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A Tale of Two Realities by Zaya Kuyena

by Lon on February 8, 2009

A Tale of Two Realities

“…It was the worst of times it was the best of times”

Jay-Z (Diamond Is Forever)

Charles Dickens (A Tale of two cities)

As I jump on the subway up to the post-strike York University, I’m preceded with several train of thoughts that keep me thinking of how far I’m going just to get the word out about a conference (Evolving Church – http://epconference.net) a few friends are putting together.

(They released a comedic commercial about it –see below)

But regardless how entertaining the skit is, the weather is cold, the destination is far and I’m tried doing an early deliver on an early week-day morning.

I have to ask myself the daunting question: why am I doing this again?

I remember going to the same event a few years back, permeate with the horrendous feeling of being the token black guy (If I’m mistaken, sorry that means I really didn’t see you and trust me I tried); receiving awkward looks, eating my lunch, yes alone (it even happens in our beloved, Canada). As the violin plays a melancholy melody, I reminisce of my own minority report becoming more substantive every time I attend such events; resounding with great speakers and mind-boggling ideas floating around and most of all the people who become more than just Facebook friends, but fellow sojourners in faith and justice.

As the years went on, the issue still lingered as I wrestled with being the lone black guy always asking the questions about diversity, and opening the conversation to justice and not just the themes that stroke the white backs of empathy, but those that are relatable and are the every-day reality of folks making up the city of Toronto coming from all parts of the world. I have to note that though my feelings have matured, and caste aside into a sea overtaken by “reality”; the truth of the matter is that not many people in my neighbourhood would spend that much money on a conference anyway or even wants to move the conversations of faith and politics beyond the pew or the barbershop seat respectively.

But one thing I’ve leaned as a politico during this past election year that there’s a force called:

Hope.

(…Even for the Tory government)

Along with hope, I’ve also had a particular tune resonate in my mind all week, which I’ve discovered had subtly been convicting me to be intent on promoting with more passion but also to engage myself even more on the theme of the conference (amidst the powers). Satirically hopeful anthem that emancipated me in my younger years between Celine Dion and Roch Voisine (Quebecers know who I’m referring to); became part of my soundtrack for life.

It was the summer of 1996, and I stumbled upon a song from 1988, with the even more audacious music video released in 1989; I had heard it on one of our exclusive hip-hop radio stations in Montreal, K103 FM (now, CKRK-FM) streamed by way from Kahnawake, a First nation reserve south of the metropolitan.

It wasn’t a coincidence that such station was featuring the song, “Fight The Power” by legendary hip-hop group, Public Enemy (See video below)

Thought my friend’s commercial was hilarious, with a touch of SNL, but my eyes were seeing high tops, big clock necklaces, pants now worn by hipsters, and fists lifted in the air; while my ears were attuned to disc scratching and brassy chants. Fellow friends who are punk-rock aficionados can partially relate to such portrait with the 90s grunge scene.

Lead group member, Chuck D was in his state of lyrical aggression at his best, and Flavor Flav was…well he was Flavor Flav but well before the sorrowful reality shows.

On that trip from Kipling Station to Downsview Station, I was figuring out how I could best convince the guys to adopt the music video as another commercial for their March 21 event at The MeetingHouse (another pathetic plug).

Maybe they would think it’s the video too subversive?

Especially, the manner in which Hip-Hop has undergone scrutiny, will they choose the more moderate road?

Maybe a more lyrically delicate hip-hop song would fit best?

Will a suburban white Christian audience even understand?

During our politically and economically potent times, we need not just moderate change, but we need to ponder and reevaluate all ways in which we’ve been practicing our faith, relating to the powers of politics and commerce and most of all our own powers of ego and indifference.

My hope is that even if this video is not shown as a commercial, it can still be used as a teaser that inspires us (or angers us) to move from idleness to progressive thought and action and allow this conference to not just be a country club of intellectual superficiality but one of substantial discourse and contemplation used as a catalyst to further ourselves as a community of faith to humbly engage, and actively fight the powers that be, even if it starts with ourselves from people in suburban castles to those in the urban high rise apartment buildings, to wealthy denominations to independent storefront churches and from to the educated idealist yuppie to the cynical immigrant elderly.

And that reality can happen, though it may require me to travel across the city to Scarborough for one more stop with time for one more train of thought that leads me the conference.

See you in March!

www.epconference .net

-Zaya

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Being Asian…

by Lon on February 4, 2009

Some thoughts that have been percolating on being Asian…

I’m Chinese. I don’t think I realized it till about grade three.

I have faint memories of myself squeezing my nose in the mirror in hopes that it wasn’t so flat.

Race itself can be a type of poverty

Is the asian model minority myth, a myth?

In Dreams of my Father, Barack Obama talks about not wanting to associate with the one other black classmate because it would only remind them further of their isolation. I feel that way sometimes when I’m surrounded by Asians.

Asians are rarely included in the black-white race discussions

I’ve heard people say where black and white are on the extremes, yellow and brown are ‘just right’.

Along with the color remarks, I’ve heard people use the term ‘banana’ for Asians that act white. I’ve always wondered if there was something similar for Asians acting ‘black’. Beef patty is the closest thing I can think of, yellow pastry on the outside, dark on the inside?

Labels are rarely helpful, but where else would we start?

When Asians are mentioned in conversations on reconciliation it seems to be merely for the sake of inclusion, not that there might be some form of weight behind it.

Being Asian typically carries more stereotypes behind it than an actual narrative

Many of the circles I travel in, from old-school pastoral gatherings to emergent networks, I’m the only Asian dude.

I wonder if I help validate the movement of Christ to all people when I show up.

Truth is, I long for a truly multi-cultural church as well

At my wife’s school, there’s typically only one token white kid in her classroom.

Statistics say that within a decade the majority of Christians in America will be non-white. What does that mean about our future leadership?

With the Chinese ethnic church booming over the past decade, black and white pastors have asked me, when will the Chinese church begin reaching back out to them?

We as a church need to have a better theology of the human person and of diversity.

God’s not colorblind, and when we avoid the discussions as we do in Canada, we’re negating a part of who God created us to be.

Is there affirmative action happening in our churches? Is that a good thing?

John Piper thinks that Asians might be the next great movement of missionaries

I wonder how China being an emerging superpower relates to the church of the future?

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Obama & The Emerging Church

by Lon on March 20, 2008

I’f you’ve been living solitude the last day, check out Barack Obama’s major speech on race recently delivered (2 million views on youtube in less than 2 days!). Much of it is in response to his former pastor Jeremiah Wright’s outright racist comments, but it’s so much more. I suspect it’s stuff Obama’s been thinking for quite a while now.

(Here’s a cool interactive video/text of the speech by the NYTimes)

And if you haven’t seen the DNC2004 breakthrough speech. You must go back and watch it. Part 1 and 2.

The net’s been abuzz with the boldness and riskiness of the speech. Some say it’s the most important and historic speech since MLK’s. I expected about as much from Obama.

Obama’s not without his flaws, but here’s why the church needs to stop, listen, and understand the whole Obama-phenomenon

- Obama is the first truly postmodern presidential candidate. He publicly offers us insights into the state and trajectory of our culture. He also has the capacity to shape and influence it.

- Just as Christ believes in us more than we might believe in Him, so does Barack. A big part of the media critique to Barack’s speech is that it was brilliant, but too nuanced and sophisticated for the average ‘knucklehead’ in America. Obama actually dares to think better of American than that.

- Obama knows how to subtly subvert the establishment and the culture to ‘forgotten ways‘. As much as Barack declares it, I really don’t know how much “I am my brother’s keeper” was on the founding father’s minds, but it’s a truth embedded somewhere in our souls. Obama injects it into the conversation as if it always was. Just as emerging leaders today need to not reject the church, but embrace her, and gently call her back to Jesus, the one we’ve ignored but has always been there.

- In response of Jesus’ prayer of becoming ‘one, the church is desperately in need of unity. If you read “The audacity of hope”, you’ll he how he’s always had a politics of unity. He refuses to vilify people and find ways of honoring even those he strongly disagrees with. As the church we need to re-learn how to honor the image of God within every person, no matter how broken. If we really do believe in a sovereign God at work in all places, I’d go as far as saying we need to find ways to honor all that reflects God in every faith group and orientation, no matter how God’s fingerprints on them might seem.

- Barack has built his campaign on being better together; in policy, funding, speeches, etc. The future of the church will not be driven by lone-ranger super-star pastors. Hillary Clinton may be ready-on-day-one and fight like there’s no tomorrow, but does her extraordinary efforts come even close to an entire army of people willing to do the same inspired by Barack? The church needs to learn how to inspire the masses again. Just as God inspires (breathes into) humanity

- Transcendence and Imminence – When will.i.am was being interviewed about his “yes we can” song a reporter asked what many people of Obama’s critics are asking – What exactly is all this transcendent talk of ‘change’ that you’re so excited about specifically referring to? I love will.i.am’s answer – “Obama changes… me”. Does it get any more personal and transformational than that? We, the church, need to stop fighting over the peripherals and fight for the hearts of our people.

That’s all for now, there’s so much more though.

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Multiethnicing a church…

by Lon on November 5, 2007

I think I’ll start highlighting some slightly ‘out-there’ ideas I’ve been pondering over the next couple weeks. Here’s one.

I’ve spent the bulk of my church-life in ethnic churches. I’m a firm believer in the ethnic church and it’s role critical role in developing community, evangelism, identity, perspectives, etc. However, like many others in my generation, we struggle with also being a multi-ethnic church in a multi-ethnic culture.

While there is undoubtedly incredible diversity even within an ethnic community, there’s something indescribably beautiful about entering a community where the diversity is almost blatant.

Many of us have been there before, where we’ve invited, or wanted to invite a friend from a different, only to find that the whole ‘race-thing’ can become just one more barrier to Christ.

So the big question is how on earth do you transition a church that’s mono-ethnic into a multi-ethnic church?

Here’s one simple idea I’ve been bouncing around…

We declare a month where everyone commits to bringing someone who’s not like themselves.

This way no one feels awkward, no one knows it’s an ethnic church

In a month’s time you’re a completely different church!

What do you think?  Too radical?  Too naive?  I know there are other factors and issues such as multiethnic staffing/leadership, integration, etc.  I’d love to know what people think.

(I know multiculturalism is the even bigger issue, but one thing at a time folks…)

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