I spoke with Pastor Steve S. Chang about the story behind our forthcoming book, A Letter to the Asian American Church. In case you missed it, we revealed the endorsements and chapters.
Our book will launch on April 23 at the 2024 Asian American Leadership Conference and be available for purchase on Amazon. Learn more about our book here: Introducing Our Forthcoming Book: A Letter to the Asian American Church.
This newsletter is one of the many ways you can keep in touch with us. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more, check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. You can reach me on Twitter and Instagram.
Aaron Lee, Editorial Curator
Enter our giveaway! Thanks to The Good Book Company for providing, in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut. 1 winner will receive these excellent books.
Susannah Spurgeon: The Pastor’s Wife Who Didn’t Let Sickness Stop Her: This beautifully illustrated children’s biography of Susannah Spurgeon (1832-1903) features stylish illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos. It is part of a series designed to show kids that God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
5 Things to Pray for a Suffering Friend: Prayers That Change Things for Friends or Family Who Are Walking through Trials: Each of the 21 prayer themes in this book takes a passage of Scripture and suggests five things to pray for your struggling friend—relevant for whatever their troubles may be. You can use this book in any number of ways: work through it as part of your daily quiet time or pick it up whenever you want to pray for your friend.
Articles From Around The Web
1. Faith Chang: How Is God’s Law Like Beautiful, Wide-Open Sky?
“If you are burdened by similar fears, then Jesus’s promise of rest is intended for you. Our good Shepherd leads us safely off our tightropes and sets our feet in spacious places.”
2. Conor Sweetman: The Church Loses When Our Arts Communities Die
Christian writers and artists need communities of like-minded creatives so we can best serve both the church and the world.
3. David Schuman: How to Find Joy in God’s Presence
“Does it give you peace to know God sees you and will provide for all your needs?”
Asian American Leadership Conference 2024: “Writing the Next Chapter.” April 23-24, 2024, Orange County, CA. Registration and more info can be found at aalc.network.
The vision of this conference is to equip Asian-American leaders with gospel centered, contextual resources that will empower men and women for local church ministry. Our conference strategy is to equip leaders, platform voices, and connect with one another for life-giving relationships.
The theme of our conference is “Writing the Next Chapter: Empowering Asian American Voices for Gospel Ministry”. The Asian American church today is at a unique inflection point with leaders in diverse stations across multiple generations. This conference will be an opportunity to learn from these voices for the sake of continued and future Gospel work together.
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
1. Grace at the Fray Podcast: Fully Known and Fully Loved: The Gospel’s Answer to Shame
Author Esther Liu discusses the complex issue of shame and its impact on our identity and relationships. Esther offers valuable insights and practical steps to overcome shame, emphasizing vulnerability and the support of others.
2. Trevin Wax and Chris Watkin: A Lesson for American Evangelicals from the Global Church
Christopher Watkin and Trevin Wax discuss the value of incorporating global and historical church perspectives into our faith. They explore the benefits of a community-focused Christianity and critique the prevalent individualism and managerial approach within American evangelicalism. Demonstrating the corporate nature of biblical interpretation, they advocate for a deepened understanding and practice of the communal aspects of the Christian life.
3. Aaron Lee: Related Works
Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.
Our Books and Reviews page is your one-stop resource for all of your reading needs. It features Asian American authors and issues, recommendations, and interviews.
Featured This Week On SOLA Network
1. Hanley Liu: On My Shelf
What’s one book you wish every Christian would read? “The Doctrines of Grace, by James Montgomery Boice and Philip Graham Ryken because this was the book that rescued me from the exhaustion of basing salvation and discipleship on personal volition and religious performance.”
2. Bobby Suh: The Opportunity for Renewal After the Perfect Storm
“The good news is that the next generation wants much more than shiny, charismatic, celebrity pastors and churches. The next generation longs for a safe environment where they can grow through intentional spiritual formation.”
3. Aaron Lee: Writing A Letter to the Asian American Church: An Interview with Steve S. Chang
“The needs of the emerging generation of Asian American is huge. And because we don’t have mentors who are necessarily speaking into that context, on a regular basis on an authoritative basis, we need the elders of this generation to speak. And so yeah, it’s not so that they can express their thoughts, but rather the generation that’s coming. We need to hear those thoughts.”
4. TGIF: Roundup for April 5, 2024
A Simple Request for Good Friday and All of Life / A Sacred Silence: How Witholding Words Helped Me Heal / Parenting Our Introverted Teenagers / Creation Care Through the Lens of Hayao Miyazaki / Could Podcasts Save the Church from Stupidity?
5. SOLA Network: TGIF Subscription
Get our TGIF installments delivered straight to your inbox for free every Friday. Join today so you never miss out.
General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors. Header image by Roma Kaiuk.