by Pastor John Kim

Greetings to the LBC family and friends!

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #41
Resolved, to ask myself, at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly, in any respect, have done better. (Jan. 11, 1723)

Conscious and purposeful reflection on our lives is a healthy discipline that many people probably don’t practice because it can often become either a point of constant guilt or it just doesn’t seem to be that important enough to do on a regular basis. Here Edwards makes a pretty simple point and he gives some clear markers as to what would be helpful time frames to do some evaluation and contemplation on improvement.

Daily reflection would be helpful as it gives closure to the day and a more immediate opportunity to take some time and look back at the day and consider the attitudes and actions that were committed throughout the day. We often get so busy and are so tired that we don’t make time to think about the day and it’s no wonder that we are often forgetful, not only of plans, but also of the direction of our life.

Weekly reflection helps us look back at the past seven days and to see the routines of the week and see if there is movement toward improvement in a way that shows discipline. For various things we will set aside a number of days throughout the week, for instance exercising three times a week, and as the week goes by, it is helpful to know that at the end of the week there will be a time to look back and see if there is consistent effort being put into the goals for the week that might differ from day to day.

Monthly reflection increases the time frame by seeing it as a portion of the year (1/12th) and to start looking at some significant marking posts for growth and maturing.

Yearly reflection puts the big picture in perspective as we take inventory of twelve months and see (especially if it’s our birthday) and see if there is some actual evidence that has lasted regarding the various areas of our life that we hope to improve.

This seems like an almost impossible task, but the key here is to discipline and focus as to WHY this exercise would be helpful. It seems as though Edwards really was not just about theology per se, but really about how it was changing his life to the glory of God. When you read his works that he wrote later on in his life, you can see that much of the fruit of his earlier disciplines is shown as his deep thinking and meditating on God’s truth is really presented in such a God-glorifying way that you can’t help but see a life that is truly given over to following Christ.

As I shared this past Sunday, it really is my hope as a shepherd to see you fix your eyes on Christ and run the race with endurance. It is not always easy and there are definitely times where there are challenges and even failures that can be disheartening, but that is why the grace and mercy of God gives us hope as we confess our weakness and our sinfulness and then allow the cross to do its work of pointing us to the Savior.

Don’t just look for short-term, fast-food mentality satisfaction. Let us RUN the RACE (it’s a marathon) with a persevering, enduring, unified fixing of our eyes on Christ and together as a church family we can look forward to seeing Christ be magnified in us and through us to His glory alone!

In His grace,
Pastor John

by Pastor John Kim

Greetings to the LBC family and friends!

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #40
Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. (Jan. 7, 1723)

1 Corinthians 10:31 calls us to live to the glory of God, even in our eating and drinking. We often think that there might be areas of our lives where God is not so interested because we think they are so mundane or maybe even think that there is no inherent spiritual value attached to them because it seems to be that way to us. But all of life is meant to be seen through the lens of how we view God and God is very much interested in even how we eat and drink.

Now there are some that take it to an extreme and create a legalistic system of dietary laws that forbids the eating of certain kinds of foods. Scripture seems pretty clear that the dietary aspect of the Mosaic law was no longer to govern their lives. God even gives an explicit statement to the apostle Peter in Acts 10:15, “What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.”

But how are we to relate the glory of God in our eating and drinking? We must start with our hearts. Even as we eat and drink throughout the day, do we thank God for His provision? Are our prayers genuine in expressing gratitude to God? How about when we go out with others to eat a meal – do we see our selfishness guiding the decision making process as where to eat? Another thought might be as to the motivation behind eating – do we eat so as to present ourselves pleasing to man? Are we so concerned with our figure or how others perceive us that it dictates how we eat and drink? Or do we seek to win the approval of man by eating and drinking certain things that we think will show that we are worthy of their approval?

Another thought would be do you use your times of eating and drinking to promote genuine fellowship with other believers? Do you maybe take time to have lunch with an unbelieving co-worker so that you can build a relationship with him/her and share the gospel? As Mark Devers shares in his book on evangelism, he even goes back to the same places to eat, not so much because of the menu but because of the opportunity to build a relationship with people.

Edwards went as far as to watch his diet so that he would not hinder his ability to study and be sober and focused throughout the day. He ate minimally but he did eat regularly with his family and even used those times to share with his family. So even in regards to what kind of food you eat, you can see it in some measure in relation to how it affects your physical abilities. I would say that there needs to be discernment in this area as it could easily become excessive but it would still be reasonable to ask how your eating and drinking affects your physical body in relation to how you are able to do God’s work.

It’s not simply just about the material substance about food and drink that is at stake. At the end of the day, can we look back as Edwards exhorts us, and see if we have acted the best way we possibly could have in respect to eating and drinking and all that is related to those things? It would be profitable for us to examine our hearts in this matter and see if we are submitting even our eating and drinking habits to the Lordship of Christ. There is no matter too insignificant when it comes to being a follower of Christ and I would encourage you all to do some practical inventory as to your eating and drinking habits.

Have a great rest of the week!

In His grace,
Pastor John

by Pastor John Kim

Greetings to the LBC family and friends from very cold Minneapolis, Minnesota!

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #39
Resolved, never to do any thing of which I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not; unless I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

Have you ever regretted doing something wrong AFTER you have already done it? We typically don’t have a problem in considering if something is “unlawful” as Edwards calls it when we examine what we have done and see clearly that the conduct or behavior or attitude that was displayed was sinful before God. But we need to be consistent in how we view these things. We need to do a better job of questioning the lawfulness of our actions and attitudes before we intend to follow through and look at it in the same way as if it was after the fact. We are often good at justifying our sins because we minimize the wrongfulness of what we do beforehand, often trying to find ways to make it really less that what it is. We then feel so guilty after the fact because deep in our hearts we knew better but instead of submitting to the convicting work of the Holy Spirit, we will desensitize ourselves with fleshly feelings so as to distract ourselves or even just smother the conscience so that w e don’t feel bothered.

It would do us well to simply THINK and examine what we plan to do and see it in reflection of God’s truth. We really do need to look at the mirror of God’s Word, both before and after we do all that we do so that we can ask ourselves if we are being consistent in how we live. Now we will never be perfect of course, but the goal of our spiritual lives is to grow in consistency and maturity in Christ.

Now there might be the rare occasion that we might do something that in reflection we look back and realize that it might have been something that we should not have done but we had not given as much attention as we should have. This can honestly happen as we are all in the process of still having our hearts and minds exposed to the truth and we wrestle with ignorance in many areas of our lives. That’s why we need wisdom, so that we don’t stay the fool.

This really just takes hard work. You can’t let up. There are so many times when we feel we deserve a break and that we just can’t always be on guard for every little thing. But we must. It only takes one slip up and you could end up making a decision that you will regret for the rest of your life. Consider 1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

We can’t afford to be using the excuse of ignorance all the time. Let’s renew our minds with God’s truth and stay sober for the battle.

In His grace,
Pastor John

by Pastor John Kim

Greetings to the LBC family and friends!

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #38
Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’ s day. (Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722)

There are times when we often allow our lips to speak words that really are not appropriate. The Scriptures are very pointed in addressing sins of the tongue. James 3:8 talks about how the tongue cannot be tamed, that it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. We might think that our speech is not that bad but when we are honest in evaluating ourselves, do we really speak to the glory of God with our very words? James 3:9-10 makes it clear that we can’t be double-tongued, blessing God one moment, only to curse men the next.

There are many that probably would think, “Not me! I’m not that bad in my speech.” Then let me ask you a question. Look back at the last Sunday when you were at church and ask yourself, “What did I talk about with people on the Lord’s day?” Was it ridiculous, sportive, or a matter of just laughing? At first glance this resolution seems almost legalistic. It definitely can be when it is imposed on someone else. But as you take time to inventory your words, do you seek to justify yourself by simply excusing your words as careless or “not a big deal” sort of mentality? It’s not that you can’t enjoy a laugh or talk about light-hearted topics at all. But I wonder if we were to just simply count the words that we say on any given day, be even just on a Sunday (when we supposedly are gathered for the purpose of worship and edifying one another), do we have more talk given over to things that really don’t matter?

Ephesians 4:29 talks about no unwholesome word coming out of your mouth but instead to edify and give grace through your speech. Ephesians 5:4 continues the idea with putting away of filthiness and silly talk and course jesting.

I’m not here to simply try and give you a guilt trip regarding this issue. It really is a matter of simply asking yourself, “How committed am I to seeking God’s glory in all things at all times? As most of us are given to talking a lot on a given Sunday, much less any other day, think about how you might make your words count for God’s glory.

In His grace,
Pastor John

by Pastor John Kim

Greetings to the LBC Family and Friends!!

Jonathan Edwards Resolution #37
Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent,- what sin I have committed,-and wherein I have denied myself;-also at the end of every week, month and year. (Dec. 22 and 26, 1722)

What are the last thoughts you have when you go to bed? I often am so exhausted by the time that I go to bed that I don’t even remember putting my head down. So it is all the more challenging to think how deliberate and purposeful it is that Edwards would put this resolution so as to make even his last moments of the day meaningful.

Negligence. This is not so much about what I did as much as what I didn’t do that I should have done. What I would have and could have and should have but simply didn’t. We might think we are busy but isn’t it amazing how often we find ourselves spending time on things that really are not relevant or important to what I should have accomplished for the day? Negligence is simply laziness. We easily make excuses as to why we couldn’t do things when it really is a matter of simply not wanting to do something. It’s the difference between “I can’t” versus “I won’t.”

You could call these the sins of omission. But right after this, Edwards addresses the sins of commission – “what sin I have committed.” It is something that we need to take more seriously as we are often quick to forget to address and confess our sins. Jerry Bridges, in his most recent book, “Respectable Sins”, challenges us to identify specific sins so as to address them. It is not enough to just give a sweeping attempt at confessing sin at the end of the day. We should give careful attention to evaluate our hearts and souls at the end of the day so that we could go to sleep with a clean conscience.

The last thing Edwards addresses is “wherein I have denied myself.” To follow Christ is to live a life of self-denial. When Jesus calls someone to follow Him, it is the way of the cross, the path of suffering, the road where the trials and challenges of life are embraced with joy because they draw us to desperately depend on Christ alone.

It is good to do some self-evaluation, Edwards not only did it every night, he added the extra efforts of doing it at the end of every week, every month, and every year. It is no wonder that his life was so disciplined until the end as his focus was clear and singular when it came to why he was living. He was living for the glory of God, nothing else. Christ alone was the precious pearl, which he was willing to give up all that he owned to have as His own. When you read his writings, you can’t help but see a mind that was enthralled with the majesty and sovereignty of God in relation to all matters.

I hope that this year as we celebrate “In Christ Alone” that we would really seek after this kind of mentality and heart attitude. It is humbling and self-denying in nature – we are to come meek in spirit and with a broken and contrite spirit that would then draw us to the glory of the cross, to fix our eyes on the author and perfecter of our faith, and to run the race with endurance until the end.

In His grace,
Pastor John

by David Ahn

Although the beautiful San Diego weather might imply otherwise, Christmas is fast approaching, and we’re all eagerly looking forward to one thing… the annual LBC Christmas Concert! To get you a sneak peek at the event, we were able to track down the busy man who has been planning it (Eugene Park) and ask him some questions.

The Purpose

When it comes to Christmas and all its associated traditions and activities, it’s easy to lose track of the ultimate purpose behind why we do what we do. Eugene tells us, “The purpose of Christmas concert is to celebrate the birth of Christ. … It’s also an opportunity to invite friends, neighbors, coworkers to hear the gospel message of Christ. Though the concert might be a little more ‘entertaining’ than a typical Sunday service, it’s still a time to lift up the name of Christ. But we don’t tailor these concerts for the visitors. This is primarily a time for the church family to come together. In every event we have as a church, whether it’s a Sunday service, Mission Bowl, or Christmas concert, visitors should come and see what we do as Christians: exalt Christ alone.”

Past Memories

Surprises: “Every once in a while someone surprises the church with their ability to play an instrument or sing. One year someone told me to have Jon Joo sing for Christmas concert.” It seemed surprising initially, “but once he started singing, people saw that God has definitely gifted him.” Miscues: “One year the orchestra opened the concert with Handel’s Messiah. The pianist (rhymes with Ned Rip)” laid out all his sheet music to eliminate page turning. As we played the song, he discovered that the pages were out of order and was scrambling to fix the situation. Amidst the struggle, a page dropped to the floor, “so he tried to play it from memory. I saw the paper fall as I was conducting and thought that he purposely dropped it to get it out of his way. I also remember thinking, ‘Is he playing the right song?’” Near-Misses: “After one of the Christmas concerts, we almost decided not to have anymore concerts.” While most of them have been well-attended, “one year we only had two visitors. The place was very empty that night and at the time it was a little embarrassing. So [the leaders] discussed whether it was worth having the Christmas concert again. We decided to try one more year. That next year people made it a point to bring visitors and we filled the room.” (Hint hint: invite all your friends if you want to have another one next year!)

Touching Skits: “There was a skit about Ashley trying to share the gospel with Eileen during the Christmas season. At one point Eileen reluctantly started reading the Bible Ashley gave her. At that time a short video detailing the gospel played on the screen, basically showing what Eileen was reading. The skit was so well put together and the gospel message was clear.”

“Different” Skits: “One year we were supposed to have a skit. But because of different circumstances (I still to this day do not know what happened), the skit became a dramatic reading instead. It was a dramatic reading indeed.”

Things to Look Forward To This Year

When asked about what this year’s Concert will bring, he was pretty tight-lipped, but he DID tell us this: “There will be some surprises this year. You’re going to see people singing who you didn’t know could sing.” He also told us that the “choir is the largest one yet. I don’t know how they’re all going to fit on stage.” And finally, “the kids are always a highlight every year and this year will be no different.” So there you have it, folks. The event will be taking place twice, Saturday (12/15) and Sunday (12/16) night. Get your tickets early, and invite your friends and family to this great night of celebrating our Lord’s birth!

by Jennifer Shin

This year’s all-church retreat was a tremendous blessing as we were able to fellowship together as a church family and be challenged by the Word of God as Dr. Andy Snider preached on the topic of holy affections, addressing matters such as humility, love, anger, and joy. It was yet another blessing to be able to sit down with him on the last night in the midst of all the noise and people enjoying fellowship through games or conversations and hear him share a little bit more about his life and how God has been specifically working in him.

Andy Snider was raised in a Christian home in Pennsylvania and came to Christ as a child. The gospel was very much a part of his family and his upbringing as he even attended a Christian school. Andy’s father passed away when he was 15, which made a significant influence on him in that he had to grow up a lot quicker than he had planned. Through this, God also taught him that what he does really matters. So how has he seen God refining him since he came to know Christ? “Well, in college, and in particular after I got married, there were radical changes in my life, “ Andy stated, “I had to deal with trusting God. I never had to trust God too much.” He was forced into it at a young age with his father’s death, but even more so when his first child was born, he learned how things were never in his control.

In being a parent and teaching at the seminary, he stated that when you’re responsible to help others grow, it makes you grow as well. “If you want to learn how to pray, teach somebody else about prayer. If you want to learn how to be humble, teach somebody else about humility. And God will humble you like crazy,” Andy said.

At the Master’s Seminary, Andy teaches theology and thoroughly enjoys it because it makes him learn. “I have to learn in order to teach,” Andy said, “I just enjoy that process – taking it in and relating it with [the students]. I enjoy interacting with the guys. Interaction is very valuable not just for them, but for me as well.” He enjoys working through difficult issues that really matter. For him, it’s a ministry that has an exponential affect because he is training men who are going out to teach other believers and pastors. Teaching theology makes it frightening for him as well because the responsibility is heavy.

Apart from teaching theology, Andy loves ministering with his family. “We’re all musical,” Andy said. Him, his wife, and their three daughters are all involved together in the college ministry at Grace Community Church. At the weekly Bible studies, his three daughters even help out by babysitting the staff members’ kids. Andy’s family likes sharing music and being together, even if it is just watching movies. “I like to drag them out hiking when I can,” Andy said. Recently his oldest daughter began to sing a trio with him and his wife during the main services on Sundays. No matter what his daughters do, he wants them to use their talents for God and for serving. Andy’s passions are ministry – working with college students – hanging out with his wife, mountain biking, and reading.

What and who are some of his favorite books and authors? Andy stated that he is trying to re-establish that at the moment because he has been under a lot of influence from what he was reading for his doctorate program. He is currently reading works by C.S. Lewis in chronological order and is fascinated by his thinking and how his mind worked. Apart from that, Andy wants to read something “funky and off-the-wall – something out of the ordinary” such as A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah.

by Kevin Au

Several weekends ago, our church family had the wonderful opportunity to come together for LBC’s annual All-Church Camp, highlighted this year by the teaching of Dr. Andy Snider of The Master’s Seminary on the topic of Holy Affections.

A bitingly chilly, yet still warmly familiar Pine Valley welcomed LBC on Friday night as our church family arrived, many aptly donning the familiar gray Lighthouse sweatshirt from last year’s Family Camp. Though recently renamed, All-Church Camp was by no means anything less than a family event, but with about 200 attending, this marked the largest Family/All-church Camp to date.

Dr. Snider opened on Friday night with a message titled “Humility, the Forgotten Essential,” alternately titled, “The Glory of Christ in the Humility of His People.” This message served as the basis for the entire theme of the camp as Dr. Snider encouraged us to consider humility as the essential virtue, and caused many to reconsider their understanding of humility as the complete abandonment of self. Many were challenged that night. “It was tough to move on from that one,” said one convicted member. “While the other messages were still very good, that first one really did address issues in my heart that I spent the entire weekend trying to apply.”

It seemed that this was a shared sentiment, as many took time after the message to discuss with one another things that they learned from the message and share in fellowship. Interaction after messages, which spilled over into meal times and free times, helped our church grow together. The retreat provided an ideal setting to foster this kind of interaction in a growing church. It was a refreshing time to be able to spend away from the things that normally demand our attention, things that cause us to run from commitment to commitment, slowing us down in order to spend real time with our church family. As difficult as it is to get to know people only in passing on Sundays, this difficulty is compounded as our church continues to grow. All-Church camp serves as great opportunity to develop those relationships, especially for those newer to our church.

“It really did have a very ‘family’ sort of feel,” remarked one attendee. “After we’ve split into the different affinity groups, you don’t see as much interaction between groups, but it was good to see people talking, collegians with singles and married, new people with old people.”

Saturday was an eventful day, beginning for some with a short hike. The day continued with an encouraging message on the love of God and its implications for us, and a sobering message on the anger and wrath of God, sandwiching a Question and Answer session where Dr. Snider thoroughly answered questions posed by those present.

The night also included the highly anticipated All-Church Camp talent show, with various acts ranging from the musical talents of our children to the choreography of the single adults to the unconventional, yet always well-received magic acts of Min Kim and Eugene Yang. “It’s pretty amazing just how talented our church is,” noted one observer.

Sunday showcased several things we have come to expect as traditions of LBC All-Church Camps. A Sunday morning Bible quiz reminded us of specific points in the previous messages, after which Pastor John and the kids led us in a time of singing songs, complete with accompanying motions.

Dr. Snider wrapped up the camp with a message on the affection of joy, both discussing God’s delight and our appropriate response to Him in joy.

A miscue in the order of worship rather appropriately allowed us to punctuate Dr. Snider’s last sermon in a time of musical worship, singing praises to God, in whom our joy rests, and to whom our joy is expressed.

After lunch we said our goodbyes to Pine Valley and All Church Camp once again. Until next year.