The Hong Kong Church Renewal Movement (HKCRM) has been doing researches about churches in Hong Kong for some time. One of their best contributions is a church census which they conduct once every five years. The last one was done in 2009, and the next one will be carried out next year (2014). In a chance meeting last year I made a suggestion to Rev. Wu Chi Wai, the General Secretary of HKCRM, about the possibility of including in the census the international churches here in town. I am so thankful that it is going to be the case.
My own experience
The church that I am currently serving started in late 1999 as a church plant. We see tremendous growth over the years. We also planted another church about 3 years ago. As I look at my own congregation and talk to pastors of other international churches, I sense an increasing demand of bi-cultural & bi-lingual churches. (I am saying this from the perspective of a local who serves in an international church.)
From what I observe, there are several distinct groups of people attending international churches in Hong Kong.
1. Expats
This group of believers is usually what comes to mind when we talk about "international churches." Hong Kong has many expats. There are people of European descent; Indians, Africans, Latin Americans, etc. You look at them, and you know immediately that they are from overseas. The bulk majority of them come here to work. A small number of them married local people and consider Hong Kong home. This group of brothers and sisters bring valuable experiences and perspectives to enrich the Christian life in the church.
2. Chinese Expats
These are Chinese or Asian by descent but who were born overseas. They carry foreign passports. They grew up in the West and they received education in the West. (They are the ABC, BBC, CBC, ABCDE, banana, you name it.) The only time you know they are "foreigners" is when they speak. This group has some characteristics of #1 above but more characteristics of #3 below.
3. Returning Chinese
These "returning from overseas" (海歸) people are from Hong Kong who for some reason went overseas for some time. This "for some time" may be years or decades. Some immigrated to other countries, some went overseas for education (like myself), some stayed for work after school. Now, for some reason, they relocate back to Hong Kong.
In the 80s and 90s, numerous Hong Kong people immigrated to other countries due to the uncertainty of the future. However, starting from the mid-90s, some gradually move back. During the last decade, with the rise of the economic power of China and other Asian countries (translate: more business and job opportunities), more and more people are moving back to Hong Kong.
In my congregation, there is a significant number of these "returning from overseas" Chinese (and the "expat Chinese" mentioned above). If my observation is correct, the bulk majority of them are in the mid-20s to mid-30s, young single professionals, looking for career opportunities.
These people are still quite (or somewhat) Chinese at heart, but they have lived overseas long enough that they have also adopted some western way of living ( lifestyle, value, music, cultural preference, etc.) So, when they return to Hong Kong, some find it difficult to be integrated into the local Cantonese speaking churches. (I try to avoid the term "traditional Chinese church" as it is usually being used with a negative connotation.)
Instead, they"feel like home" when they go to international churches. These international churches offer an English environment which they are so familiar with. They can talk about lives in L.A., S.F., Vancouver, Toronto, Boston, N.Y., London, Sydney ... They feel that people actually understand them. The Bible is in English. The music style sounds familiar; the preaching style looks like the one home (I mean, the "home" overseas); the small groups and social life consist of people from different countries but they can relate well to one another.
When you are home, but you don't feel like home, until you find somebody who can understand your culture home, you finally feel like home. That's why the community life in the international church is so attractive to us.
4. Local children who go to international schools (and their parents)
This is a fact: More and more parents are sending their children to international schools.
Though expensive, it is the fact that more and more parents are sending their kids there. Some parents are preparing their children for future education overseas; others don't want their children to go through the "forced feeding / duck feeding" type of education; others are disappointed with the local system. There is always a long waiting list for children going to an international school.
Now, when the children are young, they will still follow their parents to Cantonese speaking churches. They speak Cantonese at home anyway, so, there is no problem ... yet ... for now. However, when the children go to middle / high school, chances are they will find it difficult to communicate with their church friends who go to local schools. Some of these middle / high school students will switch to English speaking churches, and their parents will follow them. (Yes, parents following their children, not the reserve.)
Observations
Most, if not all, of the international churches that I know, are not expat churches, though there are many expats. They are not American church either, though there is a strong influence from America (both in terms of culture and American evangelicalism.) Most of the churches I know are "English-speaking churches" -- meaning that as long as you can understand and speak English, you are welcomed here. As such, there are lots of local participation.
The English-speaking churches thus serve the expat Christian community by providing an environment in which they can worship God with a language that they can understand and with a culture that they can relate to.
My main point of this post, however, is that these English-speaking churches in Hong Kong are a vital part of the "local" Christian community. They should not be considered "foreigner churches" which serve foreigners only. Instead, they are serving a growing number of bi-cultural and bi-lingual Christians in ways that Cantonese speaking churches may not be so effective.
I do want to encourage Cantonese speaking churches to get to know us more. We are actually one of you. On the other hand, I want to encourage English speaking churches to find ways to understand and co-work with Cantonese churches for some common objectives.
I also want to encourage both sides not to stereotype one another. It doesn't help to regard English speaking churches as "those middle-class rich foreigner churches." Neither is it helpful to regard the Cantonese churches as "those traditional Chinese churches" which will bore you to death.
My prediction is that there will be more and more English-speaking churches starting in the near future, especially in the New Territory. There will also be more and more "English congregations" starting, especially in those Cantonese churches that have a significant presence of #4 (and some #3) above. If this is true, then, there will also be a higher demand for pastors who have bi-cultural experiences.
Note: This post has been published originally in 2013 October 4th. Click here.