SOLA Network

When it comes to addressing racism, one of the first things Christians must do is to look within themselves to see if they have any biases or prejudices of their own. In these past few months, many who agree with the idea that Black lives matter have realized that they themselves hold anti-Black views that must be addressed. So how do we confront anti-Blackness in our lives? 

To help us understand and learn, SOLA Network editor Hannah Chao interviewed Jane Kim, a SOLA contributor and educator who is passionate about diversity, equity, and inclusion. They talked about an article she wrote for the Asian American Christian Collaborative, called “An Asian-American Guide to Dismantling Anti-Blackness.” They talked about how Asian Americans can confront anti-Blackness and be active in our communities, as well as how churches need to be safe places that equip Christians about subjects about race and politics.

Watch the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsikgkWVycA&list=PLAoJ5wNGQQE2OUp1eKCu2jHWu_WT3_R_D&index=2&t=0s

Article: https://sola.network/article/learn-unlearn-relearn-anti-blackness

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"In this time of suffering and pain in the Black community, we lament for and with our Black brothers and sisters in Christ and with other Black communities across the nation. We stand in solidarity with you, our Black brothers and sisters, and we demand justice for the unjust deaths of George Floyd, Brianna Taylor, Ahmaud Aubrey and so many, many more.

"We join our voice to your courageous prophetic voice, and we too call for an end to the systemic racial and justices, the brutalization of Black bodies, the abuses of power, and the use of lethal force. As an Asian American Christian, I bemoan and repent of my own complicity through silence and apathy. I failed to love you, Neighbors, as I love myself."

This video is a compilation of sermons and talks that SOLA Council members have given on the topic of race, racism, reconciliation, and the Gospel in May and June 2020.

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"When we pray for justice and vindication, we are making an appeal of petition before him. And in James 4, James actually explains the misuse of petitionary prayer. Sometimes we pray out of genuine conviction, while other times we pray out of self-interest. Sometimes we pray for the things that we truly need, that our families need, that our communities and our society truly needs. And other times we pray for the things we merely want. 

What if one of the main reasons we lack justice in our world is because Christians are not praying for it? What if we are praying, but we are doing it wrongly? We are wasting our breath out of selfish ambition and selfish passion, whether our petitions and our priorities are more aligned with a specific tribe, or specific group rather than considering the heart of God and the truth of God for His people and for this world. 

Brothers and sisters, prayer is powerful. It is powerful, and it is a weapon. In the face of injustice, Jesus is calling his people to pray." 

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism.

This resource is from Michael Lee, Lead Pastor of All Nations Community Church and a member of our SOLA Council.

Article: https://sola.network/article/christians-pray-petitionary-prayers

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"The question is not if you will meet Jesus. You will meet him. The question is: How will you meet him? Will you meet him as your Savior or you meet him as your judge? The choice is yours.

"We should be angry at injustice and work for justice. [2 Peter 3] verse 11 says, “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in the lives of holiness and godliness.

To be godly means to be like God. And because God is a God who loves justice, it is godly to love justice. Like God, we are to have a righteous anger against evil and injustice, an anger that is rooted in love for what is good and just.

We should be angry at injustice because God is angry at injustice. So let me say this again. It is godly to be righteously angry at injustice and to let that righteous anger fuel us in our pursuit of justice."

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism.

This video is from Owen Y Lee, SOLA Council member and Senior Pastor of Christ Central Presbyterian Church in Centreville, Virginia.

Article: https://sola.network/article/righteous-anger-against-racism-injustice

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"But how can we know that we are biblical justice warriors? How can we be one? Because sometimes we can be bandwagon warriors. Sometimes we can be worldly justice warriors rather than biblical justice warriors. So here are seven B's — seven suggestions to be biblical warriors for the glory of God."

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism. 

This video is from Min Chung, founding and lead pastor of Covenant Fellowship Church, an interdenominational, multi-ethnic ministry located on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Article: https://sola.network/article/7-ways-to-be-biblical-warrior

Watch the video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/zzoB7Q13Ylw

Email us your questions or conversation topics: [email protected]

Links:

Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif

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Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork

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Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork

Website: https://sola.network

"So what do we do? Can I simply suggest this: Let's take the first steps. 

For some of you, you're further along than most of us, and I praise God for that. But for the rest, let's just start here. And to do this, let me offer five starting points. My use of this starting point is intentional because we can’t do this and then simply move on. We have to continue this journey. So five starting points to engage the racial and justices in our culture."

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism. 

This video is from Kim Kira, the primary teaching elder at Lighthouse Community Church in Torrance, California.

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeGo40qwxao&list=PLAoJ5wNGQQE2OUp1eKCu2jHWu_WT3_R_D&index=3&t=0s

Article: https://sola.network/article/5-points-addressing-racism

Email us your questions or conversation topics: [email protected]

Links:

Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif

Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter

Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsoKbSYBbZZoovA24PhqAg

Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork

Website: https://sola.network

"Now, on one hand, we aren't called to respond simply out of social pressure -- the whole “if you aren't with us, you're against us” or “silence is racism.” Society is pressuring us to believe a lot of things, many of which we shouldn't believe. Our goal as Christians isn't to follow our culture, but to follow Christ.

That being said, this doesn't mean we should or even are allowed to be silent on the issue of racism. In fact, I would argue that if we're going to live out our faith, then we more than anyone else should hate the injustices we see in our world. Meaning we don't hate racism because the culture does. We hate racism because the Bible shows us that God does."

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism. 

This clip is from Kim Kira, the primary teaching elder at Lighthouse Community Church in Torrance, California. 

Watch on YouTube.

Article: https://sola.network/article/why-christians-hate-racism

Email us your questions or conversation topics: [email protected]

Links:

Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif

Monthly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/newsletter

Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsoKbSYBbZZoovA24PhqAg

Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork

Website: https://sola.network

Aaron Lee speaks with Matthew D. Kim and Daniel L. Wong about their new book from Lexham Press: "Finding Our Voice: A Vision for Asian North American Preaching."

Purchase the book here:

https://lexhampress.com/product/183932/finding-our-voice-a-vision-for-asian-north-american-preaching

"No one preaches in a cultural vacuum.

The message of what God has done in Christ is good news to all, but to have the greatest impact on its hearers—or even to be understood at all—it must be culturally contextualized.

Finding Our Voice speaks clearly to an issue that has largely been ignored: preaching to Asian North American (ANA) contexts. In addition to reworking hermeneutics, theology, and homiletics for these overlooked contexts, Kim and Wong include examples of culturally-specific sermons and instructive questions for contextualizing one’s own sermons.

Finding Our Voice is essential reading for all who preach and teach in ANA contexts. But by examining this kind of contextualization in action, all who preach in their own unique contexts will benefit from this approach."

1. Why is it important to recognize ANA hermeneutics and theologies?

2. Why are identity, marginalization, and incarnational duality important in this particular moment in history?

3. How do you see preaching today?

4. Why is it important to exegete the congregation and the preacher? Do ANA characteristics, themes and topics change when preaching across generations?

5. How can worship leaders and preaching pastors work together for a holistic ANA service?

6. What has personally helped you develop your ANA preaching voice, what were some failures and successes in this process, and how would you encourage others to do the same? 

7. Is the world ready for more mainstream ANA preachers?

Aaron Lee is the Social Media Officer at FCBC Walnut. He is also a worship leader and Sunday School teacher. He is the Assistant Digital Marketer for SOLA Network.

Matthew D. Kim (PhD, University of Edinburgh) is Associate Professor of Preaching and Ministry, Director of the Haddon W. Robinson Center for Preaching, and Director of Mentored Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is a past president of the Evangelical Homiletics Society. He served as a youth pastor, college pastor, and senior pastor in Asian American congregations. He is the author of several books, including Preaching with Cultural Intelligence.

Daniel L. Wong (DMin, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) is Associate Professor of Christian Ministries at Tyndale University, Toronto. He has served for many years in English ministry in Chinese churches in Toronto. He has spoken at numerous venues in Asian and multicultural churches in Canada and in the United States.

Email us your questions or conversation topics: [email protected]

Links:

Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif

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Website: https://sola.network

"Because we've been hostile to each other, God should be hostile to us. Because we have destroyed each other, God should destroy us. Instead, the destruction came down on Jesus."

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism. 

This video is a compilation of excerpts from a sermon given by Rev. Justin Kim, the lead pastor of Bethel English Church in Irvine, CA on June 14. You can watch the rest of the message here: https://youtu.be/LPPdIzPq_xY?t=1346

Article: https://sola.network/article/hostility-to-reconciliation-cross

Email us your questions or conversation topics: [email protected]

Links:

Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif

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Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork

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Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork

Website: https://sola.network

"Racism exists because sin exists. But the gospel frees us, right? The Gospel frees us because the Gospel forces us to begin to look within ourselves. It exposes any injustice and prejudice that we hold as human beings towards anyone. Then we can begin to see how the Gospel bridges and the Gospel frees us to then love others and reconcile with others."

As part of our mission to equip the local church and Asian American Christians, we are posting sermon excerpts, devotions, and prayers from our SOLA Council members concerning racism and injustice. We hope that these words would be challenging and encouraging to believers as we fight against the sin of racism. 

This video is a compilation of excerpts from two pastoral statements given by Rev. Hanley Liu, the English Lead Pastor at First Chinese Baptist Church of Walnut on May 31 and June 4. You can find the videos on their YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChFYkYkOW7iisNIDbvWC1pw

Article: https://sola.network/article/how-christians-can-navigate-society

Email us your questions or conversation topics: [email protected]

Links:

Weekly Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/sola/tgif

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Facebook: https://facebook.com/thesolanetwork

Instagram: https://instagram.com/thesolanetwork

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqsoKbSYBbZZoovA24PhqAg

Podcast: http://anchor.fm/solanetwork

Website: https://sola.network