Thank God it’s Friday
This is excerpted from my TGIF column at SOLA Network.
Articles From Around The Web
Hannah Nation: Why China’s Persecuted Christians View Western Advocates with Skepticism
“An interview with the daughter of imprisoned pastor Jin “Ezra” Mingri about Chinese theologies of suffering.”
Sebastian Y. Kim: Can Agentic AI Pastor Your Church?
“Pastors cannot outsource presence.”
Darren Carlson: Your Soul Needs Better News: Three Stories of the Gospel’s Advance
“Take time to be freshly convinced that Jesus is alive and at work.”
Books, Podcasts, Music, And More
Mere Orthodoxy has a new website.
The site itself is beautiful, but so is their mission. The announcement and explainer essay by Jake Meador (Editor-in-Chief) is worth reading in its entirety. Paid membership with perks are available, and becoming a free subscriber gets you access to essays and eBooks.
IVP announced that The Old Testament in Color is in the works!
Read my review of The New Testament in Color, and it was nice to see my Asian American Book Awards get a shout out.
Aaron Lee: Related Works
Book reviews: ESV Large Print Compact Red Letter Bible by Crossway. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group. Find me on Substack. Keep in touch on X and Instagram.
Featured This Week on SOLA Network
SLP EP 21: Bridging Divides: Lessons from a Journalist Turned Pastor with Ted Chen
“Join us as we explore the transformative journey of Ted Chen from a 35-year journalism career to a passionate ministry, discussing the evolving landscape of media, faith, and unity in a divided world. Gain insights on how faith influences journalism, the importance of diverse media consumption, and fostering community amidst polarization.”
Melanie Ma: Zootopia 2: The Heart Condition of all Mankind
“In order not to let our past lived experiences negatively shape our present lives, we need to look up to Christ instead of inward at ourselves.”
Karis Lai: Christ’s Heart from the “Inside Out”: Joy, Sadness, and the Christian’s Call
“This is a picture of the “already, but not yet” reality with its layered complexities. Our reality is one of very real darkness, but rather than touting an unanchored optimism we root our hope in the person of Christ. What Joy discovers, we also know as true: joy shines all the brighter when it is paired with sadness.”
TGIF: Roundup for May 22, 2026
The Dangerous Days Past Middle Age / Jesus Raged? The Righteous Anger of God Incarnate / Reverence Requires Submission / God Doesn’t Ask You To Let Him Off the Hook / The Blessing of Being Forgotten
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