Sola Network Magazine 2020

SO LA

N ET WO RK

2020

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Intro 1 An Open Letter to College Students Affected by COVID-19

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Top Antiracist Resources for Asian American Christians

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3 Things Youth Pastors Need to Focus on During COVID-19

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The Importance of Voting as an Engaged Christian

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Why My Chinese-American Church is Cleaning Up in the Streets of Chicago

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Faith Over Fear: COVID-19 Update from Seoul, South Korea

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Why I’m Writing About My Miscarriage

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Words for the Church in these Post-Election Days

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Biblical Principles to Guide Us During this Pandemic

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COVID-19 left nothing untouched. Schools shuttered, churches closed their doors, and here at SOLA, we had to cancel our biggest event of the year: the SOLA Conference. But as our world was forced to retreat and reconnect over Zoom meetings, SOLA’s work also continued online at the SOLA Network website.

Through the work of our amazing contributors and staff, we were able to create and share content that you read, reacted to, and shared online. We were so thankful for this online community that allowed us to stay connected with you.

To help share and to celebrate, we have compiled nine of our best articles from 2020. They have touched on some of the most relevant topics of this year, from COVID-19 to racial reconciliation to politics. One is a personal essay that details suffering that we should all empathize with. We hope that they will all bless, challenge, and encourage you as we enter 2021.

Of course, the unfortunate reality is that not much has changed from early spring 2020. We are still in a pandemic. Our country is still divided politically and culturally. Suffering is still all around. But we believe in the supremacy of Christ and the resilience of the Church. We know that God has called all Christians, including Asian American Christians, to use their words and deeds to shine the light of Christ. We hope this magazine can be part of revealing the glory of God to all, and we can’t wait to share more with you in 2021.

Hannah Chao Editor at the SOLA Network

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An Open Letter to College Students Affected

by COVID-19 by heidi wong

Dear College Student, For you, the last month has been a flurry of chaos, frantic packing, and unanswered questions. Futures that at one point seemed so crystal clear are now a foggy abyss. That previous satisfaction to begin your mornings whenever you wanted to is no longer as gratifying.

The lack of structure, which at first was novel, has become quite stressful.

You miss your friends. You miss the ability to walk across the hallway in your PJs and talk for hours about the most random things with some of your favorite people. You miss eating late-night food. You miss pulling “all-nighters;” they were often far more fun than studious.

The sudden transition to once again living at home has been jarring. Maybe being away at college was a welcome escape to your normal home life. But now that you’re back in your bedroom, the not-so-welcome memories start flooding back. All the “progress” you thought you made as a person vanishes as old habits return. Impatience, flashes of anger, perhaps even coldness towards your family.

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Or maybe you’re on the other end of the spectrum and so relieved to be back home. The semester had been weighing on you, and to be back home with the comfort of your family was just what you needed to get through another week.

On top of all this, a new grading system, one that does not incentivize you to study very hard, has either been the best or worst news you’ve heard in a while. For some, it may feel like the rug has been ripped right out from under you. For those from the Asian International or Asian American community, studyingv was a way of life. To have the institution that you worked so hard to get into tell you that the only letters of significance this semester will be “P” and “F” is offensive. It is disturbing to realize that the great sacrifice your parents made for your education, is, at least for the time being, being poured into a Zoom meeting.

For others, the release of academic pressure has been a great relief and blessing. You feel like you finally breathe again.

Is what I’m feeling normal? How should I feel? What do I do?

Crisis has been a part of the human experience ever since the fall. Bubonic plagues, genocides, atomic bombs, World Wars, nuclear plant explosions, 9/11 - the list could go on forever. Believers who lived through each of these crises were never left the same, and likely neither will you be.

The Psalms are full of believers who faced all types of crises - depression, exile, persecution, deep fall into sin. And while they often lament their circumstances, they also often declare a great hope in the midst of their troubles.

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You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again. (Psalm 71:20)

The Psalmist knows that there will be both a present and ultimate redemption and declares so out loud. This declaration was not born out of a fleeting thought or idea, but rather it emerged from deep meditation on

God’s immutable characteristics and faithfulness throughout all generations past. Consider the following from author Paul Tripp,

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“Everyone, everyone is a theologian whether you’re a baker or a painter or a mechanic or an accountant, you’re a theologian. Everyone’s a philosopher, everyone’s an archaeologist, and you’ll dig through the mound of your existence to make sense out of life.”

As a theologian, your theology matters. What the voice in your head says to yourself is important. Does it tremble with each new global headline and email from your school dean, or is it steady and confidently grounded in Gospel truths?

To the student wondering what comes next, I highly encourage you to...

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AN OPEN LETTER TO COLLEGE STUDENTS AFFECTED BY COVID-19 | Heidi Tai

Reflect Whether you’re currently relishing in the reality that your grades will be Pass / Fail, or upset because it feels like your efforts towards learning mean much less now, take some time to reflect on what your education means to you.

Was it of utmost importance because you thought it would guarantee the future you desire? Did you obsess over grades because you feared the consequences if you didn’t measure up? Or did you regularly neglect opportunities for your mind to be filled and shaped through reading, homework, and participation?

Where on the spectrum between idolatry and idleness have you been? Recognize, repent, and ask God to help you to reorient your perspective to live faithfully in these times as a student even though you can’t see from his full vantage point.

Be Present If right now is one of the best seasons of your life, don’t feel guilty in enjoying your new circumstances. Mom or Dad’s cooking, your siblings, those family board games you missed playing - right now is a rare chance for you to enjoy and be present with your loved ones.

It will sometimes be difficult, but honor your father and mother. They may not always “be right,” but even when we disagree with our parents, we can still honor them

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by the way we treat them. If you spent most of your childhood studying to “make it,” take some time now to serve and love your parents in light of a somewhat lightened educational burden. Know that you can be a source of great emotional support for them.

Create, Cultivate, Consume Trevin Wax’s article from 2 years ago applies all the more now that many have much more free time.

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We live in a culture that drives us toward consumption, not creation or cultivation. The result is we assume creating is work and consuming is rest. We assume that anything that demands something of us must be tiresome and strenuous.

And so, in our free time, we naturally gravitate toward the activities that are easiest and most immediately gratifying. We choose distraction over development.

In addition to consuming Youtube, Netflix, and TV shows, also invest time in creating and cultivating.

Create art, music, maybe even write a sci-fi novel - and cultivate - care for people, pets, plants, and even your body by exercising.

Acknowledge your circumstances, but fix your gaze on Christ Graduation will be experienced from living rooms instead of stadiums. Summer internship or job offers could be pulled or modified. The semester you had finally put so much effort into might not turn around your GPA as you would have hoped. Making rent and buying essentials could be a daily struggle for your family. And though I don’t hope this to be the case, someone in your family or social circle may pass away long before you ever thought they would. No one can deny these realities nor how extremely painful some of them are.

But in the midst of what appears to be a great darkness, remember that circumstances are always changing. If circumstances dictated our faith and hope, we would be doomed for a life ruled by vicious anxiety.

We must anchor ourselves to something unchanging - the life, death, and resurrection of Christ himself.

Because he paid it all, we have it all. Instead of being dead in our sins, we have an inheritance that is, “imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you” (1 Peter 1:4b).

COVID might be the first great crisis you have faced in your lifetime, but I assure you it will not be the last. The well-intentioned yet sometimes overly protective reach of parents might have shielded you from seeing the full brokenness of the world that has been there all along.

And if not external, you may face internal battles. The existential struggle to validate your existence, constantly comparing your path to that of your peers, and wondering if you’ll ever be able to shake the demons that haunt you.

If right now feels like a type of hell, remember that while Christ doesn’t promise to erase our suffering, he does promise that he is with us every painful step of the way (Isaiah 53:4). He entered into our world not as a thief who takes away our hopes and dreams, but rather as the giver of life, that we may “have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).

Throughout whatever lies ahead, I encourage you to press on with your full hope and confidence in the one who cares and provides even for the lilies of the field.

I hope that at the end of this season, you and I will be able to more confidently share in Paul’s sentiment when he declares,

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“for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance, and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil.

4:11b-13) 5

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Top Antiracist Resources for Asian American Christians by rachel j. lee and moses y. lee

We’ve compiled a list of resources that we’ve found to be helpful as Asian American Christians. In addition, we would like to add that this is not an exhaustive list -- we hope you would use this as a jumping off point to continue your lifelong journeys of dismantling racism.

To help break down the immense number of resources available, we’ve separated our lists into three categories: 101, 201, and 301. Finally, we’ve listed ministries as well as resources in different Asian languages at the end.

As a disclaimer, the resources below include both Christian and secular writers who come from a wide spectrum of theological, political, and sociological backgrounds. Please read at your own discretion.

ANTIRACISM 101 Books

1. Woke Church: An Urgent Call for Christians in America to Confront Racism and Injustice by Eric Mason.

192 pages.

This is a practical book that helpfully breaks down the immense issue of racism in America into four ac-

tionable steps for the church: Be Aware, Be Willing to Acknowledge, Be Accountable, Be Active.

2. I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown. 182 pages.

A memoir of a Black woman’s life as she navigates White, middle-class evangelicalism and discovers her Black dignity. The insights into her thought life and thinking process helps us to empathize with the internal struggle many Black people face in “diverse” spaces.

3. The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism by Jemar Tisby.

276 pages.

If the history of the ancient church is muddled by hagiographies, popular tales concerning the history of the American church are not that different.

Hence, Jemar Tisby’s book was a breath of fresh air to many who wanted a readable and critically honest historical account of the American church, particularly in its complicity in racism.

4. Heal Us, Emmanuel: A Call for Racial Reconciliation, Representation, and Unity in the Church edited by 7

TOP ANTIRACIST RESOURCES FOR ASIAN AMERICAN CHRISTIANS | Rachel J. Lee and Moses Y. Lee

Doug Serven and Carl Ellis, Jr. 326 pages.

This anthology from various authors in the PCA provides a range of essays seeking to introduce believers to the church’s responsibility to pursue racial justice. Notable chapters include pieces written by Dr. Alexander Jun and Duke Kwon.

5. Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller. 272 pages.

Tim Keller’s work mirrors Westminster Theological Seminary professor Harvie Conn’s work in that he puts most of his focus on expositing biblical texts to create a framework for understanding the concept of justice as Christians. This is classic Keller: gospel-centered, easily digestible, and theologically robust.

Essays 1. “Asian American Complicity in Racism” by Larry Lin. Reformed Margins.

A reflection of how Asian Americans have perpetuated racism through our desire to be White.

2. “Reflections while Attending a Protest March for George Floyd” by Gene K. Joo. SOLA. A heartfelt testimony of self-discovery and racial awareness after the murder of George Floyd.

3. “Is the Bible Silent on Racism?” by Timothy Isaiah Cho. Faithfully Magazine.

A quick overview of major stories in the Bible in which racism takes center stage.

Film, Television, and Other Media 1. Asian Americans (2020). Partially available on PBS. PBS released this groundbreaking history of Asian Americans earlier this year, demonstrating the diversity of ethnicities and challenges that our people have faced over the centuries. This five-hour series manages to stay engaging by mixing history with intimate personal stories.

2. Just Mercy (2019). Free to Stream for the month of June. 2h 17m.

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The true story in this movie is a perfect example of systemic racism occurring now. Not during the civil rights era. Not during Jim Crow. This is still happening today. Based on the best-selling book of the same title, the movie follows the early career of Harvard-educated lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, and his work to defend wrongly incarcerated Black men in the American prison system. When Christians ask, “What does a Christian pursuit of justice look like?”

Stevenson’s story is one of our first go-to examples.

3. “Location! Location! Location!” NPR’s Code Switch.

35 minutes.

This podcast episode explores the pervasiveness and consequences of housing segregation. Listen here. You can also watch the “Housing Segregation in Everything” accompanying video here. 6 minutes.

ANTIRACISM 201 Books

1. How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi. 320 pages.

This book is for anyone who wants to go beyond the awareness and knowledge of racism to the next step of actively building a just and equitable society. Through his own stories of awakening to antiracism, Dr. Kendi helps readers to see all forms of racism, understand their destructive consequences, and work to oppose them in ourselves and in our systems.

2. The Color of Success: Asian Americans and the Origins of the Model Minority by Ellen D. Wu. 354 pages.

Dr. Wu tells the story of how Asian Americans transformed from “yellow peril” to “model minorities,” people lauded by the White majority as people other minorities should look up to and follow. In reality, this tactic was used to divide minorities and pit them against one another. The White majority never invited Asian Americans to their table; they were just put in charge of the “children’s” table along with the other minorities.

3. White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo. 192 Pages.

This book isn’t for the faint of heart. Dr. DiAngelo

provides a brutally honest analysis of understanding White people and their approach to racism. If you’ve ever tried to talk to White people about racism and you left the conversation frustrated or disappointed, this book will help you understand why.

4. So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo.

272 pages.

Written for people of all races, Oluo writes on a range of vital topics concerning racism and how it relates to almost every facet of American society.

5. Roadmap to Reconciliation: Moving Communities into Unity, Wholeness and Justice by Brenda Salter McNeil.

142 pages.

As the title states, Dr. McNeil provides a roadmap for how to pursue reconciliation in your ministry and/or community. There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter that makes the book suitable for small group settings.

6. Prophetic Lament: A Call for Justice in Troubled Times

by Soong-Chan Rah. 224 pages.

It’s difficult to pick just one book written by the venerable Dr. Rah. However, this book seems most appropriate during this season of lament as we seek to understand and express our feelings from a biblical perspective.

Articles 1. “An Asian-American Guide to Dismantling Anti-Blackness” by Jane Kim. AACC. A list of helpful suggestions on how to fight anti-Black racism as Asian Americans.

2. “Asian Americans, MLK, and the Model Minority Myth” by Moses Y. Lee. The Witness.

An appeal for Asian American Christians to appreciate Black Americans for the sacrifices they made to give us our civil rights.

Film, Television & Other Media 1. 13th (2016). Available on Netflix. 1h 40m.

This documentary explores the history of racism in America, with special attention given to the disproportionate incarceration of African American men.

It’s short but incredibly moving and informative.

2. When They See Us (2019). Available on Netflix. Four Episodes.

This miniseries tells the story of the “Central Park Five” where five innocent teenage boys are forced to falsely confess to the sexual assault of a White woman in NYC, resulting in their incarceration.

Many have remarked that this miniseries was one of the best ever produced by Netflix. If you’re seeing a pattern here, racism in the American justice system is well-documented and prevails to this day.

3. “The Problem We All Live With” (Parts 1 & 2) This American Life. Available on all podcasting apps.

Approx 1 hour each.

A modern-day case study of how segregation continues to permeate and how desegregation helps minorities perform better in schools.

ANTIRACISM 301 Books

1. The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander. 352 pages.

Many have remarked that this book is largely responsible for the activism of Black lives that we’ve seen over the past decade. It demonstrates the systemic racism that persists in the American criminal justice system.

2. Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America by Christian Smith & Michael O. Emerson. 365 pages.

This book provides all of the statistical data and analysis you need to understand the problem of race in American evangelicalism. Yet, far from being dull, the authors craft a fascinating narrative that demonstrates how little White evangelicals have actually come in terms of actually achieving racial justice.

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TOP ANTIRACIST RESOURCES FOR ASIAN AMERICAN CHRISTIANS | Rachel J. Lee and Moses Y. Lee

3. White Evolution: The Constant Struggle for Racial Consciousness by Christopher S. Collins and Alexander Jun (Coming June 15, 2020). 117 pages.

Though this book isn’t yet available to the public, Dr. Jun’s latest book with Dr. Collins is their best work yet. They conveniently synthesize the best content from their previous volumes while including new content that emphasizes the importance of community for dismantling Whiteness as a social construct. The book may be short, but it’s an academic volume so it’s well-researched and requires some basic understanding of racism.

4. Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi. 608 pages.

Winner of the 2016 National Book Award for Nonfiction, Stamped from the Beginning is arguably the gold standard for understanding where modern racist ideas came from and how they’ve evolved over the centuries.

5. Evangelism: Doing Justice and Preaching Grace by Harvie M. Conn. 112 pages.

The late Harvie Conn was a pioneering professor of missions at Westminster Theological Seminary. He was Tim Keller’s church planting mentor when they were on faculty together. This classic is the best biblical theological treatment for understanding evangelism as both preaching the gospel and pursuing justice. He also gives special attention to the development of evangelical theology and how its come to lose its prophetic edge in the area of justice.

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Articles 1. “Taking Up #blacklivesmatter” by Jeff Liou. Journal of Reformed Theology.

This peer-reviewed journal article critically engages Critical Race Theory (CRT) from a neo-Calvinist perspective and attempts to recover some of its redemptive potential for Christian use.

2. “Greed, Revival, and Korea: Another Case for Reparations From the Pyongyang Revival of 1907” by Moses Y. Lee. Faithfully Magazine.

A case for reparations for the descendants of slaves in America, using the example of Korean Christians who paid reparations to their neighbors, across ethnic lines, to fuel the Pyongyang Revival of 1907.

Film, Television, and Other Media 1. Interconnected (2020). Available on YouTube.

Three Episodes.

Hosted by the Asian American Christian Collaborative and Be the Bridge, these conversations seek to heal and bridge the racial divide that exists among the Black and Asian American communities from a Christian perspective.

2. 1619. Available on all podcasting platforms. Six episodes.

This audio series by The New York Times shows how slavery was built into the DNA of our country, and how its effects have permeated every aspect of American culture, from our economic culture, music, and healthcare.

Articles in Different Languages 1. Letters for Black Lives is an open letter project on anti-Blackness written for Asian American family members and friends whose preferred language is not English. There’s a version specifically written for South Asian Americans here.

Other languages: • Simple Chinese version • Traditional Chinese version • Korean version • Tagalog version • Japanese version • Thai version (2016 version, will be re-published soon) • Indonesian version • Hmong (White dialect) version 2. An Op-Ed About the Resemblance Between Comfort Women and Black Slavery By Rachel J. Lee (In Korean; English translation available soon) 3. A Comic Appealing to Chinese Immigrants in Chinese and English via Instagram or Facebook.

Ministries

in better representation, more just and compassionate policies and a healthier political culture.

3. The Jude 3 Project exists to help the Christian community know what they believe and why they believe it. Distinctive in its strong emphasis in equipping those of African descent in the United States and abroad.

4. The Witness is a black Christian collective that engages issues of religion, race, justice, and culture from a biblical perspective.

5. Truth’s Table is a ministry devoted to speaking truth on race, politics, gender, current events, and pop culture from a Christian perspective. Their podcast can be found on their website.

6. Asian American Christian Collaborative (AACC) seeks to encourage, equip, and empower Asian American Christians and friends of our community to follow Christ holistically.

7. Reformed Margins exists to celebrate the glory of God and exalt the person and work of Jesus Christ among the nations. We pray that this site provides a platform for Reformed Christian thinkers from various ethnic minority backgrounds to join in the broader Reformed and Evangelical conversations.

1. Be the Bridge exists to be a credible witness to authentic racial bridge-building, racial literacy, and personal and organizational transformation.

2. And Campaign exists to educate and organize Christians for civic and cultural engagement that results

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3 Things Youth Pastors Need to Focus on During COVID-19 by kevin yi

Let me get straight to the point. The things that our students have been hard at work preparing for - it’s all getting canceled and postponed indefinitely. And the disappointment of losing so many academic and social markers of growing up is going to be crushing for our students.

Some of the highlights of my life are things like high school graduation, prom, spring performances, sports championships, and the like. But for current students, all the anticipation and hard work now lead to a trail of disappointment.

SATs & ACTs are canceled, and the likelihood of Advanced Placement testing getting canceled or postponed is very real as well. This is going to have an impact on the future of our students’ lives, and they know it.

On top of that, many students are beginning to worry about their livelihoods as they begin to see their parents starting to get stressed out and worried about their income and their jobs.

This is going to get very real, very fast. We as youth pastors and youth workers have to get ahead of it. We have to proclaim that Christ is enough when everything we want to do is getting canceled. We have to proclaim 12

that what we see in the light is still true when the lights go out; God is good in the midst of a global pandemic and an economic meltdown.

But how do we minister well when we can’t be with our students physically? We have to use the available tools to meet with them, even if it’s virtual. We have to hear their voices and see their faces. We have to pray with them and listen to them as they share their disappointments and their worries.

Too many youth pastors are focused on how they can lead online games with their youth groups to pass the time -- what a tragic misuse of the opportunity that lies ahead. Many Generation Z students will see their idols crumble before their eyes. Financial stability, living your best life, and personal success -- all of these idols will topple over by the time this is over, and we must be there to help them see that these worthless gods cannot hold a candle to Jesus Christ. But not only are they not worthy, but these idols were also chains that held them back from embracing eternal life by knowing the Father and therefore the Son. (John 17:3) So here are three things youth workers need to teach and remind their students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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1. We must be there to remind them that suffering is God’s tool to shape us towards holiness Our students are going to ask why they must suffer right now. They’re going to be bitter and angry towards God and their circumstances. We must teach them to bring these disappointments to the Lord right now - and we must also show them that God is dealing with the issues in our hearts. Did we really only love him for what he gave us? Or can we love him when life abounds in disappointment?

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2. We must be there when family life gets hard Let’s face it, many of our students have no idea how to have a healthy family life, and neither do their parents. But all of sudden, the house in which everyone was busy all the time is stuck together at home every single day and every single moment.

Though they’re family in their living conditions, what are the ties that bind them besides blood? Our students are going to need support in order to re-learn how to be a family and integrate back into the primary community God blessed us with. This isn’t going to be easy. They’re going to discover that they’re more selfish than they thought they were and far more

impatient than they ever could have imagined. Their sinfulness will be on full display, and they’re not going to like who they become or who their family members become. They need space to talk about these things, and we must listen and counsel.

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3. We must be there to remind them that Jesus is still king And he’s not just a king reigning on some throne far away, but Christ is in our midst as we seek to love him and love our neighbor at this time. Jesus isn’t worried about the coronavirus. There is not a molecule in the universe that he isn’t aware of. And in him, we have our hope. In him, we have a guarantee that redemption is coming. Jesus died on the cross, but three days later rose again to prove this.

We may not be able to gather for Easter Sunday, but we can help our students to long for the final Easter, when we will be resurrected with Christ, no more tears and no more mourning. What the coronavirus is showing us is that we have put far too much hope in the things of this world, and not enough hope in Christ. We have the opportunity of a generation to show our students this truth -- let’s not waste it.

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The Importance of Voting as an Engaged Christian by soojin park

If I asked you to choose what is more important between protecting the family unit and protecting the rights of women, what would you say? What about unborn lives versus the lives of minorities? Do you value individual responsibility or place importance in systemic responsibility?

America’s two-party system has naturally forced us to think of issues in binary terms. There’s a line drawn between what is deemed “progressive” and what is deemed “conservative.” As people become increasingly polarized and lean towards the extremes, this division becomes more and more pronounced.

But Christians should not engage in politics in this dangerously partisan way because no one political party can fully encompass all of our convictions and beliefs.

Let’s go back to the questions I posed. As a Christian who values all life made in the image of God and all institutions designed by God, I should not have to choose between unborn lives and lives of minorities. As a Christian who understands sin to be pervasive in both individuals and human-made systems, I should see how both individuals and systems hold responsibility for so14

cial issues. But a highly divisive political system forces us to pit equally Biblical and equally important values against each other.

Both the left and the right support values and policies that are in line with Scripture. And yet both also support values and policies that are against Scripture. So I cannot fully support one party’s platform or the other because neither party is fully Biblical.

No Perfect Political Party

Does this mean I just disengage altogether because I cannot fully support one party? I don’t think so. I believe we are called to bring about the flourishing of our cities and one way to do that is by fulfilling our civic duties.

It does, however, mean that we engage and vote with a Biblical framework instead of the secular, partisan framework presented to us. It means we do not allow the parties to prioritize our values for us and we choose to do civic work holistically, unbound by party lines.

Does all of this mean I cannot support one party and vote for one of the major parties? No, we as Christians can be affiliated with a party and can vote Republican

or Democrat. However, I firmly believe that our identities as Christians come far before our political affiliations and that our voting should be driven by devotion to Christ, not devotion to party.

That means that regardless of what party we may support, in each election season, we should do our best to vote as engaged Christians, not just engaged party affiliates. Voting as an engaged Christian who wants to love God and love people may include considering the needs of our neighbors (both those we rub shoulders with and those who may be across town), taking into thought local and national current events that are affecting the livelihood of people, thinking about priorities in the current national/international climate instead of focusing on one issue, assessing the needs and state of the Church, looking at where your personal Scriptural convictions may lie, considering the character of the candidates, and most importantly, praying and asking the Spirit to help as we wrestle with these issues.

The reality is that two faithful Christians may wrestle with the same issues, ask our one triune God to help,

and then end up at different conclusions. But both could have peace about their decisions and have clear consciences before God, knowing that they have sought wisdom, carefully considered all things, and allowed the Spirit to guide them.

Now there may be occasions where political outcomes directly affect the ministry of Christ and there is a more “clear” decision that believers must take.

However, in most elections, I don’t think there are any Scriptural grounds to claim that a vote for one party or another is the correct one. The Bible doesn’t teach us which parties to join or which issues are most important (outside of primary Gospel issues), or who to vote for. But God can use what He has revealed in Scripture in combination with a person’s unique convictions, experiences, and background to help him or her make informed decisions.

Unless I’m voting directly for Christ and a platform that is completely Scripture-based, I’m dealing with political parties and people that are affected by sin. There can be no perfect vote for Christians that are engaging a fallen and broken system in a sinful world.

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THE IMPORTANCE OF VOTING AS AN ENGAGED CHRISTIAN | Soojin Park

No Vote Makes You A True Christian

More troubling than labeling a certain vote to be a “Christian” vote is stating that true Christians would vote for a particular candidate or political party. What this statement implies is that voting differently would make someone a false Christian.

This type of language should be offensive and troubling for any believer. Here is why: Our standing as the people of God, our salvation and eternal life are all dependent on our faith in the person of Christ and his works. We are “true” Christians because we are united to Christ by faith and the genuineness of our faith shows itself in the fruits we bear.

The statement that “any true real believer” would vote for a candidate implies that voting for that candidate is a necessary fruit of genuine faith. At best, this is a faulty and forced application of personal convictions a person has about certain issues and the political parties. At worst, this is equating loyalty to a political party with loyalty to Christ.

Brothers and sisters, I want to say this loudly and clearly for you: Your identity as a true Christian comes through

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faith alone, in grace alone. The way your genuine faith may show itself in your voting may look different than how my faith shows itself in my voting. But I am confident that despite our different voting or party preferences, we can both be assured in our shared faith in Christ and both strive to love our neighbors and seek the welfare of our city together. We can both be proud to be distinctly Christian instead of primarily Republican or Democrat.

Christ did not leave behind glory and die for us so that our salvation can be qualified by loyalty to a broken and imperfect party. Christ did not leave the grave and send us the Spirit so we can live in loyalty to a political candidate; he did it so we may live loyal to Him and live as His people in anticipation for his return. He has called upon all of us to preach good news, to make disciples, to love our neighbors, to pursue justice, and to seek the good of our cities all as outward expressions of our faith. He has given us the Holy Spirit to help and equip us to grow in all of these areas.

Nothing in Scripture mandates that the Spirit will lead all of us to show these outward expressions by voting for the same candidate. In this highly politicized and

polarized time, I’m sure many people will tell you what “real” Christians must do. Be vigilant, be grounded in Scripture, and do not let anyone define your identity as a Christian with anything outside of your faith and its outworkings.

Final Thoughts

Voting is important, and I believe that when possible, all Christians should vote. However, voting is not the end all be all. There are so many ways for us to be engaged in our communities and love our cities apart from voting. Yes, having certain representatives in their seats makes a difference in policy. But we can also participate in grassroots activism, support certain Christian interest groups, be a voice in school and government boards, and the list goes on.

about remembering that we are first and foremost citizens of heaven before we are citizens of this nation.

In fact, we are exiles and strangers in this present world; it makes complete sense that we don’t find a perfectly comfortable home in any political party and that we experience tensions figuring out how to be faithful voters.

While that doesn’t mean we can avoid our present responsibilities, it does mean we recognize nothing and no one on earth is the Christian solution or hope. Our trust is in Christ and our hope is in him. Christian: Vote wisely and prayerfully, but do it knowing that your vote cannot strip you of your hope in Christ.

Banking everything on elections and neglecting our duties as citizens every other day contributes to the polarization of politics and can lead to the mindset that there is a “Christian” way to vote.

While not neglecting the need to intentionally vote, we should hold voting with loose hands and pursue civic engagement more holistically. We also need to be sharp

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Why My Chinese-American Church is Cleaning Up in the Streets of Chicago by chris javier

If you’re trying to get quality sleep before a big day, a word of advice: Don’t listen to a police scanner. For full effect, read the following lines as if they are being shouted at you and in the span of 5 seconds.

“Shots fired on 43rd and Wallace. Send wagons.”

“Slow down on 47th, 2 in custody.”

“Dollar Tree is on fire, send fire.”

“You guys are all talking over each other again.”

“Cleaning out All-star Liquor.”

“Wait for more cars. Anyone in that area? Do we have wagons on Ashland and Archer?”

I finally fell asleep at 4:30am. But in what felt like a blink, I woke up an hour later and headed to church. It was time.

Helping Hands, Open Ears, Closed Mouths

Morning and curfew’s end found us praying in front of our church. Our mourning was first and foremost centered on the murder of George Floyd. A white officer had kneeled on his neck. An Asian officer had stood by and enabled the murder. If you cannot see this parable of

the Asian church standing by and enabling the murder of blacks, please pray and rewatch the video.

For the rest of the day, we moved around the city, finding the next damaged area to help clean. Our efforts took us further and further from the comfort of our church and deeper and deeper into the city. The damage to businesses was extensive.

So as we mourned and served, we offered prayers for everyone we crossed paths with. We prayed with firefighters, police officers, business owners, activists, and community members.

We received harsh backlash from the people we were serving. A Korean storeowner lashed out upon seeing his business utterly destroyed.

“Free money, free merchandise! Oh my goodness! THIS IS YOU GUYS! Young guys! White, black, oriental. I really don’t understand this! You ruined my heart.”

He was talking to all of us: Chinese church members, black and white activists, and other community members who had come out to help. Out of the overflow of his mouth, we could see a broken, angry heart.

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WHY MY CHINESE-AMERICAN CHURCH IS CLEANING UP IN THE STREETS OF CHICAGO | Chris Javier

Later, after delivering care packages with emergency groceries, PPE, and more to the community, we started filming a video asking churches to step up and do more than just pray. As we did so, a black man started yelling at us.

a church with empathy, with ears that listen to the cries of the oppressed and hurting, hands that rush to bring healing, and feet that arrive quickly with the Gospel.

Deaf ears, idle hands, and set feet are the symptoms of a church with these priorities mixed up.

“You from around here? You not even from around here but you’re making us look bad! It’s not even just black people looting! Your people, Europeans, everybody’s doing it, you just want to make us look bad!”

In more recent years, by God’s grace, He has been uniting us and fixing our priorities. As a result, God has led us out of our four walls and into His world. We started late, but we’re here now, and we’re going and growing.

My prayer is that God would use us to be peacemakers and bear fruit that draws the world to Him.

And another.

“You’re out here talking but you haven’t picked anything up.

Pick something up. PICK SOMETHING UP, MOTHERF-!”

In each case, we listened; we learned. They weren’t met with resistance, and we didn’t shout back. We looked them in the eyes and acknowledged their pain. And after they fully vented their emotions, frustrations, and pain, they listened to us. We gratefully ended each of those interactions with a handshake or dabbing each other up.

Late to the Game

My adrenaline is pumping even as I type this several days later. It’s a natural response in a tense situation.

But these are the situations God is calling his people into. This is what it looks like to sow peace. It’s being in the tension, in the pain. And you can’t be in it without being in the neighborhood.

Hindsight is 20/20. The truth is, as great of a learning experience as this was, our church was late to the game.

If the Christian walk is like sports, the majority of our church members haven’t missed a single practice in years, but haven’t shown up to a single game. Why? For starters, we were so busy fighting ourselves, how could we fight the battles of the oppressed? Our division left us helpless and unhelpful. It’s no wonder Jesus’ focus in his prayer for all future believers would center on unity (John 17:20-23). Christ knew that our witness was contingent on our unity.

Another reason: selfishness. Our priorities are to love God first, others second, and ourselves a distant third.

That’s the order, and when we have that order, we’ll be

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And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

(James 3:18 NASB)

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Faith Over Fear: COVID-19 Update from Seoul, South Korea by leo rhee

South Korea presently has the most cases of people infected with the COVID-19 (Corona) virus, outside of China. At the time of writing, there have been over 5,000 confirmed cases with 30 deaths related to the outbreak.

As the Korean government has raised the infectious disease threat alert to the highest level, many experts are predicting that the “worst is yet to come.” With all that is in the media, political and economic ramifications, contradictory scientific evidence, rampant racism, conspiracy theories, and fearmongering, I wanted to share a more personal day-to-day perspective on life here in Seoul since the onset of COVID-19.

The New Normal

In general, there is a quiet shadow of anxiety that has woven itself into the fabric of this nation. The ubiquitous masks donned by much of the population and hand sanitizers found everywhere are persistent reminders that the crisis is imminent. With the present shortage on masks, people wait four to five hours in long lines at the post office or marts where they are rationed and distributed.

More than anything, there are a lot of “inconveniences” to life while waiting for the unknown. Two of my 22

international trips were recently cancelled, as well as a myriad of meetings and events. Most schools, including my graduate university where I teach and study, have a delayed start to the semester (the academic year starts in March for most academic institutions in Korea).

When I hit the gym to work out last week, I found it was closed indefinitely. Some of my Chinese church members even told me they were denied entry to their fitness centers. Further, same-day online grocery shopping, which has been one of the greatest conveniences of living in Seoul, has a waiting time is about 4-5 days. It is surreal to see many store shelves bare, and people are no longer eating out at restaurants to avoid large gatherings, leaving restauranters worried about paying rent.

Moreover, a pervasively quiet lull hovers over the public areas and streets—quite the reverse from the hustle and bustle of a great city that never sleeps. The silence of the day is broken several times an hour by the cacophony of blasts that come from the government warning signals that simultaneously go off our phones. People are warned to stay indoors, but everyone seems go about their daily business, but with added caution.

Seoul boasts one of the most efficient and expansive public transportation systems in the world, but buses and subways remain dormant. People also avoid taxis and anyplace where an infected person may have been sitting. Professional sports are played with no fans and concerts are recorded with no audience. Further, department stores and major retail outlets with reported cases of visitors with the virus are immediately shut down for sterilization. There are hourly updates of new cases of COVID-19 and apps that show what areas have been infected. Whether it be medical staff, politicians, flight attendants, or even pastors, the virus shows no predisposition to who it claims as the next victim.

A Change In The Air

It is interesting, though, that many people are outside enjoying nature by walking, cycling, and running. Cabin fever and closed schools make it feel like a national holiday. Some say that the stoppage of factories in China has improved Korea’s air quality, as the weather has been quite nice recently. On a recent bike outing, I was surprised how crowded the Han River pathway was.

Maybe people trust it to be safer outside where germs can disperse, rather than stay in closed in spaces.

Perhaps Korea needed this respite from the fast-paced, relentless, and monotonous hamster wheel of life in a nation ranked second in the world only to Mexico for most hours worked per year. Employees have been forced to work remotely and figure out creative ways of communication. In this way, the effect of COVID-19 is not just about “gloom and doom” on the peninsula, but rather about the tenacity and resilience of the Korean people. After all, in just the past century, the nation has survived through colonization, civil war, military coup, dictatorship, IMF, and other diseases like SARS and MERS.

The Church’s Response

Most houses of worship, including a majority of megachurches, canceled their worship services for the past couple weeks but offered live-feed streaming through social media or other platforms.

Our church, however, decided to go forward with a physical worship setting at the regular venue and time, as well as provide online video services. For our recent services, all worshipers in attendance were required to wear masks and wash their hands. We greeted each other with a holy fist bump!

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FAITH OVER FEAR: COVID-19 UPDATE FROM SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA | Leo Rhee

Herein lies the tension for the believer: Do we take a risk and trust in a God who covers us from the “pestilence that stalks in the darkness or the plague that destroys at midday” (Psalm 91:6), or do we live cautiously and comply with government recommendations to cancel religious meetings? Meeting for worship can be viewed as neglecting civil responsibility or standing on higher moral ground, depending on what perspective one looks at it. And yet, what use is faith if we do not exercise it and only live within our boundaries of comfort?

As a fellow pastor stated, “I’m all for laying our lives down for the Gospel; I’m not all for laying our lives down for a Sunday service program.” Perhaps this is a great opportunity to explore different ways of meeting for the safety of our people and keeping them out of harm’s way. It is a loving thing we can do as leaders.

On another note, many of my colleagues and I are convinced that contrary to the nation guarding themselves with masks, this outbreak is uncovering the masks of our society, as well as that of the church in Korea. The idols of success at whatever cost and education at the sacrifice of our youth do not really matter when death

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stares you directly in the face. These idols are also hidden behind the veils of religiosity as Jesus is beginning to overturn the tables to reveal what lies beneath.

Perhaps it is too early to point to God’s plans and purposes, for He alone is Alpha and Omega and the author of the beginning and end of the greater narrative. We wait and pray in eager anticipation to see how God is moving, as we are only but a small piece of the greater mosaic He is creating. We do know, however, that all things have been created through Him and for Him (Mark 4:41; Colossians 1:15-17). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and always does what is wise, good and just, with power and foreknowledge to restrain, start, and strengthen. No plans of the Lord can be thwarted (Job 42:2) and His plans stand firm forever and the purposes of His heart through all generations (Psalm 33:11).

We have more questions than answers, but could it be that He is softening the hearts of men in preparation for Korea’s next great revival, just as He did with the people of Nineveh when Jonah arrived on the city’s shores?

Could it be that the Lord is exposing the glorification of successful ministries, popular pastors, and the “profitability” of church by closing its doors for a season, making us get back to the real heart of a genuine relationship with the Creator? Of course, suffering is never for the sake of punishment, but He does allow it to purify.

He loves us too much to keep us the way we are.

Perhaps this is a time of planning God’s groundwork for an outpouring of His Holy Spirit on this generation.

Our continued prayer is that places like Wuhan would no longer be known as the epicenter for the coronavirus, but it would be ground zero for revival and church explosion. We pray that Daegu would not become a city full of fear and hopelessness, but rather become the launchpad for the gospel and new hope for the world.

Even with all this uncertainty, as someone who believes in a God who does all things for His glory and for our good, I believe there is a greater purpose in all of this.

He is sovereign and in control. Although we should be vigilant and sensible, there is no need to let fear dictate our lives. We walk by faith, and not by sight (2 Corinthi-

ans 5:7) for He is our help and our shield (Psalm 33:20).

As we are praying over this situation, our hope is that the church would be bold and serve those around us as we walk forward in love and humility.

Prayer Requests

Please pray for us and with us.

1. For those infected would have quick healing and recovery and for the virus to be contained.

2. For medical personnel who are working to treat the infected—that they would be safe from harm’s way.

3. For the government to lead with a sense of justice and righteousness, but also concern for people, rather than simply making decisions for political gain.

4. For the people of Korea to be cautious and strong, but not panic over the present situation.

5. For the church to be a source of strength, hope, and inspiration during this time of unsteadiness.

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Why I’m Writing About My Miscarriage by christine kim

Back in college, my roommates and I placed bets on who’d become a mom first, and I voted for myself unapologetically. Those close to me know that I’d wanted to be a mom more than anything and I couldn’t wait until it was my turn one day.

your once-growing life. Your body mimics contractions, which are similar to those when you go into labor, but it is to deliver a lifeless life.

When I became pregnant earlier this year, my husband and my conversations were filled with topics like how we’d furnish the second bedroom, baby name ideas, and our imaginations of what was to come. It was pure bliss — like the opening scene of Up.

For me, this began while I was in Palm Springs for a bachelorette party. By nightfall, the pain was so unbearable that I had to excuse myself. I just had to be home.

Pushing 90 mph, barely seeing through the tears, and squeezing my stomach the whole 3-hour drive home, I finally fell into my parents’ couch — bleeding and bleeding and bleeding — and eventually cried myself to sleep.

Several weeks and one doctor appointment later, the bliss quickly turned into a nightmarish roller coaster. I began to show early signs of an impending miscarriage and soon, my body confirmed those signs and began to reject the baby’s growth.

The days surrounding the miscarriage were numbing.

I tried my best to “show up,” whether it was at work or church or social events. Even in front of my husband, I tried to hold it together and I know he hid his own pain for my sake too.

Miscarriage is not only emotionally painful but also physically horrible, as your body prepares to dispel

But during the commutes and the drives alone, I let myself break down. By then, I had learned that it’s not

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uncommon for women to miscarry — in fact, it’s 1 in 4 (likely higher). I never asked God, “Why me?” but rather, “Why?”. And I’d venture to guess that most women are asking the same question.

“Why, God?” Six months later, I write and I’m not sure why. What do I want to say? Who am I writing for? What am I trying to remember?

Last night, my short devotional centered on these verses:

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For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.

(2 Corinthians 1:5-6) The takeaway is that our individual sufferings can somehow bring comfort to someone. So here is an attempt to be vulnerable and share how I struggled — how I still struggle — with what happened at the beginning of this year.

Part of me writes to encourage compassion in those who may not know someone who’s miscarried or doesn’t know how to respond. For me, the most unhelpful responses were: 1. People saying that miscarriage is very common, 2. Others dismissing the miscarriage because it was earlier on, 3. Saying I’m young so that’s “good,” or 4. Asking when we’d start trying again.

None of these responses were ill-intended but they almost seemed to suggest that the moment was fleeting and I was ready (or should be ready) to pick myself up.

Part of me also writes to reach whoever is going through one of the most heartbreaking moments a

woman can go through and to simply say I grieve with you. I’ve not healed yet and I continue to wrestle with God. There was and is a lot of anger, resentment, disappointment, and confusion. For a period of time, I struggled with bad habits and thoughts, hating my body, questioning my worth, and resenting the past moments of joy and anticipation.

During moments alone, I played Through It All by Hillsong on repeat and slowly the words began to speak truth into my heart. The chorus is simple, but it pushed me to seek His face and to turn away from my demons.

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Through it all, through it all, my eyes are on You. Through it all, through it all, it is well.

While some responses I received weren’t the most comforting, the most helpful response came from closest friends, my husband, and my family, who simply mourned and wept with me because they had grown to love the unborn baby as much as I had. And beyond my earthly family was my heavenly Father who grieved even more. For my baby. For me. For my husband. For my broken dreams. For my hopelessness.

I am reminded that He is the only One who’s been with me through all phases of my life, and He has never left my side when I’ve turned ugly, rebellious, and sinful. In the same way, my family wept with my loss at the news of my miscarriage, my God wept.

Now 6 months later, these song lyrics still play through my mind from time to time. And this is what I’ve sought to do, to simply keep my eyes lifted. I don’t know when I’ll heal and how and if God will redeem the miscarriage, but I do know that when my strength and my faith are small, God still walks with me.

And this is my prayer — for myself and for you — that we are reminded that He has already walked many valleys with us. That He grieves more and He does not rush the healing process. That we cast our heaviest burdens on Him. That our eyes will remain on Christ.

Through it all, my eyes are on You. And He responds that His eyes are on me, too.

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Words for the Church in these Post-Election Days by p.j. tibayan

I was asked, “What will you say to your church after the election?”

That’s a great question, and I have a short answer and an expanded answer.

My short answer in one word: Jesus.

To expand as briefly as possible, my message to my church family is Jesus Christ: over all, in us, through us, and to us.

Let me explain these four phrases.

Jesus Over Us

Jesus is Lord of all. Jesus said all authority in heaven and on earth is given to him (Matt 28:18). Whether people realize it or not, he is their Lord. He has authority over them. And one day, they will all bow the knee and confess that Jesus is Lord (Phil 2:9-11).

Jesus is Lord over the United States of America and North America. He is Lord over Central and South America. He is Lord over all the nations in Africa, Australia, Asia, and Europe. He is Lord over all their leaders. He is Lord over Democrats and Republicans and all government leaders. He is Lord over those who aren’t Christian.

Most obviously, Jesus is Lord over us Christians, and we happily acknowledge this Lordship in the fellowship of our local church. Jesus rules over us and over all.

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Jesus In Us

Jesus is our Lord and dwells in our hearts (Eph 3:17).

Jesus is in us, and we are in him (John 17:21-23).

Therefore, our oneness is in Jesus. We are one body, a unity. Our unity with true Christians worldwide and in this country is in Christ, the Spirit, and the gospel — not our partisan preference. Our unity as a church is further defined in our confession of faith, church covenant, and our mutual effort in the great commission — not whom we voted for president.

However, our unity in Christ doesn’t destroy our diversity as Christians. Our unity is not uniformity. We may disagree on international diplomacy and policy, economic philosophy, or the appropriate size and scope of our government. Still, we agree in (1) the sanctity of human life from conception to natural death, (2) the image of God in all ethnicities and opposing ethnocentric oppression wherever it exists, and (3) that the biblical definition of marriage, sexuality, and gender is good for all society including those who disagree with us.

We are one body. When one part of the body hurts, we hurt. When one member of our church body rejoices, we rejoice (1 Cor 12:26). Our two-fold challenge is to empathize and serve those who are discouraged by this election and to share in the righteous joy of those who are encouraged by this election at the same time. So let

us lament with one another over the brokenness of the nation, the governmental failures, and the fear it incites in us (a legitimate concern). You may not feel their fear but the struggle of your brother is real. Unrighteousness abounds. Let us also find ways to give thanks with those who are encouraged since we are called to give thanks “in everything” (1 Thess 5:18).

Why share life in this way? Because at the end of the day we are Christ’s holy nation (1 Pet 2:9) and our citizenship is ultimately in heaven (Phil 3:20). Jesus is already in us and made us an “us.”

Jesus Through Us

As the holy nation, we exist in 2020 to bring the Abrahamic blessing to this generation of the cursed and dying world made up of our earthly governments and our neighbors (Gen 12:3). Jesus Christ secured this sinner-saving, curse-reversing blessing by becoming a curse for us on the cross. Therefore, as members of the holy nation, we love our neighbors here with a Christ-oriented love.

We voted as wisely as we thought possible and will continue to engage in the civics of our day. At the same time, we remember our most important work is not our voting work but our witnessing work as Spirit-empowered witnesses to the Lordship and love of Jesus (Acts 1:8).

We have work to do as Christians speaking the gospel and biblical truth in love so that people know the truth and may be set free from sin for all eternity (or at least from some of the self-destructive lies in our age that hold them captive). Remember that Jesus Christ works through us to our neighbors, our nation, and the nations.

Jesus To Us

Our ultimate hope is in the return of Christ Jesus. For those encouraged by the election, your hope is not to be in your political party carrying out its agenda or in its ability to stop the other party. For those discouraged, your discouragement ought not to ultimately rest in your party being unable to carry out its plan, as good as you think it would have been. While making room for relative encouragement and discouragement, let it be to the proper degree, undergirded and overwhelmed by the certain and inevitable hope that Jesus is coming to us and to this earth to reign forevermore (Rev 22:6-7).

Jesus will come to us.

Jesus Christ is over us, in us, through us, and will soon come to us. Therefore, our responsibility, privilege, and preoccupation ought to be the same as it was last week: Love God with all you are. Love one another as Christ loved you. Love your neighbor as yourself. And love in light of the return of our Lord Jesus.

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Biblical Principles to Guide Us During this Pandemic by daniel eng

COVID-19 has and will change this generation in profound ways. As we consider the long-term implications of this pandemic -- from school closures to social distancing -- here are seven biblical passages with Gospel-centered principles to guide our attitudes, words, and actions.

1. Be Light in the Darkness ...let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16) In how we act during this pandemic, are we being a

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light together to a dark world? When others see us who follow Jesus, will they glorify God? 2. Rest in Jesus Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.�

(Matthew 11:28-30) With all the angst during this crisis, are we approaching Jesus as our source of rest? Are we bringing others to Jesus who are heavy laden to have rest for their souls?

3. Deny Ourselves Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. (Matthew 16:24-25) Following Jesus involves denying ourselves. How do we lay down our lives for the sake of Christ during a time when most people are worried about their own welfare?

4. Look Up Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:2-3) At a time when many people are worried about things on earth, are our minds on our risen Savior? How does our mindset on things above impact our attitudes?

5. Consider How Our Actions Affect Others ....take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. (1 Corinthians 8:9) A great deal of discussion has been about our rights and liberties. But even if we are free to act, do we consider how exercising of freedom affects others? How are our attitudes and actions received by the greater community?

6. Care for Those in Need Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27) In our expressions of faith during this pandemic, are we caring for the neediest? Are our words and actions unstained by the ways of the world?

7. Hope in What is to Come In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 1:6-7) In a time when many of us are being tested by trials, let’s endure with our genuine faith as we long for Jesus’ return. Our hope is in the next age, not this one.

Brothers and sisters, we have a message of hope for a desperate world. While we do not conform to world’s ways, let us consider how our attitudes and actions bring others closer to following Jesus. As we long for Jesus’ return, let’s endure in loving obedience to the King of kings.

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SOLA Network exists to influence the emerging generation with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Visit us online at sola.network

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