Author Archives: Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

MAN 2012

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Every year, LBC’s Singles Ministry has a special event marked for our Singles group, though specific to each gender. Going back to 2004, this tradition has been one that is of special delight to both the guys and gals of our church. MAN stands for “Men’s Appreciation Night,” which was the first event that began at Lighthouse, followed up the following year with LAN or “Ladies’ Appreciation Night.” Since being part of this church since late 2006, I’ve enjoyed many fruitful times of fellowship with the ladies of our church and seeing their hearts to serve the men. We also have had opportunities to serve the ladies specifically during LAN. This year finds us being blessed by the ladies once again by their hard work and dedication to show forth Christian love to the men in Singles.

Last night, we experienced again the joy it is to know and serve alongside ladies after God’s own heart, showing and exemplifying in their growing character the character of Christ in His love for His people. This year’s theme had a camp feel to it, called “Fishers of Men,” with decorations ranging from ‘logs’ on each table, to a large fish and a real fishing pole for pictures, to real tents across the sanctuary. The night began with food, which the ladies know is one of the best ways to a man’s heart (or so I’ve heard). Interspersed with the ladies, we got to catch up with them and enjoy each other in fellowship and friendship. Following that came an encouragement video, emphasizing the joy of being served by our ‘muscles’ and chivalry towards them, as well as the hilarious emceeing of Vicky Williams and Ally Liu throughout the entire night. There was music sung by our talented sisters, including a rendition of ‘Isn’t He Lovely’ redone with Christian content as well as a beautiful combination of some of our favorite songs.

The night easily demonstrated the love our sisters have for the men, and at least for me, was a great reminder for the guys to never tire of serving our sisters not just for their sake, but out of grateful and thankful hearts for what God did in sending Jesus Christ to serve by dying for our sakes. MAN again gives sisters an opportunity to show their appreciation to the God who saves and changes His boys to be men and grow to serve one another in all humility to show forth the humility that Christ demonstrated perfectly 2000 years ago.

It’s nights like these that always puts things in perspective: our call to be men of character, as well as the example that Christ has always been for us to follow. Self-denial for the sake of others is always our duty that must be done in joy for the one who has done more than we could ever ask or think. MAN, as well as LAN, has always been a tradition done not just for the sake of tradition, but a helpful and loving reminder to “outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10). This night perfectly captured what Paul encouraged the Christians in Rome to do: “[W]elcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). I pray we never tire of serving one another for the glory of God, and continually thank Him for the honor of serving with sisters that desire to please God with their lives of integrity and faithfulness to serve at the feet of Jesus.

Singles Christmas Party

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Every year, our church has had the opportunity of throwing a Christmas party for the Singles Group, and every year has been a great chance of fellowshipping with brothers and sisters before some head out of town to spend time with their families. This is never done for the sake of tradition, but to provide a night of encouragement, as well as good food, good times, and hilarious gift exchange.

This last Christmas party included a time from the Word by Pastor Patrick, where we could always remember why we celebrate together: the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on this earth. The reason we can celebrate anything, especially Christmas, is because the God of the universe acted in real time and real history to provide a way of salvation from sin by sending His eternal Son to take on flesh and dwell among His own creation. God initiated His own plan of saving sinners from being judged by His own holiness in judging His Son for our sins placed on Him.

Being reminded of this truth always helps set the stage for enjoying a night together with brothers and sisters of our church. We started off with food and a time hanging out together. We were asked to come wearing an ugly sweater, and the creativity of some obviously came out that night. There was a prize for the one with the ugliest sweater for both genders. There was also the usual gift exchange with a food theme. Gifts ranged from special teas and snacks to a pizookie-maker to an Italian cookbook (at least, I thought that was a creative gift). The rule was whatever gift you chose (or accidentally touched first), you could have. Whoever follows can either pick another gift from the pile of gifts in the middle of our seating circle or ‘steal’ another person’s gift. The one who would lose that gift has the same option, but during that round, a gift can be stolen one time, and never by another, until finally all the gifts are taken. Of course, hilarious moments come from this great game. My favorite gift happened to be things I would typically be found eating (of course, I will not repeat what they were, and that was the intention of the gift).

This night will always be a time where our church family can get together and be reminded that our union is in Christ and there is always a reason to celebrate in this side of heaven, because our greatest gift came wrapped in a Person, and He can never be stolen by anyone, but is always offered to anyone who will turn from their sins and follow the One who can save them from all their sins. Thank God we can always come with our ugliest sweaters, or our filthy rags, and be clothed in His righteousness alone when we come to Him trusting in His perfect life and work. May our thoughts never strive to give thanks that Jesus Christ is the greatest gift that anyone could ever possibly give to anyone else.

Singles Ministry: Launching Pad for Godly Growth

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

What’s New?

Coming back from a small break of meeting with College Life during the summer, the Singles began meeting on Wednesday nights instead of Friday nights. This has been a great switch from the pattern of Single Life for the past few years, when before, many of the post-college guys and gals usually come to get their hearts refreshed and their eyes refocused after a long workweek. The time of refreshing teaching had to wait until the end of the week, leading to multiple hours of work, continual study for graduate school, or the pursuit of a job in between. Coming to the middle of the week, many of the Singles can see each other sooner, and fellowship as brothers and sisters on the race to spiritual growth and maturity, keeping one another accountable as a whole group to stay spiritually-minded for the rest of the week.

Along with the new day of meeting, Single Life has new staff! Though we lost nine faithful members from staff for various reasons (we all miss you!), our God has continued to bring up workers of His grace to this ministry. Splitting into a Shepherding and Admin Staff, the dynamics now has a group that helps out with the planning of events in Single Life, while the Shepherding Staff helps out with the facilitation of small groups, seeing the necessity of one staff helping the other. On Admin staff, we have the privilege of servants Vic Allende, Jane Liou, Eugene Park, Janet Shih, Brian Song, and Herman Wang. On Shepherding Staff, we have the additional joy of Joseph Ho, Obadiah Lee, Jennifer Shih, and, with God’s humor, myself, to newly serve our brothers and sisters. With the wise oversight of our Pastor, Patrick Cho, he saw the need for a focused staff to exercise their gifts in specific ways within the ministry.

Lessons Learned

It’s been a personal joy for me to be a part of this affinity group, since I get to spend more time with brothers and sisters my age and grow alongside them. Having moved from Youth Staff to Singles Staff, I immediately saw the change in atmosphere and interaction among one another. Not saying one is better than the other, my time with the youth has given me a wider love to a group very much unlike myself in many ways. The youth, as well as the staff, have taught me and modeled for me a love that grows deep in a ministry with the specific goal of building one another up in love and good deeds. Now that I am with a group closer in age, I can now give of myself to other brothers and sisters and share the joy I had with the youth, all coming from the same Source of love: our bond in Christ.

Starting up where he left off, Pastor Patrick continued to preach on Colossians 3, specifically addressing the attitudes we need to “wear” in our relationships at church. I think I can safely say the preaching continues to refine our character to look more like that of Christ in every area of our lives. With each garment we put on (vv. 12-13), it becomes more and more heavy to wear, and yet the reminder is always that God in Christ has shown how to do this abundantly, and empowers us to put these clothes on. Each character trait must actively be evident in our walk under the umbrella of love (v. 14), forgiving one another as we pursue Christian character. I’ve taken this to be a divine diagnostic of my life, evaluating my heart according to Scripture and finding where I need to lean on the Lord for His power to change.

I also had the opportunity to preach on the issue of contentment, since discontentment seems to be the unwelcome guest in our hearts that we have a hard time kicking out. Looking at the life of Paul in Philippians 4:10-13, you get a glimpse of a man completely content in Christ—no matter what circumstance he finds himself in. When I find that Paul had to learn how to be content, it reminds me that even the apostle Paul didn’t get it the first time around. He had to grow in having this attitude of being satisfied with whatever the Lord gave him, since he saw everything, especially his hard life, as a gift from God that was made for his growth in devotion to Christ. Seeing that it is through the strength of Christ that empowers us to live content humbles me again in admitting my lack of perspective when I work or when I take tests in class.

It’s an exciting time of new starts and continual growth for our Singles Ministry, and I’m grateful to God that I get to see with my own eyes the hand of God at our church. To see Singles continue to grow in their understanding of Scripture and seeking to do what it says is a beautiful sight. These are men and women dedicated to honor God in the workplace, and the conversation continues to focus on how to glorify our Savior in specific ways and holding each other accountable.

We’ve now begun small groups, and I, along with the other staffers, have already seen the love that shines in our church through these times of sharpening and encouragement. We all look forward to serving the Singles and finding more ways to do so. There is also the upcoming Car Rally this Saturday, so it should be a fun and stimulating way of getting to know the area we live but also the people who walk alongside us in faith. Our Christmas Party is quickly approaching, where we always enjoy a special time to enjoy the giving hearts of our brothers and sisters (including the gift cards to In N Out).

Continue to pray for our hearts to seek biblical change consistent with our confession of the God who saves and redeems from the inside out. Pray for the Gospel to spread to more and more singles who are in need of God’s grace, and that this ministry will continue to be centered on the Word of God as it relates to this stage of life that God blesses us with.

Last Thoughts

Singles, we have a unique opportunity to bear witness of Christ in companies and classes where the light is dim but our God shines bright. Let’s take advantage of every opportunity to introduce our friends, family and co-workers the Creator of the universe, Jesus Christ. God supplies our every need; let us demonstrate our thankfulness to Him at our station in life: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (work, sharing Christ, loving each other), giving thanks to God our Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). Let us “exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).