Category Archives: Affinity Groups

You’ve Been Deceived

By Richard Shin

Hi, collegian. I’ll get straight to the point: the world has been tricking us. It throws at us a vast array of reasons for us to be prideful. It’s not only the eclecticism that we should recognize, but the slyness and depth of the message as well. It is neatly packaged for us which is what’s so deceiving. Here is just a small sampling of how this message is presented:

  • TV shows like American Idol and America’s Got Talent that put the spotlight (literally) on one person or one group. And even if it’s for a brief moment, I’m sure we’ve all imagined and secretly wished to be in the contestants’ shoes.
  • Movies of triumph like Rudy and Scarface that glorify the power of the will and its rewards.
  • Internet-powered tools like YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and blogs that let us share our talents, thoughts, opinions and much more, in hopes of being noticed.
  • Sports communities that imply talent, skill, and hard work matter more than character.
  • Music whose lyrics focus around how I feel and what I want that influence how we think.
  • The “Customer is King” mentality that seems to permeate our thoughts when we make purchases or eat at restaurants, as if we deserved the best treatment.
  • Online resources that impart much knowledge, which often only puffs up.

When these things enter our lives, oftentimes some form of pride ensues. We become more willful; we covet the lifestyle of the rich and famous; we want to be noticed by those around us; we become proud in what we know; we try to show others that we’re “all that.” Simply put, these thoughts and actions are all signs of pride, evidence that we have forsaken the primary purpose in God’s gifts: glorifying God.

These things are not inherently bad. In fact, I would categorize them as “neutral.” In the right context, we can enjoy and use the things above. But like all of God’s gifts, they can be abused. The scary thing is we’ve become indifferent to the abuse.

Let me be real with you. We don’t have a fighting chance – we never did. We might have been deceived into thinking that we did (a la examples above), but we’ve fallen for a lie (Rom. 1:25). But don’t think we were sitting helpless like a baby; we are at fault for believing this lie. Let me explain.

We are prideful by nature. We weren’t created this way, but when Adam and Eve decided to question God’s holiness and authority in Genesis 3, they exhibited pride. They thought they were better than they were and decided to step away from what was right, namely God’s law. And because we were all born of Adam and Eve, the prideful tendencies and desires passed on from one generation to the next.

No one born of Adam is an exception; we all think we’re better than we are (Rom. 3:23). We love thinking about ourselves. We love remembering about how great we are, or could be. Because of this natural tendency, we take advantage of every opportunity to be prideful that’s presented before us. And with access to the world at our fingertips, how easy has it become to find more reasons to be prideful? It almost seems hopeless, doesn’t it?

But there’s an answer: we need to lean on Jesus Christ.

You see, Jesus was the only person who has overcome that cultural influence, ever. How did he do this? By singularly focusing on his mission to glorify the Father (John 4:34, 6:38, 8:29). If we truly believe in Romans 11:36, then we have to believe that even neutral activities can glorify God. Here are a few ways we can do this while not being influenced by the world:

  1. Meditate upon the life of Jesus and the gospel. Spiritual growth is a process of becoming more like Jesus (Rom. 8:29). That means from the moment of conversion to the last breath you take, you will have an uncountable number of ways to glorify God. What you can do is remember that Jesus was sent to do the will of his Father. Reflect upon the humility he displayed when being born of man. Imagine the restraint he must have shown when he was being tempted. Dwell upon his showing love and truth, grace and mercy hand-in-hand to everyone whom he ministered. Mimic the dependence he showed in the Garden of Gethsemane. Emulate the discipline he must have shown when carrying his cross. Remember the sense of duty he must have felt when being nailed to that cross. Imagine the sense of satisfaction and anticipation he must have felt when he said, “It is finished,” ready to be received by his Father saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
  2. Take active measures to examine our own hearts. We can check ourselves with biblical truths and principles like
  • Looking out for the interest of others (Phil. 2:4)
  • Not leaning on our own understanding (Jer. 17:9; Prov. 3:5-6)
  • Being mindful of what we say and do (Mark 7:21-23; Titus 2:7-8)
  • Not coveting what we don’t have (Ex. 20:17) because we are content with what God has given us (Heb. 13:5-6)
  1. Pray. For example, we can glorify God by praying while watching the next episode of The Voice. We can. Before we watch it, pray “God, allow me to watch this and marvel at the gifts you grant. Allow me to not be judgmental of those who don’t perform as well. Guard my heart so that I don’t become jealous of the people who do. If they don’t already, please allow them to use those gifts to honor you. I pray others watching be shown a glimpse of your creativity and greatness, and that you would lead them to worship you alone.”

Now I want you to know that while these neutral activites can be used to glorify God, it doesn’t mean it’s always wise to partake in these activities. There will be times when watching that football game or perusing that website will need to take a backseat for other activities to take priority. But what I’m saying is that when you actually do pursue these endeavors, there is a God-glorifying way to do them.

Collegians, we need to draw from that well. Our effectiveness to be the salt and light in this world is not founded upon ourselves, but in God. And He is the only way we will be able to eradicate pride from our lives. When the world presents opportunities for you to think better of yourself, and you truly desire to fight pride, remember that God will always see you through. If you truly believe that Jesus died for you and your sins, then he died for your inflated sense of self-worth as well.

As we go through the series of “Collegians Have Issues,” let us remember that God is the only one that is worthy to be glorified. This decision to actively glorify God in everything we see, hear, and feel is not one of those decide-once-and-be-done-with-it types; it’s a deny-yourself-and-pick-up-your-cross-daily type. You have to commit every day that you will breathe and live to glorify God in everything that you do.

Youth Ministry in 2011

by Grace Wu

Some highlights from this past year in Lumos are:

  • June: Graduations galore! Three of the youthies graduated high school, and one stayed around in Lighthouse and is now a part of CollegeLife. Two graduated middle school and are now freshmen in high school. One graduated from 6th grade in elementary school and started middle school this year. Graduations also mean the arrival of new youth kids. Our two newest additions just started middle school this fall.
  • August: We had our first joint youth retreat with LBCSJ’s youth group at UC Santa Barbara. LBCSJ got to UCSB before we did, and hid in a dorm room to surprise us. The youth kids (myself included!) were ecstatic to be reunited with their best friends for a weekend. Some highlights from retreat were exploring the campus, an “Untalent Show,” and listening to preaching from both JR Cuevas and Roger Alcaraz. To honor them for their work, we had a “Build-a-Pastor” game where we made models of them from sand at the beach. Though it was a 5-hour drive from SD, the long journey was worth it for such a sweet weekend of fellowship.
  • September: By the time school started in September, our staff looked very different from summer. Out of 7 staffers, 4 had stepped down to meet other ministry needs. That meant there were only 3 of us left to do the work of shepherding, planning, and supervising the entire youth group. I was doubting how we were going to pull this off. Planning youth retreat was stressful enough– how were we going to plan for an entire school year?
  • October-December: God has a funny way of working everything out. As I was worrying about the staff shortage, God was working in the hearts of several people who had a desire to serve on youth staff. They have been observing Bible studies, attending study hall, and offering input during small group times. Their love for the youth is evident in how they prioritize spending time with them and teach them.

I am looking forward to see what works He will do in youth group in 2012!

Joining Sonlight Staff

by Diana Yu

My interest in Sonlight first started when I was thinking about serving in a ministry, a few months after becoming a member of the church. I was originally praying for a willing heart to serve wherever there was a need, with the understanding that the effectiveness of ministry and the work of the Lord was not determined by my contributions (or lack thereof), but ultimately by God’s sovereignty and grace. I had been keeping an eye out for opportunities to serve in the Sunday bulletin and noticed that Sonlight’s listing was in the bulletin for many Sundays in a row. Somehow, I finally decided to email Abe about my interest in applying. He asked me to observe a few times and to go from there.

The observations were a great opportunity to talk to the children and staff to really see what Sonlight is about. Through my observations, I understood that sharing the gospel with children and training them up in the Lord can be very different from doing so with adults. I realized that for the children, truly understanding the implications of the gospel and what they learn in Sunday school may not come until later. But I know that the challenge lies in faithfully teaching God’s Word to them, regardless of how much they actually understand. We have to trust in God’s sovereignty and power to use what He wills for His kingdom, especially when the fruit of our labor may not be seen (1 Corinthians 15:58).

The teachers’ love and care for the children was and is very apparent, and the complexity of the lessons surprised me. One of the teachers explained to me that the Word of God cannot be diluted just because they are children, but that the entire Word of God must be taught fully and completely to them because this is what believers are called to do. The children grasp more than I give them credit for. At the same time, a lot of it can look like rote memorization. That is why the power to change people’s hearts, including the children’s hearts, rests in the Lord’s hands. We as believers are simply called to plant seeds. The growing is left to the Almighty God (Mark 4:26-27). What a great blessing it is for them to know and learn about the great and mighty God at a young age! Even though their lives may not be very complex, the glory continues to go to God when they can witness and identify moments of God’s love in their lives.

After these realizations and through prayer, I wanted to be a part of these children’s lives and to show them God’s love. As Abram and Lillian put it, Sunday school is not about behavior modification because we want these children to see their sins and understand that they need God. That is why it is not only important to teach them God’s Word but also to show that love and care to them, as God has shown us. And one day, Lord-willing, if I were to have children of my own, I would similarly have to teach them God’s word faithfully and to love them in Christ-likeness. I know I will not be able to force them into becoming believers, but that it will be through the mercy and grace of our loving God that they will ever desire to follow Christ and worship God. I look forward to serving in Sonlight because it will be a good reminder of the gospel that saved me–that it is truly by grace I am saved. And that is a reminder that I should never tire of!

Grace Life Ministry (Update)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Pastor John Kim recently had an opportunity to visit us from San Jose and attend on Sunday morning. One of the things he wanted to do was to peek in each of the Sunday School classes to see what was going on. I’m sure this provided an encouraging perspective since pastors so rarely have the opportunity to see all the moving parts of a church functioning together in one morning. He let me know that one of the things that particularly encouraged him was to see the participation and turn out for Grace Life.

Although meeting on Sunday mornings during the Sunday School hour might not be the best time for some, it has provided a chance for married couples to attend Bible study together during a time where childcare is adequately provided. These were some of the factors that we wanted to see in our family ministry. Certainly everything is not perfect in terms of the structure, but I doubt it could be. Our goal is simply to do our best to equip and disciple our married couples and parents. Their participation in the ministry is vital to accomplish that goal.

We have still been walking through the John Barnett book, Word Filled Families. Those who are not able to attend the class can track our progress and follow along online. All the homework sheets, Scripture memory passages, and large group instruction can be found on the website. The book has been incredibly challenging and encouraging. It provides helpful, biblical instruction about how to maintain a godly marriage and family. Even if you are not able to attend the class, we would certainly recommend reading the book.

The Bible study is fairly informal and can be broken down into two main parts. Typically before the teaching time, everyone is asked to break up into groups to discuss the week’s assignment. There they can deliberate about the homework questions, particularly focusing on practical application. We must always remember that without proper application of God’s truth, the accumulation of knowledge helps little (cf. 1 Cor. 8:1).

The second part of the Bible study is reserved for large group teaching. Those who attend will realize that this is not necessarily the most emphasized part of our time together. The general purpose of Grace Life is to allow couples and parents to discuss biblical principles with one another, to provide opportunities for fellowship, accountability, and prayer. At times, the teaching is very limited to allow more time for interaction. Understandably, on occasion by exception, the teaching receives the bulk of the time.

I really believe the time together at Grace Life has been greatly profitable. But as I mentioned at the beginning of the term, what people get out of it will be directly proportionate to what they put in. The more they invest time to read, hear, study, memorize, and meditate, and the more they seek to apply the principles of God’s truth individually and towards one another, the more they will profit from the class and advance spiritually.

If you are married and/or a parent, and haven’t been coming out to Grace Life, we would encourage you to do so. You have been missing out on a great opportunity to fellowship with fellow “marrieds” and parents. Each of the lessons in the book is independent of the others so joining mid-term would be fairly easy. Come see what all the buzz is about! And by the way, generally, we have food each week. Certainly this shouldn’t be the primary reason for coming, but it is helpful.

2011 LBC Single Life Car Rally

by Jonathan Eng

The 2012 LBC Single Life Car Rally was truly a memorable one…due to an emphasis on being “green” and a de-emphasis on the “car.” This year’s car rally was not so much of a car rally as much as it was a walk/run rally. Despite all of the healthy (and heavy) amounts of exercise everyone got, it was still fun (and more tiring than usual). This year, we had seven groups of singles participate. As usual, we also each had themes for each group for the members to dress up as. We had a sports group, a preppy group, tourists, superheroes, a 80s group, cowboys and cowgirls, and nerds.

We started off at church and we each got snack bags filled with goodies and our first clue that came in the form of part of a puzzle that we had to put together as a group utilizing teamwork, we found that we were to go to the trolley station in Old Town. From there, we were to go to the Santa Fe Depot via the trolley. Once we got off, we spent the day in the downtown area. Our journey took us from the USS Midway to a lunch break, a flash mobbing session, and a search for a lobster at Seaport Village. From there, we ran to the Chinese History Museum as well as the kids’ museum. After that, we ran to the convention center and literally had to run up flights of stairs. From there, we went to Petco Park for some pretend action with baseball poses. The plan after that was to take the trolley from Petco Park back to Old Town and drive back home to church.

Overall, the experience was a four and a half hour wild event where by the time we all finished, we were exhausted. It was a great time of fellowship getting to know those within our group and hearing the testimonies of how we came to know Christ. Encouraging one another through sharing our favorite bible passages as well as engaging each other through our common love of Disney movies and other forms of entertainment that we have a common bond over provided plenty of laughs and memories. While we await the results of the car rally to see which group one, we are ecstatic and looking forward to next year’s car rally.

Don’t Be So Surprised

by Hansol An

If you want to see what is important in this country at any given point, a cursory examination of its college and universities can be a great place to start. Colleges and universities have always been avant-garde and are often a concentrated reflection of society’s ills, concerns, and aspirations. Historically they have been at the cusp of political and social change. They are also often associated with the latest trends and fads. It’s no secret that most colleges encourage the exploration of free thinking and exploration without the restrictions of their parents’ and the outside world’s imposed moral restrictions. This ‘freedom’ can sometimes lead to stereotypical sinful excesses and debauchery associated with collegians. To hear of sinful antics on a college campus is not uncommon, but is typically limited to the coed population. Most hold university leaders and administrators in high esteem because of the stature their positions afford. As children we are taught to respect and trust those who teach us. Such indoctrination stays with us into college even when most other convictions are tossed aside. Events of recent weeks have challenged such thinking and have once again brought the occurrences on a university campus into the living rooms of an entire country.

Pennsylvania State University’s flagship campus at University Park is highly regarded for its academics, but is better known for it’s athletic achievements, particularly those of the very visible football program. If you don’t follow college football, Penn State is well known for having a successful football program for decades, reaching it’s zenith in the 80’s when they won two National Championships. The team is synonymous with Joe Paterno, their head coach for a record 45+ years. He also holds the record for most victories by a coach in the highest level of collegiate football (409; no other coach has reached 400), most bowl game victories (24) and more. His team flourished during his tenure and for the most part he seemed to do it the right way, avoiding many of the scandals that plagued other major college programs. In the eyes of the Penn State faithful he was an icon. That all changed this year when one of his long time assistants, Jerry Sandusky, was arrested and charged with numerous sex crimes against young boys from 1994 though 2009. Some incidences reportedly occurred during his time as an assistant under Paterno. Allegedly, in 2002, Joe Paterno was told about an incident of abuse involving Sandusky and a 10-year-old boy in a school facility. According to a grand jury report, Paterno reported what he heard to his direct supervisor, fulfilling his legal obligation. However, he has been severely criticized for not following-up and reporting it directly to the police when it appeared that the school’s administration did not. Subsequently, he was fired.

Sandusky’s alleged deviance has been widely reported by the media due to its sensational nature and continued to gain interest when it became apparent that high ranking administrators tried to hide the allegations for the sake of the school’s reputation. As so often has been the case, events on a university campus have reverberated throughout America leaving many to question where the moral fiber of this country has gone. I don’t think that the most shocking part is that a pedophile abused so many innocent boys; pedophiles have been around for a long time. The most shocking part is that it happened, over such a long time period, at such a high profile university, while many well respected men in positions of authority did nothing to bring such evil to light.

Events like these cause people to wonder what is happening to our society. To some it seems as if society is getting worse and worse with each passing year but it wasn’t that long ago that the Catholic church went through a similar scandal involving its priests and young boys. People seem to forget too quickly and ignore the truth contained in the Bible. The Word tells us that we should not be so surprised. The truth of man’s condition is described throughout its pages. Jesus himself said, “For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness…” (Mark 7:21-22). The early church needed only to look around them and see the Roman Empire to witness the depths of human depravity. Before that you could look to Sodom and Gomorrah who were so sinful that God had to smite them. When God has to smite whole towns due to their sinfulness you know that there had to be some serious corruption. The people of Noah’s time were so corrupt that God decided to wipe them all out, except Noah and his family, and start over new. Depravity in society is nothing new. A wise man once asserted, “There is nothing new under the sun.”

The world does not recognize it’s own degeneracy. But believers should not forget that they are also capable of the same level of immorality. Psalm 14:2-3 states, “The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.” The word for “all,” in the Hebrew means, ALL. When we loose sight of our dependence on God and become arrogant in our own righteousness, we are in danger of falling into sin. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom,” (Proverbs 11:2). Even David, a man after God’s own heart, fell into serious sin when he became complacent in his walk and inattentive to his own potential for sinfulness. He committed adultery and murder. Are we “common Christians” any less capable of serious sin than King David? I’m not saying pedophilia is a common sin that people struggle with but I do believe that our hearts are wicked and capable of serious sin. God’s grace is all we can depend on and we must depend on it daily, hourly, moment-by-moment in order to persevere in our walks. We have to maintain our testimonies if we want to be light and salt to our campuses and in turn, the world.

Interview with Jessie (Youth)

by Grace Wu

Today’s youth profile highlights Jessie, who just started high school this fall. She has also been attending LBC since its very beginning, and is going to share her perspective on the youth group.

How long have you been a part of Lumos?

For a little over three years now.

How have you changed since first being in Lumos and now?

When I first came to Lumos, I was quiet and didn’t know the staff members that well. Now, I do know the staff members; I’m getting involved; and I also have the privilege of seeing my sister in Youth Group, too.

You’ve been through all stages of LBC’s children’s ministries (nursery, children’s, and now youth). What is it like growing up in Lighthouse?

I don’t remember Nursery or Sparklers… In Children’s, I began to learn about God and what the Bible. In Youth I learned about the Bible, but in way more depth. Growing up in Lighthouse has made it my second home! I know a lot of the members and I get to talk and learn from them.

What is one significant lesson God has been teaching you lately?

One significant lesson God has been teaching me lately is that vacation is not a time to be slacking off (devotionals and homework included). During vacations, it’s easy to get sidetracked with free time and fun time.

What was the transition from middle school to high school like?

The transition middle school to high school was very stressful… New teachers, classes, location… but I think I’ve adjusted to high school life pretty well now.

What is one thing you want people to know about you?

I seem not talkative, but I like talking to other people. Please say hi!

What are your hobbies?

I like reading, origami, arts and crafts, running, and playing volleyball.

A Sports Fan and a Children’s Ministry Coordinator’s Reflection on Penn State

by Abram Kim

It is not often that my worlds as a sports fan and a Children’s Ministry coordinator intersect. However, with the recent news that a former assistant football coach at Penn State (Jerry Sandusky) allegedly abused young boys on their campus, these two worlds collided in a surprising and horrific way.

This scandalous story has no relevance to sports except that it happened in a sports context (a major university’s football program). But not just any sports program. It happened at one of the most well-known and storied programs in the entire nation. This is why my sports fan side is so vested. This also happened to kids. Though I am not a parent yet, I work with the kids at our church regularly and are often around young children. I have been entrusted by the church to oversee our Sunday School hour and several summer VBS’s. This is why my Children’s Ministry side is so vested in this story.

Any time news like this hits the papers (though now, more aptly, the web) it is tragic and sad, and our hearts go out to the victims and their families. But there are at least two additional factors that make this particular story more relevant to the average sports fan as well as to the Children’s Ministry worker. The first is that this all happened under the eye of legendary Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno. He is known to be a man of integrity and character. He has built his football program and, by influence the entire campus, on this kind of character, doing things the right way. Penn State is synonymous with Joe Paterno. Every college football fan definitely knows “Joe Pa,” and so would most sports enthusiasts. Because of this familiarity, many people across the country seem to have a vested interest in this story, including me. And to think that this horrific abuse occurred during Paterno’s tenure at Penn State has forever tarnished his legendary coaching career.

Secondly, part of the tragedy of this story is why the abuse was allowed to continue for the last 13 years without any apparent criminal or civil charges. Over that span, there seems to be over a dozen boys that were allegedly abused by Sandusky, most of whom have not come forward to testify until recently. Part of the anger and outrage people feel are related to this extended length of time when apparently nothing was done to put Sandusky in prison. These allegations were brought to the district attorney and to coaches and school officials over this span of time, but it had never been reported to the police until this past month. In 2002, Paterno and other top school officials were notified of these allegations of Sandusky by Mike McQueary, a grad assistant at the time and current coach on the Penn State football team, who witnessed Sandusky in the showers molesting a young boy. Journalists and former Penn State players reported seeing Sandusky on the Penn State campus the following year after this incident was reported to top school officials, though not to the police.

Why do these two particular factors grab my attention? The main reason is that this news hits home, in the sense that if this can happen there, it can happen here. It’s easy to think that this could never happen at our church or that people would essentially turn a blind eye to such abuse, especially for such an extended period of time. But the fact remains that churches are very much a hunting ground for sexual predators because of the grace and trust we extend to everyone (more on this topic later in the article). Paterno built his legacy around honor and integrity and character, but now his legacy is forever tarnished with his sin of omission for almost 10 years.

Part of the pain and anger we feel when we hear this story is that, if it can happen at a place like this, under the watch of someone like Paterno, can this really happen where we are? Can this happen at LBCSD? The simple answer is yes. Why? Because we are all sinners, depraved and wicked to the core. The potential for this perversity is innate in all of us, save the grace of God. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). There is none righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10, Proverbs 20:9; cf. Jeremiah 17:9).

There is one more aspect of who I am that played the deciding factor in how I interacted with this news, me as a Christian. As I heard and read more news about this story, I felt disgusted, angry, shocked, disappointed, and horrified. But the more I dwelt on these particular emotions, I realized that these are the kinds of emotions I should feel towards all my sins. When news like this emerges, they are ways God uses to remind us of the ugliness of sin. This is the kind of ugliness that Christ died for. My sins aren’t some quaint, not-too-bad, not-too-terrible blips on God’s radar that needed a little clean-up by Christ’s blood. Every white lie, every little gossip, every thought of payback or manipulation to get my way. Each one is as ugly as the Penn State scandal to God, for He is perfectly holy and cannot look upon evil (Habakkuk 1:13).

I was reminded of Jesus’ explanation as to what our response should be when we hear of terrible local news (Luke 13:1-5). Jesus said our response needs to be to repent, else we perish like them. This ought to be the Christian response to 9-11, or Katrina, or other natural disasters. All of us deserve such destruction, and these incidents remind us of the need for a Savior. I am not trying to take the analogy too far to suggest that sinners (including children) deserve abuse like what happened at Penn State, but I do think that this ought to again remind us of the need for a Savior. The disgust and anger I felt and still feel over what happened to these young boys is the kind of disgust I need to have towards my own sins, for that is how God sees my sins. Events like this ought to remind the church of the ugliness of sin and the great price Christ paid to atone for this kind of wickedness.

So where does this leave our Children’s Ministry? My last thought above, I think, ought to be the starting point. We must start with the gospel of Jesus Christ that is able to save us from the uttermost (Hebrews 7:25), even from the kind of scandalous sins revealed at Penn State. Our accountability as a ministry is first and foremost to God. In other words, all of our Children’s Ministry workers must be a regenerate, true believer and follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are justified by grace through faith. We also have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, empowering us to live righteous lives and to put off the old man, with its perversities like the ones witnessed at Penn State.

As a genuine Christian, we are also accountable to the local church where we hold our membership, so that is the next level of accountability. God has designed the church to carry out His mission on earth, including raising the next generation to know and fear the Lord. The elders of the church watch over the members of the church and do their best to ensure that the conduct of all her members, including Children’s Ministry workers, align with the teachings of Scripture and are in accordance with being a Christian who has put off the old man and has put on the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-24). The elders have appointed helpers like myself to maintain a close eye on all the staff involved in our ministries. I, of course, take this charge very seriously. This is why I take this news so seriously.

The safety of our children are of utmost importance to the Children’s Ministry at Lighthouse. We have specific policies and guidelines in place to protect the children and to help remind all the staff to remain above reproach. But we must be steadfast and diligent in our efforts and not be complacent, lest incidents like the Penn State scandal creep into our church. To better improve our due diligence in matters of our children’s safety, all our Children’s Ministry staff must have a background check performed at a minimum of every 2 years. In addition, we have been notified by Elder Mike Chon to report any suspicious activity to him and the ministry coordinators immediately. If there is any concern of abuse (physical and/or sexual), the staff must report it to Mike and the police. Every adult can now be found culpable if not reported to the proper authorities, including the police, on matters as serious as this. We as a Children’s Ministry will make every effort to protect our kids to the best of our abilities.

At the end of the day, will any of the children at our church be abused, regardless of the measures we place to protect them? Statistically, and considering the makeup of our church, probably not likely. But when news like this Penn State scandal breaks, all statistics and likelihoods are thrown out the window. The gravity of the issue rises to the forefronts of all our minds. Guards must be enhanced and measures must be evaluated to make sure all of us are doing our due diligence to protect the safety of each child God has entrusted to us, as parents, as the Children’s Ministry, and as the local church.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this topic, please feel free to talk with Mike Chon or myself at church.

Ministry Update (Grace Life)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Grace Life Family Ministry has been continuing to meet on Saturday mornings during the Sunday School hour. It has been really encouraging to see the participation of so many of our married couples and parents. Especially because of the difficulties involved with working around children’s meal times and nap times, the consistently good attendance shows the commitment of our families to stay Christ-centered.

We have been continuing through our series in the John Barnett book, Word Filled Families: Walk in Truth. Each week we look at a new chapter of the book and are particularly concerned with exploring the biblical principles behind the lessons taught. So far, the book has been greatly helpful and encouraging. Some of the topics covered include the importance of staying Word-filled, marks of a strong godly husband, and God’s estimation of a beautiful woman. A memory verse accompanies each lesson and periodically we have quizzes for accountability (which everyone looks forward to with great anticipation!).

For the month of November, Grace Life also enjoyed an informal “Night on the Town” event. After taking signups, we grouped up our members to enjoy a fun date night over dinner or dessert. In order to facilitate participation, we also helped coordinate childcare (thanks to the Care Ministry!). Our group decided to have dessert together at Leucadia Pizzeria. We ordered four desserts! While we love our children immensely, it was nice to have an evening to spend together with adults!

Grace Life is looking forward to a great rest of the year. We’re off to a great start and are hoping that it will continue to the end. One of our goals this year is to have our first Grace Life retreat. We know that will take a lot of planning and won’t be easy to put together, but hopefully with prayer God will allow us to do that this year. Another upcoming Grace Life event is the annual Christmas party in December. That should be fun time for all the families, including the kids! In the meantime, we will keep doing much of what we have been – providing opportunities for the families of Grace Life to spend time together while also studying and seeking to apply God’s Word.

Singles Ministry: Launching Pad for Godly Growth

by Cesar Vigil-Ruiz

What’s New?

Coming back from a small break of meeting with College Life during the summer, the Singles began meeting on Wednesday nights instead of Friday nights. This has been a great switch from the pattern of Single Life for the past few years, when before, many of the post-college guys and gals usually come to get their hearts refreshed and their eyes refocused after a long workweek. The time of refreshing teaching had to wait until the end of the week, leading to multiple hours of work, continual study for graduate school, or the pursuit of a job in between. Coming to the middle of the week, many of the Singles can see each other sooner, and fellowship as brothers and sisters on the race to spiritual growth and maturity, keeping one another accountable as a whole group to stay spiritually-minded for the rest of the week.

Along with the new day of meeting, Single Life has new staff! Though we lost nine faithful members from staff for various reasons (we all miss you!), our God has continued to bring up workers of His grace to this ministry. Splitting into a Shepherding and Admin Staff, the dynamics now has a group that helps out with the planning of events in Single Life, while the Shepherding Staff helps out with the facilitation of small groups, seeing the necessity of one staff helping the other. On Admin staff, we have the privilege of servants Vic Allende, Jane Liou, Eugene Park, Janet Shih, Brian Song, and Herman Wang. On Shepherding Staff, we have the additional joy of Joseph Ho, Obadiah Lee, Jennifer Shih, and, with God’s humor, myself, to newly serve our brothers and sisters. With the wise oversight of our Pastor, Patrick Cho, he saw the need for a focused staff to exercise their gifts in specific ways within the ministry.

Lessons Learned

It’s been a personal joy for me to be a part of this affinity group, since I get to spend more time with brothers and sisters my age and grow alongside them. Having moved from Youth Staff to Singles Staff, I immediately saw the change in atmosphere and interaction among one another. Not saying one is better than the other, my time with the youth has given me a wider love to a group very much unlike myself in many ways. The youth, as well as the staff, have taught me and modeled for me a love that grows deep in a ministry with the specific goal of building one another up in love and good deeds. Now that I am with a group closer in age, I can now give of myself to other brothers and sisters and share the joy I had with the youth, all coming from the same Source of love: our bond in Christ.

Starting up where he left off, Pastor Patrick continued to preach on Colossians 3, specifically addressing the attitudes we need to “wear” in our relationships at church. I think I can safely say the preaching continues to refine our character to look more like that of Christ in every area of our lives. With each garment we put on (vv. 12-13), it becomes more and more heavy to wear, and yet the reminder is always that God in Christ has shown how to do this abundantly, and empowers us to put these clothes on. Each character trait must actively be evident in our walk under the umbrella of love (v. 14), forgiving one another as we pursue Christian character. I’ve taken this to be a divine diagnostic of my life, evaluating my heart according to Scripture and finding where I need to lean on the Lord for His power to change.

I also had the opportunity to preach on the issue of contentment, since discontentment seems to be the unwelcome guest in our hearts that we have a hard time kicking out. Looking at the life of Paul in Philippians 4:10-13, you get a glimpse of a man completely content in Christ—no matter what circumstance he finds himself in. When I find that Paul had to learn how to be content, it reminds me that even the apostle Paul didn’t get it the first time around. He had to grow in having this attitude of being satisfied with whatever the Lord gave him, since he saw everything, especially his hard life, as a gift from God that was made for his growth in devotion to Christ. Seeing that it is through the strength of Christ that empowers us to live content humbles me again in admitting my lack of perspective when I work or when I take tests in class.

It’s an exciting time of new starts and continual growth for our Singles Ministry, and I’m grateful to God that I get to see with my own eyes the hand of God at our church. To see Singles continue to grow in their understanding of Scripture and seeking to do what it says is a beautiful sight. These are men and women dedicated to honor God in the workplace, and the conversation continues to focus on how to glorify our Savior in specific ways and holding each other accountable.

We’ve now begun small groups, and I, along with the other staffers, have already seen the love that shines in our church through these times of sharpening and encouragement. We all look forward to serving the Singles and finding more ways to do so. There is also the upcoming Car Rally this Saturday, so it should be a fun and stimulating way of getting to know the area we live but also the people who walk alongside us in faith. Our Christmas Party is quickly approaching, where we always enjoy a special time to enjoy the giving hearts of our brothers and sisters (including the gift cards to In N Out).

Continue to pray for our hearts to seek biblical change consistent with our confession of the God who saves and redeems from the inside out. Pray for the Gospel to spread to more and more singles who are in need of God’s grace, and that this ministry will continue to be centered on the Word of God as it relates to this stage of life that God blesses us with.

Last Thoughts

Singles, we have a unique opportunity to bear witness of Christ in companies and classes where the light is dim but our God shines bright. Let’s take advantage of every opportunity to introduce our friends, family and co-workers the Creator of the universe, Jesus Christ. God supplies our every need; let us demonstrate our thankfulness to Him at our station in life: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus (work, sharing Christ, loving each other), giving thanks to God our Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). Let us “exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13).