by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBCSD family and friends!

I hope you are doing well and walking in the Lord! I praise God for calling us into such a wonderful fellowship. His lovingkindness truly is everlasting. This past weekend, we were able to have another membership class and about nineteen people have expressed an interest in becoming members! It was a great time walking through the things that LBC stands for and helping these men and women learn more about the ministry here in San Diego.

One major point that was reiterated throughout the weekend was Lighthouse’s determination to uphold a high view of God, a high view of His Word, and a high view of Christ’s church. This is really what this ministry boils down to.

First, we seek to maintain a high view of God. This means that our worship is oriented around Him. Sunday mornings are a time for God’s people to come together for corporate worship and fellowship. Our greatest concern is not catering to the desires and interests of people. It isn’t about making things as comfortable and convenient as possible. It really is about worshiping God and exalting Him with our lives.

Second, we seek to maintain a high view of God’s Word. This means that we refuse to budge in our commitment to the inspiration, inerrancy, infallibility, authority, and sufficiency of the Bible. It is completely trustworthy in its parts and as a whole. As such, we are particularly committed to the expository preaching of the Word each time we come together for study.

Finally, we love the church, just as Christ loves His church! And, by the way, it’s His church. It has always been His church. So, we seek to do ministry His way, in the way He has prescribed and in the way that most greatly exalts Him. Church is God’s means of fulfilling the Great Commission (Acts 1:8). Church is God’s way of putting Christ on display for the world in that the church is the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-13). Jesus loves the church (Eph. 5:25) and so should we!

It was a great reminder this weekend of these things at the membership class. We need to remember what we are committed to because these principles are constantly under attack both from within the church and from without. Set us remain steadfast in the pursuit of Him though at times it seems that everything around us is shifting.

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are some opportunities for ministry for your consideration!

1. Sunday Service. This Sunday, the plan is to finish walking through Titus 3:1-2 and the duties of Christians to put our faith on display.
2. Midweek Bible Studies. Our midweek Bible studies continue this week! Kids’ Club – 6:30 PM on Thursdays. Lumos Youth – 7:00 PM on Fridays. College Life – 7:00 PM on Fridays. Single Life – 6:30 PM on Wednesdays. Grace Life Family Ministry – 6:30 PM on Thursdays.
3. Flocks Week. Don’t forget that flocks week is January 27-30! Next week, all our regularly scheduled midweek activities will be cancelled so that we can gather in community flock groups. For more information about flocks, please contact Cesar Vigil-Ruiz (jn316niv@gmail.com).
4. Members Meeting. We will be having a members meeting on Sunday, January 31, at 4:30 PM. If you are a member of LBC, please make plans to attend! As always, dinner will be served.
5. Baptism Class. Our next baptism class is scheduled for Tuesday, February 9, at 7pm. If you have not yet been baptized as a believer in obedience to Christ’s command, or if you are simply interested in learning more about believer’s baptism, please make plans to come to the next baptism class.
6. College Life Retreat. The annual College Life Retreat will be on February 12-14 at Pine Valley Bible Conference Center. This year, our speaker is Pastor Scott Ardavanis from Grace Church of the Valley in Kingsburg, CA. For more information or to register, please contact Pastor Josh Liu (liu.joshuac@gmail.com)!
7. Mission Bowl. The men’s Mission Bowl flag football tournament will be on Saturday, February 6. The women’s tournament will be on Saturday, February 20. Mark your calendars! More details are forthcoming.
8. Parent/Child Dedication. We will be having a parent/child dedication on the morning of Sunday, February 21. This is a chance for us to pray for our parents and dedicate these infants and young children to the Lord. If you would like to participate in this service, please contact Pastor Patrick for more information (pastorpatrick@gmail.com).
9. First Aid/CPR. If you are interested in receiving training in First Aid and CPR, Randy Sarmiento will be teaching a class on Saturday, February 27, from 1:30-4:30 PM. This is for Infant/Child/Adult First Aid, CPR, and AED. The cost is $75/person. Contact Randy for more info (randy.p.sarmiento@gmail.com).
10. The Stone and the Glory of Israel. Many of you were around when we had Dr. Greg Harris of The Master’s Seminary as our all-church retreat speaker in 2014. Dr. Harris has a new book coming out in February called The Stone and the Glory of Israel. This is a book that is focused on sharing the gospel with our Jewish friends. Because Dr. Harris loves Lighthouse, he is offering us a great deal on this book. We can have copies made available for only $5! If you are interested, please email Pastor Patrick with the number of copies you would like (pastorpatrick@gmail.com). Please submit your order by Sunday, January 31.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Dear LBCSD church family and friends!

I hope that ringing in the New Year was a good transition for you all! Can you believe that 2016 is already here? I know that with the New Year, many of you will be making resolutions. Some of these resolutions might be physical. Perhaps you want to get into better shape or lose some weight. Other resolutions might revolve around interests or general personal improvement. Maybe you want to read more books this year, pick up a musical instrument, or learn a new language. Maybe your resolutions are financial. Wanting to save money? Invest? Give? Whatever the goals, there are a few things to keep in mind.

1. IT IS GOOD TO HAVE A GOAL. It’s good to think things through and have a plan. It would be foolish to set forth to do anything without first thinking through what it would take. For many in the world, the goal is the end in itself. But as Christians, we need to remember that our personal goals are a means to an end. For believers, it is more than about pursuing personal improvement. We are not just seeking to be better people. We want to be better worshipers. As such, it’s important to remember that there is something greater that we live for and that our goals ought to be oriented around that greater purpose. Keep in mind the thought from Proverbs 16:9 – “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”
2. PURSUE THE RIGHT THINGS. Since we ourselves are not the ultimate goal, but we have a greater purpose as worshipers of the Lord, we need to make sure that we are setting the right kinds of goals. These are goals that are in line with the truth of God. I think of passages like Micah 6:8, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” Our constant desire as believers in Christ is to come into conformity with His will and to pursue His purposes for us. His desires become our desires (Ps. 37:4-5). His will becomes our will. Consider the example of Christ who constantly submitted to the will of His heavenly Father (Matt. 26:39; John 8:28).
3. KEEP WATCH OVER YOUR MOTIVES. But for Christians, it is not enough to simply pursue the right goals. We also need to look past the goal itself to the motive driving the goal. We keep in mind that the Lord considers the intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12). It is possible to pursue the things the Lord wants for us and intends to be blessings to us, but in a way and with a mindset that is displeasing to Him. Be careful about making plans to read through the Bible in a year only to be noticed by men. Be careful about setting goals of personal discipline chiefly to feed personal pride.

These are just a few things to consider as you set resolutions for yourselves this New Year! Here’s to a great 2016 for all the Lighthouse Bible Churches. May God show us grace and grant us wisdom for a great year!

In His grace,

Pastor Patrick

Here are some upcoming ministry opportunities for your consideration:

1. Sunday Service. Please pray for Josh Liu as he prepares to preach this Sunday. Also, please note that Sunday School classes will be back in session this weekend.
2. Midweek Bible Studies. All of our regularly scheduled midweek Bible studies are back in session this week.  Single Life meets on Wednesday at 6:30pm for dinner; Bible study then starts around 7:15pm. Grace Life and Kids Club meet on Thursday at 6:30pm; this week the Grace Life LADIES will be meeting for Bible study. Don’t forget that nursery care is also available during that time. College Life and Lumos Youth meet on Friday at 7pm.
3. Membership Class. Our next membership class will be on Saturday, January 16 from 9am to 12pm, and Sunday, January 17, from 2-5pm. Attendance is required at both sessions. If you are interested in membership, please contact Pastor Patrick for an application.
4. Flocks Week. Flocks will be meeting on January 27-30 this month. For more information about our regional monthly flock groups, please contact Cesar Vigil-Ruiz (jn316niv@gmail.com).
5. Members Meeting. We will be having a members meeting on Sunday, January 31, from 4:30 to 8:00pm. All members are strongly encouraged to attend. As always, dinner will be provided.
6. Baptism Class. Our next baptism class is scheduled for Tuesday, February 9, at 7pm. If you have not yet been baptized as a believer in obedience to Christ’s command, or if you are simply interested in learning more about believer’s baptism, please make plans to come to the next baptism class.