by Pastor Patrick Cho

Lately, Lighthouse has been hearing more and more from Pastor John and me about developing a biblical, Christian worldview. In one sense this means believers need to be able to view the world through God’s eyes. The only way to practically accomplish this is to take the claims, philosophies, and ideologies of the world and pass them through the filter of God’s Word. This is an important issue because too many Christians have not considered the ramifications of it. Understanding what the Bible says concerning our world, our jobs, our families and relationships, and ourselves is tremendously important. Too many Christians who do not give this much thought fall into reasoning like the world.

Part of the problem is that Christianity to many is still a compartmentalized portion of their lives. Even people who may be very involved in the life of the church (attending Bible studies, leading ministries, etc.), may not fully understand what being a Christian means in the workplace, culture, home, and school. While they strive to live according to biblical principles when it comes to spiritual disciplines, they do not consider what impact being a Christian has in their work, studies, and families. When it comes to “extra-religious” areas of their lives, they do not see things through God’s eyes.

This is particularly dangerous because some of the most significant decisions in life are made outside of church life. God never intended for us to compartmentalize our faith. Not having a good understanding of scriptural principles to guide someone through life is extremely detrimental leading inevitably to horrible life choices and unsound counsel. As a result, people are left to make decisions based upon what they reason is fair, right, or good. The problem is that God has not left it to us to determine that. He determines what is fair, right, and good, and we live in response to what He decrees.

This is one of the reasons why we see more and more Christians abandoning biblical principles for what is practically appealing. In evangelism, in an interest to not offend others, Christians shy away from preaching the entire gospel. The gospel becomes a conversation where everyone has a say and is partially right. In the workplace, Christians lie in interviews and on resumes. They cheat in order to gain another rung in the ladder of achievement. All the while, justification is thrown around that everybody does it (the same justification that is used when Christians download songs and software illegally, by the way).

Convictions are being replaced by compromise. Where once we would have had church members be willing to die for the sake of the gospel, we now see them watering the gospel down and making it more “user-friendly” and “culturally sensitive.” There is reluctance in standing for the truth because “the truth divides,” because it means we need to tell someone they are wrong.

Of course this is not to say that people do not matter – that we should not think about what people feel and should preach the truth regardless of an individual’s personal life circumstances. Certainly we can respond to people and meet them where they are. Jesus did! But this does not justify turning the tables on what the Bible clearly teaches is the truth. Jesus did not compromise truth in the name of love. He taught the truth in love. Understanding how truth and love come together in a practical way in everyday life situations requires a development of a strong biblical, Christian worldview. Instead of forcing to fit biblical principles into an antibiblical cultural frame, believers need to learn to stand on convictions and live lives in consistency with what they believe to heighten their testimony and prove that it is God through His Word who changes lives.

by Pastor John Kim

History. The one class that most people slept through in junior high, high school, and college. Unless you were a history major (what kind of job could you get with a history major?), history seems like it’s not really of much use when it comes to real life. Or does it? I think that for many people, what is sadly missing is a heart for history that seeks to learn from those who have walked before us. As King Solomon of old wrote in Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun.” The lessons that we face today are the same lessons that all had to be faced before. The problem is that we underestimate the importance of gleaning from the lives of those who have succeeded in life as well as those who have failed.

Romans 15:4 says: “For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

The Scriptures are full of historical instruction that we can and must learn from today if we are to live to the glory of God. For example, we see that many times the nation of Israel, though given explicit instruction, failed to heed God’s Word and as a result suffered the consequences of disobedience. We wonder today at the problems that many face, not realizing that at the heart of many of these problems is an active disobedience to God’s instruction.

If you look at your life, do you realize that you are not alone in the struggles you wrestle with? Many have gone before you and many will still come after you and those struggles remain the same.

Some might say that the Bible is out-dated and should be cast aside in light of today’s more “enlightened” thinking free from its modernist trappings and limitations. But the Bible is not simply a modernist manifesto. It is the Word of God that was written and inspired by God to teach, reprove, correct, and train us to be sufficiently equipped to do the good work that God has called us to.

We need to study history, and more specifically, biblical history. We need to learn the lessons of those who have walked before us. Consider the lesson Adam and Eve had to learn in disobeying God in the garden. Recall the example of Joseph in fleeing the temptations of Potiphar’s wife or in forgiving his spiteful brothers. Remember the cycles of idolatry and deliverance during the times of the Judges. Take a long, hard look at the rebellion of King Saul in offering an incomplete sacrifice, the lust of King David with Bathsheba, and the foolishness of King Solomon taking 1000 women to bed. Learn from the short-sightedness of the disciples as they so often failed to see Jesus for who He really was. Excavate the lessons the early church had to learn as they grew and faced persecution in the book of Acts. Take a magnifying glass to the lives of the hall of faith in Hebrews 11 and see how, despite their shortcomings, they were recognized for trusting in the Lord. The Scriptures are replete with historical lessons to be learned.

We can also learn from those in church history who have applied the biblical truths. The Reformation produced such stalwarts as Martin Luther, John Knox, John Calvin and others. The English Reformation shines brightly with the Marian Martyrs. The Great Awakening presents such faithful servants as George Whitefield, John and Charles Wesley, and Jonathan Edwards who were used powerfully by God for the sake of the gospel. There is much treasure to be found in the Puritans, such as John Owen, Thomas Watson, Richard Sibbes and a multitude of others who applied the Scriptures with such diligence. The great missionary stories of Hudson Taylor, David Livingston, William Carey, Jim Elliot, Amy Carmichael and a host of unsung heroes that many never heard of do much to inspire and challenge us today to continue the work of the Great Commission. Read about courageous preachers like Charles Spurgeon, D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and even our contemporary leaders such as John MacArthur, John Piper, and R.C. Sproul who have challenged the church to remember biblical and church history in light of our postmodern age. They give so much for us to gather from that we would be foolish to ignore the history of all that God is unfolding to us, both from the past as well as in the present.

Read the Scriptures and be instructed from the historical lessons that God has so graciously given to us to learn. Read church history and biographies of godly men and women who have walked before us. Learn from their successes as well as their failures. You will not regret the time that is invested in such a worthy pursuit.

by Pastor John Kim

As Jenna just started 10th grade today at Torrey Pines, it caused me to think a little bit about the future as I realized that she is only 3 years away from college. Kara is now in 7th grade, Alyssa is in 3rd grade (both are homeschooled by Angela), and even Olivia is now on a schedule with room time, coloring time (she really enjoys drawing), and of course nap time. The years seem to be just shooting by and before you know it, they will be getting married and then having children of their own. As my own parents get older and face the challenges that come with the latter stages of life, it has challenged me to think about what I am doing to prepare the next generation that follows my own.

My big complaint while working in the Korean American church scene was that it seemed like the first generation did not do much to really disciple and mentor the second generation in the Christian life. They seemed to put a lot of time and energy into making a lot of money and building large church buildings but not a lot of time seemed to go into raising their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. As a result, I look at the second generation (which is my own) really having become a product of this worldly culture, pursuing worldly success and prosperity, but at the cost of their spiritual lives. It’s no surprise that many are finding that with all the success and prosperity comes the realization that something is missing. So many are coming back to church, bringing their children in hopes that they will receive some kind of spiritual upbringing that they themselve missed growing up.

The reason I share this is that even though I am a pastor, it still is a challenge to invest even in my own kids when it comes to spiritual things. It’s easy to discuss their academics, their athletic participation, their extra-curricular activities, and even their church involvement, but when it comes to interacting over their individual spiritual development, it does seem easier to leave it to other people. It should not be so. While other people can definitely help in a secondary manner, the primary responsibility of spiritual development lies on the shoulders of the parents. We cannot afford to allow the early years of their childhood to slip by and realize later that we should have spent more time with them. This is a regret that too many parents make too late in life and there is no way to rewind or start over.

But we can start now. As parents, we can take each day as an opportunity to invest in our children. It doesn’t have to be anything too big. Even if it’s a short conversation, a brief devotional with the family, a time of singing, or even to just share what you learned at church, every little bit counts.

If you don’t have children yet, whether as singles or even as married couples, you can prepare now by being spiritually disciplined so that when God does grant you children, you have a foundation to build on. Don’t underestimate the preparation you invest in your own life. You will only be able to offer what you have and if you don’t have much when the time calls for it, it will be difficult to catch up. So your own personal spiritual growth is really not just for your own sake, but it is for the sake of the next generation.

Even if God does not grant you biological children of your own, you can invest your life into others spiritually so that they would be like spiritual children that you would disciple so that they can be equipped to grow. This is why the Titus 2 principle of older men/women training the younger men/women is so crucial, especially in the life of the church. There are many who don’t have Christian parents and so they have never received spiritual teaching from home. So the church becomes their “family” and the older saints need to really invest in them as the next generation to follow.

Lighthouse is steadily growing and I hope that the numerical growth is not all that we care for. Spiritual growth in growing deeper in our understanding and application of God’s word is what we really need to see increase in all our lives and I would like to really challenge you all to have a view toward the future as you seek to grow today.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

I find it kind of amusing that more and more entertainers, whether movie actors or singers, are speaking out against the government and speaking up for various moral issues. Since when did these celebrities become our spokespeople and models of morality? I overheard a song on the radio by the singer Pink entitled, “Dear Mr. President.” The lyrics of the song basically question the president and call him out on various issues such as war, homelessness, and homosexuality. The accusation is that the president arrogantly has things all wrong and that everyone else can quite clearly see what he can’t. Regardless of whether you agree or disagree with the president’s policies and actions, the question that came to my mind was, “Is Pink really the best spokesperson to speak out on issues of morality?”

I understand that celebrities have their public platform and can use that platform to speak out when they are upset at the president or the government. I appreciate that we live in a country where its citizens can speak out against the president without threat of persecution. I also understand that people are entitled to their own opinions on political and moral issues. I just wonder if people give much credence to consistency. A lot of people overlook that these celebrities seem to pick and choose when morality is a big deal. It seems that even though their personal lives might be disasters morally, the general public accepts what they say when they hold the government accountable for its actions. I’m not saying they are all this way. I’m not even saying that everything they are saying is out to lunch. I just find it amusing that some of these celebrities point the finger at another person and say that he should be ashamed of himself.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Did anyone else catch this article on msn.com? There is a Dutch bishop named Tiny Muskens who wants people of all faiths to call God, “Allah.” He says, “Allah is a very beautiful word for God. Shouldn’t we all say that from now on we will name God Allah? . . . What does God care what we call him? It is our problem.” Certainly the bishop’s remark has sparked controversy in the Netherlands. People have been commenting in local newspapers about their disagreement with Muskens’s view. On the flipside, the article introduces politician Geert Wilders who is a staunch, hateful anti-Muslim. He recently called for a nationwide ban on the Koran, likening the book to Hitler’s Mein Kampf.

It is probable that Muskens’s appeal to refer to God as “Allah” was in response to Wilders’s anti-Muslim comments. As much as the gesture was probably well-intentioned in wanting to promote more religious tolerance and understanding, one cannot help but wonder why the bishop is so content with compromising the name of God. It is hard to believe that even a Catholic could justify associating God with the false claims of Islam. Muskens has apparently already demonstrated a history of finding practical solutions to societal problems at the expense of biblical truth advocating that it is justifiable for hungry people to steal. When you sacrifice biblical truth for practicality, you can justify just about anything. Certainly it is not wrong to address societal issues, but to respond to societal problems with blatant disregard for biblical principles is flagrant compromise.

by Pastor John Kim

After doing a bit of research in American Church History, I was surprised to find that the sin of nonattendance was a major reason for many cases where church discipline was exercised. At first glance it seems like such a minor issue to address in such a dramatic way, but when you take some time to think about it, it really makes sense.

Attending church is more than just about showing up to the church facility on a Sunday morning. It is about being who you are called to be as a believer. We have been called out to be the body of Christ and the assembling of believers is meant to reflect the common bond we have in Christ as we share in His love with one another through fellowship that is focused on God’s glory. Hebrews 10:24-25 is often used to show the importance of not forsaking the assembling together of believers and while on the surface we might agree that it is important, I think that there are deeper implications than just physically being present at church.

To truly attend church is to have your heart, soul, and mind loving God so much that the natural overflow of love extends to one another. 1 John 4:7-20 describes the simple relationship between the command to love one another and the claim to know and love God. It is more than just not hating your brother. That is to have an “I just want to avoid getting in trouble” kind of mentalitty. It is about fervently loving one another and the only practical way you can do that is to actually be involved in each other’s lives. This means there needs to be the actual presence of people interacting in people’s lives, applying the “one anothers” that the Scriptures call us to do.

I have described this in the past as the “ministry of presence,” where your actual physical presence is what provides the opportunity for fellowship to even take place. As I have often pointed out, when people get together, we are often quick to notice who is NOT present. It is discouraging when you sense that people don’t want to be together for genuine Christian fellowship. But I believe this is where Satan really tries to lead many astray. It starts as maybe a slight hesitation to go to church on any given Sunday. Maybe you don’t feel so great. Maybe you’re tired. Maybe you have had a conflict with someone or maybe someone was insensitive and brushed you off one Sunday. Many have shared that they feel like they don’t connect with people or feel like they fit in. There are a multitude of reasons which seem innocent enough, but a lack of discipline toward attending church will quickly lead to a pattern of missing church. And this is just in regards to Sunday worship, not to mention other opportunities of fellowship.

The issue of non-attendance is usually paired with some deeper issue, either that of some sin issue, relational conflict, or a selfish attitude that is not willing to step forward and build relationships. Granted, it is not easy to start relationships and get to know people, but if anything, we have the Lord Jesus Christ in common and that should provide more than enough of a starting point if we are truly in Him. But I think for the most part that those who stop coming to church usually stop because coming to church would make them feel guilty or maybe even force them to hear God’s Word which they know would convict them and that is something that they want to avoid.

It is unfortunate that there are many in the church who don’t take seriously the call to be the church. And to be the church, you need to be present, so that you are actually in contact with the rest of the body, so that together we might honor the head of the church, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Do you love God? If you say you do, it should be evident through your love for your fellow believers. A commitment to the local church should be one that is dedicated, devoted, and enthusiastic because it is the institution which God intended for His kingdom purposes to be carried out, both for now and eternity. His glory is at stake in the church so let’s make sure that the glory doesn’t depart. We don’t want to be an Ichabod church. We want to be a church where the glory of God shines brightly in order that others might see and bring Him even more glory.

by Pastor Patrick Cho

I was reading through John 1 last night before going to bed and it was such an encouragement to me. It’s not always like this, but there are times when reading from the Word is like having a tall, cold glass of ice water on a hot summer day. The refreshment from reading the Bible last night was like that. The verse that arrested me was John 1:16, “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” The fullness is probably referring back to vs. 14, “…and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” As Christ is full of grace and truth, we reap the full benefit of it — kai charin anti charitos, “and grace upon grace.” The anti, preposition was used in that day to describe exchanges made in sale purchases. The thought is that in exchange for grace we receive more grace! What an amazing statement of the abundant grace of God! This is particularly amazing in consideration of my own sinfulness. I don’t give God a reason to shower grace on me. It is completely in spite of my failures that He is gracious! Even as an unbeliever, He showed me the common grace that He gives to all men (e.g. good health, education, family, friends, food, etc.). But now as a believer, I have exchanged that common grace for even greater grace in Jesus Christ. There is unending blessing in living for the Lord. Truly as the psalmist writes, with the Lord as my shepherd “my cup overflows” (Ps. 23:5).

by Pastor John Kim

As we discussed Romans 12:15 this past Sunday, one thing that came to mind is that if a church really does practice this principle of rejoicing with those who rejoice and weeping with those who weep, it would really be an indication of a true family like relationship in that when you have a close-knit family, you really do see this happen.

When my wife Angela succeeds at something or accomplishes something significant, I really am truly happy for her and with her. I remember when she was pregnant with Jenna and just about finished with her Master’s thesis that she gave birth and so she had to delay the conclusion a bit. When she did, I was just amazed at how she was able to do that with having a baby at the same time. I remember when Jenna started taking her first steps and saying her first words – those were just incredible days being able to share in the thrill of her joy. I remember when Kara scored her first goal in soccer – I was so proud of her, especially after the fact that when she had first started she would barely move. I remember when Alyssa did her first ballet performance in the Nutcracker – she was so excited and while admittedly I am not a big ballet fan, I am a big fan of Alyssa and was excited with her. Even with Olivia, when she gets excited about something, she gets even more excited when I get excited with her. Just playing with her is that way.

I also remember when Angela’s dad passed away recently – it hurt to see Angela cry and there wasn’t much else I could do than to cry with her. I remember seeing my girls cry at the funeral – it was their first significant loss that they had experienced and all I could do was hold them. I remember when my brother-in-law Peter was going in for surgery for the tumor in his lower back and seeing Jinny cry and I couldn’t help but cry as well.

I have also been reminded of many who have rejoiced with me in times of blessing. It is actually quite amazing to think that there are people who would take the time to celebrate things in my life when I really don’t consider my life so significant. But people have been incredibly generous and overwhelming in their love and care that I can only see the grace of God being what lies behind their actions.

As I shared this past Sunday, it many ways it is very difficult and challenging to rejoice with others because it often causes us to be tempted with envy and jealousy. It is difficult not only to watch people get engaged, get married, have children, purchase a new car, move into a new home, or have the latest and most up to date laptop or mobile phone, but to be content with what we do have and just be happy for people.

I would encourage you to really consider the application that was given on Sunday. Prepare to celebrate with someone – there are graduations coming up, birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions that come up in people’s lives that you can use as an opportunity to rejoice with them. If you already know of some special occasions coming up, plan for it now. We often get tired of going to graduations or weddings or bridal showers or baby showers because we’ve been to so many and they don’t seem special any more. But we have to remember that it is special for THAT individual and it would be selfish of me to simply think that “I’m tired of these things” when in fact it’s not for your sake but for that individual’s joy. Sure, it might be hard to be fully excited for someone else but then again it is a choice – you can and should consider how you might rejoice with others.

Also be prepared to weep with someone. When someone is going through a hard time and they have been hurt, be prepared just to listen, to give a shoulder to cry on, to have a heart instead of just trying to fix their problems. Sometimes the most significant thing you can do is just come alongside and really try to empathize with someone. You might not necessarily have to cry real tears but do you seek to even try to understand a little bit of the pain that someone is going through? It can really make a difference. It has for me. Just having my wife listen to me let out my pain and instead of an immediate rebuke or cold statement of fact, just holding me and letting me cry is probably the most loving thing she has done.

Let’s really grow as a family and rejoice and weep with each other.

by Pastor John Kim

This past Saturday we had Chris and Nelly’s wedding at the Crystal Cathedral, home of the self-esteem “gospel” and the “Hour of Power” sermons that have been on TV for as long as I can remember (though I don’t have any TV connection now so I might be outdated). The people there were very nice, in fact, were very helpful and even funny. The church was not as big as I thought it would be but the inside had an impressive Sony jumbotron and it really was a big glass castle like I thought it would be. The men’s restroom was equally impressive, especially now after looking at blueprints for restrooms in consideration of our new facilities. I would have to say it was easily the most impressive wedding site I’ve presided over, with the dramatic rising of the sidewalls (though I didn’t see it) and the fountain shooting high at the entry of the bride.

I was a little nervous as I anticipated the handoff from Pastor Bob as he was doing the introduction. I had written my notes word-for-word (if you didn’t notice) because I often get nervous at weddings and don’t want to just ramble. I also was told that we had to get everything done in 30 minutes, so there was a real time constraint that put a considerable amount of pressure. There is always one thing that I do try these days at weddings and that is to make sure that the gospel message is somehow integrated. With the passage from Ephesians 5:22-33, it was an easy transition to make since being married is all about glorifying Jesus Christ and to point people to the Savior at a wedding only makes sense since a Christian wedding is exactly about making Christ the focal point.

But it’s one thing to think about how those who are of a different theological persuasion might think. In studying 1 John, the one thing that has been sticking out to me is how important it is to be discerning for the purpose of honoring Jesus, not just to win a debate. It’s even more than being able to point out false teaching – it’s about pointing to the One who is the authoritative teacher of truth as He is the Truth.

Getting married is more than just about a man and a woman getting together. It is about a man and a woman getting together so that Jesus Christ would be magnified in their lives being together as a reflection of the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church. This really changes everything. It should remind the man that he is to love his wife like Christ loves the church. This is not just some cheap sappy love leeched off of movie scenes. This is about true, sacrificial love that seeks to sanctify and nurture and cherish someone day in and day out, regardless of the circumstances that might come. It is to look at Christ and in Him see the ultimate model of true love (not Princess Bride). For the woman it is to submit to her husband in a loving and respectful way that the church is to do before Christ. Admittedly this is not anywhere near what the world would see as desirable but because of Christ, it is not only the most profitable, it is the most glorifying to Christ. It is here that we must really ask ourselves if we really believe this to be true. Do we really value Christ so much that all things are done in reference to Him? Or do we still look, however subtly, for some kind of self-gratification at the expense of Christ receiving the firstfruits of our heart?

In anticipation of our DTR2 series which should come this fall, I want to remind those of you who read this (all 5 of you) to really think carefully about how you view marriage. I believe that there are too many people who still have worldly worldview when it comes to marriage and even though you might acknowledge what the Bible has to say, when it comes to the actual planning of a wedding and the preparation for a life time, there are sadly many who are still so very far away from having Jesus be Lord over their life in the practical things of life. While we might say that we adhere to true Biblical teaching, many people’s lives would contradict that if examined carefully.

It is definitely one thing to combat false teaching with the truth of God’s Word. It is another thing to confirm the preciousness of God’s truth by abiding in it. Whether in marriage, whether in the work place, whether in friendships, whether in the local church, as believers we are called to make Christ the crown jewel which shines brightly for all the world to see.

This is the crystal clear truth. Don’t look to a crystal buildling. Look to the precious treasure of Jesus Christ.