1977
Detroit Chinese Alliance Church began in 1977. At that time, several couples began to gather, and were led by Herman Tang, Carpus Yip and Peter Chu, and their wives. These three men were studying at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois, and every weekend went back and forth as part of the pioneering process to plant a new church.
1979
In June, Pastor Yuxiang He began to serve as lead pastor. In October of the following year, he returned to Canada. After this, Pastor Xinling Mo, a preacher serving with the Windsor Chinese Alliance Chuch came to help the fledgling ministry.
1981
In October, Pastor David Chen, his wife Ann, and their family came to the United States from Taiwan, and began serving with the church plant.
1982
The church was formally established as Metro Detroit Chinese Alliance Church (MDCAC) on April 4. From 1979 to 1984, it had received support from both the Montreal Chinese Alliance Church and the Hebron Church in Hong Kong. After 1984 the church was completely independent of this support. After the installment of Pastor Chen as lead pastor, many church ministries were initiated, such as adult Sunday school, children’s Sunday school, fellowship groups, a church choir, a Chinese school, a Sunday lunch program, etc.
1987
Due to the increase in the number of people, and under the direction of God, MDCAC bought the first church on Livernois Road in Troy in October.
1991
After the church acquired its own building, the number of people began increasing more rapidly, and outgrew the capacity of the Livernois Road church building. In 1989, the church received a loan from the Alliance Development Fund and began work on the purchase of a new church building. In June 1991 the sale was completed and MDCAC acquired the church building on John R Road in Madison Heights.
1995
Brother Daniel Shen graduated from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and became an associate pastor at the church.
1996
After fifteen years of loyal service, Pastor David Chen officially retired and became a consultant pastor.
1997
In September, Daniel was officially appointed as senior pastor. Also at this time, Gideon Tsang began serving as youth pastor (Oasis: 7-12 Grades).
1998
Pastor David Chen was called home to the Lord. Brother David Chang sensed the call of God to full-time ministry and became part of the church’s preaching rotation. Two Chinese worship services began in September.
1999
In October, MDCAC began working with missionary efforts among Chinese in Germany. At the end of October, an expansion of the church building began, projected at 40% of the size of the original facilities.
2000
In August, Brother Kevin Oh became a youth intern and served the youth ministry for a period of one year.
2001
The building expansion was completed in February and was officially opened in March. In April, Brother Kevin Chen became the director of the youth ministry. The first Gospel Camp was held in May and the first Vacation Bible School (VBS) was held in June.
2002
In May, the church’s English Ministry (at that time called “2nd Vision”), was officially established. In August, David Chang graduated from Ashland Theological Seminary and became a full-time evangelist.
2003
In August, Brother Rangfu Chen went to South Carolina to study at Columbia Seminary full-time. Also in August, an effort to begin local church planting of a church at Wayne State University was formally established, and David Chang was assigned as pastor of the ministry. In September, a Middle School Ministry (Refresh) began to worship independently.
2004
In January, Brother Kevin Chen went to Toronto to study at the seminary full-time. Rev. Jim Costello took over as student ministry director. In October, David Chang was officially ordained.
2005
In January, Brother Robert Burns was installed as pastor for 2nd Vision. He and his wife Lisa joined the church as missionary candidates with the Alliance, in preparation for deployment as international workers. In October, the church received three “pictures” of God’s vision for the church: diversity, church planting, and mission. The Rochester Hills church planting group was officially established in December, led by Elder Jerry Chung to promote church planting.
2006
In June, the two Chinese worship services were merged into one. In July, Brother Brent Sickel was installed as pastor of the student ministry, responsible for both Oasis (Grades 9-12) & Refresh (Grades 6-8). In August, Brother Rangfu Chen graduated from seminary and was installed as pastor of the Rochester Hills church planting group.
2007
In January, the Cantonese Ministry was formally established. In April, the Rochester Hills church plant was officially established and named Detroit Chinese Alliance North (DCAN), with Rangfu Chen installed as pastor. In June, Brother Robert Burns was ordained. In September, Chin-Yun Chang became the director of the children’s ministry. In October, Christopher Lui was installed as pastor of the Cantonese Ministry.
2008
In June, Christopher Lui was officially ordained. In August, Brother Ming-Hung Hsu and his family returned to Taiwan to study at a seminary there. In October, Pastor Christopher Lui was led by God to serve a ministry in California.
2009
In April, Rangfu Chen and Brent Sickel were ordained. In August, Pastors Rangfu Chen, Rob Burns, and their families were sent to serve God on the mission field as international workers with the Alliance.
2010
In July, Pastor Karsun Wong accepted a call from God to serve the Cantonese Ministry as pastor.
Since the end of 1997, people have been sent on short-term mission trips to Israel, Brazil, Peru, Paraguay, Mexico, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, El Salvador, Taiwan and China. Combined, the congregations of MDCAC and her “daughter churches” comprise about 700 adults and children. We sincerely thank God for the grace and work. May God greatly use his brothers and sisters to make more people know Him.