by Pastor Patrick Cho

Since the beginning of Lighthouse Bible Church, we have known that there needed to be a great investment made in the families and married couples of the church. This group in some ways would provide much of the stability that the church needed to grow. Throughout the years, GraceLife has undergone several structural changes as the leaders sought to best minister to this group. This past term, we decided to meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays to discuss the Sunday sermons and it was a huge encouragement!

From various interactions with different members, I have found that not too many people interact with their sermon notes after Sunday. Most people do not remember what the previous Sunday’s message was about, and if they do, they have not really thought through the importance of the message to their life. The purpose of the GraceLife homework was to provide a catalyst to get people to reflect more on the Sunday messages. As a result, most of the members in GraceLife said they thought more about the sermons than ever before. By completing the homework each week and having the large group discussions, the hope was that it would make it easier to discuss the Sunday messages with others in different contexts and casual conversations. We wanted to not just facilitate a discussion time within GraceLife, but to influence the greater practice of the church.

This was to begin in the home. Since the men and women of GraceLife met on separate evenings, our hope was that married couples and families would come together sometime during the week to discuss the homework. Even in casual conversations, perhaps one person could comment about something interesting that was said on Sunday that they did not really think much about before.

I was glad to hear that the single adults were also completing these sermon worksheets for their small groups, and that the discussions that stemmed from the homework were greatly helpful each week. This is one of the reasons why we have decided to continue with the worksheets in the fall when we meet together in our monthly flocks. Again, the purpose is not simply to give an assignment to complete, but to get the church to the point where having spiritual conversations reflecting upon the Sunday sermons is normal, everyday, and routine.

The leaders of GraceLife were also really encouraged to see the turnout each week. Seeing so many men and women come out shows a desire to grow spiritually and to enjoy godly fellowship. Through our small groups, we were also able to provide much needed accountability. One vital lesson we wanted every member to realize was that spiritual growth came not only from what was learned each week, but also from the investment that was made in others. As people participated in the weekly discussions and small group times, the group (and in turn the church as a whole) was strengthened.

In the fall, the plan is to move GraceLife to Sunday mornings as a Sunday School class. Certainly this will be difficult for some, but for most of the group it will be helpful. Instead of meeting separately, couples will be able to worship and study together. Meeting on Sunday will also free up the rest of the week for small groups. The format should really be beneficial in the end and the leaders are really excited for it. As we walk through the book of Mark together, I am confident that examining the life of Christ will be truly edifying and a blessing.

by Randy Tsuchiyama

It always amazes me to see how faithful God is. Though we have had a couple of members of the skit team step down, it has been a great encouragement to see several people commit to joining the skit team. Over the past couple of months, the skit team has been blessed to make several different skits for the DTR series and the annual banquet. It is always fun to be able to collaborate as a group to come up with creative ways of reinforcing biblical principles to the church in ways that have allowed our skit team to challenge all of us as actors.

One very new thing to the skit team is the introduction of our use of videos. This is something that we, as a skit team, have not had an opportunity to do. Though there are new challenges, using videos allows for people with “stage fright” to be a lot more comfortable during their acting. Thankfully, several members of the video team have worked very closely with us to be able to produce really great videos.

One need that the Skit team seems to need frequently is that we could use more actors. We will be meeting from 7:00-9:00 PM on Thursday nights. People from all affinity groups are welcome to join. It continues to amaze me how God can work through this ministry. If you are interested in joining, please email me at dabigtsuchie@gmail.com.

by Andy Shin

What We Do

We clean Saturday and Sunday nights each weekend. Typically it starts at 6p, or later depending on church events, and takes about 2 hours.

Cleaning Ministry Is What You Make of It

It is totally dependent on your schedule. At the beginning of each month, I will email everyone and ask for the dates you are available to clean. Based on your replies, I set the staff/schedule for each day of that month. We do ask you to commit to the days that you are assigned or find a replacement if you can’t make it.

Needs

With several members leaving with the San Jose church plant and collegians leaving for the summer, there is definitely a need for more help. Please come talk to me if you are interested!

Please continue to pray for the ministry as well! Pray that we would serve joyfully. While the tasks may be as simple as vacuuming or taking out the trash, our prayer is that we would see it as a time of worship and fellowship as we serve the Lord and the church.

by Abram Kim, Joshua Lee, and David Jung

As we look forward to a historic summer in the life of our church, I asked two of our Sonlight ministry members to write about their perspectives on perhaps two of the most exciting events happing this summer: the Vacation Bible School (VBS), from June 28 to July 2, and the Lighthouse Bible Church San Jose, which we will officially send off on July 11. Please feel free to contact Abram Kim if you have any questions about Sonlight. God bless!

Joshua Lee on VBS from the Sonlight Ministry Perspective

When I think back on my experience with VBS last year, I recall one of the most fun weeks of my life. Serving on VBS staff included intense days and nights decorating the church and a wild week of musical praise, lessons, staff meetings, games, small groups, snacks, more games, field trips, activities, skits, a talent show, and even more games. These action-packed days left staff and kids alike exhausted and satisfied. As VBS 2010 quickly approaches, I will attempt to explain a little of the purpose behind VBS, and what kids and staff can expect.

The philosophy behind VBS and children’s ministry in general is no different from any other ministry at LBC. It is to exalt God, edify the saints, and evangelize the lost. We do not serve primarily to entertain kids or to give parents a break. Children’s ministry is real ministry; it is intended to glorify God by building up believers in Christ-likeness and by sharing the gospel to unbelievers.

We must remember that the goal of VBS is the same as Children’s Ministry in general, to make little disciples of Christ. However, practically, VBS is different from other Children’s Ministry. I thought of three unique benefits of VBS:

1. VBS gives LBC an opportunity to reach the community. A significant number of kids who don’t attend LBC come to our VBS every year. Although most of these kids attend other churches, we have the chance to bring the gospel to children and their families. Because of the quality and value of our VBS, word spreads quickly among parents.
2. VBS also gives members another avenue to minister to children. LBC members who do not have the time, or do not feel ready to commit to Children’s Ministry full-time can still invest in the next generation and gain valuable experience working with kids.
3. In addition, VBS gives the rest of the church exposure to Children’s Ministry. Because children are separated from adults for Sunday school and Bible studies, it is easy for collegians and singles to be unaware of what is happening with the little ones.

In terms of what kids and staff experience, VBS is similar to both a retreat and a short-term mission trip. VBS is like a retreat for kids. Like a retreat, VBS takes what we experience at church (musical praise, lessons, skits, small groups), packs lots of it into a few days, and adds games, team competitions, and activities.

For a staff member, VBS is similar to short-term missions. Anyone who has been on short-term missions knows the unique joy of being able to devote all their energy to ministry without having to worry about school or work or what to do for lunch. VBS offers the same experience. And like missions, VBS can make the staff tired and sleep-deprived, which may lead to hilarious moments of delirium.

This year’s theme for VBS is “Wisdom Calls Aloud.” We will be studying the book of Proverbs. For kids and parents who have attended our VBS in the past, you can expect more of the same. There will be tired but happy kids and staff, lots of fun, and good Bible teaching. What could be better?

David Jung on the San Jose Church Plant from the Sonlight Ministry Perspective

Hello, my name is David Jung and I’ve been in the Sonlight ministry for 2 and ¾ years. The more I serve in this ministry, the more I realize that this truly is a ministry that glorifies God by testifying the love of God and passing on the greatness of God to the next generation (Psalm 145:4). This ministry strives to make the one true God known to the children, and through the discussion times, I’ve been very blessed to share with the children and further develop their knowledge of God and share the gospel with them.

One perspective that I have about Sonlight is that this ministry is definitely fun. Pastor Kurt Gebhards, who was a former children pastor of Grace Community Church, told some of us that the language the children speak are fun, and we are to use this to bring the gospel to them. I truly believe that the Sonlight ministry tries to have fun with the kids as much as possible, not so that they could stay awake and not be bored, but so that we may share with them the great work that Jesus Christ had done on the cross, where He bore our sins and paid the penalty of God’s wrath that we deserve so that we may be justified before holy and righteous God.

This ministry has not only been fun for me, but God used this ministry to grow me tremendously. He has revealed to me not only the joys of serving the children and the parents, but He also showed me what happens when I fail to love Him and His people. To my utmost shame, there are times when I fail horrendously to show the love of God to the children and act in ways which are not the most kind, but God used those times as opportunities to make me realize what a horrible sinner I am and what a perfect God He is.

He also humbles me greatly every time I do Children’s Ministry. Every time the kids show love towards me by even wanting to be near me despite my shortcomings, I realize more and more of how much I don’t deserve such love. Lastly, God has given me the opportunity to live out His Word. As Pastor John shared numerous times, the Word of God needs to fill the mind, bring conviction to the heart, and will us to live it out. Time and time again, I see God doing that with me through this ministry, and I’m so thankful for His work in my life.

Currently, God is using this ministry to prepare me for the San Jose church plant. More than anything else, because of the uncertainties that the San Jose church plant bring, God is helping me develop a solid foundation in His Word and teaching me to constantly rely on Him and not on my own strength. There are times when I get worried about finding jobs and whatnot, which shows my lack of reliance on Him, so I’m thankful that He is teaching me how to rely on Him even to this day. I plan to do Children’s Ministry up in San Jose as well, for I truly believe that God has given me this ministry to glorify Him here on this earth. I also believe that Sonlight plays a vital role in the church plant because the ages that Sonlight ministers to are ages that are very impressionable. If God should bring more children to our church, I believe there needs to be a ministry like Sonlight in San Jose so that we can deliver the gospel of Jesus Christ to the children and make disciples.

by Ted Su

The MVP of the NVT

Several months ago, when Pastor John preached on the importance of the MVP (or the Mission, Vision, and Passion) of Lighthouse Bible Church and how it undergirds everything we strive to do in ministry, I was challenged to take it to the test…really, everything? What about the New Visitor’s Team?

The New Visitor’s Team (or NVT) was one of the first ministries I joined when I became a member of Lighthouse almost 6 years ago. Back then I was a second-year medical student eager to be a part of a church where I can grow and serve. The moment I stepped into the church, I was literally surrounded by several members of the team who kindly introduced themselves to me. Later in the new visitor orientation, they reviewed the gospel and went over how to find the right church. It is a day that is still “fresh” in my mind.

Since then, I have become part of the team, led by our coordinator Hwa Park. From welcoming people to church every Sunday morning to providing assistance with parking to leading the new visitor orientation to personally following up with first-time visitors, I have had the opportunity to meet many new faces whom I might not otherwise have gotten to know at our church. Each time I am able to share with a new visitor the reasons I decided to commit to Lighthouse, I am reminded of God’s goodness in giving me a church family I do not deserve.

Over the years, I have seen various changes made within the ministry to improve the way we can serve and minister to both new visitors and members. One thing, however, has remained the same: the commitment of the NVT to the MVP of our church. So, how does the NVT fulfill the MVP of Lighthouse Bible Church?

1. The MISSION of Lighthouse Bible Church: To Make Disciples of Christ (Matt 28:18-20)

• Every new visitor that walks through our doors has the opportunity to hear the gospel message during our new visitor orientation.
• New visitors are introduced to the biblical concept of church membership and the importance of committing to a local body of believers in order to grow as a disciple of Christ, receive accountability, and exercise their God-given gifts.
• As we invite new visitors to other church functions, we encourage them in the lifelong process of discipleship.

2. The VISION of Lighthouse Bible Church: To Plant Churches (Acts 1:8)

• We support the vision of planting churches by “recruiting” new soldiers for the army of Christ.
• During our new visitor orientation, we share about the vision of our church and the vital role of church-planting in fulfilling the Great Commission.

3. The PASSION of Lighthouse Bible Church: To Love God and People (Matt 22:37-40)

• We personally follow up with every new visitor that signs in on Sunday morning.
• We strive to do all things—from greeting people on Sunday mornings to providing assistance with parking and security—as a visible expression of our love for God and His people.

It has been a real joy and privilege to be able to fulfill the MVP of Lighthouse through this ministry. If you are a member and considering joining the team, I encourage you to contact Hwa Park at hwapark@yahoo.com. Please pray that our team will continue to keep the MVP at the heart of everything that we do, especially as we reach out and interact with each person that comes to our church, all to the glory of God.

The NVT

by Thomas Fong and Quong Duong

Car Care Ministry

Sooner or later, something will break, wear out or fail on every car. The LBC Car Care Ministry is designed to help teach and assist you in taking care of your vehicle. We prefer to deal with any car issues when they are small and easy to fix – not when your car has broken down and is smoking on the side of the road. So Ben Franklin was quite correct when he said that “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

Through this ministry, we desire to teach you how to maintain your vehicle and to spot issues before they become problems. It is also a way for us to train up other men and women in the “dark arts” of automotive repair. Additionally, it allows us to get to know you better and fellowship with you as your car gets repaired or serviced.

The members of the car care ministry have extensive knowledge on cars from fixing their own vehicles and many other people’s vehicles as well. We’ve had experience with performing oil changes, replacing brakes, suspension and shocks, timing belts, clutches and many other common repairs. If your car needs maintenance, we probably have performed the service before and are very familiar with how to do it.

As an extra wonderful benefit, we can help you save hundreds (even thousands) of dollars on car repairs. Labor costs are usually the most expensive component to most auto repairs and we don’t charge for labor. Since this is a complimentary service provided to our church members, we encourage that you take the money that you save and bless the church with it. For an estimate of what car repairs typically cost, go to www.repairpal.com. For example, replacing the front strut/shock absorbers on a 2000 Honda Civic would be around $500, with the labor cost comprising about half that cost. Parts and labor for work on non-Asian cars will run higher.

Something to keep in mind is that we are not professional mechanics, nor are you paying us (although food is always appreciated), and we are doing our best to fix your vehicle with the parts that you will purchase and the tools that we have. So, please do not feel like you owe us something (or vice versa) when you come. Rather, we ask you to come and be blessed by the way our church family can serve one another with the gifts and talents that God has provided us. We would love to serve you in this tangible way!

Another thing to consider is that there will be situations where tools break or other parts may break in the process of repairing your vehicle. If this happens, please be gracious towards us and keep in mind that you will need to absorb any additional parts costs. Donations of new tools would also be very valuable to allow us to continue to bless the church family with this ministry.

Unfortunately, we can’t interface directly with your car to know if and when it needs some type of service or repair. So like a yearly physical exam, we need you to come to us to get the vehicle inspected and/or diagnosed. This is really important because we are not available at all times to immediately fix your vehicle, so it is crucial that preventative maintenance is done to avoid larger catastrophes.

Please email carcareministry@lighthousebc.com or talk to Thomas Fong at church in order to schedule a mutually agreeable time with the team to get diagnosed and serviced.

Some helpful guidelines:

• Do come to us to get your car diagnosed before it breaks down
• Don’t just drop off your car, but Do spend time with us
• Do come with an attitude to learn more about your vehicle and how to maintain it
• Do bless the church with the money that you save on your vehicle repairs
• Do come for maintenance and repairs (oil change, shock replacement, oil leaks, brakes, tire rotations, etc…)
• Don’t come for modifications and enhancements (lowering your car, engine swaps, cold air intakes, etc…)
• Do buy your own parts. Remember labor is provided, not the parts
• Do trust our judgment and workmanship. We won’t trick you into buying things or getting unnecessary repairs.

by Moon Choi

The Singles Life Ministry is for people between schooling (up to undergraduate education*) and marriage. It’s a strange time in life and Singles Ministry is there to specifically minister to people who fit in this stage of life. Pastor John Kim heads up the ministry with a group of committed men and women.

We just finished our series through the study of the Holy Spirit, which had begun in early October of 2009. Pastor John preached through various topics related to the Holy Spirit: the Spirit in the Old Testament, the Spirit in the New Testament, charismatic theology, and what it means to blaspheme the Spirit (the unforgiveable sin Jesus mentions in Matthew 12:31-32). The study, though it was filled with tons and tons of information and things to chew on, wasn’t just to be something to fill our minds with head knowledge. Pastor John made sure to address this every Friday with application points.

The study aside, the general experience of the Singles Ministry has been great! The preaching is wonderful, as we have guest speakers like our elders and Singles staff, who preach on certain topics as suffering and feeling burnt out in the Christian race. Sometimes there are games before the sermon and sometimes we break off into groups of four or five to pray. Then after the sermon, a women’s small group and a men’s small group take rotations on serving snacks (or straight up meals…shout out to the Sloppy Joes!). It feels somewhat like a grown-up slumber party at a friend’s house.

All in all, Singles Ministry is a bundle of good times with the teaching, the fellowship, and the awesome food. Be sure to come join us at 7 PM on Fridays at church!

* Editor’s Note: Or people working without an education, or in post-grad, etc. Basically, if you’re not currently doing undergraduate work or married, you belong in Single Life. Also, if you are interested in listening to the sermons that were preached, you can find them here.

by Hansol An

As with every other ministry at Lighthouse, the Bulletin Ministry will be going through some changes as we prepare for the departure of the San Jose church plant team. Two of members, Moon Choi and Courtney Chow, will be departing for the Bay Area. These ladies faithfully served by helping to print, cut, fold and assemble the bulletins. Their contributions to the team are greatly appreciated and both will be missed.

But with their departures new opportunities present themselves for other members to step in. Recently the team has welcomed two new members; James Lim and Jean Ma. It is always an encouragement to see the willing heart of those in the church. Both James and Jean inquired about joining the Bulletin Ministry without solicitation or prompting. They join the other team members (Daniel Yee, Daniel Kim, Yoonjee Kim, Angella An and Hansol An) in continuing to provide this service to the body.

If you are interested in learning more about the Bulletin Ministry, please contact Hansol An.

Editor’s Note: The Sunday Bulletin can now be viewed online.

by Pastor JR Cuevas

We have had the great privilege this year of ministering to another incredible pair of high school seniors – Cole Short and Jenna Kim. As their youth pastor, it’s been an interesting experience shepherding the both of them, as there could not be more distinct in their personalities. Cole – state-ranked high jumper – began attending LBC in the latter part of 2008 upon the encouragement of his older brother. Jenna – a skilled videographer – has been at LBC as long as (or longer than) anyone else in the church. It’s hard to find a young man more energetic than Cole, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a young lady more initially reserved than Jenna. As in-coming college freshmen, Cole aspires a major in international studies. Jenna – home economics and communications. Cole grew as the younger of two brothers; Jenna – the oldest of four sisters. During his free time, Cole can be writing songs while picking his acoustic guitar; Jenna prefers reading and spending time taking care of her sisters.

But what I’ve found even more amazing is how – through the saving grace of God – these two Torrey Pines High School seniors are amazingly similar when it comes to their spiritual walks. Both have confessed – with both heart and life – Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Both love to write – and journal – about their spiritual insights (and both are incredibly good writers!) Both are extremely teachable – spiritual sponges always ready and eager to soak in instruction and wisdom from the Word of God and their youth leaders. During Friday night sermons, both look at me with an intense glare for the entire time I’m preaching without losing focus, indicating that they’re both listening, learning. Both have shared the gospel with non-Christian classmates and friends far more than I have – easily putting me to shame in the realm of evangelism. Both – individually – have asked me for copies of all of the outlines of the Sunday School messages that I’ve taught. Both hurled at me a flury of questions, as to how to make the most God-honoring decision concerning where to go to college. Both decided on their own volition to attend Christian colleges.

Recently, we held the second of our college table talks with Cole and Jenna, where I and a few of the other staff members gave them an opportunity to ask as many questions as they had about college – whether it be concerns or just general inquiries. The staff and myself were simply amazed with their maturity indicated by the depth of insight that they both had in the questions that they asked. It was clear both had a greater goal in mind than just doing well in college; they were both genuinely seeking to do college to the glory of God, and were eager to glean wisdom from their older brothers and sisters as to how they could do that. Chris Tou, one of the staff members who helped run the table talk, said it well: “These kids are intense!” Really, these two are anything but kids; they’ve proven themselves to be young adults capable of making God-honoring decisions.

I think it would be a fair conclusion to say that, aside from their parents, no one is more proud of these seniors than I am. To have had the opportunity to guide two college-bound seniors who have shown – through their daily growth and life decisions – a fear of the Lord is a privilege that I will always thank the Lord for. They’ve brought so much joy to my heart, and I’ll miss them both. Yet, I’m confident that the Lord who started a good work in them will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Cole and Jenna, I’m praying for you guys.

by Tim Yu

The College Praise Team is the musical praise ministry that is part of the College Life ministry at Lighthouse. The ministry is called the “musical praise” ministry in favor of “worship team” to clarify a common misconception that worship is limited to the singing time that precedes the sermon. Music is just one of the many mediums in which we worship and give glory to God. The ministry purposes are to lead and facilitate musical worship of God, to personally understand and teach the body what biblical worship is, and to grow in excellence in musical talents and abilities. Currently, the College Life ministry serves on Wednesday at SDSU Bible study (led by Nelson Kha), Friday at UCSD Bible study (led by Tim Nieh), and Sunday at College Life large group (led by me).

Because of campus restrictions on having amplified music, musical praise times on the college campuses are simple and unamplified, usually led by just a single guitar with vocalists. Though that may seem like a drawback to fans of loud, exciting music, singing with and hearing the collective voices of passionate collegians in a large, echoey, lecture hall is awesome. Large group praise times provide a different setting because meetings are held at church, after the collegians are given a short break after Sunday school to grab lunch. The band is in full effect, combining the wide range of talents on the team to create a unified sound.

College is an exciting but challenging time to serve in leading musical praise. It’s exciting because collegians are energetic and passionate in their worship of God. They are faced with unique challenges and opportunities to bring the gospel of Christ to their worldly campuses, which stretches their faith and trust in God. And most are just starting to realize the treasure that can be found by deeply studying the Scriptures. Yet, leading musical praise during college can also be challenging because of the struggles with pride. With the help of the music director at Lighthouse, Eugene Park, I have learned to not excuse pride and immaturity just because of youth. The expectations of godly character, a life above reproach, and a servant’s heart are essential, regardless of the age. God’s Word never makes exceptions for younger men and women.

With all of the upcoming changes in the future due to the church plant, the College Praise Team will likely have a much different structure in the next school year. So basically, the upcoming plan for the ministry is to be flexible and ready for anything while entrusting our hearts for worship to the Lord.

College Praise Team