Shine the Light!

We're Not Here!

2010-02-02T11:12:00.000-08:00

Some of you may be wondering why nothing has been posted on this blog in a long time. We are now posting all our pastors' articles on the online church newsletter. Please visit The Beacon!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-30T23:13:00.001-08:00

I know it's a little bit late, but I still thought it would be good to reflect on some things I am thankful for:

1. Salvation. I know this is the default #1 item on almost every believer's list, but it still shouldn't be overlooked or trivialized. Every time I think about the kind of sinner I am and the kind of God He is, it amazes me that He would desire to know me and for me to know Him. I bring nothing to the table. I have nothing to offer. He gives it all and accomplishes everything for me to be counted righteous before Him. All this was done by Christ's sacrifice on the cross. Amazing love!

2. Family. Christine and I have been married over four years now and have seen Eden grow through her first year of life. I'm thankful that I still have vivid memories of the day Christine and I were married (especially after hearing from so many who don't remember their wedding day at all because of how busy it was). I remember the day Eden was born and how weird it was to think I was a dad. I'm extremely thankful for it all.

3. Church. Lighthouse is the best church I have ever attended! I'm thankful for the relationships we have in our pastoral team and elders. I'm thankful for loving members who encourage and support their leadership and are eager to grow in their relationships with Christ. I'm also thankful that we have a congregation that believes in the MVP and is excited to see the Vision put to action! (Go San Jose!)

4. Friends. I'm thankful for God-centered friendships that I have been able to cultivate over the years. For many of these relationships, we don't have to stay in touch often. We just pick up where we left off even if it has been months since our last conversation. Good friends are oftentimes hard to find. I'm so thankful for the ones I have. I'm especially thankful that they are believers and we have the hope of spending time together for eternity in the pursuit of knowing God more. I'm also thankful that I have friends who are not afraid to say the hard word and are comfortable enough with me lovingly to tell me when I am wrong.

5. God's Kind Patience. Even though I know that God has saved me, I still continue to do the things that God needed to save me from. I know that I will be a lifelong project, but sometimes I wonder if God is thinking I'm taking much longer to grow than I should. Praise God for His steadfast love and patience toward me. If my salvation was not secure in Him, I would have no hope.

There's so much more I am thankful for, but these are the first five things that came to mind. I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family and friends! Remember that the good things we enjoy come from the hand of our loving God. Give praise continuously to Him!

Trust in the Lord

2009-10-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make straight your paths."

This passage really humbled me this morning as God has revealed more and more how self-sufficient I strive to be. It is so sad how sometimes when I am busiest and most in need of God's aid, I strive to be more independent and reliant on my own strength? Sometimes I feel like I will be crushed by the weight of all that needs to be done, and still I fail to pray and trust in His power. This passage was God's way of reminding me that this is His church. It is His ministry. And if I would but surrender to Him and allow Him to use me as His instrument, I would see how much better He can do it than I.

Truth Is What Matters

2009-10-08T17:18:00.000-07:00

A while back, I had a fun little debate posted on my blog about whether Coke or Pepsi is superior. I remembered this earlier today and it got me thinking. People generally have a tendency to go with what feels good or seems right in their hearts. Decisions are not based on objective reasoning. Instead, you often hear encouragement to “go with your gut” or do “whatever seems best.” But how do you know your gut can be trusted? How do you know whether what seems best to you really is best? These strategies only prove themselves to be reliable if we actually possess the ability to make these determinations on our own. Certainly with some decisions the consequences are not all that significant (e.g. “Which flavor ice cream should I order?” Or “Should I go to the mall today?”). However, it is scary when people use this criteria as the basis behind life’s bigger choices.

The fact is, the Bible teaches that the heart is ultimately deceptive. Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?” Romans 1:21 speaks of sins effect on the mind, namely that sin causes futility in thinking and foolish darkened hearts. Although feelings and emotions can often be helpful, they can also be very misleading and so must not be the final determiner of truth. I don’t think any true believer would argue that truth is ultimately within them. Obviously, Christians fight for the objective truth of God’s Word from passages like John 17:17. However, many Christians violate their view of authority practically, and they manifest this through their reasoning in decision making. Instead of banking on objective, faithful, biblical principles, the thought that determines choices is, “What do I feel is best?”

Our circumstances and experiences obviously are going to influence how we feel. We like to talk about “getting up on the wrong side of the bed” or “just knowing that it is going to be a good day.” It is difficult to find joy when life is tough and it is easy to feel down when trouble comes our way. We must remember, though, that while circumstances are significant, they ultimately do not make us what we are. Our circumstances are not to govern our emotions. Instead, by the Spirit’s working in our lives, we are to exercise temperance and control our emotions and desires regardless of our circumstances. This is why Scripture calls us to rejoice in the Lord always (Phil. 4:4). This is why Paul and Silas could sing even while in prison (Acts 16:25). This is why even the thought of death cannot steal our joy (Phil. 1:21-23; 1 Cor. 15:55).

Truth matters. Without God’s truth anchoring our hearts, we are likely to follow the inclinations of our hearts. But our hearts are fickle, limited, and deceitful. How much better is it to base our decisions upon principles that have been established by God and have stood the test of time? It is foolishness to forsake God’s truth and exchange it for anything else. What does this have to do with Pepsi or Coke being best? It just means that whatever the decision, it ought to be made based on objective truths and not just on an emotional bias or appeal. All factors considered, Coke is the obvious choice.

The Body of Christ

2009-08-13T16:48:00.001-07:00

This past Sunday I had the opportunity to preach about the basis behind the unity of the church as it is stated in 1 Corinthians 12:12-13. Just as the body has many different types of parts, but they all come together to make one body, so it is with the church. The various members of the church with all their different spiritual gifts, abilities, and talents come to serve together as one symbiotic whole.

I particularly appreciated that Paul writes in vs. 12, "so it is with Christ." He does not say, "...so it is with the church," or even "...so it is with the body of Christ." He makes the point that the church is the physical representation of Christ on earth. When the members come together to serve in the church, they are fulfilling their role as part of Christ's body. In other words, to be committed to the church is to show one's commitment to Christ Himself.

Paul writes in vs. 13 that the church is made one by God's Spirit in whom we have been baptized by Christ (cf. Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 2:33). By being baptized in the Spirit, we are made one body in Christ. It does not matter whether we are Jew or Gentile, slaves or free; if we are in Christ, we are one body. Paul is clear to indicate that all the believers at Corinth had received this baptism. It was not a second work of grace in their lives but came as a result of their salvation. When they were saved, they were baptized in the Spirit and made part of the body of Christ. This is a profound statement. In a real sense, church membership came as part of the package when they became Christian!

Not only have we been immersed in the Spirit, but Paul concludes that we have been made to drink of that Spirit as well. By this, Paul is referring to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Not only do we have the external support of the body of Christ having been baptized in the Spirit, but we also have the Spirit's internal influence as well! Certainly this is great cause for rejoicing for the believer. We who were completely void of the Spirit before coming to know Christ now have the Spirit's influence around us and within us. It bears witness to the fact that when God saves an individual, He does not withhold His blessing (cf. Luke 11:13).

The following passages in 1 Corinthians 12 go into the practical outworkings of this unity and are very applicable for the church, so I can't wait to get into those passages in the coming messages.

Mission to Tucuman 2009

2009-07-28T21:15:00.000-07:00

God has blessed us tremendously with the opportunities to represent Him not only here in San Diego, but to other parts of the world, namely in Ostrava, Czech Republic and Tucuman, Argentina. Our family has been to Ostrava almost every year since 2000, not counting the year we didn't send a team in 2002 and the year Angela had Olivia (2005). So this year was quite different as we have always looked forward to spending time with our precious friends and partners in ministry, the Mellwigs and the rest of the church in Ostrava. In fact, this year was all the more difficult not to go since Meinolf, Martina, and Anika came to visit earlier this year and we were able to spend some quality time together. So it was with a measure of sadness and a sense of uncertainty in what to expect that our family planned to go to Tucuman with our team from Lighthouse.

By all accounts we have much to be thankful in the past four trips before this year. Though it has been at times challenging and even controversial due to some doctrinal and philosophical issues, this past March found Patrick and myself flying over to Tucuman to work out these issues with Pastor Jorge. Much to our joy, we were able to communicate and clarify these issues, especially since it related to the essence of the gospel and how to present it. So it was with much anticipationg that we looked forward to this summer's trip as I felt it was important to go as a family to both experience what was taking place in Tucuman as well as to give a strong show of support to Pastor Jorge and the church.

It was definitely different from our trips to the Czech Republic. For starters, it was winter down in Argentina and it had to be the coldest winter, even by their standards. The evenings would sometimes drop below freezing and we were not prepared with any winter clothing so it was pretty cold. But what warmed us was the welcoming spirit and the overwhelming love that the church showed. From the very beginning when we drove to the "salon" (the rented meeting room that was to be our headquarters for the trip), it was a constant reminder of how great the love we share in Christ can be. From the Argentine cheek kiss to the many conversations we were able to have (assisted by some wonderful translators), the whole week was a whirlwind of activity as we would breeze in and out of the salon, meeting with the church, going door to door in the barrios, to playing soccer and volleyball at the park. It obviously would be difficult to describe it all here but suffice it to say that the whole trip was really a blessing in so many ways.

There were some challenges along the way with Kara and Alyssa getting sick, digestive issues with various team members, the famous "black boogers" from all the stuff flying around in the air. The swine flu initially caused some difficulties for us because many things were being affected, including the ability to gather in large groups as well as some of our original translators being unable to participate due to restrictions. But God worked everything out marvelously to His glory.

It was also an opportunity for me to step back and allow others to step up and serve. Angela had been to Argentina 23 years ago when she was in college on a short term trip and returning with a husband and four daughters had to be a bit surreal. But it was great to see how she was able to minister to all the women of the church, constantly being asked to meet up with many of the ladies throughout the week. Even our daughters were able to participate, especially Jenna and Kara, going out door to door, sharing testimonies and getting to know the youth of the church. Alyssa made a number of friends as the girls from the church who were her age welcomed her and wanted to play with her immediately. Olivia was quite the popular figure as she was embraced (literally) by everyone.

The team did a great job as there were times that I was unable to fully participate due to being a bit sick myself as well as in watching the kids in the mornings. I would have to say that each member of the team did a great job in not only being cooperative but in being flexible with the many schedule changes, delays, postponements, and other adventures that we all faced.

The church in Tucuman did an incredible job in serving out team. There was a team that prepared meals for us each day, lunch and dinner. The meals were great, including the famous empanadas a number of times as well as other dishes that I had never seen. There was plenty of beef all throughout the trip. We were able to enjoy a couple of asado bbqs, courtesy of the master asado chef Marcello Espeche. It was a joy to see him growing and rejoicing in his restored marriage and ministry in the church.

I had the opportunity to preach many times, to share the gospel, and to encourage the members of the church. Looking back it seems like it went by so quickly but it really was a full trip. I can see how God was so faithful to provide for us in every way, from the prayer and financial support to orchestrating all the details in such a way that worked out best.

Please pray for the church in Tucuman. Pray for Pastor Jorge, Norma and Josue as they are in the position to provide leadership and support for the church. Pray for leadership to develop in the church as their church planting efforts are dependent on the nurturing of more leaders to help provide shepherding and teaching. Pray for the young people of the church to grow strong in the Lord and provide hope for their future. Pray for Carlos and Sylvia Espeche as they suffered a miscarriage a few months ago and have had difficulty in being able to conceive. Marcello (Carlos' father) was really broken over this and asked that we as a church family pray for them since he knows our prayers meant so much for him when he was struggling. Pray for little baby Mariono Gabriel who had surgery today for some medical conditions that have been difficult. Pray for the translators who have been facing much difficulties due to doctrinal differences and ministry philosophy differences in their churches. Pray also for our church to continue in reaching out to places such as Tucuman so that we can fulfill the Great Commission faithfully to God's glory.

Report night is coming in September....

The Good News of the Gospel

2009-05-05T10:35:00.000-07:00

The good news of the gospel is good because it not only brings us to salvation in proclaiming the death of Christ on our behalf but it continues to be good in providing the basis for our obedience and following Christ, both individually and corporately as a church. The past few months have been humbling and encouraging, for I have found that the neglect of the gospel has lead many down the road to legalism and a pharisaical attitude, including myself. It is easy to use a performance mentality in gauging spirituality, both in my own life as well as in others. Yet the mindset that says we need to try and earn God's favor through our hard work and labor for the sake of the kingdom can lead to a works mentality that contradicts the foundation of living by grace through faith. We are not only saved by grace through faith in our justification, we are also continually to walk in grace through faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross. As Jerry Bridges notes, "Your worse days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace." This is indeed comforting news for those of us who are so performance oriented that we can go from one extreme to the other. We feel good about ourselves when we are doing well with all our spiritual disciplines and maintaining a high level of activity. We then feel bad about ourselves when we miss our quiet times and go through prolonged periods of spiritual lethargy. While Romans 6 reminds us not to abuse grace, we must remember to also consider that we forget about grace as we live out the Christian life.

The reminder to "preach the gospel to yourself" has been something that I have heard before, but it has not been so prominent as it has become now. The gospel must be central to my life's purpose and message. I am called to live in a manner worthy of the gospel and I am to partner with fellow believers for the sake of the gospel (Philippians 1:27). If this is so, then the gospel needs to be constantly on my mind from my waking moments to the time I go to bed.

It is no surprise to see the apostle Paul so focused on the cross of Christ. One of my favorite verses since high school has been 1 Corinthians 2:2 - "For I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and him crucified." This verse has been revived in my heart and I see how easy it is for me to then walk in the flesh when I forget to fix my eyes on Christ (Hebrews 12:2).

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary at Lighthouse, I would like to again reiterate what was preached this past Sunday. The mission of Lighthouse - to make disciples of Christ, is no less than a call to go and proclaim the gospel, making disciples who will then be baptized and taught to live in light of the gospel for the rest of their days. The vision of Lighthouse - to plant churches, gives us the goal of taking the gospel ministry, both for the purpose of evangelism and edification, to places where there is a need for the gospel to be made known. The passion of Lighthouse - to love God and people, can only be truly experienced when the gospel is driving our loving so that it really is the love of Christ that both motivates us and energizes us to love in the way God defines true love.

The gospel is precious - don't let it become something that you think is so basic that you are not in need of preaching it to yourselves daily. My prayer is that the gospel would become the beacon of your heart, your mind, your mouth, and the unifying factor in all your relationships so that Christ might receive all the glory.

Church Planting and the Call to Discipleship

2009-02-01T23:07:00.000-08:00

You, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

~2 Timothy 2:1-3

I recall once reading the words of a man who said that at the heart of Christian ministry is the ministry of discipleship. In fact, he argued that calling oneself a Christian is synonymous to saying that one is a disciple maker. As a youth pastor and one who strives for the ministry of the church, I could not agree more strongly.

When I first became a Christian, I saw discipleship as a strange thing. When friends would tell me that they were being “discipled” by some other older guy, I would get these strange pictures in my head of an older man reading his Bible to a younger man in the middle of some lake wearing a tunic and sandals as if to emulate scenes from Jesus’ talking to His disciples in a boat along the Sea of Galilee. The world “discipleship” conjured up all of these strange pictures consisting of nothing more than old-fashioned fishing nets. It was not until I myself began to be discipled by Peter Park that I received the true picture of what Christian discipleship truly looks like. Every week, for over a year, Peter would pick me up (either from school or home), take me out of some restaurant, sit down with me for an hour (sometimes two), and teach me how to follow Christ. He would listen to me share my greatest struggles with him, and in the most loving, caring, and sympathetic way, he would firmly admonish me and encourage me to turn from my sinful habits and instead live life in a God-honoring manner. He would get beneath the externals, and probe the desires of my heart, and work from there. Rather than simply correcting me, he would teach me from the Bible and from his own life how to practically live out my own. Peter’s discipleship relationship with me was not that of a boss lecturing his employee in a meeting, or a professor teaching his student in a classroom; it was the investment of his heart into mine, founded in a relationship based on true fellowship in Christ. I knew that when we would meet up, that I would have something new to work on and chew on for the next week. It was Peter’s investment in me that compelled me to devote my entire life endeavors to the making of disciples. Hence, a few months after we first met, I sent my application to The Master’s Seminary.

The preaching of God’s Word is the foundation of the doctrine from which the church takes root. But it is through discipleship that a church will be reproduced. When Christ discipled His apostles, He did more than preach to them; He lived with them and poured His life into theirs. Through all the time He spent with them, He imprinted His convictions and passions into their hearts, with all patience and compassion and firmness. This is the example by which the mandate to make disciples is to be accomplished. A disciple is made when an older, mature man or woman of God attaches himself to a younger, less experienced believer in order to teach him or her to walk in the manner with which Christ walked. It requires one’s time. It requires one’s energy. It requires one’s resources. It requires one’s heart. It requires one’s soul. Is this not why Paul, upon writing to the Thessalonians, expressed, “We were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives”?

This has several implications. First, discipleship implies that one must be strong in the grace of God. It is not something that one engages himself in apart from God’s power and apart from the knowledge of God’s love and mercy in his life. Second, discipleship implies that one must first be a disciple and continue to be discipled. I understand that I’m constantly in need of teaching and instruction, and have actively sought to attach myself to older men who can continue to guide and encourage me in the faith. Every Christian ought to seek discipleship from an older Christian; a refusal to do this is nothing less than pride. Third, this implies that discipleship requires a focus on teaching. Without the aspect of teaching someone how to honor God and be like Christ, discipleship would be nothing more than hanging out. It also implies that discipleship must continue on; one must disciple another with the purpose of raising up someone who will eventually be able to do the same to others.

I say this passionately in light of the up-and-coming church plant in 2010. A year-and-a-half is not a long time to prepare for such a monumental event. Since the Sunday that the plan for the church-plant to San Jose was announced, I’ve been peppered with questions dealing with the logistical aspect of things: “Who’s going? Who’s staying? JR, are you going? JR, where do you want to go?” While I understand the need to get the practical aspect of things, I’m afraid that for those who constantly ask these questions, the focus has been shifted from where God may want our minds and hearts to focus on. Instead of asking, “Should I go or should I stay?” one should be asking, “Will I be ready to go or stay?” Should one ask himself the latter, he is in good hands, for he has a tangible goal in mind: to step it up spiritually. Regardless of if you go to San Jose or stay in San Diego, one common necessity remains: faithful men and women of God who are willing to give their lives for Christ’s church. In a year and a half, we’ll need warriors to both spearhead the church plant or hold down the fort in San Diego. Both will require that the men courageously step up in leadership. Both require that the women firmly support and complement that leadership. Both need men and women of God. Both need disciples of Christ.

Thus, as young men and women, we ought to dedicate our lives to disciple-making. It will be crucial in the next year and a half that each and every one of us devote our lives to both discipleship and being discipled. We need to start asking, “Am I living life today the way Christ Himself would live it, and am I dedicated today to the things that Christ would dedicate Himself to?” If you’re not, attach yourself to an older Christian and beg him or her to teach you how. If you are, attach yourself to a younger Christian and strive to teach him or her how. I am confident that if we all do this for the next year while relying on the strength provided by God’s grace, we will be better equipped to take the next step.

Shine the Light in San Jose

2009-01-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

It's finally happening! After ten years of ministering in San Diego, Lighthouse is going to act on its Vision Statement and plant a church in the San Jose area. Even while typing these words, it seems a bit surreal. Most of the members at Lighthouse probably remember the spiel from their membership interview about how one day John would go up to the pulpit and announce that we are going to plant a church in some Podunk city in Oklahoma (not that Oklahoma is a bad place to live!).

But the day has come. The location is not Podunk, but San Jose, and the goal is summer of 2010. Make no mistake! This is going to require a lot of hard work and diligent planning if we are going to be able to get a team up to San Jose by then. When Lighthouse first began about ten years ago, there was an exciting buzz in the air. Everyone came out to everything. People were excited to be together and to be a part of the ministry. We knew that one day some of that would fade and that the "honeymoon" phase would eventually come to an end, but it was still exciting to be a part of that time. There was an intense commitment and consistency on the part of each member. If this church plant is going to succeed, it will require similar commitment and consistency on the part of all the members.

One of the most encouraging things about this new direction is the response we received from the members. There was a feeling of genuine excitement at the members meeting on Sunday. A few came and communicated their support afterwards and I appreciated their kind words. Most who talked to me promised that they would pray for me and the leadership. I appreciated that as well. Now is the time to make good on those promises. A year from now, hopefully we can all say that we have faithfully prayed for Lighthouse. We're going to have to pray.

We're also going to have to rethink our lives. For many, this will be a time of thoughtful reevaluation. Do you live your life as if it is the Lord's or do you manage your life as if you are in control? Are you holding on to what you have loosely or is your life in San Diego so precious to you that you would be unwilling to go anywhere else the Lord would lead? Of course, we can't have everyone go. Knowing that I am now preparing to be the new senior pastor at Lighthouse, I can confidently say, "You better not all go!" =) But we are going to need some to go. We are going to want families to go. That is going to require a bit of faith and may prove to be quite challenging for some.

This is an exciting time for the church, but it is a time when we particularly need to lean on the Lord for His guidance and strength. People may tell us we're crazy (that's what they said ten years ago), but we are determined to believe that God can do seemingly impossible things through us if we allow Him to. Honestly, I'm excited for the next church plant. Perhaps it'll be in three years. Maybe it'll be in five. But now that the ball is rolling for Lighthouse Bible Church of San Jose, there's no telling where the Lord might have us plant next. The Vision of LBC doesn't end with LBC San Jose. I'm confident this is just the beginning. We just need the members to be onboard. We need to constantly ask ourselves, "Do we really believe in the MVP of LBC?" enough to act on it.

Love or Die

2009-01-19T21:25:00.001-08:00

The most recent book by Alexander Strauch titled, "Love or Die" is a very serious and challenging work that needs to be read by anyone who loves the church. The rebuke of the Ephesian church in Revelation 2 by Christ is one that every church needs to take seriously because hard work, perseverance, and even doctrinal purity are no guarantee for success in God's eyes. What God is looking for is a heart that truly loves Him as well as loves others as Matthew 22:37-40 calls us to in what is known as the Great Commandment.

I have long feared that the day would come where our love would grow cold and it seems to be creeping into our church as the level of selfish ambition and empty conceit continue to rise in various forms. It breaks my heart to hear of the slander and gossip that takes place, the absolute refusal to apply the Peacemaker Pledge in dealing with conflict, and the lack of compassion that some have for others that don't seem to please them for one reason or another. I have realized that even as I have been reading the Old Testament record of the nation of Israel found in the Pentateuch that though they were privileged to have seen incredible signs and wonders by God, were delivered from slavery in Egypt, saw God part the Red Sea and destroy Pharoah's army, were fed with manna from heaven and all you can eat quail buffet line, had water drawn from rocks, it still was never enough to keep them from complaining and seeking to rebel against God's leadership. While we might think we could do better, I don't think so. Even with all God's blessings given to us, His grace and mercy being poured out through the cross of Christ, His mercies being made new every morning, people who claim to be Christians still have the audacity to hate their brother or sister. I think that's why the title "Love or Die" is very appropriate to consider. If we do not love the way God calls us to love, the church will die. Relationships will die. Pastors will die. Church member will die. It is a serious matter and I hope that everyone at Lighthouse will take the Passion statement serious - to love God and people. It's not enough to make it a nice slogan. It's not just something to recite at members meetings. It is the heart and soul of our Mission and Vision, for without true and genuine love for God and people, the mission will fail and the vision will fade.

It is the prayer of my heart that the members of our church will grow in their love, that it may abound more and more in real knowledge and all discernment so that we might approve the things that are excellent before God. We must help each other, for we are all incapable of doing it on our own. It truly is a team effort and I pray that we will be united in our love for God and people.

As it is our 10 year anniversary this year, let's make it our goal to really ask if we believe in our MVP statement and will we actually live it out? This coming Sunday we will talk about our Mission and Vision and I hope that you are ready!

In His grace,
Pastor John

Consider It All Joy

2009-01-10T19:35:00.001-08:00

James 1:2 has long been instilled in my head and heart as a verse to keep in mind, particularly when things get difficult. But it is not easy to actually apply as the reality of life often overshadows the truth of God's Word and it is easy to dismiss Scripture as impractical. But I am thankful that despite how I might feel about this, the truthfulness and the trustworthiness of the Scriptures remains constant due to the fact that God's Word is inextricably tied to God's character and nature.

But to consider it all joy when various trials are encountered - this is something easy to tell someone else but it is a whole other story when it comes to me. Next to the spiritual battles that have been waged over the years, the next most challenging thing has been the trials of my physical health. The past few weeks were indeed filled with some minor issues, a bad cough, a cold (it is the cold season), and an allergic reaction to my blood pressure medication that caused me to go visit the hospital. This past week I was introduced to a pain that I had not had before, that of diverticulitis. At first my doctor thought it might be appendicitis and I was bracing myself for surgery. While I understand it to be a common procedure that many undergo, nothing seems to be common to me. But after a battery of tests, I was finally diagnosed and was given a number of medications to take, which my wife Angela promptly took care of getting for me. By the evening time after having taken the first dose of the antibiotics, I started to get an allergic reaction and I knew that it had to be because of the medications. So off I went back to the hospital and was given additional medication as well as a switch on the antibiotics. So here I am in bed now not being able to do much since I end up getting drowsy from both the painkillers (I was in a lot of pain in my lower abdomen due to the inflammation in my colon as well as my lower back) and the antihistimine (for the allergic reaction). I have anti-nausea medication to combat the nausea that comes from the other medications. I see why pharmicists have a job now - they need to know how everything works together. So now I understand why doctors keep asking if you allergic to medications - it is not helpful to take medications that cause your body to do crazy things. So I am thankful to be alive because I know it is only by the mercies of God that I am.

So the past year has been filled with so many visits to the hospital that I feel like I am really getting to know the place well. Drawing blood is like second nature. Getting hooked up to iv's and being subjected to swallowing all sorts of strange concoctions so that I can get scanned is old hat. But one thing I do know, I am able to truly say that it is causing me to appreciate all the more those who have suffered for the sake of Christ in ways that are unimaginable. As the end of Hebrews 11 shares, there were many who suffered horrendous deaths for the sake of Christ. If you have ever read J.C. Ryle's work on the martyrs of the English Reformation, "Light from Old Times" or Foxe's Book of Martyrs, you will see that today's sufferings for those of us who live in southern California don't even compare to those who willingly laid down their lives for the One whom they loved more than life itself. So I am thankful that my measly sufferings, as small as they might be, cause me to look forward and to press onward with endurance so as to run the race that Christ has called us to run.

At the same time I would ask for your prayers that I would be patient with the recovery time, that I would be diligent though I am dazed by the effects of all the medication I am taking, and that I would continue to experience joy in light of my Savior's love.

Thank you for those who have been praying. I am so thankful.

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-06T00:00:00.001-08:00

2009 has come upon us and I am eagerly awaiting what God has in store for us. Last year was quite a challenge to say the least and it really was difficult to recover from but God has been gracious in being more than merciful and has restored my heart and hope in light of the cross of Christ and the hope of the resurrection.

This past Christmas break gave me the opportunity to minister in several places. The first was a youth retreat with Los Angeles Christian Presbyterian Church's youth winter camp at Big Bear. I had done an evangelism training seminar for them during the summer so it was an opportunity to follow up with them and I had a great time challenging them to be unifed in Christ. It snowed quite a bit as well so the retreat site was a bit slippery and I ended up having to put on chains but it was a wonderful time, especially having the opportunity to encourage the youth pastor and the Christian Education director. We had some great talks and I realized that God has been gracious to give me an opportunity to minister to other pastors and leaders who have been discouraged and downcast because of ministry.

After enjoying Christmas with both sides of the family, we drove up to San Jose for two ministry opportunities. One was with San Jose Korean Presbyterian Church where my friend is the EM pastor. I had a chance to preach at both the youth service in the morning and then the EM service in the afternoon. From there we drove over to Mount Hermon where I was the main speaker for Student for Christ, a college/singles winter conference that is held every year. I was still getting over a cold and cough that I had before the previous retreat so it was a bit challenging to speak so many times when my throat was killing me. But God again was faithful to get me through each session and I had the opportunity again to speak with other pastors who were discouraged and were in need of encouragement.

After the conference we went over to the home of Ed Yip, where we were generously and graciously treated to some Shanghainese food and then we slept over. On New Year's Day we had a LBC fellowship over lunch and it was great to see both past and present LBC members come together and share how they were doing as well as hopes of future ministry in San Jose. We need to be in prayer for our brothers and sisters in San Jose as the church scene is tough and the adjustment for them has been challenging. We also need to pray that God would one day maybe give us opportunity to hopefully plant a church in the San Jose area as it seems that it is a place ripe for ministry to take place.

Our family drove back down on New Year's and we then were able to have a couple of days to recover before getting back to our home base. Church this past Sunday was sweet. It was good to see people back from studying abroad as well as to just see the church family together. One exciting thing was a quick-notice meeting of dating couples and engaged couples. I hope to start a "lab" where we could really work toward providing ongoing teaching and accountability for those in relationships. Quite a few people came out so I'm excited about the future opportunities.

Babies keep coming - Hwa and Suzie Park added Ethan to the family and Jin and Grace Lee added Christian to their family. More babies are on the way so we are excited to see the church's future take shape.

Let's all be in prayer for our church this year. As we celebrate our 10 year anniversary, I am hopeful that God would continue to lead and direct us to move forward and fulfill the MVP statement that we have set before us. I would also encourage you to spend time reading Scripture daily. Even if it is only for a few minutes, take time to read carefully and prayerfully and meditate on it throughout the day. Treasure it and it will keep you from sin (Psalm 119:11).

Thank you for your prayers and for your support. I love my church family!

Flexing Some Muscle

2008-12-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

It's been three weeks since the pastoral staff has been working out together on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Honestly, I didn't think I would ever get to a point where I would actually enjoy that time, but strangely, I now look forward to it. It has been easier getting myself ready and out the door. The one part of it that I particularly dreaded was the treadmill. (I can't express how much I abhor running.) But honestly, that part of it really isn't that bad anymore either. It's not that it's easier. I still have a looong way to go before I get anywhere near being healthy. =) It's just that I've gotten used to it and the workout wouldn't be the same without it.

At first, working out in the mornings would drain me physically for the rest of the day. My body would be sore and achy all week. Now, I think my body has grown accustomed to it, and I actually feel like I have more strength and energy each day. It's amazing how a little bit of discipline can go a long way.

One other interesting observation is that it seems when I am doing well physically, my spiritual life comes on board and improves as well. I know bodily discipline is of little profitable and that I should discipline myself for the purpose of godliness, but being disciplined in general affects my life as a whole. I eat better, I sleep better, and I spend better time with the Lord. Perhaps it is because my mindset is to be disciplined. When I don't have this discipline in my life, my spiritual walk tends to be more sporadic and inconsistent.

I'm so thankful for the accountability that John and J.R. bring each week. I'm sure it's not always going to be easy for us to keep this going, but knowing that I'm the one with the key to the gym gets me up. If I'm late, I affect everyone. =)

Please pray for the pastoral staff in this regard. We understand the importance of exercising regularly because we need the energy that comes with it. We don't want to be a bunch of sluggish sacks of fat. I heard once that Eric Alexander characterized American preachers that way. He said that he could always tell who was a lazy pastor because they were fat. Pastoral ministry is difficult enough without our bodies slowing us down unnecessarily. Please pray for this discipline that we might be more effective for God's kingdom as a result. And maybe, just maybe, one day J.R. won't make me and John look so bad!

October Update

2008-10-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

Greetings to the few, the faithful, the ones who read this blog =)

It's nice to know that there are some people praying so I will give an update as to how things have been going. I'll probably only do this a few times while I am officially on leave.

Healthwise, I am currently wearing an appliance in my mouth 24 hours a day to help correct my jaw alignment. I am taking two different kinds of medication for my blood pressure. I have to wait for a month before I go for the followup with the cardiologist. I have been checked for glaucoma and it looks like I'm in the clear for now (thanks Dr. Jeff Lee!) but he mentioned that my left optic nerve is bent. My skin condition has cleared up for now after getting steroids (thanks the other Dr. Lee!) - don't worry, my muscles aren't bulking up. My gastro-enterologist visit will take about a month to setup so it won't be until November. I still have to start physical therapy for my assorted neck and back and jaw ailments. So pretty much that's it for now.

I am getting a little more sleep and rest. It's strange trying to avoid thinking about church. I realize that I have been constantly thinking about church and it is difficult to keep it out of my mind. Trying to visit other churches has also been challenging as I realize it is not easy finding a church that where I would be in alignment with doctrine and ministry philosophy. But it has been interesting observing how other churches do things. I hope to visit other churches in the San Diego area and get to know more of the pastors.

I will be visiting Austin, Texas for a couple of weeks to visit my brother-in-law as well as to have some peace and quiet away from eveything. I hope to really get some good quiet time to rest as well as have my body and spirit renewed. So please pray that it would be a profitable time.

Thank you for those who pray. I truly appreciate it. There are some who tell me they pray and I'm sure there are others who do pray that I am not aware of - your prayers are precious and without them I would definitely be at a loss. Please continue.

I hope to return at the beginning of the year in January so please pray that these next few months will be a beneficial time of recovery.

Pastor John

Taking My Leave of Absence

2008-09-22T23:17:00.000-07:00

To the LBC family,

I know that many of you maybe were not at church this past Sunday to hear me share but I am going to explain what I will be doing with my requested leave of absence. These past two years have been incredibly difficult with various issues that we have had to address here at the church. In the summer of 2006, I took what was supposed to be a two month sabbatical and apart from about a couple of weeks and Sundays, I was still immersed in my work as there were some significant challenges that we were dealing with at the time so I really did not get a chance to utilize that time in the way I had hoped. Since then, things have steadily become more challenging and with the trauma of what took place at the end of last year, my physical condition started to deteriorate. This year proved to have no letdown in the stresses that we have been facing within the leadership and it all finally came to an apex a couple of weekends ago when I realized that I could not sustain my responsibilities with my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual state being broken down as much as it was. So it was with great difficulty that I have had to come to the conclusion that as much as I love the church, I am not indispensible and that I have to trust God with the people of the church whom I love deeply. It is with much reluctance that I step back because I truly love ministering to people and at least for those who really know me, they know that I really care for people. I have been accused of caring too much - I really don't know how one can care too much. I believe people care too little because they are so preoccupied with themselves that they only care about how they are cared for and not so much how they should care for others. That's why it is no surprise to me that we have as many relational conflicts as we do in the church. The selfishness and self-centeredness that grips so many people truly reflects a "life is all about me" kind of attitude and the stranglehold it has is very difficult to break. But as we have shared so many times at Lighthouse, "life is not about you" and we need to really carry that out.

So what will I be doing during my leave? I'm not sure yet how long it will be but there are several things that I must do:

1. Address my various health problems. To make a short list, I have to followup with the defective heart valve and find out what is causing my chest pains. I will be visiting a cardiologist to see how things go with that. I have to visit a gastro-enterologist to see what is causing the spasms in my esophagus and stomach. I have to visit an ophthomologist for possible glaucoma as my eyesight continues to worsen. I have to visit a dermatologist to address various skin issues that have been causing me much discomfort over the past year. I also have to go through some physical therapy and/or chiropractics to address all the aches and pains I have all over my body. My blood pressure has been consistently very high over the past year so I will have to start taking medications and monitor the response. I will also have probably do a sleep study to see why I am unable to sleep well. I will also have to address some problems with my jaw as I will be wearing some devices 24 hours a day so as to confront some muscular problems that have been causing me constant pain. It will prohibit me from speaking much so I will not be able to do a whole lot in terms of preaching or teaching.
Hopefully that's all, at least what I can remember.

2. Let go of all ministry responsibilities. This will probable be the most difficult thing to do but I will be relinquishing all pastoral responsibilities during my leave. That means I will not preach, lead, plan, counsel, disciple, or in any other formal way carry out my pastoral role at Lighthouse. I will have to entrust the elders and pastoral staff to shoulder the load and do their best to carry on what needs to happen at the church. You will need to pray for the pastoral staff and elders extra diligently so that they might have strength and wisdom to carry the extra load.

3. Get rest. I hope to get physical, mental, and spiritual rest by spending extended time in getting sleep, exercise, and personal times in God's Word and prayer without the pressure of pastoral responsibilities weighing on my shoulders. I also hope to take some time to attend a couple of conferences for my own personal edification.

4. Spend time with my wife and children. While I do my best to care for my family, it is obvious that they have to share me with the church family in many ways that are at a sacrifice to them. So I hope to be an encouragement to my wife in being a husband who loves her and to my children in helping raise them in God's ways. They are all growing way too fast and I need to take time to just share in the regular daily things of life and create memories that they will hopefully cherish.

So I would appreciate your prayers. I do not know what the future holds but I do hope to return soon and hopefully re-energized and strengthened to go for another 20 years.

In His grace,
Pastor John

Meditations from 1 Thessalonians 2:7

2008-09-17T12:02:00.000-07:00

I have had a lot of time to think about ministry this past week especially as I have been walking through 1 Thessalonians in my daily devotions. If there is any principle I am confident we must master, it is to do all things in love for God and for one another. This is so evident in the life and ministry of Paul, and it needs to be evident in us as well.

With the growth of the church body, it can become very easy to reduce ministry to programs. With this mentality, you just treat people as if they are problems that need to be solved. We forget that they are people with hearts that are oftentimes broken and in need of mending. We analyze a person’s situation and treat ministry as if it is simply taking a round biblical principle and plugging it into their round problem hole. I wish ministry was that simple, but unfortunately it isn’t. People are more complicated than that. Problems are more complicated than that. Oftentimes you unravel one problem to realize there are thirty more underneath it.

On top of that, a person isn’t just a problem that needs a solution. People feel. They hurt. They can be broken. Paul’s attitude towards the church was to treat them with gentleness as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her children (1 Thess. 2:7). The idea of gentleness literally means to be "mild, warm or kind." It is the exact opposite of using “tough love” or treating people coldly as if they are projects that need to be worked on. Paul’s example of love for the church is something I know I need to learn. There is so much to ministry I do not yet know and am still in the process of learning.

Pastoral Prayer Request

2008-07-07T01:48:00.000-07:00

To my dear Lighthouse family,

It was good to be with you this Sunday after having been gone for two weekends. It was especially sweet to be together for our time of corporate worship and fellowship, to celebrate communion, to introduce our missions teams, and to welcome the Faith Bible Church team from Canton, Ohio who visited us again on their way to Mexico. Sundays are always wonderful reminders of the grace of God as we celebrate the community that we share in Christ.

I realized that I was not very specific in sharing how my health conditions were so to make it clear, I will share it here. I know that I have often told others to share of their prayer needs and to not withhold it and I realize I have done what I have told others not to do, and that is to not allow people to share in their opportunity to pray.

I have been suffering chest pains for about a month and while I have had some chest pains before, they usually went away. But this time they did not and in fact would seem worse typically in the evenings where I would have shortness of breath, light-headedness, and a lot of pressure. So I finally went to the emergency room about a week ago where they ran a battery of tests and confirmed that I had a problem with my mitral valve with moderate leakage. So they referred me to a cardiologist which I went to a few days later. There they took another sonogram to confirm the condition of the valve and since they had no recorded history of my problem, they have decided to monitor my condition over the next few months to see what kind of rate there is in the deterioration of the valve. So we shall see how things go and hopefully when I get back from the Czech Republic, I'll be able to follow up and get a further update. My blood pressure has also been considerably high, particularly in the past year and much of it has been in conjunction with the challenges that we have had at church that have brought much stress and difficulty. So with all being said and done, I need to do a lot better job being prayerful and laying my burdens before God and to not be anxious in light of circumstances. Admittedly, I struggle greatly when there is relational turmoil and this past year has been by far the most difficult. My heart is both figuratively and literally broken over the events that have taken place as there has been no greater sorrow than to have broken fellowship with those that have been dear to me. The impact has spread far across our extended family and has affected the perception that friends and even members within Lighthouse have of both myself and the elders. But God has also been gracious in bringing encouragement and joy through how He is working in the lives of our leaders as well as other members of our church. So there is much to be thankful for despite the circumstances. There can be joy when we encounter various trials because it truly does bring about endurance that has its perfecting work in bringing about holiness and sanctification in our lives.

Thank you for your prayers. They are indeed most precious to me and I value nothing more than your supplication on my behalf. God is indeed good to provide such a wonderful church family that seeks to love and edify one another.

Summer Camp with the Youth

2008-06-28T00:56:00.000-07:00

This past weekend our youth ministry, consisting of our incredible youth pastor JR Cuevas along with the equally incredible staff, joined Faith Bible Church of Murrietta for a 6 day, 5 night summer retreat at Lake San Antonio, just above San Luis Obisbo. Our family, including the little ones, took part in a very new experience for them - tent camping in 110 degree heat! It was dirty (literally) and with lots of bugs and oppressive heat but nonetheless it was a fun time as our youth were exposed to the "large youth group" dynamic, which was very similar to my Grace Church experience in junior high and high school. There were about 160 kids in addition to a whole lot of staff and parents from FBC who took care of all the cooking and prep to run the camp. It was quite an incredible scene to watch dads who took time off to cook on an outdoor grill in 110 degree heat with the grill topping off at around 600 degrees (some of them literally got burnt as they cooked!). The kids got to enjoy going to the lake several days to try wakeboarding and getting dragged around on an innertube by speedboats.

But the highlight for me was the opportunity to team up with Chris Mueller to preach to the youth. We taught through the book of Jonah and it was a surreal experience to sit in the audience with the youth as Chris spoke. It brought back memories of 30 years ago when I first sat under his teaching. But then to go up and have him in the audience was quite weird. But then I quickly remembered that I wasn't preaching for his approval but for God's approval. It was a memorable time for me and I was so encouraged by Chris as he shared with me his thoughts on my preaching. This was the first time he heard me preach in person.

I can't help but truly thank God that He has provided me with a pastoral mentor like Chris. His gentle yet firm admonishments as well as his constant encouragement have been so timely in the past year and a half as the past year and a half have been truly difficult in dealing with leadership issues, especially at a relational level. To be heartbroken and devastated by those that work with you is something that most people will never understand from a pastor's point of view, but Chris, having gone through it in a most devastating way by the person who had been closest to him for many years, has been able to provide the kind of perspective that only someone who actually went through these kinds of trials could understand. I can't help but think if God didn't send him to Temecula at the time that He did, the past year and a half could have turned out very different for me, and definitely not for the better. But God in His grace saw fit to meet my weakness and provide someone who has been truly like a Paul to me.

To have Chris and his wife Jean minister to our family, even to our kids, has been a special encouragement as well. Jean has ministered to Angela in ways that only a pastor's wife could and she has a special gift to touch little ones lives. Olivia just loved being with her and again I just couldn't help but thank God for His gracious gifts to our family through Chris and Jean.

This has been particularly a challenging time as the recent events have taken a pretty strong toll on my health, I would ask for your prayers as I have to get checked for some possible health issues. But regardless of the prognosis, I am thankful that God has been so gracious to me.

Please pray for our youth ministry as well, for JR and the staff as they invest in the lives of our youth. They have been doing a terrific job and their willingness to invest time in this retreat was just another example of their devotion to our youth.

God Is the Gospel, by John Piper

2008-06-11T10:23:00.000-07:00

This is one of those books that is quickly becoming a "classic." As defined by Rick Holland, a classic is a book that everyone has on their shelf and no one has read! In my personal reading, I have been trying to pick up many of these classics and start reading through them. Fortunately for me, this wonderful book by John Piper is one of the first ones I picked up. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it.

God Is the Gospel provides a good and helpful walk through the gospel message in a way that many Christians might not understand. In a church that is saturated with man-centered theology and ministry, Piper redirects our thoughts to God and reminds us that the gospel is primarily about God and His glory. Drawing from truths read in John Owen and (of course!) Jonathan Edwards, Piper walks through all the blessings of the gospel, including justification, sanctification, and glorification, and shows how these gifts of the gospel were meant to ultimately provide us with the opportunity to see and savor God. The gospel is not as much about making much of us as it is about making much of Christ.

Thus, Piper asks a significant and poignant question: If you could go to heaven after you die and experience all its wonderful blessings -- the absence of pain, the perfect fellowship of the saints, streets of gold -- except that God was not there, would you be content to remain there? Sadly for most Christians, this would be acceptible because they do not treasure God in their lives as much as they treasure the blessings and gifts God provides. Salvation from sin is an amazing gift, but it was not given as an end to itself. It was given as a means to enjoy God forever. This is what the Apostle John meant when he wrote, "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life" (1 John 5:20). Christ came and gave us understanding so that we may know Him who is true. The purpose was to know God, not just His salvation blessings.

I encourage all to pick up and read this book. Read it along with John Owen's amazing book The Glory of Christ and fill your minds with meditations of Christ. It is in the face of Christ that we are to see God's glory. This is why Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 4:6, "For God, who said, 'Light shall shine out of darkness,' is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ." God Is the Gospel serves as a wonderful commentary of this foundational verse.

Practicing in Dating What You Know to Be True

2008-05-22T14:00:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I had a chance to speak during the DTR series about “Breaking Up to the Glory of God.” In the introduction to that message I made some comments about the importance of developing a solid theology of dating and I wanted to elaborate on those thoughts. The basic idea is that even Christians with a good understanding of theology oftentimes do not put their beliefs into practice when it comes to dating. Although they might profess to believe in particular aspects of biblical theology, they live as though they don’t. James exhorts believers not to be mere hearers of the Word, but doers also (James 1:22). In particular, it isn’t enough to have a correct understanding of God and His Word if you are not willing to allow your beliefs to affect your thinking.

Here are some examples of how I have witnessed people doing this (and how I have done this as well!)…

The Glory of God. When it comes to the glory of God, every good Christian knows what Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 10:31. Everything you do, regardless of how mundane, is supposed to be for the glory of God. The glory of God is really supposed to be the ultimate motivation behind everything a person does because God is worthy of all glory and honor and praise. When you seek to enter into a dating relationship, it becomes tempting to have personal desires take precedence over God’s will. You may seek to live for personal satisfaction rather than the glory of God, and that which should take ultimate priority takes a back seat. When you do not get what you want, you have sinful attitudes of doubting and complaining. This manifests that you do not seek God's glory as much as you ought.

The Sovereignty of God. Psalm 103:19 states, “The LORD has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.” You may have come to the conviction that God is sovereign over all things. The Bible even teaches that God is sovereign over a person’s salvation (Eph. 1:5), and many Christians are happy to accept this because they know that they would never have sought after God if He had not have first chosen them. When it comes to dating, though, practically you may exhibit a lack of trust in the sovereignty of God. Questions may flood into your mind like, “What if I don’t act soon enough?” or “What if he/she starts dating someone else?” All of a sudden, because you are gripped with getting what you want, you abandon your belief in the sovereignty of God and try to manipulate and control circumstances on your own. You must act because you doubt that the Lord will act on your behalf. You doubt that God is in control and so you take matters into your own hands.

The Goodness of God. James tells us that every good thing and every perfect gift is from our heavenly Father (James 1:17). Why is it that in the context of dating you tend to question God’s goodness so much? When things don’t go your way, you question whether God is good. “Why would God give me such longings only to not let me have what I want?” Ultimately, this is the wrong question to ask. The correct question is, “Why aren’t my desires in line with God’s desires for my life?” God is a good God, but somehow you may be tempted to doubt this if you do not end up with the person you had hoped for.

The Wisdom of God. Perhaps you are sure that a certain guy or gal is the one for you. When that person does not feel the same way as you, do you question whether God knows what He is doing? Perhaps you need to meditate on Romans 11:33-36 and the awesome wisdom of God. You ought not to act as though God is mistaken. He is infinitely wise and knows how to govern your life in the best way.

The Omniscience and Omnipresence of God. If you find yourself in the context of dating, and you have a clear understanding that God is always there and always watching, you would be less susceptible to sexual sin. Solomon says to his son in the context of warning him against sexual sin, “For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths” (Prov. 5:21). Do you live as though God is always there and that He is always watching? Psalm 139:1-12 speaks about God’s amazing omnipresence and omniscience, but in a dating context you may live as though you think God is blind or absent.

The Sufficiency of Scripture. When it comes to the theology of the Bible, many would argue that the Bible doesn’t say anything about dating. I know what these people mean, that one will not find the idea of dating in any Bible concordance and that there is no chapter and verse on dating in particular. My greatest question in response, though, is if the Bible gives no wisdom about dating, where do you turn for that wisdom? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 and Psalm 19:7-11 speak of the sufficiency of the Word of God. In it we find the instructions for life and God’s requirements of us. It is the standard of truth that all other worldly wisdom must answer to. If the Bible says nothing about dating, giving no principles to help those in a dating context, then how can a person know how he or she is supposed to date? Would you rather turn to Oprah, movies, or your friends? Where are you going to get the guidance that is necessary to pursue a dating relationship that honors God if not from the Bible?

The Authority of Scripture. Even after a person seeks the Scriptures for principles that are applicable in a dating context, they do not always abide by them. When you act against clear principles from God’s Word, you manifest a distrust in the authority of Scripture. You would rather turn to another authority and reason for yourself what is right or wrong. The nation of Israel was guilty of this and fell into moral ruin. God says the reason why they did this was because, “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes” (Judges 21:25). So often we think it is wise to act on what our hearts tell us. We think God is giving us peace about our decisions because we feel good about them. But the Bible says that our hearts are deceitful and sick (Jer. 17:9). Because of our sinfulness, our minds have been tainted by sin (cf. Gen. 6:5; Rom. 1:21-22). It is because of sin’s impact on the mind that our hearts are not the best determiner of what is sound. We need to seek the authority of God’s Word because without it we are like people in the dark with no light to lead us (Ps. 119:105).

These are just a few examples of how we demonstrate the weakness of our theology in the context of dating and relationships. We would be wise to be more consistent. It is not enough to have a load of head knowledge about God and His Word if you are not willing to live as though you believe it. God is not out to kill your fun. He desires the best for you. When you trust in His character, even when things do not go your way, you can hope that He has a better plan in store for you. Practicing good theology is vital to surviving the "dating game"! I cannot imagine how I would have survived all the anxiety, rejection, and loneliness if I did not have the sound principles and teaching from God's Word. It is not that I practiced everything perfectly either. As one of my seminary professors said, "Dating is a cruel, hard game... but we must all play that game." What better way to tackle one of the most significant decisions in your life than to seek God's Word for wisdom and guidance?

Membership Interviews

2008-05-09T13:22:00.001-07:00

John and I are in the middle of conducting membership interviews for the church and so far it has been a tremendous encouragement and joy. It is always a blessing to hear of how God has brought people out of their sinful way of living and placed them in Christ. The testimonies of those coming out for membership have been incredible and we praise God for His work in their lives. Every time a person is convinced of the truth of the gospel and repents of their sin, it magnifies the grace of God and His glory.

It is also encouraging to hear what people are drawn to when they come to Lighthouse. Of course, people want to grow in the teaching of God's Word so that they can be equipped to live their lives the best they can for God's glory. But it is great to hear how people are drawn by the love of the members here for one another. So often in churches that emphasize truth, there is a lack of an emphasis on love. People have this idea that truth is a bunch of cold-hearted facts that must be communicated in a harsh, condescending way. So far as we can see, the members at Lighthouse really have learned to stand for the truth in a loving and gracious way.

I just wanted to encourage the church that people take notice of your love for God and one another. They are drawn to the church because of it.

"9 Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another; 10 for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more." 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10.

Pursuing a Gentle and Quiet Spirit

2008-04-24T18:16:00.000-07:00

DTR2 Q&A

Question: How does one pursue developing a gentle and quiet spirit as found in 1 Peter 3:4?

Answer:

As discussed this past Sunday at the DTR2 session, I shared about various qualities one should look for in a God-honoring relationship. For the ladies, one of the first qualities that was brought up was that of a gentle and quiet spirit. What does it mean to have a gentle and quiet spirit and how does one pursue nurturing such a quality?

The word "gentle" refers to the character quality that is most marked by a humble and kind spirit that provides the basis for submission, which is the primary quality being addressed in 1 Peter 3:1, "In the same way, you wives, be submissive to your own husband." Now someone might get distracted at this point and say, "I'm not a wife yet!", but that would be to rush too quickly to judgment.

The quality of gentleness is one that stems from being filled with the Holy Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23, the fruit of the Spirit is characterized in a nine-fold display of one who is walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16). So gentleness is not simply reserved for wives alone but is to be characteristic of every Christian, men included.

For those that might minimize the importance of gentleness, it was displayed in none other than our Lord Jesus Christ Himself as the Scriptures express the following:

Matthew 11:29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Matthew 21:5
Say to the daughter of Zion, "Behold your King is coming to you, gentle, mounted on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of beast of burden."

2 Corinthians 10:1
Now I, Paul myself urge you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ - I who am meek when face to face with you, but bold toward you when absent!

Our Lord displayed this trait of gentleness, which no doubt would lead us to consider how we might imitate Him. Consider He who is King of kings and He is exalted in being proclaimed "gentle" and even when the apostle Paul is exhorting the believers in Corinth, he appeals to them with the gentleness of Christ. It is an observation this is truly noteworthy for it uplifts this character trait from the stereotypical view of those being gentle equates to those who are weak.

Ladies, to display gentleness in your heart and spirit is not a sign of weakness or a lowering of value as the world might portray it. It is to follow in the very footsteps of Christ and it would be no small thing to display this trait, even in a dating relationship because first and foremost, you should be cultivating this quality simply because you are a Christian. But there is a special relevance as it relates to the role that you are to prepare for and that is to be a submissive wife.

Carefully consider the exhortations relating to gentleness in Scripture:

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the gentle, for they shall inherit the earth.

Philippians 4:5
Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.

Titus 3:1-2
Remind them to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good deed, to malign no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing every consideration for all men.

Ephesians 4:1-2
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Note how these passages are all relational in nature and it is not a sign of weakness but actually that of power. The gentle will inherit the earth!

I remember when growing up my mom gave me a devotion that she had heard from somewhere that gentleness was "power under control." This is very true. It is not a sign of weakness but it actually is a sign of strength. There is nothing more difficult than to show gentleness when confronted with conflict and when someone might be making life very difficult for you and you feel justified in getting angry and upset and letting your emotions out. That is why it is impossible to be truly gentle apart from the power of the Holy Spirit in those situations.

Gentleness is also the key to all relationships, even in relation to being submissive to the governing authorities. It is also key in how we display our high calling in Christ and it is what contributes to true unity in the church.

How true then would it be for any kind of relationship to grow and flourish? Ladies, your contribution to a God-honoring relationship for the long-term will depend on your commitment to growing a gentle spirit. So how is it possible?

This is where the next word "quiet" comes in to play. The idea of being quiet is just that, to be quiet. There is an appropriate time speak and to voice your opinions but there is also a time, maybe even more so to be quiet in your demeanor and disposition. The idea of "quiet" also belies a stillness or tranquility of spirit, one that is unaffected by the emotional turmoil that often causes many to end up being obnoxious and nasty, especially in their words and attitudes toward others. The idea of a gentle heart really is found and evidenced when someone is able to show self-control and show that the peace of God reigns in their hearts.

Philippians 4:6-7
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.

Note that these two verses follow verse 5, which mentions the idea of gentleness. When there are times of anxiety, which no doubt comes up quite often in the whole issue of dating relationships, whether you are in one or not, the key here is to have a spirit that is characterized by being at peace. A quiet spirit is one that truly experiences the peace of God and it will then coincide with the display of gentleness, regardless of the circumstances but especially in light of difficult circumstances. Too many ladies are quick to discard gentleness to the wind when confronted with various situations and while it might be understandable from the world's perspective to get upset and angry and to really run roughshod over a person, it is a far cry from one who is called to be living sacrifice before God. This is where we cannot afford to be conformed to the world but instead be transformed by the renewing of our minds with wisdom from above, which incidentally includes gentleness as being characteristic of heavenly wisdom (Jam. 3:17).

One last thing to note going back to 1 Peter 3:4. When women are challenged to exhibit a gentle and quiet spirit, you must consider that there are two significant things about it that make it important. First, it is an imperishable quality, that is, it is incorruptible and has an eternal quality about it. It is not subject to cultural revision or a changing of the times. It is a quality that when displayed in a God-honoring way is timeless. Second, it is a quality that is precious in the sight of God. It is the inner beauty of the heart that God sees as most valuable. Just as when Samuel was looking for a king out of the sons of Jesse, God admonished his short-sightedness when he thought the first-born was going to be chosen. "God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7).

Ladies, if you desire to see the glory of God be displayed in your life, it will not be by focusing on the external adornment that this world so quickly turns to in order to define "beauty" but instead it is to focus on the hidden person of the heart. Beauty that is honoring before God is characterized by a gentle and quiet spirit and you cannot allow the lies of the world to convince you otherwise. Just like the serpent in the garden in Genesis 3, the world will say, "Indeed did God say?" and will get you to question the Lordship of Christ in your life.

Men, you also need to consider the priority of inner beauty as you consider your relationships with women. What do you truly value and what are you attracted to when it comes to ladies? If you do not see spiritual qualities such as a gentle and quiet spirit before you go looking, you will most likely find out, and sadly find out later that you will have wished for this quality to be present when you find yourself with someone who might be physically attractive but lacking severely in this area and you will find yourself miserable with a "beautiful" woman. It has been show time and time again - can't you just watch the news and see the drama of our celebrity world as it is awash in glamour and appearances, only to find that it as Solomon said, "Vanity of vanities!"

So what are some practical ways to develop and practice a gentle and quiet spirit?

1. In your speech

Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

What side will you find yourself on this verse? Gentle words or harsh words? Be careful the next time you talk with anyone, but especially those that are close to you, like family and friends. Note the tone of your voice and ask yourself if God would be glorified with harsh words or gentle words. If you are really brave, ask those that you really want to help you to hold you accountable in this area. But you really need to mean it because it will be tremendously difficult. But if anything, it will remind you to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.

2. In correction

Galatians 6:1
Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.

When you find yourself in a position to correct someone, take a moment to remember that if you really do consider yourself to be spiritually mature, then your correction will take on a tone of gentleness, never out of anger or bitterness or resentment. Too often you can crush a person's spirit when correcting. Consider many children who while they admittedly need correction, only have their hearts bruised and eventually hardened by the harsh tone of correction that is expressed.

Ladies, when you feel hurt or think that the guy is being insensitive or otherwise unkind to you in some way, if you presume yourself to be acting in a God-honoring fashion, a gentle and quiet spirit means that you will not allow yourself to be drawn into a judgmental attitude and then unleash on the other person harsh words that are condemning in nature. You will in fact only condemn yourself to your hypocrisy as you will no doubt find yourself in the other shoes and then you will have nothing to say because your own words will condemn you. Take time to first exercise self-control in your heart and then make sure your words are gentle and quiet. Remember that you will be held accountable for every word that you utter.

Another thing that you as ladies can do is to pursue Titus 2 relationships with older godly women who can practically walk you through what it means to have a gentle and quiet spirit. Now you will have to choose wisely because not all older women in the church necessarily display this kind of quality. But when you do find one (remember they won't be perfect), you need to really grab a hold of that relationship and squeeze them for every ounce of wisdom you can get because it is priceless to have such influences in your life.

For those who have heard me share about them before, Fred and Mary Barshaw were an older couple at Grace Community Church that really impacted my marriage with Angela. Both were such kind and gentle spirits that every time we would talk with them, they would exude the kind of examples that we really cherished and valued. I can't help but notice that there are too few of these kind of examples these days. If there is anything that would be worthwhile to pursue, it would be to have the kind of gentle and quiet spirit that really reflects spiritual strength, stability, and maturity that will then bode well for a relationship in any context, but especially a dating relationship that will hopefully one day lead to marriage.

Well, a long answer to question #1. Hope that helps.

What's the Problem with Dating?

2008-04-03T22:59:00.000-07:00

It seems to me that the issue of dating is one that will never go away because we obviously have many singles (both college and post) who are hopeful (or maybe feeling hopeless) in finding that special someone that they hope will one day become their spouse.

The frustration that I have with this issue is that no matter how often we address it at a teaching level, there is the inevitable reaction against principles brought up or maybe even more disconcerting is the obvious lack of attention given to the teaching, resulting in a total oblivious attitude that is seen in the continuation of a worldly mindset that does not reflect wisdom from above as found in Scripture.

There are still those who would insist that it is fine to date a non-Christian, even though there have been very clear statements made regarding this issue. It really should be a non-issue because as a Christian, you should have in common the most important thing in your life, and that is Christ. If you have some misguided notion that through your dating you will be able to bring that unbelieving person to Christ, you really need to be honest with your heart motives and allow the Holy Spirit to pierce you with the Word of God (Hebrews 4:12). It is really a result of a compromise that has often been fostered by even so-called "Christian" parents who really do not prioritize the importance of a genuine faith in Christ. Going to church is often enough for someone to justify that it is okay to date a non-Christian and all too often the relationship starts to move in to areas that really are not glorifying to God. The sad conclusion to this kind of situation is that marriage will often take place and then there is a life-long conflict put into place that no doubt is the source of many conflicts and the greater likelihood of divorce (can you see that the issue of "irreconcilable differences" would actually be coming into play here?).

But I would venture to say that there is hopefully a better understanding about this particular issue at Lighthouse, at least for those who have attended the DTR sessions that we have had (one in fall 2005 and the other in fall 2007, which will continue starting April 13).

I would like to give a reminder to those who attended the first session of DTR2 in October of 2007 with the Reformation principles that provide the foundations for what I believe would be a God-honoring worldview that can then work through the issue of dating. I would concur with others that there are different ways for the idea of "dating" to work toward marriage. But where I would disagree is that if someone were to replace Biblical principles with worldly wisdom (note that I wrote replace), then this directly flies in the face of Romans 12:2, where we should not be in conformity to this world but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

So a few questions to remind you (in light of this past Sunday's message on Romans 15):

1. Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone)
Is the inspired, inerrant, infallible Word of God sufficient to provide the final authority to govern all aspects of life, including dating? Or do you seek other sources of "wisdom" to follow?

2. Sola Gratia (Grace Alone)
Are you in agreement that except for the grace of God extended to you that you have absolutely no hope in any aspect of life, including dating? Or do you act in a way that reveals you think you are entitled to something that you think you deserve, especially in SOMEONE you think you deserve?

3. Sola Fide (Faith Alone)
Do you truly trust in the Lord with ALL your heart instead of leaning on your own understanding? Or do you try to manipulate people and circumstances to force your own agenda?

4. Solus Christus (Christ Alone)
Is Christ your first love? Or have you compromised this with the priority of self-love to the point where you want someone to join you in loving yourself instead of Christ?

5. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)
Is it your greatest desire to glorify God in all areas of your life (1 Corinthians 10:31)? Do you truly seek to be a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)? Or have you exchanged the glory of God for the excrement of this world and the pursuit of self-glory?

Your attitude toward dating will reveal a lot about you as to the reality of these five principles in your life. What is evident through the fall out of those who do not heed God's Word is a clear rejection and rebellion against the wisdom of God and instead the foolish pursuit of worldly thinking.

There are some who need to be confronted. There are others that need to be encouraged. There are the marrieds who need to set an example to the singles. There are youth and children that are watching to see what those who are in this stage will do. So everyone is affected and no one has an excuse to turn a blind eye to this issue.

See you April 13 at 6pm as we resume DTR2.

Pray.

Dedication of our new facilities

2008-04-01T23:13:00.000-07:00

God has graciously given our church a new facility and it really is amazing to think that after almost nine years at our previous site we now have a place of our own (to rent still but that's okay). As we have been putting in many hours to get the various aspects of the building ready for use, it really has been a blessing to see so many people willing to give of their time and energy to literally build up the church building. Not only that, as we have various needs arise, such as the need for a cleaning ministry, we have had almost 30 people signup to help with that and so it truly is encouraging to see our church family step up.

Not that I want to get too intense about it, but as I think about how much effort and energy went into building the tabernacle during the time of Moses, or the building of the temple by Solomon, a lot went into the building of a facility that was meant to facilitate corporate worship. But what eventually happened to both? They would lose their meaning as many forgot that worship is not about a building but about the hearts of people congregating to worship God together. It's not just about a ceremonial service or following a liturgy but that every aspect of our lives, whether the singing, the sermon, the fellowship, or even the eating and drinking, that all of it would be done to the glory of God together.

I believe that we in San Diego know little of the tests of adversity but we are tested more with the tests of prosperity. We have so much and yet we often do so little with what we have been given. So I want to really challenge all of our church family members to consider carefully that we have been given a great stewardship. We have a larger sanctuary not just so that we could increase our attendance for having larger numbers but for increasing the corporate worship of God. That will only happen if we are truly setting our eyes on Christ and that He alone would be the focal point of our devotion. That must then be consistently upheld throughout the week in our individual lives wherever we go.

So this Sunday as we look forward to being blessed by the preaching of some wonderful friends of our church - Andy Snider and Chris Mueller, let us remember that it is not the building that makes a church - it is the body of Christ, those who are truly following Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that make up the church and we must rise up and fulfill the mandate that we have been given:

Mission - to make disciples of Christ (Matthew 28:18-20 *note the addition of verse 18)

Vision - to plant churches (Acts 1:8)

Passion - to love God and people (Matthew 22:37-40)

Bring your family and friends this Sunday to either or both services (9am and 6pm) as we thank God for His grace to us.

Let's get together and shine the light brightly for our God!

JR's thoughts on Resurrection Sunday, 2008

2008-03-23T21:25:00.000-07:00

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST

1 Corinthians 15:13-14 ¹³ But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; ¹⁴ and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.

This thought really first occurred to me one afternoon when I was in the church office by myself working on some homework that I had assigned to me in one of my seminary classes. Of what I can recall (not everything’s crystal clear in my head), it had been a long week. Physically, I had been drained from the long commute to L.A. and back to S.D. coupled with the sleep that eluded me that week. Mentally, it was a draining week; studying Hebrew isn’t exactly a piece of cake for someone like me, who struggled with the subject of foreign languages more than any other subject in high school. Emotionally, it had been a stretch; leading small group, meeting up with guys, both in discipling and in being discipled, was tiring for my introverted personality (although I loved every minute of it). So there I was, a joyful yet exhausted pastoral intern, doing whatever he could to spur himself to keep on going for the rest of the afternoon when, for a second, I took a break and stepped back to take a look at my life. At this point, I realized that everything in my life – whether directly or indirectly – was related to ministry. Right then and there, the following words ran through my head: “If Jesus didn’t rise from the grave, I’m completely wasting my life.”

Now, as a pastor (part-time, interim, youth, but still pastor) those same lines ran through my head this weekend – this time with an even deeper impact. For now, everything in my life – EVERYTHING – has to do with ministry. As for my job, I work at the church and earn my living from nothing else. As for my education, I’m pursuing two master’s degrees – only one is in divinity (M. Div) and the other in biblical counseling (M.A.B.C.); biology is now replaced by Bible; chemistry replaced by Christology; physics replaced by Pneumatology; math replaced by ministry. As to driving, I commute 520 miles a week up to L.A. and back to S.D. to attend school. As to sleeping, I’ve had become friends with sleep deprivation to accommodate the driving schedule (although I’ve figured out ways to get more sleep this year). As to eating, I have to eat healthy to make sure that my body can stay not only alive, but awake, to endure the hardships of the work. As to where I live, I’ve had to give up moving back to Hawaii to stay in San Diego to continue to minister in church and pursue the degrees listed above. As for my summer vacations, they’re occupied by summer school and missions trips. As to my relationships with people, everything is devoted to stimulating (or being stimulated by) someone else to look to a crucified Savior. As recreation – well, there’s not much time for that anymore. As for the goal of life – I’ve had to give up pursuing self-glory and fame to instead pursue holiness in Christ-likeness. Everything has to do with church. Everything has to do with ministry. Everything has to do with Jesus.

And so, looking at this kind of a life from a more objective perspective, it’s safe to say that if Christ did not rise from the dead, my life would be one thing and one thing only – a waste. It’s absolutely foolish – FOOLISH I say – to live a life devoted to a crucified peasant carpenter who, after spending three years making what Jewish society at the time looked at as nothing short of outrageous claims of deity and being crucified for it, simply decayed in his tomb like any other man would. It would be absolutely ludicrous to give up an entire life that could be devoted to sensual pleasures of the world to follow a man who could not promise me anything better beyond what I see in the world. It would be nothing short of a waste to deny myself, take up my cross daily, and follow a man who did not rise from the dead. Had that stone not been moved, had that linen not been folded, had Peter and John looked into the grave and seen what they had expected, then get me out of pastoral ministry, for JR is swimming in a bed of lies.

Does it not make sense then, for me to say today that Resurrection Sunday (what we all know as Easter) means more to me than it ever did? The more and more I grow in faith, the harder and faster I pursue holiness, the greater the sacrifices to live this kind of a life become – and the more and more the credibility and purpose of my life depend on the historical fact that Jesus of Nazareth rose from His grave. The longer I walk with Christ, the greater the necessity of faith becomes, and the greater the hope I place in His resurrection. If Jesus did indeed rise from the grave, then my life is not a waste. It is not a life to be pitied, but one to be envied. If Jesus did indeed rise from the grave, then following Him this hard no longer becomes one of many options, but the only option. If Christ did indeed rise, then there is no other alternative than to persevere to eventually be in His presence for eternity.

The next time you treat Easter Sunday as simply another excuse to gather around with buddies for some food, ask yourself if you’ve really given it all to follow Jesus Christ. And if you have, then let the reality of the resurrected Christ renew your minds, encourage your hearts, and stimulate your being to live the life as a slave purchased by the blood of the risen King!

2008 Shepherds' Conference

2008-03-14T12:49:00.000-07:00

The most impactful lesson learned from the Shepherds' Conference this year came from a seminar session taught by Rick Holland on "Preparing Your Heart for Preaching." What is funny is that I was actually intending to attend the seminar taught by Phil Johnson but was in the wrong room. Thankfully, there are no accidents with God and what I heard in Rick Holland's seminar was very much needed.

He didn't teach on anything that I didn't learn in seminary. It was going over the basics like praying for your sermon, meditating on your passage, and preaching from the heart. What was most convicting was how far I saw myself straying from these very basic principles. Rick Holland talked about how you can identify if you are being self-reliant by examining your preparation for preaching to see if you are not praying for your messages. This came at me like a stake through my heart.

I had a chance to thank him for his seminar later in the week and he was honestly surprised because I told him that his seminar was the most impactful thing for me from the week. I was glad that he also shared that much of what he taught on he received as a personal rebuke as well.

As pastors, it is easy to make excuses not to pray. The busyness of ministry sometimes drowns out the fundamentals that are vital. How could I possibly think I could preach week after week without depending on the Lord to teach His Word through me? No wonder ministry was becoming so burdensome! I'm so thankful for this year's Shepherds' Conference because it was like a soothing balm for my soul and in the Lord I found great refreshment. It is great to walk away with lessons that I am joyful in being able to apply.

Reflections on the Shepherds Conference 2008

2008-03-13T23:03:00.000-07:00

Attending the Shepherds Conference at Grace Church each year with members of our church is always one of the highlights of the year. Over 3000 men come together from all over the nation as well as around the world to hear Christ-centered preaching that upholds the Scriptures and promotes the kind of unique fellowship that occurs when like-minded men gather together to worship, to be equipped, and to stimulate one another with God-honoring conversations.

This year was no different as 13 men from Lighthouse went and enjoyed the preaching of John MacArthur, Tom Pennington, Rick Holland, Al Mohler, Steve Lawson, and Phil Johnson. There were a number of seminar sessions taught by various members of the Grace Church pastoral staff and the Master's Seminary. The short breaks in between were filled with runs to the food stations starting from breakfast to afternoon snacks. The highlight at least from a meal viewpoint was when we got in line to receive our free books and then pickup an In-N-Out lunch. There were books, books, and more books - it's probably the only setting where you see the majority of the crowd interested in books. Getting to meet people from all over is also a highlight as there were over 1000 first time attenders who came to the conference. Running into the sanctuary to get a front row seat is always fun to watch as it is such a contrast from most churches on Sundays where the last rows fill up first.

You can hear the message from this past Sunday on the website audio - it was pretty much a highlight of the lessons learned. But one thing that I am always convicted of more than anything is this - I need to really be on my knees and pray so that I might study the Word of God with the help of the Holy Spirit so that I might proclaim the excellencies of the One who has granted us the gift of the Scriptures so that we might know His heart and live for His glory. It is a humbling task and one that I am always reminded of that I am so unworthy to be a herald for the King of kings and Lord of lords. As a slave, I have no other recourse than to submit my heart, soul, mind, and strength to serve my Master and to point people to Him. Having the mentality of a slave changes everything. Most people, if not all, will take offense to that term. But if you have Master who has shown grace to you, who has shown the extent of His love by having His Son take our place, who has granted to us all the riches in the heavenly places, who has called us to the highest life purpose one can have, that is, to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness so that He might be glorified, there is really nothing more that I can ask for as it is the most magnificent and transcendent purpose one can live for in this life for it extends to eternity.

I hope that you would just get a little glimpse of what it means to follow the Savior. It is not because we are so perfect or because we do it the right way all the time. More often than not we struggle with our human frailities and we stumble due to our proclivity to sin. But by the grace and mercy of our God, we have been granted power from above to be His witnesses, from our home to the remotest parts of the earth and we can and we will be able to experience the work of God in us and through us as we simply deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Let us fix our eyes on Him who loved us first and gave Himself up for us. Let us boast in nothing else than the cross, to know that the sacrifice made was the means by which we have been reconciled to God.

As we move to our new facilities soon, I hope that our excitement is more than just about a new facility. For sure, it is a tremendous gift from God. It is very exciting to have this opportunity. But even more so is the opportunity to love and follow our Savior each and every day as we know that God has promised to do abundantly beyond what we could ask or think. So let's band together as a family and turn San Diego upside down with the gospel according to Jesus and see His Name magnified to all the peoples for His glory alone.

Listening to Great Preaching

2008-02-06T21:01:00.000-08:00

Having to preach every Sunday, not to mention on Fridays and other Bible studies, does not give me very many chances to visit other churches to hear other preachers. But for three Sundays, I will have had the opportunity to hear three of my favorites. As I shared in the last entry, I heard Chris Mueller preach and minister to my heart. This past Sunday, I went to Grace Community Church and heard John MacArthur preach from Luke 22. I had not been to a Sunday morning service at Grace since 1989 so it had been quite awhile. The whole service was a reminder of the great blessings I had growing up - the music, the singing, the prayer, even the announcements were all part of looking back and just thanking God for the rich foundation I was granted in my junior high, high school and college years. I got to introduce Kara to John MacArthur and it was a joy to have her sit with me in listening to my pastor.

The past few days I have been in Minneapolis (very cold!!!) where I was able to attend the Desiring God conference for pastors. It was my first time and it really was an incredible time as the theme was on the pastor as father and son. D.A. Carson, a very well-known theologian and professor from Trinity in Chicago was the main speaker along with a few other speakers but his typical thoroughness in addressing the theme was such a deep and hearty feeding of truth that I was really full after hearing him share. John Piper also shared about the legacy that his own father left him and it was really inspirational hearing him share very personally about his relationship with his father who was also a pastor. All the speakers that shared were very much in tune with the challenges and hardships that pastors face so it was with a great measure of empathy that they shared and exhorted and comforted throughout all the messages. There were some statements that were made during one of the messages that really spoke to my heart as they directly related to things that I had been going through and so God was merciful to minister to me while I've had some time to just receive.

This weekend I will get a chance to visit John Piper's church and hear him preach so I'm very excited and looking forward to that as well. I will have then heard three of my favorite preachers in three weeks - what a privilege and treasure it has and will be! Then I'll be back in the pulpit on February 17 and hopefully rejuvenated and refreshed to minister for a long stretch.

Thank you to those who have been praying for me. It has been a stretching time these past few months but God has been gracious to allow me the opportunity to get some rest and I hope that I will be able to encourage you all the more when I return.

Encouraging News

2008-02-01T23:33:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to visit Faith Bible Church in Murrieta last Sunday where I got listen to Chris Mueller preach. I had not heard him preach in person since around 1988 when he was my college pastor, though I had listened to many of his sermons on audio. But to be able to sit as a normal, regular, church-goer and just soak in the message was like receiving a draught of cool water after being in the desert. It was such an encouragement to my heart to see the same passion yet tempered with wisdom that obviously comes with experience (something I still have much to learn about) as he preached on Deuteronomy 6 and the importance of parenting with the word of God. It was more than just the words that he spoke - it was the heart that was behind it, a heart that has gone through much heartache and sorrow but also much joy and blessing. There is much to be said about having mentors in your life that truly invest in you.

After the message, I went up Chris and he just gave me a big hug and it was like medicine. He has known of my own heartaches throughout the past but especially in the past several months, his counsel and prayers have been invaluable as I know they come from someone who has consistently invested in my life since I was in junior high. Though often times his messages were so convicting, they were never devoid of a tremendous love that he showed in a personal way, even when I was a shy, nerdy kid who never ventured to speak to someone unless spoken to first. He has gone through some tremendous heartaches in ministry as well, which all the more made his counsel more meaningful as he has faced betrayal and the destruction of relationships in ways that I couldn't imagine. Yet he has come out of it still on fire for Christ and he and his wife Jean have been such a blessing to our family that we can't believe God would gift us in such an incredible way.

Meeting the youth pastoral staff, Shawn and John (the high school and junior high pastors) was all the more testimony to Chris' impact on the church ministry. Here are two lay guys who are not paid at all, yet they have given themselves so sacrificially to the youth of the church that in the past year alone, the youth ministry has doubled in size. It's not just that the group has grown numerically. There are about 20 staff members, of which there are an astounding 6 married couples from every range, with those with teens to those who have little babies to those who just got married. Watching them serve the youth at the winter retreat was like reliving my old days at Grace Church. That's what got me into youth ministry in the first place - having been impacted by not only the pastor but by the staff who spent time with me to help me grow in my walk with God.

It was so refreshing to be able to observe another church family that really loves Christ, loves one another, and wants to make a difference in the world. I gave them my best shots, long ones at that =). Yet the youth and even the staff responded with such heart-warming conviction.

It was truly a balm to my soul after having gone through a harrowing time the last year. To be honest, my spirit and heart were severely damaged through all that has happened in the past year and only by the grace of God am I still breathing and looking forward. My physical and emotional well-being have been battered and I'm still recovering in both ways, but God has seen fit to show mercy in allowing me some time to rest (even though I got sick) as well as to reflect on the past year.

It was only in the providence of God that He arranged for me to speak back in October for the youth retreat this past January so that it would give me an opportunity to be encouraged. While I was the one who was the speaker who was supposed to encourage the youth and staff, it was actually the youth and the staff the encouraged me abundantly more and getting to see Chris last Sunday was like whipped cream on top.

God, you are indeed good and sovereignly put all things together for good for those who love you and are called according to your purpose.

I find my rest in you.

Truth that Dares!

2008-01-14T18:27:00.000-08:00

The Single Life winter retreat this past weekend was really a wonderful time as we had time to learn, fellowship, pray, and just have some fun together. It was very providential in God's timing that it came this weekend as things had been so difficult for the past several months that I really was in need of some encouragement and the weekend was indeed full of encouragement as there were many, both old and new, who came and made the weekend one that was truly enjoyable.

The message times focused on a number of themes:

1. Dare to Be Truly Spiritual
2. Dare to Hate Respectable Sins
3. Dare to Enjoy Fearing God (Pastor Patrick)
4. Dare to Love God's Way

My hope through the messages was that everyone would really be honest and genuine about where they stood in their relationships with God and the challenge was to really not be complacent or apathetic about it. It was promising to hear that many had taken the messages to heart and I look forward to see the fruit of the application.

Angela and I were quite surprised by the ending of the retreat as Kent Hong came up to share some words of encouragement and present us with a gift so that we could do some things with our family. It was quite overwhelming to have everyone surround us and pray for us. God was truly merciful in encouraging us this way as the past week was one that was pretty difficult in light of recent events. Friday morning of the retreat was probably the most difficult point as I was pretty distraught and discouraged and I think I was at the point where I really was starting to just really wonder why things had happened the way they did. (I know I'm being a bit vague but I hope you understand). My heart was sore (both physically and spiritually) and so preparations for the retreat were a bit difficult to manage all week. But Patrick and JR provided much help and support and the Single Life staff really did their part to make the retreat work out and overall I was just so thankful as I was really a wreck leading into the retreat.

God is indeed merciful as I look back and see how He orchestrates things that ultimately display His grace. I can't help but just really be thankful that God really knows what He is doing and that in time, He brings all things together for good.

Many have been asking about my time off - it's not really a sabbatical but time off from preaching on Sundays and Fridays. I still have much to do with planning things in light of recent changes so it's not as free as I would have hoped for but at the same time it is exciting as God has laid on my heart to really invest in the Children and Youth ministries in laying a vision and direction that will be consistent with an emphasis on Family ministries at our church. So please be in prayer as the next month will really be devoted to developing a vision for those specific ministries.

Thank you for those who pray - it really is the most meaningful thing to me to know that there are faithful prayer warriors who are uplifting this poor undershepherd before the throne of grace.

Take It to the Lord in Prayer

2008-01-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

How is your prayer life? It is a question that is often asked in accountability groups. Like with Bible reading, it is sad that so many Christians struggle as much as they do. J. C. Ryle aptly remarks that prayer is a sign of a true believer -- that if someone is truly saved, he will be praying. The fact that so many struggle in their daily prayers shows the spiritual weakness of the church today. Some may be well-versed in theology knowing all the current issues and debates. Others may be experts of the Bible having memorized great portions of it. Still others may be fervent in ministry giving of themselves for the sake of others in sacrificial service. But do they pray? Do you pray?

Certainly, I do not write these things because my prayer life is perfect. (Isn't it funny that sometimes we ask others how they are doing in their spiritual walks just so we can mention how well we are doing?) I struggle very often to pray. It's sad because I know I have access to the God of the universe and that I have a constant help in times of trouble, yet I do not approach the throne room of grace with nearly enough consistency.

I mentioned this in a sermon once but perhaps we do not pray as much as we should because we do not think it will accomplish anything. I know it sounds horrible to admit! I'm sure no good Christian would openly say such a thing. But do the attitudes in our hearts prove this? Isn't this what we preach with our lives when we argue that we are too busy for prayer? Don't we show that we believe prayer is time wasted where we could accomplish more important things? Why pray when you can plan?

"Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Be gracious to me and hear my prayer."

I took some time to read from Psalm 4 last week and it was a great reminder to me of why we pray. David comes to God in a time of distress and cries out to God to hear his prayer. He is quick to confess, though, that he should not be heard because of who he is (though he was a king!). He appeals to the God of his righteousness -- the God who has saved him. He understands that he has no righteousness in and of himself and freely admits that his righteousness must come from another. The basis of his prayer and reason why it should be answered is because of who God is. He is a God who saves. How appropriate to be reminded of how God saves when we are in times of distress.

David recalls also how God had saved him. He states, "You have relieved me in my distress." He rec0unts the past deliverances of God, and is reminded that if God has saved before, He will save again. His confidence is in the God who does not change. Perhaps we need to memorize that great hymn, "O God Our Help in Ages Past":

Our God, our help in ages past
Our hope for years to come
Our shelter from the stormy blast
And our eternal home

Under the shadow of Thy throne
Thy saints have dwelt secure
Sufficient is Thine arm alone
And our defense is sure

Is it any wonder that God reminded His followers that He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? If He was faithful to help in ages past, He will be faithful to help today. This is why we should pray, because we have seen the help God has given in the past. He is the one who said to Joshua, "Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you." He says the same to us.

Finally, David appeals to God's grace to hear his prayer. God is a God who hears prayer and this is because of His grace. He is not obligated to hear us and David recognizes this. He appeals to God's grace. God was gracious to hear him in the past. God was gracious to deliver him from trouble in the past. He thus appeals to God to be gracious once again. Do we keep this attitude in prayer? So often we come to God casually as if God should listen to us! Shouldn't the fear of the Lord drive us to come humbly before Him? Surely we have been granted free access to the throne room of grace, but this does not mean we should enter in with pride. What greater sign of pride than to address God our Creator as if He was our equal?

We need to be praying. This past year has definitely reminded me of that. With all the trials we face and the hardships we endure, we need to appeal to God to help. This is not a time for self-sufficiency and self-reliance. This is a time to lean on the everlasting arms by coming again and again to the God who saves in prayer.

Happy New Year!

2008-01-02T22:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2008!!

To say "Happy New Year!" is not something that I really take too seriously as it seems a bit superficial and even contrived when you look at the harsh realities of life. But I think it is something I have had to address in my heart that I often would be more pessimistic in my outlook toward things rather than hopeful and it just might be because the joy and peace in knowing and trusting in Christ is more in the background rather than in the forefront of my heart condition and it inevitably shows.

When I have heart pains, I usually get concerned because I know that my physical heart condition is not so good. I have allowed the circumstances of life at times to overwhelmingly stress me out to the point where my physical body actually feels the consequences of the emotional and mental distress. My teeth have been grinding for so many years that I didn't realize it until half of my bottom teeth were worn away (don't ask to look - it's not a pretty sight). I actually tore a muscle in my mouth last week while I was sleeping, even with my nightguard in place - I didn't know that was possible. My neck and back are so tense at times it feels like I am sleeping on a rock. All this and more have been more than enough proof to show that my emotional and mental state can have some very severe effects on my physical body and I often am in so much pain that I can't stand it.

Left to myself, I am helpless. I can resort to drugs, physical therapy, and other things, but I realize that what really can bring relief (not necessarily physical) is the shoring up of my spiritual condition. When I am truly experiencing joy and peace in Christ, it really does affect my emotional and mental state to the point where I am reminded of the hope I have in Christ and the anxiety no longer paralyzes me. But when my gaze is not fixed on Christ, I find it so easy to be not only distracted, but to be redirected as to how I live my life.

This new year afforded me the opportunity to do some evaluating of my heart condition and I have come to see that I need to be more resolved in pursuing the hope of my life - Jesus Christ. It really is in Christ alone that I can find the joy and peace that anchors my hope and trust in Him. It is in Christ alone that I can have the right perspective in life amidst the challenges and trials that come and go. It is in Christ alone that I ultimately find my life's purpose and apart from Him, there would truly be no real reason to live.

So while circumstances are not necessarily so "happy", I have found joy in my salvation, I have found peace in the sovereignty of God, and I have found hope in the promises of a faithful God who I know will consistently and daily make manifest His mercy and grace to a sinner like me.

Happy New Year!!

Looking back at 2007

2007-12-28T00:08:00.000-08:00

As the year winds down, there is much to look back and consider. For me it is easy to focus on the negative things and I am often reminded that I need to see what I am thankful for. So here it goes:

1. God's faithful mercies. Romans 11:30-32 and 12:1 has come to mind often when I consider that my calling to be a follower of Christ is not just some duty but it is a gift of God's mercy. When I consider the miserable sinner that I am, it truly is God's grace that gives me hope because there would be none without it.

2. God's gracious gift of my wife. Proverbs 18:22 says "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord." In my case, I have found more than just a good thing, I have found a wonderful and beautiful thing in my wife that fears God and seeks to live to His glory and who supports me in all my craziness. She truly is a gift of grace and she makes marriage, which is the grace of life (1 Peter 3:7), one that I treasure and enjoy. This year I was able to enjoy date nights probably more consistently than I ever have and it really was something that I have come to cherish all the more as I grow closer to my precious wife.

3. God's gracious gifts of my four daughters. To have four daughters indeed is a super-abounding gift of grace as I am constantly reminded daily of how blessed and loved I am by my four very unique but equally precious daughters. It is something that I have come to appreciate all the more this year as I realize that I am getting closer to the point where I will have to start releasing them. Each one is precious in their own way and I enjoy having each one of them as they bring a spark and flavor to life that is distinct and yet complementing of each other so as to contribute to oneness in the family.

4. The elders of LBC. To have worked together this long and have gone this far was not without its challenges. Indeed, the past two years have probably brought the biggest tests yet and I am so thankful that God has blessed me with men who have become very dear to my heart as we have had to wrestle through various issues, even to the point where things got very difficult. But God has been faithful to help us help one another and their support and encouragement to persevere have been very helpful, especially in the past several months.

5. The Single Life Ministry. I have truly enjoyed working alongside a growing staff of 20+ who are growing into a team that has been very exciting to work with as the Single Life ministry has been growing significantly over the past year. The staff have particularly been an encouragement through their faithfulness and enthusiasm to serve and minister to the single adults at Lighthouse and their commitment has been contagious. There are many new singles that have become a part of the church family and it has been a blessing to see their hunger to grow in God's Word and take their faith seriously.

6. Meeting with men who desire strong accountability. There are a number of men that I meet with on a somewhat consistent basis because they desire to meet and I can honestly say that I truly look forward to times with them because of their teachability and humble attitude in wanting to learn. One of the greatest traits that I look for in a person is teachability because without there is nothing that I can really do to help them.

7. The faithfulness of godly pastors. I can say that the past couple of years have really tested my resolve in wanting to continue in the ministry but one thing that encourages me to endure and continue are the examples of pastors who are personally encouraging to me. John MacArthur, who was my senior pastor growing up from junior high through college years, has shown an amazing consistency and faithfulness that truly humbles me yet challenges me to continue striving. Ever since first hearing him preach in 1978, he has been a constant in my life and now almost 30 years later he continues to be a role model of what a preacher should be through his preaching ministry but also a shepherd through his personal care. I am amazed that he would even have time to communicate with me but through short conversations and notes and greetings, I am all the more thankful for his influence and impact in my life.

I would also say the same for my junior high and college pastor, Chris Mueller, who has been a mentor and counselor since my 9th grade year (1979). His fiery sermons in college addressing the roles of men and women as well as dating made an enduring impact in my life which has lasted to this day. Through his joys and trials in ministry, he has shared openly with me in such a humble way that I am constantly amazed at his investment in my life. The past couple of years has especially been a blessing as he has moved to Temecula and has become more available to meet with - this was truly God's gift to me as I was sorely in need of counsel and encouragement.

8. Encouragement notes. It seems that when I feel pretty down, God is gracious enough to have someone send a timely note of encouragement, whether through e-mail or on one of the encouragement slips.

Proverbs 15:23 - A man has joy in an apt answer, and how delightful is a timely word!
Proverbs 16:24 - Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 25:11 - Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.

The book of Proverbs really does charactize the one who walks in the wisdom of God as one whose tongue is particularly distinct in the character of its contents. An encouraging word goes a long way and I often am amazed at God's grace in providing timely words of encouragement just when it gets to the point where I feel like I'm about to go under with discouragement.

9. Laughter. I know that laughter on its own is useless (Ecclesiastes 2) but when one gets to laugh with those that you love to be with, I think it is a healthy sign. I love it when Angela laughts - it is contagious and just causes me to be happy. I love hearing my girls laugh, even if they are laughing at me. Hearing Olivia laugh is such a joy - it really is so cute that I can't bear it for her to grow older. Being able to laugh with family and friends and partners in ministry - I really value being able to enjoy relationships and I think the absence of laughter is a tell-tale sign that things are not that enjoyable.

10. Overwhelmingly gracious and generous people. The past couple of years has provided some experiences with those who have been just over-the-top generous and gracious to our family by providing things that I know we would never be able to afford on our own. Supporting us on our annual summer mission trips. A family trip to Italy last year. Passes to Sea World. Gift cards to nice restaurants. Being treated to lunch or dinner to anywhere from Sombreros to Soup Plantation to even home-cooked meals. Having our auto maintenance taken care of. Providing nice clothes for our children. Giving gifts in various forms. Others who were willing to make time every week to help my wife and children. People bringing food over to feed our large family. Padres and Charger games. Taking our kids out to places. While I have heard of people doing these kind of things for people like John MacArthur and others, I never thought our family would experience such gracious hospitality and care. It really makes me feel all the more unworthy and that such gifts are truly a reflection of the super-abounding grace of God in a way - I don't deserve and I could never come close.

11. God's Word. While this is mentioned last, it is by no means least. The power of God's Word is truly amazing and I have learned that I need to spend more time to let it do its work in my heart before I preach it to affect others. Going through Romans has especially been challenging as it is really one of the most theological books to go through. I probably have only scratched the surface and will have to go through it again. Studying Titus through the summer was a blessing as well. Reading what others have written concerning the Word of God is helpful as well as I have enjoyed reading works by Jerry Bridges, John MacArthur, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and others. Reading about the lives of those who have been transformed by the Word of God, like George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards, and D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones especially challenged me this year. I hope that I will humbly submit myself to the truth of God in my life all the more in the upcoming year and be teachable to it with the help of the Holy Spirit.

I probably could go on and on but despite the challenges that this year has brought, even most recently, I realize that being thankful really is helpful in giving balance to perspective in life.

Please pray for me to continue practicing thanksgiving in my heart in the days and weeks to come as I trust the Lord to provide healing and recovery in light of recent events. I have hope in the Lord's faithfulness to restore and revive my heart to trust and delight in Him no matter what the circumstances may bring.

Dwelling on the Word

2007-12-07T00:27:00.000-08:00

“How is your time in God’s Word?” This is a common question we ask one another in the church when we meet up for accountability or when we want to know how someone is doing spiritually. Typically, the answer to this question is, “I’m doing fine,” or maybe more often, “It’s been a struggle.” Perhaps for many of us, the problem is that even when we are not doing ok, we do not know enough to recognize it. What do I mean by this?

If you’ve known me long enough, you know that I never have liked the term “quiet time” when referring to your time spent in God’s Word. You’ll rarely, if ever, hear me ask, “Have you been doing your quiet times?” The reason is that when I think of “quiet time,” as Christians understand this term, I think of a check off box on a list of accountability questions. You read your Bible for ten minutes in the morning, check off your box, and then move on in the day. Now you can meet with your small group and tell them that your time in God’s Word has been going well or that it has been “consistent.” But this is not the approach to God’s Word that God wants us to have.

Listen to the words of Deuteronomy 6:6-9:

[6] "These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. [7] You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. [8] "You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. [9] "You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Without going into the minute details of this passage, the general message is that God wants His law to be on His people’s hearts. This is to be all day – morning, afternoon, evening, and night. Whether you’re sitting in your house or walking along the way, you should be dwelling on His Word. It is the first thing on your mind when you get up in the morning and the last thing on your mind before you lay down to sleep. If I were to come to you at any point of the day and ask you what you read earlier from God’s Word, it should be readily available on the forefront of your mind. How sad that this is not the experience of most in today’s church.

We think reading God’s Word is all it takes – as if it was like a magic book that you just have to get some time in before the day is over. An apple a day keeps the doctor away? How about a verse a day keeps the devil away? The Bible doesn’t work that way. When we allow Scripture to dwell in our minds, we allow the Spirit to teach us specifically. What does God want me to learn from this passage today? How is it particularly applicable to me? The problem is that we don’t dwell on God’s Word. We just read it and wait for it to work its magic. It’s no wonder so many Christians find their times in the Word dry and unfulfilling.

This is what meditation on God’s Word is all about. It’s emptying your mind of all the distracting thoughts of the day and then filling it with thoughts of God – His character, His works, His ways, and His will. Spending time in God’s Word is more than a duty to be checked off a list. It is supposed to be an encounter with the God of the universe! It sounds so much like sixth grade Sunday school, but maybe it’s just that we’ve forgotten that we are in constant conversation with the Lord. We speak to Him in prayer and He answers us through His Word. He’s given us His Spirit who works in our hearts, but His Spirit works particularly through His Word. We need to get back to the discipline of meditation – to dwell on God and His principles from Scripture so that we can have a more confident trust in His presence and His work in our lives.

When was the last time you were able to say, “I met with God and He taught me through His Word today”? So often instead we say something like, “I read something interesting,” or “I made some wonderful observations today.” While reading God’s Word is invaluable and making good observations is essential, it is critical that we take time to dwell on what we read and observe to understand how it instructs, guides, and challenges us, and how it applies to us.

Are you feeling dry in your walk with God? Perhaps one reason is that although you have been spending time in God’s Word, you have not allowed Him to really teach you what He wants you to learn. One practical way you can cultivate this is by keeping a journal about what you read. Don’t just summarize the passage. Jot down more specifically how the passage applies to you and what you learned from it. This will force you to think about the passage you read because you’ll want to write something worth writing. I hope that you will remember that we seek not only the Word but the God of the Word. Pursue Christ by meditating on His Word day and night.

Holy Affections with Andy Snider

2007-11-14T23:45:00.000-08:00

This past weekend had to be one of the highlights of the year as we had Dr. Andy Snider from the Master's Seminary come and speak on "Holy Affections" - Emotions to the Glory of God. It was one of the most challenging and interesting topics that I have heard for a retreat as he addressed emotions from the perspective of God's definition and expression as seen in Scripture.

The first message on humility as the soil in which the graces could grow was really so appropriate. Each succeeding message only solidified what we heard, that we need to express emotions in such a way that would reflect less of me and more of Jesus. To experience God's love, to understand anger in light of God's righteousness, and to experience a joy that looks toward eternity, all these thoughts and more were so practically addressed but with a deep biblical foundation.

What also was such a blessing was to see how so many of you really took to heart the opportunity to have fellowship, especially with new people. It was wonderful to see people sharing after the messages, enjoying the game room, passing out the snacks, and just making the most of every opportunity. It seemed like the weekend went by so quickly, but I was able to interact with a good number of people.

I hope that we all will take what we have learned and apply the lessons in ways that would reflect that the truth has taken root and that we would truly express our emotions in a way that is not so much about me but all about God.

Don't miss out next year on the all-church camp!

Membership in the Local Church and Dating

2007-11-05T23:50:00.000-08:00

An odd title for a message, but one that I have been thinking about quite a bit. The last time I did the DTR series, I talked about "Defining the relationship with church" and I introduced the importance of being in a healthy local church ministry where there would be strong leaders who could model godliness and provide a discipling dynamic reflecting Titus 2, where the older men and women would teach the younger men and women to grow in godly character and in their roles.

The sad fact is that because of the dearth of strong healthy local churches, there are many young men and women who are robbed of the opportunity to grow and learn. Many who are older think it is not worth their time to invest in the younger generation and it particularly shows in the lack of seriousness when it comes to how people view the children's and youth ministries. They are considered nothing more than glorified babysitting centers for many and the window of opportunity to lay a strong biblical foundation is too often lost.

What is sad to me that there are so many collegians who have not really seen what a healthy church can do. Many of their church experiences have simply discouraged them from even joining a church when they get to college and it is no surprise to see many go church-shopping for the first few years. But there is one thing they do seem to be quick at seeking - a dating relationship. But the lack of accountability and discipleship leads quickly to many problems and it is no surprise when I see many dating couples in college end up having a lot of troubles.

While I am not suggesting that becoming a member of a local church guarantees you a successful dating experience, it definitely can make a difference. When you have older men and women fulfilling their role to lead and disciple the younger men and women, you have an environment of accountability and care that provides the kind of place where young men and women can grow and be prepared to face all the realities of life by growing in godliness through the edification and fellowship that takes place within the church. To have elders who shepherd the flock by providing the nurturing of the Word of God in the lives of its members and to protect the flock by not only teaching doctrine but by pointing out both false teachers and the wolves who come to steal away people with the lies of this world - this is so vital if there is to be a healthy environment for people to not only grow but to develop relationships with one another in a God-honoring way.

I would challenge anyone to show me how being a member in a strong and healthy local church can be a detrimental thing for the dating scene. If anything, I believe it would provide the right kind of focus and context for dating couples to know that they are going to be cared for, prayed for, and held accountable by those who would share in the same common goal - the glory of God in all things.

For those of you who have experienced the benefits of being a member of a healthy local church ministry in your dating and/or marriage relationship, I would appreciate hearing some thoughts from you. Even if you are not dating or married, I would like to hear your thoughts on this topic. It would be interesting to see what you might think.

Thanks!!

The Kindness of God Demonstrated

2007-10-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Christine and I just celebrated our second anniversary this past Monday up in Seattle. It was a really low key event. We just went out for dessert and coffee and spent a little time talking and evaluating our marriage. It was a great weekend because we were also with family and had a lot of time with Mom and Dad and my brother David.

During our conversation on Monday, one of the topics that came up was about all the experiences we had with the people we previously had liked romantically and/or had been rejected by. We had some good laughs talking about junior high and high school crushes and shared some amusing stories. It dawned on me, though, that I always talk about the sovereignty of God in directing us in our relationships, and surely we could see now how God had been orchestrating our lives through these different experiences. But really it is the kindness of God that keeps us from the ones who were never intended to be our "significant other." God was kind to not answer my prayers favorably all those years in elementary school, junior high, high school, and college. It is not to say that these girls were not good girls (some of them were and still are remarkable girls). It is that He knew what was best for me, that it would be better to save me for Christine. And it was His kindness demonstrated.

I think this mentality helps because it can sound cold to remind people that God is sovereign when they just get rejected by someone else in the pursuit of a relationship. (Certainly the sovereignty of God should be a comforting and wonderful doctrine, but it can be received wrongly.) What a great reminder that His sovereignty works together with His kindness for our good and His glory. So, Christine and I toasted our coffees on Monday night to the kindness of God in not granting us what we had prayed for in the past and causing us to wait until we had met each other.

Happy 2nd anniversary, Christine! I praise God for His kindness to me.

In the Line of Fire

2007-10-22T22:25:00.000-07:00

It was four years ago almost to the week that we faced the fires that hit San Diego pretty hard. I remember driving through the 15 freeway heading south to the church office (off of Convoy at the time) on my way to teach a baptism class when I drove right through a firewall, which had to be one of the more scary moments of my life as everything turned pitch black and the heat was pretty intense. After what seemed like forever, I saw daylight and drove through and it was an eerie feeling. We had to move our church service that day to someone's home and looking off into the distance, it was pretty strange to think that fires could do so much to change the course of how we look at life.

This morning I was awakened to find that we had to evacuate our home and after packing some things, we moved over to Scripps Ranch, only to find that we had to evacuate from there as well. Moving to the coast in La Jolla, the day has been pretty much filled with trying to coordinate the church members in finding homes for all the people who have had to evacuate.

Though it is pretty hectic considering all that is going on, I can't help but thank God for His grace and goodness in how the church family is responding with every effort being made to help provide shelter and care for one another. It really is great, even those who are new to the church are jumping in and offering their homes.

Dropping by the church, I couldn't help but look at all my books and realize that they would go up pretty fast in a fire. I took a few to prepare for the next coming weeks so that I would at least have a few resources but it was a bit sad looking at everything, realizing that a lifetime of collecting books could go away in a moment. But having studied Ecclesiastes these past few months, it has been sobering to understand that everything in this life is really passing in nature and without God, there would be no point to it. A life filled with plenty would be an empty life without God but a life filled with God though with little would make me a pretty rich man. These are thoughts that are not so easy to consider when one realizes that there is a very good chance you could lose your home and all your possessions, but when you realize that you're going to leave it all behind one day anyway, it doesn't seem so important after all.

What is all the more important is seeing that the love of God moves us to care for one another in time of need and I really am so thankful to have a church family that will stand in the line of fire (literally) and apply the kind of family love that we have talked about in Romans 12:10 and has been generous and hospitable and considerate in considering the needs of others.

Who knows what the next few days will bring but one thing for sure, I know that they will bring the grace of God through the love and care of our church family.

DTR2: Waiting for Magic?

2007-10-16T14:47:00.000-07:00

Marriage is a scary proposition for many to consider. But what is amazing to me is how many Christians do not really seek God's truth regarding marriage but look to their own feelings and emotions to guide them in making decisions. Many will place intuition and things like compatibility and personality issues as the primary factors in making a decision and wait for lightning to strike. This is the so-called "magic" that people look for and while I will not deny that there is some element of subjectivity, it seems a bit odd that many will dismiss seeking God's Word for guidance regarding marriage and instead look for the "magic."

This is seen in the whole world of dating where both men and women use worldly wisdom, if you could even call it wisdom, to make their decisions on what makes for a good partner. There are those who would entertain having a dating relationship with a non-believer. Scripture is clear on this point and while I sort of addressed it in passing, I realized that for some, they might have though it was just my opinion. It is not.

2 Corinthians 6:14-15
Do not be bound with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer with an unbeliever?

If you are thinking of entering into a relationship with an unbeliever just because you feel there is some "magic", you are truly deceived by the illusion that there could be a genuine and intimate love relationship that would be to the glory of God. How could you engage in a relationship with thoughts of marriage when marriage is to reflect the relationship between Christ and His bride, the church? If you do not agree on the most important issue of your standing with God, how will you have anything else in common that is of significance? You might enjoy the same music, have the same hobbies, and feel like you "click" but if the foundations are not built on the same Rock, I don't care how compatible you feel, e-harmony tests notwithstanding.

For the Christian man or woman who is seriously contemplating a dating relationship, you cannot consider it without seeing it as a trajectory toward marriage. That's why you can't afford on some subjective "magic" to be your primary guide. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING!! (Proverbs 3:5). In ALL YOUR WAYS acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5). I would take it that God intended this to be true even to this day and that it would include all things, including dating.

I find it a bit strange that those who would say they are Christians are less inclined to trust God and more inclined to trust human wisdom, when there has been more than enough evidence as to its failures. Just go to your local bookstore and check out the section on relationships and it is chock full of nonsense.

This is not to say that Christians automatically have everything work out perfectly, even though they might try their best to follow the right path. We live in a sinful world and even the most sincere Christians are not able to see everthing clearly. Yet we find hope in the sovereignty of God that He causes all things to work together for good. This is not an excuse to justify willful disobedience to God's Word - that is simply unacceptable. You should never presume on the grace of God to get away with sin. But it is to say that as you do trust in the Lord with all your heart, He will never give you something that you can't handle (1 Cor. 10:13) and He will provide all you need to make it through.

So instead of looking to illusions and deceptions, look to the God of truth who not only created the institution of marriage, but has the means by which to get there in a way that is consistent with His will.

Commitment to the Local Church

2007-10-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

If you have been at Lighthouse for any amount of time, you will have heard at least a few messages on the importance of the local church as well as the topic of membership. It is always a bit puzzling to me why people question the importance of membership in the local church. likening it to being in a cult or legalism at best. I suppose that for many people they have not had positive church experiences so it makes sense that joining themselves to a church as a formal member is not something that sounds so enticing. But for others I think it is more an issue of not having considered the point of application in regards to all that the Scriptures call us to be and do as the body of Christ.

The argument that many will bring up is that being part of the universal body of Christ is what is significant and that the New Testament does not explicitly call for membership in a local assembly. Now it is true that the Scriptures do talk about the universal church and when we see that, we can understand that what is meant by the universal church is that all true believers in Christ throughout history make up this true body of Christ. This would encompass all believers from every part of the world at any given time. Yet the problem with limiting all references to the universal church would ignore the practical application of those passages that refer to the church, not to mention that there are many practical exhortations given as to how the church is to conduct itself.

1 Timothy 3:15
But in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

The whole point of Paul's letter to Timothy was to provide practical instruction on how the church was to be organized and how ministry was to take place. That's why there are guidelines given in determining what roles were appropriate for women (chapter 2), the character qualifications for leadership (chapter 3), practical disciplines for the pastor (chapter 4), how to take care of widows (chapter 5), how to deal with elders (chapter 5), and dealing with false teachers (chapter 6). These are all very practical issues that must be applied somewhere and this is what distinguishes the local church from other institutions, particularly parachurch ministries.

I want to give some clarification regarding some statements that I made on Sunday so that there is no confusion. I wanted to communicate that if we are the body of Christ, we would recognize that we are to be the bride of Christ and as such, we practically carry out the call to be the bride of Christ through how we conduct ourselves as a local church. While I understand that the bride of Christ is referring to the universal church made up of all true believers, I would argue for the believer who takes the call to be a member of the body of Christ seriously would then be faithful to actively be involved in a local assembly so as to practice what the Scriptures call believers to be and do in a practical way. I do not see any way that someone can justify that just because they are part of the universal body of Christ that they are not responsible to be part of a local assembly that upholds the description of what the Scriptures call a church to be, namely that there are elders who shepherd the flock, practice the ordinances, and carry out genuine fellowship in accordance with the guidelines that are clearly presented in the Word of God.

The reason why I believe parachurches often create difficulty for some is that instead of supporting the priority of the local church, it will often compete in a way that I believe is inappropriate with that priority. College students will often give the lion's share of their time and energy to campus ministries that are independent of the local church, given that it is more convenient and often more relevant to them since it consists of their peers. The problem with many parachurch ministries is that there is often a lack of qualified leaders who provide accountability and shepherding that keeps students' lives in check. This is not to say that all parachurch ministries are like this. But there are too many students who upon graduation find themselves with a huge void in their life and even though they went to church, it was not a priority such that it carried strongly through the transition from college. There are so many students who have fallen away from the faith that they claimed to have in college that one wonders what contributed to that direction. I can't help but see that the lack of being vitally involved in a local church has contributed significantly to this end and that is why I feel very strongly about it when I address the issue.

I am sure that this is bound to upset some people as many take it as an attack on the parachurch ministry. I don't hate the parachurch. I am thankful for the role that they play. That's why I said that the parachurch ministry should be like a good friend in terms of its role in the life of a Christian. But it should not compete with the local church. It might have been a bit of a stretch for some to hear me say that being in the local church is akin to being married and that the parachurch could become kind of a mistress if it infringes on the priority of the local church. If that was offensive to some, I do apologize but at the same time the reason I stated it in such terms is because I see it having that kind of affect on some people.

I just have a few simple questions to ask those who are involved in a parachurch ministry - do you value the priority of the local church? Can you honestly say that it's not important according to Scripture? Is it justifiable to hide behind the excuse of being a part of the universal church?

I remember talking to one college student who said that he felt it was God's special calling for this particular time to be involved in the parachurch ministry and that he felt that praying for the local church was his way to be involved and since he really didn't have that much time to spare, that was all he did in relation to the local church. I was very disappointed to hear this as this was someone that I had thought had a lot of potential for ministry.

I have talked to the regional director of one of the more significant parachurch ministries in the area and when we were discussing the priority of the local church, he thought it was curious that I would frame it that way, that the local church had priority. He disagreed and again I just couldn't help but feel like it is this misguided influence, though it might be well-intentioned, simply erodes the importance of the local church's role in the life of the believer.

Now I know that not every local church is doing its part to fulfill the call that Scriptures have given and to this I can only say that we must pray for pastors and elders and church leaders to humbly confess these failures and work toward fulfilling the Biblical mandate instead of catering to the latest worldly fads that so often outright contradict the Word of God.

But at Lighthouse, I hope that you know that as a leadership, we are committed to doing everything we possible can to have this local body fulfill what the Scriptures call us to be and do.

But we can't do it without every member of the church actively participating and contributing to this end. And as far as I can see, I don't see any real viable reason why a true believer would choose NOT to be a member at a local church that is committed to a high view of God and His Word. It would seem to me that it should be the most natural decision to make, to join and commit yourself to being held accountable by the loving care of shepherds and fellow saints so that we would work together as a body with each member playing out his or her role so that the head of the church, Jesus Christ, would be glorified.

Please know my heart in this - it's not simply to make you feel guilty. It is to call you to be who you are called to be - a member of the body of Christ.

If you have questions about this issue, please feel free to talk with me as I would be more than happy to discuss it with you.

Defining the Relationship

2007-10-10T15:56:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, I was expecting a good turn out Sunday evening for the first night of the "DTR Series II" by Pastor John on dating and relationships, but I wasn't expecting THAT good of a turn out! It was encouraging to see people from other churches come out to visit us to hear about how to develop a biblical worldview in dating. It was even more encouraging to see a number of married people in the audience. It's so important for married people to establish a right understanding of dating and relationships. If we are going to uphold the Titus 2 principle of older men and women instructing younger men and women, we are going to need the older ones to have a proper understanding of the biblical principles that apply to dating.

Pastor John came right out of the gate explaining the importance of laying a solid foundation of theology if you want to understand the basics about dating and relationships. This might seem like a novel approach to some. Maybe it's because they don't see the relationship between theology and something as practical and tangible as dating. But seriously, if you are not rooted in the fundamentals of theology that means you do not have an adequate understanding of the sovereignty of God. I don't know how anyone survives "the dating game" without a good understanding of God's control. It also means that you may not be living entirely with the correct focus and motivation when seeking a relationship. It also means that you might not know what it takes to find comfort when things don't go your way... and in the pursuit of a dating relationship, things often don't go your way!

I'm really looking forward to this series because it will be interesting to see how different people seek to apply its principles. Regardless of whether it leads to more budding relationships or even some couples realizing they aren't adequately prepared to continue their relationship, hopefully people will walk away with a greater sense of God's will in dating. Hopefully people will seek to honor God in their pursuit of a relationship and in the relationship itself rather than simply striving to satisfy personal desires.

Intro to DTR2

2007-10-08T13:56:00.002-07:00

It was great to see so many people come out last night to the first meeting of DTR2. I hope to post my thoughts and highlight some points so that those who weren't there might be able to have something as well. We will hope to put the messages on audio and video possibly in the future.

Deconstructing a wrong world view is something that most of us don't think about because we don't think at a world view level. We typically just think for the moment and react to situations instead of examining the foundations of our thinking and see if what we have in place is solid. Many Christians don't realize that a lot of their thinking has been impacted by worldly philosophy, deception, and the traditions of man instead of the Word of God. It's no wonder that the decision making process that many utilize is so skewed because the working parts are not healthy and primed with the truth.

Colossians 2:8 says, "See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."

The Scriptures are clear in warning us from having the world be our primary influence. We must fight this because if we don't, we will find ourselves easily affected and distracted, not to mention deceived.

Romans 12:2 challenges us to not be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. This is really a crucial point to consider, especially when we address the issue of dating relationships. I think that too many Christians have allowed their view toward dating relationships to be molded by the world to the point where there is no discernable difference in how they conduct themselves in the pursuit of a relationship, the maintaining of a relationship, and even in the ending of a relationship.

One of the things that many Christians will bring up is that the Bible doesn't explicitly say anything about dating. While the term "dating" or the concept is not mentioned directly (because they didn't have anything like that back in the day), the principles that one must employ are clearly given in Scripture. Exercising wisdom, discerning character, practicing sexual purity, learning to resolve conflicts, and many other issues that relate to dating relationships are addressed with clear instruction from our Lord through His Word.

One of the things that I presented was the use of the Reformation principles in the Sola statements. While I know I might have taken a little liberty in transferring the ideas, the principles still remain true.

Sola Scriptura - Scripture alone
Scripture alone is to be our authority when it comes to seeking wisdom and instruction for the issue of dating. Don't fall for the tickling ear preacher who just wants you to have your "dreams come true." The Word of God alone is sufficient to teach us, reprove us, correct us, and train us in righteousness in all areas of life, including dating relationships. Don't be a fool and place your trust in something other than God's Word.

Sola Gratia - Grace alone
Just as we are saved by grace alone, we are sustained in our Christian life by grace alone. God's grace is what is sufficient for us and we need to really look to His grace in dealing with the many challenges and trials that come in life, especially in dating relationships (or the lack thereof). Just as the apostle Paul found comfort in the grace of God alone when faced with the thorns in his life, so must we lay our lives in the hands of our gracious God in facing the rough and tumble world of dating relationships.

Sola Fide - Faith alone
Trusting in the Lord is vital as we cannot afford to try and manipulate things by our own wisdom or power. When things don't work out the way we hope for, faith in our good God who makes all things work together for good is something that will never fail us.

Solus Christus - Christ alone
Just as Christ alone is the way to salvation, Christ alone must be our first love. He cannot be challenged for the supremacy of our affections. Christ alone must be Lord. Christ must be the one that we submit our lives to and there can be no other challenge to His primacy. When we get involved in dating relationships, it is easy to let our dating partner take over our every waking thought and take the place of Christ in our affections. This is such a dangerous place to go - so don't go there.

Soli Deo Gloria - God's glory alone
Just as every part of our lives is to be to God's glory, even our eating and drinking, how we approach dating relationships must be considered with God's glory being at stake. We cannot afford to let any part, no matter how minor or mundane escape this point. Too many people want to carve out portions of their life for their own glory and fulfillment, even at the expense of bringing dishonor to God's name.

Remember what Jesus said about what you build your house on. You can build your house on the rock of His words, His truth, and when the storms come, your house will stand firm because your foundation is firm. But if you build your house on the sand of worldly opinion and empty deception, you will get slammed hard by the storms of reality and great will be your fall.

Inspect your foundations now - you might find it rotting with hardly anything to hold up your life. Replace it with the sure foundation of the solid rock of Christ and His truth - you will not regret it.

DTR2 Is Coming!!

2007-10-03T23:14:00.000-07:00

This Sunday, we will start the long-awaited DTR2 series. It will build on the messages that were done a few years ago (DTR1, which you can hear online from our audio section at http://www.lighthousebc.com/) which built a foundation of thought to consider for dating relationships. We will continue to work on building that foundation but will take some time also to directly confront and deconstruct the worldly maze that has blinded many a Christian with the kind of junk that keeps the Word of God from being seen clearly. We will then hopefully build a strategy that will reflect a Biblical worldview toward developing God-honoring relationships that will culminate in God-honoring marriages. We will also talk about how to deal with breaking up in a way that honors God and the other party. There will be a 5 part series to start everything off (Oct. 7 through Nov. 4) and then we will resume in January 2008 as there will be a lot going on during the holiday season. So keep in tune with the updates...

I know that some might think that doing a series like this is just a ploy to get people to come to church. This simply is not true. If anything, I would guess that some of the things that I will say will repel people from the church because they will not want to deal with the truth. This is not just about playing around with some fun topic - it actually is a very serious one because people's lives are at stake as they head down the road to marriage and the foundations that many people have are so shaky that it is only a matter of time before the relationships they start begin to crumble.

One thing that those of you who are single and who want to date must consider is this - are you really willing to consider what is at stake for the future? Or is your goal simply to fulfill some fantasy? As I watch marriages get destroyed and families get torn about, the place to start dealing with this isn't when the problems arise, it is to proactively build a foundation that is built on the rock solid truth of God's Word, cemented with the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and sustained with the weatherproofing of God's grace that is sufficient to face any challenge. In this way, you cannot go wrong. But if your foundation is build on worldly wisdom, cemented with the emotional fragility of your passions, there is nothing that will sustain you for the long haul.

I will plead with you before you come this Sunday evening - pray that you come with a teachable heart because your future depends on it!!

See you this Sunday, if you still dare to come =)

A Month of "Life Is Not About You"

2007-10-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

As we finished up our series this past month on "Life Is Not About You", I just couldn't help be think that a month long series was not enough. It's almost like we kind of get convicted at times about different truth principles for a short time, but then it fades as we go back to our normal status quo kind of mentality and we live the same self-absorbed lives that we are used to living. I think that it just gets too difficult to go against the flow of the broad path that the majority go that we end up just going back downstream when the battle to go upstream just gets too tiring.

To live the life of the cross is an exercise of perseverance and even pain, for it is a call to self-denial and an embracing of a life of inconvenience, discomfort, and suffering. It is not always so direct - it comes in subtle ways. But a minute or two here, a moment spent for myself doing something for my own pleasure can lead to an hour, a day, and then the pattern gets set in a rut which we struggle yet again to get out of.

We cannot afford to live the life of a Christian in a stop and go fashion. The days of the summer retreat spiritual high can't be the kind of cycle that we go through. It is a long, hard road of incremental pursuit, it is a submitting of every part of life, even in my eating and drinking, and to take my eyes off myself and consider how I might honor my Master.

This Sunday we will go through our MVP (we haven't done this in awhile) so I hope that you will come prepared, not just for a reminder, but for a challenge to live out what we have committed ourselves to fulfill:

The Mission: To make disciples of Christ (Matthew 28:19-20)
The Vision: To plan churches (Acts 1:8)
The Passion: To love God and people (Matthew 22:37-40)

Are you a part of the team? Are you in this for the long haul? I hope so. These are exciting days and as we look forward to God's leading, let's stop wasting time pursuing the "skubalon" of the world (check Philippians 3:7-8) and pursue knowing Christ and making Him known.

See you all Sunday!!

Caring for Members through Church Discipline

2007-10-02T14:28:00.000-07:00

When the church came together on Sunday evening for our members meeting, it was amazing to look around and see how much the congregation has grown these past nine years. This meeting came just after the membership class where seventeen more individuals were being taught about being committed to the church. What an encouraging evening it was, especially when the microphone was passed and various people shared about how the church had been a blessing to them. Each time we gather together, I am more and more appreciative of our church family. God certainly has blessed us tremendously with wonderful relationships and a body of believers that strives to grow together in His Word.

At the membership class, as I was teaching about the importance of membership, I was once again reminded of the many churches that do not place an emphasis on church membership. I understand and completely support the idea of the autonomy of the local church, but I must say that it causes a bit of concern when I hear that a church does not have formal membership especially because this means that these churches most likely do not practice church discipline either.

One of the participants in the membership class shared that it was the fact that LBC practiced church discipline that kept her at Lighthouse. This may have been a shocking statement to me years ago, but today it is no surprise. Not only is the practice of church discipline prescribed for churches in Matthew 18, it helps preserve the holiness of individuals (which in turn helps preserve the holiness of the church). I often tell believers, if you are serious about maintaining personal holiness, you must go to a church that practices church discipline. It is no wonder that John MacArthur often attributes the enormous success of Grace Community Church to the fact that they practice church discipline. He once stated (and I'm paraphrasing), "By kicking people out of the church, you help the church to grow."

Of course, it's not that LBC gets a kick out of excommunicating members. It is actually the most painful and draining ministry for the elders. So why do we go through the trouble if it is so difficult? Here are some reasons:

1. Church discipline upholds the glory of God in His church. The glory of God is the chief motivation for any ministry at LBC. If the church allows sin to go unaddressed in the church, it defames the name of Christ since He is the head of the church. By practicing church discipline, God's glory is magnified because His saints are dedicated to preserving His name.

2. Church discipline protects the holiness of the church. One of the most practical reasons for church discipline is to show the members that there are consequences to habitual, unrepentant sin. When members know that the church will confront them if they are unwilling to repent, it gives them additional motivation to make things right with God and others. It provides a level of accountability that cannot be provided in any other institution.

3. Church discipline is a ministry of care to the members of the church. It would be entirely unloving to see a brother or sister in sin and not do anything about it. This is one of the reasons why we refer to the discipline process as "member care" at LBC. This was an idea that was first introduced to us through the ministry of Mark Dever at Capitol Hill Baptist. When a member falls into unrepentant sin, the church lovingly is to appeal to that member to repent and return to good standing with God and the church. Through church discipline, the member can see how serious his actions are to God.

4. Church discipline serves as a witness to unbelievers that the church stands for holiness. When an individual's name is announced to the congregation as having gone through the disciplinary process, it provides a great opportunity to preach the gospel and to explain to people the reason for practicing church discipline. In doing so, even unbelievers can get a sense that the church has been called to be holy as God is holy. What a lame testimony it would be for a church to preach the gospel and yet be full of members who allow unrepentant sin to defile their lives.

5. The Bible tells us to practice church discipline. If for no other reason, this should be motivation enough for any church. Since the Bible gives us set principles in Matthew 18 about this process and we see the outworking of these principles in the epistles, churches should seek to be obedient to God's will and practice church discipline.

I'm sure there are many more good reasons to practice church discipline. It is a sign of a healthy church that it maintains formal membership and practices church discipline. I just don't see how the leaders of a church can adequately care for their flock without membership, and I really feel it is an obedience issue to practice church discipline.

Truth in a Postmodern World

2007-09-19T10:51:00.000-07:00

Voddie Baucham is not a name that too many are familiar with. He delivered a message at the 2006 Desiring God National Conference that I have recommended to many people. It's entitled, "The Supremacy of Christ and Truth in a Postmodern World," and it is well worth your time. You can download it and listen to it here.

Do People Possess Inalienable Rights?

2007-09-13T11:31:00.000-07:00

I'm not entirely sure if everyone from Lighthouse is aware of this, but during the second service a group of people meet upstairs for an informal time of discussion about Pastor John's sermons. No, this isn't a time to analyze every little theological detail from the sermon and evaluate his delivery. It is more a time devoted to thinking through practical application of God's Word. This past Sunday, we had a particularly interesting discussion over John’s message on being a slave for Christ.

It's unfortunate if you missed out on this time because John preached a message that is very counterintuitive for our age and culture. One statement from the message that particular raised some eyebrows was that John mentioned that people do not have inalienable rights. I think this caused a little bit of confusion because John was not speaking about the rights we exercise in relation to one another. The point he was trying to convey was that no person has an absolute inalienable right that even God is subject to respect. Any rights and freedoms that people enjoy are always in every case limited by the sovereignty and will of God.

In no way was John saying that he is against the Declaration of Independence or Constitution. John is not an anarchist. John and I both understand that these founding documents were written with biblical principles in mind. For instance, when the Bible teaches that murder is wrong because all men have been created in the image of God (Gen. 9:6), we understand that God is essentially teaching that people have the “right to life.” However, when in the sovereignty of God He determines that a person’s time has come to die, no man can appeal to God that he has a right to life that even God is subject to respect.

That being said, there still is something to be said about freedoms that all believers should understand. We need to be careful about what we say we deserve. Kyle Grindley mentioned this during the discussion and it is related to the whole idea of personal rights and freedoms. Too often we face difficult people, circumstances, and challenges and think to ourselves, “Why is this happening? I deserve better. What about my rights?” Such is unbiblical thinking because the Bible is clear we deserve much worse. Any sinner before a holy God deserves immediate, eternal, divine punishment. To think we deserve anything better is entirely arrogant and cheapens the grace of God in salvation. This is the basis behind John’s statement that the only right that people truly have is the right to die.

Though God has granted certain inalienable rights for humans to enjoy (understanding that they are only inalienable insofar as God has granted them by his grace), we must constantly be reminded that we never receive these rights because we are deserving of them. These rights must be understood in light of who God is and what He requires of us. Perhaps this is the reason why through time the definition of our rights has changed so much. As this country has moved farther and farther away from God and His Word, the Constitution has become more and more ambiguous and open to interpretation. Certainly, the Constitution was written with biblical principles in mind, but it is no longer interpreted with those same biblical principles.

Life Is Not About You!!

2007-09-04T13:43:00.000-07:00

In the past several years since I first presented the proverb of "Life is not about you!", it has been brought to my attention by a number of people how many companies are really unashamedly using the slogan of "It's all about you!" as a way to appeal to people's base desires and how to fulfill them. I appreciate the flyers and brochures that people have brought and the collection continues to grow.

Sadly, it is no different in the Christian world as churches and Christian organizations and schools peddle the same line in hopes of drawing attention to their cause. But the heart of this methodological approach for advertising is nothing different from the beginning. The appeal to the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life has the inherent message of "Life is all about you" and has been the slogan of the world system since the fall.

For the month of September, I will be preaching on the doctrine of self-denial as the characterization of the Christian way life and I would like to challenge you all to really examine your hearts and see if you are truly following Jesus. Was it not Christ Himself who said in Matthew 16:24, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me." As I have been searching the Scriptures, I can't help but notice that the Christian life is truly a repudiation of the "It's all about me" worldview and that we must really dedicate our lives in light of the grace and mercy of God to offer them as living and holy sacrifices to God that are acceptable to God first and foremost. If the whole of our lives is to be offered up to God as worship, there really can be no other gods before Him and that includes ourselves.

So prepare for the next four Sundays to really examine your life and see if the path that Christ calls us to follow is the one that you are walking. The way of the cross is not an easy path. It definitely is not the most comfortable path. But it is the path that has Jesus on it and don't you want to be with Him every step of the way?

Like my girls when they were little and would hold my hand as we would walk around, they would have easily been lost if they had not followed daddy. Even a moment's glance away led to them walking down another path and it really was the most frightening moment for me as a parent when I couldn't see my child. It was also frightening for them when they realized that they were totally lost and couldn't see their parents. But there was great comfort and relief when we would be reunited and there would be a clinging to one another as we would continue to walk forward.

To live is Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). We must keep our eyes fixed on Christ as we follow Him daily and while there is the suffering and pain of self-denial and the way of the cross, it is outweighed by the joy and the glory that comes in being in intimate and loving communion with our Lord and Savior as we walk with Him. Don't trade the glory of following Christ for the cheap junk of the world. While self-denial at first seems a negative thing, when we see where it places us on the path of following Christ, we actually receive more than we could ever hope for, that is, Christ Himself!!

See you Sunday!!

Elders Retreat

2007-08-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

To all you faithful "Shine the Light" readers (yes, all four of you!), please be in prayer for the church leadership this next week as the elders take some time on a planning retreat to think through some significant issues regarding the church ministry. We all appreciate LBC's love and commitment to the ministry here in San Diego, and we are especially thankful to those who faithfully and regularly pray for the leadership. I love Lighthouse!

The Next Generation

2007-08-27T15:16:00.000-07:00

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.

Models of Morality?

2007-08-24T21:30:00.000-07:00

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.

Let's Just Call God "Allah"?

2007-08-15T15:58:00.000-07:00

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.

Vamos Argentina!

2007-07-31T11:15:00.000-07:00

What an amazing time we had in Argentina! The church there sends their greetings to Lighthouse, especially to those who have gone to Tucuman in the past. Despite the cold and that thirteen of our sixteen team members got sick along the way, the time working with the church there was a great blessing. God was gracious to give us opportunities to minister in four of the surrounding barrios. We also had an outreach night at the church and were able to invite those in the neighborhood immediately surrounding the church.

Each time we visit, it is a tremendous encouragement to see how the church is growing. The church leaders constantly introduce us to the families who have joined the church as a result of being saved through the campaigns we have been involved in. What a joy! God is definitely working through us in Argentina and it is a great privilege to be a part of His plan for the city of Tucuman. Please continue to pray for all those that heard the gospel these past few weeks. We were able once again to engage in some very good conversations with people and the church will be working diligently to follow up. Please pray because the fields are white for harvest in Argentina.

Controversial Statements on Missions

2007-07-23T19:18:00.000-07:00

As Pastor Patrick stated in the previous entry, the role of the local church in the work of world missions is crucial and vital to fulfilling the Great Commission in making disciples, not just decisions. I realize that for some people, their view of the issue of missions has been often dictated by conferences, authors, and strategies that while helpful and often insightful to the work of missions, can often fall short of what the Scriptures would say regarding the issue of missions.

I find it interesting that there are always a number of people that might find my sermons controversial. I know that I often make statements that sound blunt and strong, but I do not find them controversial. If the Scriptures are to be taken as the final authority, it is strange for me to see people disregard what is clearly said in Scripture and go with what someone else has said regarding any particular topic. This seems to follow what Romans 12:2 explicitly calls us NOT to do, that is, to be conformed to worldly thinking. Instead, we are to discern what the will of God is, and that will is to always be found first and foremost in the Scriptures.

The Great Commission is clear - the call is to make disciples of Christ. This includes the work of evangelism, which is the front end, but the point is not to simply call for decisions. The point is to see people FOLLOW Jesus in an ongoing and daily relationship. This is where I would say that missions apart from the ministry of the local church often falls short. And this was clearly confirmed during our time in Ostrava these past few weeks. The theme for the retreat was "Disciplines of a Godly Man/Woman" and we addressed basic topics under the theme of 1 Timothy 4:7-8, to be disciplined for the purpose of godliness. What we found is that even in the most basic issues, there were many questions and some animated debates over what were simple biblical truths. We addressed the issue of spiritual disciplines, the roles of men and women in marriage and parenting, witnessing in the workplace, and serving in the church. These are not typically issues that generate a lot of controversy but they did. Why? It took me a few days to realize it but what I discovered was that the very foundations of thinking were being shaken for many people and so in mid-stream I gave a message on building a biblical worldview. We discovered that in the Czech language, there is no clear understanding of this concept. One other astounding discovery was that the very concept of accountability was something that was not understood in the Czech language. So it was during a weeklong opportunity to equip and teach the church that I realized all the more that the work of missions is not limited solely to evangelism, but as Matthew 28:19-20 describe, there is to be the "teaching of all that I commanded you" that is to take place, that is, the equipping of disciples with the teachings of Jesus so that they would grow and mature in their faith so as to provide an ongoing work of representing Christ in their part of the world.

How is this controversial? It is controversial because so many Christians have been limited in their understanding of missions. There is a lack of consideration given to having a comprehensive view of the work of missions in relation to God's overall plan and in isolating the aspect of evangelism to missions, it short-circuits the flow of the Great Commission to make disciples. That is why the local church is so crucial in playing a role both in sending and in the actual work of missions at any given location. It is not enough to simply evangelize. There must be the planting of churches. There must be the equipping of churches. It is not enough to just do humanitarian work or pursue social justice. While these are all good things and can be a part of the effort to help people's lives, to diminish the priority of planting and building up churches to do the work of ministry is to be short-sighted.

I made some comments that it is not enough to just do medical assistance or build houses or to address social injustices. It is because in the end, even if you do help in these areas, if you do not address the issue of preaching the gospel comprehensively for the sake of people not only to hear and believe in Christ, but to follow Christ as disciples, then you are not actually fulfilling the Great Commission.

I think it's great that there are ministries that try to help in all these various areas. But to call it "missions" can be misleading. I think we have to be more discerning when we talk about what God defines as the work of missions. This is why 2 Timothy 2:15 calls us to handle accurately the word of truth. There is a lax and often haphazard allegiance to the Scriptures and when this is confronted, people are often confounded by what they think is an attack on established practices. But we must be wise according to the Scriptures, not just to tradition. There is much to learn from those who have done various things for the sake of God's kingdom. But sincerity and results are not the final criteria to determine what is right. We must accurately represent what the Scriptures call us to do as Christians and I hope that we at Lighthouse will be careful not to be lazy when it comes to our theological foundations that are the basis for our practice as a church.

The Mission of the Local Church

2007-07-11T02:53:00.000-07:00

I spent some time preparing today for a message I'm giving during one of the church services in Tucuman. Pastor Jorge asked me to focus on the theme of "Commitment and Devotion to Christ." As I was thinking through what specific topics I might address, I couldn't help but think of the Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18-20. The reason why this passage stood out was because the church is to be committed to the commission that Christ has bestowed on her to make disciples of all the nations.

Now this is a pertinent passage because much of the evangelism in the church today is merely focused on making decisions, not disciples. This is not to say that people making decisions for Christ is not important. It is just not the end. When so many work only to get people to make some profession of faith over a shallow understanding of the gospel, it is no wonder that many "believers'" lives have been absent of the life-changing power of the cross. David Doran, in his book For the Sake of His Name, writes, "The Great Commission produces disciples, not decisions. It is certainly true that becoming Christ's disciple occurs at a decisive point in time and through a decision to receive Christ, but one of the sad evidences of a defective and unbiblical missions strategy has been the tendency to be satisfied with evangelistic decisions that yield no lasting fruit or transformation in the lives of those who have supposedly received Jesus Christ." He continues, "While claiming to guard the gospel of grace, this actually denies the power of grace to convert the soul and make the person who is in Christ into a new creation (cf. 2 Cor. 5:17)." This is a very important element in understanding the importance of the church's role in missions. If people are only committed to making decisions, churches are essentially unnecessary. But if the task is disciple making, churches are the vehicles in getting that task accomplished.

I thought about this for the trips that LBC has been taking to the Czech Republic and Argentina. Suppose we went out in the summers and saw hundreds of people make decisions for the Lord. Would that be fulfilling the requirement of the Great Commission. David Doran argues that it would fall short. He writes, ". . . the central focus of this passage is the command to make disciples. This is the essential task of the Great Commission. . . . The task before us is not simply announcing the good news of Jesus Christ; it is making disciples for Jesus Christ. We cannot make disciples without announcing the good news (Romans 10:14-17), but that is where the Great Commission starts, not stops." One of the reasons we have committed ourselves to the ministries in Ostrava and Tucuman is because of the church planting efforts in those two areas. When someone comes to know the Lord, we have a church there that can continue to the work of disciple making. We do not come home with the same concerns as the Apostle Paul with the church in Thessalonica, whether the people who responded to the gospel later turned from it and our work had been in vain (cf. 1 Thess. 3:1-5). There are established churches that we have partnered with that will continue to nourish and nurture these young converts so that they grow in respect to their salvation (1 Pet. 2:2).

All this isn't to say that God cannot use missions and evangelism outside the local church. It is not even to say that going on missions outside the local church cannot be helpful. In some ways it is extremely helpful to gain practical insight into methods and strategies. It simply makes sense to me that if the work of missions and evangelism is disciple making, then that will be accomplished through the ministry of the local church. It is the church, then, that should be remained committed to this kind of missions work.

The Grace of God Magnified

2007-06-15T11:45:00.000-07:00

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).

Rejoicing and Weeping

2007-06-12T20:08:00.000-07:00

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.

The Crystal Clear Truth About Marriage

2007-06-06T21:47:00.000-07:00

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.

Mother's Day

2007-05-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

The role of a mother is easily appreciated on one hand but not considered to be so significant on the other. How does this kind of contradicting treatment come about? It reveals how conflicted we are as a society. When it comes to emotional support, everyone (well almost everyone) instinctively turns to their mothers. From the little child to the NFL linebacker on television, "Mom" is easily the number one choice. But when it comes to understanding the significance of motherhood, society is quick to take away with one hand what it gave with the other. Motherhood is disparaged to be a role that is altogether useless when it comes to self-fulfillment. There are no promotions in motherhood (other than adding another kid?). There are no raises. The macaroni pencil cups and crayon colored cards on Mother's Day are poor substitutes for plaques and corporate recognition. Who wants to stay stuck at home with a crying baby who throws up and makes a mess of the place when you could have your own corner office and accolades of your peers ringing in your ears instead of the baby monitor? But after the workday is over, when Friday comes, what seems lasting in life? As the years go by, the investment of time and energy going into all kinds of pursuits, how does it add up? As Solomon the Wise said so long ago, "Vanity of vanities!" It's so easy to think you are doing something "significant" with your life but in the end, you could have wasted your life chasing the wind.

I think motherhood can be appreciated in several ways.

1) Appreciate your own mother. While they might not have been perfect and some might have outright failed their children, God gave you your mother to honor and appreciate. Show the love of Christ to your mother this Mother's Day.

2) For ladies who are mothers, thank God that He gifted you with motherhood. Don't take for granted that you were blessed with children. There are many who wish they could be mothers but for one reason or another, God has chosen not to grant children to them. It is not something you can treat lightly. Children are indeed a blessing from the Lord and should be treated as such. While Mother's Day might seem to be a day where mothers expect to be treated well, use Mother's Day as an opportunity to thank God that you were given such a stewardship. This stewardship was not meant for you to build trophies for yourself but to invest the love and truth of God into your children so that they might be offered to God. While only God can provide salvation, parents, and mothers in particular play a vital role in planting the seeds and in modeling the character of Christ (i.e. consider the example of Timothy and the investment by his mother Eunice and grandmother Lois).

3. For ladies who are not biological mothers, remember that God is always faithful and while you might not have your own biological children, you still have the opportunity to share the love of Christ in the way of a "mother" for many who don't have a "mother" to care for them. This could start even at the church, as there are many who do not have very close relationships with their own mothers, or possibly have unbelieving mothers who were not able to invest in them spiritually. Prayerfully consider how you might invest your life and give of yourself. You could go as far as even considering adopting a child, whether locally or internationally. But just because you are not a biological mother doesn't mean that you can't provide a mothering relationship to others.

4. For the men, never disparage the role of motherhood. We live in a day where the roles of men and women are turned upside down and unfortunately there are those who have denigrated the role of women in both the home and the church and it doesn't help the ladies when the men don't do their part to support the ladies in their roles. So please affirm the ladies as they would prayerfully move forward in their lives. Never joke around about "wearing slippers and a bathrobe all day" and that their job is just to have babies. That would be insulting both to them and to God, who is the one who designed women to do what is so special and unique in contributing to society.

5. For the church, let us not just celebrate another Hallmark occasion with a token day given to mothers but let's appreciate the mothers in our midst and see the hard work and toil that they give as their spiritual service of worship (Romans 12:1). Let's come alongside them and encourage them through our ministries at the church and give them assistance by teaching their children the truth of God and in affirming the things that truly matter in life.

As this coming Sunday is Mother's Day, let's make the most of it to glorify God.

Do You Love Being A Member at LBC?

2007-04-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

After our meeting last night for the members of Lighthouse, I had a chance to read over the self-evaluations that I had asked everyone to fill out and it was both encouraging as well as a bit sad in seeing how many shared about where they stood in relation to their membership at LBC. It was tremendously encouraging to see that there are many who are growing and striving to seek after Christ, in being faithful in their spiritual disciplines and prayer life, and continually moving upward in their commitment to serve at Lighthouse. There are those who just wrote simply, "I love Lighthouse!" and in reflecting on their participation and attitude, I could heartily affirm that there are many who do indeed love Lighthouse and show it through their passion and excitement.

There were those who shared that they were challenged to really step up their participation, whether it was through prayer, giving, or serving. I know that I gave some pretty strong challenges at the meeting, as did elder Mike Chon. I know that it's not always easy hearing words of exhortation or admonishment, but the one thing that I am really thankful for is that many of you take it to heart and know that it's not simply to make you feel guilty or bad, but to earnestly challenge you to excel still more for the sake of Christ and His church.

So my prayer is that you would really just love Christ all the more, and out of that love strive to just love being His bride, the church. Submission to Him would be more of a joy if it was out of love than duty and I hope that your service to the Head of the church is not just something you feel obligated to do. Being the bride really is to rejoice in our high calling - can you believe that we belong to Christ? Can you believe that we have been called to be the object of His grace and love? We are so undeserving! We, in our sinfulness, have absolutely nothing to offer and yet He takes the tattered, dirty, sin-stricken souls and pulls us out of the miry clay to give us a new song that we might sing boldly to a dark world that needs to hear the light of the gospel of Christ.

So let's relish being His bride. Let Lighthouse, through our collective membership, really shine bright and bring much glory and honor to our Savior!

DTR2 Preview - Part 3

2007-04-25T02:57:00.000-07:00

Dating is typically a farce of two people pretending to be someone that they really aren't to get something that they want that they don't have with the least amount of investment and the greatest amount of return in the shortest amount of time. Even for those who say that they are Christians, it tends to be the same deal. At the heart of this farce is the self-serving agenda that sees the other person as a means to my own ends and if it doesn't work out, then out they go.

Relationships are not about you!! If you truly know the love of God, you will then understand that the love you have been given is a love TO be given. Too many people start and end with the expectation of "What do I get out of this?" and if the other person is found to be dissatisfying in any way or form, there is the quick out.

For the Christian that truly desires to glorify God, a dating relationship is an opportunity to display the love of God in the way that God intended, a display of His glory. Does the love of God characterize your life? Read 1 Corinthians 13. Read the whole chapter. Do you love the way God defines love to be? Notice that the point isn't about you. Love is not about you. Love is about you serving someone else. YOU are called to be patient, YOU are called to be kind, and on the list goes. But subtly, or maybe not so subtly, we twist this whole idea and place the expectation on the other person to be patient with ME, on the other person to be kind to ME, and the object of all the actions is ME! It's no wonder so many couples are ill-prepared for marriage, because after a lifelong pursuit of self, you can't help but transfer that self-centeredness into a relationship and all you are revealing is how much you are in love with yourself.

I would like to challenge you, especially if you are already in a dating relationship, to really ask yourself if you are preparing to love like 1 Corinthians 13 calls you to. Or if you are honest, are you just looking for your own self-interests to be served? True love is a love that is pure between two people, that is grounded in the cross of Christ and hopeful in light of the resurrection of Christ. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things. This is the kind of love that will not fail you, not during the dating stage, the engagement stage, and throughout the marriage stage. But if you fail to really grasp this kind of love, you are in for a miserable journey that you probably didn't anticipate, but didn't prepare for either.

Love is not about you!

Contributing to the Needs of the Saints

2007-04-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a rollercoaster ride! I can't help but be affected by collisions with the Korean culture that really cause me to wonder, "Why?" Why must culture come in front of people? When did culture become god? I understand the reality of culture and that there are distinctives between each culture but when you come to know Christ, there is no longer Jew or Gentile (or Korean or American for that matter). It is Christ that we identify with, not that Christ identifies with our cultural identity. For those who know me, you will understand that after a couple of decades of frustration, I have become quite pessimistic now about any kind of redeeming value to be found in Korean churches.

I know that that is too much of a categorical statement but I have found the number of sound, God-honoring, biblical churches to be miniscule, especially when you consider the inordinate amount of churches for such a small immigrant community. Don't get me wrong. I love my heritage. I love Korean food. I love the fact that I have some unique history in my background that I can appreciate and share with others. But these things are all superseded by the Kingdom of God. I am no longer a citizen of this world but an alien, a stranger. The family of God, the church, those who have been called to be saints, these are the ones that I now identify with in identifying with Christ.

Romans 12:13 has been lived out by a generation that many in the first generation have called "selfish, stingy, spoiled, self-serving, unappreciative, and disrespectful." I have found those who make up Lighthouse to be selfless, generous, giving servants who have shown tremendous love and care through their kindness and mercy through prayers, notes, and food. They even offer to help drive the kids, take care of the kids, and be helpful in any way possible. I cannot help but think how ironic it is that a generation that has been accused of giving so little is now starting to respond to the call to be not only receivers but contributers to the needs of the saints.

Thank you! I just have to say thanks to the many who have brought tremendous encouragement through your thoughtfulness, your willingness to serve, your hearts of compassion, and your continued faithfulness to display the love of Christ in such visible ways. Angela and I are so blessed, as are our children, who are overwhelmingly loved by you.

I praise God that you are simply obeying Him out of a genuine love for Him. This is revealed in your love for the saints. By this the world can see that you are followers of Jesus, that you are disciples of the One who lived and died and rose again, so that we might no longer live for ourselves but for Him.

May your contributions continue to flow generously to all!!

What Is Wrong With This Picture?

2007-04-22T01:24:00.000-07:00

I can't help but have to vent a bit here in response to what should be seen as a time to not only grieve in the passing away of my father-in-law but an opportunity to minister to my mother-in-law, my wife and her siblings, the grandchildren, and for those who truly loved and appreciated my father-in-law. But Korean church protocol is more concerned about pleasing some hierarchical structure, having to maintain the "honor" of those who are supposedly deserving of the responsibility of presiding over the funeral ceremonies, forgetting that a funeral is not about them!! Even when someone has died, people will twist it into an opportunity for their own self-gain and it just sickens me to think that someone would take advantage of a time where there is grieving and mourning to take place and all they can think of is to promote themselves and just observe ceremonial protocol. I am all for having order and structure but this is ridiculous.

God's glory is at stake both in life and in death and the church should always and only be about the work of bringing God's glory to the forefront. It should be about ministering to the bereaved widow and finding ways to share the love of Christ with one who is suffered a tremendous loss. It should be about encouraging and supporting the family members who will feel the loss most keenly. Instead, there are "requests" for a restaurant reservation to be made to feed those who are going to the funeral, I suppose to "thank" them for their coming. I can't see anywhere in Scripture where the bereaved is to be more concerned about feeding the guests - this isn't a wedding! If anything, the church should be feeding the bereaved!! They are the ones who have suffered the loss and are busy going about the business of having to take care of funeral arrangements and covering costs related to the funeral. But I can't help but see those who are more concerned with form and have absolutely no care for the reality of the situation.

Protocol is not what is most important - people's genuine needs are!! Romans 12:13 calls us to be "contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality." You don't insist other to do this - you do this!! To me, a pastor who makes a "request", especially on the day of the actual death, to make sure that the guests are fed, is a pastor who is not fit for the work of caring for the flock. The Scriptures call the church to suffer when a member suffers, to celebrate when one has reason to celebrate. It doesn't bilk them and take advantage of them, especially during a time of need. The pastor, of all people in the church, needs to be giving ministry, not asking for it. God help us!

I know there might not be malicious intent involved (at least I would hope not), but ignorance is not an excuse for irresponsible behavior on the part of those who say they shepherd the flock. Please pray for me, pray that I would exercise humility and wisdom and not just be angry. Pray that as we have the funeral services for my father-in-law that the greatest priority would be to point all the attention and all the glory to the Savior. Pray that I would also have the boldness to speak the truth of the gospel to those who really need to hear it. Pray that I would walk in the Spirit and honor the memory of my father-in-law, encourage my mother-in-law, and support Angela and my brothers-in-law and sister-in-law during this time of loss.

Jesus, help me.

DTR2 Preview - Part 2

2007-04-21T00:10:00.000-07:00

When people think about dating, I believe that the majority are way too short-sighted. Most are only thinking of the immediate context, focusing on how they "feel" now and how things "match" and how "similar" they should be, not giving consideration to the fact that feelings change, what seemed to match and provide for similarities becomes that which many complain and wish they could change later in their partner.

Watching couples who have been married for a long time should be an exercise that all should consider before even thinking about dating. In reading the biography of D. Martin Lloyd-Jones, I took some time just to glance at all the photos that are in both volumes and one thing that I was really interested in was just watching how he and his wife Bethan looked like together over the years. As they both aged, the one thing that went through my mind was, "Wow! I hope that when I get all old and wrinkled that Angela would stick with me though I won't look the same when I was younger." It's when you look at older couples that you realize that a relationship is not about "magic" or feeling attraction or how well you fit together. It simply comes down to a commitment to genuinely love one another. As the years go by, true love doesn't become stale, it just deepens. It transcends the superficial and becomes a bonding of the soul. You don't look at each other so much because you are impressed with what they can do for you or how they look so much as it is that you just really love your spouse with all your heart and you just love being with them and sharing everything in life with them. It affects all that you do - your faith in Christ is shared, your service in the church is shared, your nurturing of the marriage covenant is shared, your parenting of the children is shared, your future hopes and dreams are shared, and even the mundane things in life become a joy because they are shared - an ice cream cone, a slice of watermelon at the park at 10pm in Florence, Italy, a cup of coffee at McDonald's (or Starbucks on a fancy date =).

When I look back at my college years and think about the stage of dating with Angela, I look back with some degree of wonder that I didn't just blow everything with my stupidity. But there was one thing that was in the back of my mind more than anything else when I contemplated my relationship with Angela. Yes, she was physically attractive (actually, she was just plain hot!!) Yes, she had a vivacious personality and was great to hang around with. Yes, she was athletic - we played football together one time and she juked a guy with a shoulder fake while she was the tailback - boy was I impressed! Yes, she was actively involved in her church and faithfully serving the Lord. But the most important thing that I thought of when I was with her was that I just wanted to love her and serve her and take care of her the best I could by the grace of God. Someone asked me back then if I was sure that Angela was the right one. All I could reply was that I couldn't say that I knew that, but I knew that I wanted to love her as the right one.

As a pastor-to-be, I had a very bleak future to offer. Not much money, not much comfort, a whole lot of struggles from financial to relational. A lot of dealings with people, and difficult people at that. Most likely a whole lot of heartaches and troubles, not to mention my own precarious health - my blindness, my bad back, neck, knees, ankles, allergies, proneness to injury. Coming from a very typical Korean family with a huge extended family straight out of Korean video drama series. So I can't really say there was a whole lot going for me to make a long-term relationship very attractive.

Fast forward almost 18 years later. I thought I was in love with Angela back in 1986, when I first started dating her. I thought I was in love on April 2, 1988 when I proposed to her in Oceanside at a park (a foreshadowing of San Diego??). I thought I was in love on June 10, 1989 when we walked the aisle at Grace Community Church in front of 1200+ guests (what a crazy wedding!). I thought I was in love when our first daughter was born on January 31, 1992. I thought I was in love with each succeeding child (August 13, 1995, September 27, 1999, and September 17, 2005). But tonight I look at Angela and just can't help but say I really love her more than I have ever loved her and it's not so much about attraction (though I still really am attracted to her) and it's not so much about looks (more for her looking at me than anything as I have increased in girth since my slim days at UCLA) and it's not because I offer her a lot of nice things in life (just a couple of cross-country jaunts, torture sessions through a couple of Korean church fiascos, and making her run a gauntlet of ministry roles) but it's really just because I love being with her. I love laughing with her. I love just holding her hands and walking together as I swing her arms really high (this started back while we were dating). I love talking with her about anything (and I know she must love me because now I talk way too much, especially about crazy ideas, church problems, and my venting sessions with difficult people, not to mention my weekly sermons of an hour length or more). I love it when I see her ministering to people and sharing the love of Christ with them. I love watching her hold Olivia and watching her feed her patiently. I love watching her get excited at Jenna's basketball games or Kara's soccer games. I love watching her dote over our little ballerina Alyssa. I am in awe of her ability to handle the kids daily (I am about to pass out just watching them for half a day). As I look at her sleeping now after an exhausting trip to LA to help her mom and to get the funeral arrangements made, I am just happy to have her next to me as I go to bed and when I wake up, I just get to look at her face.

Dating is more than just about "falling in love" and "feeling the magic." Dating is more than just gving way to your sexual desires. Dating is to be those first steps of a journey that you hope to see continue for decades, growing old together, growing in your love for Christ together, growing in your love for one another together, living and forgiving daily as we walk this planet. It's not just about raising kids but it's about loving them and showing them the love of Christ to His church through our marriage. It's about sharing the gospel together with our children so that they can come to know the Savior and have the hope of eternal life. It's about cheering each other on and celebrating all of life together and holding each other up in times of sorrow.

I get so sad when I hear about dating couples that just can't seem to hold it together. They lose sight of Christ, they get emotionally carried away, and some just go way past the appropriate bounds of purity and compromise their whole future away for the sake of some momentary pleasure. This is truly settling for, as C.S. Lewis so aptly puts it, for mud pies in the slums when you can have a holiday at the beach. You are too easily satisfied with so little when God intended there to be so much more.

The whole point of this post? For those of you who are single, don't just get caught up in the moment. Think about the one that you are dating, or hope to date. Can you see yourself with them 5 years from now? What does the picture look like? How about 10 years from now? How about 15 years from now? Can you see a true bonding of the souls? Can you see a weaving of two lives into one flesh so that life is not about "me" but "we"? Can you imagine yourself 30-40 years down the road and while everything else starts to fall apart (the joints, the hair, etc.), your love for each other won't?

Don't settle for mud. Go for the beach. Look to set up a dynasty together, not a one-night stand.
It isn't worth settling for anything less than God's best - the love of Christ for His church (Ephesians 5:22-33). If you don't seek that, you shouldn't date. Period.

Limbo?

2007-04-20T15:30:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting article today on Yahoo! news that I thought might interest some people. The Catholic News Service has announced that the Roman Catholic Church has published an article, "The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised," officially dropping the belief in Limbo. For centuries now, the RCC has taught from tradition that Limbo was a place where infants went if they died before being baptized. Though this doctrine was taught in Catholic tradition, the RCC claims it was merely a hypothesis which never became an official Catholic tenet.

At the same time, the RCC wanted to clarify that in no way should this move be interpreted as taking emphasis away from the importance of baptism. According to the RCC, baptism is still necessary to remove original sin and receive God's saving grace. This is undoubtedly still one of the major points of discrepancy between Catholics and evangelicals today. Though there are some who call themselves "evangelicals" who wish to believe that Catholics and Christians essentially believe the same thing when it comes to soteriology, the RCC's Catechism clearly shows how Roman Catholicism teaches a gospel that is entirely different.

Here is some information about Roman Catholic baptism and salvation according to the RCC Catechism:

1257 "The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them. Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The Church does not know of any means other than Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she has received from the Lord to see that all who can be baptized are 'reborn of water and the Spirit.' God has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but he himself is not bound by his sacraments."

1263 "By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin. In those who have been reborn nothing remains that would impede their entry into the Kingdom of God, neither Adam's sin, nor personal sin, nor the consequences of sin, the gravest of which is separation from God."

The grace infused in a person at baptism is lost when that person commits a grave or mortal sin. Acts of penance are thus necessary to bring that person back into reconciliation with God and the Church.

1446 "Christ instituted the sacrament of Penance for all sinful members of his Church: above all for those who, since Baptism, have fallen into grave sin, and have thus lost their baptismal grace and wounded ecclesial communion. It is to them that the sacrament of Penance offers a new possibility to convert and to recover the grace of justification. The Fathers of the Church present this sacrament as 'the second plank [of salvation] after the shipwreck which is the loss of grace.'"

From the Council of Trent: "As a means of regaining grace and justice, penance was at all times necessary for those who had defiled their souls with any mortal sin. . . . Before the coming of Christ, penance was not a sacrament, nor is it since His coming a sacrament for those who are not baptized. But the Lord then principally instituted the Sacrament of Penance, when, being raised from the dead, he breathed upon His disciples saying: 'Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained' (John 20:22-23). By which action so signal and words so clear the consent of all the Fathers has ever understood that the power of forgiving and retaining sins was communicated to the Apostles and to their lawful successors, for the reconciling of the faithful who have fallen after Baptism" (Sess. XIV, c. i).

Reflections of Life in the Face of Death

2007-04-19T22:26:00.000-07:00

My father-in-law passed away this afternoon. It was one of those phone calls that I have always dreaded receiving, finding out that someone precious has passed away. A lot of personal thoughts are going through my mind and heart, but those are not the ones that are appropriate to share yet. The more appropriate subject that I thought I might share is that when death takes place and it hits home that we are all mortal, I can't help but think about the reality of God. It just really strikes you that death really does happen. A life ends and you must face the very real question as to why death happens. Without God, there really is no solid ground to stand on. There is no objective purpose for life and there is also no objective explanation for death. An existentialist might just dispassionately state that life is over, that this life is all there is. The materialist might state something similar, that there is really nothing beyond the physical realm so death is just the last stop. Those who are religious might purport some idea that death is just a step to another realm, whether it be reincarnation, the state of Nirvana, some heavenly realm, or some other esoteric state. But there is still no explanation as to WHY death occurs.

It is here that the person of God as seen in the Scriptures declares the CLEAR reason for death. It is the penalty for sin. Romans 6:23 states that the wages of sin is death. As we are all sinners, we have offended the Most Holy God and His righteousness and justice call for eternal condemnation for having defied our Creator. Some might ask why must God be so harsh? It seems unfair. But it is not an issue of fairness. It goes back to the point of reference from where you start. If you really see God for who He is, that He is the one that defines the standards of right and wrong, that He is the sovereign authority over all of creation, He has every right to exercise that authority and He does so in conjunction with all His attributes equally exercised and never compromised, including His grace, His mercy, and His love. That's why the second half of Romans 6:23 is what gives great hope - "but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." Despite the fact that we are sinners (Romans 5:8), God sent His Son to die on our behalf. In taking our place, Christ paid the penalty and satisfied the wages of sin by dying the death that we deserved. This is what we call the truth of penal substitutionary atonement. God's justice is satisfied by His own grace being extended through the gift of His Son.

Physical death awaits us all. But spiritual death need not be our end. That is why the gospel is so powerful - it is the power of God unto salvation. Jesus Christ is our only hope. He is the One that we cling to in life and the one we cling to in death. It is not because we place our hopes in our own merits but we trust solely in the completed work of Christ, His death and resurrection, in the imputation of Christ's righteousness to us so that we might be justified in the sight of God.

That is why as Christians we remind ourselves of the gospel daily because it is something that is not only effective in dealing with our past, it is what anchors us in the present and secures our future. So death no longer needs to be feared. It has lost its sting and while there is a certain and understandable human grief that is experienced when someone dies, we rest on the sure arms of Christ in that He has conquered sin and death and His resurrection ensures our own.

There must be a greater sense of urgency in sharing the gospel. Death is not something that comes conveniently. It comes unannounced and while most people assume that they might have a long life to live before death needs to be faced, recent events have made clear that this is not true. Those students and professors at Virginia Tech woke up that fateful day, not knowing it would be their last day alive. The tragedy that compounds the physical deaths is that there are still so many who are unmoved by the reality of sin that results in death. The only answer to sin and death is the gospel and we must share the hope of the gospel urgently.

So stop wasting your life, vainly pursuing the things of this world. Heed the wisdom of Solomon, who wasted years of his life chasing after the wind, only to come back to His Creator and give the exhortation of one who had much to regret, "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth!!"

So there are tears to be shed and grief to be observed. But it need not be without hope. We have Christ, and to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Reflections on the Virginia Tech Shooting

2007-04-19T11:38:00.000-07:00

The nation has been mourning this past week over the murders of the thirty-two students and teachers at Virginia Tech. It is one of those tragedies that will not be soon forgotten. The messages left by the killer stunned people because of the intense hatred communicated by his words and tone. NBC News president, Steve Capus, in an interview on NBC's "Today," spoke about the decision to air some of the contents of the videos left by the killer: "Ever since we heard the first reports about what happened on that campus, we all wanted to know — and I’m not sure we’ll ever fully understand — why this happened, but I do think this is as close as we’ll come to having a glimpse inside the mind of a killer." The one question that seemed to be going through everyone's minds was, "What could drive a person to do such a thing?"

It is horrific that someone would choose to plan an attack and open fire on a university campus. And it is definitely a tragedy that so many lost their lives in what seems like senseless killing. Whatever the killer's intentions and motives, people seem to be taken aback by the rage and resentment through which he acted.

One thing, though, that crimes like this bring to mind is the thorough sinfulness of man. I understand that generally people strive to live in respect for one another. Kindness is taught as a virtue and love is the overarching social aspiration. But there is an issue of worldview communicated in this that is contrary to what the Scriptures teach. The overall feel of society is that people are generally good and deserve good things. So when a student decides to kill his fellow classmates, people react in horror and shock.

What eludes most people is the reality that every human being has the same propensity to hatred. Thank God it is not manifested in the same way or applied with the same intensity, but nonetheless, it remains in the human heart. Why would someone harbor so much hatred to the point they would be willing to gun down 32 people? The ultimate answer is because of the utter sinfulness of his heart. It is difficult to admit that all people share this same sinfulness in light of these tragedies, but still true.

Seeing the ugliness of sin manifested in the way it was at Virginia Tech makes me look with wonder to a perfect and holy God who would forgive men for sin. This is the condition and ugliness of every human heart and so it magnifies the grace of God shown through the cross of Christ. Of course it is not to say that all men would express that sinfulness the same way, and certainly God is just to punish sinners for heinous crimes such as this, but the delusion that most people are good and that people like Seung-Hui Cho are unfortunate exceptions is misleading.

Hopefully the shootings at Virginia Tech will not cause people to reflect on how much better they are than the killer, but that the human heart in general is really capable of tremendously horrific acts. Hopefully it will open people's eyes to see their need for Jesus who alone can save and cleanse the human heart. I think most people would say in defense, "I'm nothing like that killer." Of course not all people are equally guilty in the way they demonstrate their wickedness as protrayed in the shooting. But the Bible teaches that all people have in the heart the same root problem.

DTR2 Preview - Part 1

2007-04-18T23:12:00.000-07:00

DTR2 - sounds like a movie sequel title. Just like how a lot of people look at the issue of dating. Many have a movie-based theology toward dating and it shows, with the preoccupation on "attraction" and "the magic moment" and the emphasis on physical appearance or the "magnetic" personality. In having discussions with people about dating, it almost seems like God is just a means to get them to their own ends. God's glory is not the ultimate goal. It is self-satisfaction, thinking that if I find that "perfect" mate, I'll be happy, secure, no longer lonely, and whatever else is on the checklist.

This is a sad testimony to the sell-out of Christians to a worldly philosophy of life. When we talk about being worldly, it is more than just about being materialistic. It is about following the thinking of the world. It is about being conformed to worldly wisdom instead of heavenly wisdom.

James 3:13-18 gives a very clear description about the kind of wisdom that characterizes a Christian that really seeks to honor God:

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

How do you detect earthly, natural, and demonic wisdom? By the fruit. Where you see bitter jealousy and selfish ambition, there is an arrogance that contradicts the truth of God. You see disorder and every evil thing. Is it no wonder that couples who apply worldly wisdom seem to have this kind of fruit as a result? There is a lot of selfishness, a lot of arrogance, a lot of jealousy, whether it be in being jealous of what others have (as in a dating relationship in general), or being jealous that someone has the person that "I claimed" and didn't get.

Colossians 2:6-8 gives the kind of perspective that I think all who are desiring to date should consider:

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Take a long hard look at your life. Are you walking in such a way that shows you are in submission to the Lordship of Christ in your life? Have you been firmly rooted in the Word of God and built up in Christ so that your faith is solid and established? Do you receive biblical instruction with gratitude? Too often I see those who are so desperate to get into dating relationships compromise the basic fundamental priorities in life, namely the pursuit of holiness and the practice of godliness. Christ's glory should be the first concern, not my own desires being met. This is a fundamental foundational truth that needs to be understood clearly. But again, too many pay lip service and as a result, the compromises start coming fast and hard. It starts in little areas like kissing and touching. I can probably say with no exaggeration (okay, a little bit) that there are THOUSANDS of people who have told me that you can't be legalistic about kissing and touching and all that stuff. Being legalistic - I hate that just as much as anyone else. But I am not talking about a man-made standard for the sake of seeking man's approval. I'm talking about building a biblical world-view that exercises heavenly wisdom so that you might see the end result of righteousness be clearly evident.

So the question again comes up, "Was ist das ohre weltenschauung?" What is your worldview? The framework of how you view all of life will reveal the authority source from which you base your wisdom. Is it really the Word of God? Or is it the word of Oprah? Dr. Phil? Edwards Cinemas?

Start from the ground up. Work on your worldview and make sure the foundation rests on Christ.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand.

O Ye of Little Faith

2007-04-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

I have to confess that I had very low expectations for tonight's Wednesday Night Bible Study. Response was very low (was I too vague in asking for a response for handout copying purposes?) and I was particularly kind of just sad about the response from the married folks, for whom the WBS was particularly provided as there is no regular fellowship other than the twice a month GraceLife, which some have already missed a meeting, which means a month goes by before you spend time again =(. But several families, or representatives of families came so there was at least some representation.

But I was greatly encouraged because those that I did not expect to come, namely collegians and singles, who already have Friday night Bible studies, came out tonight and I was actually kind of surprised to see as many that came out. I was expecting no more than 15-20 people so with some measure of hope I made 30 copies just in case a few more happen to come out.

So that's why I titled this "O Ye of Little Faith." I have to admit, as much as I want to have vision for ministry and hope that people would respond, I guess I am a pessimist at heart, hoping for the best, expecting the worst, that way I don't get too disappointed. But it's not even so much about the numbers, it was really the encouragement by the attitudes of those who came. Not that I got a chance to talk to many people tonight, but several came straight from class, some straight from work, one was on the way to work right after we were done, and so it was with much encouragement that I came away from tonight, just knowing that some were willing to make the extra effort, even after a long day of work or class, even though there is another Bible study to go to the next evening, and the next. Even though there maybe wasn't a lot of bells and whistles. Just looking forward to studying the Scriptures.

So in the spirit of Martin Lloyd-Jones, I salute those of you who came out tonight with a desire to grow. We'll see who will persevere and actually do the hard work of studying the Scriptures with the intention to see transformation, a la Romans 12:2, but I am hopeful.

Just one more challenge to the marrieds - don't be deadbeat members =)

1 John 5:21
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.

Where Would You Rather Be on Sunday?

2007-04-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

While I will be addressing the DTR2 series, I will intersperse it with some other thoughts, especially since I have been doing some reading of biographies that has stimulated quite a bit of reflection about various issues.

In reading the 2 volume biography of D. Martin Lloyd-Jones by Iain Murray, I am struck by how straightforward and blunt Lloyd-Jones was, especially when he first started out as a preacher. I have always been challenged by preachers who fearlessly proclaimed God's truth, who did not seek man's approval but God's alone. John MacArthur has obviously been a lifelong living example of that to me, along with my college pastor Chris Mueller, who invested in my life ever since my junior high days. So if you are wondering where all the blunt approach comes from, you can chalk it up to my upbringing.

But here is the issue that I wanted to address in this post. Where would you rather be on a given Sunday? For some people, attending church is a chore, almost a burden, if not a downright pain. You can tell on just some of the looks on people's faces, whether they are asleep, disinterested, doodling, or just have this pained look as they glance at their watches every few minutes, just counting down until the long-winded pastor gets done. Is it no wonder that many churches don't have much vitality and attendance is low? Here Lloyd-Jones addresses this issue in an early sermon in July 1927:

"People complain about the dwindling congregations and how the churches are going down. Why are people ceasing to attend places of worship? Why is it, that last Sunday night I noticed that, while the places of worship in Cardiff were only sparsely attended, the trains coming from Porthcawl and other sea-side places were packed out. Why did these people spend their day at the seaside and in other places rather than in the House of God worshipping? Well, the answer is perfectly plain. They obviously prefer to be at the sea-side and feel that they get more benefit there than they do in the chapels and the churches. Now it is no use arguing with people like that, it is no use our telling them that they really do not get greater benefit there, because they honestly believe that they do...what I feel like saying to these trippers is this: If you honestly believe (and remember it is your responsibility) that you derive greater benefit by spending your day in the country than you do by attending a place of worship, well then, go to the country. Don't come here if you honestly feel that you could do better elsewhere. Unless you feel that something is being offered or equal, well then, in the name of Heaven, go out into the country or to the sea-side. The church of Christ is a church of believers, an association of people banded together by a common belief and a common love. You don't believe? Well, above all, do not pretend that you do, go to the country and the sea-side. All I ask of you is, be consistent. When someone dies in your family, do not come to ask the church in which you do not believe to come to bury him. Go to the sea-side for consolation..." (Iain Murray, D. Martin Lloyd-Jones: The First 40 Years, p. 138)

This almost sounds too harsh to say but you have to understand that in the context of knowing the tremendous blessings of being a part of God's church, it is foolish to try and soften the language in hopes that people will "get" it. The local church was designed by God to be the institution through which the kingdom of God is to be both experienced and spread to the rest of this world. We have been given the riches of heaven and the opportunity to enjoy genuinely loving relationships with people in serving one another so that we might be a light to this world and point people to the Savior. But a church that is nominal in its passion for the things of God is ultimately useless. A church becomes nominal only because the individuals in it become nominal. So the question comes down to this - are you a nominal believer? If so, don't be a hypocrite. Don't go to church if you don't really believe that it is a priority to do so. Don't pretend to be a member if you really don't see the value of participating in the life of the body of Christ. Don't act like you care to be here on Sundays when inside your heart you would rather be at the beach, or watch a Laker game, or write xanga entries about how you idolize your car, or whatever else you would rather do. There are those in our midst who would rather pursue the things of this world, whether it be riches, fame, or the approval of man in any number of ways. But the Scriptures are clear - those things which are not of God are not able to provide what only God can. And so what Lloyd-Jones says makes a lot of sense - be consistent. Do what you would rather do. But don't count on the church then to be there to help you in your time of need. Rather go to the place where your heart is and let them try to help you. You can't have it both ways.

The point is that if you really have experienced the grace of God in your life, you would then treasure the things of God, and your participation in the local church would be a reflection of that.

I can already anticipate the rebuttals that would come in response to this. "John, you're too harsh." "Aren't you being judgmental?" What, do you want us to give up our jobs or education and live at the church?" If your line of thinking is anything like this, you simply don't get it. It really comes down to your heart.

Matthew 6:19-21
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

The church is an institution that will go on through eternity. Is your heart for the church?

If you are struggling with this issue, just start with the question, "Do you love Jesus?" Because if you say you do love Jesus, you would love being His bride, which is to be part of the church. If you don't love being His bride, you need to really ask yourself then whether you really love Jesus.

If you say you love Jesus, then you will show it through your loving obedience to His commands. And His commands are not burdensome.

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

So where would you rather be this Sunday? Go there. If you say you would rather be at church, then make sure that you really mean it. If you don't mean it, don't come. But don't expect anything from the church.

Think about that before you come to church this Sunday.

Review of DTR1

2007-04-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

I'm sure that many are intrigued by the issue of dating but I wanted to go back and review a few thoughts from the first DTR series before we address some of the more current issues.

1. DTR w/ God - Defining the relationship with your God.

This is the the relationship that is most foundational and primary. Without having a right relationship with God and pursuing righteousness daily, there is really no hope of having a successful dating relationship. It is all too easy to see many "Christians" even "pray" for a dating relationship when there is no other indication of a discipline for the purpose of godliness. It is frightening to see men who have absolutely no intention of providing spiritual leadership try and pose like they actually care about someone when in fact the only person they care about is themselves. There are ladies who would do likewise in looking for someone to place security and significance, when only God can truly provide those things. Without having defined your relationship with God, you can only expect a hollow relationship that will inevitably reveal itself for what it is: a fraudulent pursuit of self-fulfillment at the expense of another person's heart and even body.

2. DTR w/ Family - Defining the relationship with your family.

There are many who have unhealthy family relationships, whether with their parents or with their siblings, or even with extended family members. There needs to be a clear sense in which a Christ-centered focus is given to addressing family relationships so that there is no doubt as to what defines the family relationships. Only God can provide the true framework for proper marriage and parenting relationships. So, for many who have not had the opportunity to grow under a God-centered home, it is a challenge to address the realities of home life and consider how they are relating to their parents and other family members. This can be somewhat tricky in that there is a fine line between honoring parents and then having to decide whether to obey them regarding a dating relationship, especially when you see that their world view is not really one that seeks God's glory first but rather their own. But it is only with much prayer and humility that you can move forward in this issue regardless of the state of your family relationships. But, at the same time, you can't afford to neglect addressing your family without having repercussions down the road.

3. DTR w/ Church - Defining the relationship with your church.

It is amazing to me to see how cheaply many people treat the role of the local church in their lives. There are many who even question the validity of the concept of the local church, justifying their lack of involvement by saying they are part of the universal church. The lack of genuine accountability and discipleship is one of the major contributing factors to problems in dating relationships and it really goes back to the fact that many have not defined what it means to be an active participant in a local church. I would go as far as to say that if someone was not vitally involved in a local church and in solid accountability that they have no right to subject someone to a whimsical farce of a relationship that is narrowly centered on an individualistic mindset. These relationships will lack the resources of godly wisdom from older men and women (not peers) that comes from being involved in a network of relationships founded within a local church setting.

4. DTR w/ Your Spouse - Defining the relationship with your (future) spouse.

For those who are single, you must consider that one day you will have to face your spouse and answer for how you conducted yourself before you got married. There are many who have much to regret because they failed to save the best for their spouse. Many have even ridiculed the idea of saving your kisses for your spouse, thinking that is old-fashioned or just plain unrealistic. But I would submit to you that the more you save in the present, the less you will regret in the future. And your future spouse will bless you for it! But for those of you foolish enough to think that you can play Russian roulette and get away with it, think again. God takes your purity seriously, in body and in heart and mind, and you cannot expect to think that there are no consequences that you will have to face in the future. You cannot presume on God's grace to simply disregard future consequences. If you really desire to be a blessing to your future spouse, consider that person, even if you don't know them now, and define what you would bring to them as a wedding gift, the gift of your life.

I know that when we had the first DTR series, it did not address a lot of practical dating issues so much as it addressed foundational issues. But one of the greatest blessings that I have been privileged to hear is that someone actually came to know Christ through the DTR series! That was probably the best result out of a dating message that I have ever been able to witness! God was so good to bring someone to salvation through a dating series of all things.

One of the sad things that I witnessed was that there were a good number of people who simply disregarded what was taught and made bad choices that resulted in some regretful consequences. I guess many must simply learn the hard way through experience, though this is not necessary. Some people have even said that it was best that they learned through experience, to which I would give a hearty - "May it never be!!" That's the whole point of living by faith, trusting in God's ways, even when you can't see an immediate benefit, but knowing that He will keep true to His promises to make your paths straight (Prov. 3:5-6).

Well there's the review. We'll start tackling the preview soon...

Preview of DTR2

2007-04-16T16:00:00.000-07:00

Spring is now upon us and the topic of "Dating and Relationships" continues to be on the forefront of many who are single, and understandably so. I would like to address this issue again in a sermon series soon, but until we set the dates (pun intended), I will give some preliminary thoughts and entertain questions and comments.

Having a God-honoring, Bible-centered world view manifested in all areas of life is a challenging yet worthwhile endeavor to pursue since the consequences of failing to adhere to such will only result in conformity to the world and a self-serving agenda. I say this because it is all too evident in the practices seen in many well-intentioned individuals who resort to various strategies that would seem to be biblical at first glance but are filled with subtleties that might escape immediate notice.

While I do not wish to single out any particular individual or relationship, I will be addressing what I see as some very real and present dangers that are being thrown around the general Lighthouse scene. It is in reflection of such dangers that I wish to address them directly and raise a call for humble yet convicting evaluation of the heart and motivation of all who are seeking to pursue God-glorifying relationships that will hopefully one day turn in to Christ-magnifying marriages.

So let the DTR2 preview begin. Coming next entry...

Why Is Good Friday Good?

2007-04-05T15:32:00.000-07:00

As we prepare for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, it would be helpful for us to consider why we celebrate these events. For many, these days represent nothing more than ritual and tradition -- an excuse to buy a new outfit, to have a $50 brunch at some fancy hotel, or to look for eggs hidden in the bushes and dress up in costumes.

I recall going to the Czech Republic for the first time during the Easter Week and in Prague, there were stalls and carts filled with decorative eggs in celebration of Easter. When asked what Easter represents, the typical Czech had absolutely no idea, except that it had something to do with eggs. Now these eggs were beautiful and came in wonderful designs, but you are left to wonder, "So what are these eggs all about?"

It's almost akin to Christmas and people getting hung up with mistletoe and eggnog and dressing up as Santa or the elves. Or Thanksgiving where it's all about getting a turkey and dressing and gaining ten pounds. Or even Halloween, which originally stood for "Hallow's Eve," the celebration of a holy day, and it gets turned completely upside down into a celebration of demons and witches and other depictions of evil.

Why make a big deal of all this? For starters, we celebrate Good Friday because of the goodness of God that was displayed in what was a most extreme and violent event: the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. How could the brutul murder of the innocent Son of God be considered good? Because of what was accomplished. It was His death that took the place of my own, not simply the physical death, but to face the wrath of God that was to be poured out in judgment of my sin. Jesus took my place on the cross. When He cried out, "My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" we must consider the absolute agony of what Jesus had to go through, to feel the very wrath of God poured out on Him where there was a very real sense of the break of fellowship that takes place when sin enters the presence of God. God cannot accept it or allow it to go unpunished.

2 Corinthian 5:21 states it so clearly, "He [God] made Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Good Friday is good because the righteousness of God is now imputed to us through Christ so that His goodness stands in our place as our righteousness. We have absolutely no goodness or righteousness that we can generate on our own to merit standing before God. We would be totally unacceptable in His presence. But as our substitute, the Lamb of God was slain so that we might receive the goodness and grace of God through Him.

As we prepare to partake in communion this Friday, I hope that we can all take some time to meditate on the goodness of God shown through the sacrifice of His beloved Son. It was a dark day, the darkest day of all history, when the Son of God was subjected to the cruel torture and excruciating pain He suffered on the cross for us. But thank God it was not left to end at the cross, for the third day would approach and the Resurrection of Christ would take place to show that sin and death had been conquered once and for all. Not only can we experience His goodness in the forgiveness of sins, but we also have the incredible and unbreakable promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ.

Sin - the Suicidal Exchange

2007-04-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

The pursuit of sanctification for the Christian brings at least two things to mind: the glory of God and the abhorrence of sin. The glory of God should weigh heavy on our hearts and minds as we consider that it is God alone who deserves glory as the Creator, and all of creation was designed for the purpose of glorifying Him since all things were made by Him and for Him and exist only because of Him.

Jonathan Edwards writes, "The end of creation is that the creation might glorify God. Now what is glorifying God, but a rejoicing at that glory he has displayed? The happiness of the creature consists in rejoicing in God, by which also God is magnified."

The pursuit of sanctification is a pursuit of joy, not of drudgery. It is we, and not God, who make Christianity to be less than what God intended, which is a life full of happiness. But happiness is not something that can be generated with ourselves in the place of primacy. True happiness can only be experienced when God's glory is my greatest desire and that life is not so much about me as much as it is all about God receiving the glory and the majesty and the honor and the praise.

John Piper writes in reflection of Jonathan Edwards these words:

"The love of God for sinners is not his making much of them, but his graciously freeing and empowering them to enjoy making much of him. As Edwards says, "God is their good." Therefore if God would do us good, he must direct us to his worth, not ours. The truth that God's glory and our joy in God are one radically undermines modern views of self-centered love. God-centered grace nullifies the gospel of self-esteem" (God's Passion for His Glory, pp. 34-35).

To find our greatest happiness, we must seek the greatness of God. It is only when we strive to grasp the transcending glories of God that we start to understand the majesty and wonder of who we are dealing with, not some two-bit deity morphed out of some Greek mythology book but rather the Creator of the universe who in His super-abounding grace and mercy reached out to us in Christ and provided the way of salvation to save miserable souls destined for hell. Left to ourselves, hell is exactly where our free will takes us. We CHOOSE to go to hell because we CHOOSE to reject the glories of God and, in what Piper calls "the suicidal exchange," we settle for the broken cisterns of created things.

This perspective really is something that we must consider. Sin is not simply just falling short of God's standards of right and wrong. It is to want something less than the glory of God, which is utter folly. It is, as C. S. Lewis wrote, to settle for mudpies in the slums when you can have a day at the beach. It's not that we want so much but that we settle for so little.

Romans 1:23 says that people will exchange the glory of the incorruptible God for the image of corruptible man and birds and animals and crawling things. This is sad but all too true. This can be seen in the lives of so many people, who make unbelievable choices to settle for anything and everything except God, that they would stoop to worshipping inanimate objects that have been fashioned by man!!

This is what sin is. It is to fall short of desiring the glory of God and settling for junk. It is to look at the Creator and see His loving heart and wisdom to guide us and reject that for the shallow "love" of the world and worldly thinking that only leads to destruction.

I would encourage you to consider the mindset of what drives you as a Christian. Do you take sin seriously? You will only when you are filled with the wonder of God's glory and see sin as a suicidal choice to settle for something less. Don't be a fool. Seek God's glory. Then you'll not only be holy but happy. =)

Oh, For the Love of Sports!

2007-04-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

In a tough road to the NCAA Final, the Florida Gators topped the Ohio State Buckeyes 84-75 in the men’s basketball tournament. Certainly this was a favorable outcome for me since I was in last place the entire tournament in our bracket competition until the final three games, and I predicted Florida would beat Ohio State in the final.

But I suppose the big question that arises out of it all is: Who cares? A week from now, hardly anyone will be talking about the NCAA basketball tournament. I’m sure the players and coaches will bask in their accomplishment for a while. Perhaps there will even be an ESPN documentary made for the Gators. And I’m sure there will be conversations about how the Gators rank amongst the all-time great teams. But in the end, it’s just a season of basketball come to an end. Sports fans will turn their attention to baseball and Barry Bonds’ chase for the homerun title, or some other item in the sporting world.

Praise God that the Christian life is more than anticipating short-lived excitements. There is a lasting hope and joy found in Christ that even the most exciting events of the world cannot compare with. The hymns portray this hope very well:

What a wonderful redemption! Never can a mortal know
How my sin, tho’ red like crimson, Can be whiter than the snow.
All that thrills my soul is Jesus, He is more than life to me;
And the fairest of ten thousand In my blessed Lord I see.

Or...

Ev'ry joy or trial Falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial By the sun of love;
We may trust Him fully All for us to do-
They who trust Him wholly Find Him wholly true.

Stayed upon Jehovah, Hearts are fully blest-
Finding as He promised, Perfect peace and rest.

The Importance of Your Weltanschauung

2007-03-29T23:47:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to have a Christian worldview? The German word "weltanschauung" stands for the idea of a "worldview" and many of the noted philosophers are known for very strong worldviews that influenced many to live in such a way that reflected a particular worldview. Adolf Hitler, for one, was tremendously influenced by Nietzche, and World War 2 was a result.

I think many of us underestimate the importance of having a God-centered worldview as we consider the various aspects of life. For many, the issue of education, vocation, marriage, parenting, and even the role of church in life is governed by what a person's worldview is.

For many who grow up in an Asian culture, there is a very strong undercurrent of Confucian ideology that governs the mindset of how one values the importance of various things in life and it is especially seen in the parent/child relationship. Though some parents would claim to be Christians, even as leaders in a church, there is a strange absence of a high view of God and often there is a manipulating of Scripture to serve a man-centered goal, whether it be related to the pursuit of a particular major in college or the pursuit of a specific vocation, namely those of the "doctor, lawyer, engineer" variety. Not that those roles are inherently wrong in themselves, but it is the motivation and intention behind the pursuit of such roles that often reveal the greed and the self-serving mindset that pursues the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life as warned in 1 John 2. There are even times when some might appeal to the glory of God being served by pursuing such ends. But down the road we often see what is revealed to be the true heart and intention behind the pursuit of success. It is not the glory of God. It is the pursuit of self-glory and self-fulfillment at the expense of the glory of God.

I would see this happen many times working with college students who would enter their first year idealistic and would even go as far as to admit that they were not balanced in how they handled their spiritual priorities but would always reassure me that they would take care of them later after they graduated, got settled in their jobs, and became successful. They would often add that they would give a lot of money to God, assuming that they would make a lot of money. But this is sadly not the case. I have seen what success does to people and it more often draws them away from God rather than toward God. And this is due to their worldview ultimately being about themselves in the center.

It is also seen in addressing the issue of marriage, where instead of seeking to honor God by reflecting the love relationship between Christ and His church, marriage is seen as a self-seeking opportunity for social-economic advancement. There is little preparation and education given regarding the biblical purpose for marriage and it is no wonder that many marriages suffer immediately with much trauma, often leading to stale relationships that teeter on the brink of divorce, often tipping over when the differences become "irreconcilable."

What really draws some ire from my perspective is when I see so-called Christian parents, who in the name of "thinking of their child's best" would show absolutely no concept of God's glory being at stake. Rather there is some "practical" advice about a certain criteria having to be upheld to "protect" their child when in fact it is all about their own pride.

It is not wrong for someone to go to a good school. It is not wrong for someone to choose a particular vocational path. Neither it is wrong to marry within your own ethnicity or age range. But to insist that certain things are "God's will" when they really are not, I believe, is a travesty that many parents are imposing on their children, often with a subtle (or even not so subtle) threat of disownment. It is portrayed as an issue of "honoring" parents, even "obeying." Now I am not suggesting that there should be a full-scale rebellion just thrown back. But I think there must be a line clearly drawn when a worldview is being revealed for what it is, a man-centered pursuit of worldly success and approval as opposed to God's kingdom and righteousness.

More about this later. Our Single Life retreat this weekend will be on "My Father's World - Building a Biblical Worldview" so I'll have a lot more to say about this in the days to come.

Three entries in one day!! I'm starting to feel like Al Mohler =) But no way can I keep up with his pace. I'll stay at being John Kim, one of many.

Reading Good Books Part 1

2007-03-29T23:41:00.000-07:00

As it has been quite some time since I have made entries for this blog, I read over some of the past entries and saw that Pastor Patrick had given a list of favorite books that impacted his life. He mentioned that I would do the same at some point so I am going to try and catch up a bit by naming some of the books that have impacted my life.

1. The Cost of Discipleship, by Dietrich Bonhoeffer. I first read this in high school and it challenged me immensely to the whole idea of what it meant to follow Jesus. I recently read a new translation of it with some college guys and I was again impacted by the depth of commitment that Bonhoeffer not only wrote about but lived out in his own life, even to the point of martyrdom. While Bonhoeffer's theology in other areas might be a bit questionable, this is one area where he was very clear and to the point. Discipleship means that you follow Jesus. This is not optional, this is what it means to be a Christian. If you don't genuinely follow Jesus, then what are you?

2. Disciplines of a Godly Man, by R. Kent Hughes. I remember using this book when it first came out and it has become a staple in recommending to men in discipling relationships. Hughes writes in such a clear and straightforward manner that is both warm and yet hard-hitting in calling for application.

3. Found God's Will, by John MacArthur. This little book has provided a simple foundation of determining God's will - Are you saved? Are you Spirit-filled? Are you sanctified? Are you saying thanks? Are you submissive? Are you suffering? Then step forward as you will be in the path of God's will as you live a life that is focused on His purposes and glory.

4. How to Interpret the Bible for Yourself, by Richard Mayhue. This simple approach to hermeneutics has been another staple of ministry in helping people learn what it means to dig a little deeper into God's Word and mine the riches that are to be found when you go beyond the surface.

5. The Peacemaker, by Ken Sande. I still remember the first time I heard him speak at a conference on managing conflict in the church. It was the first time I had heard anyone address the issue of conflict management from a biblical perspective and I was overwhelmed with how crucial an issue it is, not only in church, but in any relational context. It was so life-changing that it was one of the first books that we went through here at Lighthouse for discipleship. The four principles of the Peacemaker's Pledge are still a part of our membership commitment: Glorify God, Get the log out of your own eye, Gently confront, and Go and be reconciled.

6. Jonathan Edwards: A Life, by George Marsden. After taking a seminar with Dr. John Hannah of Dallas Seminary this past winterim at The Master's Seminary, I was inspired to read what had initially been a difficult read but now I would have to say has been a challenging and inspirational story of a man who although was flawed like any other human, had to be the most God-entranced individual that I have ever read about. If I were to follow his footsteps for even a small portion of the path that he trod, I would be a hundred times more the man than I am now.

7. The Gospel According to Jesus, by John MacArthur. As I shared with the FOF 2 class a few weeks ago, this was a very real life issue for me while I was in college and was faced with a very significant group of people at the fraternity that took a "no-lordship" view and was quite militant in expressing their views, even to the point of calling me a heretic! I remember going to my college pastor, Chris Mueller, and he was able to secure for me a pre-release draft of the first chapter that John MacArthur was writing and I was incredibly encouraged, both by my college pastor's overwhelming support and in knowing that my senior pastor was going to address it in a major league way. I have never forgotten the trials that I went through at that time but the lessons that I learned have reinforced the message of the gospel - to be a genuine Christian means that you love and follow Jesus, having repented of your sin and embraced Christ in faith by trusting Him as Lord and Savior. Your works don't save you, your faith doesn't save you. It's God that saves you. And if Jesus Christ truly reigns as Lord in your life, you'll follow Him, not perfectly, but lovingly and humbly.

There are a number of biographies that I will add later but for those who are looking for a good entry level set of biographical sketches, I would highly recommend John Piper's set "The Swans Are Not Silent", of which there are four very worthy trios of biographies given: 1) The Legacy of Sovereign Joy: God's Triumphant Grace in the lives of Augustine, Martin Luther, and John Calvin; 2) The Hidden Smile of God: The Fruit of Affliction in the lives of John Bunyan, William Cowper, and David Brainerd; 3) The Roots of Endurance: Invincible Perserverance in the lives of John Newton, Charles Simeon, and William Wilberforce; 4) Contending for Our All: Defending Truth and Treasuring Christ in the lives of Athanasius, John Owen, J. Gresham Machen.

There are many more books that I have found to be significant reads and I'll probably update this particular theme a number of times as I have a chance to sift through my library and remember what books were standouts. But one thing is for sure - I do appreciate good books that have challenged me to consider how I might live for God's glory. Stop spending so much time watching "Lost," "American Idol," "24" and whatever else shows how lost your hours are in worshipping false gods. Read some good books and enrich your soul. =)

Psychological Irresponsibility

2007-03-28T23:54:00.000-07:00

When I was attending UCLA and studying psychology (after a two year bout with pre-med bio), there was one thing that started to stand out about all that I was hearing. There seemed to always be a reason to deflect personal responsibility for "abnormal behavior." Taking abnormal psych revealed that EVERYONE is abnormal so it really is not our faults because it is either society's fault, our parents' faults, our cultural upbringing, the trauma we had coming through the birth canal, and a host of other possibilities where we could conveniently place the blame for why we are the way we are.

The Bible is clear in that the primary reason for all our "abnormal behavior" is really because we are sinful creatures that are prone to rebellion against God's design and we are quick to point the finger at what others do. Or maybe worse yet, we blame God.

Wives blame husbands, husbands blame wives, parents blame children, children blame parents, church members blame the pastor, the pastor blames the church members, neighbors blame the "bad" neighbors, employees blame the boss, boss blames the employees, and the list can go on ad nauseum.

There is a simple response to all this psychological irresponsibility. Admit that YOU are the one responsible for YOUR sin. Yes, others might make it difficult and even tempting, but in the end, we make the choices to sin. Others do not force us to sin, even if they were to threaten us with violence. We still have a choice to make.

Do you take responsibility for YOUR sin? Or will you just try to deflect it to others? Maybe for some of you, you don't want to even admit that you sin. Take a look at Scripture and see what God says:

"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." 1 John 1:8-10

Let's stop blame-shifting and start taking responsibility for ourselves. But it doesn't end with just trying to beat ourselves up. Consider 1 John 1:9 - we look to the character of God as we respond humbly in confession.

This is why there is always hope. God is faithful and righteous. He will never change. So let us rejoice in hope (Romans 12:12).

Spiritual Leadership

2007-03-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

"At the outset of any study of spiritual leadership, this master principle must be squarely faced: True greatness, true leadership, is found in giving yourself in service to others, not in coaxing or inducing others to serve you" (J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, 15).

Recently, I have been re-reading Spiritual Leadership, by J. Oswald Sanders, and I am glad to have picked it up again. It has been almost a decade since I last read it, and I am realizing that so much of the book has been forgotten, it is like reading it for the first time. Picking it up again has been a great encouragement and challenge to me. I highly recommend this book to anyone who aspires to spiritual leadership, and I suggest that those in positions of leadership who have not read this book do so soon.

Especially since I have been preaching through 1 Corinthians 8 and 9, the principle of setting aside personal freedoms and rights in order to serve others in love has been particularly highlighted these past few weeks. Even when something is your "right" in the Lord, if it would cause others to stumble in sin, it would be better to refrain so as not to stumble your brother. The general principle involved is that we are to look not merely after our own interests, but also to the interests of others (Phil. 2:4).

In the first chapter of Spiritual Leadership, Sanders astutely reminds his readers that leaders are held to this general principle with a higher accountability. Leadership is all about serving others and not just looking after your own selfish ambition or desires. It is giving up of yourself in love. This instruction from Sanders' book is not new, but a timeless principle that I know I need to be constantly reminded of. Especially if you are in leadership, how are you using your position to serve others in the Lord? How are you giving up of yourself in love for others?

Standing on Biblical Convictions

2007-03-21T16:24:00.000-07:00

As I was searching through the news today, I came across an interesting article about Indianapolis head coach, Tony Dungy. He is apparently, but not surprisingly, taking a lot of heat for accepting an invitation to speak at a banquet for the Indiana Family Institute, which is supported by Focus on the Family. The group is one of the strongest opponents of same-sex marriages in the state and a firm supporter of the state marriage amendment.

Regardless of how I might feel about the Indianapolis Colts, I cannot help but hold Coach Dungy in high regard and great admiration. Nowadays, one hears much of alleged Christian athletes, but apart from a spattering of WWJD bracelets and an occasional prayer after a touchdown, not too many of these celebrities are seen making bold stands for clear biblical values. Coach Dungy obviously knew he would face much animosity because of his association with the IFI, but still courageously stood up for what he viewed as the "Lord's side" on the marriage issue.

Too many Christians today shy away from taking the same kinds of stands. Certainly as the culture we live in becomes more and more tolerant of lifestyles and practices that are blatantly against Scripture, it will become proportionately more difficult to have biblical convictions without facing harsh attacks from those around us. We are living in an age where those who speak up about certain biblical convictions are labeled as promoting hate speech. Christ's words are becoming more evident with each day, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you" (John 15:18).

Reflections from Shepherds Conference

2007-03-14T20:20:00.000-07:00

While some might see it as just jumping on the bandwagon, I do not take for granted what I have been privileged to receive over the years through the ministry of Grace Community Church. Growing up since 8th grade at Grace, I was privileged to be under the preaching ministry of John MacArthur. Listening to him twice every Sunday, once in the morning service and then again in the evening service, I was given a rich foundation upon which I have been able to build not only my personal spiritual growth, but also the pastoral ministry that God has graciously granted me over the years.

The blessing in recent years has been to take various leaders and members of Lighthouse to the Shepherds' Conference and show them what it is like to get a veritable wealth of teaching through such faithful preachers as John MacArthur, R. C. Sproul, Al Mohler, Mark Dever, J. Ligon Duncan, John Piper, Eric Alexander, Jerry Vines, C. J. Mahaney, as well as the Grace Church pastoral team and the faculty of The Master's Seminary. I can't think of a better conference to attend where not only is the teaching rich, but the fellowship is warm, the singing is incredible, the music is enriching, and the service of the members of Grace Church is exemplary. I know there is no perfect church and having been a pastoral intern at Grace, I was able to see some of the inner workings that showed its frailties and weaknesses. Nevertheless, I would have to say that for a church as big as it is and as long as it has been around, there has been a legacy of faithfulness that has been carried which I know is hard to find.

Why do I share this? Because my hope is that Lighthouse could be such a church where a legacy of faithfulness to a high view of God and the sufficiency of His Word would be carried on for generations. I hope to see my children and my grandchildren be able to grow and be ministered to as well as minister in continuation of a family commitment to serve the Lord. Just as Joshua proclaimed boldly, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord," it is my hope that my family will be able to carry on from one generation to the next the greatness of God (Psalm 145:4). I will also hope to be more faithful to share my thoughts and bring encouragement and exhortation to those who would make the time to read such humble offerings in light of the other high level entries that one can find elsewhere.

The Great Trump Card

2007-03-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

Pastor John mentioned to me this afternoon that Al Mohler posted an article on his blog about the church and the home. This is a tremendously helpful article for anyone trying to find the balance between ministry and family. Much of what Dr. Mohler shares is what Pastor John has already been sharing for the past few years, but sometimes it helps to hear it from a respected seminary president from outside our church.

It is a challenge to families to consider having a higher view of church in a practical sense. It is easy to talk about loving Jesus and living for Him. It is understandable that believers should be studying the Bible regularly, praying, and attending church on Sundays. These things are obviously going to take up some measure of a family's time. Many families today complain, however, when the church puts additional activities on the calendar because they infringe upon "personal family time." Considering all the other things families are typically involved in and committed to, it is no wonder little time is left for the church. Families must consider what is important in the end. What kind of message do we want to give our children about what are the right kinds of priorities? People wonder why there is a moral decline in the lifestyles of children in the church, and why children today seem more and more disinterested in church! Perhaps it is because parents have not demonstrated to their children that church is more important than music lessons, sports, shopping, and weekend trips.

There and Back Again...

2007-02-28T10:51:00.000-08:00

John and I recently returned from another trip to Tucuman in Argentina and what a blessing it was! It really has become like visiting family each time I have a chance to visit. Their love and kindness are remarkable and it is so clear that it is the bond of Christ that unites us. I was so thankful for the time we spent planning for this summer's trip. I am really looking forward to returning with the team to minister there to the church and reach the surrounding neighborhoods. It was also a great time to encourage the church through teaching times and spiritual fellowship. I enjoyed some really great conversations with different individuals about how they came to faith and how their lives have changed since. One man in particular just recently came to know the Lord and came to Bible study with his two sons. It was so encouraging to see Deuteronomy 6:7 illustrated in his life as he sought to have his sons learn God's truth. Pastor Jorge and the leaders of the church were quick to point out various families who had come to the church since the last campaign with our team because they understood the encouragement it would bring us to see the fruit of our labors. Praise God for the work that is being accomplished in Tucuman! I hope for many more years of ministry together as we proclaim Christ in Argentina.

Achieving a Joyful Life of Integrity

2007-02-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

I have been reading through Psalm 119 in my daily devotions and it really has been a blessing to my soul! Reading through it carefully has helped to reveal the many comforts and encouragements the Psalmist receives from spending time in the Word. It seems like such a simple thing to be reminded to be in the Scriptures, but I wonder how often we consider the many reasons why we should earnestly seek God’s Word.

Even in the first stanza the Psalmist reveals some of his reasoning. He writes, “How blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.” The word “blameless” literally has the idea of being whole or complete and is one of the Old Testament words for integrity. The idea behind the Hebrew word “way,” simply speaking, is one’s manner of life. The complete thought is that happiness belongs to the one whose manner of life is marked with integrity.

But how does one achieve a joyful life of integrity? The Psalmist answers that question in the same breath – by walking in the Torah of YHWH. This reminds me of the thought in Psalm 1, “How blessed [or happy] is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked . . . . But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.” I found this to be a great reminder of the blessing that is found when one seeks to walk according to God’s Word. This is the one who does no unrighteousness (Ps. 119:3). This is the one who is not ashamed (Ps. 119:6). This is the one who is not forsaken of God (Ps. 119:8).

Go Dogs, and Eat the Garbage!

2007-02-02T14:03:00.000-08:00

I thought this quote from Pastor John's sermon was really good. It comes from "The Soul Winner," by Charles Spurgeon. Especially as we think about how much Christians today desire to indulge in the pleasures of the world, this word is particularly appropriate. Here it is in its entirety:

"So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Philippians 2:15

I believe that one reason why the church at this present moment has so little influence over the world, is because the world has so much influence over the church! Nowadays, we hear professors pleading that they may do this, and do that--that they may live like worldlings. My sad answer to them, when they crave this liberty is, "Do it if you dare. It may not cost you much hurt, for you are so bad already. Your cravings show how rotten your hearts are. If you are hungering after such dog's food--go dogs, and eat the garbage!

Worldly amusements are fit food for pretenders and hypocrites. If you were God's children, you would loathe the thought of the world's evil joys. Your question would not be, "How far may we be like the world?" but your cry would be, "How can we get away from the world? How can we come out of it?"

"Whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable,
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
--think about such things." Philippians 4:8

The Winds of Change

2007-01-31T10:17:00.000-08:00

It is exciting to be a part of the church particularly during times of transition. With the change at LBC from regional flocks to affinity groups, it will be good to see how the members adjust to the changes and participate in the life of the body. This isn't a first time of major transition for the church. In the past, I may have been wary about how the church would respond to change, but now I can simply look to the pattern that has already been set. One thing that really stands out about this little congregation is their commitment to ministry and each other regardless of the structure and their trust in the leadership's guidance during the church's growing years.

There is some room for concern, though, that as the years have progressed the excitement for ministry has diminished. We no longer have that first year church plant feel and sometimes the ministry can feel like a week to week grind. It's in light of this that I really appreciate Pastor Steve's New Year's Eve message about the one resolution to not forget our first love (cf. Rev. 2:4), as well as Pastor John's exhortations for us to consider our love for Christ in the midst of service. Do you love Jesus? Is He the true reason why you come to church? Why you serve? Why you fellowship?

We must be careful not to allow a spirit of laziness or apathy to pervade the church. There are many Christians who feel as though church is peripheral. It is not as important as family, work, or school. There are many who feel as though commitment to the church is too burdensome, or that ministry should only be done when it is convenient. There are many who would stay up late nights to study for school. There are many who would put in overtime at work. There are many who would drive long hours to visit family. But the same are reluctant to give the same way to Christ's church.

Remember that ministry is not always easy, though at times it is. Sometimes it really will challenge us to remember why we serve in the first place. If we do these things according to our own strength, we are guaranteed to fail (cf. John 15:5). If we trust in the Lord finding strength in Him, we are promised not to grow weary or faint (cf. Isa. 40:31).

Perhaps this time of transition for LBC is a good time for all the members to examine your hearts. Do you love Jesus? Do you find joy in living for Him and being a part of His body? Where do you find your strength? In whom do you rely? How will you continue to love one another and serve one another, and do this with willing and joyful hearts?

The Call to Prayer

2006-11-03T14:22:00.000-08:00

This Thursday, I had the privilege of speaking to Crossroads Campus Ministry at UCSD on the topic of prayer. This is one of those issues that all believers understand is something they need to apply in their lives, and yet almost all of the Christians I know would say that their prayer lives are not where they would like them to be. I really believe that one of the reasons we fail in prayer the way we do is because Christ does not remain central in our prayer lives. All true believers would hold that salvation comes not as a result of our work or merit but completely by the grace of God (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). There is thus a willingness on our parts to glorify Christ for our salvation and to keep him central in the doctrine of justification.

A shift in centrality tends to take place, however, when it comes to how we pray. It seems as though in prayer we remove Christ as the central focus and place ourselves in that place of centrality instead. We pray for our felt needs, our desires, our will, and we fail not only to acknowledge God's will, but also to desire it at all.

It is no surprise that God desires our prayers. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 teaches us to pray without ceasing. Colossians 4:2 tells us to devote ourselves to prayer. And Jesus assumes prayer in His instruction in Matthew 6 ("When you pray..."). This is more than a call to discipline, though prayer definitely is a discipline we need to maintain and develop. We must remember that we have access to the Creator of the universe and He desires to hear from us! Do we have a desire to speak with Him?

For more on prayer, John Piper offers helpful insight into God's purpose in prayer in his book, Let the Nations Be Glad.

Reaching Souls in Argentina and the Czech Republic

2006-08-25T09:30:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since our last post since Pastor John is enjoying his sabbatical and I have been away in Argentina for the past couple of weeks. Hopefully I will be able to get back on track soon and put up new posts. It is good to be back in San Diego but it was definitely difficult to leave Argentina. What a wonderful experience it was! In the city of Tucuman we were able to focus on two neighborhoods in a five day door-to-door ministry sharing the gospel for almost six hours a day. I don’t think anyone on our team had ever had such concentrated evangelistic ministry before in their lives.

It was awesome being able to work with the members from Missionary Bible Church and the interpreters from Word of Life in Buenos Aires. By God’s plan, we also were able to work with some local unbelieving interpreters. We had the opportunity to share the gospel with them throughout the week and they also were able to translate it for us over and over during the evangelistic campaign. It was great that they were able to have so much exposure to the gospel message. Praise God also that He allowed us to see some of the fruit of our efforts as we witnessed a good handful of people from the neighborhoods and possibly even some of the interpreters respond in faith to the message of the gospel.

There is a lot of talk lately about what kinds of strategies the church should adopt to engage the culture around us. But in all the debate about cultural relevance, we must be careful not to miss the point that the Bible has given us exactly the strategy that we need: Preach the whole counsel of God and the true gospel and God will work through the message preached to save sinners. This is a principle that extends to all cultures and peoples. If we dumb down the gospel or start redefining it, we play with the God-given message of salvation. This is what is so great about the trips to the Czech Republic and Argentina (one a highly atheistic nation and the other a predominantly Roman Catholic nation). We have witnessed the trustworthiness of this principle to preach the Word in season and out of season (2 Tim. 4:2) and we have seen people saved as a result of the message preached.

I am very excited to hear of how this year’s Czech Republic summer mission went. The Czech team arrived the day before the Argentina team departed so there was not much opportunity to hear stories from them. I am definitely looking forward to the two missions report nights on September 10 (Czech Team) and 24 (Argentina Team). I cannot express how blessed we are to be able to work alongside like-minded churches in other countries reaching souls for Christ.

Recommended Books

2006-07-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

A question was brought up at church during a Question/Answer session that I thought would be good to post a blog about. Someone asked Pastor John which books had he read (besides the Bible) that were most influential to him. I suppose John will want to post his own list of books at some later date when he returns from his sabbatical, but I thought I would post a list of books that were particularly influential to me. It is probably important to note first that I am not as well-read as Pastor John, so his list of books come from a greater pool of knowledge. Also, this list is not my attempt at the best books ever written (I'm sure others will have suggestions of books that were left off the list), only the books that have made the strongest impact on my life. With that said, here is my list of books (not in any particular order):

1. Disciplines of a Godly Man, R. Kent Hughes
This book was particularly influential during college in helping me understand biblically what it means to be a strong, godly man. It became even more important to me after I was able to sit under Kent Hughes' teaching during a class in seminary and to see that he not only wrote it, but lives it as well. I remember thinking after reading this book that there are a great many aspects about my life that need to change.

2. The Gospel according to the Apostles, John MacArthur (a.k.a. Faith Works)
This book was a bit less technical than its prequel (The Gospel according to Jesus). It was the book that really helped me get my arms around the whole "Lordship Salvation" issue. MacArthur does a great job proving from Scripture that a changed life is indicative of true saving faith.

3. Today's Gospel: Authentic or Synthetic, Walter Chantry
One of the greatest finds you can make is small books with huge impact. Today's Gospel is one such book. Using the story of the rich young ruler from the book of Mark, Chantry walks through a biblical presentation of the whole gospel. A great book to read along with this one is Will Metzger's, Tell the Truth.

4. Let the Nations Be Glad, John Piper
After reading this book, it's hard not to want to travel to the ends of the earth preaching the gospel of Christ. Piper's missiology is refreshingly God-centered. The book begins by hammering down this thought, "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't."

5. Light from Old Times, J. C. Ryle
Ryle's account of the English Reformers who were burned at the stake by "Bloody Mary" is incredibly moving and inspiring. As you read through the lives of men like Hugh Latimer, John Hooper, Nicholas Ridley, and Thomas Cranmer, your heart will be set on fire because you will know the sacrifices men have made for the sake of the gospel.

6. Holiness, J. C. Ryle
Each chapter in this book cut like a knife into my heart. I felt like Isaiah when he saw the holiness of God in Isaiah 6, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." Ryle helped me attain a glimpse of God's holiness and a greater awareness of the necessity of holy living for the believer.

7. When People Are Big and God Is Small, Ed Welch
I did not think I had a big problem with the fear of man before I read this book. After I read this book I realized how much of my life was governed by the way others viewed me. Welch confronted my pride like few other books have ever done and helped me see a problem in myself that I previously had not seen.

8. Brothers, We Are Not Professionals, John Piper
This book has been helpful in understanding the importance of biblical pastoral ministry. Since I have not finished it yet, I can't give a complete review. But Pastor John, Raymond Kim, and I have been going through it together and so far it has been a tremendous blessing. It is not only for pastors. Any believer would be helped by reading this book. The chapter on a biblical view towards baptism is especially good.

9. Lectures to My Students, Charles Spurgeon
If you are considering full-time ministry as a pastor or missionary, this book is required reading. Spurgeon deals with a number of issues regarding the heart of the man who is called by God for pastoral ministry. He will help you think through the decision-making process of going into ministry.

10. Can Man Live without God? Ravi Zacharias
This is a great book that takes on some of the philosophies of the world . . . and beats them to a pulp. It was a particularly great book for me since I minored in philosophy in college. It helped answer many questions I had about answers to critics of the Bible and it helps to show the utter meaninglessness of life without Creator God.

Honorable Mentions:
The Cross-Centered Life, C. J. Mahaney
Spiritual Leadership, J. Oswald Sanders
Fundamentals of the Faith, Grace Community Church
Desiring God, John Piper
The Minister as Shepherd, Charles Jefferson
Repentance and 20th Century Man, C. John Miller
The Gospel according to Jesus, John MacArthur
The Master's Plan for the Church, John MacArthur
Tell the Truth, Will Metzger
Not Even a Hint, Joshua Harris
Nine Marks of a Healthy Church, Mark Dever
The Pursuit of Holiness, Jerry Bridges

I'm sure there are more, but this is what I can think of off the top of my head. I'll have to peruse my shelves to see if I've forgotten any.

EV in the Community

2006-07-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

The Argentina Mission team had an opportunity this past Sunday to go door to door in order to share the gospel with our neighbors in the local community. This was an important part of our missions training since this is what we will mostly be doing in Tucuman. Aside from the 100 degree weather, things were really amazing. The team came back with really encouraging testimonies as well as lessons learned and even funny experiences. All in all, it was a profitable time to practice much of what we have been covering in our team meetings - understanding the whole gospel and preaching it to others.

One reflection I had as I was knocking on doors was how sad it was that people refused to even listen to the gospel. Some simply said they weren't interested and closed their doors. Others gave a look of scorn as they informed me that they were of another faith. Others were polite but refused to listen nonetheless. I couldn't help but remember Jesus' lesson in Matthew 19:23. It is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. In affluent San Diego, where the people are comfortably living their plush lives, it will be hard for people to respond to the gospel message. Who will recognize their desperate need for a Savior if they are enjoying everything their heart desires? Who needs Jesus when you have a home, a car (or two or three), cable TV, wireless internet, multiple bank accounts, and an IRA?

The hope that I carried with me as I talked to those in the neighborhood was that God is sovereign in evangelism! Without this truth, I might have given up and simply conceded that no one would listen. But the promise that kept resonating in my mind was that God might have other sheep in the community (John 10:16). Though house after house might close their doors to the message of the gospel, there might be one household who would be ready to hear the Word of truth, to trust in Christ as their Lord and Savior, and to live new lives as new creations for His glory.

I was so encouraged to find the team enthusiastic about the experience. We went out into the community tired and hot. We returned with our hearts strengthened and much more prepared to handle the barrios of Tucuman. Praise the Lord!

Prayer for Missions

2006-06-28T16:42:00.000-07:00

It's June 28, which means that the LBC Argentina mission team departs in just thirty-four days! And the Czech Republic team leaves in less than two weeks! Time is quickly winding down as both teams make their final preparations and raise their final support. It is an exciting time for sure, but it has also been easy to become anxious. Even though we are returning to the Czech Republic for the sixth time it is still impossible to foresee every contingency and there is still a great deal to plan. For the Argentina team, last year's trip was our first and we are very much looking forward to building upon the relationships that were begun. However, with that trip we do not have the advantage of years of experience in that country.

It becomes very tempting in light of the circumstances and our inability to foresee all the challenges to simply plan more and more. Plan for hardship. Plan for unforeseen hindrances. Plan for financial setbacks. Of course planning is good but everything gets turned upside down if we plan to the point that we neglect the Lord's plan. "The mind of a man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps," Proverbs 16:9. One of the most encouraging aspects about this year's missions preparations is the commitment that the teams have had to prayer.

Please pray during these last few weeks. The teams have been praying but hopefully our senders are also praying (as they indicated on their support cards!). We trust that the church has been praying. Hopefully our families and friends have been praying. With so much planning, it is easy to start trusting in our own preparedness and to neglect the crucial lessons that God might be trying to teach us along the way. Think of the number of missed opportunities, missed life-lessons, missed blessings all because of our failure to seek the Lord in prayer. We recognize that God is the one who has orchestrated everything thus far in our preparations, and He is the one who will see the work to completion. Praise God for His sovereignty in all things!

The Da Vinci Code - Muddling Fact and Fiction

2006-05-31T22:58:00.000-07:00

After all the press releases and online interactions with and criticisms and praises of The Da Vinci Code, I finally caved in and read the book last week. I have to admit that it was a thrilling read and was at times very difficult to put down. The first half of the book was especially good. At times the dialogue was tedious and read much like a textbook or documentary and Brown did not do much with character development, but the plot is what drives this book. The twists, shockers, and surprises at the end of each chapter made the novel read much like one of these television mini-series. As much as many people are hooked on “24” or “LOST,” I have to admit that I was pretty hooked on The Da Vinci Code. If you’re looking for a spectacular, knock-you-out-of-your-seat ending, you’ll be disappointed, but it’s still an entertaining read.

That having been said, as entertaining as it was, the book caused me great concern and much of its contents were quite disturbing. As many have read in the press releases, Dan Brown is not shy about making claims about the historical accuracy of much of the book. Although it is written in the genre of fiction, the book still instructs its readers about various facts and interesting conjectures of history. There is much written concerning art history, European history, and even church history. The problem with this is that Brown does not care to make any distinction between what is true history and what is mere speculation. Most of the claims are presented by characters who are supposed experts of symbology and history who have spent their lifetimes studying such “facts.” And most of the claims ooze believability in the way they are presented.

One of the areas of greatest concern is that when it comes to church history in particular, Brown’s research is less than extraordinary and at times very misleading. Coupled with the fact that many of his claims about church history are made in the immediate context of other interesting facts about art history and symbology, the book essentially deceives readers into believing that the historical claims are all equally true (and this doesn’t take into account that not all of Brown’s claims about art history and European history are very good either).

One example of Brown’s mishandling of art history is with Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” This mural depicts the scene in the gospels when Jesus reveals to His disciples in the Upper Room that one of them would betray Him. In The Da Vinci Code, one of the characters points to the fact that at Christ’s right hand, the seat of honor, is not the Apostle John as the vast majority of art historians claim, but actually Mary Magdalene – Jesus’ alleged wife. Woven through the entire plot of the novel is a contrived conspiracy about the Roman Catholic Church and a clandestine group called The Priority of Sion seeking to squelch the truth that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were actually married and bore children. The Holy Grail, then, is not the cup from which Christ drank, but the “holy bloodline” of Christ. This, of course, does not take into account that even Da Vinci’s own notes explain that it is indeed John the Baptist seated at Christ’s right hand – not Mary Magdalene!

One of the biggest heresies in the book is the claim that Jesus was not considered to be divine by His followers until A.D. 325 at the Council of Nicea. Here’s an excerpt from the book:

“My dear,” Teabing declared, “until that moment in history [the Council of Nicea in A.D. 325], Jesus was viewed by His followers as a mortal prophet. . . a great and powerful man, but a man nevertheless. A mortal.”
“Not the Son of God?”
“Right," Teabing said. "Jesus' establishment as the Son of God was officially proposed and voted on by the Council of Nicaea.”
“Hold on. You're saying Jesus divinity was the result of a vote?”
“A relatively close vote at that,” Teabing added (pg. 233).

Of course, anyone who has read the New Testament or studied church history even in a cursory way knows that Jesus’ divinity was not invented in the early 4th century. The Council of Nicea was made necessary because a man named Arius and his followers refused to believe that Christ was of the same substance as God. They claimed that Christ was a created being and not God in the flesh. Contrary to The Da Vinci Code, Jesus’ divinity was believed and confessed by all of His true followers up to the Council of Nicea and even to today. Not only this, but the result of the vote at Nicea was a 300 to 2 landslide in favor of the orthodox belief that Jesus was indeed God, “true God from true God” – hardly a close vote!

There are many more unfortunate historical discrepancies in The Da Vinci Code, but the purpose of this post is to alert the reader to its dangers. If anything, it is probably better to read the historical claims in the novel with a degree of doubt rather than to take everything written at face value. Unfortunately, not all of the book’s readers have done so. One poll suggested that up to 60% of the people who have read the novel believe Jesus was actually married. This is just one indicator of the book’s tremendous influence.

For more on The Da Vinci Code, visit the website created by the staff at Westminster Theological Seminary: www.thetruthaboutdavinci.com.

Importance of the Local Church

2006-05-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

As I wrote the previous entry, I realized that there are a number of things that should have been defined clearly as I don't want to assume that people automatically understand what I am talking about. So I will attempt to provide some foundational points in continuing on the topic of parachurch ministries. What is a local church? Essentially, it would refer to a body of believers that are the visible representation of the invisible, universal church, which is comprised of the body of Christ worldwide. The local church is to be governed by qualified leaders (1 Timothy 3; Titus 1) who are called to shepherd the flock according to the standards and parameters set by the Scriptures. The local church is the body in which all the one anothers are to be fleshed out in obedience to Christ. 1 Corinthians 12 gives a great analogy of the physical body as an illustration of how the body of Christ is to work. The local church is where the ordinances of baptism and communion are to be practiced. While a local church is by no means perfect in its representation of the body of Christ, it is the primary vehicle through which God is carrying out the New Testament plan of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20). The local church does include unbelievers in attendance, though their attendance does not make them a part of the universal body of Christ. But in the end, the local church is the institution through which God has and will continue to fulfill His plans.

What is a para-church? My simple definition is this - a particular ministry with a particular purpose for a particular group of people for a particular period of time. Examples of para-church ministries would be college campus ministries such as Campus Crusade for Christ, Navigators, Inter-Varsity. Other examples would be seminaries, missions organizations, Christian publishing houses, specialized ministries for the homeless, counseling ministries, and the list goes on. The basic premise of a para-church ministry is that it would come alongside ("para") and assist the church in areas where churches might be deficient in their ability to minister. Many of the mega-churches today have the capacity and ability to provide and oversee a multitude of ministries, which result in less of a dependence on para-church ministries to cover particular needs. On the other hand, small churches are often very short-handed in their ability to minister to and reach out to people of various backgrounds. Some churches end up becoming very dependent on various para-church ministries to provide ministry for collegians, for overseas missions, etc.

The reason why I felt compelled to share about this issue is because there is a very REAL problem with the understanding of the role of the local church by many who have, whether intentionally or not, diminished, demeaned, and even boldly claimed the demise of the local church in favor of what recently has been advocated by George Barna in his book, "Revolution" - the idea of just independent gatherings of believers outside the context of the local church since so many local churches have failed in fulfilling their calling. This kind of mentality is dangerous in that it breeds the kind of entrepreneurial mentality towards the church that pushes for a very man-centered and man-driven organization versus a God-centered and God-driven obedience to the Word of God. While I can sympathize and identify with many of the criticisms that people have about the local church (just ask me to share about my 10 year experience in the Korean church scene), I still have hope and confidence that because it is God's church and since Jesus Christ is the head of the church, we can forge ahead and pursue the ministry of the local church with vigor and enthusiasm because we can see God do the work that He promised to do, that is, that He will build the church and the gates of Hades will not stand against it.

One verse that really has been a tremendous blessing as well as a reminder to keep my focus in the right place is Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." This is the passage where we first set our hopes back in March 1998 when we started praying for the planting of Lighthouse Bible Church. I can say with confidence that God has truly fulfilled this passage in so many ways as we have absolutely seen God do exceeding abundantly beyond what we asked for or thought. We have seen His power at work and because it is His power that is the source behind all that has taken place, we give Him all the praise and glory in this church!!

As I shared this past Sunday about my own struggles and my shortcomings, it is a clear reminder of my inability and frailty to do anything on my own. But with God's power, we are given abundant grace to be used by our Lord to fulfill our roles in the body of Christ and what we see now at LBC is the fruit of obedience and commitment to God's design and plan rather than following our own or what the latest fad advocates. So consider the high calling of being a part of a local church that seeks God's glory and run with it!!

It Is God’s Church – Not Your Church

2006-05-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

If you attend Lighthouse long enough you are bound to hear some teaching about the priority of the local church. This is one of the firm convictions of LBC since the Scriptures teach that the church is God’s one ordained institution that He will use to carry out His will and purpose in the world. In Matthew 16:18, after Peter’s great confession, Christ says that He would build His church. It is interesting that Christ does not say, “I will build THE church.” It is HIS church. It has always been His church and has never been our church. Because the church is Christ’s we ought to have the same understanding about it that Christ had, namely a biblical understanding as it is revealed in Christ’s Word.

In Acts 20:28, Paul instructs the Ephesian elders to “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” In Matthew 16, Christ declared that the church was His church. In the Acts passage, Paul gives the reason why it is Christ’s – Christ purchased the church with His own blood. This certainly buttresses the notion that Christ can lay claim to the church. He determines what the church is and how it is to be run. This is the reason why Paul even sees the role of an elder as a divinely ordained position, “among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers” (cf. 1 Tim 3). The elders would have no authority in the church if it had not first been given to them by God.

1 Corinthians 4:17 gives another picture of what it means that the church is God’s divinely ordained institution. Paul tells the Corinthians in that passage that he would send Timothy to remind the church of his ways. Paul says that his ways “are in Christ, just as I teach everywhere in every church.” There was no room for human invention when it came to the work of the ministry. Paul was devoted to Christ’s ways – he made Christ’s ways his ways. Notice also the consistency with which Paul did his ministry. It was this way “everywhere in every church.” This Christ-centered ministry permeated his missions work because he understood that the church was God’s church and not his church (cf. 1 Cor 1:2).

It is God’s church and so God appoints the leaders. It is God’s church so God directs the ministry. In this very tangible way, Christ is building His church. This is the reason why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:28 that God has appointed in the church the various ministers and ministries. God governs the order in the church because it is His church (cf. 1 Cor 14:33). What greater statement is there about Christ’s identity with the church than Ephesians 1:22-23, “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all”? The church is described as the body of Christ. He is the head of the church and the church is subject to His headship (Eph 5:23-24; cf. Col 1:18). This is not an overbearing, cruel headship, but a loving relationship that shows Christ’s unbreakable commitment to His church. The language of Ephesians 5 is sometimes hard to follow because of the intermingling of imagery between Christ and the church and the husband and the wife. The marriage relationship is to be a picture of Christ’s commitment to the church. It is no wonder then that God hates divorce (Mal 2:16).

One potential point of confusion that I am happy Pastor John brought up is the distinction between the church and the parachurch. One of the reasons why this is a point of confusion is that it is a comparison of two institutions – one divinely ordained in Scripture and the other conceived by men. In this sense, the two are not comparable as two of the same kind. Rather, they must be examined as two different things.

I want to emphasize that I am not in any way saying that God cannot use the parachurch for His purposes. He certainly has and continues to do so. I am not saying that the parachurch is incapable of any good. Certainly I can bear testimony to the amazing ministry that parachurches provide having been part of an amazing parachurch ministry in college and even after college in seminary. The point that I am making is that if one really desires to be committed to ministry as God intended ministry to be done, he must primarily be committed to the church. Although the New Testament speaks of the universal, invisible, catholic church, it is also clear that the working out of ministry is done by means of local churches. In this sense, it might be argued that ontologically as believers we find identity in the universal church. But economically, our function as believers is best understood in the context of the local church. Regardless of whether you are involved in parachurch ministry or not, as helpful as parachurch ministry can be, as believers you are called to work out your spiritual giftedness and abilities in the church, because it is His church.

I want to elaborate on the differences between the church and the parachurch, but I will have to save that for a later time since this entry is getting long.

Lighthouse Bible Church IS a Local Church!!

2006-04-13T23:01:00.000-07:00

As I have promised to those who have asked, I will be posting on topics that will no doubt generate some measure of controversy as I will press some of the hot button topics that many of our members have had to confront.

The local church versus parachurch controversy has long been an issue, not just in San Diego with LBC but throughout the Christian community nationwide, if not worldwide. Contrary to some reports by various individuals and parachurch ministries, I have never once stated that I hate parachurch ministries, believe that parachurch ministries are evil, or have pushed for people to leave parachurch ministries. I do have many concerns though, and I will stress several of them here.

Concern #1 - A Disregard for the Importance of the Local Church Ministry

There are many who have experienced many blessings through parachurch ministries (myself included) and there is no doubt that God can and will use various parachurch ministries to help people grow. But what is disconcerting is how many will show a passive attitude or even worse, a disdain for the importance of the local church. Granted, there are many local churches that have not conducted themselves well and are often unable to provide the breadth of ministries that are needed, especially for collegians. So many collegians, finding the convenience of a parachurch ministry to be quite the draw, will immerse themselves into the campus ministry, joining small groups, service teams, retreats, seminars, leadership roles and meetings, and a host of activities that will often keep them quite busy throughout the week and even the weekend, to the point where any discretionary time will be quickly taken up. With the demand for academic studies, other extra-curricular activities, the first candidate for getting axed out of the regular schedule will often be involvement in the local church. This is justified by many claiming that since they are involved in the "universal church" through the parachurch, there should be no problems with their lack of involvement.

This in itself is problematic in that the understanding of the "universal church" was never meant to be a justification to avoid being committed to the local church ministry. 1 Timothy 3:15 states the words of the apostle Paul:

But in case I am delayed, I write so that you may know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.

This follows the section on church leaders as well as conduct within the church relating to men's and women's roles and so there seems to be a clear indication that there is to be a certain structure and guidelines that a church must follow in order to constitute a legitimate local church body. There is supposed to be a clear accountability to God's Word as well as to the leaders that God calls for a church to submit to that needs to be in place (Hebrews 13:17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

My concern is with those who would advocate that involvement in a parachurch ministry can be a legitimate replacement for the local church. I would say that involvement in a parachurch ministry is fine but must be subordinate to a commitment to the local church being primary.

I was an advisor to a campus ministry a number of years ago and one of the servant leaders communicated that she was going to step down from her responsibilities at the parachurch ministry due to the fact that her load was quite heavy and that she couldn't do both the parachurch and her local church ministry. The response of the core leaders was quite surprising to me as they made an issue of her integrity to maintaining her commitment, while at the same time disregarding the policy that had been communicated to everyone that if one had to choose between local church and parachurch ministry, it would be no question that one should stick with the local church. When I brought this up, the leaders simply dismissed it and insisted that the greater issue was the integrity of the individual for not carrying out her commitment at the parachurch ministry. This to me showed an utter disregard for the importance of the local church ministry.

I recently had a discussion with a leader from another parachurch ministry who was surprised to hear me state the "priority" of the local church. He asked me to define that distinction and what ensued was a very enlightening response which simply portrayed a position that saw no distinction between the local church and the parachurch ministry. This again showed me a disregard for what seems to be a clear presentation of the New Testament about the importance of being involved in the local church.

It might be that because many have had negative experiences in a local church and a positive experience in a parachurch ministry that this kind of attitude might arise. Admittedly, there are many churches who unfortunately have not done a good job in fulfilling what the Scriptures call a church to be. But just because there is an abuse does not mean that the principle is wrong (as I have been told so many times regarding other issues). What really needs to be addressed is the lack of accountability that so many parachurch ministries have, no matter how well-intentioned they might be.

It is no surprise that many parachurch ministries fluctuate tremendously from year to year depending on the level of spirituality shown by the members. Doctrinal distinctives often change with the tide and whatever happens to be the flavor of the month will often dictate what will set the tone. Since there are no clear parameters set (other than to be as minimal as possible so as to provide the widest range of availability), decisions are made that often contradict the original intentions of those who founded the ministry. This is exactly what I found in the parachurch ministry that I was involved with, which had very purposely worked toward putting ourselves out of existence as a parachurch ministry as the goal was to equip people to strengthen the churches. But this purpose was later cast aside because, as I was told, "things had changed" and what might have been true before was no longer valid.

My challenge to parachurches would be this - how is it that the standards of a ministry can be so vague, especially when it comes to the qualifications of leaders when the Scriptures call very clearly for character and proven-ness, especially that no new convert should be a leader because of the danger of pride? How is it that individuals who would never qualify as an elder, deacon, or deaconess at a local church could so easily be given a role where there is teaching, shepherding, and training involved without proper equipping? How is it that someone can lead a discipleship small group when he or she has not been properly discipled? I have seen this happen time and time again, with the consequences being that of many who receive superficial help, often times outright dangerous counsel that is devoid of Biblical principles and authority. It is no surprise then to see many upon graduating from college go backwards, even to go as far as to deny the faith, which I have unfortunately seen take place even with those from my college years.

Lighthouse has had the opportunity to provide the kind of shepherding ministry that fulfills the Titus 2 mandate (older men/women training the younger men/women) as well as to provide the kind of accountability that individuals need through the membership process and accountability. The elders of the church take very seriously the role of shepherding the flock because we know that many are exposed to all sorts of dangerous influences that undermine the Lordship of Christ and the authority, sufficiency, and clarity of Scripture. With all the latest fads (i.e. seeker-sensitive churches, emergent churches, egalitarianism, open theism, etc.), there is a desperate need for believers to have the kind of shepherding that will protect them from the savage wolves that will come from WITHIN the church!!

Acts 20:27-30
For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them.

This was Paul speaking to the elders of the Ephesian church and as he met them in Miletus, he gave them his final words as he anticipated his arrest in Jerusalem. Notice that Paul addresses them as "overseers" and that they are called to "shepherd the church of God." This is exactly what takes place in the "evangelical" world today - herds of wolves who infiltrate the church with all sorts of error, all in the name of "doing good."

It is on many occasions (though not exclusively) that doctrinal deviance takes place in parachurch ministries and there is absolutely no accountability or safeguards that are in place to protect people from bad doctrine. The local church with a godly eldership was God's design to protect the church. Again, it is unfortunate that many churches have not provided this but this does not mean that God's design has failed. It means that man has been disobedient and instead of changing God's design, we should actually FOLLOW IT!!!

I know that this has ended up being only the first concern - I will follow this up with more concerns shortly.

But suffice it to say - I truly do love the local church ministry that we have at Lighthouse and pray that we will humbly honor God through our obedience to fulfill the calling of what a church is meant to be according to His Word. We also need to pray for our sister local churches to really fulfill God's calling as well. We do need to pray for parachurch ministries as well so that they would honor God and respect His Word concerning the ministry of the local church.