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).

by Pastor Patrick Cho

One of the great privileges at church is being able to minister to working adults, helping disciple them to magnify Christ in their workplace, personal lives, and relationships. However, sometimes working with single adults can be quite challenging. One of the difficulties about Single Life is that there is a wide range of context in the lives of the singles. This certainly can be a significant time when they are deciding on what career to pursue as they job hunt with their various applications and interviews. Many singles are working out the biblical principles about life that they learned during college.

There are other singles who have been in the workforce for a while. Their concerns are not about choosing their professions as much as being faithful in the work that God has already led them to do. They are dealing with the complexities of representing Christ in the workplace while distinguishing between what is appropriate and what is necessary. Sometimes decisions are presented in the workplace that might tempt them to compromise biblical principles. For others, it is simply about practicing those principles consistently in the workplace and exhibiting good Christian character and Christ-likeness.

When it comes to the pursuit of marriage, some singles are perfectly content with remaining single for now. They are happy to focus on their jobs or simply growing in their faith. Others desire to be married but either have not had the opportunity to pursue it or have been turned down in that pursuit. Understandably, this can be frustrating and challenging to a person’s faith. Still others are in dating relationships or are engaged and are fighting to not only maintain purity, but to keep Christ central in their relationships. They don’t want their relationship to be a hindrance to their walk with God, but want it to help stimulate greater godliness.

Adding to the challenges of leading singles is the truth that male and female singles each typically struggle with their unique temptations and encumbrances. Those who shepherd singles need to understand these generalities while still ministering to each person as an individual and helping them to become complete in Christ.

As numerous as these challenges are, this is what makes singles ministry so vital in the life of the church. It isn’t simply about coming together to listen to a sermon. It is about having a group of individuals who relate to your life experiences and who can help each other grow and hold each other accountable. Even though the challenges are diverse, the solution is the same. Our goal will be to look to Scripture to see what God’s Word tells us about how to handle the challenges that we face. This is going to be an exciting year for Single Life, one where we will hopefully see much spiritual growth in the lives of our members.

by Daniel Yee

In the past year, God has blessed the Lighthouse family tremendously with new visitors from all walks of life, many of whom have gone on to commit to membership, and I am certain that the church will continue to experience even more growth in the coming months. While it’s exciting to see so many newcomers, one can easily be lost among the sea of people. Even when Single Life meets for our smaller, more intimate Bible study, getting to know one another better can still be an arduous task. It can be tempting to just slip out quietly without anyone noticing and even when one does muster up the courage to say “hi,” the conversation doesn’t always seem to amount to much more than a moment of awkwardness.

This is where small groups can help. Should one desire to know others better in the body, small group is a fantastic way to start. After all, small groups are… small. For those fearful of crowds like I am, it makes speaking up a little easier. Everyone has the chance to share and be heard. People are not just another face anymore. We get to know more than just a name, job title/description, and hometown. As a result, we begin to build friendships with one another.

However, there is so much more to small groups. Yes, meeting together with a more intimate group of brothers or sisters allows us a better chance of getting acquainted, but more than that, we have a grand opportunity to carry out the multitude of “one another” commands found in Scripture. We get to serve one another (Gal. 5:13), teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16), encourage and build up one another (I Thess. 5:11); just to name a few. Those last two mentioned in I Thessalonians 5, in particular, have been of great value to me and something I look forward to every week as I meet with several other like-minded brothers.

There is so much I can say about small group, but in short, it has been a challenging time for me. I’m challenged to consider how I have spent my time the previous week. I’m challenged to think through the sermons I have heard and how I might actively apply them in my life. I’m challenged to speak up even when I don’t feel comfortable. I’m challenged to listen to different perspectives and learn from others. I’m challenged to be humble when I am wrong. I’m challenged to keep up my disciplines for the sake of godliness. I’m challenged to be confronted with my sins and repent. I’m challenged to pray for others and ask them to pray for me. I’m challenged to love these other guys, whom for the most part I didn’t know very well before our small group and even now, I’m still learning more about them. I have been encouraged and built up by all of these challenges and I know it’s something that I would not have experienced if I were not involved in a small group.

One more thing I might add is that throughout this past year, I am reminded I cannot run this race of faith single-handedly. At Lighthouse, we’re told there is no such thing as a “lone ranger” Christian, and it is so true. I love the imagery found in Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 because it illustrates why Christians should not be alone. So many times I’ve fallen down and I wonder to myself, “How am I still standing?” There is no doubt God has used this group of brothers to come along side me, lift me back up, and urge me to keep going. The trials keep rising, but I am comforted to know God has provided fellow believers so I don’t face them in isolation. By joining a small group, my social life might just have improved a little. But more importantly, I know there are people I can count on to share God’s truth with me as we continue to run together as part of the same body.

by Chris Tang

Time for another Single Life update! Pastor Patrick has been continuing to teach through Colossians with a particular focus on how false gospels fall short of the one true Gospel. Living and thinking in Gospel-centered way sounds like such a simple thing to do, yet our sinful hearts can so easily corrupt the Gospel in very subtle ways. One recent message preached from Colossians 2:16-17 dealt legalism, and how it is grows out of our hearts.

In Colossians 2:16 Paul admonishes the Colossians not to subject themselves to the judgment of man regarding “food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.” Obviously there were some people (legalistic people) who were denying that others were saved because how they ate, drank, or treated certain days. In hindsight this seems completely absurd. We know that food and drink do not corrupt (Mark 7:15, 1 Corinthians 6:13) and we would never bat an eye at dressing up on Halloween (would we?). Unfortunately, knowledge can only take you so far. Despite our knowledge, the remnants of sin within our hearts make it easy to fall into the trap of legalism.

In Pastor Patrick’s sermon he spent some time on the differences between convictions and legalism. It may not be immediately obvious where the line is drawn. The two are both extra-Biblical precepts which a person thinks are necessary to follow in order to live in a God-glorifying manner (black and white issues which have explicit instruction, such as not committing adultery, fall under the category of obedience). Convictions vary from person to person and issue to issue. This includes things such as exactly how and how much time is spent in God’s word, trick-or-treating on Halloween, and even what food is acceptable to eat. Living out these convictions is fine (Romans 14:5-6). Where it crosses the line, however, is when we impose our own convictions on others in a way judgmental way. Legalism elevates the weaknesses (or strengths) of our consciences to the level of something which can make God love them more, or affirm His choice in saving them. As if, for example, praying before every single meal could somehow make you worth saving! For me such a habit is a good way to stay mindful of God’s abundant provision, but I haven’t yet seen the passage where Jesus says, “It is finished. . .as long as you remember to say grace.”

Ultimately, we succumb to legalism due to the sin which remains in our hearts. Pastor Patrick made several great points about the heart behind legalism. They all come down to having a high view of self and a low view of God. It has roots in pride, elevating our own man-made rules over the commandments of God. It comes from lack of love, placing personal convictions over the care for others (Matthew 12:1-2, 7). Legalism can also come from guilt, where we doubt the work of the cross and try atone for our own shortcomings, making little the great cost of God’s grace (Titus 3:5, 1 Peter 2:24).

This message was very convicting for me, as I have seen legalism pop up in the most surprising and unexpected places in my own life. I hope that, as God continues to reveal the depth of our depravity, we would all grow in our love for Him, knowing that the Gospel is not just sufficient, but powerful to save. Cleaning toilets does not save. Being a parent does not save. Doing ministry to all hours of the night does not save. Counseling others does not save. We receive grace not because of what we do, but in spite of it. Our own standards should be set aside for God’s so that we may grow together as followers of Christ in love (2 Corinthians 12:19).

by Jen Shih

One marked characteristic of our Bible studies at Lighthouse is that our pastor does not skimp on giving us the details; at any given time of the year, we are digging into a book of the Bible verse by verse. The Single Life ministry started studying through the book of Colossians on Friday nights back in July 2010 and now we’re approaching the end of chapter 2! By way of introduction to the book, one reason why Paul wrote to the church at Colossae was in response to false teachings that were arising. Paul warns the church to be wary of false teaching based on human traditions and elementary principles created by man and instead to trust and depend on the sufficiency of Christ. Understanding what “hollow and deceptive philosophy” looks like is helpful especially because we live in a world where lies are commonly the mainstream belief.

While studying Colossians 2:8, Pastor Patrick highlighted some characteristics of false teachings for us. False teaching often contains error mixed in with truth. It appeals to the desires and intellect of men (1 John 2:16), and causes us to question the true word of God. A picture of this false teaching is clearly illustrated in Genesis 3 – Eve saw that the tree which God commanded not to eat from was a “delight to the eyes and she saw that the tree was desired to make one wise.” Satan twists the word of God and tempts Eve with a reasoning that sounds appealing and good. I encounter a modern day example of this at my workplace. It’s often times much easier to complain and gossip with co-workers in a frustrating situation because there might be seemingly legitimate reasons to do so – the situation is unfair or there is not enough recognition by management or one person is not contributing to a team effort. Grumbling, complaining, and gossip is inexcusable because these are things that God commands against in his Word (Philippians 2:14, Psalm 34:13). Or when things don’t go the way I’ve planned – it’s simple to blame circumstances and a situation for a hardened heart and the world reinforces this.

The Christian does not need to rely on these types of reasoning but instead the Christian has a solid foundation on Christ. It is sure, unwavering, never misleading or wrong. In Colossians 2:9-10, Paul emphasizes three powerful statements about Christ: in Jesus the fullness of the deity dwells in bodily form, we have complete sufficiency in Christ, and this is assured by His full authority. Christ is God incarnated – the very being of God. His perfect life satisfies what we can never make up to be reconciled with God. It is an amazing truth that our wisdom, reconciliation, and righteousness are complete in Christ. Studying through Colossians 2:11-14 specifically has been tremendously encouraging and eye opening. Pastor Patrick pointed out that the same Greek word “energeia” for the “powerful working” of God to raise us from the dead is the same powerful working that God uses to raise Christ from the dead. That’s a pretty mind-blowing thought. Our entire old self is gone. Our old flesh is removed or “circumcised” and replaced entirely with new life in Christ. This has helped me to put into better perspective the fact that salvation is truly a miracle by a gracious, merciful and loving God. We were dead in our sin and trespasses – completely dead – which means that there is absolutely nothing we could to earn salvation or please God or earn God’s favor in any way. Yet, God chose to save us.

Recently, my more specific prayer is that I would not get caught up in the busyness of work and life and live each day in perspective of the awesome salvation I have in Christ. Understanding that my old self was buried with Christ and that I am raised again ignites an inner joy and excitement that I know is rooted in amazing gospel truth. Practically, for me, this means that I need to prioritize and not put all my time and energy into working to please men, but put my best effort forward, understanding that I cannot be perfect and my aim is not to please man and build myself up. It means that I cannot find my security in my career or income or success, but I need constantly to depend, rest, and draw strength on truth that Christ is sufficient for me.

My encouragement to those in the Singles Ministry is simply this reminder: God has specifically and purposely carved out this stage of life, this study through the book of Colossians, and the relationships we have with one another to learn and grow and live out his Word. Let’s continue to strive to do this with full dependency on God and increasing love for God and one another!

by Andrea Lem

Fridays are days that I always look forward to because 1) not only does Friday mean the weekend is here, but 2) it also means that I get to fellowship with other brothers and sisters that I haven’t seen during the week. In Singles, we have the opportunity to fellowship through receiving challenging teaching and of course, through the delicious refreshments and accompanying conversations. Not to say that I don’t enjoy the refreshments and chatting with others, but at this point in Singles this year, I have grown even more appreciative for the biblically-sound teaching that we’ve been getting each week.

On Friday nights, Pastor Patrick has been going through the book of Colossians with us, dissecting each verse piece by piece with in-depth explanations. In Colossians, Paul writes to the church in Colossae to warn of heretical teaching and encourages the Colossians to stand firm in Christ and their salvation through Him. During the last couple of weeks in Singles, I’ve been particularly encouraged by Paul’s writing and his love for the church and its people. After all, if he didn’t love them, why would he even bother writing this letter to them? Reading and studying Colossians has highlighted for me Christ’s love through Paul and it challenges me to desire to love the church and its people in the same way.

Another thing that I’ve been encouraged by and reminded of is how central the gospel is in my life as a believer. Oftentimes, with the busyness of life and just day to day things, it’s easy to be distracted from the gospel. But from this study in Colossians, Paul is constantly pointing the Colossians back to the gospel and the truth of it. The last two sermons – “The Tremendously Awesome Salvation We Have in Christ” – were taken from Colossians 2: 11-14 have been such a blessing. Pastor Patrick exposited each of the four verses in such detail that it helped me to understand what Paul was saying even more. From verses 11-14, I was reminded that before Christ, I was dead. Completely dead. But, out of His tremendous love for me, God has forgiven me of my sins and I have been baptized and spiritually circumcised to be identified as one of his own. And I didn’t do anything to deserve this forgiveness. I was completely dead before but because of God and his love, I’ve been completely forgiven and completely alive now. This is a “basic” truth but the more I meditate on it, the more I am in awe of God.

Now, that begs the question, what does that mean for my life? It’s easy to keep this all as head knowledge as I go through each day. But from the sermons, I’ve really been challenged to seek to take this knowledge and actually apply it in my life. I’ve been reflecting and asking myself questions such as, “Who am I living for? For God? Or for me?,” “How does a gospel-centered life look everyday, all the time?,” etc. I’ve been thinking about how it affects not just the big things in life but also the little decisions and actions that I make each day. Seeking to apply these things won’t be easy as I’m sure sins will continuously be confronted. But that just drives me all the more to depend on my God and to pray for His strength and guidance, which barely touches on what the Singles’ Retreat was about (Please feel free to come talk to me or any other Single about what our retreat was about!). So, if I had to wrap everything into a sentence or two, I’d say that being a part of Singles is a tremendous blessing as I continue to learn and seek to live as a follower of Christ, who desires to glorify God through complete dependence on Him.

by Stephen Rodgers

First of all, apologies for the lateness of the article today. I didn’t know I was writing it until a few hours ago. I take small consolation in the fact that our beloved pastor has apparently been so overcome by his guilt in surprising me in this way, that he has fled the country.

No…not really. See me Sunday if you don’t get the joke. But let’s skip over that and move on to something more substantial: reflections on a particular aspect of the recent Singles Retreat. The theme of the retreat was “Dependence,” and if you haven’t yet read Pastor Patrick’s article that he wrote in response to the messages, I would commend it to you.

One of the messages was particular focused on prayer, particularly in regards to Romans 8:26-27. For those of you who aren’t as familiar with that passage, it speaks of how the Spirit intercedes on our behalf in our prayers. This passage sits at a nexus of several biblical themes: prayer (as the act of every believer, verse 26), the will of God (and how the Spirit will assist us in praying within it, verse 27), and even the work of each member of the trinity (in this passage, the Spirit intercedes before God on the behalf of the believer, just as Christ is said to do in Hebrews 2:17-18, 4:14-16, and 7:24-26).

When those messages are added to the media archive, I’ll be sure to include a link here. (Editor’s Note: they have been added). Meanwhile, I wanted to highlight three additional ways that we are dependent on God in prayer. These aren’t drawn from the retreat messages per se, but I think that all of them underscore our dependence on God.

1. God is the object of our prayers. Prayers in and of themselves are objectively useless. They may impart some sort of subjective experience of catharsis, but part from a deity who can both hear and respond, they are nothing more than baseless utterances. But we know from Scripture that God does hear our prayers, and that He is the final arbiter of that which will be. In directing our prayers to Him we can have full confidence that they are anything but useless. He may not always answer in the way we would hope, but we know that this is due to our own lack of understanding rather than a limitation on His part.
2. God is the model for our prayers. Prayer can seem nerve-wracking at times; after all, what do to you say to someone who has not only seen the birth of our entire universe, but actually spoke the words that birthed it? Thanking him for a good day or asking him to impart His divine blessing on your pizza can seem downright trivial. How much more confidence should we have then since He has given us instruction on how to pray to Him? From the instruction of the Lord’s prayer to the examples of the psalmists, Scripture is full of models of prayer that please God. We have nothing less than the very words of God to tell us how to have words with God.
3. God is the answer to our prayers. In Matthew 21:16, Jesus identifies Himself as the object of the prayer of Psalm 8:2. Hebrews 1:8-12 identifies Jesus as the object of some prayers in the Psalms as well. This may seem obvious, but think for a moment of what it means that we have a God who came down to us. We already touched on the fact that God hears and responds to prayer. But in His plan for redemption, God didn’t simply manipulate a few events; He personally involved Himself in the story. He condescended to His own creation. And before He left, He told us that He would one day do so again, and in the meantime we still have access to Him.

As I mentioned before, the theme of the retreat was “Dependence,” and I think it was a theme that was hammered home over and over again. But as I reflect on God and His gift of prayer, I can’t help but realize how this common experience ties us together as Christians. The first instance of prayer in the Bible is recorded in Genesis: the book of beginnings. The last instance of prayer in the Bible is recorded in Revelation: the book of new beginnings. Somewhere in between those two are the entirety of a people called by God, who in turn call upon Him. From Adam and Abraham to Peter and Paul to you and me, the same God has heard us all.

I’m not sure you can follow that thought and not feel very, very small.

What seem our worst prayers may really be, in God’s eyes, our best. Those, I mean, which are least supported by devotional feeling. For these may come from a deeper level than feeling. God sometimes seems to speak to us most intimately when he catches us, as it were, off our guard. (CS Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer)

by David Ahn

This past fall represented a time of transition for the Single Life ministry at Lighthouse Bible Church, as it resumed after summer hiatus under the leadership of Pastor Patrick after previously being led by Pastor John. It also saw many actively serving single adults leaving to join the church plant or to join staff of the other ministries such as College Life and Youth Group (which I propose should be renamed HighLighters) as all three bible studies are held concurrently on Friday evenings.

Thankfully, God has used these changes to grow the singles ministry. In place of many of the familiar faces that have left for married life, San Jose, and other staff ministries, God has brought many newcomers into our midst and has given opportunities for new people to step up and serve. I am consistently amazed and challenged to see newcomers who are so eager to commit and invest in their spiritual walks when the world sees single life as a time to enjoy worldly pleasures and delay the maturing process. They often come from a variety of backgrounds: some are transplants from vibrant, healthy churches; some are recommitting after wayward college years; and some are newly seeking the gospel. However, all are exposed to the universal truth of God’s Word faithfully preached and the love of Christ’s Body.

The structure of our Friday night ministry has not changed dramatically, and still consists of an opening time of musical worship, welcoming announcements, and then a teaching time. New since the fall has been RAP groups, which is a dedicated time after the teaching for us to “lyrically freestyle” (aka “RAP”…reflection, application, and prayer) about the sermon, so that we can have some time to actively digest the truths that Pastor Patrick shared that night. Lastly, people are encouraged to spend time hanging out in the midst of refreshments and games.

I think most of the single adults would agree with me when I say that Friday Night Bible Study comes at a challenging time, when most of us have just completed a grueling workweek and are eager to usher in the weekend. Sometimes it seems almost counterintuitive to cap off the week by going to a bible study when our flesh yearns to kick back and “chillax.” However, I also believe that most would agree with me when I say that I often end up leaving Friday Night Bible Study more rejuvenated than before after having been challenged and encouraged by the gathering of believers.

by Abram Kim

Pastor Patrick started his Singles ministry this past fall by going the book of Colossians. This study on Friday nights has been a great follow-up to our Singles Retreat last March, when Pastor Nam Park of Immanuel Bible Church spoke four wonderful messages on the preeminence of Christ through Colossians. I remember that retreat being a tremendous blessing because Pastor Nam’s preaching magnified the person, character, and worth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Through Paul’s letter to the Colossians, the Singles group saw a clearer and greater image of God very God, Jesus Christ.

Pastor Patrick’s teachings from Colossians have likewise been a tremendous blessing for our Singles Ministry. This study, I believe, has renewed our passion to live in light of the preeminence of Christ. We just finished chapter 1 this past Friday. I’ll highlight a few key thoughts from the messages in the following paragraphs below. I pray you will learn what we have been learning as a Singles Ministry Friday nights, but more so that your view of who Christ is will become deeper and richer and fuller.

“Grace to you and peace from God our Father.” (Col. 1:2)

Paul starts his letters with this standard greeting, and Pastor Patrick started out the Colossians series. We took a closer look at the author of letter, Paul, the apostle, Roman citizen, and Jew of Jews. We examined the audience of the letter, the saints, i.e., true Christians, who are faithful to Christ and are in the world but not of it. And lastly, we studied Paul’s standard greeting with its focus on the grace of God for Christians, and the peace Christians have in Christ alone.

“… hope laid up for you in heaven.” (Col. 1:5)

As true Christians, we must not get satisfied with the temporal things of this world (i.e., appetizers) but seek the eternal heavenly reward yet to come (i.e., great feast). This hope in future glory is secured above in heaven, and is the reason, purpose, and motivation of the Colossians’ faith and love. The hope of future glory ought to also motivate our lives for godly living today.

“firstborn of all creation… firstborn from the dead” (Col. 1:15, 18)

Christ is the firstborn (beginning point), and therefore, the prototype of all of creation, as well as recreation. Christ was the means for creation when God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1-2). Christ is now also the means for the resurrection, for though He wasn’t the first to rise from the dead chronologically, He is the first to rise to never die again (1 Corinthians 15:20f.).

“Him we proclaim…”  (Col. 1:28)

Verse 28 and 29 are Pastor Patrick’s life verse for ministry. Here is the heart of Paul’s ministry summed up in three concise words. There is no other message but this one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a stumbling block (scandal) to Jews and folly (moronic) to Gentiles, but this is Paul’s one message in his preaching ministry (1 Corinthians 1:20f.). Therefore, the goal from the pulpit must be to know and love Jesus better, and not anything else like knowledge that puffs up or something that tickles our ears. Thank God this is the desire of our pulpit as well!

by Pastor Patrick Cho

At our last staff meeting, I shared a devotional with the Singles staff from Ephesians 5:2. The simple command that Paul gives in that verse is to “walk in love.” I suppose the command is simple enough, but the application is not as easy. I love how Paul doesn’t move on without first explaining what he means by that. He adds, “as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” In other words, walking in love is all about sacrificially giving of myself to others. This of course has many applications, but for our staff it at least means that we need to be keeping a watchful eye out for the various opportunities given to us to serve and love others. When we show up on Friday nights or Sunday mornings, we shouldn’t just be thinking of ourselves.

This means that love is sometimes inconvenient and uncomfortable. It requires dying to self, looking to others’ interests, and considering others more important that ourselves. Jesus did this for those who hated Him. How much more should we seek to love those we call brothers and sisters in Christ. This application, Paul says, rises up to God as a fragrant offering of praise. God is pleased when we become imitators of Christ (Eph. 5:1).

In contrast, in Eph. 5:3, Paul also instructs the church that there is an ungodly way of “loving.” He writes that “sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” These are self-centered expressions of “love.” These sins do not serve others but rather use, abuse, and take advantage of others. This sort of thing is not supposed to be associated with Christ’s followers.

In summary, Paul calls believers to do as Christ did. The love we show others must not be self-centered, but others-centered. We should seek to be a blessing to others – to love them even if it costs us. This is a huge challenge to sinners who are accustomed to thinking primarily of themselves. It is a call to put on a complete change in mindset. Paul instructs his followers to put off selfish love and put on sacrificial love. As a staff, this is what we are going to continue to strive to do each week as service to our brothers and sisters and as worship to our Lord.