Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

He That Loveth Not Knoweth Not God

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

1 John 4:8

The distinguishing mark of a Christian is his confidence in the love of Christ, and the yielding of his affections to Christ in return. First, faith sets her seal upon the man by enabling the soul to say with the apostle, ‘Christ loved me and gave Himself for me.’ Then love gives the countersign, and stamps upon the heart gratitude and love to Jesus in return. ‘We love Him because He first loved us.’

In those grand old ages, which are the heroic period of the Christian religion, this double mark was clearly to be seen in all believers in Jesus; they were men who knew the love of Christ, and rested upon it as a man leaneth upon a staff whose trustiness he has tried. The love which they felt towards the Lord was not a quiet emotion which they hid within themselves in the secret chamber of their souls, and which they only spake of in their private assemblies when they met on the first day of the week, and sang hymns in honour of Christ Jesus the crucified, but it was a passion with them of such a vehement and all-consuming energy, that it was visible in all their actions, spoke in their common talk, and looked out of their eyes even in their commonest glances. Love to Jesus was a flame which fed upon the core and heart of their being; and, therefore, from its own force burned its way into the outer man, and shone there.

Zeal for the glory of King Jesus was the seal and mark of all genuine Christians. Because of their dependence upon Christ’s love they dared much, and because of their love to Christ they did much, and it is the same now. The children of God are ruled in their inmost powers by love-the love of Christ constraineth them; they rejoice that divine love is set upon them, they feel it shed abroad in their hearts by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto them, and then by force of gratitude they love the Saviour with a pure heart, fervently. My reader, do you love Him? Ere you sleep give an honest answer to a weighty question!

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Weekly Links (2/3/2017)

by Stephen Rodgers

Alright, so here we are with the free stuff post for February. This one should actually be a bit short.

  • Kingdom Woman by Tony Evans and Crystal Evans Hurst (free audio book) – I don’t know much about Tony Evans (or his daughter) aside from the fact that he’s a Dallas Seminary grad, and both John Piper and John MacArthur have said nice things about him. So there’s that.
  • Following Jesus: Biblical Reflections on Christian Discipleship by N.T. Wright (free Logos book) – So here’s the dilemma: Wright is a great scholar, but his books tend to be pretty inconsistent (I’m obviously not a big fan of NPP). The joke among theology nerds used to be that Wright was “good with Jesus, but bad with Paul,” but some of his more recent books dealing with the former have been controversial. I have no idea where this one in particular lands, but that’s the context that I do know.
  • Joy (February edition of Tabletalk) – Tabletalk is always good, so you definitely should check this one out. There you go: one unqualified endorsement.

Enjoy your reading!

How to Get the Most Out of Small Groups (Part 2)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Back in October, I wrote on the benefits of small group ministries and some possible reasons small groups might not have been as helpful as they could have been for you. Especially in a growing church, small groups can provide valuable opportunities for members to cultivate strong relationships with others. But there are other benefits as well. In an age where it seems there is a greater insistence upon “organic” relationships, a strong case can be made for small groups as a beneficial program of church ministry.

How can we make the most of those times together? How can we ensure that it will be time well spent? I have heard of some small group meetings running over four hours! While I’m sure the time together was enjoyable, most people cannot realistically commit that much time to it. Below are some ways you can help make the most of your small group’s time together and some principles of how you ought to be committed to them.

  1. Show up on time. This is not only a common courtesy but also a demonstration of spiritual character. Be considerate of others by coming on time. Consider it a healthy application of the Philippians 2 principle of looking after others’ interests before your own (Phil. 2:3-4). Additionally, the Bible calls Christians to be faithful to their word (cf. James 5:12). If you and your group have agreed to meet at a particular time, it is a matter of faithfulness to not make a habit of arriving late. Your small group wants to make the most of their time together, and waiting for you to show up doesn’t help the group achieve this goal.
  2. Finish your assignments. It is a general truth that you will benefit from small groups proportionate to the measure that you invest in them. If you are not taking time to work on assignments or complete reading with excellence (i.e., not rushing to finish assignments 30 minutes before the group begins), you are impeding the quality of the meeting. Not only will you not benefit much from the group, but the others also will not benefit from any thoughtful and prepared contributions from you.
  3. Pray for One Another. Sometimes so much time is given to sharing about each other’s lives that very little time is actually devoted to prayer. One way to correct this is to limit the time each person has to get the rest of the group caught up on their life. Try to focus the time on how the group can be praying for each other and then reserve adequate time to lift up these prayers to the Lord. Prayer is not only worship offered to God but can also be a great encouragement and blessing to each other. To further make times of prayer helpful, think through the Scriptures that apply to the things that have been shared and practice praying the Bible and echoing its principles and teaching.
  4. Study God’s Word Together. While the general purpose of small groups is usually accountability and prayer, they also provide a wonderful opportunity to study God’s Word together. There are various ways to do this including walking through a verse by verse study, watching good teaching videos together, listening to helpful sermons, or reading a trustworthy Christian book. As Christians we are called to speak truth to one another in love for the benefit of the body (Eph. 4:15). There may be no better way to do this than studying God’s truth together. An added benefit of studying together in a group is getting others’ perspectives and observations from the text that you yourself may have missed. The profit comes from drawing as much as you can from God’s Word.
  5. Provide Spiritual Support and Accountability. Most people become members of the church seeking greater accountability for their spiritual lives. I often tell our members that this accountability is most consistently provided through small group ministries. This is because small groups usually provide planned and periodic meeting times where members can look forward to gathering together. As various struggles and trials are shared or sins are confessed, the group can help the weaker brother by praying for him and offering helpful counsel and encouragement (cf. 1 Thess. 5:14). Since the group plans to meet regularly, follow up to any issues can be built into the small group program.
  6. Enjoy Each Other’s Company. Some of the strongest relationships in the church are built through small group. One of the reasons for this is that the expressed purpose of small groups is quality spiritual fellowship and not just “hanging out.” While time together talking about nothing in particular can be relaxing and enjoyable, true Christians benefit greatly from interaction over God’s Word and spiritual conversation. Hopefully in small groups you find a band of brothers or sisters that love you and genuinely care for your soul. Hopefully you find a group of true friends who will be there for you especially when you need support and help. Have fun with one another and seek to cultivate these relationships. Oftentimes the lifelong friendships that are enjoyed in the church originate in small groups. There have been many testimonies from people who were ultimately surprised at whom in the church they became close with because of small group ministry.

Because of these benefits and more, I generally encouraged people to be involved in small groups at Lighthouse. As often as our affinity groups offer them, I would suggest being part of them and not allowing work or school to crowd out time for them, if possible. I understand that there still may be some who don’t find small groups helpful for one reason or another, but small groups really can be wonderful contexts for discipleship and relationship building in the church.

The Lord Shut Him In

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Genesis 7:16

Noah was shut in away from all the world by the hand of divine love. The door of electing purpose interposes between us and the world which lieth in the wicked one. We are not of the world even as our Lord Jesus was not of the world. Into the sin, the gaiety, the pursuits of the multitude we cannot enter; we cannot play in the streets of Vanity Fair with the children of darkness, for our heavenly Father has shut us in.

  • Noah was shut in with his God. ‘Come thou into the ark,’ was the Lord’s invitation, by which He clearly showed that He Himself intended to dwell in the ark with His servant and his family. Thus all the chosen dwell in God and God in them. Happy people to be enclosed in the same circle which contains God in the Trinity of His persons, Father, Son, and Spirit. Let us never be inattentive to that gracious call, ‘Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee, and hide thyself as it were for a little moment until the indignation be overpast.’
  • Noah was so shut in that no evil could reach him. Floods did but lift him heavenward, and winds did but waft him on his way. Outside of the ark all was ruin, but inside all was rest and peace. Without Christ we perish, but in Christ Jesus there is perfect safety.
  • Noah was so shut in that he could not even desire to come out, and those who are in Christ Jesus are in Him for ever. They shall go no more out for ever, for eternal faithfulness has shut them in, and infernal malice cannot drag them out. The Prince of the house of David shutteth and no man openeth; and when once in the last days as Master of the house He shall rise up and shut the door, it will be in vain for mere professors to knock, and cry Lord, Lord open unto us, for that same door which shuts in the wise virgins will shut out the foolish for ever.

Lord, shut me in by Thy grace.

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Christian Readers Challenge 2017

by Pastor James Lee

12 BOOKS. 12 CATEGORIES. 12 MONTHS. Avid reader, slow reader, new reader, and everyone in between… all are welcomed! You’re invited to be excited… both to be encouraged and to encourage others as we take up this challenge together! It’s a corporate journey that we won’t regret. It will have us rejoicing along the path and at its end. As Frodo Baggins urged his friend Samwise-Gamgee in the adventure of moving forward, “And you will read things out of the Red Book, and keep alive the memory of the age that is gone, so that people will remember the Great Danger, and so love their beloved land all the more. And that will keep you as busy and as happy as anyone can be, as long as your part in the Story goes on. ‘Come now, ride with me!”

As a followup application to a past article on the “Positive Imprint of Formative Reading,” I wanted to invite anyone who might be interested, in what I believe, will be a mutually edifying exercise for cultivating our minds, feeding our souls, equipping our ministries, watering our joy, and exalting our Lord. The challenge, if you choose to accept, involves the reading of 12 books over 12 different categories over the next 12 months:

  1. January – A book on the “Attributes of God”
  2. February – A “Christian Biography”
  3. March – A book on “Christian Living”
  4. April – A book on “Prayer”
  5. May – A book about a “Current Issue”
  6. June – A book on “History” or “Church History”
  7. July – A book on “Evangelism” or “World Missions”
  8. August – A “Classic Novel”, “Detective Story”, or “Historical Fiction”
  9. September – A book promoting “Local Church Life”
  10. October – A book on “Apologetics”
  11. November – A book on a “Biblical Counseling Issue”
  12. December – A book on “Partnering with Our Pastors”

For example, it might look like the following sample list by the end of the year, whether in part or the whole, depending on each of our preferences, comfort level, and selections:

  1. January – The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer
  2. February – Spurgeon: A Biography by Arnold Dallimore
  3. March – Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung
  4. April – Prayer the Great Adventure by David Jeremiah
  5. May – They Say We Are Infidels: On the Run from ISIS with Persecuted Christians in the Middle East by Mindy Belz
  6. June – Sketches from Church History: An Illustrated Account of 20 Centuries of Christ’s Power by S.M. Houghton
  7. July – The Gospel & Personal Evangelism by Mark Dever
  8. August – Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
  9. September – The Hospitality Commands by Alexander Strauch
  10. October – Every Thought Captive: A Study Manual for the Defense of Christian Truth by Richard Pratt
  11. November – Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Edward Welch
  12. December –The Pastor’s Family by Brian & Cara Croft

To assist all of us in this fellowship that springs from engaging our minds and hearts, with good books, but especially The Book, our Bibles, with a view to honor Christ – Here are the guidelines for the challenge:

  • Choose from the list of each month’s recommended books, one from your own research, or from the advice of others. You may read one individually, or read the same book that month along with others for more enjoyment and accountability. It can be longer, shorter, introductory, intense, etc.
  • Challenge yourself, but discern what you can read. It’s OK to start out with shorter, easier works, especially if you’re not used to reading, or a more patient reader. Then only push yourself later.
  • Create a realistic plan or schedule for reading, whether daily, every other day, broken into parts, or in longer sittings weekly. Think about places, times, a favorite chair, a hot cup of tea, a buddy, etc. You might consider how many pages to read, including examining the book’s layout… for example, some books have short chapters, including ones that span about 30 sections – one for each day of month?
  • Commit to your reading plan! Don’t leave it to good intentions! Make a focused plan, or you won’t do it. Then keep it. And if you have to adjust along the way, do so to keep it going. Don’t give up!
  • Carry On if you fall behind or don’t finish a month’s category book. It’s up to you, whether you want to finish the book as you move along, but I suggest that you move forward. It’s best to finish what you start, but better not to stop your journey. Mark your place, then you can always come back to it later.
  • Commune with others about what you’re both reading and what you’re both learning, not to boast, but to bless. A Facebook Page has been set up with articles that I and others will post, and for people to make comments or encouragements, as well as a separate Facebook Group for folks to share brief quotes from their month’s reading, offer suggestions for books that were helpful and/or enjoyable, share about book sales or free books, and give encouragements, etc.
  • Celebrate any progress. It’s ultimately not about perfection, but direction. If you want to add more incentive, make a goal in which you can come together at a certain interval or at the end with others in your local church, to celebrate! For Lighthouse OC members, for those who have read at least 80 pages in each kind of category by December 31, 2017, you earn a special end-of-year meal invite!

Recommendations will be shared on our Facebook page as the year progresses, but you’re invited to ask pastors and fellow church members for suggested titles, as well as visit an online bookstore for help and reviews. But to start us off – Here are some possible ideas for January – “Attributes of God”

  • The Attributes of God by A.W. Pink (Baker, 128 pages)
  • The Knowledge of the Holy by A.W. Tozer (HarperOne, 128 pages)
  • Our Awesome God by John MacArthur (Crossway, 176 pages)
  • One Holy Passion: The Attributes of God by R.C. Sproul (out of print?)
  • Knowing God by J.I. Packer (IVP Press, 286 pages)
  • The Existence & Attributes of God by Stephen Charnock (Baker, 1152 pages)
  • Specific sections of “Theology Proper” inside a Systematic Theology volume (i.e. Wayne Grudem – pp.141-225, Louis Berkhof, Robert Culver, Millard Erickson, Gregg Allison, etc.)

Finding time to read can be difficult, depending on where we are and who we are. Nevertheless, we do have the time to read. Question is whether we will prioritize it by “putting off” in order to “put on”… by saying “no” to some things, in order to say “yes” to better things. Carl Honore once wrote, “We live in a world of scarce understanding and abundance of information. We complain that we never have any time, yet we seek distraction.” We can turn off the TV, we don’t have to participate in every extracurricular activity out there, we can stop web surfing, we can renew our minds. Spurgeon said, “The way to get a mind worth having is to get one stored with things worth keeping.” Apostle Paul commanded in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

May we stir one another up towards love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24-25), partly through a means of fellowship in sharing the blessings of reading good books in love of God and in love of people, to His joy and ours. As Dr. Albert Mohler recently encouraged, “Books are almost always read alone, but they are seldom truly enjoyed alone.” Happy reading, dear brothers and sisters.

Received Up Into Glory

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

1 Timothy 3:16

We have seen our well-beloved Lord in the days of His flesh, humiliated and sore vexed; for He was ‘despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.’ He whose brightness is as the morning, wore the sackcloth of sorrow as His daily dress: shame was His mantle, and reproach was His vesture. Yet now, inasmuch as He has triumphed over all the powers of darkness upon the bloody tree, our faith beholds our King returning with dyed garments from Edom, robed in the splendour of victory.

How glorious must He have been in the eyes of seraphs, when a cloud received Him out of mortal sight, and He ascended up to heaven! Now He wears the glory which He had with God or ever the earth was, and yet another glory above all-that which He has well earned in the fight against sin, death, and hell. As victor He wears the illustrious crown. Hark how the song swells high! It is a new and sweeter song: ‘Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, for He hath redeemed us unto God by His blood!’ He wears the glory of an Intercessor who can never fail, of a Prince who can never be defeated, of a Conqueror who has vanquished every foe, of a Lord who has the heart’s allegiance of every subject. Jesus wears all the glory which the pomp of heaven can bestow upon Him, which ten thousand times ten thousand angels can minister to Him.

You cannot with your utmost stretch of imagination conceive His exceeding greatness; yet there will be a further revelation of it when He shall descend from heaven in great power, with all the holy angels-‘Then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory.’ Oh, the splendour of that glory! It will ravish His people’s hearts. Nor is this the close, for eternity shall sound His praise, ‘Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever!’ Reader, if you would joy in Christ’s glory hereafter, He must be glorious in your sight now. Is He so?

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Weekly Links (1/20/2017)

by Stephen Rodgers

Ok, it’s  new year, so let’s go back to the old way of offering up free stuff. Less marketing blurbs, more editorial commentary. Here we go…

  • Living Forward by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy (free audio book) – This one seems a bit squishy in terms of content to me, at least from the description and the comments. But hey, it’s free if you want it.
  • Bulletin for Biblical Research, Vol 1 (free Logos book) – I don’t recognize all the names of the contributors to this, but there’s a few good ones if you want to roll the dice and are so incline.
  • Themelios 41.3 (free journal) – There’s actually a lot of good articles in this one. If you’ve never checked out Themelios before, you could do a lot worse than starting here.
  • Success (January Issue of Tabletalk ) – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If you only read one of the free resources that are featured here every month, make it Tabletalk.
  • Sola Scriptura (Credo Magazine) – I think Cesar featured this last month, but it’s worth offering up again for your consideration.
  • Healthy Churches Around the World (9Marks Journal) – Considering that missions applications should be appearing shortly, here’s something to get in a more international frame of mind.
  • ESV.org (free online Bible) – As part of their new site redesign (I am not a fan, since they reduced the number of simultaneous comparisons from “how high can you count?” to “2”), the folks at Crossway have made all their study content free through April 4th, so this might be a good change to test-drive some of the materials you’ve been eyeballing (if that applies to you). On the other hand, it’s not clear to me if their new “subscription model” is as anti-consumer as it seems; time will tell.

Ok, that’ll do for now. Happy reading!

Ambassadors for Christ

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

In 2 Corinthians 5:20, the apostle Paul sought to explain to the Corinthian church that as new creatures in Christ, God has not left us alone in what we are to tell those who are outside of the faith. He has delivered to us the message of reconciliation, and from here on out, are called ambassadors for Christ. This is the status of every believer who names the name of Christ as Lord. Recently, I had the opportunity to teach the youth how to grow as a faithful ambassador of Christ in three key areas. As they continue their studies in school, and live in a secular culture that has influenced what they learn and the worldview of their friends, it is crucial that their minds be renewed in the truth of Scripture. It is the lens by which we can view reality aright. Here are the three areas:

Knowledge: An Accurately Informed Mind

If you were enlisted to represent your native land in a foreign country as an ambassador, and knew nothing of your native land’s leadership, economy, language, geography, politics, history, would you be considered a good ambassador or a bad one? Obviously, we know the answer. Yet, in the area of Christian discipleship, the tendency for many believers is their inability to speak for their sovereign in evangelism, as well as communicate the character of their sovereign. Many who name Christ as Savior and Lord find themselves stumbling to tell others who it is they follow, or even to know what He has said concerning Himself in the Scriptures.

In order to be considered an ambassador of Christ, Scripture assumes we know the message of reconciliation, which is the message of the gospel. In order to understand that message, it requires that we know something about the two parties who are in conflict (God and man), the nature of the conflict (sin), and the good news that brings about reconciliation (Jesus Christ, the God-man sent by the Father to redeem man by His death on the cross and resurrection, demonstrating the acceptance of His life on earth as our justification). It also seems to include what God calls for every person in order for them to call the gospel ‘good news’ (faith and repentance).

This, in itself, requires knowledge about the Scriptures! Knowledge about God, His character and works, man and his rebellion, Christ, His character and works, the gospel, and the call of the gospel. We must get the gospel right, since it isn’t ours to edit, but to proclaim. Not only will this require knowing the message, but primarily knowing the One who gave us that message. It requires us to know God Himself!

Wisdom: An Artful Method

To continue the portrait of an ambassador, if one is fully aware of the culture and customs of their native land, but cannot communicate them in a language that foreigners can understand, would it make a difference how much you know? Certainly not. There is an awareness that an ambassador must have in order to be effective in fulfilling his/her duties. You must know how to express the knowledge you have in a way that is intelligible and persuasive to those you are speaking with.

As we are to communicate this message to those who don’t know God, we will come up against those who are either apathetic about the message, or entirely antagonistic at the message. These are roadblocks that can also be a setback for many who want to represent the King faithfully. Many times, in delivering the good news to unbelievers, there may be opposition that comes in the form of objections, many of which we may be unprepared to handle. Issues of morality concerning God’s actions in the Old Testament, atonement by way of crucifixion, perceived conflict between faith and science, and more come to the forefront of what one may raise.

Being able to drive the conversation to a deeper understanding of the Christian worldview must include drawing others to justify their own worldview in opposition to that of Scripture. This is most effective in terms of asking questions that will allow us to practice listening to those who do not accept the authority of Scripture. Asking the kinds of questions that get at knowing what others believe, why they believe it, and whether they have seriously considered the ramifications of their beliefs will advance the conversation in a wise fashion.

Character: An Attractive Manner

The final key to being an effective ambassador involves having the kind of character that will draw people to want to know what message you bring. If you know the message, and can direct the conversation in a way that will expose others to the message of the King, yet are brash in your attitude, with constant interruptions, would that interest a person in knowing what you have to say? Not at all. An ambassador must act consistent with the message that he/she intends to bring to those who need to hear it. Otherwise, the ambassador will be left to speak into the air, or to him or herself, and that’s just weird.

When we try to bring the gospel to others, our intention is to get it across to them, and yet believers have generally fallen into two errors: being so nice that nothing is said of the offense of the gospel, or being so offensive, that the gospel pales in comparison in terms of offense. Our growth as Christians must include the kind of character that commends the gospel, and point to the God we love and worship. To act contrary to His character distracts from seeing the truth, goodness, and beauty of the gospel.

Christlikeness is the Goal

Imagine if Jesus Christ, when speaking with the Pharisees, would not know how to answer their pointed questions concerning the intricacies of the Law. Or if, when speaking with Pontius Pilate, he cowered, neither confirming nor denying what was claimed about Him by the crowds. What if he was arrogant in His attitude towards the woman at the well for her sinful life, or brash in dismissing her as a Samaritan? Would this gain a hearing, or be consistent with the character of God? We all know the answer to that. If it wouldn’t be ok for Jesus to do this, why should it be ok with us?

As believers, we have the duty to get the gospel out to dying sinners unaware, or in complete denial, of their ultimate destination. Would we be so calloused as to ignore the darkness that surrounds us, while having the light of the gospel in our hearts and minds? Some have never seen it, or have been put off by the behavior of others to seriously give it consideration. If we truly seek to fulfill the Great Commission in response to the Great Commandment, our calling as ambassadors would be taken with utter seriousness and reverence for the One who called us to it.

As Christ modeled conversing with the knowledgeable leaders of His day, boldness in identifying who He is to those in authority, and compassion to those who were in need of grace, we too need to grow in these areas as a means of pursuing Christlikeness. These three areas are life pursuits of an effective ambassador for Christ, and I pray we all seek to glorify God in seeking His strength to model His character consistent with His message of reconciliation that He gave us. Let us never waver, no matter what age we are, in representing the King of kings and Lord of lords, all to the praise and honor of His holy name.

Author’s Note: I have been greatly helped by the ministry of Stand to Reason, who models this approach in every interaction. You can learn more about their Ambassador Model.

How Sonlight Serves My Soul

by Justin Lin

Sonlight is one of our church’s Children’s Ministries, and we serve the elementary aged children of the church. It has been a little more than a year since I applied to be a part of Sonlight ministry, and it has certainly been a joyful year. I remember praying to God for ways to serve in the church – a few weeks later, God answered my prayer. I went to a Members’ Meeting and heard the ministry coordinator ask if anyone was interested in serving in Sonlight. I had never thought I was particularly gifted, or even had a specific heart for children’s ministry. But I learned God doesn’t just ask you to serve where you are gifted, but he asks you to serve where He sees fit. He commands you to “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness,” (Matt 6:23), and will faithfully sanctify you through it. Here are a few of the ways God has blessed me and grown me through my time serving the children of the church –

Humility

“‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves therefore to God.” (James 4:6-7a)

As I joined the ministry, I quickly learned that children usually aren’t “adult / people-pleasers,” yet. I had been asked to lead the singing time for the children on the piano, and for my first week, I had prepared meticulously, listening to the soundtracks on YouTube from Sovereign Grace. I learned “To Be Like Jesus,” and “W-I-S-D-O-M,” and practiced throughout the week. When Sunday morning came, everything went as I had practiced, and as I closed the singing time in prayer, to my shame, I thought about giving myself a pat on the back for how well I thought things went. As quickly as that thought came, I was met with a chorus of multiple children yelling “Mr. Justin, you played that too slow! We always sing it FASTERRRR!” I was so offended – in my mind, I thought they didn’t know what they were talking about, that I played it how it was “supposed” to be played. But God caused me to realize that even in these innocent comments, my purpose was to direct hearts toward glorifying Him, not myself. There was always and will always be room for me to grow, and if I were to be counted faithful each week, I would need to grow in humility before God and these children each week.

Truth

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, or joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

Each week, one of the teachers will prepare a lesson from our curriculum, The Life of Christ. I’ve always been surprised at how these lessons are not only relevant for the children, but for the teachers as well. The truth of God does not change, whether you are a child or an adult – it is constant and always applies to your life. Just a couple weeks ago, we examined the different responses of the Pharisees, Judas, and Mary to Jesus Christ. In challenging the children to respond rightly to the Lordship of Christ, I was convicted to examine my own heart, and my response to Christ every day. When we teach lessons to the children, we strive to be doers of the words we teach, to submit to the word of God and grow in Christ-likeness. The lessons we teach in Sonlight are just as much for their souls as they are for us.

Love

“If you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matthew 5:46)

Many of the children in Sonlight are at the age when the “Sparklers’ cuteness” has somewhat faded, and the autonomous rebellion begins to shine. I learned that in their youth, they usually don’t thank you or give you the positive/polite feedback I’m used to hearing from adults. Thus, from a worldly perspective we have little or nothing to gain from them. However, true love and service expects nothing in return – as Dr. Street said, true love is not a “50-50 type of love.” The love we show these children should be a reflection of Christ’s love to us, that He loved us while we were in willful and sinful rebellion towards him. Our love for these children is nothing more than an extension of Christ’s love for us, a love that chooses to seek their good and benefit, no matter what they do or say towards us. It is a love of choice, that does not expect anything in return, and, Lord willing, if they are saved one day, I hope they can say that we showed love toward them. Serving in Sonlight helps us to practice Christ-like love.

I never expected to be blessed in these ways when I joined the Sonlight ministry, but God has been faithful to grow me in this time, in humility, truth, and love. During this time, I’ve seen that raising a child really takes the partnership of the church and family together to impress God’s truth upon young hearts in word and action. I pray that no matter how the demographic of our church may change in the years to come, that we would continue to be a church that loves the children of the church, and continues to help families to “bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord,” (Eph. 6:4). Praise God for our church, and all that he is doing in the lives of these children!