Registration for our 2026 Asian American Leadership Conference is open! Check aalc.network to register and for other conference information. In case you missed it, the theme is Reimagining Family: Transforming Family Dynamics Through the Gospel. April 28-29, 2026! Daniel Jung shared AALC – One Year Later…One Year Ahead. And we looked back by Recapping AALC Interviews from 2024.
Our feature article this week is To Those who Feel the Pull of Hopelessness by Faith Chang. “For Christians, hope is not wishful thinking. It is recognizing what is and will be true, even if we haven’t seen it yet. It is anchored on God’s character and the death and resurrection of Christ in whom all God’s promises are ‘Yes!’.”
Keep in touch on X and Instagram. For more, check out my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group and TGIF Playlist on Spotify. This weekly newsletter is one of the many ways you can get connected with SOLA Network. Find us on Facebook, X, and Instagram.
Aaron Lee, Editorial Curator
Enter our giveaway! Thanks to Union Publishing, in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut. 1 winner will receive these excellent books! Links open to my reviews:
- The New Birth: Peter Mead writes about this essential aspect of regeneration through the Spirit. this is the perfect book to introduce Christianity to those who are new to the faith. And for seasoned saints, it will serve as an injection of joy, reminding you of your redemption and new life in Christ.
- The Trinity: Donald Fairbairn teaches about this essential and central aspect of the gospel. This short book will help you better grasp our Triune God and stir your heart to worship.
ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WEB
“I am finding that it is sometimes even harder to believe in God’s providence when looking back at a hard, weary season. It is then that I feel insufficient for the question, “What has God been teaching you?” I don’t fully know yet. Yet I know he works good. I know the good he brings is not dependent on my awareness of it. I know he wastes nothing―even my imperfect faith.”
Related: Look for Beauty by Ashley Kim
2. Ben Christenson: Confessions of a Bad Host
“WHILE IT MIGHT SOUND CLICHÉ or even self-aggrandizing, I try to think about hosting as something to offer up to God rather than something grand that I am doing. For my guests, I hope to carve out a very human space in a dehumanizing culture. And for myself, I accept that my ego will take some body blows. It’s not always pleasant, but like any hard experience, there are also moments of joy, growth, and satisfaction at a job well done.”
Related: Rethinking Hospitality in Our Churches by E.L Sherene Joseph
3. Connie Leung Nelson: Parents of Teenagers, Don’t Forget to Maintain The Connection
“While it’s true that our teens have packed schedules and they’re less keen to spend time with mom and dad, we parents need to be aware of what’s in us that can contribute to disconnection too.”
Related: Every Tribe and Tongue: A Book Review of The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School: Asian American Edition by Aaron Lee
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.
BOOKS, PODCASTS, MUSIC, MOVIES, AND MORE
1. Luke Simon: The Gen Z Worship War
“Well, not a war so much as a slow and worrisome sorting of men and women into different corners of Christianity.”
Related: Worshiping in the Waiting by Carissa Samuel
2. MaryJanice Davidson: ‘A Holy Haunting’ Wins the 2025 BookLife Prize
“Reverend Sam D. Kim’s unconventional work on spirituality is the winner of this year’s BookLife Prize.”
Related: How to Understand People Who Doubt: An Interview with Sam D. Kim by Aaron Lee
3. Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book reviews: New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp, Athens and Jerusalem by Gerald L. Bray, The Lord’s Supper by John W. Kleinig, Eric’s Greatest Race by Tim Challies. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group.
On Kindle Now! A Letter to the Asian American Church. The collective voices in our 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.
FEATURED THIS WEEK ON SOLA NETWORK
1. Bobby Suh: The Opportunity for Renewal After the Perfect Storm
Are you willing to give the greatest portion of your resources–your leadership, finances, and time–toward intentional discipleship?
2. SOLA Network: In Case You Missed It: Recapping AALC Interviews
Looking back before AALC 2026.
3. Faith Chang: To Those who Feel the Pull of Hopelessness
For Christians, hope is not wishful thinking. It is recognizing what is and will be true, even if we haven’t seen it yet. It is anchored on God’s character and the death and resurrection of Christ in whom all God’s promises are “Yes!”
4. TGIF: Roundup for May 30, 2025
I Have a Baby Face. It Shouldn’t Discount My Leadership. / What Does Trouble Do? / Tell the Truth About Children / Could Scrolling Become the New Smoking? / What Does God Think of Your Church’s Worship?
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 Shayan Rostami on Unsplash.
Aaron Lee is our Editorial Curator. Aaron also serves as the Social Media Officer of First Chinese Baptist Church of Walnut in California’s San Gabriel Valley, home to the largest concentration of Asian American communities in the United States. Visit him online at DiveInDigDeep.com.