The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School: Asian American Edition
This review was edited and published by the team at SOLA Network.
What good is the Gospel to the Asian American high schooler? In The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School: Asian American Edition, Kevin Yi and Rooted Ministry apply the good news to the unique challenges and pressures that come with being an Asian American teenager.
Personal Testimonies and Theological Application
The 12 chapters consist of personal testimonies and theological application. Danny Kwon begins the book by discussing the pressure to perform and the finished work of Christ, examining the Asian American ethos surrounding college admissions, job security, and financial success. He emphasizes that Jesus liberates us from defining our worth by our achievements.
Connie Leung Nelson addresses the tendency to compare ourselves to peers and feel unworthy. She connects this struggle to our righteousness in Christ, reminding us that we don’t need to prove ourselves. While I wrestled with this in my youth, I found her words to resonate with me even as an adult.
Ashley Kim shares her journey through an eating disorder, finding freedom in relying on God’s strength rather than her own willpower. She is one of my favorite writers, and I was encouraged and inspired by her story. I was moved by her words and am eager to join her in surrender to the friend of sinners.
Physical and Spiritual Growth
Church hurt is a hot topic, and Justin Wong writes particularly about how Asian Americans may be negatively and unjustly perceived in the midst of a majority culture. He reminds us of the Good Shepherd, who sacrifices for all his sheep and blesses those who persecute him.
Terrence Shay explores the tension between law and grace, sharing the experience of feeling wronged and unheard. He expresses gratitude for a God who forgives and understands our emotions. As one of the pastors at my home church, FCBC Walnut, I was blessed to read what it was like for him as a student — and how we can do our best to remember what it was like to grow physically and spiritually.
Soojin Park reflects on her profound loneliness after experiencing a traumatic incident of sexual assault. She points to the cross, where Jesus was forsaken, and the hope of His second coming, when He will complete His good work.
Every Tribe and Tongue
The book concludes with a chapter by Jonathan Holmes on adoption and cultural identity, exploring the challenges of not fitting in. I was encouraged to look to our Heavenly Father, who brings every tribe and tongue into his family. The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School: Asian American Edition serves as a heartfelt letter to the Asian American teen and a testimony to the beautiful diversity of the body of Christ.
I received a media copy of The Jesus I Wish I Knew in High School: Asian American Edition and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.