by Pastor Mark Chin

Dr. Richard Mayhue defines ordination as “the biblical concept of God’s appointment of men to full-time ministry.” [1] He goes on to say that, “ordination is to church leadership as the bar exam is to the legal profession, the C.P.A. exam to accounting, or state board examinations to medical practice.” [2] This comparison serves to highlight a process whereby a man’s calling and qualification for full-time ministry are publicly affirmed by God and the local church, both its leaders and its members. It also serves to highlight how scary and taxing ordination can be, especially for those of you have written the bar or state board exam.

When I graduated from seminary, ordination was something I very much desired. And yet God graciously made me aware that it is something neither earned nor accomplished by men, but like all good things, it is a gift given entirely by God. God made very clear that if ordination was going to be a reality for me, it was something I would have to wait a long time for. God did this, in part, by withholding from me the opportunity to serve full-time in a local church for two years following my graduation from seminary. And when God finally did give me the opportunity to serve full-time at Lighthouse Bible Church San Jose, the first two years of full-time ministry provided little time for me to prepare for the ordination exam – a comprehensive 4-hour oral exam that was to cover my life, my seminary education, and the entirety of the Bible. Like most of the great things in my life, God made me wait.

When Pastor John gave me the ordination manual and Pastor Patrick sent me a list of theology topics I needed to know for the exam, one glance at both the manual and the list informed me that I would need some divine intervention to be remotely ready for the exam. I must confess, that many times, the only thing I looked forward to with regards to ordination was being finished with it. Frequently ordination loomed over my head like an insurmountable debt. To squeeze me a little more, God graciously raised up any number of church or family issues that made prepping for the exam nearly impossible. Over an extended period of time, being made aware of how little I could do yet how much needed to be done turned out to be a long and painfully nerve-wracking experience. The first week I finally was able to study for the exam, I could barely sleep – as my mind raced through the material, continually reminding me that there was not enough time to cover all the required material. The weeks prior to ordination involved 5am starts, study cards ad infinitum, and never ending quizzing by my wife that continually reminded me of how much a human being can forget. And yet, all of this was a wonderful gift from God.

Not only was I forced to be patient and to pray – a lot. I was forced to depend on the patience of others – the elders of LBCSJ, the LBC alliance pastors, my wife, my children, and the members of LBCSJ. I learned that one of the most precious gifts in this life is to see the beauty of God’s patience extended to us through other believers. Typically, this only happens when we are stretched beyond what we ourselves can handle. As the Lord brought me closer and closer to the ordination exam, He made me aware that ordination is an exercise of patience – first and foremost His patience for me. Paul in 1 Timothy 1:16 states: And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. The context of this statement is Paul’s testimony of having been put into service by Christ Jesus our Lord. In a sense, Paul, in 1 Tim. 1:12-17, is providing Timothy and us with the testimony of his ordination. And what he points to is not long hours of study, seminary training, service in the local church (all of which do play a valuable God-given role), but rather the amazing love, mercy, grace, and perfect patience that God demonstrates in the lives of sinners when He puts them in His service, doing so as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.

Pastors are not the only ones who are forced to wait patiently for the good things of God. Pastors are not the only ones who are called to serve full-time. In one sense, as children of God in Christ and members of His body, we are all called to serve Him full time as our King and Lord. And yet at the same time, we are all unworthy and unable to fulfill the task for which God has called us. Waiting for God’s grace can often be frightening, difficult, and painful. And yet, in all these things, God proves to be faithful to His Word, demonstrating in the lives of undeserving sinners, His perfect love, mercy, grace, and patience in Christ – not only for our benefit but also for the benefit of our fellow believers. For every true child of God, ordination is an exercise of His patience in Christ that is a wonderful and fruitful gift. May it be yours in the fullest.

[1] Richard Mayhue, “Chapter 8: Ordination to Pastoral Ministry” in Pastoral Ministry, edited by John MacArthur, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2005), 107.

[2] Ibid., 109-110.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

One of my fondest memories from attending Bible study in college was being a part of small groups. We were a group of about five young men coming together each week to pray for one another and grow in our understanding of God’s Word. I can hardly think of a better way to spend time with other believers. This is true in the church as well where small groups are one of its most helpful ministries. Whenever we have membership classes, I encourage our incoming members to take advantage of our small groups whenever possible.

Perhaps small groups have become such a familiar part of the church’s ministry that we take them for granted without really thinking through the great benefits they provide. Here are some reasons small groups might not be as helpful as they should:

1. You treat them more like a right than a privilege. Perhaps your attitude with small groups is to treat it too casually – attending whenever you want, participating whenever you want, but without really making much of a commitment to it. It would be good to remember that each person in your small group is also setting time aside for you, including your small group leader who presumably prepared well for your time together.
2. You don’t really know how to utilize that time. Perhaps you signed up for small groups without really knowing what to expect. It is helpful to know what small groups are for and why the church provides them. Once you know the purpose behind small groups, you can attend in a more informed way. Don’t just sign up for small groups because your friends do. Know what you are getting involved in.
3. You depend on them too much for your spiritual health. Small groups are a way to help provide spiritual support, but they are not a substitute for the cultivation of your own relationship and walk with the Lord by spending quality time in His Word and in prayer. Small groups are most effective when you come to them spiritually strong, ready to contribute and give rather than only take.
4. Your pride is getting in the way. This can manifest itself in a number of ways. Perhaps a fear of man is preventing you from opening up to others or asking for help. Maybe because of a spirit of elitism you don’t feel like others can really contribute to your spiritual growth. The truth is that we all need help. What might be helpful is to take a long, hard look at your own shortcomings and faults and to confess those things to the Lord. Yes, the people in your small group have issues, but so do you.

If you have a good understanding of what small groups are and what they are for, then being part of them can really be a rewarding experience. What are some of the benefits of participating in a small group?

1. Small groups provide a close setting in which to develop relationships with other people in the church. Especially as the church grows larger, it is going to become increasingly difficult (even impossible) to develop close relationships with everyone. It may become more difficult to get plugged in and find ways to begin relationships and fellowship with others. Small groups provide a good environment to enjoy these benefits. People in the church have testified frequently that some of their closest relationships were borne out of small groups.
2. Small groups allow for concentrated times of fellowship that are centered on spiritual truth. Oftentimes we spend time with other believers but in ways that are not essentially spiritual. We play games, watch movies, or enjoy the outdoors. But the purpose of small groups is to spend time together in a deliberately spiritual way – to pray with one another or study the Bible together. As such, small groups can be used by God to help you grow considerably in the faith.
3. Small groups offer members a specific environment to practice the “one anothers” of Scripture. Most of the “one another” commands in Scripture are given in the context of the church, and while they are generally applicable in any context, they certainly should be applied in the church. By being a part of a small group, you are placed in a context conducive to loving one another, serving one another, praying for one another, etc.
4. Small groups are a great place to cultivate and identify future leaders of the church. While this is not its primary purpose, because of its emphasis on accountability and spiritual growth, small group is a great place to see if there are any men and women in the church that exhibit spiritual maturity and consistency.

All of these principles are wonderful, but they still do not guarantee that your small group time will be a good one. Much of that depends on the effort you put into small groups. What you put in is likely to be directly proportionate to what you get out of it. How can you make the most of your small group time, and when your small group meets, how can you best make use of that time together? That will be the focus of the next article.

by Pastor James Lee

As a junior at UCLA, I read Roland Bainton’s classic biography on the life of Martin Luther. It affected me deeply, and it still does. My favorite entry describes April 1521 when a humble, yet fearful monk named Martin Luther when ordered to recant replied, “This touches God and His Word. This affects the salvation of souls. Of this Christ said, ‘He who denies me before men, him will I deny before my Father.’ To say too little or too much would be dangerous. I beg you, give me time to think it over.” Granted a clemency by the emperor, he was given one more day to think it over. With the anguish that only true integrity can bring, Luther famously responded the next day, as it has been passed down to us, to the command to recant by replying, “Unless I am convicted by Scripture and plain reason – I do not accept the authority of popes and councils, for they have contradicted each other – my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and I will not recant anything, for to go against my conscience is neither right nor safe. Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise. God help me. Amen.” What about us? Are our minds captive to the Word of God today? Is our response to our Lord’s will, promises, and commands, “Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise?”

Luther was a man of conviction! And because he was a man of conviction, he was also a man of great humility, passion, zeal, energy, and impact. Eric Liddell, whose story was told in the movie Chariots of Fire, was the real-life Scottish runner who distinguished himself by refusing to race on the Lord’s Day during the Olympics. He was a man of conviction. When the martyr Chrystodom was brought before the Roman emperor, the pontiff threatened him with banishment if he remained a Christian. Chrystodom replied, “Thou canst not banish me, for this world is my Father’s house.”“But I will slay thee,” said the emperor. “Nay, thou canst not,” said the noble champion of the faith, “for my life is hid with Christ in God.” “I will take thy treasures.” “Nay, but thou canst not, for my treasure is in heaven and my heart is there.” “But I will drive thee away from man, and thou shalt have no friend left.” “Nay, thou canst not, for I have a friend in heaven from whom thou canst not separate me. I defy thee, for there is nothing that thou canst do to hurt me.” These men held and lived the truths they proclaimed with deep personal conviction. They are the truths for which Christians would die. Conviction is what they had. Conviction was the difference.

Webster’s dictionary defines “conviction” as, “the state of being convinced; firm belief; convincing, as of a truth.” It’s been accurately said, “Men hold opinions, but convictions hold the man.” Dr. Alex Montoya said, “Convictions are spiritual instincts that drive us to action regardless of the circumstances.”

Are you and I, men or women, of conviction? Do we really believe, own, and obey what God’s Word says? How does the imminent return of Christ positively affect us? Is our identity joyfully grounded in Christ? Do we embrace our spiritual responsibility to disciple our children and remember His grace in that very role? Is the grid and lens in which we view our studies, our problems, our workplace, our weaknesses, and our churches in line with what we claim to hope for and who we profess to worship? What real convictions are functionally displayed by our testimonies as husbands, wives, in-laws, etc? How does our “wisdom” reflect the Lord’s revelation? Do we believe every false word, careless word, hurtful word is dangerous to the soul, and that every encouragement, kindness, and correction are wonderful opportunities to build up?

History is replete with examples of men and women, ordinary, weak, and sinful like you and me, who stood for what they believed, who were willing when called upon, to suffer unspeakable harm for their convictions, even to die for what they believed was pleasing to the Lord. God powerfully used them:

• The conviction of Joshua – “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)
• The conviction of restored Samson – “Let me die with the Philistines!” (Judges 16:30)
• The conviction of Ruth in relation to Naomi – “Thus may the Lord do to me, and worse, if anything but death parts you and me.” (Ruth 1:17)
• The conviction of Samuel – “Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord?… Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)
• The conviction of Nathan the prophet – who had to rebuke David even at the risk of execution, proclaiming, “You are the man!” (2 Sam 12:7)
• The conviction of Elijah, battling the prophets of Baal – “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21)
• The conviction of Esther – “… and if I perish, I perish.” (Esther 4:16)
• The conviction of Job even after great loss and Satan’s attacks – “Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10)
• The conviction of Daniel – “Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself” (Daniel 1:8)
• The conviction of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (or Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) in being thrown into the fiery furnace rather than bow down to an idol – “But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:18)
• The conviction of John the Baptist – “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7) and “It is not lawful for you to have her” (speaking to Herod about his incestuous marriage; Matthew 14:4)
• The conviction of the apostles – “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20) and later in Acts 5:29, “We must obey God rather than men.”
• The conviction of Stephen – “You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just what your fathers did.” (Acts 7:51) and later as he was being stoned by those he confronted, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” (Acts 7:60)
• The conviction of Paul – “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Phil 1:21)
• The conviction of John – “I… was on the island called Patmos, because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” (Rev 1:9)
• The conviction of Jesus – “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” (Luke 9:22)

These are godly examples for us, not just to admire from a distance, but for us to be encouraged by and live out in the allotment that God has assigned each of us. Conviction involves far more than the content of our belief, it involves the crucial question if we really believe what we claim to believe and if we really trust Him who is Faithful. Hebrews 12:1-3 exhorts us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.” Let us hear our Lord’s oft repeated and loving call, “Be strong and courageous!”