Thank God it’s Friday
This is excerpted from my TGIF column at SOLA Network.
ARTICLES FROM AROUND THE WEB
Walter R. Strickland II: Let’s Reclaim ‘Evangelical’ for the Sake of the Global Church
“In more recent decades, the number of evangelicals in the world has increased from 112 million in 1970 to 386 million in 2018—and the lion’s share has been outside the West.”
Joel Kurz: Ten Ways to Savor Sundays
“In order to savor Sundays, we need to start by being reminded of the significance and purpose of the Lord’s Day. The focus is not on a 24-hour period of regulations and rules but on gathering with God’s people to worship him.”
Scott Hubbard: Christ Frees Parents to Play: Rejoicing with Your Kids
“God intends every parent to be a portrait of his happiness.”
NEWSLETTERS, BOOKS, MEDIA, AND MORE
Missy Speir: Commentaries Aren’t Bathwater
“Over the years, I’ve often heard people lament the fact that they don’t enjoy reading the Bible, and I’ve noticed a pattern. Less effort spent doing the work of interpretation equals less enjoyment of the Scriptures. In contrast, more often than not, deep biblical engagement leads to worship, worship leads to obedience, and obedience leads to joy.”
Tim Challies: Should You Read Books by Fallen Pastors?
“No Christian leader is unaware of the stakes when he takes on a position of leadership or signs a contract to write a book.”
Aaron Lee: Related Works
Substack: Fresh Soil for Spiritual Growth: Six Strategies to Form Your Faith. Reviews: CSB Explorer Bible for Kids, The Explorer Bible Dictionary for Kids, CSB Explorer Bible for Kids Scripture Memory Cards. Listen to our TGIF playlist on Spotify. Join my Asian American Worship Leaders Facebook group. Keep in touch on X and Instagram.
FEATURED THIS WEEK ON SOLA NETWORK
This episode features LA pastors sharing insights on ministering in the diverse and spiritually vibrant city of Los Angeles. They discuss cultural narratives, effective outreach to the emerging generation, and practical strategies for church growth and community engagement.
AALC Interviews Spotlight: Michael Oh
Find more AALC Interviews and watch our 2026 AALC Breakout Sessions, 2026 AALC Panels and Testimony and all plenary sessions.
In the lead up to the last AALC (Reimagining Families: Transforming Family Dynamics Through the Gospel), the SOLA Network sat down with Asian American ministry leaders and seized the opportunity to continue to see what it might look like when our churches operate from a surplus rather than a perceived deficit, fully adorned.
Paul Lee: The Gospel and Formation
“We are not fossils reclaimed from the dirt for display in a sterile museum of dead things. We are dry bones brought to life and empowered by resurrection breath to walk as embodied testimonies of God’s grace. The gospel invitation of spiritual formation is simply this: to become all that God has already redeemed and created us to be.”
Allison Huang: Held by the Father: Hope for Weary Caregivers
“Caregivers as you lay your life down for your loved one, you are making the love of Christ visible. You are an indispensable encouragement to your fellow believers in both your joy and your weakness.”
TGIF: Roundup for September 18, 2026
Christ Delights in Work Well Done: Rejoicing at the Office / In Bustling Singapore, a Refuge for the Weary / Protecting Your Children from Bitterness Against the Church / The Subversive Gospel in a Polarized World / I’m a Pastor’s Wife. Here’s Our Rules for Marriage.
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