Pastor Steve S. Chang was interviewed on the Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast to talk about A Letter to the Asian American Church. A sample of our book, links to purchase, and a free discussion guide can be found at sola.network/book.
We are releasing new episodes of our conference interviews on Wednesdays and Fridays for the next several weeks. You can find the interviews at our YouTube, AALC Page, or on our Podcast. This week we focused on difficulties in leadership and ministry. Ken Shigamatsu and Steve S. Chang gave Gospel Comfort When Ministry is Hard. Joey Chen and David Larry Kim shared Wisdom for Leaders Struggling with “Calling.”
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 Harvest House Publishers for providing, in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut. 1 winner will receive a physical copy of this outstanding books!
What does the Bible teach us about raising teens? In Parenting with Hope, Melissa Kruger shares how to raise teens for Christ in a secular age. Read my full review.
Articles From Around The Web
1. Esther Liu: Look for the Glimmers
“Suffering can be all we see when life is arduous, but it isn’t the whole picture. Flowers still bloom, friends give you rice porridge, and birds fly in the winter sky. All of these are glimmers of God’s grace. And though these small gifts did not remove my suffering, they demonstrated that God was still in it all.”
2. Tom Sugimura: The Love of a Leading Man
“The love of a leading man depicts marriage as an elegant dance. The husband leads in such a way that serves his wife, so that she might flourish.”
3. Joann Pittman: Bamboo Resilience: Christianity’s Explosive Growth in China
“When Chairman Mao died in 1979, information began trickling out of China that indicated the number of Christians had grown to around ten million. In other words, during three decades of persecution, and with no foreign missionary presence, the number of believers grew over 1,300 percent!”
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. Guilt Grace Podcast: A Letter to the Asian American Church with Steve Chang
What are the particular difficulties of ministering in an Asian American context, and what can you learn?
2. Cameron Cole: 3 Reasons Heaven Doesn’t Affect Us as Much as It Should
“Heightened heavenly mindedness has given me greater contentment, provided strength to persevere in suffering, and inspired me to focus on mission and evangelism.”
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. AALC24: Wisdom for Leaders Struggling with “Calling” (YouTube, Podcast)
Joey Chen (Lead Pastor, Sunset Church), David Larry Kim (Lead Pastor, Harvest Church)
2. Serena Wang: Soft Discipleship Through Friendship
“For both the discipler and disciple, the invitation is to surround yourself with people who point you towards Jesus, and get heavily involved in their lives.”
3. AALC24: Gospel Comfort When Ministry is Hard (YouTube, Podcast)
Ken Shigamatsu (Senior Pastor, Tenth), Steve S. Chang (Senior Pastor, Living Hope Community Church).
4. Cory Ishida: Letters from Grandpa: Ten Things I Have Learned About Conflict
“James teaches us that trials lead us to become perfect and complete (James 1:2-4). I say ‘Amen’ to that. Trials grow us like nothing else can, especially when the trial involves conflict. Here is what I have learned about conflict in light of God’s Word.”
5. Moses Y. Lee: The Generational Healing of “Turning Red”: An AAPI Christian Perspective
“Turning Red isn’t encouraging the pursuit of our hedonistic desires; it’s about rightly framing our individuality while appropriately bringing honor to our parents, our traditions, and perhaps even our faith.”
6. TGIF: Roundup for August 2, 2024
No, I Will Not Stop Calling The Church A Family / In Asian American Churches, Generational Differences Deter Young Leaders / All We Have Left Undone / Quality Christian Music: 15 Artists to Watch / It Takes a Church to Disciple Kids
7. 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 Peter Thomas on Unsplash.