This week we published a recap and thanks for our 2024 Asian American Leadership Conference! We also shared new pieces by Ashley Kim and Carissa Samuel from the Young Writer’s Cohort. They were asked to write about a season of suffering or a really difficult trial and share what they learned through it.
In case you missed it, we launched our new book, A Letter to the Asian American Church, at the Asian American Leadership Conference! Find a sample, links to purchase, and a free discussion guide at sola.network/book.
It was great to see so many of you at our AALC! Let’s keep in touch on Twitter and Instagram. For more, check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. This newsletter is one of the many ways you can stay connected with SOLA Network. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Aaron Lee, Editorial Curator
Enter our giveaway! Thanks to Banner of Truth for providing, in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut. 1 winner will receive these excellent books! Links open to my reviews.
- Sermons on Ephesians: What did Calvin find captivating about God’s redemptive work in Christ? In Sermons on Ephesians, John Calvin exposits the great book of Ephesians. Preached on Sundays in Geneva in 1558-59 when he was 49 years of age – this book is a significant part of Reformation history. While I have read The Institutes, this was the first book I can recall having read of Calvin’s sermons. This series on Ephesians is exemplary.
- Gospel Ministry: How can the pastor best serve his people? In Gospel Ministry, John Owen addresses the minister and members of the Church. Readers will be persuaded with Owen’s optimism, and find encouraging refreshment. The church is championed, and Christ is exalted.
Articles From Around The Web
1. Cameron Cole: YOLO Is the New Epicureanism
“As Christians, we are by no means immune from this hedonistic mentality, which Jeremiah Burroughs called “earthlymindedness.”3 Perhaps this is why so many of our spiritual lives are “meh” and why we lack the joy and enthusiasm that we see emanating from Paul. What did Paul believe that made his spiritual life so vibrant and exuberant?”
2. Danny Kwon: Gospel Encouragement for the Parent of a Lonely Child
“Ultimately, having a lonely child can be stressful and worrisome for any parent. And many of those concerns can be valid. I encourage you as parents of a lonely child, to entrust your anxieties to God, model the relational love of God, and see the opportunity to talk and walk with your child in new ways.”
3. Heidi Wong: “Argentina, 1985”: Generations Serving Together for Justice
“What do we miss out on when we stay in our generational lanes? We bypass opportunities to learn from wisdom, and sometimes we rob ourselves of hearing about the grace of God that we ourselves have not yet experienced. Age does not define maturity.”
Will you join us in embracing the call for the Asian American Church? The collective voices in our new book argue that there is underappreciated beauty, diversity, joy, benefit, and place for the Asian American church. Asian American leaders need to joyfully embrace the call to serve the Asian American church, not only for the emerging generation but for the broader church. Find a sample, links to purchase, and a free discussion guide at sola.network/book.
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
1. Ruth Chou Simons: How to Persevere in Life’s Wilderness
“In her breakout session at TGC23, Ruth Chou Simons teaches how to navigate life’s challenges by focusing on God’s unchanging character, which guides and sustains believers through life’s wilderness. As we look for God’s attributes in everyday life and align with his purpose for our lives, we find fulfillment and resilience amid our struggles. Through personal anecdotes and theological insights, Simons emphasizes the transformative power of understanding and trusting in God’s nature.”
2. John Piper: Are Parents to Blame for Prodigals?
“Rest in the sovereignty of God over your children. We cannot bear the weight of their eternity.”
3. Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book review: The Wisdom Pyramid by Brett McCracken. 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. SOLA Network: AALC 2024 Recap & Thank You
We hope this conference provided inspiration and refreshment for those who attended, and are excited to see how God continues to write the next chapter for the Asian American church.
2. Carissa Samuel: The Remains of Suffering
“I am sure the remains of our hardship will be the abiding virtues of God of faith, hope, and love through His sanctifying work in our hearts.” — Carissa Samuel
3. Ashley Kim: When the Battle Feels Endless
“I would rather be able to say that I am a wretched sinner redeemed by the grace of God than to say that I have sinned little and known little of him.”
4. TGIF: Roundup for April 26, 2024
A Second Chance With the Child We Miss / The Art of Extemporaneous Preaching: Lessons from Charles Spurgeon / Looking Heavenward Transforms Our Sorrow / Youth Ministry and Mental Health: Social Media and the Youth Pastor with Justin Wong / Faith Chang: Peace Over Perfection Playlist / Yet Not I but Through Christ in Me at the Asian American Leadership Conference
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 Igor Pyrig.