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  • ASIANS IN AMERICA

    This article was published in On Mission Magazine
    Source:    www.onmission.com


    Driving through Silver Spring, Maryland, you will find multiple religious sites dotting the skyline a microcosm of what is happening in most metro areas in the United States. It isnt unusual to find a Buddhist religious center, an Islamic mosque, a Hindu temple, a Jewish synagogue and a church located in the same neighborhood. One of the driving forces behind a growing multi-religious America is the tsunami of Asians who emigrated to the U.S. in the 1990sa great and untapped mission field.


    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Asian-Americans numbering 13.1 million in 2004 are growing faster than any other racial group.1 They are projected to grow to 33.4 million by 2050.2


    Asian-Americans (including Pacific Islanders) tend to be in households consisting of families (73 percent), live in the western United States (49 percent), are affiuent (2002 median household income was $52,018 compared to the national average $42,409), and are highly educated (47 percent have a bachelors degree or higher compared to 27 percent of the general population).3 In 2001, they made up 4.4 percent of the U.S. population. In Canada, 58 percent of those who immigrated into the country in the 1990s were from Asia (18.4 percent of Canadians are foreign-born). China and South Asia were the two leading immigrant-sending regions.4


    THE MISSION FIELD

    Although Asian-American is a term of convenience to lump people coming from Asia into one category, in reality Asian-Americans consist of a highly diverse mix of cultures and religions. Most Asian-Americans are not Christian. They come from countries where they have probably never had a chance to clearly hear the gospel even once.


    Some may consider Christ to be a great teacher; others may even see Jesus as one of the many manifestations of God (or gods). It is heartening to note that many churches in America are reaching out not only to Asian-Americans, but also to the many sub-groups represented. The fact that many such people-groups are living all around us is Gods invitation to reach them with the good news of Jesus Christ.


    The Church Planting Group and the Evangelization Group at the North American Mission Board can assist you in effectively sharing the gospel with and reaching out to these people groups. You can contact the Church Planting Group at plantachurch@namb.net and the Evangelization Group at 770-410-6336.


    ASIANS IN AMERICA

    About one-quarter of the foreignborn people in the United States were born in Asia. Almost half have a bachelors degree or higher (compared to 27 percent of the general population) and 16 percent have an advanced degree (compared to 9 percent of the general population). About 15 percent of all physicians and surgeons in the U.S. are Asian- Americans. Witnessing to someone with an affiuent, educated background demands that we be able to present the gospel in an intellectual manner and be prepared to answer questions relating to apologetics.


    THE NEED TO BELONG

    Most Asian-Americans come from a collectivist culture where belonging to a group or family is valued more than being individualistic.
    Those who have recently come to the United States are yearning to build meaningful communities. This is where the church and Christians can step in. Start by inviting them to non-threatening church events such as picnics, potlucks, concerts, plays, festivals, etc. Get to know your Asian friend and concentrate on building a relationship.


    Chances are, even if your Asian friend is convinced of the truth of the gospel, he or she will consider accepting Christ in light of how it will impact his or her family. Family loyalty is strong. Be sensitive and pray diligently if you see your Asian friend struggle with this issue.
    In the next section we will cover two of the largest Asian groups in our midstChinese-Americans and Asian Indians. We hope you will see and better understand who these people are and how God can use you to plant the gospel in their lives.

     

    DID YOU KNOW?

    1. More than half of Asian-Americans live in just three states California, New York and Hawaii.
    2. The top 10 locations with the highest proportion of Asian-Americans are in the western U.S. (nine are in California).
    3. There are 351,000 Asian-American military veterans.
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau


    ASIAN-AMERICANS BY ETHNIC ORIGIN (2000):

    1. Chinese (2,734,841)
    2. Filipino (2,364,815)
    3. Asian Indian (1,899,599)
    4. Korean (1,228,427)
    5. Vietnamese (1,223,736)
    6. Japanese (1,148,932)
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Asian American Population 2000


    STATES WITH THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF ASIAN-AMERICANS

    (including Asian in combination with another race):
    1. California (4,155,685)
    2. New York (1,169,200)
    3. Hawaii (703,232)
    4. Texas (644,193)
    5. New Jersey (524,356)
    6. Illinois (473,649)
    7. Washington (395,741)
    8. Florida (333,013)
    9. Virginia (304,559)
    10. Massachusetts (264,814)
    Source: U.S. Census 2000


    1. Source: U.S. Census Bureau publication titled Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: April 2004.
    2. Ibid.
    3. Ibid.
    4. Source: Statistics Canada (www.statcan.ca)


    Rajendra Pillai, originally from Calcutta, India, speaks on crosscultural issues across the continent. He is the author of Reaching the World in Our Own Backyard (WaterBrook Press, 2003) and lives in Damascus, Maryland.