May 6



Nelson Wong defines Regional Affiliation

Thank you Nelson Wong for presenting and clarifying Regional Affiliation and what it means to the membership and our future. 

Nelson opens with "We are Baptist". 

There are over 5000 churches in our denomination and 33 Regions in the country. FCBC belongs to Growing Healthy Churches (GHC), formerly the American Baptist of the West.

It is a requirement to belong to a region if you are Baptist Church. You can choose to be part of any of the 33 regions in the US. The affiliation does help source candidates to help find staff and helps to provide fellowship and partner with like minded churches to do mission projects with other churches in the region i.e. Water Project in Thailand.

For many years FCBC has been considering to change regions because GHC has been operating under questionable business practices; (Selling Redwood Glen, disposing a host of Asian American churches, limited church participation, non-responsive to ethnic churches, has distanced themselves from American Baptist Churches, USA (ABCUSA) additionally they hand picked their Board of Directors and do not conduct a voting system).

Unanimously, everyone seems to agree That GHC is not a good region for FCBC. 

Some time in 2010, this is the time many Northern California Churches (20-30) left to join the Oregon Region (ABCCPC) and the region asked if FCBC would take the lead in changing Regions, meanwhile FCBC could not agree to make this move. 

Back in 2015, this issue was revisited. Many forums were held during this time but the FCBC congregation(s) could not agree to change regions. Members of the Chinese speaking congregation stayed firm and did not want to make this change. 

Alternatives to GHC:
1. ABC (Northwest)
2. Evergreen (welcoming and Affirming)
3. ABCOFLASH (Southern California, Arizona and Hawaii)
4. ABC (Central Pacific Coast - includes mostly Oregon and Nor Cal (making up almost 50%))

The Portland, Oregon based Region (ABCCPC) has 72 church affiliations though not geographically ideal, most importantly they are comprised of many NorCal Churches that FCBC knows and they also have an interest to increase the diversity of their region plus their executive ministry has already provided assistance to FCBC numerous occasions, such as helping source candidates such as Pastor Linda, Pastor Visal and Pastor Ong. GHC was not able to support FCBC in anyway during the pastoral search.

Advantages of joining ABCCPC (Central Coast) 
1. Many of the Nor Cal churches FCBC knows has joined
2. They welcome diversity
3. The executive minister has provided help sourcing staff
4. Distance isn't a concern (can work still work together)

Argument against joining ABCCPC (Centra Coast)

1. 1 of their churches (First Chinese Baptist Church of McMinnville) is openly welcoming and affirming of Gays - 1 church    
        doesn't make a region
2. Fear of being influenced by McMinnville's progressive theology, but no evidence of this. (There is a possibility, McMinnville may NO LONGER be part of the ABCCPC, this is being researched).
3. The thinking may be - "You are known by the company you keep"

Argument against joining ABCOFLASH

1. No Nor Cal presence
2. Few if any relationships there
3. There are member churches with progressive views on homosexuality

Current Status:

The English speaking members appear to favor ABCCPC
The Chinese speaking members appear to favor ABCOFLASH

Nelson moved to an open discussion with one question:

Should having a "welcoming and affirming " church in a particular region be a factor in whether or not we should join that region? why or why not?

The majority of those who spoke felt ready to make a move and to change regions. The association between FCBC and GHC has shown little to no benefits additionally FCBC continues to pay fees to GHC from the budget.

There was a consensus too many years have passed and waiting to make a decision will probably not change anything but only delay what the church needs to do. Many felt FCBC really needs to partner with a region with similar goals and one that can fully support the needs of the church.

The majority of The Gathering is ready to reopen the discussion with the Deacons and formulate a vote to move.

Stay tuned!

Click below for Nelson's complete Gathering Talk:


A copy of Nelson's Presentation:


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Huge thank you to Paul Fong, Robert Mah, Jimmy Lim and Nelson Wong
for their dedication, research and time to lead our discussion
on this sensitive topic. In the weeks to come we will rejoin this topic
so that You may have a voice during The Sunday Gathering.

Please find all of their talks on video:



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Last but not least. Thank you George Lai for the gifts you bring weekly! 

The Sunday Gathering can only happen
with your support.

"A place to get to know each other better and grow closer to God"

Amen!















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