Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Scotland's First Martyr

by Moon Choi

With these last words, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,” Patrick Hamilton died at 24 years old and became Scotland’s first martyr for the Protestant movement.

Born in 1504, Hamilton came from an extremely privileged family. Through his family’s influence, Hamilton was appointed to an Augustinian monastery at the age of 13. Rather than staying in Scotland, he left to study at the University of Paris. It was there that Hamilton encountered Luther’s theology based off of Scripture and Erasmus’s writings and his publication of the Greek New Testament. After earning a Master’s Degree from Paris, Hamilton set out to the Louvain in Belgium which was renown for the study of Greek, Hebrew and Latin.

After his studies in Paris, the 19 year old Hamilton went to St. Andrews University as a graduate student and a teacher. St. Andrews at the time was the Roman Catholic stronghold, “the very Vatican of the church of Scotland” (Tjernagel, 2). Hamilton never stood out as sympathetic to the reformation as he followed all the typical rituals of worship.

In 1525, warning signs of the Reformation in Scotland could be seen. The government took quick action to ban the possession of any reformation literature and decreed warnings about the heresies that would inevitably reach the students at St. Andrews University. With his continental education and his knowledge of reformation theology, Hamilton “was now conclusively brought…to accept the theological and spiritual reform of Luther in preference to the moral and disciplinary reform of his former master, Erasmus” (Tjernagel, 3).

In 1527, Hamilton decided to study Lutheran theology himself and set out for Wittenberg, Germany. Hamilton was able to hear Luther and other religious leaders preach. On top of that, “he found the monasteries deserted, priests married, and the people singing Christian hymns.” (Tjernagel, 3) To add to his already impressive academic resume, that year, Hamilton was in the first class of the University of Marburg. In his class were the English reformers William Tyndale and John Frith. Hamilton, at this time wrote what came to be known as “Patrick’s Places,” a series of textbook exercises which simply pointed to the gospel.

After a term at Marburg, Hamilton, now 23 years old, felt equipped to evangelize at home. He first converted the members of his family. Then he preached to the surrounding towns and countryside, even to the neighboring parish.

As Hamilton was tirelessly preaching the gospel, the Archbishop, Beaton, became aware of his activities. Beaton was in a bind as Hamilton was preaching heresy but was also from an influential family. Beaton bided his time, letting Hamilton continue preaching so that future charges could be indicted. Though pitted against the Hamilton family’s reputation, Beaton decided that Hamilton was to be put to death. Hamilton’s brother, Sir James Hamilton, came to know about his brother’s situation and mustered up a defensive force for his brother. He did not arrive in time. Hamilton, with thorough knowledge of his plight, came to the cathedral to be interrogated. He stood firm in his convictions. Beaton soon learned of Sir James Hamilton’s plans and had Patrick Hamilton kidnapped in the night. He accelerated Hamilton’s trial and had him successfully charged for heresy. That winter morning, Patrick Hamilton was burned from noon until six.

Hamilton was not the only one to fall as a martyr on Beaton’s watch. Eighteen years after his death, George Wishart was also burned. An outraged public violently protested and Beaton was also killed. During the course of his ministry, Wishart encountered a young man, John Knox, who would later become a French galley slave, then a pastor in England and chaplain to the young Kind Edward VI.

Hamilton’s life is remarkable in his pursuit of the knowledge of Scripture. He spent eleven years developing an esteemed academic career in four different countries, seeking to know the pure Word of God. His courage in light of his immediate plight is remarkably mature for someone of his age but one cannot help but realize that it is only natural that after becoming intimately acquainted with the Word, that he would not tremble before man but fearlessly serve his Lord Jesus Christ. (Tjernagel, Neelak S. Patrick Hamilton: Precursor of the Reformation in Scotland. Diss.)

Kent and Romi Hong

by Jennifer Shin

How did they meet?

Kent and Romi were first introduced to each other at a BBQ that a mutual friend (Kent’s co-worker at his previous company and a fellow member at the church Romi attended prior to coming to LBC) was hosting. Romi stated that she and Kent didn’t get to talk because the guys went outside to play poker while the ladies stayed inside the house.

Romi enjoys watching and playing tennis so Kent bought tickets to the Acura Classic Cup for the week after the BBQ and invited her to go with him. There, they were able to get to know each other. The two dated for about six months and were married another six months later on July 29, 2005.

Challenges as a Married Couple

Even during the few years that they’ve been married, both Kent and Romi agree that one of the challenges they constantly face is communication.

Another challenge that they face together is being purposeful in growing spiritually and taking concrete steps in respect to that.

“It goes beyond doing disciplines,” Kent said.

Blessings as a Married Couple

Kent replied that though he knew Romi to be a strong Christian, it’s been a blessing for him to watch her grow.

Romi said that it’s a blessing to have a partner who knows your flaws but still loves and accepts you. She said that it’s not about trying to change the other person. Rather, there is someone who is coaching and encouraging you. She said that it’s a blessing to be with each other. They pray that they can encourage and bless others at church and their family members, placing their focus on others and not on themselves.

Fun Facts

Quirks that they notice about each other:

Romi – Kent takes longer than her to get ready; spontaneous dancing and puts on dancing shows

Kent – Everything always has to be put in Ziplocs.

Favorite Foods

Romi – Seafood, Gummy Bears

Kent – PB on Toast, Ice Cream

Favorite Verses

Kent – 1 Corinthians 10:31

Romi – Philippians 3:8

One Word That Describes the Other Person

Kent about Romi – Giving

Romi about Kent – Trustworthy

John Yang

by Kevin Au

So I’m sure most people already know you are a college student at UCSD. What are you studying?

My major officially is Molecular Bio, but I’m following the track for Human Bio. I initially came in as Bioengineering. It was one of those subjects that I really liked in high school, and I figured, since I was coming to UCSD, I might as well do Bio. I made the switch to Human Biology because I know that being in Bio E wouldn’t really help my GPA, might as well just do Human Bio because it’s more applicable in going to Med School anyways.

Has Med School always been your ambition?

Always? No, I’m still not really completely sure. There are a lot of things you can do with a degree in medicine, and considering other fields like business or law, I felt like I would be less in a position of moral compromise with medicine…Plus, I have Asian parents, you know?

Yeah, I figured…Any siblings?

Yeah, I have 2 brothers. One, my older brother is 3 years older in Med School on the East Coast. My younger brother is going into his second year at UC Davis.

Ah, I see. So where are you from?

Its kinda complicated. I was born in New Jersey, then moved to Taiwan when I was five, then back to New Jersey when I was twelve, then back to Taiwan. I finished my junior and senior years of high school in San Jose, and came to San Diego for college.

Wow, so is Taiwanese your first language?

I actually don’t know Taiwanese. My first languages were concurrently Mandarin and English. I also have more recently been learning Japanese. Taking a class helps. I would really like to study abroad in Japan, but I just don’t really have the time. It wouldn’t help me fulfill my major, it wouldn’t help my grades; it would be just for language.

I think you should go. Anyways, what about your hobbies? What do you enjoy doing?

Well, back when I had a life….Video games, anime, manga, board games. I still keep up with manga, I don’t play video games because I don’t have a TV, anime takes too much time. I stopped mostly because I need to study.

So how has God been teaching you lately?

I have been learning much in terms of trusting God with my future, and having faith that God is in control. I had always known it in my head, but as things have gotten difficult, it has really forced me to re-evaluate what I stand for. He was able to strengthen me in terms of my place in His plan. Different circumstances and books have taught me and stressed the importance of humility, godly character, and God-centered focus.

Awesome. So how did you end up here at Lighthouse anyways?

Some people from my home church have come to Lighthouse. When I first got here, Cindy Tsau offered to take me and some friends to visit different churches, and at the end we stuck with Lighthouse. I decided to stay because of Pastor John’s sermons. They were very different from what I’ve heard, and maybe more than anything else, my curiosity kept me coming back.

How long have you been a Christian?

I’d say I became a Christian sometime between the second half of my first year and the first half of my second year. That’s when I really came to an understanding of the gospel. I was baptized in high school, but I really want to be baptized again. I put it off for a while because I was unsure of my salvation, but after I really understood the gospel, and was assured that Jesus is Lord, things got busier, but I don’t want to put it off much longer.

Cool, so tell me something interesting or weird about yourself that not a whole lot of people know.

Umm…well, when I was in 3rd grade I was skating down a hill. I fell, face planted, and ground my teeth into the asphalt. So a portion of my front two teeth are fake (smiles).

Sung Bae

by Grace Wu

Collegians at LBC already know how difficult it is to be a full-time student. But what about adding full-time work on top of it? Singles Ministry member Sung Bae experiences firsthand the incredible time crunch under which he orders his daily activities.

Also known as “Mr. Megabyte” around LBC for his expertise in fixing computers, Sung is originally from Torrance, CA. He graduated from UCLA in 2004 majoring in Computer Science. Currently, he works at Kyocera as a phone engineer and is also an MBA student at University of San Diego at the same time. His usual schedule starts with waking up at 9 a.m., arriving at work at 10 and getting off at 5. From work, he heads straight to USD and attends class until 9 p.m. At around 10 p.m., he finally has time to sit down and spend time with the Lord in his quiet times. At home, his time is spent usually fixing a computer, playing video games, or improving somebody’s resume.

According to his housemate Ji Lee, Sung is the “tech guy” of the Diane house. However, Sung does have other responsibilities other than fixing computers and setting up networks. As a graduate student, academics are also an important part of his schedule. Taking advantage of the late hours, Sung can also be found at his favorite study spot— on the second floor of Geisel Library at UCSD until closing time at 2 a.m.

“[The second floor is] where it’s the noisiest. Noisy environments help me concentrate and studying with other LBCers definitely keeps me going,” Sung stated.

Studying, working, classes, and everything in between—how does Sung manage it all within 24 hours?

“I don’t know how I juggle both,” Sung stated. “There are numerous days where I wake up and contemplate how I’m going to get to the end. I know without God I would fall apart.”

As someone who works and goes to school, is easy to view classes with a dreadful attitude and think of it as just another obstacle to overcome during the day after a long day of work is over. However, for Sung, it is important to keep a good attitude about class. “While I’m at work I can look forward to class. If anything, the fact that I get to listen to a good lecture keeps me going,” Sung stated. Being a student is also an opportunity to shine the light in the classroom. According to Sung, the MBA culture and environment is very focused on success and wealth. Classmates usually ask one another what field of study they want to go into, and the questions and comments that circulate are “Why do you want to do that? It doesn’t make that much money.”

“It sounds silly, but it’s hard to not be caught up in that,” Sung said. As a Christian at USD, which is a private Catholic school, Sung is the minority there with only a handful of fellow Christian classmates with him. A large portion of his classmates is either Catholic or atheist that have a mentality of pursuing wealth.

“I deal with it by choosing not to participate in those conversations. My way of shining the light at school is to uphold my integrity with my classmates. Also, knowing that I can be judged at any moment of being Christian, I have to be prepared to make the right decisions and more importantly to watch what I say.” Outside the classroom and into the church doors, Sung is in training to shine the light at LBC as well. Pastor Steve is currently coaching Sung and preparing him for teaching preschool. “As much as I like playing with kids, I want to put it to better use. Rather than chasing them in the parking lot, I want to put it into something more meaningful,” Sung said. Even though Sung’s schedule where he needs to study and work simultaneously would be considered as too busy, he does not use that as an excuse to not serve in church. It is a challenge to not complain, but he does not use those excuses to not attend church activities.

“Anyone can say that they’re busy, but just manage your time better and take responsibility,” Sung said.

Don't Fail History, Again!

by Pastor John Kim

History. The one class that most people slept through in junior high, high school, and college. Unless you were a history major (what kind of job could you get with a history major?), history seems like it’s not really of much use when it comes to real life. Or does it? I think that for many people, what is sadly missing is a heart for history that seeks to learn from those who have walked before us. As King Solomon of old wrote in Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” The lessons that we face today are the same lessons that all had to be faced before. The problem is that we underestimate the importance of gleaning from the lives of those who have succeeded in life as well as those who have failed.

Romans 15:4 says: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

The Scriptures are full of historical instruction that we can and must learn from today if we are to live to the glory of God. For example, we see that many times the nation of Israel, though given explicit instruction, failed to heed God’s Word and as a result suffered the consequences of disobedience. We wonder today at the problems that many face, not realizing that at the heart of many of these problems is an active disobedience to God’s instruction.

If you look at your life, do you realize that you are not alone in the struggles you wrestle with? Many have gone before you and many will still come after you and those struggles remain the same.

Some might say that the Bible is out-dated and should be cast aside in light of today’s more “enlightened” thinking free from its modernist trappings and limitations. But the Bible is not simply a modernist manifesto. It is the Word of God that was written and inspired by God to teach, reprove, correct, and train us to be sufficiently equipped to do the good work that God has called us to.

We need to study history, and more specifically, biblical history. We need to learn the lessons of those who have walked before us. Consider the lesson Adam and Eve had to learn in disobeying God in the garden. Recall the example of Joseph in fleeing the temptations of Potiphar’s wife or in forgiving his spiteful brothers. Remember the cycles of idolatry and deliverance during the times of the Judges. Take a long, hard look at the rebellion of King Saul in offering an incomplete sacrifice, the lust of King David with Bathsheba, and the foolishness of King Solomon taking 1000 women to bed. Learn from the short-sightedness of the disciples as they so often failed to see Jesus for who He really was. Excavate the lessons the early church had to learn as they grew and faced persecution in the book of Acts. Take a magnifying glass to the lives of the hall of faith in Hebrews 11 and see how, despite their shortcomings, they were recognized for trusting in the Lord. The Scriptures are replete with historical lessons to be learned.

We can also learn from those in church history who have applied the biblical truths. The Reformation produced such stalwarts as Martin Luther, John Knox, John Calvin and others. The English Reformation shines brightly with the Marian Martyrs. The Great Awakening presents such faithful servants as George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley, and Jonathan Edwards who were used powerfully by God for the sake of the gospel. There is much treasure to be found in the Puritans, such as John Owen, Thomas Watson, Richard Sibbes and a multitude of others who applied the Scriptures with such diligence. The great missionary stories of Hudson Taylor, David Livingston, William Carey, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael and a host of unsung heroes that many never heard of do much to inspire and challenge us today to continue the work of the Great Commission. Read about courageous preachers like Charles Spurgeon, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and even our contemporary leaders such as John MacArthur, John Piper, and R.C. Sproul who have challenged the church to remember biblical and church history in light of our postmodern age. They give so much for us to gather from that we would be foolish to ignore the history of all that God is unfolding to us, both from the past as well as in the present.

Read the Scriptures and be instructed from the historical lessons that God has so graciously given to us to learn. Read church history and biographies of godly men and women who have walked before us. Learn from their successes as well as their failures. You will not regret the time that is invested in such a worthy pursuit.

Editor's Note: September 2007

by Steven Hong

The days are getting shorter, as fall is just around the corner. For some, it means breaking out the new pens and binders for the brand new school year. For others, it means waking up a little earlier to cope with the back-to-school traffic on the way to work. Here at Lighthouse, the beginning of the new school year is always an exciting time, as we commonly welcome an influx of new visitors, many of them being bright-eyed freshmen. Let’s remember to be shining witnessees for Christ, considering how we may serve our brothers and sisters as they adjust to the “hardships” of San Diego.

Elders Retreat

by Pastor Patrick Cho

To all you faithful “Shine the Light” readers (yes, all four of you!), please be in prayer for the church leadership this next week as the elders take some time on a planning retreat to think through some significant issues regarding the church ministry. We all appreciate LBC’s love and commitment to the ministry here in San Diego, and we are especially thankful to those who faithfully and regularly pray for the leadership. I love Lighthouse!

The Next Generation

by Pastor John Kim

As Jenna just started 10th grade today at Torrey Pines, it caused me to think a little bit about the future as I realized that she is only 3 years away from college. Kara is now in 7th grade, Alyssa is in 3rd grade (both are homeschooled by Angela), and even Olivia is now on a schedule with room time, coloring time (she really enjoys drawing), and of course nap time. The years seem to be just shooting by and before you know it, they will be getting married and then having children of their own. As my own parents get older and face the challenges that come with the latter stages of life, it has challenged me to think about what I am doing to prepare the next generation that follows my own.

My big complaint while working in the Korean American church scene was that it seemed like the first generation did not do much to really disciple and mentor the second generation in the Christian life. They seemed to put a lot of time and energy into making a lot of money and building large church buildings but not a lot of time seemed to go into raising their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. As a result, I look at the second generation (which is my own) really having become a product of this worldly culture, pursuing worldly success and prosperity, but at the cost of their spiritual lives. It’s no surprise that many are finding that with all the success and prosperity comes the realization that something is missing. So many are coming back to church, bringing their children in hopes that they will receive some kind of spiritual upbringing that they themselve missed growing up.

The reason I share this is that even though I am a pastor, it still is a challenge to invest even in my own kids when it comes to spiritual things. It’s easy to discuss their academics, their athletic participation, their extra-curricular activities, and even their church involvement, but when it comes to interacting over their individual spiritual development, it does seem easier to leave it to other people. It should not be so. While other people can definitely help in a secondary manner, the primary responsibility of spiritual development lies on the shoulders of the parents. We cannot afford to allow the early years of their childhood to slip by and realize later that we should have spent more time with them. This is a regret that too many parents make too late in life and there is no way to rewind or start over.

But we can start now. As parents, we can take each day as an opportunity to invest in our children. It doesn’t have to be anything too big. Even if it’s a short conversation, a brief devotional with the family, a time of singing, or even to just share what you learned at church, every little bit counts.

If you don’t have children yet, whether as singles or even as married couples, you can prepare now by being spiritually disciplined so that when God does grant you children, you have a foundation to build on. Don’t underestimate the preparation you invest in your own life. You will only be able to offer what you have and if you don’t have much when the time calls for it, it will be difficult to catch up. So your own personal spiritual growth is really not just for your own sake, but it is for the sake of the next generation.

Even if God does not grant you biological children of your own, you can invest your life into others spiritually so that they would be like spiritual children that you would disciple so that they can be equipped to grow. This is why the Titus 2 principle of older men/women training the younger men/women is so crucial, especially in the life of the church. There are many who don’t have Christian parents and so they have never received spiritual teaching from home. So the church becomes their “family” and the older saints need to really invest in them as the next generation to follow.

Lighthouse is steadily growing and I hope that the numerical growth is not all that we care for. Spiritual growth in growing deeper in our understanding and application of God’s word is what we really need to see increase in all our lives and I would like to really challenge you all to have a view toward the future as you seek to grow today.

Models of Morality?

by Pastor Patrick Cho

I find it kind of amusing that more and more entertainers, whether movie actors or singers, are speaking out against the government and speaking up for various moral issues. Since when did these celebrities become our spokespeople and models of morality? I overheard a song on the radio by the singer Pink entitled, “Dear Mr. President.” The lyrics of the song basically question the president and call him out on various issues such as war, homelessness, and homosexuality. The accusation is that the president arrogantly has things all wrong and that everyone else can quite clearly see what he can’t. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the president’s policies and actions, the question that came to my mind was, “Is Pink really the best spokesperson to speak out on issues of morality?”

I understand that celebrities have their public platform and can use that platform to speak out when they are upset at the president or the government. I appreciate that we live in a country where its citizens can speak out against the president without threat of persecution. I also understand that people are entitled to their own opinions on political and moral issues. I just wonder if people give much credence to consistency. A lot of people overlook that these celebrities seem to pick and choose when morality is a big deal. It seems that even though their personal lives might be disasters morally, the general public accepts what they say when they hold the government accountable for its actions. I’m not saying they are all this way. I’m not even saying that everything they are saying is out to lunch. I just find it amusing that some of these celebrities point the finger at another person and say that he should be ashamed of himself.

Let’s Just Call God "Allah"?

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Did anyone else catch this article on msn.com? There is a Dutch bishop named Tiny Muskens who wants people of all faiths to call God, “Allah.” He says, “Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? . . . What does God care what we call him? It is our problem.” Certainly the bishop’s remark has sparked controversy in the Netherlands. People have been commenting in local newspapers about their disagreement with Muskens’s view. On the flipside, the article introduces politician Geert Wilders who is a staunch, hateful anti-Muslim. He recently called for a nationwide ban on the Koran, likening the book to Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

It is probable that Muskens’s appeal to refer to God as “Allah” was in response to Wilders’s anti-Muslim comments. As much as the gesture was probably well-intentioned in wanting to promote more religious tolerance and understanding, one cannot help but wonder why the bishop is so content with compromising the name of God. It is hard to believe that even a Catholic could justify associating God with the false claims of Islam. Muskens has apparently already demonstrated a history of finding practical solutions to societal problems at the expense of biblical truth advocating that it is justifiable for hungry people to steal. When you sacrifice biblical truth for practicality, you can justify just about anything. Certainly it is not wrong to address societal issues, but to respond to societal problems with blatant disregard for biblical principles is flagrant compromise.