2007-11-30
TThe tenth church plant of Pacific Grace MB Church: South Hill Church
by: Mike Nishi
In July of 2007, the deacon board had formed a taskforce to examine the possibility of a joint church plant. After much prayer and deliberation, the deacon board in October announced that Pacific Grace MB Church would plant it's tenth church in a joint effort with Vancouver Mennonite Brethren Church.
A first for Chinese churches in BC
This is a major achievement for a Chinese church! This is the first time that a Chinese church has planted and/or co-planted a new church with an English church. It is a first, because the new church is a 2nd Generation English speaking, multi-ethnic church. Pacific Grace MB Church is breaking new ground, and has developed a new model of church planting new to Chinese churches in BC. Perhaps, even Canada?
A vision long seen but recently realized.
When Pastor Chan approached me over 2 and half years ago (Aug 2005) to come to Pacific Grace MB Church, he shared with me his vision to see a 2nd generation independent English
speaking church. He and I believed that to help the 2nd generation that were leaving Chinese churches there needed to be a new approach. We believed that it would take a church that was intentionally multi-ethnic and mono-cultural to do that. The vision was to create a place where an Asian believer could feel comfortable to bring their non-Asian friends, spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, and eventually children to a church that they could fit into.
When I first came to Pacific Grace MB Church, I had the vision of "Creating a meaningful,
functional, relevant, 2+ generation, mono-cultural, multiethnic Christian community." During 2005-2007, the English Congregation began to take on new challenges, and we began to grow as
a congregation and as believers. It was during this time that we believed that God could do a new thing, and the target of the VMC (Vision Mobilization Committee) was close at hand.
Then in February of 2007, I was approached by Pastor Johannes from the
Vancouver MB Church. He called to tell me that he heard about the English Congregation and had a vision that perhaps we could grow together. When Pastor Chan and I talked about the possibility we met with an Elder and Pastor Johannes to see if this was truly a possibility.
Over the months of spring and summer the Deacons of PGMBC, and the Elders of VMBC met separately to pray and the idea was presented to both churches in the summer of 2007. It was
during our Mid-Year congregational meeting that the plan was put forward. And shortly after, the joint taskforce was formed (consisting of 3 from VMBC: Paul Fast, Brian Ekk, Marilisa Voth, and 4 from PGMBC: Pastor Mike Nishi, Kathy Wong, Roland Chan, and Darren Chan).
The joint taskforce began meeting on July 16, 2007. Over the next 3 months, the joint
taskforce met at least 7 times, and spent nearly 40hrs to discuss and plan the proposal for the two churches (not including times spent in small groups and individual work for the project). The 3rd draft of the proposal was submitted on Sept 16, 2007 to both churches, as well as a detailed plan of the future of the English Congregation in 2008 (submitted by Pastors Mike & Sherman).
On September 30, 2007 the Deacon board of PGMBC and the Elders of VMBC, decided to go ahead with the project. From October, the direction of the Joint Task Force changed to planning for the new church and we began to prepare for the transition of leadership from Pastor Mike to Pastor Sherman. On November 5, 2007 - The new joint church plant was named South Hill church.
Multi-ethnic as the answer to a long standing question: How do we get the 2nd Generation
interested in coming back to church or staying?
Mono-ethnic churches are great for attracting people who are of the same ethnicity. These homogeneous ethnic churches minister extremely well to people of the same culture. However, the difficulty of the 2nd generation of these churches is that they no longer share the same culture, and are aligning themselves with the mainstream culture outside of their parent's traditions and ways of doing church. The other difficulty for homogeneous churches is that by nature they are unable to host different ethnic groups. It is a matter of incompatible DNA. Both Pacific Grace MB Church, and Vancouver MB Church had this same issue... with Chinese and German 2nd+ generations leaving and being unable to incorporate different ethnic visitors or believers. There are two ways to solve this: 1) a radical shift in the fundamental practice and culture of the homogeneous church, or 2) create a new church that has built in it the new DNA that has the culture and people they are looking for. We hope and pray that South Hill would do both! South Hill Church is not a Chinese church or a German church, but a church for anyone, based not on ethnicity but on the Gospel's gracious diversity.
Pacific Grace MB Church and Vancouver MB Church: God's pioneers
Its said that parents will do anything to see their kids succeed. It is the truth here as well.
Parents sacrifice so much for the well being of the ones they love. You are the pioneers. South Hill Church needs your blessings. We believe that the success and testimony of South Hill will be
because of the blessing you've give it.
Why is your blessing as God's pioneers so important? It is to show to others that God's
people are partners for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We want to show others that we were
not a church split, or an angry bunch of believers that didn't want to stay, but that we had a vision and we are on mission. We who will start South Hill are proud of our heritage from Pacific Grace MB Church and Vancouver MB Church, and we will remember the voices that taught us and the hands that cared for us. By God's grace, we hope we will be new hands and new voices that will speak and care for the next generations.
On behalf of South Hill church, thank you for your prayers, your understanding, and your
pioneering spirit. I pray that South Hill will be another jewel in an already full crown of the testimony of Pacific Grace MB Church's church planting legacy.
In Christ,
Pastor Mike Nishi
Please pray for those who have committed to going:
Pastor Mike Nishi
Anita Nishi
Faith Nishi
Kimberley Wong
Matt Donovan
Emma Yu
Loretta Tang
Hiu Ying Lo
Leon Chan
Darren Chan
Holman Eng
Jon Chan
Raymond Wong
Pauline Li
Matthew Li
Louisa He
Silas Lui
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