Category Archives: Affinity Groups

College Life Ministry Update

by Hansol An

As in past years, the 2012-2013 school year has started off at a full sprint. Since SDSU’s school year started a little over two months ago, we’ve had six bible studies, tabling on two campuses, a luau, campus evangelism every weekday at UCSD, an equipping event, and office hours. That is all outside of the enumerable hours spent fellowshipping and studying together outside of official College Life events. Though things have slowed down a bit recently the ministry continues on at a brisk pace.

Friday night bible studies remain the primary vehicle of teaching and fellowship in this ministry but the great thing about College Life is that it goes beyond one night a week. As the staff has imparted to the students, College Life, like every other affinity group, is an integral part of the church body. The students have done a tremendous job of living out this fact. It can be easy for collegians to isolate themselves as a group from the rest of the church but that has not happened. In nearly every ministry at church you can find a collegian serving. As they meet with families and single adults outside of Sundays, you can see their heart for the rest of the church.

Characteristic of this ministry in recent years, and continuing into this year, is its consistency in living out what they are taught from the pulpit and in small groups. Whether it’s their desire to conduct campus evangelism, their thoughtfulness in remembering a friend’s birthday, or their inclusiveness in informal hangouts, this group continues to “shine the light.” There is a level of maturity that this group consistently displays not often seen in 18 to 22 year olds. They belie the cultural norm of delayed adolescence and glorified immaturity that, in turn, reveals a teachable and humble heart.

But even with all their many admirable attributes, they are not perfect and have room for growth. As a staff, our charge is to challenge, encourage and guide them down the path of biblical growth that leads to even greater maturity and Godlier thinking. During bibles studies this year we are going through 1 John, a book that challenges each of them to examine the evidence of saving faith displayed in their lives. In small groups the ladies are going through Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild and the men are reading What Every Man Wishes His Father Had Told Him. Each book was chosen for its practical wisdom aimed specifically at young adults immersed in a culture that tells them to run from God. We hope that this ministry can pace them as they run the race for God.

Youth Staff Introductions

by Josh Liu

It has been a little over a month and a half since Lumos Youth Ministry resumed for this academic year. While transitions present inherent difficulties, I believe I can speak on behalf of at least the youth staff and say that it has been an exciting time of relationship-building and fellowship through the study of God’s Word! By God’s grace, many things mentioned in my last post have been realized: Cesar and I have begun a preaching series on 1 John and Romans, respectively (we hope to post recorded sermons online soon!); we had our first Gospel night on October 5, where I had the opportunity to preach on Matthew 6:19-24 and remind the youth about the hopelessness in earthly treasures, and the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord (Phil. 3:8); staffers have been graciously hosting study hall on Thursdays; and we had our first game night on October 14! We are nearing the end of the planning stages for Saturday Seminars, youth retreats, and other events. All of these opportunities provide wonderful times of fellowship, instruction, and discipleship. Each youth staffer passionately serves and genuinely cares for each youthie; they remind me of Paul’s discipleship ministry to the Thessalonians (1 Thess. 2:8). Therefore, I want to highlight each youth staffer by allowing them to introduce themselves:

CESAR VIGIL-RUIZ

My name is Cesar Vigil-Ruiz and am an intern at LBC. I work part-time at The San Diego Squash Club and have recently completed my undergraduate studies at UCSD. I came to Lighthouse when a former member invited me while I was involved with an on-campus ministry. Later, I realized God used His Word to save me during my sophomore year in college. I became a member in 2006 to fulfill part of the Great Commission and grow as a committed follower of Jesus Christ.

Some of my hobbies include, running, reading, hiking, playing chess, and soccer. My favorite food is tacos from Tacos el Gordo; my favorite ice cream is vanilla; my favorite book is The Holiness of God by R.C. Sproul; my favorite movie is The Dark Knight; and my favorite song is “Face to Face” from Indelible Grace Music.

My favorite verse is 2 Corinthians 5:21, which says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we become the righteousness of God.” This verse sums up what came before (2 Cor. 5:11-20), but gives a glimpse into the love of the Father for wicked sinners by making Christ our substitute for sin, that we may be given the righteousness of Christ. This is the most succinct summary of the Gospel I have seen, and it’s from God Himself!

I have been a staffer for Lumos Youth from 2008-2011, and returned after a year with the Singles Ministry. I’m looking forward to what God does in the lives of our youth!

KRISTEN LIM

Hi! My name is Kristen Lim and I am a sophomore at UCSD, currently studying Computer Science. I was born and raised in Austin, Texas, then moved to San Diego when I was entering the 8th grade (2006) and started attending Lighthouse since then. In my free time I love baking/eating yummy treats (my favorites being anything pumpkin or banana or cinnamon), running, playing music (flute and guitar), and spending time with friends and family. One of the reasons why I love music and singing meaningful songs is because of how they can remind my soul of God’s truths and promises. A song that I have been listening to on repeat recently is “God is God” by Steven Curtis Chapman (haha, an oldie but a goodie), which speaks of God’s bigness and holiness, and how as a human I won’t understand everything that goes on in life, but I can rest assure that God is sovereign. Along those lines, a favorite psalm of mine is Psalm 46, underscoring that God is our refuge and strength and that we can take comfort knowing that since God is God, He will be glorified no matter how bleak the circumstances may be.

I am super excited to be part of the Lumos youth ministry, since I was saved under this ministry and grew in my love and fear of the Lord during my time there (and continue to do so after graduating). I desire and pray that God will save the souls of these youth at an early age, that they may serve Him with more vigor and passion than I did when I was their age, and that God may be magnified through their lives.

JOYCE KANG

I first came out to Lighthouse in 2006 and knew that I was here to stay when I heard Pastor John preach through the book of Romans. I became a member soon after and have loved serving in various ministries at our church. In the summer of 2009, I went to the Czech Republic for summer missions and had the opportunity to work closely with the youth. In hindsight, I see how God used that trip to cultivate in me a deeper love for Him, as well as a desire to invest in the youth at our church. What I love most about Lumos is watching the young men and women mature in their understanding of the Gospel and begin to take ownership of their faith.

My hobbies include cooking, baking, reading, and spending time with my friends and family; my favorite Christian book is Choosing to See by Mary Beth Chapman and my favorite Bible verse is 2 Corinthians 12:9.

JEN SHIH

Hello! I’m Jen. By day, I work in a research laboratory to help develop biofuels – actually at a company just around the corner from our church!

God led me to LBC summer of 2008. I remember when I first came to Lighthouse: I attended the Single Life Bible study on Friday nights and was so encouraged during the small group time. Everyone I met was really open to sharing about their walks with God. I could see that there were people here who genuinely loved God and people. I also learned that LBC was very committed to Bible teaching on Sunday mornings. I become a member at the end of that year!

My hobbies include photography and hiking (and taking photos of the plants, flowers and animals on the trail).

I like all kinds of sports like running, surfing, and indoor rock climbing! My favorite ice cream is Pistachio with the actual nuts mixed it. I like it because it’s sweet and salty and the pistachio adds texture. I also have a fondness for cats!! :3

A verse I want to share is Psalm 119:105: “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” I love this short and sweet verse that’s filled with truth about the Truth. The psalmist here recognizes that it’s God’s Word that he needs to guide his feet and light his path in the darkness that surrounds him. I wanted to share this verse with Lumos because as we study the Bible together this year and share life together, I pray that we would develop a deeper understanding of God and His will for our lives! I’m excited to be on staff and to get to know the youth at LBC! Think of me as an older sister and someone that is committed to loving God and you guys!

ELISABETH KO

I came to Lighthouse when my family moved to San Diego. I didn’t really know what to look for in a church, so I just decided to follow my brother and go to Lighthouse. Although I felt very uncomfortable in the beginning because people seemed so holy, it was evident in my eyes how different they were. The Youth staff showed tremendous love towards me (this irresponsible, trouble-making teenager), which softened my heart to see what it means to live like a Christian. Later, I got into UCSD, and my heart was already set on becoming a member here so that I may work alongside fellow believers to bring glory to God.

I enjoy drawing, watching movies, and developing stories.

My favorites are:

  • Favorite dessert: froyo
  • Favorite place: home
  • Favorite ice cream flavor: cookies & cream
  • Favorite animal: wolves & eagles
  • Favorite fantasy animal: werewolves
  • Favorite genre: fantasy & action
  • Favorite color: black & white
  • Favorite fruit: watermelon & peach
  • Favorite bugs: none
  • Favorite movie: depends on when you ask me
  • My favorite verse is Colossians 3:1-2

The staff is here because they love the youth and desire to teach and lead them so that they may know Christ and follow Him in a worthy manner. None of the staff are perfect and they are dependent on God’s mercy and grace to live a Christian life every day. Feel free to ask what we struggle with how God is growing us in those struggles. We’ll be more than happy to share!

Sonlight Lesson: Confusion and the Vision

by Abram Kim

On October 7, 2012, Sonlight concluded the lesson on the 4th C of history, Confusion. The first three C’s are Creation, Corruption (the Fall), and Catastrophe (the Flood). The last three C’s are Christ, Cross and Consummation. On the timeline posted in the Sonlight room, we see that the 4th C of Confusion encompasses the period from the Tower of Babel to the incarnation of Christ.

Dennis Su did a fantastic job explaining that the 4th C is about how God confused the languages as Noah’s descendants disobeyed God and congregated at the land of Shinar instead of filling the whole earth (Genesis 11). It is a story well-known to those brought up in the church. But this historic account has more significance than just that we have hundreds of languages around the world and that our skin colors and cultures are a little different.

The question I had to my small group kids at the blue table (3rd to 5th grade boys) was, “Why did God want to fill the whole earth with His people?” God gave the same command to multiply and fill the earth to Adam and Eve. God’s intent from creation was to have a world filled with His created people. God thought it necessary to give this command again after the global flood wiped out all but 8 people on the earth. Noah and his family lived in a world so saturated with sin that Scripture describes God as “grieved” at the sinfulness of man (Genesis 6:6, ESV). Perhaps in this culture it was easy to forget God’s commands only a few generations ago to the original man and woman and so God thought it necessary to reissue the command.

The why can be explained in simply by the ultimate purpose of life, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. But this does not explain thoroughly exactly why the entire face of the earth needed to be involved. We can only conjecture as to why God thought it desirous to fill the earth. I have shared on occasion with those who would listen that I considered God as wise and creative and beautiful in preparing for Himself a varied collection of peoples and cultures and time periods to worship the one true God for all eternity. Whatever God’s reasoning, He wanted the entire world to be filled with those that will worship Him and enjoy Him forever. Noah’s descendants were not obedient to this call and God forced the issue by confusing the language of the people.

So now that we understood the facts of the biblical account, I wanted the blue table to think about implications and application for today. The world today is indeed filled with people. We celebrated Columbus Day on October 8, 2012 to signify that an influx of Europeans invaded the Americas a few hundred years ago. There are so many diverse languages and cultures and people groups around the world. But the question is are they worshiping God? God doesn’t desire the world to be filled with sinful men again. Though He won’t wipe out the world with another global flood (the rainbow is the symbol of God’s promise), He will come to judge sin soon.

We find in Acts 1:8 the New Testament version of God’s command from Genesis. No longer are Noah’s descendants or Israel responsible to spread the glory of God to the ends of the earth. That responsibility now falls squarely on the Church of Jesus Christ. Herein lies the Vision of LBC’s MVP. That was the conclusion of the blue table’s small group discussion, and then we continued on in Sonlight with snacks and games.

The need for God-fearing and God-loving churches still exist today because the need to fill the ends of the earth with God-fearing and God-loving people still exist today. The vision of LBC is to be obedient to God’s command to fill the earth, and we as a Sonlight staff pray that the vision will be passed on to the next generation of God’s people to continue the work, until the Lord’s return.

Grace Life Update

by Pastor Patrick Cho

The Grace Life Family Ministry has only met twice so far since the summer ended, but it has been a great couple of weeks! I know that change is rarely easy to adapt to, but I was encouraged to see so many people come out on Thursday evenings. The Bible study not only provides a chance for our married couples and parents to open God’s Word together, but it also is a wonderful time of warm fellowship. It also helps tremendously that Kids’ Club meets at the same time, thus freeing up parents to worship undistracted.

Not only has the time changed for our meetings from Sunday mornings to Thursday evenings, but the format has changed as well. Last year, the study depended heavily on homework and small group discussions, but this year we are moving to more of a large group structure. This way everyone is able to walk through a particular passage of Scripture together and all who come can equally benefit from the discussion times and feedback.

We are currently walking through a study of the mind entitled, “What Do You Think?” The purpose of the study is to examine the effect that sin has on the mind and how God has allowed us as believers in Christ to think biblically. Last week, we looked specifically at Genesis 1, the creation account. In particular, we wanted to study what the Scriptures reveal about God because that would give us a solid foundation to think from.

God is the one who created everything that is, and He did so without any mistakes or slip ups. It was all very good. This helps us in how we think because it reminds us that God is the one who ultimately determines what is good from bad. He is the standard of goodness. That is not something we can accurately determine on our own. Oftentimes people come in judgment of God because He does not meet their standards of good, but the Scriptures don’t allow us that role reversal. God is good and has created what is good.

Besides revelation of God’s goodness, the creation account also helps establish the Creator/creature distinction. God is the almighty Creator who revealed His power, wisdom, and authority through what has been made (cf. Rom. 1:20). The more we meditate on the creation account, the more it should remind us that God is amazing in glory, and we completely fall short of His glory. Having this frame of mind is essential if we are going to learn how to think biblically.

It has been a rewarding study so far, but we’ve only just begun. I pray that everyone will continue to come out and that the study will really benefit us all!

Single Life Update

“If you want to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:32)

by Obadiah Lee

As new academic term begins with College Life returning to the daily grind of lectures, books, and late nights studying; career/postgraduates also begin a new term in the ministry of Single Life. Over that past year we studied through the book of Colossians, diving deep into chapter 3 we examined the love and dependence we must have in our perfect Savior. We were challenged to survey our lives before the perfection and holiness of the Scriptures and to practically love and live for Christ as career/postgraduate Christians. As single men and women, we fall into an interesting demographic when it comes to Christians among the Church population. When I have had the opportunity to speak with other brothers and sisters from other churches, the majority of the career adult ministries are female dominated (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing), non-existent or struggle to stay afloat. Lighthouse Bible Church has been extremely blessed with a committed pastor who preaches the Word through thorough exegesis and clear exposition. There is truly a uniqueness to the ministry of Single Life, as single men and women many of us have great opportunities to serve the church with our time unlike any other affinity group. We typically have more flexibility in our resources and time.

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 provides for us a clear and biblical explanation for those of us in the single stage of life. As many of us desire to be married if God wills, Scripture tells us that our interests will be divided between the worries of the world (our spouse) and how to please the Lord. Now let me acknowledge and make clear that being married does not diminish our desire or ability to please the Lord, but we must understand Paul’s desire for us to recognize the gift of being content in singleness (vv.6-7). As single adults we have a gift before us to use our singleness to the glory of God. Marriage is a beautiful thing and Scripture reveals the profound beauty that is the picture of Christ and the Church. As God provides and wills for each of us to be wed, we as singles have a weighty responsibility to steward God’s provision over us for His glory and to serve the church.

As the new term begins there are numerous things to look forward to; ministries, retreats, fellowship, and many other things. As an individual who attends Single Life, we meet on Wednesday nights at church at 6:30 with dinner served, here are three major highlights of the year that I look forward to.

  1. Each year there are new faces that come to the Singles Life ministry, some have heard about Lighthouse from friends or siblings, others found us online. Whatever the means in which they find Lighthouse, I look forward to meeting people who come not knowing Christ as their Savior but desiring to know more and those seeking a community that loves God’s and the Word.
  2. I eagerly anticipate the Bible teaching that will be preached each week. Pastor Patrick is our gifted pastor who loves God’s Word and desires the transforming power of the Word through the lives of the men and women in Single Life. During the course of the year we also have many events that our “Fun Staff” plans and organizes. Our very own Minister of Music, Eugene Park is the fearless leader of the “Fun Staff”. There are plenty of exciting events coming up so if you’re in the singles demographic, you definitely do not want to miss out.
  3. Lastly, I look forward to small groups. As someone who has the privilege to lead small groups, I am often and regularly humbled by those I find accountability. As a single guy, I have a special opportunity to minister and use my time to serve, encourage, and challenge brothers in the capacity God allows me. In small groups I’ll have the year to meet with other men and share my life with them. As the year progresses, I hope that the bond would grow and these would be men that God has taught me much from. I look forward to the accountability, fellowship, and brotherhood that can be found in small groups. (The women also have small groups as well.)

The gift of being a single adult in the life of the church is an immense blessing. As we read in God’s word, we know that singleness frees us from anxieties and allows us to serve and please the Lord with a unique capacity. As singles our interests can remain focused on the work of the Lord, my hope for the Single Life ministry is that we can seek the Lord for wisdom, as marriage is not the only distraction that we may have. Many other things hinder our devotion to God and we need to be seeking the things of Lord so that we can be on guard and examine our hearts regularly. If you’re in the single stage of life and looking for a church or community, Lighthouse Bible Church would welcome and love for you join us!

Lumos 2012 Update

by Josh Liu

The leaders at Lighthouse Bible Church continually strive to carry out the mission, vision, and passion of our church in all of our ministries – to make disciples of Christ through the vehicle of the church out of a love for God and people. In doing so, they are constantly examining how to best minister to the members and how to best equip and disciple young leaders. As a result, the youth ministry has undergone major changes in the past. Several years ago, Pastor JR Cuevas oversaw the youth ministry until he was called and sent to church plant in San Jose. Then, Roger Alcaraz oversaw the youth ministry for a couple years until joining College Life staff. Now, I have come to oversee the youth ministry. While these changes are significant and seemingly turbulent, the biblical principles governing LBC’s youth ministry remain the same. The staff and I are still committed to a gospel-centered, Scripture-based ministry that will evangelize and disciple these young men and women to deeper a knowledge and understanding of God and His Word.

The staff and I are extremely excited to serve the youth and their families! During the summer, we were able to have several informal gatherings that allowed the youth, their families, and prospective staff fellowship together. For the 2012-2013 academic year, Lumos will be hosting Friday night Bible studies at the church; we will join the college ministry’s praise time, then divide for teaching. Cesar Vigil-Ruiz and I will be teaching on 1 John and Romans respectively. On Sundays for second hour, youth small groups will use sermon reflection worksheets to review and think of applications of that Sunday morning message. We hope to host Saturday seminars on topics such as comparative religions, home economics, auto care, apologetics, and so on. The staff is also planning on hosting gospel nights and games nights to provide opportunities for invitation, evangelism, and further discipleship. I hope as you read this you are getting as excited as I am! The ministry would love to see the whole church body participating in the life the youth (and vice versa) through these events (e.g. Car Care Ministry leading a Saturday seminar).

Please prayerfully support us as we continue through this season of transitions. Pray for the staff who have sacrificed much and are persevering through their own personal trials. Pray that we remain faithful to Scripture and exalt Christ in our ministry. Pray for the youth and their families as we minister the gospel of God to them. And pray for the salvation and spiritual maturation of these young souls.

LBCSD Sonlight Curriculum 2012-2013: An Explanation and Purpose

by Abram Kim

It is the start of another school year and Sonlight is well underway towards partnering with parents to teach the truths of Scripture to the next generation of our church. This year, Sonlight, LBCSD’s elementary ministry, is veering from Children Desiring God curricula and will teach from a curriculum by Answers in Genesis titled, “Answers for Kids Bible Curriculum.” I found this curriculum at the 2012 Shepherd’s Conference and got it because I wanted to consider using it for Sonlight. My hope and prayer for this curriculum is to show our Sonlight children what it looks like to have a biblical worldview, including the 6-day creation of the entire universe.

The first part of the curriculum teaches the 7 C’s of history: Creation, Corruption (the Fall), Catastrophe (the flood), Confusion (tower at Babel), Christ, Cross, and Consummation. This was the VBS theme for LBCSD in 2008. It was a great overview of all of history from a biblical perspective. This will be a great starting point for the year. All of the world and all of history belongs to our God. We as a staff pray that these lessons will help our Sonlight children view creation, history, and their lives from a biblical worldview.

The rest of the curriculum goes through some common questions people have about the Bible, including the age of the earth and dinosaurs. We will explore topics like how we got the Bible, is the theory of Evolution true, and why people around the world look different. Though some of the science in this curriculum might be beyond the comprehension of some of the children, it is still good to introduce these topics from the Bible. We need to be reminded ourselves and pass on to the next generation the clear and unrivaled authority of Scripture. We must be reminded that the source of truth is God Himself, and that the Bible we have is God-breathed (2 Timothy 3:16).

It seems that this world gets more wicked and more vile day by day. The cultural norms now tolerate blatant evils and accept lies as truth. Evolution is accepted as fact. Abortion happens everyday. Children no longer live under authority and are often treated as if they are adults already, as parents bypass the rod for a form of self-esteem that increases self-reliance and leads them away from the Sovereign Lord.

As a church, we must continue to educate our children in the truths of Scripture. Truth is the only dependable and reliable weapon against falsehood. Our constant prayer as a ministry is that God will enlighten the hearts and minds of every child in Sonlight and that God’s truth will guard their hearts and minds as they grow up in their generation. May they have a greater biblical upbringing than we ever did. May they be equipped to discern what is true and false, and to ward off the plethora of deceitful falsehood surrounding our culture. Please pray with us this year that our Sonlight children will develop a truly biblical worldview.

What’s Up and Coming

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Summer has provided us a nice break from the routine at Lighthouse and hopefully everyone is rested and ready for the fall. One of the big changes that I am most looking forward to is the new format for Grace Life. In order to promote greater attendance, last year we had Grace Life meet during the Sunday School hour on Sunday mornings. Unfortunately, this also introduced several limiting factors that we felt needed to change. While it was nice to have the infrastructure of the children’s ministry in place, it was not conducive to encourage fellowship between affinity groups. Having Grace Life meet Sunday mornings also prevented people from receiving helpful instruction and equipping from other classes that were offered. For new members, since Fundamentals of the Faith is a required membership class, it meant that FOF and Grace Life would conflict for at least thirteen weeks.

Thus, the decision was made to move Grace Life midweek. This does several things for the ministry.

  1. First, the infrastructure of children’s ministry is still in place because of midweek Kids’ Club.
  2. Second, it opens up the opportunity for more people to be involved since it doesn’t conflict with other classes. This is particularly helpful for anyone who is teaching those Sunday School classes.
  3. Third, it provides time midweek for the families of Lighthouse to come together for instruction and encouragement.

I hope everyone who is part of Grace Life is excited about the changes being made. Of course we know that this will not be convenient for everyone, but at this stage of the life of the church, I don’t think we’ll be able to come up with any format that suits everyone. I would just encourage those that are able to come out to do so. It is going to be a great year.

Many people were blessed with our first ever Grace Life Weekend Conference with Dr. Bob and Mary Somerville. Lord-willing, our desire is to plan another Weekend Conference this year focusing on the topic of parenting. All the audio from the weekend with Dr. Somerville is online, so if you were not able to make it out, I would encourage you to at least listen to the sessions.

The focus of Grace Life this year is going to be on the application of God’s Word. Our goal will be to help you think through various issues biblically. More specifically, we will be examining a biblical study of the mind. How are we to think? How does sin corrupt our thinking? Should we follow our hearts? How should we make decisions that honor God? These questions and more will be addressed in our times together. I know that it will be tremendously helpful for those who want to grow spiritually and who desire to walk more consistently in faith.

It is going to be an exciting year for Grace Life! If you are married or a parent at Lighthouse, I would encourage you to come out and be blessed by the instruction, fellowship, and worship together. There is great value in participation, as the author of Hebrews writes, “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works” (Heb. 10:24). The members of the church are called to make an investment in one another and this is not possible if we do not spend good quality time with each other. So, please come out and be involved!

EV & Your Degree – Work for the Lord (Part 2)

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

Author’s note: This series is going to be a lot shorter than I anticipated, but I hope God can use it for some good. I am moving from the singles to youth, and so this will be my last article for the Singles Ministry (as far as I know).

We first looked at a specific area in our evangelism approach relating our speech with our walk in the faith to encourage younger believers, as well as commend Christ to our unbelieving coworkers. Yet how this looks at the actual workplace is a different monster to tackle. At our church, we have many professions represented, from engineer to teacher to doctor to physical therapist to shuttle driver, and so on. How can we possibly cover the range of situations and experiences that are involved in these professions? How should a Christian view work in general, and how is Christ shown at your respective job?

First, let’s deal with what work is, according to Scripture. As early as the creation of Adam and Eve, work has been mandated as God’s way of subduing the earth pre-Fall (Genesis 1:28), and has only worsened since the Fall (Genesis 3:17-19). Proverbs 6:6-11 gives a beautiful picture of how hard-working an ant is, without needing to be supervised in order to do its part. From creation on, work is a command of God to dominate and exhaust the resources God has placed within it.

Work is also God’s gift to mankind to provide for what are the essentials of life (food, shelter), as well as being the support for the establishing of stable family life and ministry. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15, Paul is calling out those who would not put in their part to work, either from mistaking the return of the Lord to be soon (probably not), or those who were taking advantage of wealthier believers. He sees it as an issue of sin to refuse to work and depend on others for the work they have put in. Paul also sees work as an area where worship can be fostered (Romans 12:1), and a way to glorify the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:31).

So if work is mandated by God and is also a gift of God, how then are we take that perspective when evangelizing our lost coworkers? Here are some guidelines*:

1. God is the Boss of all bosses.

As has been covered in our study of Colossians, you may have a boss that you report to and speak with on a regular basis, but God supersedes the authority of your employer. We see this in Colossians 3:23-24: “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” We must never forget that God has appointed those in authority over us by His sovereign will, and should not see any problems as things God was not aware of when putting them there. No, God knew what would happen, and has you there to see how faithful you will be as a steward of His gift (1 Corinthians 10:13).

2. Honor and serve your earthly boss.

Peter commands us: “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust” (1 Peter 2:18). There is no qualification: every boss who has authority over every Christian should be the recipient of the utmost respect. He even goes a step further and teaches that we are to patiently endure unjust conduct from those over us: “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God” (v.20). God favors those who endure this kind of suffering. The only exception to disobey is when called to disobey God’s Word and authority.

3. Honor Christ as an example.

If you talk with anyone with a job past a few months, you will find that there are probably those who are not known for their hard work ethic. They become infamous for their ability to keep their job and yet not put in the necessary effort to appropriately earn a paycheck. As a follower of Christ, you are not called to laziness; you are called to work, and to do it unto the Lord (see point #1). What you say of Christ will be overshadowed by your example if it is not commending Christ, but condemning Christ in the eyes of your coworkers. This is why Paul writes, “Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled” (1 Timothy 6:1). The influence of your witness directly corresponds with your consistent example, and our mindset must be to gain a hearing with those who don’t believe, that they may put weight in the things we say when we do. Most marvel at the one who works hard, and does not grudgingly condemn those who do not put in as much effort. A skilled man is noticed by those high in authority, calling for us to always be excellent in whatever we do (Proverbs 22:29).

4. Have tact in finding gospel opportunities.

This could be a post, sermon, or book all on its own. Christ, in preparing to send out His disciples to the world to bring the message of Christ, tells them: “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). How we communicate the gospel at work must be done in an appropriate time and manner (the last post addressed this very issue). How one does this includes asking many questions of your coworkers that draws out information about their lives, as well as their way of thinking about the issues of ultimate reality. Taking an interest in the things they find interest in speaks to them that you are serious in getting to know them. Discerning when to bring the Word of God to bear in your conversations will involve a deeper familiarity with the Word, as well as a deeper seriousness coming from the one you’re speaking with. They may have never had a conversation with a believer who was more willing to listen to them than speak to them, and that always speaks volumes to them.

5. Always be above approach at work.

Not only are we to be shrewd, but we are also to be innocent, or undefiled. We must never share the Gospel in a way where Christ’s name could be dragged through the mud because we didn’t represent Him well. We are ambassadors of Christ (2 Corinthians 5) 24/7, and that includes the workplace. As much as you possibly can, do your work in such a way that Christ can never be blamed for your laziness, but credited for your excellence and skill. As we do all for the glory of God, we will have those opportunities spring up, for God will want our faithfulness to be tested and shine brightly in the darkness, that the glory of Christ will continually lead to the opening of blind eyes (2 Corinthians 4:6).

*I have been greatly helped here by the Grace Evangelism workbook for this post. Other resources I would recommend for further study include:

The Heart of Devotion

by Hansol An

Every four years the world comes together to celebrate the pinnacle of athletic achievement. The athletes that compete in the Olympic Games devote their lives to the pursuit of a gold medal. Most of the US Women’s Gymnastics team that won gold in this summer’s Olympic Games started gymnastics at age 2 or 3. Once an exercise class evolves into serious competition, the commitment increases significantly. A family moving for the sake of one child’s training is not uncommon. At 14 years old, Gabby Douglas moved away from her family to train with a sought-after coach. Yet most Olympic hopefuls are not able to realize their goal of winning an Olympic gold medal. A small percentage wins a gold medal (less than 6% won at least one gold medal) but the vast majority walks away empty-handed. Most everyone in the world admires this level of dedication because it can result in exclusive personal glory.

College students can relate to dedication, though maybe to a lesser degree. Many strive for years, studying for thousands of hours to excel in academics in an attempt gain entrance into a “good” college. Then, the fortunate ones get to spend 4 (or more) years in college to get a piece of paper that confirms their dedication.

Gold medal or diploma, in both instances the achievement is finite. The Apostle Paul made reference to the perishable wreath that the world awards us in 1 Corinthians 9:25. In contrast, Christian devotion results in an imperishable wreath: everlasting life in the presence God. Yet, in America, it seems as though Christians live lives that are far cries from being characterized as devoted to the imperishable wreath. For college students in America the challenge can be even greater.

Dictionary.com defines devotion as a “profound dedication; consecration; earnest attachment to a cause, person, etc.” In order for that level of commitment to be attained a person has to be focused on the object of that commitment. Collegians experiencing freedom from parental oversight for the first time are exposed to a litany of distractions vying for their attention. There is a seemingly endless supply of distractions for today’s college students but the standard remains the same as in Paul’s day. God wants our complete and undivided devotion.

Christ himself demanded nothing less than everything. In Matthew 16:24 Jesus tells his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” His audience understood the seriousness of those words. The cross represented humiliation, violence and death. Christ equated devotion to him, to death! No one does that. But that’s what God wanted for his disciples then, and that’s what is required of us today. Our devotion to the Lord should make our attachment to everything else seem like hate. “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple,” Jesus said in Luke 14:26. Does our devotion match Christ’s expectations?

We need to be honest with ourselves and to God. He already knows the truth in our heart but we still need to openly confess our misplaced devotion to the pursuit of perishable wreaths and live lives with a singular focus on him. “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:24). What are your time, talent and money pursuing? The answer to that question will reveal the object of your devotion. God gave us examples of extraordinary devotion throughout the Bible (God and Israel, Hosea and Gomer, the Disciples, etc.) but the best example He gave us was His Son. As the new school year begins, let’s be devoted to the one who perfectly denied himself.