SOLA Network Magazine: Growing Our Faith

S O LA

N ETWOR K

G R O W I NG

O UR

FA I TH

Letter from the Outgoing Editor The SOLA Network Magazine has always been a project near and dear to my heart.

So, it is fitting that my last act as editor is to publish the latest installment.

Prior to joining SOLA, I was primarily a stay-at-home mom, and I never thought I would go back to writing and especially editing. However I am so thankful to SOLA leaders who invited me to participate in creating a platform dedicated to Asian American leaders and readers. Through this website, I rediscovered my passion for the written word and met amazing people along the way.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letters from Grandpa: Ten Things I Have Learned About Conflict

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What Comes to Mind When You Think of Heaven?

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10 Lies Christians Believe About Their Faith and Church

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Creators, Consumers, and Christ: 10 Social Media Resolutions

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5 Lessons from the Japanese American Internment

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The Sound Witness of An Ordinary Life

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Recognizing Patterns of Subtle Spiritual Abuse Before It’s Too Late

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Digesting Beef

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Walking with Children and Teens Through Doubts About Christianity

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Three Lessons We Can Learn From the Immigrant Church

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Featured Interviews

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So, for the last time, I want to showcase some of the best articles and interviews SOLA published in 2023. These contributions cover a spectrum of topics, including insightful commentary on current events, reflections on historical occurrences, and thoughts on navigating the Christian life. The diversity of voices—spanning across genders, generations, and ethnic backgrounds—reflects the richness of our shared experiences as Asian American Christians.

My sincere thanks extend to all who entrusted us with their thoughts and words.

I am profoundly grateful for the unwavering support of our dedicated editorial board and volunteers. From pitching compelling stories to meticulously editing drafts, your commitment has been the backbone that sustained our platform.

And again, thank you to SOLA leadership, who supported me throughout the years.

Hannah Chao Copy Editor and Editor, 2016-2023

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Letters from Grandpa: Ten Things I Have Learned About Conflict

by Cory Ishida

When the pandemic began in 2020, I was concerned about my grandchildren’s spiritual, mental, and emotional well-being because they were sequestered at home. I felt led by the Lord to write daily devotionals for them.

Because we live in the 21st century, I had the perfect vehicle for daily devotionals: text messaging. Since I am a “digital alien,” I composed the devotionals on a Word document, sent it to myself via email, and transferred it to a group text each morning. My grandchildren responded to the daily devotionals by tagging them with a heart, “thumbs-up,” their avatar, or a variety of emojis.

I have written almost 880 devotionals since April 2020.

It’s hard to believe what the Lord has had me do, but I plan on continuing until the Lord says otherwise or my mind goes blank.

With the help of the SOLA Network, I am sharing some of the devotionals as “Letters from Grandpa.” I hope these edited devotionals bless you as you read them as much as they have blessed me as I wrote them. The endgame for them is that my grandchildren will become more like Jesus, and I hope it helps you to be like Jesus too.

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Dear Grandchildren, Here are “Ten Things I Have Learned About Conflict.”

James teaches us that trials lead us to become perfect and complete (James 1:2-4). I say “Amen” to that. Trials grow us like nothing else can, especially when the trial involves conflict. Here is what I have learned about conflict in light of God’s Word.

First, I learned that most people have to blame someone. This started in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day (See Genesis 3). Remember to listen to both sides before making a determination, especially if you are involved in the conflict.

As a pastor, I have been requested to counsel people who are in conflict with others. It might be a spouse, a parent, a child, a relative, an employee, a fellow church member, and the list goes on. A passage of Scripture that has helped me immensely during these times of counsel is Proverbs 18:17: “The first to plead his case seems right, until another comes and examines him.” Always try to listen to both sides before forming an opinion.

Second, I learned that people do sinful things because they are broken and hurt. Most people are not malicious or sociopathic. They do unwise things because they are hurting. Usually, they think they are doing what is right.

Proverbs 21:2 says, “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts.”

One of the goals of helping others in conflict is to see their own role or sin in the matter. Very seldom is one person all right and the other person all wrong.

Third, I learned that we need to be careful about what we say, especially in a public forum. James 1:19 says, “This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger…” Be very cautious in the use of things like Facebook, emails, blogs, and Twitter to engage in conflict. Once you use a public platform, it can never be eradicated. It is out there forever.

James tells us to be “quick to hear,” which means to make sure we seek to “understand before being understood.”

This admonition fits the second point I shared about conflict (“The first to plead his case…”). James goes on, “be slow to speak,” which means don’t react quickly and fire off a tweet, an email, or an entry on Facebook. Think, pray, and maybe seek counsel about it first. James closes by stating, “Be slow to anger.” Anything said or done in anger is normally regrettable.

Fourth, I learned that there is usually a seed of truth in the accusations of others. Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount, “Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?” (Matthew 7:3). What’s interesting and revealing about this teaching is that the speck and log are made out of the same material, which means that the things we are most critical about in others may somehow be an issue in our own lives.

Jesus was admonishing those who judge and criticize others when they have bigger issues in their own lives.

However, the one being critiqued still has a speck in their eye. We cannot be helpful to them before we begin to deal with the log in our own eyes.

Fifth, I learned that we should desire peace and unity.

Romans 12:18 says, “If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.” This is not advocating a “doormat”

theology but one of peace over revenge. Our goal in a dispute should not just be to win but to find healing and peace to the glory of God. There is a phrase that has been helpful to me, “unity over unanimity.” Merriam-Webster defines unanimity as “the quality or state of being unanimous.” It is about consensus and agreement. In most instances, unity, which is “the state of being united or joined as a whole” (Oxford Languages), is more important than unanimity.

There are times we should agree to disagree.

Sixth, I learned that we should be willing to forgive others who have hurt us or harmed us in any way. Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

There are times when being a Christian is challenging.

We are to forgive those who have sinned against us.

Since Jesus has forgiven us through an incredible act of love and sacrifice by going to the cross to die for us, how can we do any less than to forgive others, even if the cost seems too great?

I think this is one of the hardest things we are called to do as children of God. For me, it has been a lifelong journey.

It is still difficult to forgive those who have sinned against me. The journey, however, has been incredibly worthwhile as I seek to be like Jesus.

Seventh, I learned that we should desire reconciliation.

Matthew 18:15 states, “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.”

If someone sins against you, the goal is not to get even or justify yourself in the eyes of others but to reconcile with the person. Note the verse says to go to them in private, which would exclude airing things on social media.

Reconciliation is a tricky thing. Note that the passage says, “IF” he listens, not “when” he listens or “that” he listens.

There is no guarantee reconciliation will happen.

Reconciliation is bilateral, whereas forgiveness can be unilateral. It takes the other person to cooperate if reconciliation is to be achieved. In my opinion, just do the best you can to reconcile and leave the rest to the Lord.

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Letters from Grandpa: Ten Things I Have Learned About Conflict | Cory Ishida

Eighth, I learned that we have no need to vindicate ourselves. Psalm 24:4-5 says, “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the Lord and vindication from God his Savior.”

In my early years of ministry, I learned this through some very painful experiences. There was a small group of people in the church that wanted to oust me as senior pastor. As much as I wanted to “fight back,” the Lord had me keep confidentiality and stand on His Word. I said little except to share what happened in general terms.

The Lord delivered me when the leader of the group overstepped boundaries at a congregational meeting, and then everyone understood that it was the group’s issues rather than my incompetence. Then the members of that group moved out of the area because of changes in employment and were no longer a part of our church.

God is the Deliverer. If we stand in righteousness (not perfection); He will vindicate us.

Ninth, I learned that we have no need to exact vengeance.

Paul wrote in Romans 12:19b, “’ Vengeance is Mine, I will

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repay’ says the Lord…” In many of us, there is an inherent need to “get even.” Personally, I am a competitive person, so the desire to “get even” feels like an imperative. If you score on me, I will score on you—twice.

By Merriam-Webster’s definition, vengeance is “punishment inflicted in retaliation for an injury or offense.”

The Word of God calls us to never inflict punishment for a wrong suffered. Not only does vengeance belong to the Lord, but we are also instructed to: • “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14).

• “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone” (Romans 12:17a).

• “Never take your own revenge, beloved…”

(Romans 12:19a) Finally, in Romans 12:21, Paul wrote, “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

The twelfth chapter of Romans is filled with admonitions to live life peaceably, without rancor or revenge. It is one of the chapters of the Bible that has influenced my daily living the most.

The lessons found in Romans 12 were driven home early in ministry. As I shared in the previous point, a group of people attempted to oust me as senior pastor. One couple moved to another area of California, and eventually, they decided to do missionary work in Japan. During their stay, they ran into numerous issues. They called me for assistance, even though they never settled their disputes with me. As much as I did not want to help them, I recalled the verses in Romans 12 and felt led to aid them.

This resulted in my first trip to Japan. My journey was to bless and live peaceably with two who seemed to be my enemies.

Tenth, I learned that we are called to bless. The concluding thought in Romans 12 is that we are to overcome the need to seek revenge and “bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” We are to overcome evil or wrong with good.

In my final chapter of ministry, I tried to teach our church family that we are “blessed to be a blessing.”

God has so richly blessed us so that we can bless others. When it comes to conflict, we are to forgive rather than inflict suffering. We are to bless rather than impose

harm. We are to seek after God’s righteousness rather than exact retribution.

No one ever said that it was easy being a Christian. In fact, in today’s world, it is the road less traveled.

Here’s the final piece of the story concerning the couple who went to Japan. Decades later, the husband passed away.

The family contacted me to do his funeral. I can say with a clear conscience that I had no hesitation in officiating his memorial service. My goal was unencumbered. I was to bless the memories of his life and bring glory to God. The Lord brought me to a place where I could take on the attitude of Jesus and bless those who persecuted me.

It’s interesting how the Lord can turn even the most trying of experiences into things that are good and positive.

Obviously, there are more than 10 things we need to learn about dealing with conflict. It is my hope that this article on the subject will help you deal with the conflicts that will arise in your life. May you respond as Jesus would respond.

Love, Grandpa 5

What Comes to Mind When You Think of Heaven?

by Renee Zou

Editor’s Note: This essay was originally published on TGC Australia with the title “How to Increase Your Desire for the New Creation.” It has been republished here with permission from the author and contains light edits for style.

new earth. We cannot afford to forget this truth. To do so will make it far too easy to give up on our faith; our hope in things that, though unseen today, will certainly come to pass (Hebrews 11:1).

Do you think eternal life will be good?

How can we remind ourselves that eternal life is real, and we are heading for it?

Do you think you will enjoy it?

God promises that our experience of the new creation will be one of perfection. In God’s word, the new creation is described as a joyful wedding party (Matthew 22:1-2); the long-awaited union of a good God with his beloved people (Revelation 21:2).

On my most reflective and spiritually-aware days, I long for the new creation. I see it as God describes it: a beautiful city (Revelation 21:21-25), a safe haven (Revelation 21:27), a place where we can finally rest after a lifetime of waiting (Philippians 3:20), where we are finally “clothed … with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Corinthians 5:4).

On other days, however, I do not long for eternity. The new creation does not even cross my mind, let alone touch my affections. I get so caught up with my earthly life: scrambling for today, worrying about tomorrow, forgetting God in the process.

As Christians, we must remember: We are on a one-way trip to the new creation. Our life on this Earth is a passageway to our final destination: the new heavens and the

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How do we increase our desires to be in the new creation?

Here are four ways to help ourselves and others along the journey home.

1. Meditate on the Promises of the Next World I think we Christians do not desire the new creation because we do not dwell on what is in store for us. We can easily let our ideas of eternal life slip into popular depictions of “heaven”: Flying cherubs, harps, and lyres, and an almost pointless, emotionless existence of souls whiling our after-lives away. Put this way, eternity really doesn’t sound like the place to be.

But I don’t think that’s what God says eternal life will be like. Although the biblical descriptions need to be read with caution, as eternal life is described as a whole new existence, I think we can rightly meditate on the following: Firstly, the new creation will be harmonious. Imagine being in perfect relationships across all possible planes— with God, with each other (Isaiah 2:4) and with creation (Isaiah 11:6). In the new creation, we will see God as he is (1 John 3:2). We will experience the fullness of his love

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What Comes to Mind When You Think of Heaven? | Renee Zou

and mercy and worship him in all purity. We will love those around us perfectly, and we will care and steward all of creation without fault.

2. Reflect upon Death

Secondly, eternal life will be joyful. It will be life without worry. It will be life restored. We will never, ever, experience sin and death. We will never have to mourn or cry (Revelation 21:4). For in the new creation, death will be finally done away with. There will be nothing from which we must hide or escape.

We can afford to think hard about death for two reasons.

Firstly, because we are no longer ruled by it. We need not fear death, for Jesus has defeated it (John 11:25-26). Thus, we are free to meditate on the fact that, unless Christ returns first, we are going to die. Of course, there are unhealthy ways to think about death. Ways that are fatalistic, morbid, or depressing. But, we can think about death in healthy ways—ways that enable us to be realistic about it, without being paralyzed by doom. Ways that help us to orient our lives, put our priorities into focus, and help to discern between fruitful and frivolous pursuits.

Thirdly, the new creation will be fruitful. We can engage in meaningful, productive work that will not be sabotaged by death. We will not bemoan as the Teacher in Ecclesiastes, on the pointlessness of toil, work and gain, as we are all going to die anyway (Ecclesiastes 1:3). In the new creation, we will experience the fulfillment of the Teacher’s longings. Our efforts will not crumble from the effects of time. We will not need insurance policies, or have to plan for those metaphorical rainy days. We will not need to worry about passing on our toil to an unpredictable next generation (Ecclesiastes 2:18), or fret over the ultimate legacy of our efforts. We will have good and meaningful work to do, to God’s glory, the world’s good and our joy.

In other words, the new creation will be strange yet familiar: it will have echoes of this life and yet be sharply, gloriously different (1 Corinthians 15:35–58).

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Christians, more than anyone else, are most equipped to consider death.

Secondly, we need not fear death because we can see death as the preliminary step to seeing Jesus again. This is why Paul is able to consider his death again—even longs to die—so that he can be with Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:6-8).

We can be confident that the end of this life kicks off the start of new life with Christ and leads on to the eternal resurrection life of the new creation (2 Corinthians 5:1–5).

This does not mean we should chase after death, but it does mean we can be okay with the reality of death, and perhaps be more equipped when it comes knocking.

This is the hope all Christians have— hope that enables freeing, contemplative, even joyful reflection upon death.

3. Cultivate a Healthy Dissatisfaction for This Life So much of our story-telling about life, the news, and current affairs end with a shrug and a resigned “This is just how life is.” When I catch myself doing this, I wonder how we ever got so comfortable with the suffering and injustices of the world.

We need to cultivate the spiritual equivalent of our taste buds. We need to realize there are aspects of this world that plainly suck, are deeply unfair, and incredibly dissatisfying. It is only when we start recognizing how broken this world is that we start longing for a better one. Only when we start realizing our deepest yearnings for peace and joy are yet to be fully satiated, then we start to hope for a better world, and be met with God’s comfort, that there truly is one to come.

Do you think it’ll be good? Do you think you’ll enjoy it?”

Some of my most comforting memories are created in this sequence: first, I sit around the kitchen table with fellow Christians, exhausted by difficult discussions about thorny pastoral issues, with no clear way out. Second, we pause. Third, we exhale a collective sigh of relief when we realize that these issues—no matter how weighty—are temporary, belonging only in this lifetime. Finally, we rejoice together, and allow ourselves to imagine the nightand-day difference between life in the here and now and the life which is to come.

Fellow Christian, we are destined for the new heavens and the new earth. God is longing to bring us home. Are we longing for the same?

We acclimate to things of lesser value because we can’t begin to contemplate the beauty and ecstasy of God’s greatest gift to us—new life in his Son and all that comes with that: the assurance of a restored world, the promise of never thirsting, eternal peace, and a world without sin.

4. Discuss the Above with Your Fellow Christians Our conversations with fellow believers help fuel our belief in the promises of God. So, ask your Christian friends: “What comes to mind when you think of eternal life?

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10 Lies Christians Believe About Their Faith and Church

by Eric D. Shin The Church belongs to Jesus. This means, we must build Christ’s church the way he desires. Unfortunately, there are so many lies that Christians believe and practice regarding church and their church life. Thankfully we can combat these untruths through the writings of the people who best understood how Jesus wanted his church—his disciples. Therefore, we must go back to the Bible to correctly understand Jesus’ church and build it according to his will and plan. These are the 10 lies that I routinely see and hear about among believers. My prayer for all of us, especially for the local church pastors, is that we will go back to the Bible and do whatever it takes to obey Christ to build his church the way he has always wanted.

1. I can be a Christian without being a member of a local church. Church membership is not necessary for my spiritual growth.

When Jesus said in Matthew 16:18, “I will build my church,” he was referring to the universal church that will be made up of God’s children for all eternity. However, when the New Testament uses the word “church,” it is almost always referring to a specific local church (Romans 16:5). Jesus’ universal church is made up of millions and millions of local churches all over the world— past, present and future. In other words, we can’t really be a part of Jesus’ universal church without being a part of his local church.

Local church membership requirement is not spelled out in the New Testament because it was just simply too obvious, assumed, and unquestioned. If someone calls himself a Christ-follower, he or she must become a member of a local church.

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2. I will serve in ministry at my church when I can. Ministry is an optional thing and not everyone can or has to serve. Plus, it’s pastors who are responsible for church ministry, not members.

The New Testament clearly teaches us that Jesus is the head of his church, church is his body, and Christians are parts of his body. In addition, every part of Christ’s body is endowed with at least one spiritual gift to use to build up and edify the church. So anyone who calls himself a Christian must take part in serving and building the church.

This means pastors and lay members must serve in ministry. In fact, most of the church’s work should be done by lay members (Eph. 4:11-12). Pastors are supposed to function as coach and trainer of God’s people. After getting equipped by their pastors, lay members are the ones who must function as ministers doing ministry, much like players on the court playing the game.

Therefore, pastors must equip their members to do ministry, otherwise lay members will be robbed of ministry opportunities to which there is a corresponding heavenly reward. All Christians need to remember that church ministry belongs to lay members.

3. I can follow Jesus without getting baptized publicly. Baptism doesn’t save people.

Yes, baptism doesn’t save people. But through public baptism we profess our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Every salvation in the book of Acts is followed by water baptism. If baptism is not important to us in our Christian life, Jesus wouldn’t have said what he said in his

Great Commission in Matthew 28. Therefore, if it was important to Jesus, it must be important to us as well.

4. Giving is a personal matter and pastors shouldn’t talk about it. Tithing is an Old Testament command, so I don’t need to tithe to grow spiritually. I will decide how much I will give to church.

Tithing is not a Mosaic law. Abraham tithed to Melchizedek, hundreds of years before Moses was born. And in the New Testament, Jesus said not to neglect tithing (Matthew 23:23). He also said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21).

The right question for Christians to ask regarding giving is, “Why does God command us to bring just 10% of our income and not 20% or 50%? What can I give to God to show Him how grateful I am for saving me?” We can tithe without loving God, but we can’t love God without tithing. Tithing tests and reveals the love and condition of our hearts towards God.

5. I am not good at evangelizing the lost, but I am good at discipling Christians.

Some churches and members say that they are not good at evangelizing people but very good at discipling Christians. This is a very strange statement. Jesus asked Peter, Andrew, James, and John to follow him because he will make them fishers of men.

True discipleship can’t be separated from evangelism.

In fact, true discipleship, according to Jesus, starts with evangelism. If we want to be more like Jesus, then we must save the lost and then make them disciples of Jesus. Discipleship that is devoid of evangelism is not biblical discipleship.

6. I can become more like Jesus when I do “discipleship Bible study.”

There’s an underlying assumption when we use terms like “discipleship Bible study.” It presumes that if we study the Bible, then we will become more mature disciples of Jesus.

But this is wrong. That simply makes us good scholars.

Then who are Jesus’ disciples? Those who think, do, say, and live like Jesus. Jesus’ life is made up of two things: his character (who he was) and his ministry (what he did). If we want to be more like Jesus, then we must develop our character to be more like Jesus and we must do the works of Jesus.

Unfortunately, we can’t develop our character to be like Jesus and we can’t do the works of Jesus through “discipleship Bible study.” Our character gets developed to be more like Jesus when we interact with those who are very different from us and rub us in the wrong way. When we live in close proximity with others who are not like us, we get challenged to die to ourselves, be patient with others, and love them the way Jesus loved us.

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10 Lies Christians Believe About Their Faith and Church | Eric D. Shin

7. I don’t need to be a part of a small group to grow spiritually.

We often think that we are spiritually mature. However, our true character gets revealed and displayed for all to see when we are doing life together with a small group of people. How do we respond and relate to those who are overbearing, frequently late, selfish, stingy, rough around the edges, etc.? This is when our character is revealed, tested, potentially developed to be more like Jesus.

The spirituality that our Lord Jesus espoused for us to pursue after is not monastery spirituality where everything is quiet and sterile, but marketplace spirituality where things are loud and messy. Therefore, without intimately getting involved in a small group and doing life together with the small group members, it’s not possible for us to grow in our character to be more like Christ.

8. Sunday worship is where I get fed spiritually.

It is the most important thing for Christians.

We don’t come to Sunday worship to get fed. We come to worship God together with other brothers and sisters in Christ. That’s because the focus of not just Sunday worship but any worship is God, not us. It is when we

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worship God with all our hearts, minds and souls that God meets and ministers to us by giving us the grace we need to go on with our life.

We must be taught and equipped by pastors to become self-feeding Christians, not just Sunday Christians. That way we can live our life from Monday through Saturday faithfully sharing and representing Jesus to those around us and doing Jesus’ ministry to those whom God brings into our life. Having lived this way all throughout the week, if we come together for worship on Sunday, God will surely pour out His grace on us. Why wouldn’t He?

9. Pastors shouldn’t get paid a lot.

It pains me to see how little pastors get compensated in many churches. Yes, some senior pastors in megachurches get paid a lot like CEOs of major companies. However, the vast majority of local church pastors get paid so little that it is not possible to take care of their families unless their spouses work. This is not right.

The Bible is clear that churches should take good care of their pastors (1 Tim. 5:17-18). If church members need something in life, then chances are pastors need the same thing. Pastors need a safe and peaceful home to live in,

reliable cars to drive, vacations to go on, money for kids’ school and their reasonable extracurricular activities, and funds for rainy days and retirement. It would be wise for churches to compensate their pastors just a little above the average of their members’ income so that they would be able to fully focus on pastoral ministry without having to worry about their finances.

10. I am keeping my distance from church because I got hurt and jaded by church so much growing up.

Here, I am not referring to those deep hurts such as sexual, verbal or financial abuses that you have experienced from your church and spiritual leaders. If this is you, I weep with you as a fellow victim who has been hurt and abused by church leaders during my youthful years.

Things like what you and I encountered and experienced should not happen in Christ’s church. So, I empathize with you and pray for your healing.

Have you ever hurt anyone in your life? You sure have.

We all have hurt people intentionally and unintentionally.

Now, if these people who have been hurt by us don’t extend forgiveness to us, what would happen to our relationship with them? And when we hurt people, especially our church family members, we hurt Jesus himself because church is Jesus’ body. And what would happen to us if Jesus who has been hurt by us refuses to forgive us?

Church is made up of people who are saved by Christ yet imperfect and flawed. We are on our journey to become more and more like Christ. Until we reach heaven, we will always hurt and get hurt by one another, and therefore, we must learn how to relate to each other in a more Christlike manner. We must learn to ask for forgiveness and forgive others as God forgave us in Christ.

For this final point, I want to address those Christians who keep their distance from or leave their church for reasons that are petty in light of what Christ did for us on the cross.

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Research has found that social media may be linked to depression and can cause lonliness and isolation. Christians, our joy and our hope is found in Jesus. Once you start feeling any inclination of comparison, sadness, jealousy, or hatred—you need to give that back to God.

4. Resolve to flee pornography I’m not going to pretend that there’s no pornography on social media. The moment you start seeing anything — mute or block it, and don’t click on it. Don’t begin to feed the algorithm. Resolve that you’re not going to have anything to do with pornography on social media.

Creators, Consumers, and Christ: 10 Social Media Resolutions

5. Resolve to curate who you follow You shape and you make out who you choose to follow.

The good thing is that you don’t have to follow anybody if you don’t want to. You can choose to follow your friends.

You can choose to follow Christian ministries. You don’t have to follow things that you know are depressing or things that you know will cause you to sin.

by Aaron Lee

6. Resolve to be protective about who follows you Whether creating or consuming, Christians can use social media as a tool to steward and leverage well for the glory of God and the good of others. To encourage Christians and especially youth on social media, here are some very practical tips and strategies that I shared in a retreat workshop called “Creators, Consumers, and Christ—A Theology of Social Media.”

2. Resolve to stop mindlessly scrolling and surfing

Editor’s Note: This article has been adapted from a retreat workshop.

You can listen to the full presentation on YouTube.

Don’t be constantly addicted, where you’re just checking feeds over and over again. Be purposeful in how you consume content.

1. Resolve to take social media sabbaths

Infinite scrolling takes place when you’re bored. Resolve not to do that anymore. You can set time limits for yourself—hang out online for an hour—and then you put your phone away.

3. Resolve to be aware of comparison

This means taking breaks where you turn off your phone completely. A great time to do that is on Sundays, specifically when you’re at church and you don’t need to be on your phone for a few hours.

You know those moments when you start looking at something and you start feeling in your heart: “I wish I had that. Why can’t I have that? Why can’t I be like that?” Resolve to put your phone away and give those thoughts to God.

Resolve and make a promise to yourself: “I’m not going to open any apps when I’m at church.” You’re going to be completely present—listen to the sermon, sing the songs, see your friends in person—and not be distracted by anything that’s happening online.

Say, “God, I am not feeling content right now, I just want to put this away, and I’m going to give it to you.” Direct your prayers towards him whenever you feel any sort of discontentment from comparison.

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You don’t owe anybody anything when it comes to your social media. You don’t need to let people follow you whether they are strangers or acquantainces. There is a way for you to be protective and guard your heart against letting people into your life. You don’t need to open yourself up to everyone online.

7. Resolve to keep watch over your direct messages You don’t need to be a content creator in order to be influencing people. You can influence people just by messaging them. Going the other way, we all know that sometimes people can enter your DMS. Be aware of the conversations you are a part of online, and guard yourself against scams and improper relationships. Be proactive in protecting yourself and using messaging purposefully.

8. Resolve to monitor your motives when posting

Are you trying to project an image of yourself that makes you look a certain way? Maybe it’s false, or maybe it’s misleading. We want to be authentic, and we want to be real.

We tend to portray and project ourselves to be better than we are. We need to be aware that other people are doing that, too. We need to know that Jesus does not desire for us to be perfect. We grow in Jesus. So it’s okay to be real.

We just need to resolve to monitor our motives for why we’re posting.

9. Resolve to practice discernment Discernment means you are aware of the content that you’re consuming, and you’re also aware of what you’re posting. What are your messages saying about you? Do they have anything to say about your worldview, about Jesus, about God? You want to be aware, and you want to be discerning about what you’re doing on the internet.

10. Resolve to remember that you don’t have to be on social media You don’t need to have accounts for every single app and platform that comes out. You can pick and choose what you want to do. It is incredibly freeing knowing that you’re not beholden to anything.

So be purposeful with the social media that you want to use. You can use them well, and you can use them to give glory to God. You can use them to grow as a disciple of Jesus. And you can use it to influence and encourage others towards Christ’s likeness, towards holiness, and towards worship.

For further reading: Shaping Your Identity with Spotify? Why It’s Better to Be a New Creation in Christ They Do All Their Deeds to be Seen by Others: 4 Resolutions for Creative Christians 10 Pieces of Advice for Christian Artists

It’s fun to share things on the internet. It’s good that we can share our lives with other people. But you have to watch your motives. Are you trying to impress people?

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5 Lessons from the Japanese American Internment

by Tom Sugimura

Editor’s Note: This article is adapted from an excerpt from Tom Sugimura’s The Church Behind Barbed Wire: Stories of Faith During the Japanese American Internment of World War II. It has been edited for online publication and published with permission.

Realities of the Past The Minidoka Relocation Center, hidden away on sagebrush land in south-central Idaho, was described by the camp newspaper as “the sort of place people would normally traverse only to get through to another destination.”1 The Japanese American evacuees, who arrived in 1942, were shocked to see “the barbed-wire fences, the watchtowers, guard houses, the MP detachments, the administration housing, warehouse areas, and block after block of black, tar-papered barracks.”2 Each family would make their home in a 24-by-20-foot room for the next few years.

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as the sixty-mile gale lifted the loose earth up into the sky, obliterating everything. Sand filled our mouths and nostrils and stung our faces and hands like a thousand darting needles.”3 Dust storms continually whipped the volcanic-ash-rich soil into porous barracks such that residents often woke up in the mornings covered by a thin layer of dust. The winters were so cold that they had to wrap cloths around the doorknobs to keep their hands from sticking, while the Idaho summers browned one girl “to such a fine slow turn that [she] felt like a walking Southern fried chicken.”4 Although many began to lose hope, the Christians encouraged one another to pray and to trust in God as the Federated Christian Church grew out of barren desert soil into a flourishing flower. One minister recounted:

On the first day of camp, residents recalled their “rousing welcome by a dust storm. It caught up with us while we were still wandering about looking for our room. We felt as if we were standing in a gigantic sand-mixing machine

Constituent members include Baptist, Congregational, Episcopal, Holiness, Methodist, and Presbyterian. Over 500 are enrolled in the Church School. The two English speaking services for youth average well over 300 each Sunday. There are special Japanese speaking services for

1 Minidoka Irrigator (10 September 1942), 4.

2 John Tateishi, And Justice for All: An Oral History of the Japanese American Detention Camps (New York: Random House, 1984), 76.

3 Monica Sone, Nisei Daughter (Boston, MA: Atlantic, Little, Brown, and Company, 1953), 192.

4 Ibid., 194.

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5 Lessons from the Japanese American Internment | Tom Sugimura

parents which reach 375-400 each Sunday. Besides these, there are evening youth fellowships and midweek services… The Christian Church is busy serving in the centers. It is helping in student relocation, family relocation, ministry to those in physical need as well as spiritual need, and pointing people to the higher spiritual values of life.

The plans for a community Christmas with gifts for every child has been due largely to the efforts of the Christian Church. We would not be able to do much without the strength which comes from the cooperative effort on the part of our Christian friends on the outside.5 The Christians at Minidoka labored in gospel partnership with one another. Their strong relationships had been forged in pre-war Seattle and in the Puyallup Assembly Center, a temporary facility that housed Japanese Americans until they were relocated to internment camps. In fact, their pastors had already started planning out the worship structure of the Minidoka church weeks before the relocation.

Cooperation between denominations was necessary to care for everyone, so leaders agreed to divide the camp into fourths, with one minister assigned to each quarter.

Small groups met locally on Sunday and Thursday evenings, then each quarter held its own worship service on Sundays. The pastors took turns preaching on rotation in each of the four services.6 This ecumenical Federated Christian Church was dedicated on November 1, 1943, with sermons from Rev. Everett Thompson, a faithful missionary, and Rev. Nao5 Letter from Rev. Tsutomo Fukuyama to Rev. K. Harper Sakaue.

6 Letter and interview notes from Rev. T. J. Machida.

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michi Kodaira.7 They also sang cherished hymns such as The Church’s One Foundation and offered ministries for all ages, a Nisei youth conference, church choir, vacation Bible school for children, friendship groups that met in barrack homes, and a National Christian Preaching Mission which invited speakers from around the country.

On their first Easter Sunday in 1943, 1,500 people attended the sunrise service with both Issei and Nisei performing special music and speaking from Scripture.8 Then, during the main Easter service, the church heard messages from Revs. Thompson and Fukuyama and 39 Minidokans were baptized as a testimony of their faith in Christ. The church also recited the Lord’s Prayer and sang the victory hymn, Christ the Lord is Risen Today.

Lessons for Today’s Church Although the mass evacuation and incarceration of Japanese Americans were neither right nor wise, the experience nevertheless enriched the church’s spiritual life as nothing else could have. Consider lessons the church today can learn as we minister to fellow believers who similarly face adversity.

1. God always has a purpose in our suffering.

Nikkei Christians could honestly acknowledge the injustice of the internment while still upholding their faith in a sovereign God. They would echo the words of Joseph, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, 7 Federated Christian Church of Minidoka, “Dedication Service” (1 November 1943).

8 “Over Thousand Attend Easter Sunrise Service,” The Herald 2.16 (2 May 1943), 1. Issei describes the first generation Japanese Americans, Nisei the second generation, and Nikkei the group as a whole.

as they are today” (Genesis 50:20). Many came to Christ because of the evangelistic witness within the camps and the church’s pastoral care was more concentrated since residents had nowhere to go except the few square miles enclosed by barbed wire.

these camps, the younger English-speaking Nisei were often called upon to communicate with authorities. Many of these young adults, who were thrust into ministry, would go on to pastor churches or start missions organizations like JEMS after the war.9

2. Christ’s church is larger than our local gathering.

5. Compassion can come from any corner.

The Federated Christian Church (similar in each of the other camps as well) consisted of members from various denominations, Isei and Nisei, Japanese and English speakers. They decided on shared hymns, preaching rotations, and broader doctrinal statements like the Apostle’s Creed. They also left decisions like baptism and membership to the new converts. We see such togetherness for the gospel only elsewhere in the early church (Acts 2:42-47) and in the kingdom to come (Revelation 7:9-10).

Such seasons of necessity grant us a beautiful picture of oneness amidst diversity.

3. The ministry of soul care is universal.

The church behind barbed wire dealt with many of the same problems we face today, and they also clung to the same means of grace: the preaching of God’s Word, Bible study in small groups, wise counsel, prayer, singing, and Christian fellowship. They encountered unique challenges and injustices but also grew in their faith because of it. In the midst of trials, the church today must not abandon tried and true practices for the care of souls.

Despite their country’s betrayal of the Nikkei, certain Americans continued to minister with compassion. Some missionaries devoted the entirety of the war to pastoring their interned flock. Others volunteered to start schools in the camps so that children wouldn’t fall behind in their education. A handful protested against the internment and fought for Japanese American rights. Many sent letters of encouragement to their incarcerated friends and thousands of gifts at Christmastime. May the Lord turn our hearts to act with compassion toward the disadvantaged who suffer today.

9 The Japanese Evangelical Missions Society (JEMS) was founded in 1950 and continues to serve the Asian American community on the Pacific Coast and beyond.

4. New troubles require new leaders to step forward.

Many of the older Japanese-speaking leaders were either locked away in high-security incarceration centers or treated with suspicion by the U.S. government. So, in 19

The Sound Witness of An Ordinary Life

by Matt Ng

Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article appeared in the The Master’s Seminary blog. It has been republished here with permission from the author.

If you’re driving along the 101 freeway in California, you can instantly sense your arrival in the small town of Gilroy. In fact. you’d smell it. Home to the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival and revered as the infamous birthplace of garlic ice cream, Gilroy is the “Garlic Capital of the World.” Even with the windows rolled all the way up and your car’s vents strategically closed, you’d know you’ve arrived because the sweet smell of garlic wafts pervasively through the air.

As Jesus so memorably describes in Matthew 5, we are the salt of the earth—restored image-bearers who are perhaps not so bold in our smell, but certainly in our witness to the life-changing truth of the Gospel. Our lives should have a distinct Gospel flavor that is instantaneously obvious to those around us who don’t know Jesus.

But what does it mean for us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world? What does it look like for us to live out a Gospel witness in a world that is hostile to the truth found in Scripture?

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An Ordinary Witness In Titus 3:1–8, Paul lays out a strikingly simple and rather unremarkable foundation for a sound Gospel witness in the face of our society’s Cretan-like culture, one that is vehemently opposed to Jesus and his followers: Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

This ground-level Gospel witness might not be the kind of testimony we picture in our minds. It doesn’t turn heads.

It’s not flashy. It doesn’t require us to debate more profoundly, smartly, or astutely than the opposition. We don’t need perfectly coiffed hair, a quietly expensive outfit, and the ability to vibe crowds of thousands into hearing about Jesus. There is no honor that comes from defending the King of kings on social media or starting another worldview podcast. We don’t even have to have a theological education to live this way.

To be certain, God does use all of these things to bring people to Himself. And to address the adage, we must certainly preach the Gospel and necessarily use words.

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The Sound Witness of An Ordinary Life | Matt Ng

But in Paul’s view here in Titus, the lifeblood of an effective Gospel witness is far more ordinary and unimpressive than we’d like to admit. It’s comprised of character and behavior we readily assume ourselves to have, but closer self-examination reveals why Paul instructs us to continually remind ourselves of these things.

Here, a sound witness is an everyday, unscheduled, and unprompted endeavor that demonstrates Christian humility and charity. It tills Gospel soil. It’s a characteristically winsome lifestyle that exudes Gospel flavor to others around us—the kind of living that makes it no surprise to others that we love Jesus.

It continually and consistently sets the stage for Gospel conversations. It begins with a humble, submissive heart that plays itself out in obedience to governing authorities, trusting that no matter the political climate these individuals are instituted by the God of the universe. It’s a readiness to perform acts of charity and love, using the time and resources God has given us to benefit others.

It’s taming our tongue and not speaking evil about other image-bearers in any circumstance, even the loud neighbor or the politician we disagree with. It’s not being pugnacious, contentious, or divisive, but instead being gentle, peaceable, and kind toward others, whether it be on the town square of Twitter or in the literal town square. All

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of this culminates in a humble posture that shows “perfect courtesy toward all people”—a thorough, thoughtful consideration of others as more important than ourselves.

Thus, to Paul, the core of being an effective Gospel witness is being a humble, everyday signpost that points others to the Celestial City in these two simple, unremarkable ways.

Motivated by Mercy A sound witness comes from a heart that understands firsthand God’s heart toward broken image-bearers. As we examine our witness, we would do well to first recall how we ourselves once were opposed to God and dead in our sin (v. 3). To be sure, to pause and ponder our former spiritual state deepens our appreciation for the saving work of Jesus. But it also instills patience and empathy with unbelievers as we seek to live out a sound witness before a watching world. This truth is a poignant reminder of the spiritual state of the people in our mission field.

Unredeemed sinners will sin, swear, and self-promote, but an infinitely gracious and saving God graciously saves all who believe. This perspective rebukes our hearts from racing to self-righteous judgment—from thinking that somehow those who don’t know Jesus should be able to ride at the same level as our moral high horse. It strips us of any hint of moral superiority or pompous expectation

and helps us to humbly live sound lives that give context to the Good News we proclaim. As we recall our own former spiritual state, it’s a powerful reminder that there truly is no one beyond the saving hope offered by our powerful Savior.

A life that demonstrates goodness and lovingkindness toward unbelievers directly reflects the goodness and lovingkindness God demonstrated toward us in the Gospel (vv. 4–7). It is God’s goodwill toward mankind in sending His Son to accomplish the work of salvation that we endeavor to picture every day in our conduct toward unbelievers. As those who have experienced the grace of God firsthand, we are compelled to live and speak the truth that “He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy.” This is the hope of eternal life that we can lead others to have as well—a confidence that Jesus, the very grace of God that appeared and brought salvation for all people, will appear again in glory.

As we consider our salvation and the Savior who accomplished it, our hearts are driven to live in a way that testifies to the grace of God in how we carry out ourexistence on His earth. As we’ve received grace and mercy, we live in a way that extends grace and mercy toward others, pointing others to the grace and mercy of God in salvation.

Setting the Table Our humble hearts, good works, and perfect courtesy before a watching world “are excellent and profitable for people” (v. 8). As Christians, we ought to benefit society and promote good, being like oil to the machine that is God’s world. Christians should make the world a better place.

But our good works are excellent and profitable for people in a way far more excellent and profitable than any other way: by God’s grace and power, others will see our good works, come to know and love Jesus, and glorify our Father in heaven. Thus, we humbly and carefully devote ourselves to good works, trusting that our testimony will help others to see how life-changing truth truly changes lives.

God may use the faithful character and behavior of our everyday, ordinary lives to make door-opening impressions, change the minds of our worst critics, and break down the preconceived notions of unbelievers about what it means to follow Jesus. By the way that we live our lives, may we set the table for unbelieving friends and family to partake in living water and the Bread of Life—our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Recognizing Patterns of Subtle Spiritual Abuse Before It’s Too Late

by Moses Y. Lee

Several recent, high-profile cases of spiritual abuse in my denomination have left many of us pastors feeling uneasy. If those leaders can be guilty of spiritual abuse, what’s to say more of us aren’t headed in the same direction? Is it possible to recognize abusive-ish behavior before it’s too late?

Then it occurred to me. I was watching a Netflix documentary about cults in South Korea when I realized the abusive patterns in cults are prevalent in “healthy” churches all around us but in subtle, less severe forms.

Consequently, it dawned on me that spiritual abuse operates less like an on-off power switch and more like a dimmer switch.

Indeed, if spiritual abuse is reframed as a matter of degree from subtle to severe, then far more of us have spiritually abusive tendencies than we’d like to admit. If left unaddressed, many of our respective ministries are potentially ticking time bombs for scandal, disqualification, and moral failure.

Defining Spiritual Abuse According to Michael Kruger, spiritual abuse “is when a spiritual leader—such as a pastor, elder, or head of a Christian organization—wields his position of spiritual authority in such a way that he manipulates, domineers, 24

bullies, and intimidates those under him, as a means of accomplishing what he takes to be biblical and/or spiritual goals.”

But not all spiritually abusive tendencies are as recognizable, nor is it (dare I say) technically wrong. For example, spiritual leaders frequently have to make tough leadership decisions that may hurt feelings or disappoint others. As such, it would be inappropriate to characterize all such decisions as spiritual abuse. Yet, the repeated presence of multiple abusive-ish tendencies, as listed below under “red flags,” could reveal something far worse than what appears on the surface and should compel us to take an inventory of our leadership practices and norms.

Partiality over Radical Inclusivity There are times when spiritual leaders need to select and invest in certain members based on their character, availability, and faithfulness, especially when it concerns raising new leaders. However, spiritually abusive leaders distort this practice by showing strong preference for the wealthy, the powerful, and the neurotypical (people without neurodivergent conditions like ADHD, autism, dyslexia, etc.)—a practice emphatically condemned in James 2. They consciously overlook those who are needy,

difficult, draining, or awkward out of a desire to preserve their status of comfort and/or power.

Typically, this type of behavior doesn’t appear abusive in and of itself (though it’s arguably unwise and perhaps even sinful in other ways), but it does raise red flags about one’s leadership practices and ministry culture, often manifesting in subtle forms of spiritual abuse. Indeed, the more these red flag behaviors are present, the greater the likelihood spiritual abuse is occurring: • When senior pastors delegate all hospital visits and weddings to their assistant pastors because they have more “important” ministry work to do.

• When ministry leaders refuse to build friendships across ideological or tribal lines.

• When ministry leaders demonstrate preference for spending time with politicians (or other powerful, wealthy people) over serving their neighborhood poor.

• When ministry leaders demonstrate preference for eyewitness accounts of men over eyewitness accounts of women and children, particularly in patriarchal communities.

• When ministry leaders demonstrate preference for the majority culture while ignoring the minority cultures within their sphere of ecclesiological influence.

• When ministry leaders find opportunities for judgment even when there isn’t a sin issue out of a desire to demonstrate preferential difference.

Personality/Institutional Branding over Kingdom Expansion Similar to the need to show preference at times, personality or institutional branding isn’t wrong in and of itself.

After all, book endorsements by respected authors and denominational affiliations are a form of personality and institutional branding. Yet, such ministry approaches can quickly take an abusive turn when Kingdom expansion gets overlooked due to narcissistic leadership.

In these toxic contexts, ministry leaders tend to value loyalty over truth, submissiveness over genuine humility, and personality/institutional branding over Kingdom expansion. Take note of how leaders treat or talk about their critics: Do they follow our Savior in wanting restoration with friends that let them down, or is there no room for restoration?

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Recognizing Patterns of Subtle Spiritual Abuse Before It’s Too Late | Moses Y. Lee

“Betrayal” is an unforgivable sin to an abusive leader.

Abusive leaders tend to build a culture of either shunning or threatening those who speak up or leave their community (so that the fear of isolation prevents one from speaking up or leaving). Non-disclosure agreements are usually weaponized for such purposes.

Other red flags for potential spiritual abuse brewing in narcissistic contexts include the following: • When ministry leaders view other orthodox ministries as competition rather than allies.

• When ministry leaders are more concerned about their brand or territorial claims than Kingdom expansion in their respective neighborhoods.

• When ministry leaders are incapable of extending mercy toward detractors.

• When ministry leaders rarely confess their mistakes and failures while frequently critiquing others.

• When ministry leaders cast judgment upon judgment for a sin issue rather than grace upon grace, inflicting secondary wounds upon those who are already suffering from the consequences of their sins.

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Strong Leadership versus Apostolic Leadership Whether they’re bishops, senior pastors, moderators, parachurch leaders, or serial church planters, there are legitimate cases for “apostolic” leadership (“a leader amongst leaders”) in this day and age. True apostolic leadership requires availability, great effort to reach across the aisle, and unbiased investment into those within your sphere of ecclesiological influence.

Spiritually abusive leaders will often platform themselves as apostolic leaders, which can be confusing to those serving under them. Spiritually abusive leaders tend to use their platform to delineate those who are “in” from those who are “out.” Unsuspecting believers are usually drawn to these leaders for their “strong” leadership.

During instances of “apostolic” spiritual abuse, it’s often the case that the least emotionally-intelligent person (i.e., the abuser) thinks they’re the most emotionally-intelligent person in the room. What’s worse is that those around them often believe them in their claims. But emotional awareness should never be confused with

emotional self-awareness. Ministry leaders who can read a room are often the most prone to committing spiritual abuse and skilled at manipulation (oftentimes without them even realizing it).

Other red flags for potential spiritual abuse brewing in “apostolic” contexts include the following: • When ministry leaders give a pass to other leaders who speak about individual church members in ways that they would never speak about them to their face.

• When ministry leaders believe they have “made it” in some area of spiritual growth (whether emotional awareness, cultural awareness, or theological certainty) in comparison to other leaders, resulting in judging other leaders or servants as being inferior.

• When ministry leaders label anyone not in their theological tribe as preaching “another gospel.”

tendencies that have become the norm in many Christian contexts (i.e., we don’t know what we don’t know).

But by recognizing the ways we’re guilty of potentially demonstrating spiritually abusive behavior, I pray that we’ll be quick to repent and reconcile where necessary, take a break from ministry work if appropriate, and invite greater scrutiny over the way we steward our ministries and lead our flock.

As John Frame once wrote, “Restore, reprove, rebuke; but don’t let the gentleness of Jesus ever be lost…Maybe you love people, but you don’t know how to correct them in a truly gentle way, without harshness, without hurting. If so, find someone who can serve as a model and teacher for you in this area; it is tremendously important. And, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ and for the love of his sheep, stay out of the pastorate until you have learned.”

My hope in writing this article isn’t for us to point fingers at our ministry leaders for displaying the red flags of potentially abusive behavior. I’m of the opinion that far too many of us are simply unaware of the abusive-ish 27

*For those who have not yet viewed the series, spoilers are included below.

Digesting Beef

by Heidi Wong

“I’m a bad person.” – BEEF Episode 8, “The drama of original choice” Amy Lau, portrayed by Ali Wong, sees this as her life-defining narrative.

Lau’s self-assessment is one of many personal reflections in BEEF, showrunner Lee Sung Jin’s latest project streaming on Netflix. Throughout 10 episodes, Lee’s characters wade through an identity-crisis marinade shaped by their Asian American experiences and seasoned with cultural nuances that are more easily seen by those who have lived them. The show offers observations of humanity served on a platter, giving viewers an opportunity to chew on and, hopefully, digest the beef.

Collateral Damage of the American Dream Amy Lau has lived her whole life on the run from herself. Her childhood trauma and shameful choices made over many years confirm her belief that she is a reprehensible person. She can never truly deserve “the good.”

At first glance, Lau’s life does seem “good.” She has a successful career, perfect husband, and beautiful daughter. And yet she only lives in close proximity to this elusive external goodness, rather than being able to claim it as her own.

The road rage incident with Danny Cho, portrayed by Steven Yeun, begins a journey back down a path to a horrifying yet refreshing vision of her true self—a self she masks in public yet indulges in behind closed doors.

On the other hand, Danny has spent his life chasing success defined by Korean American cultural expectations. He tries to be the good son who provides for his parents, the hyung that his little brother looks up to, and a successful small business owner with Yelp ratings to match.

Despite his best efforts, whether it be an honest day’s construction work or eventually a dishonest day’s fudging of accounting numbers, everything he does is marked by mediocrity and insecurity. He fears being left alone, or worse, left behind. While Danny desperately needs the affirmation and approval of other people, nobody truly needs or wants him.

Together, Amy and Danny represent two Asian American millennial experiences in pursuit of the American dream. One has risen to a place of prestige through her own hard work aided by connections, while the other remains stuck in the same place no matter how hard he works. Though they have vastly different incomes listed on their tax returns, they harbor the same rage stemming from the dehumanizing burden of the American dream. The loneliness and pain they both embody is inevitable collateral damage in attempting to achieve something that promises so much but guarantees nothing.

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Digesting “Beef” Television Show on Netflix | Heidi Wong

“Everything fades. Nothing lasts.” – BEEF Episode 7, “I am a cage” While Amy already viscerally feels the “nothingness” of her success mid-series, Danny is not yet convinced.

For a while, his efforts to increase his net worth results in improving his quality of life. Episode 7 opens with his acapella: My chains are gone, I’ve been set free My God my Savior has ransomed me And like a flood, his mercy reigns Unending love, Amazing Grace A smile lights up his face as the beat transitions and he leads the congregation into the fast-paced stanzas of this modernized hymn. More so than the improvement of his finances, his ascent to become the church’s praise team leader signifies true success according to the Korean-American Christian worldview. He’s made it. Danny’s vocals rally the church to praise God, but Netflix viewers know that he is swimming against the riptide of his latest con.

Just a few episodes earlier in “that” church scene, Danny was inconsolable in the midst of O Come to the Altar, presumably his first time back to church in many years. The first verse and chorus pour a balm on his soul, which had been wounded by a sense of personal worthlessness.

There isn’t a scene in which Danny processes this moment out loud. So while many commentators have weighed in

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with their analysis1, viewers are left with no choice but to make their own observations. Danny was clearly moved to tears, yet he still carried through with his plan to con the church. Was his weeping real? Was it all a show to be accepted? Are all Christians just like him, gleefully inhabiting a hypocritical duality for personal benefit?

This duality is far from a modern phenomenon. Humans have been creatures drawn to religious syncretism, the blending of differing belief systems, for many centuries2.

The first commandment is, “You shall have no other gods before me.” Time and again throughout the Bible, it is the transgression of this commandment that begins and perpetuates humanity’s downfall.

Though God promises to draw near to us, we instead try to hold onto both God and lesser gods—relationships, financial security, political party, social status—until we have a fully-fleshed syncretic belief structure. God becomes our back-up plan and safety net—our Hail Mary should anything hit the fan.

While Danny may have experienced momentary catharsis and spiritual renewal, his syncretic belief structure gets exposed for the ephemeral sand it is. It all disintegrates, and he comes to the same conclusion as Amy. In confessing his life-altering bad deeds to his younger 1 Articles from CNN, Slate, and Mashable are a few among many which analyze this particular scene. Jason Min, Thomas Hwang, and Eugene Park also talk all things BEEF on their latest podcast episode.

2 Gnosticism, Manichaeism, and Sikhism are all examples of religious syncretism.

brother, Paul, he finally says the words he had been holding back, “You gotta get away from me.”

Those Danny loves must stay away to be safe from his innate depravity—this is his life-defining narrative. Both he and Amy cannot fathom a power robust enough to withstand the destructive fall-out of their sinful nature. In the end, their brokenness bonds them. If they were to go to hell, at least they wouldn’t be alone.

The narrative arc of Danny and Amy’s experience is not unique to those in hot pursuit of material success. We trade grace for grumbling when the ethos of the American dream, that life rewards those who work hardest, seeps into our subconscious spiritual expectations. Some of us don’t shoot for the stars at all. We just want enough to cover for childcare while we work. We’re not looking to climb a corporate ladder, and are fine with whatever will help us pay for six-dollar-a-dozen eggs.

Life and Art One of BEEF’s great achievements is its portrayal of the Asian American experience without hyperbole that makes its viewers feel seen, whether they like it or not.

Even if the characters themselves are not 100% relatable, the dynamics portrayed in the show very much are.

The precarious bond between older and younger siblings, dealing with blood relatives, eggshells surrounding other-culture in-laws, the relationship between generational versus first-generation wealth, church wolves hiding in plain sight—once we finish the series and return to our regularly programmed lives, we must deal with these very real dynamics.

Left to our own devices, we may be prone to channeling rage sharpened by rationality. If we are already heading down this path, it may be worth it to stop and ask ourselves if there is a better story, making sure to digest it all before carrying on.

But when we’re left scrutinizing our bank statements wondering how we managed to get behind once again, rage manifests as frustration. For others of us, our low-bar ambitions lay outside of material comfort. We just want to wake up and not automatically think of suicide. But when our daily experience is cloaked by thoughts that asphyxiate our will, rage manifests as despair.

As long as we believe God is holding something back, we won’t have eyes to see all the gifts we already have. The longer this loss of vision persists, the more likely we will cultivate a sleeping rage within.

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Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on the Westminster Kids blog. It has been republished here with permission from the author.

How do I know the Bible is real?

What about the gods in other religions?

I was caught off guard not so much by the questions themselves but by the question asker— my then four-yearold daughter. Raised in the church and homeschooled at the time, her questions didn’t originate from outside influences. They were coming from her own mind and heart.

As Christians, we are called to disciple the next generation in our homes and churches. So what do we do when they ask us big questions? How do we respond when they question their faith?

Whether you’re a parent, aunt or uncle, or Sunday School teacher serving young people, here are some ways you can walk with children and teens through their questions and doubts.

1. Be a safe place for questions and doubts.

Walking with Children and Teens Through Doubts About Christianity

by Faith Chang

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Children and teens need to know that we welcome their questions and doubts. I often tell teens that I’m passionate about church being a safe place for them and their questions because I have worked through doubt my whole life. Sometimes, I’ll give them examples of questions I’ve wrestled with. My desire is that their uncertainty wouldn’t drive them away from the church, but to find the answers God has for them.

Two ways you can show young people it’s safe to bring up their questions are: 1. Not being afraid of hard questions. Don’t immediately interpret doubts as unbelief or rebellion. Often, questions are actually spiritual growing pains as children work to reconcile their observations about the world with what the Bible says. In fact, it may actually be their faith in God that prompts questions where there seems to be a disconnect. They are seriously taking to heart and considering the claims of Christianity. Thus in many ways, questions and doubts can be opportunities for

faith to grow deeper through testing. They are chances for young people to experience on their own that God is truly trustworthy.

2. Letting them know doubts and hard questions are normal parts of the Christian life. It can be scary, even shameful, for children and teens to admit to having doubts about what they’ve been taught in church or at home. Let them know that you understand this. Assure them that the Bible and the history of Christianity are full of people who asked tough questions and still followed Jesus.

2. Invite them to look at the Scriptures with you.

One way that kids can grow in their trust in the Scriptures is actually by bringing hard questions to it. Because if the word of God is true and has handled scrutiny throughout the ages, then it is able to handle the questions they have today.

Often, the questions children and teens have aren’t so much challenges to the truth as much as they are attempts to make sense of it. They aren’t attacking Christianity from the outside, but testing its trustworthiness from the inside. Though their questions may seem like challenges to the Bible (e.g., If God is really in control, why is there suffering? What about other religions? What about science?), these are questions the Scriptures actually do address and that Christians have historically worked through and answered. Thus, their questions are opportunities to show them how God’s word is relevant, compelling, and has explanatory value in real life.

Other times, children and teens know what the Bible says, but are having trouble believing it. These are also opportunities to examine God’s word together. However, before offering answers, make sure you really understand the heart of their questions.

When I was first trained to work with middle schoolers, my leaders emphasized that “at the heart of every question is a question of the heart.” The idea was that while the question at hand is important, there is often more going on under the surface. So while it may be tempting to jump in with answers, we need to practice listening and asking questions to see where the dissonance truly lies.

Before offering truth, make sure you are speaking the truth your listeners need. Are they doubting because their 33

Walking with Children and Teens Through Doubts About Christianity | Faith Chang

experiences seem to contradict what the Bible says about God? Is it because they believe the Bible is saying something it doesn’t actually say? Is it because Christians have treated them unkindly? Is it because they are struggling with temptation, sin, or shame? Is it because they are going through deep suffering? Once you get to the “heart of their question,” then you can speak to the way God addresses it.

3. Help them bring their questions to God. God is not only concerned with our mental assent to right doctrine— he cares about our relationship with him. Remembering this, we can see our young people’s struggles with doubts as opportunities to not only experience God’s truthfulness, but his patience, presence, love, and grace.

In your family and at church, you can teach children to pray honestly about their questions, modeling humility, candor, and trust in God even in the midst of doubt.

Churched kids, in particular, may need the assurance that since God already knows their questions, they don’t have to be afraid or ashamed to bring them to him.

You can remind them of stories in the Bible about Jesus’ kindness toward people with questions and doubts–people like Nicodemus, Thomas, or the man who prayed, “I believe, help my unbelief !” Assure them that they can pray like that, too, honest about where their hearts are as they seek him and his answers. Teach them to pray honest, simple prayers like, “God, if you’re there, show me” or “God, I’m not even sure I believe in you, but I think I want to.” And if it’s hard for them to pray even that, ask if you can pray with and for them.

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4. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know.”

Sometimes, we can feel the pressure to give an answer that will resolve all questions in the moment. But it’s okay to admit what we don’t know. When our kids ask us questions the Bible is silent on, we may have to say, “I don’t know, God hasn’t told us that. But that’s a good question.”

Other times, our answer will need to be, “I don’t know–let me think about it and get back to you.” (Just don’t forget to get back with those answers!)

Saying “I don’t know” doesn’t mean we’ve failed because our goal is not to have all the answers. We seek to model the Christian life for those we teach, and part of following Jesus means admitting the limits of our own understanding. The way you seek answers alongside of your children and students is in and of itself a life lesson for them. You are modeling what to do when they encounter questions they can’t answer. You are also demonstrating that you can have true faith without knowing all the answers.

I’ve already heard from my daughter that some of these books have helped her work through questions I didn’t even know she’d had.

What that in mind, here are some recommendations for resources you can read and pass on to young people: • The God Contest (Ages 3-6) (Not apologetics, but does address other beliefs) • Everything A Child Should Know About God (Ages 3-6) (Again, not apologetics, but addresses big questions) • The Radical Book for Kids, The Really Radical Book For Kids (Ages 8-14) (Not an apologetics book but includes some helpful apologetics content in it) • How Do We Know That Christianity is Really True? (Ages 9-13) • Why Does God Let Bad Things Happen? (Ages 9-13)

5. Equip your kids with resources on apologetics.

• Who Am I and Why Do I Matter? (Ages 9-13)

When we think of apologetics, we often think of conversations we have with people outside the church.

But I’ll always remember a professor in seminary speaking about the way it serves to strengthen the faith of Christians as well.

• 10 Questions Every Teen Should Ask (and Answer) About God (Ages 12-16)

One of the most precious gifts my parents gave me was stocking their libraries with books on apologetics. It was a gift to be able to grab them off the shelf in the middle of my own seasons of doubt. So I’ve intentionally sought to have similar titles available in our home—and

• What Happens When We Die? (Ages 9-13)

6. Trust the Lord with your kids’ hearts.

My daughter’s questions at four reminded me that at every age, the Christian faith requires just that—faith— and this faith is a gift from God. None of us came to trust God on the basis of good arguments alone. Rather, in his grace, the Holy Spirit opened the eyes of our hearts to see his worth. As we pray and trust God to do the same in the lives of young people we love, he frees us from teaching them from a place of anxiety. He helps us to be patient as we prayerfully wait for him to accomplish his work in their hearts.

As a mother and Sunday School teacher, few things make me feel more helpless than my inability to change hearts.

Paradoxically, nothing is more freeing to know because that means that the faith of the next generation is not dependent upon my ability to teach perfectly.

If God loves the children in our lives and has them in his hands, then we are not the main actors here. Thus, with peace, we can walk with them through questions and doubts, patiently engaging their minds and hearts, trusting that as we sow and water the seeds of truth, God is the one who will make things grow.

• Surviving Religion 101 (Ages 16-18) • Mere Christianity (Ages 16-18) • The Reason for God (Ages 16-18) • Help My Unbelief: Why Doubt Is Not the Enemy of Faith (Ages 16-18)

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Three Lessons We Can Learn From the Immigrant Church

by E.L Sherene Joseph My affiliation with immigrant churches has been a defining aspect of my life, spanning different stages and countries. From my upbringing in Oman, attending Diaspora Indian immigrant churches, to raising a family in Indian immigrant churches upon moving to the United States, these communities have been an integral part of my journey. The profound camaraderie and belonging they offered filled the void left by departing from our family of origin.

While my family eventually transitioned to a more multiethnic church, the connections and relationships forged in the immigrant church continue to endure. Some days, I find myself lamenting the mistakes made in immigrant churches, and other times, I long for the community and easy relationships one can build there.

With all the cultural shifts, divisions, and challenges the American church faces, we can look towards the immigrant church and learn from them. Like all churches, they are not perfect, but I believe there is much that White-majority and multiethnic churches can learn from them, especially about community and discipleship.

To be clear, my experience comes from the Indian immigrant church, comprised of first-generation immigrants in the United States. I do not have experience with churches from other ethnic backgrounds (Korean, Chinese, or Hispanic), and their experiences may be unique from mine.

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1. The Sunday experience is a space for organic community In the Indian immigrant church, we came for service on a Sunday morning and spent the entire day together. After the service, everybody lingered to have coffee and talk.

We then had Sunday school and Bible study classes, which ended around noon, followed by lunch together.

In the early years, when money was tight, we gathered for potluck-style meals in someone’s home. As everyone settled into good jobs, we would go to an Indian restaurant with a buffet lunch. Everybody would sit together and have a meal, and then we would chat in the parking lot some more and inevitably end up in someone’s home for Chai. Around 5 p.m., everyone would gather the children and return home to prepare for Monday.

This kind of community was never orchestrated or put on the calendar. It just happened because people lingered after service. No one had an agenda for their Sunday: no football games to watch or children’s sports. We intentionally lived this way, creating space for an organic, natural community. The children played, and the adults visited. It was a simple life with no expectations.

We talked because everybody needed community. We were all new to this country and didn’t have our families.

We didn’t have built-in friends, but we had time. We wanted to get to know each other and were willing to create the space for this inconvenient community.

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Three Lessons We Can Learn From the Immigrant Church | E.L Sherene Joseph

We were also ready to be stubbornly committed and were prepared to be let down. Sometimes, there were disagreements, and sometimes, we did not get along, but we expected that. We did not let those things define us.

And we never allowed our children’s friendships to dictate adult relationships. That was a no-no!

In the American community, we often struggle when we meet difficult people. Parents have difficulty building friendships if their children don’t get along. Everyone wants people of similar life stages, similar backgrounds, and children who get along swimmingly. But that is not real life! We have to be willing to get uncomfortable.

I suppose one could argue that the purpose of the Sunday worship experience is apparent in an American church— you hear the word of God and go home. But when you have such a limited vision, you don’t have a method of increasing the connectedness of people in the church.

Everybody just does their own thing and leaves.

What if we stayed at the end of service just to help someone connect? It doesn’t necessarily have to be through a connections card and speaking with an elder, deacon, or pastor. We could be the person who speaks to the new family. We could be the reason they come back the following Sunday.

Having a new members class is very good, but creating space for the organic growth of the community is essential in churches, and we need to learn to let go of our expectations and structures a little—like the immigrant church.

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2. The immigrant church teaches us to live as foreigners-in-exile Although I have lived in the United States for nearly two decades, I still view myself as a foreigner. Most people in the immigrant church feel similarly. We might have become citizens over the years and gained the right to vote, but we still feel like we live in a country that is not wholly ours.

This mindset of being in exile or foreigners sojourning through this land to reach what God has promised us gives a nuanced way of looking at America, learning the politics of this nation, and praying for the country.

Because we don’t see ourselves as entirely belonging anywhere, we genuinely believe in being good citizens, fighting for justice and liberty.

In the same way, the immigrant church often views itself as in exile. We are not the mainline denomination, and we are on the periphery. Therefore, we know how to live as pilgrims, holding loosely onto what the country and culture promise us but holding tightly onto God’s promises and faithfulness towards us. We have already left so much behind to come to live here. We have made sacrifices and hard choices, so choosing not to be swayed by culture or people often is easier.

Within the immigrant church, there is a process of refining and radical dependence on God. We live in the “in-between” all the time. As with other congregations, we also risk becoming complacent, but being in a community in the immigrant church is a constant reminder that going along with the culture can be a dangerous mindset.

3. The importance of volunteer leadership Many Indian immigrant churches rely almost wholly on volunteers to operate. Senior and associate pastors are often the only paid positions.

This gives an immense opportunity for the church to build, raise, and invest in leaders. Lay members are given opportunities to head committees, lead praise music, run programs, and teach the Bible. This allows men and women to step out boldly, be mentored by older congregants, and refine their skills.

As a young wife and mother, I was given multiple opportunities to lead and teach at church. Interestingly, those opportunities dwindled as I gained a seminary education and moved away from the immigrant church.

That’s because most American churches depend on paid staff for every department, especially heads of departments. While it is good to have a few leaders, you can often lose the perspective between mission and business by staffing every department.

I believe mainline denominations and mega-churches in America can learn to lean on their congregants from immigrant churches. We have many members who love the Lord well and have the skills and the desire to teach and lead. We can lift the lay and empower them by allowing them to exercise their spiritual gifts. This also allows the church members to engage and creates an environment of belonging and community.

I will not say having a volunteer-run church is easy. The tech team will make mistakes, the music might not be the most professional, and you might not always have good coffee. But when a church is volunteer-run, people can step up, giving lay members greater responsibility. There is a sense of being part of a community accountable to your heavenly Father.

Learning From One Another I am grateful for the many years spent in the immigrant church, the lessons learned, and the people who have prayed, mentored, and invested in me.

I am also grateful for the multi-ethnic church teaching me to be a culturally flexible and adaptable leader. I want to be a bridge builder across cultures, and the American multiethnic church allows me the space to be that type of leader.

So, if you attend an immigrant church today, continue to love and invest in her patiently. The immigrant church gives us a faith legacy, and we need that.

If the immigrant church has hurt you, and I know many have, know that you are seen and loved. We can keep the good and the painful times in perspective, celebrating and mourning the other. We might need to find a way to forgive the church, which may take time.

If you are part of an American or multiethnic church, I encourage you to attend an immigrant church. You might not understand the language or culture, but their hospitality and love will significantly bless you, and they will inspire you with their resilience and radical dependence on God.

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Featured Interviews At SOLA Network, we are honored to interview pastors and authors who help us to unpack our faith and our Asian American heritage.

We want to highlight some of our favorite conversations from 2023 here.

Scan the QR codes next to each excerpt to be linked to their full interviews via embedded video, YouTube page, or Podcast episode.

You can also read a lightly edited transcript.

We hope you’ll continue to tune in to SOLA’s interviews so we can be encouraged by our brothers and sisters as we run the race together.

Asian American Christians and the Great Dechurching: An Interview with Author Michael Graham

Two Journeys to Pastoring a Multiethnic Church: Interview with Jay Y. Kim and Mitchel Lee

How have churches been affected by “the great dechurching?” How can we help people stay connected to the local church? And, just as important, how does the great dechurching affect immigrant and Asian American churches?

What is it like to pastor a multiethnic church? What are some of the challenges, and how can you prepare?

Michael Graham, co-author of the book The Great Dechurching, spoke to SOLA Council President Steve Chang and SOLA Editorial Board member Kevin Yi about the phenomenon of dechurching.

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.

Watch Interview Watch Interview

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“Made to Belong”: An Interview with Author David Kim

Healing Shame and Becoming “Myself ”: An Interview with Ken Shigematsu

Learning and Writing about God and the Church: An Interview with Tim Challies

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:

Delve into the world of healing shame and rediscovering one’s true self with pastor and author, Ken Shigematsu. His recently published book, “Now I Become Myself: How Deep Grace Heals our Shame and Restores our True Self,” explores the profound impact of shame and how embracing God’s love can lead to personal transformation.

SOLA Network Editorial Curator Aaron Lee interviews Tim Challies:

• 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

Throughout this conversation with SOLA editorial curator Aaron Lee, Pastor Ken shares his journey, his experiences as an Asian Canadian, and the wisdom he has gained in his pursuit of beauty and joy. We hope this interview is a source of hope and inspiration as we become our truest self in light of God’s love.

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.

Watch Interview

• Why isolation is a seasonal gift and practical tips for finding community for parents of young children Watch Interview

Watch Interview

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List of Editorial Board & Editorial Team

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

Visit us online at sola.network

SOLA Editorial Board: Daniel K. Eng Faith Chang Monica Kim Soojin Park Tim St. John Tom Sugimura Kevin Yi SOLA Digital Team: Hannah Chao, Outgoing Editor Heidi Wong, Editor-in-Chief Isaac Oh, Web Manager Aaron Lee, Social Media Manager Jee St. John, Copy Editor

Magazine designed by Jessica Lee

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