by Josh Liu

In light of the recent Thanksgiving holiday, I’ll take a moment to reflect back on this past year for Lumos: I began serving at the beginning of August; met with the staff on numerous occasions to plan, coordinate, and bond; Lumos hosted a few events for the staff and youth to fellowship; resumed Friday night Bible studies in September; hosted its first Gospel and game nights in October; and launched the first of hopefully many Saturday seminars in November. Simply amazing! God has been gracious in pouring out many blessings! I’ll mention some:

The blessing of a faithful, servant-hearted, like-minded staff. As I shared in my last post, the staff is passionate about ministering to the youth. It has been an incredible blessing to serve along side with them. They humbly serve and patiently follow my leadership; they are very willing to sacrifice much for the youth. All of this stems from their genuine love and passion for God and the youth. I believe their counsel is God-exalting and biblically founded. I trust them very much. They contribute much joy in serving.

The blessing of Bible study. In my limited experience, it appears that many other youth ministries do not focus on preaching the whole counsel of God’s Word in their discipleship programs. It is an enormous blessing to have our youth nights center on God’s Word; and it is an enormous blessing to see the youth enjoy it! Fellowshipping over the study of God’s Word guides us to retain a Christ-centered and gospel-centered youth ministry.

The blessing of special events. Even though we may take breaks from our normal Bible studies, our special events provide other opportunities to present or reflect on the gospel and to deepen relationships. A gospel night, which is a night devoted to reflection on the gospel, directly reminds us of God’s good news. Like Israel in the Old Testament, we are prone to forget God and His righteous deeds. Setting aside time to reflect on Christ’s life, death, and resurrection and man’s sinful condition refocuses our hearts on eternal things, confronts us with challenging introspection concerning salvation, and encourages us to witness to others. Gospel nights provide youthies with the opportunity to actively reach out to their friends and family. Another opportunity for youthies to invite their friends and family to church is our game nights. A game night helps build camaraderie within the youth group and novel, and perhaps unorthodox ways (e.g. Jeopardy), to interact with God’s Word.

The blessing of Saturday seminars. We are privileged with opportunities to host special training and workshops. Cesar started us off with an introduction to the foundations of the Christian worldview – quite important! It is encouraging seeing the youth excited for these workshops and sacrifice a part of their Saturday to be at the church! These Saturday seminars allow us to continue teaching the whole counsel of God’s Word on very specific and relatable topics.

Those are just a few ways we have seen God pour out His blessings to the youth ministry. We continue to depend on God to grow what has been planted, to save souls, and to raise up a generation that will stand as His witnesses. I give thanks to God because He is good, not necessarily because of the good things He has blessed us with. To borrow C.J. Mahaney’s words, we’re doing better than we deserve, for all we deserve is God’s wrath for our sins. Yet because of Christ’s death and resurrection, we can have forgiveness of sins and eternal life with God – the greatest blessing; anything more is grace upon grace.

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!

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.

by Roger Alcaraz

One of my sayings (not that I have many) is “You can’t spell youth without you.” Literally, it takes y-o-u to spell youth but the play on words is really meant to encourage church members to invest in the young adults of the church in some way. Already I’ve seen great efforts by older men and women who take an interest in these vibrant lives. Whether it is through sleepovers, sharing a meal, or taking an outing together, these are vehicles through which one can impart the gospel and their life.

It may seem strange to think that your average church member can have a great impact on church youth. After all, they have Christian parents, hear several sermons per week, and have leaders caring over them. But let me share with you a story one parent told me. The family was making plans to carpool up to San Jose but the daughter didn’t like the idea and could not be convinced even after several attempts. One of the youth staff caught ear of this and told the daughter it was a good plan, to the daughter’s reply, “Really? Okay!” And just like that, the daughter was in agreement.

Poor mom. She was right all along but needed someone else to tell her daughter the same thing. That’s because counsel from a friend is received differently than counsel from a parent. There has always been a nature in people not to listen to authority. Parents are one of the most authoritative figures in a youth’s life and their counsel can often be ignored. Youth leaders help shepherd the youth, but their words can also fall on deaf ears because we, too, are an authority figure and can be seen coming from a biased perspective. Sometimes the wisdom they willingly receive best comes from someone who has no obligation to them, but simply wants to help them.

This is where the average church member can play a vital role in helping a young person grow in their faith. Each member has an opportunity to come along-side the youth and walk with them as a friend, teaching and being an example of godly character to them. It doesn’t have to be in an organized event. A simple meal or study time could be used to share in each other’s lives (Though, please get parental permission before doing so). Sunday mornings are also a great way to introduce yourself to them. This principle of knowing one another applies not only towards the youth but to the whole church. There should be no part of the church that feels left out or neglected. Thankfully, our youth have been truly blessed by everyone’s effort to reach out to them, so this isn’t a rebuke but an encouragement to keep investing in them and you will see the fruit of your efforts. And if you’re a stranger to them, then remember that the youth need y-o-u.

by Roger Alcaraz

In my last article, I shared about my time in seminary and the different trials God brought me through. I closed abruptly by mentioning that the article is connected to this year’s theme for the youth: “Unashamed of Christ.” Most people hear that phrase and think of someone boldly announcing the gospel, or Romans 1:15-16 where Paul says, “I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” He continues by giving the details of the gospel, how everyone is a sinner but that God saved us through sending Christ to die for us.

Proclaiming the gospel is certainly one of the signs of an unashamed Christian, but as I was working at McDonald’s, a recurring conversation brought to mind a different aspect of being unashamed. By the time I was working there, I had already graduated and so had all my Physics classmates. Most of them ended up attending UCSD graduate school or found a job nearby, which meant they would be stopping by McDonald’s for a quick meal (probably chicken nuggets). As they would come in, they would spot me in my blue uniform and hat and I would take their order. Eventually, they would always ask, “Did we have class together?” My response would always be the same run-on sentence: “Yeah…I actually graduated and will be going to school in LA soon so I needed a job to keep me in San Diego and I interviewed at a bunch of places but they didn’t seem to believe me that I could live and work in San Diego while attending school two days a week so none of them hired me except for McDonald’s but this place isn’t so bad.”

Okay, that wasn’t exactly what I would say, but the point is that I would always put up a defense for why I’m in that situation. Yet I would never mention my savior Jesus Christ and the hope I have in him. If there were no hope in his return or the everlasting life he gives, I would be attending seminary, driving back and forth from LA, working a low-end job, postponing my wedding, and serving the youth for nothing! I was convicted when a professor taught on 1 Peter 3:14-15 which says, “Even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (emphasis added). He pointed out that these verses have nothing to do with debating atheists and answering the question, “What proof do you have in God?” but it has everything to do with responding to trials and answering the question, “Why do you willingly suffer as you do?” Paul tells us how we should answer: by honoring Christ the Lord as holy, meaning He is the reason we are willing to endure hardship.

I was certainly prepared to make a defense for why I was working at McDonald’s but it did not present the hope I had in Christ, which meant I was ashamed of my circumstances and therefore ashamed of God, who placed me in them. While reading 2 Timothy 1:8 which says, “Do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,” I thought about how Paul would answer people who ask about why he’s in prison. Paul actually answers this by verse 11 where he writes, “I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed…” Why was Paul not ashamed? He continues, “…for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me.”

Therefore, being unashamed of Christ is more than having a loud voice. It means rejoicing in the trials appointed by God and not making excuses for why you suffer. I made it a point from then on to answer anyone who asked why I endure hardships by expressing my love for Jesus and the hope I have in Him.

by Roger Alcaraz

Six years ago, when God called me out of darkness, I had a very limited understanding of what being a Christian meant. By that time, I had heard some messages from the book of Romans, was getting discipled through the book of John, and had Christians around me as examples, so I knew that if I gave myself to following Christ, God would radically change my life. After counting the costs and confessing my sins, God gave me his Spirit and my life has never been the same.

What I neglected to consider were the hardships that would come with following Christ. It was later that I understood my calling. First Peter 2:21 says, “For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” I, like most people, would rather avoid suffering and I will probably never suffer to the extent of the Christians to whom Peter wrote. But I have had times of difficult trials and I see God’s care in never giving me a trial that I cannot bear. The point of this article is not to show how I have overcome trials. Hopefully, it will be clear that God was the one protecting and providing for me throughout.

This particular story begins in Fall of 2009, when I decided to go to seminary. After I graduated from UCSD, I had about eight months to look for a job. I needed something to keep me in San Diego. One of the main criteria for a job that I had was that they had to be okay with me going to seminary. I did not want to hide the fact that I would eventually be commuting to LA twice a week for school. I can only imagine getting hired and then telling my employee, “Oh, I forgot to tell you, I’m going back to school soon.” What kind of testimony is that? I wanted to trust that God would provide a job where I would not have to compromise and after interviewing at a dozen places, I landed a job at the last place I wanted to work – McDonald’s. But it was a good job and they fed me well.

By July, LBCSJ was planted and I became the new youth leader, going from preaching twice per year to twice per week, not to mention all the other responsibilities that I never realized were involved. When August came, I started seminary ready to learn and ready to take my relationship with Grace to the next level. By the third week of school, I bowed my knee before her and we promised our hands in marriage. Grace’s parents were opposed to us getting married so we had to go to LA a lot to see them to win their hearts.

So that is where I was. Within a few months, I was working, leading the youth, going to seminary in LA, newly engaged, and in conflict with my future family. But God provided for all my needs and sanctified me throughout. In God’s providence, though my discipler JR Cuevas had gone to San Jose for the church plant, he was forced to fly back to seminary each week to finish his last semester. He had previously dropped a semester because of his own engagement trials. When JR was going through the trials that caused him to drop his classes for a semester, I doubt he knew God would eventually use his extra time in seminary to minister to me. I was just off the starting blocks and I already wanted to quit, or at least slow down. But JR brought me strength each week to keep running. If it were not for JR’s example and encouragement to me, I doubt I would still be in seminary.

I had made it through the first semester, but JR had graduated so I wouldn’t see him the following semester. I didn’t know how God would provide but I knew he would, and he did. I enrolled in a prayer class and coincidently, this was the time I needed to pray the most. My legs were getting tired of standing and my head was sore from taking orders all day at McDonald’s. My sleeping schedule was off with working until 1:00am on some days and waking up at 4:00am on others. Things with Grace’s family were worse than ever, causing the first of three wedding postponements. Each week I would weep as I prepared for Friday’s youth message, but I would have to repent from my anger and sadness. My body, mind, and heart were ready to break and it was during this time that my prayer professor taught on the joys of suffering for Christ. He taught on Philippians 1:29 which says, “For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” The word translated “granted” is chrizomai in the Greek. It is similar to the word for spiritual gift and can be translated, “grace-gifted.” Suffering never seems like a gift of grace, but God promises that it will work for the believer’s good and so we should rejoice and be unashamed of it.

During my frail state, I would remind myself of God’s compassion and how easy my life was compared to others. It was also during this time that I was studying church history and read about the faithful Christians of the past who literally considered their lives of no value and dying as gain. There was a song called “Heavy Laden” that would encourage me throughout this time by a group name Hazakim. The song was about a man who understood the cost of being a disciple of Christ but thought his cross was too heavy to bear. So he asked Jesus for a lighter one and Jesus presented him before a field of crosses. He realized that the crosses were ones bore by previous believers who had since exchanged their cross for a crown. The size of the cross corresponded to the difficulty of life and he thought, “Surely the burdens they carried in their journey weren’t half as bad as mine.” As he continued, he found a cross that was smaller than the rest and he quickly made his decision, “Jesus I wish to carry this one.” Then with a look of sadness Jesus said, “My child I am fully aware of all you’ve been through. Nonetheless you may take it with you.” And as the man got closer, he realized that it was one he came in with.

That is how I felt as I cried out to God. I knew my trials were small compared to others’, yet God was with me the whole way and never gave me more than I could bear. My prayers to God were childlike, honest and simple, asking for more faith and for help. Concerning my job, I prayed for a new job. Knowing I didn’t deserve one, I asked God for a job that would give me one of the following: either allow me to sit, or allow me to study, or pay more, or offer a consistent schedule, or give me daytime hours. Since then, God has granted five out of the five requests I had for a job.

Concerning school, I prayed for a way to drive less or a way to drive later in the day. Since then, my classes have allowed me to drive up once a week instead of twice a week and to leave at 6:30am instead of 4:30am.

Concerning my engagement, I prayed that Grace’s parents and I could be reconciled, that they would support our marriage, and that we could set a wedding date. Since then, God miraculously worked in the hearts of her family to not only be supportive but excited for our upcoming wedding on September 15 of this year!

And so God personally lifted all of the burdens I put before him, though I know it was only because of his grace. As I conclude this article I have to mention the most instrumental part of God sustaining me through all this – the youth staff. It may have seemed strange to some that there were four men on staff with only two male students. Total, we had a staff of seven watching over eight students. But the ratios were not just beneficial for the youth; they were most beneficial for me. Multiple times per week, I would see how other saints are persevering through their own trials while seeking God. I never felt alone through my trials, and I heavily leaned on my staff for encouragement and examples. Four hour staff meetings and staff accountabilities lasting until 1:00am were some of the most tiring yet best moments of the year. I cannot tell where I would be without them.

This is part one of two concerning the theme of Lumos for 2012, “Unashamed of Christ.” What does all this have to do with being unashamed of the gospel? Stay tuned for next month’s article.

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!

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.

by Grace Wu

Today’s youth profile highlights Haeli, who is a 7th grader in the Lumos youth ministry.

How long have you been a part of Lumos? What was it like when you first came?

I’ve been a part of Lumos for about a year now. When I first came to youth, it was really different. I felt older and I liked the way the youth staff wanted all the youthies to call them by their regular names without the Mr. or Miss/Mrs! 🙂 Also, I saw the way the staff loved to hear about how we were doing and our thoughts about the messages we would hear every Friday, and Sunday! I knew that I would love my time here at youth!

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

I could see myself being more excited and motivated to learn about God and his word than I was before! I make time to read the Bible no matter how busy I am; but in the past, my schedule sometimes got in the way of my quiet time. Instead of forcing myself, I read the Bible because I want to.

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

God has been teaching me patience. Lately, I have been very burdened with homework and tests, but God has been showing me to be patient with struggles, and to do everything for Him.

What’s it like being one of the younger students in Lumos?

Being a younger student is cool because when you need advice on things that you’re going through, you can always look up to the older youth members for help. Whether it’s school or church, most of the times they’ve already been through it. It’s comforting to know that when you are young, there is always someone who will be there for you.

How do you shine the light at your school?

I try to shine the light by setting a Christian example and talking to non-believers. It’s actually pretty interesting what people think about God. Most of the time, you dont know what they think until you take the courage to ask them and talk with them! Almost all of my friends are unbelievers so I try to talk about God in our conversations.

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

One thing I want people to know about me is that I love being at church and with the youth. Being at these places make me really happy and I find myself more prone to laughing!

What are your hobbies?

I love playing the flute and I’m currently in the San Diego Youth Symphony. I also enjoy running and playing sports! Cross Country is something I really want to do when I get older, along with joining the volleyball team! Another one of my hobbies is reading! I think adventurous/mysterious, and funny books are my favorite!

by Roger Alcaraz

Long drives, late nights, early mornings, fun games, adventurous days, and plenty of time in God’s word. That sounds like the perfect ingredients to our latest youth retreat. To anyone wondering where all our teenagers were a few Sundays ago, no, there wasn’t a Justin Beiber concert. We had much greater plans.

Our destination was UC Santa Barbara which ended up being a 5 hour drive…one way. Why so far away? It was to reveal our big surprise. When we all arrived, everyone went into one of the rooms for a “meeting” when suddenly, out popped the LBCSJ youth ministry! Everyone was super excited to see each other and after all the commotion, everyone was ready for the first of four messages from JR and myself.

The theme of the retreat was “Set Apart.” To be set apart is what it literally means to be holy. Our studies took us from how Christians are set apart to why they’re set apart, and for what they’re set part—going from theology to practice. The first message was titled, “Set Apart by God, For God, and Because of God,” and it focused on how without God, there is no reason or motivation to be holy because he is the one who chooses people to be holy, Christians are to be holy for God’s glory and because he is holy himself.

The rest of the messages spoke on what ways the Christians is to be set apart in, namely evangelizing, good works, and suffering. It’s safe to say that the call to be holy is a high calling that every Christian has received and yet continues to falls short, but we were encouraged to see examples in Scripture of people seeking to live as the shining lights to the world.

Aside from the messages and small groups, the weekend had its share of play time. We learned a fun game called Spool that involves a lot of running back and forth across a pool table. We also played a new version of volleyball involving huge water balloons and a blanket as teams try to fling the balloon over the net while the other tries to catch it with their blanket. We had extra water balloons so, naturally, we started a water balloon fight! Sopping wet, we walked 50 yards to the beach and split into two teams for a new game, “Build a Pastor.” Each team would build a sand body of either JR or me and were judged according to creativity, accuracy, and presentation.

The winning team and their life-like sand body, complete with dry seaweed for hair.

We also enjoyed plenty of time fellowshipping in the dorms, eating at the all-you-can-eat UCSB dining hall, singing songs, and touring the beautiful UCSB campus. Our last night there, we stayed up doing some memorable improvisational acting and performing in an “Untalent Show.” Actual talent was optional as we got to witness amazing, singing, choreography, clapping, gleeking, and knuckle walking. Who knew we had such a talented youth group?

All this is to say we had a great youth retreat, drawing closer to God and to one another. How much greater can it get?