Our Attitude Toward God’s Word

by Elder Mike Chon

In a culture that celebrates “equality,” when there are no distinction between those in authority and those under that authority, there is a loss of what it means to submit with reverence and awe.  In a culture where expressing yourself is more important than obeying your parents, a bumper sticker that says “Question Authority” will sound like a profound truth. Some of us in the church have lost that sense of what it means to humble ourselves under authority, particular when it comes to being under the authority of God and His Word.

Many of us have come before God with a “God is my buddy” attitude and the idea that His Word is a self-help book in times of crisis. However, those who have understood the greatness of God and His Word will approach both of them with a trembling and humble heart (Isaiah 66:2). God’s Word has constantly been questioned and attacked by those outside of the church, but to see attacks that actually come from inside the church, from those that profess to love God, is another example of a heart that does not tremble at His Word. If the Scriptures are God’s word, they should be revered since the source of those words is God Himself.

What should our response be to the Word of God?

  1. We should not read the Word of God like we read any other book in this world. It is not written by men, but God Himself. The words are not mere words, but are words that change and save lives (Rom. 10:17; John 1:1) The Scriptures are not just facts about God or about history, but truths that conform us to the image of Christ (2 Cor. 3:18).
  2. We should approach the Word with reverence and awe. When we read or hear God’s Word we should not approach it with familiarity. It is the very word of God. It is how God has revealed Himself to us. To know God’s word is to know God. Let us approach the Scriptures with trembling knowing that it is God’s word to us (Psalm 138:2).
  3. We should submit to the Word of God. There is nothing else in this world that can lay claim to being the word of the true and living  God. Therefore there is nothing that is more authoritative than the word of God. If you think about it, that fact alone ought to lead us to submit to it. Not only that, but it is completely trustworthy because it is from the omniscient, omnibenevolent God. What is written in the Scriptures are not mere suggestions or stories, but instead are the living and active words of God that pierce our heart (Hebrews 4:12). It is the word of God that guides and directs us to what is right and good (Psalm 119:105). There is nothing better to follow than the word of God.
  4. We should trust in the promises of His Word. Even though life can fraught with difficulty and hardship, we can whole-heartedly trust in God’s word. Nothing is more sure than the word of God. There is no other person or book that will fulfill all that it says except for the Scriptures. If God promises to do something, it will happen. No excuses. No disappointments. No failures. God’s promises will never fail (Joshua 21:45).

If you want to learn more about the infallibility, inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture, please listen to the recent sermons by Pastor Patrick on the Scriptures.

Then Ahimaaz Ran by the Way of the Plain…

by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From 2 Samuel 18:23

Running is not everything, there is much in the way which we select: a swift foot over hill and down dale will not keep pace with a slower traveller upon level ground. How is it with my spiritual journey, am I labouring up the hill of my own works and down into the ravines of my own humiliations and resolutions, or do I run by the plain way of ‘Believe and live’? How blessed is it to wait upon the Lord by faith! The soul runs without weariness, and walks without fainting, in the way of believing. Christ Jesus is the way of life, and He is a plain way, a pleasant way, a way suitable for the tottering feet and feeble knees of trembling sinners: am I found in this way, or am I hunting after another track such as priestcraft or metaphysics may promise me? I read of the way of holiness, that the wayfaring man, though a fool, shall not err therein: have I been delivered from proud reason and been brought as a little child to rest in Jesus’ love and blood? If so, by God’s grace I shall outrun the strongest runner who chooses any other path. This truth I may remember to my profit in my daily cares and needs. It will be my wisest course to go at once to my God, and not to wander in a roundabout manner to this friend and that. He knows my wants and can relieve them, to whom should I repair but to Himself by the direct appeal of prayer, and the plain argument of the promise. ‘Straightforward makes the best runner.’ I will not parlay with the servants, but hasten to their master.

In reading this passage, it strikes me that if men vie with each other in common matters, and one outruns the other, I ought to be in solemn earnestness so to run that I may obtain. Lord, help me to gird up the loins of my mind, and may I press forward towards the mark for the prize of my high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

1.31p

Weekly Links (8/12/2011) – Evangelism Edition

If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for. (Charles Haddon Spurgeon)

by Stephen Rodgers

For reasons that will be made clear to anyone who comes to the combined College/Single Life Bible study tonight, I’ve been doing a lot of research and study on the topic of evangelism.  Today, on a special edition of the weekly links, I wanted to share a fraction of that with you, from a TGC series I bookmarked from a while back:

And if you need an example of evangelism done right, then look know further than DJP over at PyroManiacs.
Hopefully I’ll see many of you tonight; if not then, then I’ll look forward to seeing you on Sunday.  In the meantime, be sure to take some time to pray about, think about, and do evangelism.
Pro Rege

Grace Life Update

by Pastor Patrick Cho

Grace Life has been taking a break for the summer, but things will be picking up again really soon! And even though we have not been meeting, it doesn’t mean things haven’t been busy. Couples have been getting engaged, getting married, and having babies! The ministry has been growing and all this time we have been taking a break!

One of the things we are looking forward to in the fall is the return of our Wednesday evening parenting class. Taught by elder Peter Lim, the parenting class will be a fifteen week course running from October to March. Each week, different topics will be discussed while examining what the Bible teaches about being a parent. Children are certainly a huge responsibility, but they are also a tremendous blessing from the Lord. Every parent knows that raising kids can at times be challenging and even frustrating. But the Bible gives godly wisdom about how successful parenting can be achieved to the glory of God. This will be an invaluable class especially for our new and expecting parents.

Also beginning in October our weekly Grace Life fellowship will resume. Once again, Grace Life will be meeting during the Sunday School hour on Sundays. It will be great to pick up in our study of Mark and this year will present greater opportunities for fellowship, accountability, and interaction.

Hopefully after the summer break, everyone is itching to get started again!

Follow-up Interviews – Pastor Patrick

by Richard Shin

Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up series to the interviews that Richard Shin did in the spring of 2010.  For the original interview with Pastor Patrick, please see here and here.

How are you doing?

Things have been going really well. Thank you! =)

How has God been faithful to you in the last year?

God has been tremendously faithful to me in many ways. Besides remaining true to Himself and His promises (e.g. I am still saved), He has really helped me grow significantly as a believer and a pastor. Ministry has been tremendously encouraging, and that always keeps a pastor motivated to keep going even if he is tired. For example, this past weekend was one of the busier weekends of my life, but the all-church banquet was such a huge blessing that it hardly seemed like a difficult weekend at all. The church also has been a great blessing and joy, and a huge source of encouragement. The faithful service of the members and leadership has been humbling. It truly is humbling to understand that others look to me for leadership, guidance, and counsel. I certainly feel my shortcomings and am forced to depend more on the Lord.

How have you been challenged in this role as Senior Pastor that you weren’t previously as an Associate Pastor?

I’ve honestly never really been a fan of the titles “Senior Pastor” and “Associate Pastor,” but I understand the intent behind the question. The pace has definitely picked up now that I am filling this role at LBC. As an associate, there is not as much to think about. It’s not that it’s easy, but it does not demand as much. I think any associate pastor would generally agree. Serving as the senior pastor, I have been involved in some ministry situations and counseling opportunities that have really stretched me and I have learned a great deal through them. Through it all, I can clearly see God training me up for future ministry and helping me develop my thought processes and convictions.

You went from pastoring the collegians to overseeing the singles and married folks. How has that transition been?

The transition has been good. It has been good to see the consistency on Sundays of the group that comes out to Grace Life. I feel the study has been beneficial, but the fellowship has been particularly good. The format of that time is such that I don’t simply talk the whole time. Instead, we mix in group discussions and interaction. I believe that has really helped because I know how difficult it can be to listen to someone speak for two services in a row. We recently took a break from our study in Mark to cover Peacemaking for Families, by Ken Sande. We found it to be a very practical study and helpful to address everyday situations in the home.

As for the singles ministry, things have been good as well. I wish I could devote more time and energy into this ministry because I really believe it is important to help young believers in their decision making during this stage of their lives. Singles are in the process of developing their career paths, figuring out who they want to marry, and learning to be committed to the church with a more demanding schedule than they had in college. Meeting on Friday evenings has been challenging because of the lack of consistency. Too often Bible study has had to be cancelled because of conflicting all-church events. Still, the times we have been able to meet have been sweet. Our study through the book of Colossians has been helpful and challenging. Currently I am thinking through how I can better minister to the singles. I don’t want to simply maintain a Bible study for the sake of having a structured program. I believe it is better for the overall health of the ministry and church to address people and not just promote programs.

I imagine your workload has increased somewhat significantly since you became the Senior Pastor (or has it?). How have you been able to manage your time?

This has been difficult, but it has not been impossible. There are certain non-negotiable principles you keep in mind. For instance, I need to make sure I spend a good amount of time with my family. But with the increased workload, we have become more creative in how we do this. Sometimes they will come by the office to have lunch together and maybe spend the afternoon at the church. With the various church events that take place, Christine and I have learned to be flexible with Eden’s feeding, nap, and sleep schedule. But we find it a great joy to minister together and we love being at church with our church family. We also are encouraged that Eden loves it so much as well. Eden often cries when it is time to go home even when she is exhausted!

How can we be praying for you?

There are so many things to pray for, it would be impossible to list them all. I think the biggest thing would be for perseverance in what I am called to be and do as a leader in the church. Any pastor can have a season of faithful ministry, but I’m certain it really requires great resolve, unswerving commitment, and most of all deep dependence on God for a lifetime of faithful service. You can also pray for our family. As Eden grows, we don’t want her to grow embittered against the church or pastoral ministry. I’m sure it will take a lot of love, wisdom, patience, and strength to lead our family well.

The Glorious Gospel (Part 1)

by Pastor Patrick Cho

It has felt like an eternity being away from San Diego, and it certainly is great to be back. What a great weekend it was spending a day at the park with the Lighthouse family, and it made things even sweeter being able to share that time with Pastor Chris Wu and Redeemer’s Grace Church. So many people came out that we needed to carefully ration the food! Not having enough food is hardly ever a problem at our church, but yesterday it was a great problem to have. It meant that a lot of people came out and enjoyed the afternoon with one another. I was so encouraged to see members of both churches engaging one another in good conversations or just playing team sports together.

One thing that our Fun in the Sun Day reminded me of is the grace of God to desire our unity in the gospel. What proof that God desires good for His people! He commands us to love one another (1 John 4:7), encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11), and fellowship with one another (Heb. 10:24-25). It glorifies God to have His people enjoying the blessings of Christian fellowship.

All this is made possible because of the work of Christ on the cross to redeem us. Jesus died so that we could have life. He died in our place and bore our just punishment so that God’s wrath could be satisfied. And in His sacrifice, not only do we benefit by having our sins forgiven (which is a huge benefit!), but we also receive new life and are incorporated into a body of believers that Christ calls His bride. Jesus certainly meant it when He said He came that we might have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).

One of the most exciting things about being back in San Diego is that we get to begin our series walking through “The Glorious Gospel.” There is no greater theme in the Bible! The gospel is the heart of everything we trust. It should be the focus of our lives and our ministry, and it should remain the overarching theme of our conversations.

This past Sunday we had the opportunity to examine the character of God. When it comes to the gospel, it is essential that we begin with God. It is only through a correct understanding of God that we know our purpose in life. Only by studying God do we gain a good understanding of what is morally excellent or reprehensible. Through a careful study of God, we gain a good understanding of our identity – our sinful depravity and desperate need for salvation. God’s character also helps us understand the necessity of the cross, that He might be both just and justifier (Rom. 3:26).

The foundations of everything the Bible reveals about God are found in Genesis 1. Throughout Scripture, God repeatedly defines Himself as the Creator, the Maker of heaven and earth (cf. Deut. 32:6; Ps. 104:24-30; Ps. 148:1-6; Isa. 40:25-28; etc.). It is no wonder that in Acts 17, when Paul defines God for his unbelieving Gentile audience, he explains that God is the Creator of all that is (Acts 17:22-29).

Many Christians today do not believe that the creation account is very significant. Because of the pressures of modern science and the pervasive trust in evolution by people both inside and outside the church, many have surrendered in the battle for the beginning. But it is essential that we understand how significant this battle is. Too often we find ourselves waging war in peripheral battles while the rest of the world undermines and attacks our foundation. We must not give up so easily.

Having a skeptical distrust of Genesis 1-2 is really founded in an unbelief of the supernatural and miraculous. People turn to natural selection and evolution because it seems scientific and explicable. If a person has problems with the creation account, there are all sorts of other inexplicable miraculous events in Scripture that totally fly in the face of modern science and completely go beyond the range of scientific possibility. People do not walk on water. People do not heal the blind or crippled. And people certainly do not come back from the dead. If you discredit Genesis 1-2, you might as well start ripping out entire sections of the Bible that are not scientifically explainable because at the core of that distrust is unbelief in the supernatural and miraculous.

God is God, and I am not Him. He chooses how to define Himself without needing my assistance or attempts to improve that definition. And God chooses to define Himself as Creator. It is not my place to second guess that or diminish the significance of it. He made me, and that has all sorts of ramifications on who I am, what my purpose is, what my problem is, and what I must do about that problem.

The Lord our Righteousness

bu Charles Haddon Spurgeon

From Jeremiah 23:6

It will always give a Christian the greatest calm, quiet, ease, and peace, to think of the perfect righteousness of Christ. How often are the saints of God downcast and sad! I do not think they ought to be. I do not think they would if they could always see their perfection in Christ. There are some who are always talking about corruption, and the depravity of the heart, and the innate evil of the soul. This is quite true, but why not go a little further, and remember that we are ‘perfect in Christ Jesus.’ It is no wonder that those who are dwelling upon their own corruption should wear such downcast looks; but surely if we call to mind that ‘Christ is made unto us righteousness,’ we shall be of good cheer.

What though distresses afflict me, though Satan assault me, though there may be many things to be experienced before I get to heaven, those are done for me in the covenant of divine grace; there is nothing wanting in my Lord, Christ hath done it all. On the cross He said, ‘It is finished!’ and if it be finished, then am I complete in Him, and can rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, ‘Not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.’ You will not find on this side heaven a holier people than those who receive into their hearts the doctrine of Christ’s righteousness. When the believer says, ‘I live on Christ alone; I rest on Him solely for salvation; and I believe that, however unworthy, I am still saved in Jesus;’ then there rises up as a motive of gratitude this thought- ‘Shall I not live to Christ? Shall I not love Him and serve Him, seeing that I am saved by His merits?’ ‘The love of Christ constraineth us,’ ‘that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto Him which died for them.’ If saved by imputed righteousness, we shall greatly value imparted righteousness.

1.31a

Weekly Links (8/5/2011)

If there is no absolute moral standard, then one cannot say in a final sense that anything is right or wrong. By absolute we mean that which always applies, that which provides a final or ultimate standard. There must be an absolute if there are to be morals, and there must be an absolute if there are to be real values. If there is no absolute beyond man’s ideas, then there is no final appeal to judge between individuals and groups whose moral judgments conflict. We are merely left with conflicting opinions. (Francis Schaeffer, How Then Should We Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture)

by Stephen Rodgers

Welcome back!  Hopefully you enjoyed our month off, caught up on some reading, maybe went on a missions trip.  I think that pretty much covers what most of our staff did, but we’re back now, and ready to go!  Don’t worry, we’ll ease you back into it a little bit with only a few links this week:

  • So first off, there’s a new edition of Tabletalk out, and this month the theme is Theological Reflections on Classical Literature.  Be sure to check that out, it should be very interesting.
  • And speaking of “new” and “free”…Christianaudio.com’s monthly free audio book is Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry. I’ll admit that I’d never heard of it before now, but Russell Moore gives it two enthusiastic thumbs up, and so that’s enough for me to throw it on the MP3 player.
  • Over at the TGC blog, James Anderson answers the question “Did God Change at the Incarnation?” And I may have mentioned this before, but if you have even a passing interest in theology, philosophy, and/or apologetics, you’ll definitely want to bookmark his blog, or add it to your RSS feed, or stalk him on Twitter or something.
  • RC Sproul Jr. (that’s RC Sproul’s son) offers up a hermeneutical principle you might not have thought of before.
  • And last but not least, over at the Cripplegate (how did I not know about that blog?) Nate Busenitz gives us his opinion on the 10 Best Online Study Resources.  I know that a number of these are already on the Recommended Resources page…but I’ll have to check about the others.

That’s it for now…see you Sunday!

Pro Rege

Act Your Age this Summer

by Hansol An

Editor’s Note: This was supposed to be posted on June 30th, but I posted the Single’s Update by mistake.  So the collegians will be getting this as a reminder halfway through their summer instead of at the beginning of it.

“Summer break” is a term that has a very positive connotation for most people. And why wouldn’t it? No school, playing all day and virtually no responsibilities. What’s not to like if you’re a kid? But now you’re 18, 19, 20 or 21 years old. By now your summer break will look a bit different, right? You’re old enough to vote now and fight for your country if you want. You’re no longer legally bound to your parents’ authority. You’re an “adult” now. So then, shouldn’t your summer break be more than just about having fun?

If this were the first century, in Israel or another part of the Roman Empire, a college age kid would likely be married by now. In that culture, ladies were often married at 13 or 14 years old. Mary, the mother of Christ, was probably 14 or 15 when she was carrying the Savior of the World. Guys were usually given a bit more time to prepare for that responsibility. The average age for marriage was around 18 for men. It was highly discouraged for men to be single past 20, even to the point that some Jews considered it sinful. By 19 the average man was a father for the first time. Think about that for a second. How many collegians can even fathom being a parent at 19, let alone 14?

Today’s society will tell collegians that they are still kids. And in certain ways that’s true because this society allows young people to extend the responsibility to become mature until much later in life. “You’re still in school.” Marriage? “There’s always time for that. There’s a lot to experience first.” Children? “Whoa now, that’s way later. Maybe when you’re too old to have fun.” Even in the church, this type of thinking is prevalent. Would it be difficult to find a 30 year old man playing video games for hours each day? To put that in perspective, remember that Jesus was about that age when he started his ministry.

In all honestly, it took me a while grow up. Post-college life for me during the week was pretty simple. I went to work, came home, hung out with my roommates, played a lot of Halo with my roommates, went to sleep late and started it all over again the next day. I’m only being slightly facetious. Sure I did maintain involvement in church activities on the weekends but I could look back on some weeks and think, “I accomplished zero.” It is sad to think about the lack of maturity I exhibited. As Paul warned the Ephesians, I was foolish and not “making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” But thank God, I was challenged by those around me and what I was learning at church to grow up. Eventually I took that to heart and started making changes to that end. Not that I’m there yet, but it’s something I continue to strive after.

The point is this: You can be a responsible adult at 18. The vast majority of human history and societies around the globe would attest to that truth. Relative youth was no excuse for Timothy to be less than a mature man. Paul instructed him to, “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” You might be young but even the young can be an example for others to learn from. You have the gift of time (time to learn God’s Word; time to grow closer to the Lord; time to invest in people). Use it to become an adult.

Follow-up Interviews – Pastor John

by Richard Shin

Editor’s Note: This is a follow-up series to the interviews that Richard Shin did in the spring of 2010.  For the original interview with Pastor John, please see here and here.

Have you found any decent Mexican joints in the Bay Area?

I actually went to a place recently that wasn’t too bad. I have come to the conclusion that there is just a NorCal thing that is different regarding Mexican food so instead of comparing and complaining, I’ll just be patient, keep trying, and when I visit San Diego, I’ll grab some if I can but it is no longer a life or death issue.

Generally speaking, how do you feel the transition went?

Overall, I can’t help but just be so thankful to God for the transition. I was expecting things to be a bit challenging, especially for my family but Angela and the girls have shown a remarkable attitude and have even commented from time to time how they are happy to be up here. They of course still miss family and friends and especially Jenna when she went off to college but overall it has been a positive transition. Having some familiar faces with the church plant team definitely helped but getting to know new people has been great and we already see how God has provided new relationships to mingle with the old.

The church planting team did quite a bit of preparing prior to the actual plant, even after you guys moved up. Do you feel the preparations were adequate?

I don’t know if they were necessarily adequate as it was kind of hard to know how we could plan for such a monumental move. But through the team meetings, going over the book “The Church and the Surprising Offense of God’s Love,” team building trips, and meals together, I think the main thing was just the building up of the relationships that was key.

A year ago, you mentioned some concerns/fears you had with the church plant and the overall transition. Some of them were: practical concerns (e.g. having a meeting place, jobs for members, etc.), conflicts within and outside the church, and LBCSD’s reception of the transition leadership. Can you share some reflective thoughts on these concerns?

I guess there will always be concerns as things have been kind of dynamic and the unexpected has happened. Regarding facilities, we found a great situation with a community center, but by the end of the year, through some strange circumstances, we lost the place and were forced to look for a new site. At first it was a bit disappointing but realizing that things like this were going to happen, we kind of had to move along and just keep our faces looking forward. We found a local high school just down the street and it definitely was an answer to prayer. But we are still looking for a more suitable place as we have started to expand a bit.

Jobs have been an interesting thing as at one point almost the whole team had found jobs, then some lost some jobs and some are still looking for jobs since. But overall it’s been encouraging to see the attitudes of those who have been facing this challenge and I’m thankful to see that they are persevering the best they can.

Conflicts will always happen, both inside and outside the church. So we decided to go over The Peacemaker by Ken Sande for our Friday Night Bible Studies and that has been really good as many of the newer people have shared they have never heard anything like this. There have already been some conflicts that have taken place, some actually kind of discouraging but focusing on peacemaking has been helpful in dealing with them. So we are thankful that we are studying this right now. Regarding things with other churches, we have had some situations where it was actually quite sad but then other churches and other pastors have reached out to us as well and we are so thankful for their support and prayers. So overall we are very thankful for the greater community that is starting to build between other churches.

As for the transition in San Diego, I have heard encouraging things about how many have come to really support Pastor Patrick and his leadership. I know that it was a concern for him to have to follow me as we are quite different, not to mention that he is younger. But as I shared when we had our installation of Pastor Patrick, he has been such a faithful servant and minister over all the years and I can’t think of anyone better suited to take over the responsibilities of leadership at the church. He also has the support of the elders and I think it’s pretty evident that while there is always room to grow, can you imagine some total stranger coming in and try to lead the church? There is no comparison. I’ve also heard that there have been a few who have not maybe been the most encouraging in light of the transition – I just pray that God would remind them to have a gospel-centered heart toward Pastor Patrick and be gracious and even more supportive. I told Pastor Patrick before I left to expect that there would be those who would not always say the most encouraging things, but it’s not just because he is younger. I was older than most of the members and they would say discouraging things to me and about me as well so it’s not just because of the age issue. It’s just a heart issue and at the same time it is an issue of sanctification, to learn and grow even through being challenged in those ways. So overall I am thankful to see that the church in San Diego has continued to move forward and grow in different ways and for that God receives much glory!

What are some similarities and differences between what you expected versus what actually happened?

I think what I expected was that I wasn’t sure what to expect but the one thing that I could expect was the unexpected. That being said, I told the team during preparation to be ready for some members of the team to step down (to date five out of the original thirty adults stepped down) and to some degree it was bit discouraging and deflating. But one thing that we prayed for but didn’t know what to expect were the people that God was going to bring in San Jose. So while we were down to 25 from San Diego, as of May 3, we have 37 members and another 11 members ready to be welcomed. We have already seen several individuals come to know Christ and have had a number of people who were looking for a church decide to consistently attend, though they are not members yet. So it really has been the relationships that were the main issue that related to expectations and I can say that God has really been gracious to us in helping us both work through the losses as well as the new additions.

What are some ways you have been growing in the past year? (Feel free to talk about the church plant specifically or in life generally)

I think there are a few lessons that I have been learning along the way, especially in the past year as we transitioned to life in the Bay Area.

Keep Preaching the Gospel

The primacy of the gospel and the centrality of the gospel in ministry continues to become more and more of a conviction in how we need to relate what we do, both to unbelievers and believers. We have seen several people already get saved as we have been preaching the gospel on Sundays, Fridays, and even with our new College Fellowship at San Jose State. We also have been encouraging those who are believers to preach the gospel continually to themselves so that they live in light of the cross and remember to relate to each other because of the grace we have experienced through Christ.

Trellis and the Vine

Remembering that people are more important than programs, we have had to challenge everyone to make ministry centered on gospel growth instead of program growth. We are all learning, myself included, what it means to prayerfully proclaim God’s truth and to share the reality of how we are taking what we learn and passing it on to others through the sanctifying process of dealing with sin and pursuing Christ. We have been challenged to be humble, transparent, vulnerable, yet at the same time hopeful, encouraging, and taking initiative to build relationships without having to wait for some kind of formal role or structure. It is inevitable that we will have some kind of structures to help provide some basic order and organization. But it has been tremendously encouraging to see that through the messy process of building relationships, we have already seen people come to know Christ, get baptized, and show such an enthusiasm to grow and participate in the life of the church that we can’t help but thank God for His faithfulness in these ways.

Peacemaker

As mentioned earlier, we have been going through “The Peacemaker” by Ken Sande on Friday nights and it has been a wonderful and amazing time learning to resolve conflicts in a God-glorifying way. As our membership commitment includes the Peacemaker Pledge, we are building on that by seeking to build a culture of peacemaking that would be modeled by the leadership and practiced by everyone. While some of us have heard these principles multiple times, I don’t think we could ever hear it enough. The love of Christ is going to be manifested particularly in how we learn to forgive one another and resolve our conflicts so I think it is imperative, especially at the beginning stages of the church to really emphasize this foundational priority. It has been neat to hear people share how they are already passing it on to their family members, friends, and other fellow believers. It is even challenging some to practice peacemaking in their secular environments, whether in school or at work. The emphasis on the gospel in the revised and updated edition especially makes it a more powerful tool for each member of the church to utilize in their own personal spiritual growth as well as in helping edify and build up the congregation. There is an anticipating of tests and challenges that we know will come our way, but God-willing we will continue to build a deep foundation of peacemaking that will help us not only weather the storms but to grow stronger in our trust in God as well

Love them like Jesus

The last message I left with the church in San Diego was the series from John 13:34-35, to love one another. I picked up from there when we first moved to San Jose and it has been a foundational principle for our ministry. God has already opened up opportunities for counseling, encouraging, supporting those who are unbelievers, those who are in difficult situations, and those who have had bad church experiences. The love of Christ truly is a fragrant aroma when practiced by a church congregation. While we are not perfect of course, it has been a blessing to see many of the church members minister to each other, pray for each other, get to know one another, and serve in various ways. Angela and I recently shared with each other how much we just love being with our church family as it has been great to get to know them better and better each week. Since we host the Friday night bible study at our home, many stick around afterward for quite some time, eating refreshments, talking about the message, playing Monopoly Deal and other games. After church on Sundays, we have to vacate the meeting room right at 12pm but we see so many congregate outside and welcome newcomers and just interact with one another. We have a single mom attending who shared that this was the first time she felt welcomed at a church. We have had a bunch of collegians from San Jose State and a few local community colleges come and they have been so excited to be a part of the church that they come pretty much to everything they can come to, no matter how many days a week. We have a few new families coming too and we are expecting two more babies so the family is really growing! It really does feel like a family and while we know the initial stages of a churchplant can be kind of a honeymoon feeling, we continue to see the love for Christ and one another expand and we are thankful.

Anything you want to share with your extended church family in San Diego?

Thank you for your prayers and support! More and more we realize how incredible it is to have a church family that supports us and stands behind us. So many of you have come to visit since we moved up here that it is like a regular occurrence. There were over 50 that came to the inaugural service back in January and others commented that they had never seen such a thing before, that people would be willing to travel so far to support a church plant. Each time we do visit San Diego, we are reminded that the love of Christ truly has been shown in such amazing ways and we look forward to seeing what God will continue to do in San Diego as well as how we can partner together in the future. I can say that we truly love you and thank God for every remembrance of you (Philippians 1:3).

How can we be praying for you?

Please pray for us to be faithful to the MVP, to the Peacemaker Pledge, to welcome all who come, to boldly proclaim the gospel, to build Christ-honoring relationships with other churches, to reach out to the college campuses in our area, to minister to the families that are coming and to provide a place where parents can entrust their children to be shown gospel truth. Pray for a sensitivity to the needs of our single adults, to promote healthy God-honoring relationships that nurture true fellowship and edification. Pray for leadership to develop so that we would have a committed elder board that would shepherd the church and pastors that will faithfully preach the Word and lead the congregation to Christ. Pray for our joint mission trip with LBC San Diego to the Czech Republic and the future development of international missions work. Pray that we would encourage other pastors and churches in our area who are discouraged and downcast and be a loving partner in the gospel ministry. Pray that we would really make disciples in a way that truly represents Christ and to instill a passion to love God and people that would lead to God allowing us one day to plant a church in the near future.