LA MIRADA, CALIF. — The first annual Asian American Ministry Conference (AAMC) will be held at Biola University on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2014. Asian American church leaders will come together to discuss the absence of mentorship within Asian American churches and how to address the need for mentorship.


“In some cases, the influences of different cultures within Asian American circles has not produced the biblical kind of mentorship that is much needed for today,” said Benjamin Shin, professor of bible exposition at Biola’s Talbot School of Theology. “That is why as believers, we need to return to the Biblical understanding of mentoring and develop mentors who will guide and lead the future leaders of the Asian American church.”


According to Clark Forbes, youth pastor at Sunset Church, many youth from the Asian American community are lacking proper biblical guidance.


“Many of our youth leaders and kids never had an older father figure spiritually and emotionally in their life,” said Forbes. “So because they never had it from the top, they don’t know how to do it down. That is a cycle we are trying to break.”


Organized by the Asian American Christian Equippers (AACE), an organization that seeks to support Asian American ministry, the conference "Mentoring for a Lifetime" will contribute to the organization’s mission to influence the current generation to value mentorship and take action to actively be equipped to lead future generations.


“Mentoring is something that many people today, especially in the church, crave to have,” said Shin. “They want someone to speak truth into who they are and how they should go. Our conference is trying to create a movement where the next generation will see the value of mentorship and will take steps to be equipped in order to do this effectively. We hope to ‘spark’ this movement for our generation.”


The conference will focus on mentorship in all aspects of church ministries.


“We are trying to retool, renew, and reform Asian American pastors and churches,” said Shin. “We want to help pastors understand what Asian American ministry is and how to succeed, flourish, and endure.”


The conference is designed to empower attendees to mentor others regardless of their age or status. The one-day conference is open to the public and will take place at Biola University on Nov. 8, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Registration is available online.


For more information or a press pass, please contact Jenna Bartlo at (562) 777-4061 or jenna.l.bartlo@biola.edu.