Leadership

What Are Elders?

By God’s design, churches depend on faithful leadership in order to be strong, healthy, productive, and fruitful. Scripture teaches that God has given elders to each local congregation in order to oversee and lead his people. As those tasked with feeding and protecting the flock, elders will one day give an account before the Lord for the souls under their spiritual care (Heb. 13:17). Any who wish to lead in the church must demonstrate personal holiness, doctrinal purity, self-sacrifice, spiritual discipline, and Christ-centered devotion (1 Tim. 4:12-16).

 

Elders hold authority delegated to them from Christ the Head to provide leadership and give oversight to local church affairs. Yet their authority is not coerced by force or intimidation; rather, it is an authority built on precept and example to which the church gladly submits (cf. Heb. 13:17). Though elders are called to lead the local church, the congregation does not belong to them. The members of the church constitute the “flock of God” (1 Pet. 5:2), which he bought (Acts 20:28) and for which the elders serve as caretakers and stewards. The following are the men whom God has entrusted to oversee Lighthouse Bible Church.

Patrick Cho

Hello, my name is Patrick Cho, and I serve as the senior pastor of Lighthouse Bible Church. I married my beautiful bride Christine in October 2005, and together we have three children: Eden, Ezra, and Emma. I grew up in a Christian home and have lived in San Diego almost my entire life. Although I accumulated a lot of knowledge about the Bible and a basic understanding of the facts of the gospel as a child, it was not until my early years of college that God graciously saved me. He helped me to realize that I was living purely for myself and had not surrendered my life to Christ’s lordship. I praise God for my salvation and now strive to live in the strength He provides all for His glory. Some of my favorite hobbies include singing, playing guitar, cooking, and reading. In 1999, I received a B.A. at the University of California in San Diego, where I majored in European History and minored in Philosophy. I also received a M.Div. from The Master’s Seminary in 2004. I had fleeting thoughts about becoming a pastor as far back as high school, but after much prayer and counsel I decided to apply for seminary and actively pursue full-time ministry while I was in college. Although other career opportunities  were presented to me, I sensed the Lord’s leading into ministry and I realized there was nothing else I wanted to do.

I love Lighthouse! The people of LBC have always been very special to me. It is not common to find a congregation of believers so hungry for God’s Word and so sacrificial in their ministerial service. Those who visit the church often comment on how warm and friendly the people are, and others are encouraged by the family atmosphere that characterizes the fellowship. The weekly teaching from the Word is also something that stands out about LBC because it is a commitment to God’s truth that drives our overall ministry. The church is aware of our desire to uphold a high view of God and His Word, and the leadership is committed to the equipping of the saints through sound biblical teaching. I am thankful that Lighthouse is a church that can be characterized by its uncompromising commitment to the Word of God and its genuinely loving fellowship.

Johnny Kim

johnny Hello!  My name is Johnny Kim and it is with great joy that I get to serve as an elder at Lighthouse Bible Church San Diego.  It is a blessing to be a part of this loving church family and I am truly humbled and grateful that God would use me as His instrument to help shepherd and care for His flock.

I was born and raised in San Diego by faithful Christian parents and brought up in the church.  Some time in high school, I realized that God had been gradually changing my heart to where I could finally say that my greatest desire was to follow Christ and submit my entire life to Him.  I attended Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and San Diego State University where I received Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering and Master of Business Administration degrees respectively.  I currently work as an aerospace engineer and in my free time, I enjoy playing sports and spending time outdoors.

I am married to my lovely wife Mimi and God has been gracious to bless us with four children: Matthew, Philip, Jacob, and Hannah.  Together as a family, we enjoy taking part in the life of our bigger Lighthouse church family.  It is my hope and desire that Lighthouse will always be a church that stands for God’s truth and the spreading of the Gospel of Christ.  My constant prayer is that we as members of Lighthouse would live out the Lighthouse Mission, Vision, and Passion in accordance with God’s commands and glorify Him with our entire lives.

Peter Lim

Hello! My name is Peter Lim and it’s my privilege to serve our congregation as an elder. I graduated from UCLA with a Computer Science and Engineering degree. My day job as an engineer is fine and all but my real work is with my family at home and at the church. My wife Jinny and I have 3 daughters who keep us busy with challenges as well as entertainment. My hobbies include wood working and fishing. Some of my heroes include a carpenter and some fishermen.

Pastor John Kim (now senior pastor of LBC Los Angeles) and I were roommates at UCLA in the 80s where we stayed up many nights discussing what a church ought to be like. LBC is the culmination of those dreams, not that we are perfect. We know that God is continuing to bless our efforts because we see people coming to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior and people growing in their faith. It is my desire and passion in life is to train up young men who will be able to teach others also.

 

Kevin Tse

kevinGreetings! My name is Kevin Tse.  As an elder at Lighthouse Bible Church in San Diego, my prayer is that our congregation would seek the Lord with all our hearts, minds and souls on a daily basis, through good times and through adversity.  LBCSD is the place where I have grown up spiritually through the teaching and the relationships God has blessed me with over the years.

Most of my childhood was spent in Michigan where I had all of my primary schooling.  Church was not part of my life growing up, and I lived for wordly accolades and the approval of my parents.  I attended college at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, CA, and this is where I was saved.  While it might seem odd that I would be saved at a nerdy, tech-y, science-y school, I can think of no better place for God to have sovereignly placed me for me to be humbled, and then surrounded by the love and example of faithful believers.  I eventually went on to medical school at UCSD and am now a practicing allergist locally here in San Diego.

I’m married to my wife Mabel, who I met at church and got to know better during a missions trip in the summer with LBCSD to the Czech Republic.  Mabel is beautiful, kind, thoughtful, and she loves the Lord.  She received her Masters in Education from UCLA and was teaching at a local elementary school, but God’s blessing of four children (Abigail, Lydia, Elizabeth, and Madelynn) has placed Mabel at home as a full-time mom and discipler of our children. I enjoy playing sports and music, which I still try to do when I can.  As a family, we enjoy spending quality time together (basically doing anything as long as we’re together).

I am thankful to LBCSD for helping me to have a high view of God and of His Word.  Together, we are called to run this race of faith fixing our eyes on the ultimate prize who is Christ, the author and perfecter of our faith.  I look forward to running this race of faith together.

 

John Rudolph

Hi my name is John Rudolph and I feel so blessed to have the privilege of serving as an elder at LBCSD.  I grew up in a catholic family in San Antonio, Texas, and while we attended church weekly, it was just a check box exercise and my heart was not in it.  After graduating high school, I moved away to attend Austin College in Sherman, Texas where I received my Bachelors degree in Ecology.  I then soon stopped attending church completely having been won over by the influence of my atheistic biology professors.  After graduating, I moved out to San Diego to attend San Diego State University where I received my Masters degree in Marine Ecology.  I am so grateful that God had mercy on me and sovereignly placed people in my life who challenged and encouraged me to understand what I believe and why I believe it.  Being a scientist, I took that challenge to heart and spent a good deal of time delving into creation/evolution, and the evidence behind Christianity.  Through that God helped me to understand His omnipotence, omniscience, and the tremendous love He poured out on us through His Son Jesus.  
 
I currently work as an aquatic ecologist at a local environmental firm monitoring water quality throughout Southern California.  I married my beautiful wife Kristie in 1993 and we were blessed to be able to adopt our son John Daniel “JD” in November 2010.  I love to go camping, hiking, biking, and just being outdoors enjoying God’s creation.  I love being at a church that holds the literal truth of God’s Word in such high esteem, and being able to serve alongside such a dedicated team of elders that care so much for the members of the church.

 

James Lee

Hi, my name is James. I’m humbled to have been given the privilege and joy to serve as an associate pastor here at Lighthouse since August 2021. As a lifelong So Cal resident, the vast majority in the OC, I started attending church around 2nd grade when my father came to saving faith. Back then, I had zero desire for God, as I was running hard away from Him, rather than to Him. But in the summer before 8th grade, I too was convicted of my sinful rebellion, broken by mercy, overwhelmed by grace, and providentially came to know and trust Christ as my Lord and Savior. Miraculously, I then genuinely loved the Creator, Bible, and Church I formerly had so despised. With a new heart and new eyes, God was no longer far away, but lovingly near. I learned His forgiveness wasn’t earned, nor lost, but mercifully paid for, humbly received, and divinely preserved, not because of James, but because of Jesus. I genuinely began to follow Him. And though I had various spiritual struggles and failures, my life was never again the same. I grew quietly, but gradually.

Then significantly, during my undergrad years, I started to learn how to share my faith, mentor younger believers, study His Word in depth, and rely on Christ more to lead others while serving in my local church and with the Navigators. Most formative was the personal impact of godly people in my life, along with the profound influence of a new love of books as I hungrily sought to equip myself. One summer, I read almost 30 Christian books! I knew so little! Naturally more comfortable behind the scenes, I increasingly began to see God use me in ways I never thought possible for someone as painfully shy as myself. Even as brethren encouraged and affirmed me to consider pastoral ministry, I was very resistant. For a year, I struggled with my obvious unworthiness paired with an unexpected, yet timid desire for the work. Then in the 2nd half of my undergrad years, after much prayer and counsel, I trusted the Lord was indeed calling me and that He would do it. I began to serve as a youth pastor during my last 2 years at UCLA before graduating in 1996 (B.A. History). After graduating from Talbot Theological Seminary in 2000 (M.Div) and getting trained in Biblical Counseling at IBCD, I served as a church planting intern, associate pastor, and upon the advice of a late mentor, worked 2 valuable years in the secular marketplace before entering full-time ministry. I especially love to witness what God is doing overseas, serving on trips to Japan, China, Mexico, Korea, India, Czech Republic, and the Hopi Nation. I’m grateful for the gospel partnerships that our church enjoys with believers everywhere as we corporately worship and labor to the glory of God and the joy of all nations. Just prior to coming to San Diego, starting with a small group of believers in a living room, I was gifted the opportunity to help plant a new local church (now known as Lighthouse Bible Church Orange County) serving as the founding senior pastor for more than 18 years. Sensing a support role would be the best stewardship for my next season of ministry, I’m grateful to now belong to this biblically faithful church family that I love so much!

Outside knowing the Lord and seeing ordinary children of God like myself proclaim the gospel, my greatest privilege is being husband to my beautiful wife Sandy since 2005, and father to my 3 cherished children, Tobias, Piper, and Kristyn. I enjoy family time, reading books, playing sports, golf, relaxing outdoors, home improvement, and cheering on my childhood favorite teams: Angels, Ducks, Clippers, and UCLA Bruins!

 

Roger Alcaraz

Family: Grace and Morgan

Education: Astrophysics major with a minor in education studies from UCSD (2009). M.Div from the Master’s seminary (2014).

Testimony: My love for Lighthouse stems from the fact that this is where I first heard the gospel. Everyone here was bold and loving enough to tell me that I am a sinner in need of a savior. I had never heard such a claim, and for several months, refused to believe it since my life was relatively moral. It wasn’t until someone walked me through the perfect life of Christ that I saw my standard was too low and that my sense of goodness could never make me innocent before God. I prayed that God would give me the faith I need to be saved and within a few months, he answered. I knew from then on that God is real and that he sent his Son, Jesus, to suffer the wrath that my sins deserved and that because he still lives, I have a future hope with him.