Exciting Plans Ahead
AACHI’s Key Projects for 2025–2026
The Asian American Christian History Institute (AACHI) is kicking off a busy and exciting period focused on 2025–2026! Our main goal is to share the rich, diverse stories of Asian American Christians. We want these stories to inspire our faith, grow great leaders, and inform our thinking about God. These projects highlight how we plan to expand our online presence, dive into important history, and bring our community together.
Our Digital Hub: Pearl Dive
The Pearl Dive is our main online resource—it’s where we store all the amazing historical content, stories, and podcasts. It’s built to heal, empower, and inspire hope by sharing the wisdom of the “Great Cloud of Witnesses.” We’re continually dedicated to expanding this hub, and you can soon look forward to features on Evergreen Baptist Church, L.A.’s 100th anniversary, a special look at Filipino and Asian American Christianity in Seattle’s historic International District, and more on Burma American Diaspora Christianity.
Key Collaborative Projects
Japanese American 150th Anniversary History Project
Celebrating a Milestone with the Japanese American Christian Community
The Japanese American Church hits its 150th anniversary in 2027! To honor this huge milestone and plan for the future, AACHI is producing a definitive new history. The project’s core is creating easy-to-use resources (like curriculum, children’s books, and digital content for the Pearl Dive) for churches and families to use in 2026.
Emily Anderson, Curator at the Japanese American National Museum, is spearheading the research phase to collect and develop these powerful stories. The entire project wraps up with the “Our Story, Our Faith” Japanese American Christian Conference in Los Angeles in 2027.
Funding: This project is supported, in part, by the Asian American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI) Lilly Story-Telling Grant through the Center for Asian American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary. We are actively seeking additional community support to meet our goals.
Burmese American Christian Diaspora Project
A Deep Dive into Burmese American Christianity
This major research effort is all about uncovering the hidden stories and important theological contributions of Burmese American Christians, including diverse groups like the Chin, Kachin, and Karen. This project is funded by the Asian American Religions Research Initiative (APARRI) and the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS).
The project has three key focus areas:
History: Providing background on the Burmese diaspora, the history of Christianity in Myanmar, and the migration of Burmese American Christians (Catholic, Protestant, and Pentecostal) to the U.S.
Culture & Challenges: Examining identity, how they face issues like the coup in Myanmar and white supremacy, the complex issue of church splits based on tribal affiliations, and how generations interact.
Theology: Exploring how life in the U.S. shapes their faith, understanding of Democracy, and fight for justice, leading to new intercultural theologies.
Joseph Cheah and David Moe will lead oral history interviews across the country in the summer and fall of 2025. Look for a podcast, digital resources, and a potential book publication!
Investing in Holistic Well-Being and Resources
A Focus on Well-Being and Resource Development
We are committed to creating practical, culturally informed resources and curriculum that address two critical needs: holistic well-being and congregational leadership. We aim to promote mental, emotional, and spiritual health while striving to enhance congregational health and cultivate culturally appropriate leadership for diverse settings.
This work will be uniquely grounded in historically informed sources, learning from the past experiences of Asian American Christians to build resilience, healing, spiritual formation, and discipleship today. To drive this effort, we’re excited to welcome Fiel Sahir as our new Community Resource Catalyst!
Spotlight on Strategic Collaborative Events
Our calendar is anchored by exciting events designed to connect history and community needs:
“Our Story, Our Faith: Burma Christian Diaspora in Indianapolis” Conference (August 2026): This crucial two-day gathering (August 7–8, 2026) is a joint effort with partners like the Center for Asian American Christianity (Princeton Theological Seminary), the American Baptist Home Mission Society (ABHMS), and Epic Movement (Cru). It will unite the diverse Burma Christian Diaspora for worship, storytelling, and equipping. The focus is on celebrating their migration histories, addressing trauma, and building unity and reconciliation across different groups.
Pilgrimages to Historic Sites (San Francisco & Los Angeles): Rooted in the ancient spiritual discipline of pilgrimage, we are developing guided tours through historic Asian American Christian sites in cities like San Francisco’s Chinatown and LA’s Little Tokyo. We partner with local communities and historical societies to walk in the footsteps of our spiritual ancestors, finding connection and inspiration from the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1).
“Our Story, Our Faith” Japanese American Christian Conference (2027): This is the big closing event, to be held in Los Angeles, which officially culminates the Japanese American 150th Anniversary history project. The conference will share the research findings, reflect on their histories, and cast a vision for the future of their Christian Witness.
AACHI is dedicated to ensuring that Asian American Christian stories are celebrated, never forgotten, and serve as a powerful foundation for the global church. For more information, contact me, Tim Tseng at timothytseng@fuller.edu.