Monthly Archives: March 2010

Weekly Links (3/05/10)

by Stephen Rodgers

Alright, so I’m up in Los Angeles at the Shepherd’s Conference, and I’m slightly desperate to get some sleep before the sermons tomorrow, so forgive me if my scintillating commentary is a bit on the light side this week (and all God’s people said “amen!”).

I’ve got a couple of links to videos that I’d like to post, but I haven’t had a chance to check them out myself yet, so I may do that over the weekend once I get back to San Diego. Considering they deal with two different pastors that I admire, I’m hoping that they pan out and I can give you a little bonus post this weekend.

See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Ushering Ministry

by Min Kim

I still remember my first day as an usher. I believe it was the fall of 2000. I approached Peter Lim and told him that it was weird for me to show up to Church and not serve. I thought I should be serving somewhere and not come to Church and just sit there. He suggested that I be an usher. I said yes, and from that day forward I was an usher. But to this day, I still don’t know how I became the head usher. I do it enjoy it and I have been overseeing this ministry for the past 10 years.

The Church is called to worship God with all their heart (Matthew 22:37), and in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-24). The worship service should reflect His character and nature because He is a God of peace and order, and not of strife and confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). The worship service must exalt and glorify God. So the ushers serve by helping others worship God without any distractions and help keep order during the worship service.

The duties of the ushers are: collecting the offering, collecting white slips, door monitoring, some security duties, and assisting with administering communion.

If you are a member of LBC and would like to serve in this ministry, please let me know.

Living Theology #14 – The Providence of God

by Garrett Glende

Continuing on in the study of God’s interaction with His creation, we will now consider the issue of God’s providence. Grudem defines the term as “God being continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes.” A full discussion of this topic would require a lengthy article (Grudem’s chapter alone is about 40 pages), so we’ll only cover the essentials.

The doctrine of God’s providence starts with the fact that He is creator of all things, thus giving Him lordship over all (for further insight, check out last week’s article). Providence basically boils down to the nature of God being God. If He were not in control of any single molecule, then He really isn’t its God. Scripture affirms that every act of creation happens under the sovereign hand of God and we see that inanimate creation such as rain and snow obey the voice of God (Job 37:6) and that animals are dependent on the goodness of their creator (Psalm 104:27-29, Matt. 10:29). While there are “natural” explanations for why it rains and why the grass grows, we know that God is truly behind it all, working ultimately for His own glory. Moreover, God has sovereignty over all aspects of our lives. Grudem writes, “our words, our steps, our movements, our hearts, and our abilities are all from the Lord.” While we do make real choices, we must also submit to the clear teaching of Scripture: that God’s providence extends into our own lives completely. Psalm 33:14-15 says that God fashions the hearts of the world and Acts 17:28 says that it is in Him we live and move.

It’s not difficult to admit the truthfulness of Scripture at this point, but the next question for many is a challenging one to tackle. What about evil? If God is in control of everything, doesn’t that mean He knows and allows all the bad things in the world? What we believe about God and His relationship with evil will strongly influence our lives when tough times do come, so we must believe rightly about what is called theodicy. First, it is imperative to note that God is in no way the author of sin. He tempts no one (James 1:13-14), bears no responsibility for the sinful actions of man (Luke 22:22), and will judge all sin. However, Scripture is clear that God uses evil for His own perfect purposes, His own glory, and our own good. A clear example of this is in the story of Joseph, where the many sinful actions of Joseph’s brothers landed him enslaved in Egypt, yet he was still able to say that “you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen 50:20). Evil actions such as the brothers’ hatred of Joseph, their desire to kill him, and their selling him into slavery, ultimately were meant for a greater good by God. Later on in the verse we read that this purpose was “to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Even more than Joseph’s story, we see that God uses evil in the crucifixion of Christ, an event that ultimately leads to our salvation. Acts 2:23 says that Jesus was “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God [and] crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” The ultimate evil act, the murder of Jesus Christ, is also the most glorious event in all of history because of the divine providence of God in working out all things for His glory.

The most important thing that this means for us is that God has a purpose to everything that goes on in this world. Nothing is meaningless. When devastating news comes, when cancer strikes, when earthquakes kill thousands, or whenever we see evil in this world, we can rest on Gods promise in Romans 8:28: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” We can have hope in knowing that there is not one atom in this universe that is outside of God’s sovereign control. As John Piper says, “God doesn’t do things willy-nilly.” There is always a purpose to what He does and His ultimate purpose is the glorification of Himself, most beautifully seen through the gospel. Many want to argue that God can have no involvement in the evil things that happen in this world. “What kind of good God allows such horrors?” they ask. Well, consider the alternative. If God does not permit evil and use it for His glory, then there really isn’t any purpose in the countless atrocities that happen every day. So when a family member gets cancer we just have to call it bad luck, because God certainly couldn’t have any purpose in such a trial. This view of God is unbiblical and unhelpful in dealing with many counseling situations, as we will not be able to offer any sort of reason or purpose for someone’s suffering. Hard times will undoubtedly befall us, but we must confront them with a biblical worldview. Our understanding of the providence of God will help us respond to evil, knowing that God is working in our lives to conform us to the image of His Son. In this way we can have hope even in the darkest of hours.

“Why? No Really…Why?”

By Pastor Patrick Cho

As a fairly new parent, I am understanding more and more clearly that merely teaching my child to behave a certain way does not necessarily solve the problem of disobedience. If my child’s rebellion springs from her heart, then her heart needs to be addressed and not only her outward behavior. If the heart is not addressed, even if one behavioral problem is “corrected” another one is sure to arise. She will simply find some other way to manifest her rebellious attitude. I might get my child to come to sit still during dinner, but she might later deliberately throw her food to the floor in anger. The problem is that she is not learning to lovingly trust me in obedience, and her selfish heart is not being addressed. She is simply being taught that she will get in trouble with Papa if she doesn’t sit still.

The same fundamental principle applies to adults as well. Oftentimes people make decisions without ever considering if there is a biblical basis behind those decisions. Although they might profess that they seek to honor God with the decisions they make, when it actually comes time to make day to day decisions, God is not really on their minds. They don’t turn to the Scriptures to figure out how God might direct them. Instead, their decisions are made based solely on practicality, convenience, and ease. If it isn’t convenient for them, people don’t seem to care about pursuing the most God-glorifying decisions. They reason to themselves that there can be no other way. They look at their circumstances and conclude that their decision must be best. They fail to examine what are the real desires of their hearts.

Let me illustrate this with an issue that has been a fairly hot topic at Lighthouse in recent months. In my personal conversations, people have brought up the issue of daycare probably more than any other topic, so let’s think through it. For whatever reason, more and more parents are choosing to place their children in daycare instead of having Mom stay at home to raise her children. Regardless of what your position is on daycare, whether you think it’s ok or not, the issue I want to address is the reasoning behind the decision. Perhaps the couple looks at their financial situation and concludes that they need a second income. Perhaps the wife simply doesn’t want to stop working because of all the hard work she put into her career. Perhaps raising a child has proven to be too challenging and she simply needs a break during the day. Regardless of whether you conclude that these reasons are good or bad, the sad fact is that they are only based on practicality. There is no thought of “How does the Bible instruct us in this?” or “Is there a biblical principle that could help guide our decision making?”

The big question to consider is: What is the basis behind the decisions you make? Too often people are saying things like “That’s the way our parents did it, and we came out fine” or “All our friends are doing this and they go to church” or “I know of churches that have their own daycares and their pastors are ok with it” or even “You’re being legalistic to tell me I can’t” to justify their actions. What isn’t being considered is “Is this really what God would want me to do?” or “Is this the decision that would be most consistent with what His Word says?” or even “Am I really seeking to glorify Him in this decision or am I only looking to get what I want?”

I suppose this begs the question, does the Bible actually teach that all decisions are to be biblical? My answer is a resounding YES! Someone might argue, “Some decisions are too trivial to filter through a biblical framework.” To which I would apply, “Doesn’t the Bible instruct us to do all things to the glory of God – whether we eat or drink or whatever we do (1 Cor. 10:31)? Or doesn’t the Bible instruct women to dress modestly, not with gold or pearls or costly attire (1 Tim. 2:9)?” Certainly there are few things more mundane than what you eat or drink or wear. These are not the big life changing decisions we make, but the way we make them matters to God!

2 Timothy 3:16-17 speaks of the inerrancy, authority, and sufficiency of the Word of God. Through the wisdom given in God’s Word, the believer is given everything they need pertaining to life and godliness (cf. 2 Pet. 1:3). The psalmist praised the Scriptures for the comprehensive instruction it gives so that in it we are given all we need to live this life in a way that pleases God (cf. Ps. 119). To not go to the Scriptures is like saying, “Thanks God, but I think I can handle this on my own.”

Besides, there’s an undeniable correlation between the commands given in Ephesians 5:18 and Colossians 3:16. In the one passage, believers are commanded to be filled with the Spirit. In the other, we are called to let the word of Christ dwell in us richly. The relationship between these verses is such that at the very least there is an intimate relationship between being Spirit-filled and Word-filled, and at the very most these two ideas refer to the same thing. The greater issue is that these commands are present tense continual commands. There is no time in a person’s life that he should stop being filled with the Spirit. And there is no time when it is ok not to have the Word of Christ dwell in him richly. What true believer in Christ would ever say, “I don’t desire to live a Spirit-filled life.” So, in what decisions we make are we permitted to not consider the principles of God’s Word? Hopefully you are reading this and concluding: None!

What also needs to be pointed out is that you can even make seemingly good decisions without a biblical basis. (Remember the illustration of the child learning to behave a certain way without having the right reason for doing so.) Going back to the example of daycare, perhaps you do not believe in putting your child in daycare. Isn’t it possible (and certainly often the case) that the basis behind this decision is its practicality, as much as the reasons given by those who do put their children in daycare? Perhaps you reason “This is what would be best for my child” or “I just want to spend as much time with my kid as possible.” Again, biblical principles might not be in the picture at all.

One might reason, “But isn’t it enough that I am coming to the right kinds of decisions?” My response, this time, is a resounding NO! Why? Because while you might get one decision correct, if practicality is the sole basis for your decision, you might be starting to set a pattern for yourself for unwise decision making in the future. Sure, you got one decision right. Who’s to say you’ll get the next one right? So, the goal is not only to come to the right decision. The process of coming to that decision is just as (if not more because of precedence) important.

Again, the issue of daycare aside (regardless of whether you think it is permissible or not), what is the basis behind the decisions you make? In the end, what is the reason for pursuing your choices with as much commitment as you do? Here you need to be honest. You might fool those around you, but you can’t fool God. Could it be that there are simply some things we want in life so badly that we don’t even want God to get in the way of our getting them? We might mask our desires with external shows of holiness. We might reason, “But I prayed about it,” or “God has given me peace in this decision.” But if we really are not looking to His Word for the right principles to guide our decision making, how can we conclude that God is more pleased with our decisions or line of thinking?

Please understand that the purpose of this article is not to condemn daycare or to say that those who put their kids in daycare are evil. It is simply a challenge to consider why we make the choices we do. What drives us? What are our hearts’ desires? Do we have certain things in our lives that we want so badly that we are willing to make choices that might not be the best before God’s eyes? These are important questions to consider because you need to know that God cares not only about the decisions we make, but also about how we come to make those decisions.

Book Review: Persuasions – A Dream of Reason Meeting Unbelief

Book by Douglas Wilson

Review by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Becoming familiar with Pastor Douglas Wilson and his writing style has always given me a helpful dose of reality in living out the Christian life thoughtfully, and this book is no different. I’m already getting ahead of myself, but I know Pastor Wilson from reading a few of his books and his blog, and it has always left me challenged and encouraged to think afresh of commonly-tread truths gleaned from Scripture. Especially his recent engagements with well-known “anti-theist” (a self-designated title) Christopher Hitchens have shown Wilson to be a winsome communicator of Christian theism, despite your personal position regarding the existence of God.

For those taking the Introduction to Presuppositional Apologetics class at church, this would be helpful supplemental reading, one that weighs in at only 88 pages and is very easy to read. Similar to John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress, the main character’s name describes who he is: Evangelist. It is a collection of “case studies” of encounters Evangelist has with people of many different persuasions, drawing them to encounter the Great Persuasion of the claims of Christ. All set in a dream, it portrays, in very intriguing imagery, moments where this servant of God tries to point people to the upward Road that leads to the City, instead of choosing the one that leads to the Abyss. However many road signs are laid out for people to be warned of what’s ahead, God has many of His evangelists, like this one, to be God’s expression of love to those who are deceived into believing many lies that end up defining them. Though they have actual names, it does not take long to discover where they stand themselves. Each meet-up consists of roughly 7 pages, with conversations you would love to eavesdrop in.

One such encounter involves a man named Randy who is very much unashamed of being with many women throughout his life, and how he views Christians as people very ashamed of even discussing the topic. Listen in:

Randy: “Look, you religious types are all alike. You look down your noses at people having a good time, and you’re envious. You wish you could get a little action. But you can’t because of all your rules. So you cram your rules down our throats.”

Evangelist smiled and slowly shook his head. “I will not defend the rules; they are not mine to defend, they are God’s. He will apply and defend them adequately enough. As to your accusation of envy, I have only one thing to say. If I see a 400-pound man on the street, I do not envy him all the additional pleasure he has had at the dinner table. Nor do I envy you your time in bed.”

…

Randy’s laughter was increasingly nervous, and he had a hunted expression.

“I just couldn’t live like you do. I want to spend my time around pretty women.”

This time it was Evangelist’s turn to laugh, but there was no mockery in it. “Then why do you spend time with women who are not? My wife, Compassion, is a beautiful woman, and her beauty begins on the inside. I have never been ashamed of her. I would be very ashamed indeed to be involved with a woman who was willing to be used as a thing.” (p.13)

The exchanges Evangelist has with people show a familiarity of the Christian worldview, as well as a reflective mind in drawing conclusions with his interlocutors they might not necessarily want to embrace, even if it is a logical outflow of their own presuppositions. Interestingly enough, Pastor Wilson had noted in a later interview* that he was not aware of his approach in engaging unbelievers having a name (Presuppositional Apologetics), much less a developed system of thought started by Cornelius Van Til. To seek to be consistent with one’s assumptions about the world is to collapse into living an inconsistent life, unless one’s assumptions are that the God of Scripture exists as a Trinity and has spoken in a way we can understand, with a message that shatters all other messages void of truth. Evangelist’s job, ultimately, is to honor his Master by pointing those heading toward the Abyss to come and honor their Creator and come towards the City on the basis of Jesus the Christ who died to bring them to Himself. How he points many to this way is by reasoning with them to live accordingly to their unbelief, which is what cannot be done, nor do they want to, in outright defiance of the One who made them.

I’m sure many of us can find great help from this book, if we know anyone with these kinds of persuasions: one who pursues immorality, one who considers the law of God irrelevant, a feminist, an agnostic, an unbelieving scholar, an atheist, one against election, an unhappy married couple, one hurt by hypocrisy in the church, an anti-Lordship advocate, a pantheist, and evolutionist, and a Roman Catholic. Know anyone of these persuasions? Or do you yourself fit any of these persuasions? I found it to be of helpful assistance in drawing me closer to Christ, as well as give me a useful tool to be winsome in my speech, not just among unbelievers, but brothers and sisters in the church who have been saved out of these false systems of thought. If read, I believe you will also grow in tactful speech. May God be glorified as we continue to live our lives as servants willing to be out on the Road, pointing people to the way that leads to the City and away from the Abyss.

To listen to the interview this book and his most recent project Collision, please go here.

Church Plant Interviews – Pastor JR (part 1)

by Richard Shin

Since the announcement of the San Jose church plant in January 2009, there has been a deluge of questions raised towards the pastoral staff. The “Why” questions (“Why San Jose?”, “Why now?”, “Why you, Pastor John?”) have been beaten to death, and the questions asked here attempt to answer none of that. But as part of bringing 1 Timothy 5:17 and Hebrews 13:17 to life, here we make an attempt to understand and hopefully serve our pastors a little better.

I had the privilege of interviewing the three pastors regarding the church plant, and the ensuing transitions that are happening this year. But more than the factual details, I wanted to know how they felt and what they thought; I wanted to make this a little more personal. What you see is essentially verbatim how the interviews went, and the arrangement in order is simply chronological. You will see some overlap in questions, but the answers I got were very different, yet all aimed towards the glory of God and enjoyment of Him. It is my sincere hope that this would stir you to really understand and love our pastors.

The first one was with Pastor JR. As we met over some Flame Broiler meat bowls, we were able to talk about a variety of topics. As he shares his experience and his thoughts, the youth group (his “baby”, he calls it) and the future, you will get to see and understand different shades of JR you might not have known before. You’ll see his passion, his hopes, his fears, his love, and much more, all working intimately together for the glory of God. And still, I imagine this interview barely scratches the surface of who JR Cuevas is. Yet, I hope you are encouraged and stirred reading the interview as much as I was conducting it.

What will your role be at LBCSJ? What activities specifically (what books, seminary classes, Bible studies, etc.) are helping you towards fulfilling that role?

Well right now I’m on the administrative team (the A-Team) which is kind of like the leadership team. And everybody has their own role. I’m in the leadership team so I provide the overall structure under Pastor John. In seminary, I took a seminary class on church planting anticipating around this time, there would be a church plant. I mean everything I learned, I will put to use any way. I’m going to read some books on missions. The basic thing is getting my feet wet. There’s only so much you can do with reading books and stuff.

Pastor John was thinking about having me help out with the youth and children again. So one thing he had me do was two months ago he had me take over LKC because he wanted me to gain some experience. When any church starts, they’ll typically need a children’s ministry. That’s when the young families will come. The youth can sit with their parents. In terms of the youth, there’s Pastor John’s family. So, we’ll have at least two youth and one child. We’ll see what happens with Kathy and me. And then there’s Peter and Joyce. And you know… who knows?

More generally speaking, what have you been doing, or will be doing, to help you prepare yourself emotionally, physically, and spiritually for the church plant?

Spiritually, it’s a lot of prayer. I’ve been praying a long time for this. It’s not something I can say I’m spiritually ready for. I don’t have the mentality that says “I’m going to be great!” It’s not like I’m pessimistic, but I think I’m a little more sober. If anything, I’m pessimistic about my own abilities because every time I try to do something for the Lord, there has always been some resistance and a lot of trials involved. So I’m anticipating that. Spiritually, I’m just trying to stay close to God and make sure I’m walking intimately with Him. So quiet times and prayer, those things are key. I’m trying to encourage myself that it’s not what I’m capable of doing, but what He’s capable of doing through me.

And emotionally, I’m not trying to detach myself from San Diego, but really trying to keep my eyes on San Jose because it’s easy to become attached to the ministries here; it makes it harder to leave. I’m just trying to be mindful of San Jose.

Physically, I’m trying to get into shape. I used to work as a trainer a couple years ago so I’m kind of familiar with that. I’m setting a New Year resolution to do a triathlon in February and possibly a marathon in May. Because I figured, especially in the beginning, there’s going to be a lot of lifting. And I have a pretty weak upper body so I need to build up my strength. So I’m doing a lot of pushups and a lot of pull-ups and getting a lot of endurance so I don’t fall apart when I’m up there. Making sure the body’s in top condition. That’s what I got from Jim Elliot too. When he was a student, he took care of his body so he could minister. But the spiritual aspects, that’s the most important thing.

Are you scared?

Satan likes to attack strong leaders and strong families. Not that I’m afraid of him, but anticipating the struggles and the resistances. It’s going to be hard and demanding; I’ll probably lose a lot of sleep. It’s going to be hard on the family. It’s hard when there’s so much time being taken away, and you can’t have date nights every night. If anything it’ll be the opposite. So I’m anticipating a lot of struggles for Kathy and the strain that’s going to be put on her and the strain on me. There’s going to a lot of criticism from other people and the trials that are going to come because it’s not always a clean thing and when you try to do things right in pastoral ministry. People who are on board will be with you and those who are half hearted, they’ll criticize you. Even from well-meaning Christians. I’ve never planted a church but I know as long as I follow Christ, persecutions will come. When I went into ministry, I thought the same thing, that trials would come… and they did! So I’m anticipating that. Conflict in the team, that’s going to happen. That’s always stressful. I’m not hopeless; I’m just preparing myself for those things.

What has been a significant concern/challenge so far? Significant blessing (if different)?

There hasn’t been a lot practical development right now. So getting the team mobilized. Getting everyone passionate and getting the teams to develop good relationships. Scheduling has been difficult. When you’re in the A-Team, you have to take into consideration that others might not, and a lot of these things are beyond me. The scope and wisdom. So I’m learning a lot on the spot. So that’s been hard for me because practically it’s hard for me; I’ve never been an elder or anything that this position is called to do. Emotionally and spiritually it’s hard as I’m trying to trust God understanding the ramifications of a lot of these things like what they are and how to deal with them. So that’s been hard.

Significant blessing is just being with the team, just getting to know them. I have Kevin Chan in my accountability group so just getting to know him has been good. The A-Team guys, developing relationships with them. In the practical sense, nothing has happened, but just getting to know everyone has been a tremendous blessing. I’ve always been excited about church planting in spite of the many struggles that come with it. It’s something I always wanted to do. Even in my seminary application, I wrote I wanted to help Lighthouse carry out its vision. And the fact that I get to be part of it regardless of my role is really exciting and a huge blessing. And the fact that Kathy and I can be a part of it together, and the fact that we can work together. She’s been really supportive too. So that’s been good.

to be continued…

Editor’s Note: March 2010

by Stephen Rodgers

Well, March is now upon us, Beacon 3.0 has been running smoothly (except for the couple hours last week when I broke it during an upgrade; by the way, thanks Kyle!), and we’re all another month deeper into 2010. I don’t know about you, but the time just seems to fly by!

This month brings with it a few new changes to the Beacon. Personally, I’m super-excited about all of them, but just to highlight a few for you:

  • Garrett Glende has moved up to the San Jose area in preparation for the church plant, but that isn’t going to stop him from completing his Living Theology series (current motto: “about 14 done, only 44 more to go!”). I know that I’ve been enjoying it immensely, so please keep him in prayer, since he’s going to be juggling work, moving, and writing.
  • Cesar Vigil-Ruiz has joined the staff, and he has a desire to keep us all supplied with a near-endless stream of book reviews. I worked with Cesar years ago on the original Beacon, and let me tell you, this is going to be good stuff. So keep a weather eye.
  • And last but not least, Richard Shin has put together a series of interviews for the upcoming church plant that really are a must-read. His asks a lot of questions that expose a more personal side of the preparation, and getting to see these has been like an early Christmas for me. I think you’re going to enjoy them and well as be encouraged by them.

And as you might have figured out, these additions mean that we will be moving from a 4-times-a-week-schedule to a 5-times-a-week schedule. So unless something goes wrong, you will have new content every weekday.

Well, I hope that serves to whet your appetite for what’s coming. As always, if you have any questions, comments, or ideas, feel free to track me down at church, or send me an email.

Pro Rege