From Oct. 13 to 15, Hmong Baptists gathered at First Hmong Baptist Church in North Denver for their annual Hmong Baptist National Association’s 31st conference.
This year, the conference was attended by more than 150 people from 54 Hmong Southern Baptist churches across the United States.
According to a report by the Baptist Press, the conference had the theme of "Renew, Refresh, Restore in Christ," based on the Scripture of Psalm 51:10-12.
During those three days of fellowship, five Hmong leaders gave their sermons and, together with the participants, celebrated their added identity as Southern Baptists.
About The Hmong
The Hmong are a minority group that originated in north central Asia.
According to EthnoMed, they lived relatively independently for several thousand years while paying tribute to the Chinese government.
However, they were oppressed by the armies of the last dynasty of China, which led them to rise in rebellion.
With this, they faced several challenges, such as political persecution, increasing population pressure, and depleting soil fertility.
As a result, some Hmong migrated to Southeast Asian countries such as Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam.
However, they were met with harsh conditions such as scarcity of food and water, lack of sanitation, and unstable shelter.
In 1975, some of the Hmong people took refuge in the U.S. with the help of religious groups and non-profit organizations.
Celebrating Being Southern Baptist
According to Executive Director W. Tra Xiong, with their history of being shunted around the regions of Southeast and East Asian countries, the Hmong took a liking to the freedom they have in Southern Baptist autonomous churches.
Xiong explained that many of them liked how Southern Baptists function.
This is because they want to adapt to American culture and make their own decisions without anyone forcing them.
They want to base their decision on what the Bible teaches and trains them so they can do what God has called them to do.
Growth of Hmong Fellowship
In the future, the goal of the group is to create and train more church leaders.
As of now, at least half of the fourteen graduate students of Gateway Seminary alone are already pastoring churches.
Moreover, Xiong stated that they also plan to start three new churches in the U.S. by 2023 to 2025, wherein the locations will be in Portland, Oregon; Sacramento, California; and Wausau, Wis.
This is in addition to their 54 churches in the U.S., 70 churches in Vietnam, eight in Thailand, six in France, and one in France.
With these goals in mind, the Hmong Southern Baptists are working together to fulfill the Great Commission around the world.
The conference concluded with the passage of an $80,000 budget and the election of new officers who will be under a two-year term.
This includes First Hmong Baptist Church pastors, President Chue Ger Herr and Vice President Chong Pao Thao, and United Cornerstone Baptist Church founding pastor, Secretary Chue Fue Moua. The event also invited Followers of Christ Hmong Baptist Church children’s minister, Treasurer Lydia Ly.
The next conference will be held at the Green Lake Christian Conference Center on Sept. 27 to 30, 2023.
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