From INHERITANCE Issue #3 - Fall 2009

If there’s one thing the birth of INHERITANCE can teach us, it’s that God’s will is always moving amongst us. Though we may not know or see its effects until years later, God is always moving us into place, teaching us what needs to be taught, and preparing us for what’s to come. And everything we go through, no matter how insignificant at the time, is always for a clear and distinct purpose — in God’s eyes and not ours.

Rewind the clock. Angel Wu had always expected that her other siblings would be the ones to enter into seminary, not her. Growing up as a pastor’s and professor’s kid, there might have been some expectation to follow her parents’ footsteps, but she assumed it would naturally be someone else, like her younger brother.

But as God had called her into ministry, so she responded and applied for the Master of Divinity program at Fuller Theological Seminary concentrating in worship, theology, and the arts. While her program kept her busy, there was time for her to devote herself to other activities as well; it was just a matter of finding which one.

Her friend Joy Wong was currently swamped with her responsibilities of chaplaincy, school, and this start-up publication that she was a part of. And as Joy realized that life was calling her into another direction, she saw that she needed to leave the publication, but did not want to leave her position unfulfilled. So she reached out to Angel, who in turn saw this as the potential ministry she had been looking for. Offering her aid, Angel began editing articles as she sought God’s will and saw this as a ministry opportunity to utilize her gifts.

And then she met the Editor-in-chief.

Rewind the clock. I had always enjoyed reading and writing, so upon my acceptance into the University of California Irvine, I entered as a journalism major. Due to pressure from my relatives, I switched to biology in brief hopes of becoming a doctor — I soon realized how unsuited I was for that profession and eventually settled for a degree in sociology and psychology.

Upon graduation, I found myself in a comfortable yet ultimately unsatisfying career of a Marketing Associate. While college training proved helpful in this area, I was unhappy with the product I was marketing. I felt no passion for it, no sense of conviction. Indeed, the only things I could see myself passionate about were the church, music, and, of course, writing. In my free time I started writing a book on the side.

But in reality, I was miserable. This was not the life I had envisioned for myself; but I had no idea where to go. My book grew stagnant.

And then I met Daniel Chou.

Rewind the clock. Growing up in high school, Daniel had been an Editor-in-chief for his nationally recognized school paper. Upon graduation, he had scored a journalism scholarship to the University of Southern California. While there, he realized that deep down, he did not want to be a journalist. It wasn’t in his personality to hound people for articles, ask brutal questions and to be where he probably shouldn’t be.

He realized that his real passion was in design, being in the actual creative process, rather than journalism or logistical areas. So he refocused his life around creating his own design style, and honing his creative and production abilities. Combined with his responsibilities as a church leader, this led to a desire to do something that combined both passions, church and design.

And then he was approached by Sean Lin.

Rewind the clock. Sean Lin had started with successful businesses, both personal and family. He attended EFC Los Angeles, as many of extended family did, and eventually followed God’s call to become an Elder. As his kids started growing older, he began to realize the importance of the English fellowship at his church. Feeling the need to be involved, he took up the position of the English Fellowship Elder, overlooking the different ministries and growth of the English Fellowship.

While his business was doing well, he soon received an invitation to take charge of the EFC Communication Center. With prayer and faith, he left his business to manage the center with the faith of an Elder, experience of his business past, and a heart for the English ministry.

While the EFC Communication Center catered to the 1st generation Chinese speaking audience, with an already established publication, he started realizing the need for an English language publication, geared towards the 2nd generation Christians. But as his experience was already in Chinese/Taiwanese ministries, he needed to assemble a team of younger 2nd generation Christians, with the proper skills, backgrounds, and experience to create, produce and take charge of this ministry.

So he contacted his nephew, Daniel Chou.

Four different people, all from separate walks of life, many not even knowing each other that long. But for God to take people like this, prepare them their whole lives, and finally assemble them into a team, is a testament of glory in itself.

It was God who caused Daniel to start in journalism, then switch to design; He needed a designer for INHERITANCE with journalism experience. It was God who sent us Joy, filling the need for an experienced editor while preparing the way for Angel. It was God who provided Angel, the biblically established and ‘pillar of faith’ managing editor who we can turn to in times of Scriptural question.

It was God who equipped me with the interest in journalism, the social skills to navigate to our supporters, and the marketing experience to make sure our readers can receive  INHERITANCE . Furthermore, Angel, Daniel, and I were part of the same worship team this past EFC winter retreat. Little did we know that we would become part of the  INHERITANCE  staff. It was God who slowly grew a heart for English ministry in Sean’s heart, calling him away from a life of business into a Christian ministry with the resources and drive to start something new.

It’s easy to say that  INHERITANCE  started the moment Sean realized the need for an English publication. It could even be said that the concept of  INHERITANCE  began during Winter Retreat 2007 where Daniel and I stayed up for hours into the night, after having just met, talking about the direction of the Asian American Church and where it needs to go. We could officially say  INHERITANCE  began the moment we had our first brainstorm meeting at Sean’s house ... or the second one at the nearby Denny’s.

But in reality,  INHERITANCE  began before any of that. It began the moment the first Asian American Church was established. God already had a plan for his people. The moment that our forefathers stepped onto American soil, He was planning for this moment. As the Lord spoke to the prophet Jeremiah, so He speaks to us from Jeremiah 1: 5 (NIV), “‘Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart ... For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29: 11 NIV).

INHERITANCE began with the people. And by people, I don’t mean the staff or contributors. I mean the steady growth of Asian American Christians who are realizing the need for a unified identity. It began with the need for communication and a heart for solidarity. It began with you.

I remember when we were trying to come up with a name for the magazine. At the time, all we knew was that we wanted to develop a publication geared towards 2nd generation Asian American Christians — but we had no name. There’s something about giving anything conceptual a name. It solidifies it, makes it tangible and real in a person’s mind. It gives a point of reference and defines what it is in one word.

We spent that whole night trying to come up with a name and nothing seemed to fit. When we came up with ‘INHERITANCE’, we thought it was a good name because it represented our culture and responsibilities passed down to us, from the first generation. It represented the hopes and dreams that our Father passed down to us.

But now, looking back, we were narrow-minded compared to what God had planned for us. God had planned for this and prepared us well in advance, fully expecting to give this to us when the time was right. So in a way, this magazine is our own personal ‘INHERITANCE’. Just as “INHERITANCE” is yours.