SOLA Network

Kim Kira, the primary teaching elder at Lighthouse Church and SOLA Council member, led the sixth session of the AALC Conference. His exhortative message was titled “Gospel Ministry: More than Evangelism.” In his talk, Kim Kira reminded church leaders that the gospel is not just about changing our eternal destination but changing our hearts. So he exhorted them to develop a culture of care and coun...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Joanna Wong, a deacon and lay counselor at Center Church in Irvine, CA. She is also a supervising family law attorney at a pro bono law firm and a Certified Domestic Violence Victim Advocate.  Joanna Wong talked to Hannah Chao, editor at SOLA Network, and Jason Chao, video editor at SOLA Network about addressing abuse in the church, particularly t...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Thomas Hwang, lead pastor at Grace Hill Church and co-host of the podcast Off the Pulpit. He is also a SOLA Network editorial board member. Thomas Hwang talked to Aaron Lee, social media manager at SOLA Network about the trends and blindspots of the Asian American church. We hope you are challenged by this important interview in which they discuss tren...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Soojin Park, the director of Youth Ministry and CCI at Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Centreville, Virginia. She is also a SOLA Editorial Board member.  Soojin Park talked to Aaron Lee, social media manager at SOLA Network about the blindspots and beauty of the complementarian church. We hope you are challenged by this important interview i...

Churches today have made national headlines due to members experiencing spiritual abuse from church leaders. But what is spiritual abuse and what does it look like in an Asian American church context? How can churches create a culture that guards against this spiritual abuse and bring healing to those who have experienced it?  The fifth session of the Asian American Leadership Conference (AAL...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Harold Kim, pastor of Christ Central of Southern California and president of SOLA Network. Harold Kim talked with Jason Chao, video manager at SOLA Network about burned-out pastors and how to help them. Check out this important interview where they discuss why so many church leaders are discouraged during this season and what to say to a church leader...

Harold Kim, pastor of Christ Central of Southern California and president of SOLA Network, led the fourth session of the AALC Conference. His encouraging message focused on Psalm 42 and how it offers an assessment of your condition – with practical prescriptions – to better preach to your own soul and the soul of others. Harold Kim is the senior and founding pastor of Christ Central of Southern Ca...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Dr. Ben Shin, a pastor, parachurch leader and professor for more than 20 years. He currently serves as Associate Professor of Bible Exposition and Director of the Asian-American Ministry track for the Doctor of Ministry at Talbot School of Theology in La Mirada, Calif. Dr. Ben Shin talked to Hannah Chao, editor at SOLA Network, and Jason Chao, video ma...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Pastor Hanley Liu, English Lead Pastor of First Chinese Baptist Church of Walnut, a Chinese heritage church. He is also a SOLA Council member.  Hanley talked to Aaron Lee, social media manager at SOLA Network and a member at his church. Listen to this fascinating interview where they discuss the hope and calling of the Chinese heritage church, Han...

Pastor Hanley Liu moderated a discussion with Pastor Cory Ishida and Pastor Ben Shin for the third session of the AALC Conference. The panel gleaned the wisdom of Cory Ishida and Ben Shin on the topics of leadership longevity, leadership health, and leadership accountability for Asian American contexts. Pastor Cory Ishida was born in Alhambra, CA in 1947 to Nisei (second generation Japanese Americ...

SOLA Network had the privilege of speaking to Julius Kim, the president of The Gospel Coalition. Julius talked to Steve Chang, council chairman of SOLA Network. They discussed what it has been like for Julius to lead the influential evangelical TGC. They also discussed how Julius’ Asian American heritage has helped him in this role. Video and full transcript: https://sola.network/article/leading-t...

This talk unpacks and connects Christ’s prophetic office to the contemporary preacher as he is called to discern God’s truth, goodness, and beauty and testify to it in his words and in his deeds.   Dr. Julius Kim (M.Div, Westminster Seminary California; Ph. D, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is president of The Gospel Coalition. Julius also serves as associate pastor of New Life Presbyte...

The Center for House Church Theology (CHCT) fosters and furthers the international publishing of pastors, church leaders, and teachers committed to the historic gospel of grace in China’s urban house churches. In promoting the theological leadership of China’s urban house churches, they believe dialogue between Christians in China and those from other cultural contexts will lead to mutual edificat...

Ruth Chou Simons speaks with Aaron Lee on a variety of topics regarding faith and culture. She talks about her testimony as it comes to being an Asian American Christian, switching majors from biochem to fine arts, our callings and careers, serving Christ and stewarding our gifts, and shares encouragement for Asian American women authors. Ruth Chou Simons is a bestselling and award-winning author...

The Asian American (AA) church is good and beautiful, and the calling to minister in the context of an AA church is a wonderful and joyous thing! In addition, the AA church can do community, discipleship, leadership development, and mission in ways that are culturally contextualized, needed, and strategic. Therefore, the AA church ought to be embraced and celebrated! Owen serves as the Senior Past...

“What does it mean that God is enough when it seems like I don’t have enough?” Alicia J. Akins strugged with this question during a time of great scarcity. That’s when she was invited to a friend’s dinner and she was confronted with the juxtaposition of her financial lack and the beautiful feast and friendships before her. It began her journey of studying the feasts of the Bible, and she recently...

The future of the immigrant church is one that all Christians should care about. Even as Asian Americans begin planting their own churches, many first-generation immigrants, including our parents, continue to attend immigrant churches. In addition, many Asian American churches continue to operate on the same campus or are even part of a larger first-generation church.  So John J. Oh’s essay o...

If you’ve been visiting SOLA’s website for a while, you’ve probably read an article by Daniel K. Eng. Perhaps it was his essay on how to know if the person you are marrying is “The One” or his suggestion to follow “An Untraditional Bible Reading Plan.” Most recently, he’s written on ethnic-specific churches, both showing Biblical support for these ministries and addressing their critics.   To...

"With us, always. With us when we feel the peace and joy his presence brings, but especially with us when we struggle to feel it. Especially with us in the moments we feel most alone." Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j3wxJNtfHr8 Read the article: https://sola.network/article/a-letter-to-the-lonely/ Email us your questions or conversation topics:  podcast@sola.network Patreeya Tho...

Faith Chang wears more than a few hats. She serves at Grace Christian Church of Staten Island, where her husband is a pastor. She’s also the mother of four children. On top of all that, she’s a writer who contributes to places like Reformed Margins, The Gospel Coalition, and SOLA Network, while still finding time to write on her own blog, Keeping Heart. To talk about her faith and writing journey,...

“The hopes and fears of all the years met in the birth of our Christ. Here is the dawn of the eternal day and of joy, joy beyond the walls of the earth.” Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/xXQfI8VdaWE Read the article: https://sola.network/article/the-eucatastrophe-of-human-history-an-advent-reflection/ Email us your questions or conversation topics:  podcast@sola.network Faith Chan...

❝When we don’t know what to do, when we are faced with difficult decisions, or when we find it hard to persevere — we can look to the example of Joseph, the father of Jesus, who shows us that simple obedience will go a long way.❞ Written and read by Aaron Lee. Photos by Justin Lee: https://www.instagram.com/justinfocus_/ Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/JPdCFOrUx60 Read the article on...

In 52 A.D., the Apostle Thomas came to India to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. This led to the formation of Christian churches throughout several Indian states. Immigrants founded those churches in America, leading to the creation of Mar Thoma churches and other Indian Christian churches throughout the United States.  As the children of Indian immigrants grew up, the second-generation...

In this short video clip, Pastor Steve Chang speaks with Ajay Thomas about why we need an Indian American church. Their full interview is coming soon! Subscribe to our channel so you never miss out: https://www.youtube.com/c/solanetwork Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/uJ3QIt_Rqgs Email us your questions or conversation topics:  podcast@sola.network Links: Weekly Newsletter: https...

What do you think of when you see the phrase “Asian American?” Do we think mostly about the children of East Asian immigrants? What about the children of immigrants from Indonesia? The Philippines? India? In this wide-ranging conversation, Pastor Steve Chang of the SOLA Network discusses the idea of Asian American-ness with Sam George, the catalyst for diasporas for India for the Lausanne movement...