeed — for me, for us, for all. We preach Christ crucified and raised. Our whole faith relies upon this single truth — death is no longer king. We believe in life abundant, where the giver of life can make himself subject to his own law of death for a moment if only but to make the spirit of the law greater than the letter of it. Dead stuff doesn’t stay dead any longer. May the world be moved, let the people know, death is no longer inevitable, all that you see is not all there is because he is risen.

Really quickly, what is the purpose of ordination?

Let’s say you follow the call to ministry, to this life of servitude and infamy, how do you decide by whom you would be ordained (denominationally speaking) and to whom (what community)?

I know I have the tendency to speak irreverently about the office of the reverend, but I mean this as an honest question. I’m confused as to how twenty- and thirty-somethings like myself make these significant and important decisions without knowing the breadth and depth of what is out there. I have discovered that I know too little and it is a scary feeling.

Ordination is licensure to practice within a certain doctrinal/denomination background. Ordained ministers have more clout, make more money, and have better benefits. At the very least, they have more job security than those who are not ordained.The economist in me says that there is a strong incentive for institutions to preserve their interests and put money behind people who they feel will best preserve and perpetuate their agendas.  The cynic in me asks, that’s not necessarily a license from God now, is it?

But the realists around me respond, exactly how do you think people will give you the right to do any ministry at all when they don’t really know what doctrines you espouse?

The cynic retorts, the right to ministry? God called me to ministry, I don’t need people to give me a calling I already have. Does a singer require a certificate to sing? Or a marketer to advertise? As for doctrines, ordination assumes I know them, it doesn’t say that I believe them or live them.

The realist, but don’t you think some minimum proof of at least “knowing” them is required?

Cynic: I see. it’s like a driver’s license. You’ll let me drive the bus because the state of Georgia says I can. but what if God has a history of off-roading?

Realist: there are too many wolves in sheep’s clothing, we are trying to protect the community of believers with validation by other larger, governing bodies.

cynic: and you think there are no wolves there? you think that will keep the wolves out? maybe the reason why these denominations are dying is because they are trying to protect something that cannot / should not be protected. kind of like Christian radio “safe for the whole family” stuff. who said God was “safe”?

the lover in me, who couldn’t stand any more of it, shouted, Jesus laid down his life for the sheep! …if you were a shepherd of a flock, wouldn’t you do whatever requirement, however petty, to be around them?

Yes, but where do I start? I am the son of a baptist preacher gone charismatic, then gone methodist; redeemed in an ex-church of Christ church, married in a presbyterian church and now a student at a presbyterian seminary while attending an evangelical free church. Who will have this doctrinal mutt? I don’t have to be a shepherd, I’d be satisfied to be a sheep dog, but aren’t these questions about ordination too farfetched?

People ask to see if their doctors are board-certified. Even a massage therapist needs a license. Certainly forklift operators. Who am I to operate without one? Even if it is from an institution that is struggling in its growth. Even if I know that none of these things actually qualify me, wouldn’t I myself get confused at what really qualifies me to serve the people? There is no certification for love, ok, maybe marriage, but not love. there is for madness, but not love.

comic by Korean artist, Yang Young Soon…

It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these. There are lots of good blogs and sites out there that track great stuff on Asian America, but here are some gems I found. Enjoy!

Starting with KABA Modern, a group that is killing it on America’s Best Dance Crew. This premiere clip shows some of the cultural tension as this team pursues something that falls outside the Asian American parents’ notion of success.

Next up, is Jake Shimabukuro, a Japanese American dude from Hawaii who is taking the ukulele to new heights. Check out his rendition of, “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” Absolutely sublime.

Beau Sia lets it loose on Def Poetry Jam. Wow…wow. I love this guy. I can’t believe I didn’t find him earlier. Hopefully the language won’t offend you, but this energy, this anger is real, and needs to be witnessed. Look up his other stuff too, he’s outstanding. Now if I could only preach like this.

Here’s a brief glimpse of Korean grocers on the big screen.

This is interesting. An elementary school teacher dispels notions of Asian American students’ abilities in learning.

Finally, to close out this set of Asian American Survey on YouTube, a public service announcement. Asian Americans are at risk for hepatitis B. Check it. It’s the #1 killer in Asian American males.

It’s true. I’m now a father – only a week old. I’m also typing this completely exhausted with my baby girl on my lap. Wow, there’s no feeling like this ever.
But it’s a strange range of feelings too…I’m excruciatingly tired and on cloud nine at the same time. And I’ve discovered  I can be overly affectionate and yet so quick to lose my patience. I can flare up on a dime and give you nine cents change.

It’s funny that such a little creature can wear a grown man and woman out. We can’t keep up with her and she’s not even 10 days old. God help us.

It’s neat to see what generation 3.0 looks like. My wife being a 2.0 Indian American and myself being 2.0 Korean American. What lays in my lap is truly an embodied glimpse of the future — a real Asian American.

Although my wife and I know of only one other couple like ourselves, I realize that the odds are strikingly on the path that we’re on.

According to the 2000 Census Bureau statistics, of 2nd gen Korean American males, 63.2% marry within the ethnic group. But get this, a whopping 60% of 2nd gen Korean American women marry outside! Ask most Korean American women what they think of their male counterparts and you might get a rolling of the eyes and a quick “no way”.

For my wife, she was in the minority as well. 69.9% of Indian American (US born) marry within the ethnicity, but seeing as how 69.2% of Indian American (US born) males do the same, it seems that the outmarriage rate is similar. Want to see other numbers? Click here for my Google spreadsheet.

Ultimately what this means for Asian America is that a great number of the next generation is going to be mixed ethnically/racially. Paul Tokunaga addresses this very issue in his must-read book, “Invitation to Lead” on pg. 166:

One-third of all biracial or multiracial peopel in 2000 were biracial or multiracial Asians–Asian and at least one other ethnicity (2.1 million of 6.8 million). To put that in perspective, the largest Asian American group is Chinese Americans with 2.4 million. After them, biracial and multiracial Asian Americans are the second largest Asian American group!

I would add that they are potentially the first, truly “Asian American” (not nationally-bound) group. This can pose a great opportunity for ethnic-specific churches, but may be a burden to them as well. While we have pan-Asian churches popping up here and there (still mostly on the West Coast), it seems that campus groups are more accessible once this demographic reaches college age. But ethnic-specific churches can’t afford to ignore this group or defer their cultural and spiritual heritage to others who cannot inform them of their massive past. They are everywhere, quite literally in our laps.