Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders [Paperback]

Paul Tokunaga (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2003

The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. This Japanese expression characterizes the attitude of many Asian Americans. We are often taught not to put ourselves forward--not to stick out. But the Western concept of leadership is all about stepping up and standing apart from the group. Is that appropriate for Asian Americans? Or can we lead out of our own cultural strengths rather than being pressed into the Western mold? Paul Tokunaga has been a leader in Asian American, white and multiethnic contexts for many years. He has been active in ministry and in his community. In Invitation to Lead he offers, with surprising transparency, lessons from his own rich experiences--both successes and failures. Many of us aren't sure whether we can or should lead. We are waiting for someone to ask. Or we are just beginning to take on new roles and responsibilities at church, at work or in our neighborhoods. Here, at last, is our invitation to lead.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Paul Tokunaga challenges us to be a part of what God is doing. Invitation to Lead is a clarion call to rise above our fears, cultural tradtions and stereotypes and lead! Tokunaga passionately encourages us to lead in a new global village that welcomes Asian Americans to the table of servant leadership." (David Gibbons, Social Entrepreneur, Lead Pastor, NewSong Church, Irvine, California )

"This book provides wonderful insight and commentary about the intersection between Asian American leadership issues and cultural values within the context of Christianity and mainstream society." (J. D. Hokoyama, President and CEO, Leadership Education for Asian Pacifics, Inc. (LEAP) )

"In writing this book, Paul Tokunaga has provided a compelling and comprehensive training resource for Asian American Christian leaders. Using his Japanese/Southern wit, his keen eye for observing Asian American cultural tendencies and his own journey as an outstanding leader in many different and challenging settings, he has found ways to coax more of us also to step forward and contribute in ways that affirm who we are and that will bless countless others." (Rev. Dr. Ken Uyeda Fong, Senior Pastor, Evergreen Baptist Church of Los Angeles )

"Weaving personal reflections with practical guidance, Paul Tokunaga provides up-and-coming Asian American leaders with invaluable insights on how to reach their full potential. This book offers candor and wisdom from an experienced ministry leader who shares both the ups and the downs of his own leadership journey. Read this book and accept his invitation!" (Helen Lee, co-founder, Best Christian Workplaces Institute, former publisher, re:generation quarterly )

"With insights from the Bible, Asian American experiences and his own personal journey, Paul Tokunaga has produced a work that will serve as an invaluable resource for Asian American leaders as well as for those who serve alongside them. The Asian American and the wider Christian community have needed a book like this for a long time." (Peter Cha, Assistant Professor in Pastoral Theology, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School )

"Paul Tokunaga has hit a grand slam. All throughout this book I found myself repeatedly saying, 'That's me. . . . That's exactly how I feel. . . . That's exactly how I am.' Paul has captured the pulse of the Asian American leader: competent, highly skilled and gifted, with tremendous potential and possibility yet in need of encouragement, mentoring and hope. Paul provides for us the possibility of being ourselves and being effective leaders." (Soong-Chan Rah, Milton B. Engebretson Assistant Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism, North Park Theological Seminary )

About the Author

Paul Tokunaga (Master of Christian Studies, New College, Berkeley) is vice president and director of strategic ministries for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. He started with InterVarsity as a student at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and has also worked with 2100 Productions and as Southeast Regional Director.

Product Details

• Paperback: 214 pages
• Publisher: IVP Books (February 10, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 083082393X
• ISBN-13: 978-0830823932
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,096,883 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Good Topic, Weak Substance, February 17, 2010

By 

Brian Chang (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders (Paperback)

This book, handed to me by a supervisor at work, had me interested and intrigued. Never before had I seen a book about Christian, Asian-American leadership, so I was excited to see what Tokunaga had to say about the difficulties and blessings that come with this type of ministry. Tokunaga did have much to say about the topic and was clearly well informed about the subject matter. This book also received rave reviews from many other people on Amazon and other blogs. Unfortunately, I was left shaking my head at some points of the 207-page book because of his writing style, but I was thankfully able to glean some helpful tools from the book overall.

As a leader in an Asian-American ministry at UCLA, I was caught off-guard by the content of this book at first. I began reading wide-eyed and prepared to apply all that I would learn from Tokunaga, especially considering his long resume in campus ministry. What I found instead in the first 100 pages was a personal biography of Tokunaga's experiences in leadership--sometimes bordering on arrogance--with a sprinkle of Scripture here and there. I found it disheartening that personal stories were used in lieu of biblical ones and that most of the stories did not serve any deep purposes but to re-illustrate a point. I was unimpressed by things that he clearly hoped his readers would be impressed by: how he became the InterVarsity campus leader as a sophomore in college, led in many multiethnic settings, how his parents were opposed to him being in the ministry, etc. Though he did do a better job later in the book (after the first 150 pages or so), I do believe that he relied too heavily on his InterVarsity experiences rather than giving more tangible biblical examples. Tokunaga also relied on Asian stereotypes, basic generalizations that I witness Asians breaking down everyday on campus. I was a little disappointed that he, an Asian-American leader, would perpetuate these stereotypes even more in his book on leadership.

Even still, Tokunaga was good at surfacing issues that effect Asian-American ministries and Asian-Americans in ministries. He thoroughly captured certain aspects of Asian culture that are often misunderstood. By explaining stuff like the Asian "shame culture" and certain mannerisms, Tokunaga showed how culture might affect faith issues. He was able to articulate some of the historical backgrounds and misconceptions that come with Asian Christians while also hitting on multiethnic interactions. Though I disagree with some of his doctrinal statements about leadership, he was very methodical in pointing out the discrepancies that occur between Asian and American Christians. Overall, I felt that Tokunaga's style of writing and use of biographical support was a bit too off-putting, but it may be helpful and relevant to some Asian-Americans in leadership. And for an area of Christian leadership that is rarely written on, it's not an altogether bad start.

Honestly, I would not recommend this book to Asian-American ministry leaders, especially college leaders. I think there are better resources out there for ministry leaders that are more expository and focus on biblical leadership rather than personal life stories. Some of Tokunaga's examples even encourage rebellion against spiritual authority at the college ministry level, which I heartily disagreed with. That being said, it does speak to a very niche audience, which might be it's main selling point (illustrated by the enthusiasm with which my supervisor handed me this book to begin with). Still, this book is not one that I would willingly pass down to younger ministry leaders.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Finally, someone who addresses Asian American leaders, February 20, 2004

By 

Chomper (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders (Paperback)

I'm about halfway through this book, but just reading the first few chapters, I could have sworn I was reading an auto-biography of myself. His experiences are just so close to what I've experienced and hit hard to where I am coming from.

Every ethnicity has it's own issues and concerns that need addressing. Paul Tok really tackles this topic with a gusto and humility that make him very approachable. Even though he is Japanese American, his experiences mimic what most Asian Americans experience. From deferring to our parents to the ridiculous heights we hold education and prestige. He gives us perspective of how he deals with these issues along with dealing with other races.

While this book is geared towards Asian Americans, I HIGHLY recommend leaders of other ethnicities to read this book. It truly shines a light on some of the issues facing Asian Americans and can give insight in how to relate to us.

I had the pleasure of meeting Paul at Urbana 2003 during a workshop he gave on this very topic. Although I hadn't read his book at the time, (and I wish I did), he came across as someone who really wants to help and empathizes with the future leaders of this generation.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recommended Rading for Asian American Ministry, December 1, 2003

By 

Jimmy Lee (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Invitation to Lead: Guidance for Emerging Asian American Leaders (Paperback)

If you are a non Asian in an Asian church, this book will help you understand more. As an Asian American, Tokunaga's book has helped me understand the impact of my culture on why I act the way I do. Good practical advice as well. I can't believe some of the mistakes Tokunaga admitted to but I guess his point is that God can use any of us. On page 199, he says that our young people are leaving the church because the church is irrelevant, stifling and ill-equipped. I think that may be only true on the surface and perhaps the real reason is that our youth are prodigals, looking for boy/girl friends and freedom. The Bible study questions from Moses and Esther are very useful.