We shared an Instagram post highlighting our 2nd Young Writers Cohort: “We were thrilled to kick off our 2nd Young Writers Cohort class this past weekend with an introductory session about how we, as God’s image bearers, can write for God’s glory. Excited for this group, and make sure to keep an eye out for their articles coming later this year!
Editor in Chief Heidi Wong interviewed Chris Kuo. He led the recently launched Inkwell Espresso newsletter, a part of Christianity Today’s Inkwell publication, with a focus on journalistic and artistic conversations. His work has been published at The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and The Tampa Bay Times among other outlets.
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 10ofThose for providing, in partnership with @diveindigdeep, SOLA Network, and FCBC Walnut. There will be 6 copies to three winners, a “one for you, one for a friend” giveaway!
In The Man on the Middle Cross, Alistair Begg brings the gospel to those seeking hope, restoration, and a way back to God. This warm, short, and powerful evangelistic book is based on Alistair Begg’s most quoted sermon line: “The man on the middle cross said I could come.” It actually moved me to tears when I first saw the viral clip online, and this book is a wonderful way to share that same message. Read my review.
ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WEB
1. Thabiti Anyabwile: Preaching and Faith: How the Sunday Preaching Moment Impacts Discipleship
“But four or five years into my first pastorate, the Lord showed me that I needed to be more than an expositor. I needed to be a believer. I needed to preach as an act of faith. And looking at Mrs. Heather’s face, I realized I needed to preach as an act of love. I had been mastering the preparation of sermons, but in my preaching, I had not been mastering the essential virtues of Christian living—faith, hope, and love.”
2. Timarie Friesen: Five Thousand Text Messages
“The part I want to record from my uncle’s legacy is that God seeks people he made. When all seems lost or late, God unearths and recovers. God initiates.”
3. Keri Folmar: Hold the Rope for Her: Ways We Support Women Missionaries
“Thoughtful engagement in missionaries’ lives will spur us on more than any direct deposit.”
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. Geoff Chang: Dealing with the Praise of Men
“The reason human praise can never satisfy is because our hearts were meant to be filled with something far greater, namely the love of God. So find your satisfaction there, and be freed from your addiction to the praise of men.”
2. Renee Zou: History as a ‘Vast Treasury’ for Godly Living
“Irving-Stonebraker argues that history is filled with examples of godly courage, wisdom, beauty, tradition, and spiritual fervour that Christians have guarded, cultivated, and passed down from one generation to the next. Today’s Christians are at risk of breaking this streak, which will inevitably dull the ways we worship, disciple, and evangelise. In short, history contains ‘vast treasuries’ for godly living (p. 88). The question is, are we willing to listen?”
3. Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book reviews: The Kingdom and the King Storybook Bible by Bob Hartman, With Heart and Soul and Voice by Tim Chester, Here to Love by Chris CipolloneDesiring God by John Piper, Sweeter Than Honey: A Bible Study on Enjoying God in His Word by Maggie Combs and Gretchen Saffles. 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. SLP Episode 5: Justin Kim on Lessons from Korean, Multi-Ethnic, and Japanese American Churches
Justin Kim reflects on the beauty and challenges of each setting, emphasizing the importance of community, encouragement, and the development of a pastoral heart.
2. Heidi Wong: A Journey to Journalism with Chris Kuo
Chris Kuo shares about how his upbringing—being a citizen of one country while living in another—shaped his perspective and journey as a storyteller. He also shares some advice and encouragement for budding writers and those looking to develop their voice.
3. Jason Min: When Seminary Comes Later
“Sometimes the best thing a young, eager person can do is to spend a few years serving, working, and living before jumping into the classroom. Those years will give you stories, questions, and scars that make seminary far more fruitful when the time comes.”
4. TGIF: Roundup for September 19, 2025
You Want to Be a Pastor? Letter to Aspiring Men / Surrendering Control: Parenting as Stewardship, Not Ownership / Gen Z Is More Than Just Anxious / Marginalized Christians / Reading as Rebellion
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 Josh Hild 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.