We asked our SOLA Network council to share some words for churches and leaders during the Coronavirus crisis. This week, Justin Kim answered: How Do Pastors Respond to a World-Altering Event?
For our devotions written by women about the women who Jesus ministered to during his time on earth, visit our page dedicated to “The Women Jesus Loved.”
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Articles From Around The Web
1. Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra: How Chinese Pastors Developed Their Theology for Suffering
“‘The mark of the church is the cross,’ one leading Chinese pastor told the audience. ‘If you truly live the life of Christ, you will be persecuted.’ But you will also ‘have resurrection power. You will have the power to suffer.’”
2. Susan Narjala: The Sanctifying Grace of Inefficiency
“If you’re in a season that seems “wasteful” because of the current pandemic, or because of where you live, or chronic illness, or crying babies, or elderly parents who need your help, or whatever other reason you can’t ‘get it all done,’ then perhaps this is the training ground that God has readied for you.”
3. Heidi Tai: Goodnight Chinatown
“As COVID-19 threatens Chinatown’s future, I can’t help but grieve the loss of what our culture and cuisines once symbolised. The institutions that once busily fed our nation, have now become starved of patrons.”
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
1. The Gospel Coalition: Themelios 45.1
The new April 2020 issue of Themelios has 225 pages of editorials, articles, and book reviews. Topics include Theological Reflections on the Pandemic and Should the Local Church Resist Texts in Scripture that Clash with Western Culture?
2. Jane Kang and Heidi Tai: Abide
A new hymn. “Where failures abound, His mercies are more / There is no darkness, beyond Love’s light. / In fire and flood, our hearts need not fear, / Come my weary soul, be still and abide.”
3. Aaron Lee: Miscellaneous
This week I reviewed Luke 1-12 For You and Luke 12-24 For You by Mike McKinley. I also reviewed John 1-12 For You and John 13-21 For You by Josh Moody. You can enjoy our updated TGIF playlist on Spotify.
Featured This Week On SOLA Network
1. Justin J. Kim: How Do Pastors Respond to a World-Altering Event?
“There’s so much out of our control in this world. There are so many things that we don’t understand. The only thing we can control is how we respond to what’s going on around us. We can control our attitudes and responses.”
2. Ajay Abraham: 3 Ways to Pray for India
“Considering this overwhelming number of people crowded within this country, some say that COVID-19 may have catastrophic effects on Indians. Yes! It already is having its toll on the people. Looking at the pandemic situation, what can we Christians, do in this lockdown period that has stopped the entire country?”
3. Chi Lam & Daniel K. Eng: “We Are Not Out of the Woods Yet”: How to Pray for New York City
“For the most part, people are doing a great job staying home and obeying social distancing rules when they must go out. The measures placed on the state are working, but we are not out of the woods yet.”
4. Michael Y. Lee: Redeeming Loneliness During Social Distancing
“Beyond what we see on Instagram and TikTok is the reality that there is great spiritual warfare waging in our hearts as we react to the pangs of our loneliness. Satan knows we’re lonely, and he’s on the move seeking to destroy our souls by making us feel even more alone. How do we combat this?”
5. Paul Nam: What to Pray For in this Time of Trial
“James encourages us to pray for godly wisdom because these trials, as much as they can be painful, are also opportunities. So let us take these opportunities to learn more about the character of God, to correct our views and expectations about life, and to minister to God’s people.”
6. Heidi Wong: Beyond Thirst: Jesus and the Samaritan Woman at the Well
“Jesus wants us to look at him and see that truth is a person. A person we can talk to. A person we can walk through the hills and valleys of life with. A person who can name every one of our flaws and sins, yet still loves us to the skies.”
7. TGIF: Roundup for April 17, 2020
In case you missed it: Dear Isaiah, Our Resurrection Hope, and Opportunity or Accommodation? Thinking Through Cultural Practices in the Immigrant Church.
8. SOLA Network: TGIF Subscription
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General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors.