SOLA Network

In this episode of Asian American Parenting, Danny and Monica discuss the idea of the Sandwich Generation as Asian Americans, and how it particularly impacts us. They discuss the dual forces of feeling obligated to taking care of one’s older parents, while also taking care of one’s own children and teenagers, and the impact that can have. They discuss hopeful ways that Asian American parents can navigate being the Sandwich Generation, as well as how they can seek their church and other community to support them. Follow @therootedministry and @thesolanetwork on Instagram for more updates!Follow and subscribe to Asian American Parenting wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this conversation, Danny Kwan and Monica Kim discuss their book 'Teenagers and Mental Health,' focusing on the mental health challenges faced by teenagers and the role of parents, pastors, and youth leaders in addressing these issues. They share their personal experiences, cultural context, and the importance of compassion and understanding in youth ministry. They also emphasize the need for collaboration between caregivers and the church to support teenagers effectively.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Mental Health in Teenagers03:18 The Journey to Writing the Book06:39 Personal Experiences and Cultural Context10:42 Advocating for Mental Health as Asian Americans15:38 Understanding Specific Mental Health Struggles20:34 The Role of Caregivers in Mental Health25:53 Advice for Youth Workers29:54 Collaboration in Creative ProjectsDanny Kwon, Ph.D., serves as the Senior Director of Youth Ministry Content and Cross Cultural Initiatives for Rooted Ministry. Before joining Rooted, Danny Kwon served as Youth and Family Pastor at Yuong Sang Church, a bicultural, bilingual Korean-American congregation outside Philadelphia for 29 years. He is married to Monica, a Christian counselor and psychologist, and they have three children.Monica Kim, Ph.D., is a Christian counselor, has taught counseling courses as an associate faculty at CCEF and a lecturer at WTS, and has been a seminar speaker at numerous conferences including the CCEF National Conferences. She has worked in church ministry for more than 25 years and is currently a part of the pastoral staff at her local church.Aaron Lee is our Editorial Curator. Aaron also serves as the Social Media Officer of First Chinese Baptist Church of Walnut in California’s San Gabriel Valley, home to the largest concentration of Asian American communities in the United States. Visit him online: https://www.diveindigdeep.com/

In this conversation, Steve Chang interviews Enoch Liao, the English congregation pastor of Boston Chinese Evangelical Church and cofounder of the Chinese Heritage Church Collaborative. They discuss Enoch's background, networking among Chinese heritage churches, calling in ministry, and cultural identity within the church. Enoch shares insights on the challenges and opportunities faced by Chinese heritage churches and emphasizes the need for connection and support among pastors. The conversation concludes with reflections on longevity in ministry and encouragement for younger leaders.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Enoch Liao and His Background02:30 The Chinese Heritage Church Collaborative: Origins and Purpose05:45 Building Connections Among Chinese Heritage Churches07:44 The Importance of Networking in Ministry10:35 Understanding the Concept of Chinese Heritage Church13:53 The Future of Chinese Heritage Churches and Their Identity21:53 Understanding Chinese Heritage Churches24:36 The Shift in Multi-Ethnic Ministry25:39 Commitment to Local Church: A Calling30:44 Navigating Leadership Challenges37:31 The Importance of Relationships in Ministry

In this episode of Asian American Parenting, Danny and Monica discuss the difficult and often neglected topic of generational trauma, passed on from our immigrant parents to our now 2nd and 3rd generation parents, as well as how it impacts our present families and parenting of our teenagers and children. They discuss the need yet difficulty to recognize it and its consequences. Finally, they discuss finding gospel hope as parents (and adults) in the midst of generational trauma. Follow @therootedministry and @thesolanetwork on Instagram for more updates! Follow and subscribe to Asian American Parenting wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this conversation, Joel Kim, the president of Westminster Seminary California, shares his journey from a Korean immigrant family to his current leadership role. He discusses the unique challenges and responsibilities of being a seminary president, the cultural differences in leadership, and the future of the Korean American church. Joel emphasizes the importance of resilience in ministry, the impact of generational differences, and the need for prayer and support for the seminary. He also reflects on personal experiences that have shaped his leadership style and offers insights for younger leaders in the church.

• 00:00 Introduction to Joel Kim’s Journey
• 04:10 Leadership Experience at Westminster Seminary
• 10:00 The Stress of Ministry: Seminary vs. Local Church
• 12:33 Cultural Dynamics in Leadership
• 17:07 Embracing Identity as a Korean American Leader
• 24:16 The Future of the Korean American Church
• 27:54 The Broader Impact of Asian American Voices
• 29:31 Generational Differences in Korean American Pastors
• 33:30 Encouragement for Second-Generation Leaders
• 38:17 Personal Insights and Reflections
• 45:02 Prayer Requests for Westminster Seminary

Follow @thesolanetwork on Instagram for more updates and subscribe to SOLA Leaders’ Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

In the following interview, Dr. Yohan Lee (Biola University) weighs in on a small sampling of questions about AI’s applications and its impact on our current moment. This conversation isn’t meant to be exhaustive, nor is it meant to be the be-all end-all for the questions discussed. We hope it’s a conversation starter that can lead to more discussion and thought processing about our ever changing modern age, and spark ideas about how Christians can interact with our current moment in order to share the gospel with all.0:00 Intro & Background1:32 Dr. Lee’s Faith Background2:50 What is Artificial Intelligence (Explain to me like I’m five years old)3:24 A discussion about AI Ethics7:14 Some Positive Applications of AI12:36 Help! AI Took My Job 18:04 AI and Higher Education21:47 Technology & The Church

In this episode of Asian American Parenting, Danny and Monica sit down and talk about dating in Asian American faith, culture, and the lives of teenagers.  They consider the views of dating growing up as Asian Americans and how it has changed.  They then discuss a parent’s approach to dating and how it relates to racial issues, faith, and how and when as parents, we can talk about dating with our teenagers.  

Follow @therootedministry and @thesolanetwork on Instagram for more updates!

Follow and subscribe to Asian American Parenting wherever you listen to podcasts.

In this conversation, Justin Kim shares his journey through various church contexts, highlighting his experiences in Korean immigrant churches, multi-ethnic congregations, and his current role at Wintersburg Church. He reflects on the beauty and challenges of each setting, emphasizing the importance of community, encouragement, and the development of a pastoral heart. Justin also addresses the discomfort younger leaders may feel in unfamiliar ministry situations, encouraging them to embrace their calling with honesty and openness to God's guidance.Chapters00:00 Journey Through Ministry: A Personal Introduction03:21 Transitioning Across Cultures: From Korean to Japanese Heritage06:15 Reflections on the Korean Immigrant Church09:04 Experiences in a Majority Culture Church12:25 The Beauty of Wintersburg: A Historic Japanese Church20:19 Shepherding Across Generations: A Pastoral Heart27:17 Encouragement for Young Leaders: Embracing DiscomfortFollow @thesolanetwork on Instagram for more updates and subscribe to SOLA Leaders’ Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts!

In this episode of Asian American Parenting, Danny is joined by longtime youth pastor Justin Wong, who has served students and families for the past 25 years within the Asian American church community and most recently completed his second doctorate degree researching Gen Z students and the Asian American Church. They discuss aspects of the hit show Kpop Demon Hunters and how parents can engage with their own children and teenagers about it, as well as social media in general and its influence on teenagers and children.

Follow @therootedministry and @thesolanetwork on Instagram for more updates!

Follow and subscribe to Asian American Parenting wherever you listen to podcasts.

"What is one key thing parents should understand about the mental health struggles of today’s teenagers?" (Question #2)

00:00 Terrence Shay - Social Media & the Pressure to Measure Up

00:56 Monica Kim - Why Teen Mental Health Is Getting Worse

03:10 James Han - Mental Health Is Real—Don’t Ignore the Signs

Answers about Teens from Ministry Leaders was filmed during the SOLA Network x Rooted Ministry Asian American Youth Worker Training Day on March 15, 2025. It was filmed by by Alex Park (CTS America) and hosted by James S. Lee (SOLA Network). The project was co-produced by SOLA Network and CTS America.

The Answers about Teens from Ministry Leaders series features:

- Clark Fobes is the Associate Pastor at FirstSF in his hometown of San Francisco. He has served in Asian American youth ministry for over a decade.

- James Han is the Founding Senior Pastor of Redeemer Church in Torrance, CA. He also serves on the school board of the Torrance Unified School District.

- James Song Kim serves as the Youth Director of Education at All Nations Church in Sunland, CA. He has nearly twenty years of experience serving youth in several prominent Korean immigrant churches in the U.S.

- Monica Kim is a psychologist and Director of Care & Counseling at Hope Montco Church. She has taught at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) and served as a lecturer at Westminster Theological Seminary (WTS). She is currently adjunct faculty at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, PA. Monica is the co-author, along with her husband Danny, of *Mental Health and Teenagers: A Handbook for Parents, Pastors, and Youth Leaders*.

- Danny Kwon serves as the Senior Director of Youth Ministry Content and Cross-Cultural Initiatives for Rooted Ministry. Prior to joining Rooted, he served for 29 years as the Youth and Family Pastor at Yuong Sang Church, a bicultural, bilingual Korean American congregation outside Philadelphia. He has authored several books, including *A Youth Worker’s Field Guide to Parents* and *Mission Tripping: A Comprehensive Guide to Youth Ministry Short Term Missions*. He is also an adjunct professor of Youth Ministry at Eastern University.

- Charlie Kang serves as the English Pastor at Good Stewards Church (West Covina, CA). He previously served nearly a decade as a youth pastor at Good Stewards Church and Oriental Mission Church (Los Angeles, CA).

- Gower Lee is the Counseling Director at New Life Presbyterian Church of Orange County, where she has been on staff since 2018. She previously served in youth ministry and currently teaches as an online instructor for CCEF’s School of Biblical Counseling.

- Ervin Liang is the Pastor of Student Ministries at Living Hope Community Church in Brea, CA. He previously served youth and college students at Mountain View Community Church in Frederick, MD.

- Terrence Shay is the Family Pastor at First Chinese Baptist Church, Walnut, located in Los Angeles County—home to the largest Asian population in the U.S. Having grown up in the immigrant church, he is passionate about its role in fulfilling Jesus’ call to make disciples across all cultures and generations.

- Kevin Yi is affiliated with Rooted Ministry and SOLA Network. Most recently, he served as the college and young adults pastor at Church Everyday in Northridge, CA, and has ministered to youth for over 16 years.

CTS America

https://youtube.com/@ctsamerica4353?si=kayK1BxpRfDHprOx

https://www.facebook.com/cts.america.1/

https://www.instagram.com/cts.america?igsh=MTB2a3hxOXlhMXQ4MQ==