In 2011, he moved the church he pastored to inner-city Reno, the site of not only gambling, but illegal drugs, prostitution, and violent crime. California by far has the highest number of Filipino-Americans: over 1.6 million.Īustria isn’t afraid to embark on what many would consider radical ventures. Census data shows that over 4.1 million documented Filipino-Americans live in the U.S., making them the third largest Asian subgroup behind Chinese and Indians. “We have to find a common ground for the younger and older generations so we can work together to advance the kingdom of God,” Austria says. His next goals include empowering potential future leaders for ministry by mentoring and helping in the pursuit of credentials making resources available to church planters and bridging the gap between generations in areas such as music and ministry methods. While many of the churches are along the West Coast, a number also are located in Hawaii, as well as the Eastern seaboard. He believes he has accomplished the most pressing priority of helping the geographically dispersed congregations to engage with each other. Many Filipinos in recent years have been recruited for careers in medical or educational fields.Īustria has led the Filipino-American Fellowship since 2018. As with most immigrants, the family moved to the States in search of economic betterment. at 13 when his father began working as a card dealer in a Nevada casino.
are largely unaware of the customs of their overseas ancestors.Īustria immigrated to the U.S. Austria, 47, says his children and their peers born in the U.S. Thus, he understands the importance of culture and traditions from the homeland, but he talks and thinks like someone who has been part of American fabric for decades. Like many in the Fellowship, Austria was born in the Philippines, but has lived most of his life in the U.S. Around 80 percent of attendees aren’t Filipinos. The congregation Austria pastors, Vertical Church in Reno, Nevada, is a case in point. Perhaps, one of these days, the Filipino-American Fellowship will go away.” “Most church services are in English, thus there are more opportunities for us to become a diverse, multiethnic body. “The majority of Filipinos speak and understand the English language,” says Austria. Austria anticipates a time when such a distinct ethnic group no longer is needed - due to the fact that adherents are so integrated into the society as well as the Assemblies of God. The group includes 87 congregations and 167 ministers.īut Fellowship President Angelo V. The fellowship group provides a way for Filipino-Americans and recent immigrants from the Philippines to assimilate in the U.S. The Filipino-American Christian Fellowship is one of two dozen official minority ethnic/language groups in the Assemblies of God and the sixth oldest, formed in 1997.
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