Writer & Editor
About me
I am currently the East Asia editor at Christianity Today. I write and edit stories on Christianity and culture in the region, report on events affecting the global church, and review films from a theological perspective.
I hold a B.A. (Hons.) in English from Nanyang Technological University and an M. A. in Christian Studies from Regent College.
I was born and raised in Singapore and now live in Vancouver, Canada.
My husband, Vic, is a pastor. We love reading, hiking, and going on road trips. Our babies, Shiloh and Zoe, are with Jesus, and our hearts yearn for the day we will meet them again.
My work
I’ve written for a variety of publications in Singapore and North America. They include religion outlets Christianity Today and Faith Today, lifestyle reads VITA and BCLiving, travel magazine SilverKris, and fashion and beauty monthly FEMALE.
As a journalist, I have:
reported on evangelical news and issues in Asia, Oceania, and North America
reflected on theological themes in popular films
shared about Indigenous-led sojourns and off-the-beaten-track destinations to visit
covered fashion, beauty, home decor and other lifestyle trends and product launches
Writers plumb the depths of unknowing each and every time they begin. They create meaning ex nihilo—a terrifying and daunting task, to be sure, and ultimately inescapable. Writers know, too, that the words they pen are never theirs alone. Words, all words, have a life of their own. They belong to anyone and everyone who takes up and reads. They open up brand new worlds that are filled with endless possibilities, time and time again—and that alone makes it all worthwhile.
— A reflection on writing, 2022
Writing
View my author page at Christianity Today.
Some of my favorite pieces:
The ‘Antioch of Asia’? — Christianity Today, September 2024
Eating Bitterness: My Culture Helps Me Persevere. The Bible Helps Me Hope. — Christianity Today, September 2023
‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and the Beautiful Mystery of God’s Silence — Christianity Today, March 2023
Filled with the Spirit amid the Hungry Ghosts — Christianity Today, August 2022
Healthy Unity Across Racial Diversity — Faith Today, November/December 2022
We Are All Guests — VITA Magazine, October 2020
Why Monica Vinader is the It Accessory Brand to Know Right Now
— FEMALE, June 2017
Visit my blog or Instagram for more personal reflections and ruminations.
Editing
A shortlist of pieces I enjoyed acquiring, commissioning, and editing:
‘Shrewd as Snakes?’ by Fenggang Yang — Christianity Today, January 2025
Shout to the Lord in a Foreign Language by Jaewoo Kim — Christianity Today, November 2024
Let the Seas Rise and Feed the Poor by Elia Maggang — Christianity Today, April 2024
The Seed of Korean Christianity Grew in the Soil of Shamanism by Soojin Chung — Christianity Today, November 2022
Speaking
Freelance writer training
Christianity Today
2023 & 2025
I taught two groups of writers from Asia about pitching and writing opinion pieces for the magazine.
Prayer meeting on the one-year anniversary of the March 16 Atlanta shooting
Asian American Christ Collaborative
March 2022
I read a prayer of rage + lament I wrote for Christina Yuna Lee and Michelle Alyssa Go during a virtual gathering.
Poetry & Art
the approaching
Fathom
January 2023
Out of the Depths: A Lament Worship Night
Immanuel CRC
March 2023
I conceptualized and led a lament-focused worship event at my church, which invited people to articulate raw, honest prayers to God.
Bouquets
Peter Cooper on my review of "Everything Everywhere All at Once"
“Such a lovely analysis of the beautiful underpinning the madcap craziness.”
Shamini
“I'm on a hunt for stories of Asian Christian women and have been thinking of how to find and highlight these stories, cuz I think there's just not enough stories around, in English. :) So thank you for pointing me to this!”
Tsai Yiting, Christianity Today’s Chinese translation coordinator
“I've recently heard much praises from Chinese readers, saying that our articles are of high quality. One church minister mentioned especially Isabel Ong's article ‘Is Christmas a ‘Western’ Holiday in Asia?’”
Rachel Simrose, Glacier Digital Media