Author Archives: Stephen Rodgers

Weekly Links (8/7/2015)

“I simply argue that the cross be raised again at the centre of the market place as well as on the steeple of the Church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles; but on a cross between two thieves; on a town garbage heap; at the crossroad of politics so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew and in Latin and in Greek…And at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died, and that is what He died about. And that is where Christ’s men ought to be and what Church people ought to be about.” (George Macleod)

by Stephen Rodgers

Well, after a month on hiatus here we go again! And is our custom, the first WL of the month is given over to alerting you to some free resources to help you profitably spend your time for the rest of the month…

  • The free resource from christianaudio.com this month is Rosaria Butterfield’s The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert which is really, Really, REALLY good. You should imbibe this book…read it, listen to it, absorb it…whatever works. It’s…as the kids say these days…stupid good…which means it’s actually very smart. And good.
  • Logos’ free resource this month is the Paideia Commentaries on the New Testament: Acts. I’m afraid I don’t know too much about this one, but there it is.
  • The August edition of Tabletalk is out, and it deals with the topic of “Persecution.” On top of it always being an excellent resource, this month, Ligonier is making it free in every digital form imaginable, so you are without excuse (unless you only read printed material, in which case you probably don’t read the Beacon).

So, that address the new and recurring stuff, but let’s take a look at two other resources for you:

That’s it. See you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Sow Bountifully

by Haiqiao Lin

Like it or not, money is a big part of our lives today. Every day, we are bombarded with advertisements telling us how to spend money. At the same time, we are reminded that we need to use our money wisely and save for retirement. As Christians, we are additionally concerned with giving away some of our money. Despite the weekly reminder during the offering time at church, I find that I often have a distorted view of giving that is influenced more by the world than by the Bible. So I am thankful that in the Singles Ministry, we recently had the opportunity to hear a very practical message about this important topic. We have been going through 2 Corinthians in our Wednesday night Bible studies. In the 9th Chapter of the book, the Apostle Paul addresses topic of money to the Corinthian church. In the first part of the chapter, he commends the Corinthians for their promise of a generous donation. Then, in the second part of the chapter (verses 6-15), he gives a brief discourse on the theology of giving. Alex Ko’s message entitled “Sow Bountifully” outlined 5 blessings we can reap from giving generously, based on this passage:

  1. We receive love from God. Verse 7 says that “God loves a cheerful giver.” We don’t often read in the Bible that God loves us based on something that we do. So when we see it put this plainly, we ought to pay attention!
  2. We receive generosity from God. We read in verse 10-11, “he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.” When we give generously, God promises to supply us everything that we need. There is an emphasis here on spiritual blessings; sowing righteous works will result in reaping an “increased harvest of righteousness”. However, God may also bless us with material prosperity so that we in turn would be able to give even more generously
  3. We give glory to God. Verses 12-13 read, “for the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God… they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from your confession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others.” Our generous giving brings glory to God in two ways. First, we supply the needs of other believers, which causes them to give thanks to God. Secondly, our giving demonstrates our obedience to the gospel of Christ, which causes other believers to glorify God for the transformation he has worked in our lives.
  4. We gain friends from God. Verse 14 continues, “they long for you and pray for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you.” Even though we should not give with the expectation of being repaid (Luke 6:34), we learn here that one of the blessings of generosity is that we gain friends who will pray for us and fellowship with us. This is a far greater reward than financial repayment!
  5. We grow in likeness to God. The chapter concludes with verse 15: “thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” We are reminded here that the ultimate reason for us to give generously is because God first demonstrated great generosity to us by providing salvation through Jesus Christ. In the previous chapter, Paul makes this connection explicitly: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Through the act of giving, we have the opportunity to demonstrate Christlike behavior in a very practical way.

In addition to describing the benefits, Paul also explains what generous giving looks like: “each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” From this single verse we can learn 5 different aspects of generous giving:

  1. It is a decision. We should not limit ourselves to reactive giving (i.e. in response to a sudden or urgent need) or occasional giving (i.e. when we happen to remember or are “in a giving mood”). On the contrary, generous giving involves deliberate, purposeful planning.
  2. It is decided in the heart. Giving should be determined privately, between a person and God. We shouldn’t determine our giving based on social expectations or comparison to others.
  3. It is not done grudgingly. While Paul certainly expects Christians to give, he makes it clear that giving is a privilege that we should participate in joyfully, not an obligation that we perform reluctantly.
  4. It is not done under compulsion. While giving a tithe was expected out of the Israelites under the Mosaic law, it is never commanded in the New Testament. Paul’s instructions here should be understood as a fulfillment of that Old Testament law. God doesn’t need our money to accomplish his will.
  5. It is done cheerfully. Note that Paul doesn’t say that God loves a “sacrificial” or “big” giver. I’ve heard it suggested that we should give until it hurts, or until our giving has a noticeable impact on how we spend the rest of our money. This might be helpful advice for some people. However, I think Paul’s words here imply that we should not only consider how our giving affects us financially, but also how it affects us emotionally!

These instructions make it clear that while the practical aspects of giving are important (e.g. how much and to whom we give), the attitude behind our giving is even more important. This is consistent with what we know about God’s character, that while man looks at outward appearances, God looks at the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). As someone who often finds it difficult to be generous with my money, this is an uncomfortable teaching. It means I can’t truly become more generous simply by trying harder and giving more. However, the good news is that because of the gospel, true internal change can and does happen in the lives of believers! I pray that this biblical teaching on the blessings of giving generously will help me to not only truly desire to become more generous, but to work hard at it, knowing that it is really the Holy Spirit which empowers such change in my life. I’m really grateful for the solid teaching that we receive at LBC, and I look forward to the remainder of the series and the continued chances to learn and fellowship with the other members!

Theology and Practice of Corporate Worship (Part 2)

Editor’s Note: This article is part 2 of an ongoing series by Pastor Jim Kang on corporate worship. Click the following link to find the previous article: part 1. 

by Pastor Jim Kang

Who should worship God?

The answer: all of God’s creations!

But there is a problem. In fact, a big problem. Presently all creation is tainted with sin and experience the consequence of sin. This is what Paul means in Romans 8:22, “For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.”

This is doubly true of man. The whole mankind is presently experiencing the consequence of sin, such as, either sinning to fellow man or others are sinning against him. Most of all, due to sin man is in the state of rebellion against God and refuses to submit to God’s authority and his rulership. As a result, man worships not his creator, but himself. If not, he worships someone else or something else.

It is true that we are created to worship God and to enjoy God. That is the implication from Genesis 1 and 2 before the fall. But something happened in Genesis 3, namely man chose to disobey and sin against God. So, what hinders us presently to worship God is the natural disposition of our sin. As a result, God is not the sole object of our worth, passion, affections, prize, priority, treasure, but now God is replaced with something else, someone else, or our self. That is why, at this very moment, if you are not worshiping the true and the living God, it is inevitable that you are either worshiping yourself, someone else, or something else. Everyone worships. But the question is, who do you worship?

If it is not God, it is your career. It could be material things. It could be relationship. For some they worship their parents. For some they worship their children or grandchildren. So the key question is, who do you worship? Or what do you worship? To whom or to what do you place your passion, affection, and priority?

The answer to that question has consequence. And its consequence is a matter of life and death. Perhaps nothing is more clearly stated by God than what he said in Deuteronomy 30:15-20. Certainly the consequence is not only true in the OT with the people of Israel, but also with us.

In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, who is God talking to? He isn’t talking to pagans! He isn’t talking to individuals who worship other gods, who worship their own ideologies, other people or things. Rather, God is talking to a particular group of people that he chose to redeem from the evil tyranny. God is talking to a particular group of people that he chose to redeem from their own self destruction and ultimately from God himself. Hence, God is giving this command to choose life to a particular group, namely the redeemed community. The implication is, even with God’s redeemed group, not everyone chooses life or chooses to worship God alone. This command carries a twofold purpose: 1) to encourage those who are walking in obedience to God to continue in their perseverance, and 2) to warn those who are not walking in the light. And this command still stands today.

So, the answer to who should worship God is God’s redeemed people. In fact, only God’s redeemed and spiritually regenerate people can worship God because the people who are not born-again are not bent to worship God naturally.

“But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.” (1 Corinthians 2:14)

So, all you saints of the Lord, come let us worship and bow down to our creator and redeemer.

July Hiatus (2015)

by Stephen Rodgers

As we’ve done in years past, we’ll be taking a brief hiatus for the month of July. In case anyone is curious as to the reasons behind that, in no particular order they are:

  • This is a time where a number of our members who support the Beacon directly and indirectly are unavailable: many collegians are out of town, summer mission team members are out of the country, etc.
  • This is a time where we like to give our pastors, elders, and ministry coordinators a little bit of a break from writing articles. Some use it to catch up, others to get ahead, but they really do appreciate a few weeks off. And this year, some of them are also out on the mission field.
  • Last but not least, this gives us on the Beacon staff an opportunity to update, upgrade, and generally tweak some of the code under the hood, without the fear that we’ll inadvertently bring the site down and prevent you from receiving fresh content. (We just inadvertently bring down the site and prevent you from receiving any content whatsoever…just kidding…mostly).

In the meantime, I’d encourage you to take the opportunity to explore and catch up on some past articles you may have missed.  Here’s a few of my favorites:

That’s it for now. See you in August!

Pro Rege

These All Died In Faith

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Hebrews 11:13

Behold the epitaph of all those blessed saints who fell asleep before the coming of our Lord! It matters nothing how else they died, whether of old age, or by violent means; this one point, in which they all agree, is the most worthy of record, ‘they all died in faith.’ In faith they lived-it was their comfort, their guide, their motive and their support; and in the same spiritual grace they died, ending their life-song in the sweet strain in which they had so long continued. They did not die resting in the flesh or upon their own attainments; they made no advance from their first way of acceptance with God, but held to the way of faith to the end. Faith is as precious to die by as to live by.

Dying in faith has distinct reference to the past. They believed the promises which had gone before, and were assured that their sins were blotted out through the mercy of God. Dying in faith has to do with the present. These saints were confident of their acceptance with God, they enjoyed the beams of His love, and rested in His faithfulness. Dying in faith looks into the future. They fell asleep, affirming that the Messiah would surely come, and that when He would in the last days appear upon the earth, they would rise from their graves to behold Him. To them the pains of death were but the birth-pangs of a better state.

Take courage, my soul, as thou readest this epitaph. Thy course, through grace, is one of faith, and sight seldom cheers thee; this has also been the pathway of the brightest and the best. Faith was the orbit in which these stars of the first magnitude moved all the time of their shining here; and happy art thou that it is thine. Look anew to-night to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith, and thank Him for giving thee like precious faith with souls now in glory.

5.2p

SWOT Analysis

Editor’s Note: This article highlights the main points of Roger’s last sermon as the College Life coordinator. You can listen to the full message here. 

by Roger Alcaraz

The end of the school year presents us an opportunity to consider this past year as it relates to College Life and evaluate what we did well or not well and then to consider the years ahead of us. To do so, I’ll be using SWOT analysis, which stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. And while I could see myself writing endlessly, I’ve chosen only to highlight one area from each category. This evaluation will be of the ministry as a whole, so don’t be upset if you feel like it doesn’t describe you as an individual.

Strength: A Deep Love for God and People

Now this is the part of the article where I just brag about you, so just sit back and get ready to have your ears tickled as I shower you with praise. In short, I am glad that if there is any strength in this ministry, it’s in the area of love because it follows the two greatest commands in scripture.

If you’re a member here you should be able to guess where I’m turning for this one, but in Matthew 22:37-40, Jesus teaches that every command in Scripture falls under the umbrellas of loving God or loving your neighbor as yourself. Furthermore, one verb connects the two commands: to love. If all of the commands we’ve been given came down to one word, that word would be “Love!”

We have a Facebook group that I get excited about because what was originally intended to be a place where people socialize, College Life has redeemed it into a place where people volunteer to serve others. There are people offering others rides. People cooking for others. When new people post that they want to get to know others, they get 10 responses immediately. I remember one time I posted that my wife and I would be on campus and asked if anyone would be willing to buy us dinner. I was so confident that someone was going to buy us dinner that we left our house before even getting a response. And not to our surprise, we were fed that night by a generous collegian.

But it’s more than caring for each other’s spiritual needs: you care for one another’s souls. I love hearing of all the events that the students organize on their own to have a time of prayer and accountability with one another, and how there’s a real intention to build each other up whenever possible. This is something I hope continues and maybe it’ll take on different forms but I hope the heart behind it stays the same.

Weakness: Integration with the Rest of the Church

Titus 2 talks about older men and older women of the church and how they are to lead by example and instruct those who are younger. I got to wondering, what was the age gap between these old men and women and the young ones?

We can’t say with absolute precision, but the word use for older men and women is presbetes which literally means “one who is advanced in years.” So these aren’t just men and women who are older, but these are people who are innately old, apart from any reference point. Thus, these are presumably men and women who are much older, especially since the “young women” in verse 4 are said to have a husband and children. I don’t think I (as a 27 year-old) would have been lumped into the older men category.

Yet the paradigm for ministry in the church is that older, and presumably more mature, teaches the younger. It’s not enough to learn from someone who is ahead in the race by a few steps. You need to learn from the one who’s laps ahead of you.

Collegians always have questions about dating and you get the opinion of other collegians, but why not talk to people who’ve been through it, and have already considered the necessary principles, and can also tell you of the trials and temptations that lie ahead of you? I know it’s your desire to be integrated with the rest of the church because every time we have an event where an opportunity arises to go to another member’s home, you jump at the chance. But what I don’t want to see is you needing an organized program in order to get you to do it.

What I want to see is you building relationships with those older in the church so that you could learn from them and also be able to serve them. Even if you don’t know them yet, get to know them. Some ways to do this may be taking them out for a meal, spending an afternoon with them, or conversing with them after church service.

Opportunity: Newcomers

In Romans 16:1-2, Paul writes about someone who was transferring to the church of Rome and gives instruction concerning this newcomer. The first is that they welcome her in a way worthy of the saints. This means as newcomers arrive, you ought to receive them as you would your own brother or sister so that they can instantly feel loved.

And not only that, Paul instructed the church to help this newcomer in whatever need they had. What we don’t see is a waiting period in the church for a fellow believer to be included and cared for. This is something I see you all doing well which is why it’s in the opportunity section. But it’s something that you’re going to have to keep doing because there will always be someone new to extend love to.

Even if they’re not a believer, love still has to be extended. If there is one primary reason why people stop coming to church, I would say it’s because they don’t feel loved when they come in. And some of the blame might be on them if they avoid people and don’t give others much of a chance to love them. But all the more, you need to be watchful over that because that is an opportunity to help someone be part of the flock of God.

Threat: People Falling through the Cracks

It used to be that if there were someone missing from College Life, it was easily noticeable. It’s gotten a lot harder since then because the group is bigger than ever. And I suspect the problem will only get worse.

I remember one time I came to Bible study late. This was while I was in college and I thought nobody would notice. After all, what’s one guy missing? I snuck in after Bible study, but then someone noticed I wasn’t there the whole time and asked me, “Where were you?”

The truth was that I didn’t want to be at church. Even as a believer, there were times when I was deeply grieved by my own sin and circumstances, and I didn’t feel like faking a smile.

There can be a sense that if you attend Lighthouse, you have to be doing well, otherwise you’re in the wrong place. And so people put up walls, and they put on a face to make it look like everything’s okay. For some people, they leave Lighthouse because they’re hurting, and when they come to church, the pain only worsens because they feel they have to hide their struggles. Instead of feeling like church is a like a hospital for the broken, they see church as wax museum of happy faces.

The danger for us is that College Life will be a place where the broken and hurting feel they don’t belong. As the ministry grows, it’s going to be harder to detect who’s hurting. My final encouragement to you is to be intentional in your relationships so that no one falls through the cracks.

The Paradox of Trials and Testing

by Pastor Mark Chin

Sometime during the latter half of the first century AD, decades after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Apostle Peter, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote a letter to encourage and advise Christians who were suffering increasing persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. That letter is the Epistle of 1 Peter and it has much to say about testing and trials.

In the opening section of this letter, Peter presents one of the great realities of the Christian life. Contrary to the heresy of many alleged Christians and prosperity gospel proponents who sell the lie that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the ticket to your best life now, the Apostle Peter affirms the reality that the new life in Christ is frequently (one might add characteristically) beset by trials, tests, and suffering in this world.

Furthermore, those trials, tests, and suffering bring genuine distress, grief, and pain even as noted in 1:6 “you have been distressed by various trials …”

Yet how often are we shocked or disappointed when a believer we know suffers under trial, openly expressing grief and distress? How often are we surprised or upset when the test God has sovereignly placed in our lives is hard? How often do the questions rush through our head, “Why is this happening to me?” “Why is this so hard?”

The lies we battle with, of course, are that somehow if I’m a good Christian or have enough faith, I should be exempt from suffering, pain, loneliness, and adversity. And if trials do come, somehow the Gospel should allow me to float through those trials as if I was numbed out on Valium or Percocet – not having to feel any distress, grief, or pain.

Peter, in his letter, offers no such lies to those Christians who are suffering increasing persecution in the early church. What he does is put our trials and distress in a Gospel perspective. Though trials and distress are real, even as they were for Christ on the cross, they are temporary, not eternal. They are part of God’s sovereign plan of love for our lives. Unlike the trials and distress of unbelievers, for the child of God, trials are accompanied by a supernatural joy. I do not say replaced – but accompanied. This is the paradox of the cross – the paradox of the Christian life – sorrow accompanied by joy.

What is the source of that joy? It is the revelation of God’s gift of grace – genuine faith. Peter in 1:7 informs us that testing by God reveals in the true child of God undeniable proof of genuine faith – a faith more precious than gold, a faith which will result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Loneliness, pain, discomfort, hardship – no one wants or longs for these things. But as people begin to see evidence of a love for Christ and the fruit of the Spirit in the face of such things – the proof and assurance of a genuine faith in Christ will bring us joy and will cause all those who are watching to marvel at the grace of God in our lives.

I Pray Not That Thou Shouldst Take Them Out Of The World

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

John 17:15

It is a sweet and blessed event which will occur to all believers in God’s own time-the going home to be with Jesus. In a few more years the Lord’s soldiers, who are now fighting ‘the good fight of faith’ will have done with conflict, and have entered into the joy of their Lord. But although Christ prays that His people may eventually be with Him where He is, He does not ask that they may be taken at once away from this world to heaven. He wishes them to stay here.

Yet how frequently does the wearied pilgrim put up the prayer, ‘O that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away and be at rest;’ but Christ does not pray like that, He leaves us in His Father’s hands, until, like shocks of corn fully ripe, we shall each be gathered into our Master’s garner. Jesus does not plead for our instant removal by death, for to abide in the flesh is needful for others if not profitable for ourselves. He asks that we may be kept from evil, but He never asks for us to be admitted to the inheritance in glory till we are of full age. Christians often want to die when they have any trouble. Ask them why, and they tell you, ‘Because we would be with the Lord.’ We fear it is not so much because they are longing to be with the Lord, as because they desire to get rid of their troubles; else they would feel the same wish to die at other times when not under the pressure of trial. They want to go home, not so much for the Saviour’s company, as to be at rest.

Now it is quite right to desire to depart if we can do it in the same spirit that Paul did, because to be with Christ is far better, but the wish to escape from trouble is a selfish one. Rather let your care and wish be to glorify God by your life here as long as He pleases, even though it be in the midst of toil, and conflict, and suffering, and leave Him to say when ‘it is enough.’

5.2a

Lumos Update: New Ministry Coordinator – Johnny Kim

by Josh Liu

There are some major changes taking place at Lighthouse. We hope that these prospective transitions will further improve our effectiveness and faithfulness in ministry. One such transition is that Johnny Kim will become the Lumos youth ministry coordinator. I am personally excited for Johnny to lead Lumos. I have asked him to answer a few questions so that you can get a head start on getting to know him!

Describe yourself and your family (e.g. occupation, ministry, etc.).

I was born and raised in San Diego by Christian parents and attended church my entire life. I went to college in Arizona where I graduated with an aerospace engineering degree, then came back to San Diego where I have been ever since. I am married to my lovely wife Mimi and together we have two boys, Matthew and Philip. By day, I work as an aerospace engineer, but in the evenings and on the weekends, I spend my time ministering to my family and to the church. I currently serve as an elder in the church and most recently had the privilege of leading the Single Life Ministry. I became a member at Lighthouse in 2007 and ever since then, I have been continually blessed to be part of a God-fearing, Bible-believing church family.

How did God save you?

God saved me through a gradual process by which He revealed to me the truth of the Gospel through faithful Christian parents and through the church. While growing up, I had plenty of opportunities to witness my parents demonstrate what it meant to live a Christian life by the way they sacrificed for one another, our family, and by the way they served the church. In church, I had the opportunity to learn more about God and His Word through Sunday School and later on in youth group. After several youth group messages, bible studies, and retreats, it was sometime in early high school that I realized that the Holy Spirit was gradually changing my heart to desire to live for Christ. One day I just realized that I had an overwhelming desire to submit my entire life to Him. While I can’t pinpoint an exact time or moment for my conversion, it was during my time in youth group that I remember being able to feel and know the assurance and certainty of my salvation.

How did you meet Mimi?

Mimi attended the same church that I attended prior to coming to Lighthouse. Long story short, we started dating when she started college in 2005. Four years later, she received a diploma from her school and an engagement ring from me and we were married in the Fall. Today, I am constantly reminded of God’s grace through a forgiving, understanding, and sacrificial wife in Mimi. I am extremely grateful and blessed to have found a partner and best friend in her for life and for ministry.

What are your favorite hobbies?

My favorite hobbies include spending time with people, pretending to like playing sports, and eating the cheapest and most filling food I can get my hands on.

If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?

Initially, I am tempted to say that I would want the power to fly. But upon further consideration, I realize that would probably be a waste. In 20 years or so, flying cars could very well become mainstream and then I would look like a fool, flying around with my super power while everyone else around me is flying around in the comfort of their flying cars. Kind of like if you saw someone today running down the middle of the freeway in the midst of speeding cars. Anyway, I would probably just give up flying and just give in and eventually buy myself a flying car so I could finally fly around with air conditioning, heating, and cupholders. And whenever I get stuck in sky traffic, I’m sure I’ll be daydreaming and wishing I had the super power of teleportation. So yeah, never mind about flying. I would want to have the super power of teleportation.

Describe your youth ministry serving experience.

After I graduated high school and left for college, I had the opportunity during summer breaks to come back and help serve on staff for the youth ministry at my previous church. Even though it was just for the summer, I enjoyed spending the short time investing in youth and being a source of encouragement and guidance for them. After I graduated college, I was finally able to join the youth staff year round. As a single working adult with time and now money, serving in the youth ministry seemed to be a perfect fit. I enjoyed simply spending time with youth, treating them to meals, and listening to the things going on in their life. It was rewarding being able to witness youth turning their lives over to Christ and also humbling to be used by God to help them understand what it meant to submit to Christ’s lordship. In the end, it was a joy to be able to serve the same youth ministry that had been such an important instrument that God used for my own life.

What was your favorite memory/experience from your own youth group?

My favorite memory/experience from when I was in youth group were the times when I would spend all day at church together with my youth group friends. There were many Saturdays and Sundays, and even some weekdays during the summer, when we would just hang out at church from morning until evening. It seemed at the time that it really didn’t matter for us what there was to do or what event was going on at church so long as we were together. The close relationships that we shared made for much more meaningful experiences when we would hear the Gospel together, learn the Bible together, and serve on missions together.

What are you most excited for in serving in Lumos?

I am most excited to be able to come alongside parents to help shepherd and disciple their youth age children. I am excited at the prospect that I might have the chance to see up close their hearts turning away from the world and toward Christ. I am also excited to be playing even the smallest role in helping to establish and strengthen a youth ministry that God-willing my own children will be a part of someday!

LBC SPARK – June 17, 2015

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBC family and friends,

It’s been a little while since the last SPARK, and much has happened in the life of the church! Our students have finished another year of school and we recently celebrated with our middle school, high school, college, and grad school graduates! Lots of babies are being born (so many that it has been difficult to keep up)! On Sundays, we finally wrapped up chapter 1 of Titus! With summer coming around, the affinity groups are slowly winding down, Sunday school classes are taking a break, flocks have ended, and the summer missions team is getting ready to depart. It is an exciting time of the year and there is much to communicate, so please read through the opportunities for ministry below carefully.

On a completely different note, don’t forget that this Sunday is Father’s Day! If possible, please take some time to appreciate your father this weekend by writing a note of encouragement or making a phone call. Also, don’t forget about all the dads (physical or spiritual) in the church that care for our souls!

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

  1. Midweek Bible Studies. Grace Life, College Life, Lumos and LKC are done for this term, but the singles Bible study will meet on Wednesday at 6:30pm tomorrow (6/17) and next week (6/24).
  2. Youth/College/Singles Bible Study. Beginning on Friday, June 26, the youth, college, and singles will have a combined Bible study for the summer on Fridays at 7pm.
  3. VBS. Please pray for our upcoming Vacation Bible School! This is going to be a great time of fun and learning for our kids. VBS dates are June 22-26.
  4. Lumos Grad Night. Please come out this Saturday, June 20, at 5:30pm for our youth ministry’s grad night. The entire church is invited to celebrate the lives of our youth and recognize those who have completed middle and high school. Let’s show our youth our support and love them by fellowshipping with them. The cost is only $5/person (children 0-12 are free). You can RSVP with Cesar Vigil-Ruiz.
  5. Czech Missions. Our summer missions team will be heading to the Czech Republic from July 1-18. Please be in prayer for the team as they finish up preparations and fund raising. If you are planning to give to the team, please make checks out to “Lighthouse Bible Church” and submit payments by this weekend if possible. We are trying to finalize plans and it would be greatly helpful to have all our support in by then.
  6. Pastors Fellowship. On June 23-26, the pastors of LBCOC and LBCLA and their families will be coming to San Diego for a time of fellowship and refreshment. It is difficult to explain how much of a toll ministry can take on a pastor and his family and so times like this are extremely helpful. I know that besides regular giving, we are also currently raising funds for missions, but if you would like to help sponsor this time for these pastors and their families, our desire is to make it an encouraging and enjoyable time for their families. If you want to know how you might be able to help out, please contact Pastor Patrick.
  7. Grace Life Parenting Conference. “Teach Them Diligently” is the theme for this year’s Grace Life weekend conference and it will center on the theme of parenting. The dates for the conference are July 31 to August 2. Our speakers are Dr. Ernie Baker and his wife Rose. Dr. Baker serves on the staff of The Master’s College and is also a certified biblical counselor and part of Peacemaker Ministries. He and Rose have six children so they are quite experienced when it comes to raising children! The cost for the weekend is $75/person or $150/couple. This cost includes a delicious lunch and dinner on Saturday, August 1. Signups will begin this Sunday! This is a great opportunity to grow in your understanding of biblical parenting. You won’t want to miss out! Please also invite your friends from other churches to join us for this time!