As our churches begin to reopen, I spoke with Matthew Kim and Daniel Wong about their new book: “Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching.” Read my review and watch our interview.
Angela Hom researched and published an article on Reopening the Church: Lessons Learned from 10 Asian American Congregations.
We continue to grow our IGTV video library, and you can view 30 short interviews on a variety of topics. Don’t forget to check out our Top Anti-Racist Resources for Asian American Christians and our “Race, Racism, and Jesus” playlist on YouTube.
Our monthly newsletter was sent out last week. In case you missed it, you can view it here. Subscribe to receive our most popular resources at the end of the month.
And on behalf of our digital admin team, I would like to wish you a safe and restful Independence Day weekend. Do you have an article or resource to share? Find me on Twitter or Instagram.
Articles From Around The Web
1. Ryan Zhang: How I Became a Subversive Patriot
“When political candidates speak of a vision to restore America to a former greatness, it often makes me wonder whether this ‘greatness’ has a place for people like me.”
2. Heidi Wong: Knowing the Names
“I could say their names, but I could not tell their stories. As I’ve been continuing to reflect on that moment, I know that as a Christian, I need to do both. I need to know their names, not just say their names. And this ‘knowing’ cannot be from an angle to become ‘more self-aware’ or ‘better informed’ – it must be a knowing that steers the sails of my soul towards the heart of Christ.”
3. Brett McCracken: 4 Reasons to Wear a Mask, Even if You Hate It
“For Christians, though, it’s important to rise above the political partisanship and think through what our faith would call us to with regard to wearing or not wearing masks. What if our view on masks were shaped more by our Christian identity than our American political identity?”
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
1. Christopher Yuan: Sexual Sanctification Is Not the Absence of Temptation
A breakout session at The Gospel Coalition’s 2019 National Conference titled, “Holy Sexuality: Sex, Desire, and Relationships Shaped by God’s Grand Story.”
2. 9Marks Journal: Shepherding — The Work & Character of a Pastor
“The pastor has to wear lots of hats in the course of his work: program-director, administrator, counselor, evangelist, and, at the top of the list, preacher and teacher. Yet in all of this, he is a shepherd. He watches over sheep, principally by concerning himself with their understanding of God’s Word and how it applies to their life together and with outsiders.”
3. Aaron Lee: Miscellaneous
Book Reviews: The Book of Revelation by Alabaster, Discontinuity to Continuity by Benjamin L. Merkle, George Whitefield – Volume One by Arnold Dallimore. Our TGIF playlist is available on Spotify, with new music from contributors Sarah Kang and Uzuhan.
Featured This Week On SOLA Network
1. Aaron Lee: “Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching” w/ Matthew Kim and Daniel Wong
A conversation on the importance of recognizing Asian North American (ANA) hermeneutics and theologies as well as whether the world is ready for more ANA preachers.
2. Angela Hom: Reopening the Church: Lessons Learned from 10 Asian American Congregations
As churches across the country are reopening for in-person services, SOLA asked leaders of Asian American congregations who have reopened to share their experiences. This article is not designed to be a template for others but a snapshot of what some are experiencing so that we can learn and pray.
3. Katie Cooke: Sing a Song For Now: How Songwriting Will Bring You Closer to the Lord Today
“As we untangle and process our thoughts and hearts, I believe we should also focus on an important aspect of our Christian worship: music. In these unprecedented times, songs for “now” matter now more than ever. And I believe that any of us can write one.”
4. Kim Kira: 5 Starting Points for Addressing Racism
“For some of you, you’re further along than most of us, and I praise God for that. But for the rest, let’s just start here. And to do this, let me offer five starting points. My use of this starting point is intentional because we can’t do this and then simply move on. We have to continue this journey.”
5. Kim Kira: Why Christians Must Hate Racism
“I would argue that if we’re going to live out our faith, then we more than anyone else should hate the injustices we see in our world. Meaning we don’t hate racism because the culture does. We hate racism because the Bible shows us that God does.”
6. Aaron Lee: “What Does It Taste Like?” – A Book Review of “Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching”
“I believe this book is a landmark work that will contribute much good to the work of the Gospel. It is required reading for anyone ministering in Asian North American (ANA) contexts, and a fantastic tool for those seeking to be aware and informed of the ANA population.”
7. Anonymous: I’m a Missionary Who Got Sent Home Because of COVID
“I did what my family, staff, and I thought was safest. I packed my things and left my apartment, where I had lived for seven months, in less than 24 hours. Then I flew across the world and within 48 hours, found myself in my parents’ house in New Jersey, social distancing at home.”
8. TGIF: Roundup for June 26, 2020
In case you missed it: Helping Second-Generation Immigrants Love the Immigrant Church / Watch a Movie, Then Start a Gospel Conversation / Hope for ‘Bad Sons’ on Father’s Day.
9. SOLA Network: TGIF Subscription
Get our TGIF installments delivered straight to your inbox for free every Friday. Subscribe today so you never miss out.
General disclaimer: Our link roundups are not endorsements of the positions or lives of the authors.