It is with a bittersweet feeling that I compile my last “Hidden Gems” article at the SOLA Network. This article has been one of the most cherished things I’ve gotten to do as an editor as I get to reflect on all the smaller stories that I have loved and published over the year.
Once again, I would like to thank all those who have contributed to our website, whether as veteran contributors or new authors. I want to thank the SOLA Council, who have supported me as editor and trusted my decisions over the years. And, of course, this opportunity would never be possible without readers—like you—who come back time and time again to be inspired and challenged by brothers and sisters from around the world.
And so, for the last time, here are my top 10 favorite articles this year that didn’t make it to the most-viewed articles of the year and yet contain much wisdom and comfort. Thank you once again, and here’s to 2024.
1. Insa: How the Korean Word for “Greeting” Can Change How We Pass the Peace by Sara Kyoungah White
When I recently came across the rich etymology behind the Korean word for greeting, insa, I thought of how perfectly it fits this principal’s daily calling to greet students and their families. Insa is made up of two Chinese characters, “person” and “work,” with the character for “work” comprised of the humble symbols for “farming tools” and “hand.”
Greetings, then, are the work of cultivating people, akin to the slow, demanding, messy work of the garden or the farm. It is a call to grow relationships, to know the land so intimately that we can distinguish every furrow and every plant, recognizing that in the process, we will muddy our knees and get dirt under our nails.
The greeting as person-work evokes another kind of work—that of Adam in the garden of Eden when his allotted task was to name each creature. To name them, he first had to know them. I imagine Adam taking into his hands the turtle, the lion, and the dove, pondering them in turn for the unique qualities they possessed and their interactions with him. Henceforth, when he walked through the garden, he could greet each creature by name, a practice that enforced not just a label, but a quality of being and a relationship.
When we greet people in the church during the service, we begin to know their names. We see them no longer as nameless faces but as individuals glowing with the grace of God. The common act of greeting, tied so closely to man’s original vocation, is what holds together a church community.
2. Good Grief by Linda Kim
When I was 18, my dad unexpectedly passed away from an aneurysm. His sudden death right on the heels of starting my freshman year of college shook up the very safe and predictable world I had lived in.
By nature, I am a list-maker, a rule-follower, and I live my life with a literal check-off list for the day. To lose my dad in such a shocking and unexpected way turned my whole world upside down. I could not make sense of it, categorize it, or put a label on where this event would belong in my otherwise well-ordered life.
3. Reflections on the White House Listening Session with Asian American Christian Leaders by Peter Lim, Jason Min, and Kevin Yi
On May 4, 2023 the Asian American Christian Collaborative (AACC), which is a national organization that focuses on education/equipping, advocacy, and community building to represent the voices, issues, and histories of Asian Americans, congregated Asian American Christian leaders from all over the United States for an unprecedented Listening Session with the White House. An impressive group of people comprised this delegation, including non-profit leaders, foundation leaders, and local church pastors.
We (Peter Lim, Jason Min, and Kevin Yi) were privileged to be included in this assembly, and this is our reflection on this monumental event. We chose to express our experience in an interview format, reflecting three perspectives regarding this singular event.
4. A Brief History of Asian American Worship Music by Gloria Fanchiang
Does Asian American worship music exist, and what could it sound like? As an Asian American songwriter looking for inspiration and songwriting role models who look like me, I’ve been on a quest to answer these questions.
Though many Asian American churches and ministries often sing worship songs from the likes of Hillsong and Bethel or use Western hymns for the older generation, with a bit of digging, I’ve discovered that worship songs written by and for Asian American Christians have actually been around for at least a few decades.
5. A Series of Farewells: A Review of “Past Lives” by Heidi Wong
Past Lives, the directorial debut of Celine Song, has been hailed as one of the year’s best films. It is a wistful mosaic of time and emotion, embodying just enough nostalgia to set us on the ledge to look back on the summers of our past.
A case has been made that the film is markedly “un-Hollywood” because it avoids en-vogue, worn-out plot tropes. However, a closer look reveals that moral lessons are beside the point. Rather it is a cinematic experience that leads us to breathe in the air from someone else’s life and come to realize that we exhale the same.
6. Why We Let the Youth Take Over a Sunday Service by Tom Sugimura
For one Sunday in August, our youth group led the worship service. They took up guitars, drums, and the keyboard—some of them playing with a worship team for the very first time. One of our youth leaders preached the sermon, and one young man interviewed another about what they’ve learned from the men in our church. The service wasn’t flawless, but it delighted our congregation and surely honored Christ.
Our youth also handled behind-the-scenes ministries like the soundboard, livestream, and bulletins. Some practiced hospitality as ushers and greeters, serving donuts, and hosting the book table. And as Southern California weathered a hurricane, young men with umbrellas walked the older ladies of our congregation, to and from their cars.
7. Why a Theology of Feasting Matters by Hayoung Oh
At its worst, a “eat to live” lifestyle is usually nothing more than a repackaged utilitarianism, reducing a God-inspired world to one of calories, metabolic rates, and fitness. Aesthetics and adoration have no place here—only the “gainz” through boiled chicken breast and broccoli.
On the other hand, living to eat can lead to extreme hedonism. Following in the footsteps of Epicureanism, the philosophy of living to eat might show up in chasing after food trends and Yelp Elite status. Pleasure is the object here.
We all lean one way or the other, and that’s fine—even good. Personally, I’ve found tremendous insight through these two ways of eating in different seasons of my life. During COVID, I grew to appreciate the God-ordained human body when attempting to become more fit. I learned to be more intentional in the quantity and quality of the calories I consumed. More recently, my interest in the culinary world has been important in engaging in creativity and excellence in human work.
So, where does God fit into this?
While I know that God is certainly present and can be honored in both ways of eating, preparing Wednesday meals for my young adult group has given me the space to think deeply about Christian eating. In particular, the biblical idea of feasting has made a significant shift in my personal understanding of eating as well as opportunities for church unity.
8. A Ministry or Refreshment by Daniel K. Eng
Refreshment.
What comes to your mind when you hear that word? For some of you, it might mean a breath of fresh air during your lunch break. Maybe you think about the weekend, getting to laugh and play with your family after a long week.
As we enter into the narrative world of 2 Timothy, we see that the apostle Paul experienced refreshment. The text indicates that Paul is imprisoned in Rome. Many turned their backs on him, including Phygelus and Hermogenes (2 Tim 1:15).
But 2 Timothy describes one person who did not abandon Paul: Onesiphorus. His name means ‘the bringer of benefit.’ When Paul was in Rome, Onesiphorus went to see him. True to his name, he brought benefit to Paul, like a drink of cold water on a hot day.
9. Tips and Resources for Teaching Children, Tweens, and Teens How to Pray by Faith Chang
If you’re a Christian parent or educator, chances are you’ve had the experience of asking a child to pray (maybe at the dinner table or during Sunday School) and heard them reply, “But I don’t know what to say!”
Prayer is one of the greatest privileges we have as Christians. As Moses said in Deuteronomy, what other people “has a god so near to it as the Lord our God is to us, whenever we call upon him?” (Deut. 4:7b). Just like Moses, we want to instill in the next generation a sense of awe that our God hears us as we praise him, thank him, and give him our requests. We want them to learn and experience the joy of going to God in prayer. So how do we help young people who don’t know what or how to pray?
10. Sitting Around Tables for a Sunday Service? by Kevin Liu
What is the worst part of a church service? It’s when the worship leader forces us to turn and greet our neighbor. It can be awkward, shallow, and just physically weird as we sit in rows.
But what if this concept could be re-imagined, and turned into one of the best parts of a church service?