SOLA Network

What is it like to pastor a multiethnic church? What are some of the challenges, and how can you prepare? To gain some insight, we interviewed two Korean American pastors who are now lead pastors at large multiethnic churches. Jay Y. Kim serves as lead pastor at WestGate Church in Northern California, and he is the author of Analog Church and Analog Christian. On the other side of the country, Mitchel Lee is the Lead Pastor of Grace Community Church and author of “Even If.” Leading the discussion was Steve Chang, SOLA Network Council Chairman. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/two-journeys-to-pastoring-a-multiethnic-church-interview/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

How can Asian Americans think about how their identity intersects with their faith? What are some paradigms and vocabulary we should be using? In Doing American Theology, Daniel D. Lee just does that. He has written a book that helps Asian Americans to understand themselves so “we can actually bring all of ourselves to Christ.” We are honored to host an interview with Daniel D. Lee. He talks to Aaron Lee, SOLA’s Editorial Curator, who also reviewed his book. We hope their conversation will be encouraging and edifying. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/doing-asian-american-theology-an-interview-with-daniel-d-lee/ Aaron's book review: https://sola.network/article/doing-asian-american-theology-book-review/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

Where can the lonely look to find connection? In Made to Belong, David Kim discusses five practices for cultivating community in a disconnected world. In this interview, SOLA Network’s editorial curator Aaron Lee interviews author David Kim, and they discuss: Made to Belong and how David’s best friend broke up with him, the false connection cycle as related to Asian Americans, why and how David’s experiences with loneliness as a Korean American immigrant are up front in his book, poorly modeled small groups and how we can build up better ones in an immigrant and intergenerational context, and why isolation is a seasonal gift and practical tips for finding community for parents of young children. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/made-to-belong-an-interview-with-author-david-kim/ Aaron's book review: https://sola.network/article/made-to-belong-book-review/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

This is Part 2 of a conversation between Rick Hardison, lead pastor of Lakewood Ranch Baptist Church and author of the PhD dissertation, “A Theological Critique of the Multiethnic Church Movement” and Daniel K. Eng, SOLA Editorial Board member. Click here for Part 1: https://youtu.be/yMRRmNFQ140 In the second half of their conversation, Rick Hardison and Daniel K. Eng continue their discussion on ethnic-specific and multiethnic churches. They discuss: Whether there is a mandate to be a part of a multiethnic church, approaching people with their heart languages to bridge cultural gaps, the relationship between contextualization and unity, the need for multiethnic and ethnic-specific churches, serving the people living in your church’s proximity, and the difficulties of being an ethnic-specific church. We hope this conversation will lead to more conversations about ethnic and multiethnic churches and be an encouragement to the universal church. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/should-every-church-be-multiethnic-part-2/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

Shouldn’t every church be multiethnic? Is there a place for ethnic-specific churches or are they unbiblical? Do we even need ethnic-specific churches anymore? People involved in ethnic-specific ministries have heard questions similar to these. Sometimes they are posed by others, while at other times these questions come from themselves. To help us think through this relevant topic, SOLA Editorial Board member Daniel K. Eng interviewed Rick Hardison, lead pastor of Lakewood Ranch Baptist Church, who completed a PhD on the topic. His dissertation is called, “A Theological Critique of the Multiethnic Church Movement,” and contains research and analysis on different types of churches. We have split their interview into two parts. In the first half, Daniel K. Eng and Rick Hardison discuss: Where we get the idea of the “multiethnic mandate," what the Bible does (or doesn’t) say about multiethnic churches, how to think about ethnic church “divisions," and the stories of the Tower of Babel and Pentecost. We hope this conversation will lead to more conversations about ethnic and multiethnic churches and be an encouragement to the universal church. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/should-every-church-be-multiethnic-part-1/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

SOLA Network is proud to announce a partnership with the Bamboo Pastors Podcast. The podcast is hosted by Jalon Chan of Chinese Christian Fellowship Church and Jon Mann of San Jose Christian Alliance Church as they explore the joys and challenges of being English-speaking pastors in the Chinese church. As part of this partnership, SOLA will feature episodes of the podcast through links, short audio clips, and/or transcripts of episodes. To introduce this podcast, Ben Pun and Hanley Liu had a discussion with Jalon Chan and Jon Mann about their experiences in the Chinese heritage church. We hope you are encouraged by their conversations. https://bamboopastors.podbean.com/ Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/introducing-the-bamboo-pastors-podcast/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

Christians have a complicated relationship with money and gospel ministry. May God, who is both generous and wise, help us to view our lives and our money rightly, using both as servants for his work in his world. Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/i023oOerG8k Written and read by Renee Zou for SOLA Network: https://sola.network/article/god-or-money-detangling-a-complicated-relationship/ Originally published on The Gospel Coalition Australia:  https://au.thegospelcoalition.org/article/god-or-money/ Renee Zou works in a corporate law firm. She is married to Leonard, and they both worship at Cross & Crown: Melbourne, a church plant in Melbourne’s Eastern suburbs. In her spare time, she enjoys reading books, drinking coffee, exercising and spending time with her friends and family. Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

"I want you to imagine that, at least for a time, the Lord would see fit to involve us in selecting the providences we would receive from his hand. I want you to imagine that through one of his deputies—an angel perhaps—he would approach us to ask how we would prefer to serve him. In other words, I want you to imagine that for just a while, he would choose to offshore his sovereignty and outsource it to us. I expect it might go something like this." Read and written by Tim Challies: https://sola.network/article/if-god-would-outsource-his-sovereignty/ Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kJiZQa24ePk Everlasting Joy: A Book Review of “Seasons of Sorrow” https://sola.network/article/seasons-of-sorrow-book-review/ Learning and Writing about God and the Church: An Interview with Tim Challies https://sola.network/article/learning-and-writing-about-god-and-the-church-an-interview-with-tim-challies/ Email us your questions or conversation topics:  podcast@sola.network Tim Challies is a Christian, a husband to Aileen, and a father to two daughters who are young adults and one son who is waiting for him in heaven. He worships and serves as an elder at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario. He is a blogger and book reviewer and has written a number of popular books. Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

Tim Challies is a Christian, a husband to Aileen, and a father to two daughters who are young adults and one son who is waiting for him in heaven. He worships and serves as an elder at Grace Fellowship Church in Toronto, Ontario. He is a blogger and book reviewer and has written a number of popular books. We discuss in this interview: How Tim heard about SOLA Network, how it feels half a year after releasing his book (Seasons of Sorrow), behind the scenes of his article for SOLA Network (If God Would Outsource His Sovereignty), how platforms and parachurch ministries like SOLA Network can achieve longevity and faithfulness, and his upcoming projects. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/learning-and-writing-about-god-and-the-church-an-interview-with-tim-challies/ Shownotes: Everlasting Joy: A Book Review of “Seasons of Sorrow” https://sola.network/article/seasons-of-sorrow-book-review/ If God Would Outsource His Sovereignty: https://sola.network/article/if-god-would-outsource-his-sovereignty/ Email us your questions or conversation topics:  podcast@sola.network Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network

In Finding God, Finding Me, Izzy Koo tells her powerful testimony of how her life changed after encountering god at sixteen years old. She openly her fears, struggles, and insecurities as a high school student, as well as how God helped her find her identity and confidence.  SOLA Network is proud to present an interview with Izzy Koo, who is now a freshman in college. She is interviewed by Soojin Park, a SOLA Editorial Board member. They discuss how Izzy began writing her book, the process of writing and publishing a book, how to be a witness for Jesus in high school, college, and beyond, and the importance of building up personal and community-based faith. Video and transcript: https://sola.network/article/finding-god-in-high-school-college-and-beyond-an-interview-with-author-izzy-koo/ Links: Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork Twitter: https://twitter.com/thesolanetwork YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SOLANetwork Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork Website: https://sola.network