Beautiful, Disappointing, and Hopeful: A Conversation with Drew Hyun

Beautiful, Disappointing, and Hopeful: A Conversation with Drew Hyun Daniel and Yulee sit down with Drew Hyun—founding and lead pastor of Hope Church New York, executive director of Emotionally Healthy Discipleship, and author of Beautiful, Disappointing, and Hopeful—for an honest conversation about the long, often painful road of emotional and spiritual transformation. Drew traces his journey back to a summer internship in Queens that changed everything: arriving expecting to learn urban ministry, and instead being introduced to Pete Scazzero's emerging framework of emotionally healthy discipleship. From there, the conversation moves into deeply personal territory: Drew's early skepticism and "Pharisee" posture toward inner work, and the slow unraveling of his neat theological categories through grief, 9/11, and family loss His complicated, healing relationship with his father—including the moment his father, after reading Drew's manuscript, wrote back: "I wish I could've been a better daddy" A painful, years-long falling out with mentor Pete Scazzero, and what it took to reconcile Why grief is often the hardest spiritual practice to access—illustrated by a story of Drew "losing it" while caring for his kids during his wife's medical emergency, and what that taught him about over-functioning as a trauma response How leaning into his own Korean American story—rather than erasing it—has shaped his leadership of a multiethnic church, and why "the most particular is the most universal" Practicing slow, embodied spirituality (Sabbath, silence, monastic rhythms) in the relentless pace of New York City What grounds his hope for the local church despite real reasons for disillusionment A vulnerable, unhurried conversation that's part theology, part memoir, and a good reminder that there's no shortcut to becoming whole. Emotionally Healthy Discipleship: https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org/ Hope Church NYC https://www.hopechurchnyc.org/ Beautiful, Disappointing Hopeful: How Gratitude, Grief, and Grace Reflect the Christian Story by Drew Hyun https://faithgateway.com/products/beautiful-disappointing-hopeful-how-gratitude-grief-and-grace-reflect-the-christian-story?variant=42800680173704 Sign up to receive more updates from the AAC: aac.fuller.edu/newsletter/ If you appreciate the work we do at the Asian American Center at Fuller Seminary, please consider supporting us! Your monetary support sustains our vital work and expands Asian American research, leadership development, and pastoral formation for the Church in the year ahead. Donate here: fuller.edu/giveaac.