Preparing for Ordination

A lot of people have been asking me, “What is ordination all about?” I thought I could make things a bit easier by posting something on my brain so I could direct people here if they wanted to find out more about ordination.

John MacArthur writes, “Ordination is the act whereby a church officially acknowledges the calling and qualifications of a man for ministry.” That’s basically ordination in a nutshell. At Lighthouse, ordination will involve a really difficult examination of my life, Bible knowledge, and practical understanding of Scripture to prove that I am fit for ministry. This is important because it gives the church more of a chance to prayerfully consider my position as pastor. Remember that the early church spent time in prayer and fasting before it chose its leaders (cf. Acts 14:23). This also gives me a chance to show the church that I am competent to teach and that my views of Scripture are in line with the church’s.

Lighthouse hasn’t necessarily finalized its ordination process, but I am sure it will contain at least an extensive oral examination in which I will be tested in three major areas: general Bible knowledge, systematic theology, and practical theology. In the first section, I will be expected to know the themes and outlines of every book of the Bible. I will also need to know key chapters, verses, people, and dates for each book. In the second section, I will be asked various questions from any facet of systematic theology. The examiners could ask me questions about God, man, salvation, end times, etc. and I would be expected to answer the questions with support from Scripture. I would also have to know about other major world religions and cults and be able to refute their beliefs from Scripture. In the third section, I would be asked any question related to the application of Scripture. These questions might be asked in the form of hypothetical counseling situations. I could be asked about my views of homosexuality, women’s roles, parenting, psychology, etc. and I would be expected to defend my answers from Scripture. The entire exam would most likely be from memory without notes or open Bible (though I might suggest that at least the practical theology section should be open Bible). Basically, I will need to memorize the Bible.

It’s a long process, but I don’t consider it a waste of time. Yes, the church is busy, but this is the kind of study that I think every genuine Christian would die to be a part of. I get to dig into the wealth of Scripture and immerse myself in it for the next several months. There is a bit of apprehension just because I know things will be busy with the church plant, 10 year anniversary, missions, and everything else that’s going on in the church. But I am confident that God will see me through. I appreciate all the prayers that the church family are lifting up on my behalf. In many ways, you will be like Aaron and Hur were to Moses in supporting his arms during Israel’s battle against Amalek (cf. Exod. 17). I am confident that God will grant success through your many prayers.

After serving at LBC for the past ten years, I think it’s about time for my ordination. I knew I didn’t want to get ordained right out of seminary because I wanted at least a few years of ministry experience first. I wanted to be at a place where the church could be confident of my ability as a teacher and could trust my leadership and character. I’m so thankful for a loving church that cares for me and my family. I’m looking forward to being even more cemented into the ministry at Lighthouse through my ordination. Feel free to ask if you have any questions!

Churching in Seattle

Christine and I decided to visit Mars Hill’s Ballard campus yesterday morning. We had some trouble finding the campus at first (my GPS is crazy), but got there on time since we left really early. Although we were hoping to hear Pastor Mark Driscoll, who was off on vacation (we missed him by a week!), we were not at all disappointed by Tim Smith’s message from Psalm 73. He spoke for over an hour so we felt completely at home, and the message was really, really good (I looked online this morning and they hadn’t posted the sermon). The whole service was pretty impressive with the funky music and the lights. We even got to sit in for their baptism service and took communion there, too. It is a huge church and we had to sit in the back because we didn’t want to disrupt the service with the baby. All in all, it was a really great Sunday. I’d love to go back and visit again. Maybe next time, we’ll get a chance to hear from Driscoll. =)

It was weird not being at Lighthouse. Whenever he goes away, John tells me he thinks about what is going on at LBC. It’s funny that I was doing that, too. I would think, “Oh, they’re probably singing right now,” or “They must have just finished the sermon and Peter’s introducing the hymn.” Although it’s great to get away and get some rest, I miss home. I can’t wait to be back with my church family. I’m sure 2009 will be a busy and tiring year (celebrating 10 years!), but hopefully it will be a good tired at the end of it. I’m so thankful for the church and am blessed that I get to serve together with the family at Lighthouse.

Calling All Troops

“Life is war.” John Piper expressed this thought in his book, Let the Nations Be Glad. In the calm comfort of San Diego living, oftentimes it is easy to be lulled into a numb passivity where we forget that war rages all around us. A good friend reminded me this week that Satan hates godly leaders and godly churches. The more Lighthouse strives to be a church that upholds a high view of God and His Word, we can be sure that spiritual attacks will abound. But are we in a state of readiness? Are our days reinforced with prayer to withstand the onslaught of attacks? Do we remember Christ’s instructions, “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5)? Please pray for the church, for one another, for the leaders, and for our pastor. Pray that even though we undergo serious times of spiritual warfare, Christ would see us through. Now is a particular time where the church can rally together in prayer, encouragement, and support.

“Keeping Christ the Center”

Although the College Life Retreat was physically tiring, spiritually I came back entirely refreshed and renewed. What a great time with Pastor Peter Kim speaking on the centrality of Christ in our lives! The messages are still fresh on my mind, which is a good indicator of the impact they made. I was particularly blessed by Saturday evening’s message entitled, “Christ the Humble Servant.”

One thought stood out that I had not considered before. Pastor Peter rightly stated that if Christ had come as some great ruler like a Caesar, it still would have been incredibly humbling for Him. Yet, He came not as a great ruler with tremendous earthly power. He came humbly – His birth was humble, His name was humble, His hometown was humble, His family was humble. To think that Christ endured all that for a world full of people who sin against Him is incredibly humbling. To think that Christ endured all that for me is even more humbling.

The fellowship was great this weekend. The games and activities were a blast. But I praise God for the messages from Hebrews and Philippians that really made this weekend! Let’s keep Christ the center!

College Study Hall

Ah, the college life! Since it’s finals week for our beloved UCSD students, we have opened up the church building once again for our late night study hall. By God’s providence, I actually have something to study this time around and am not just in some other room watching Pirates of the Caribbean.

Finals week brings back some sweet memories. One time a group of us went out to a truck stop diner to pull an all-nighter. I think we ended up spending two or three days there consecutively just sitting in the booth, having fun, and getting some occasional studying done. The waitress was ever so kind allowing us to help ourselves to soda and coffee. When I had a final exam, the others would watch my stuff and when I returned I would watch their stuff during their exams. It was a good system. Unfortunately, that diner eventually closed down and became a McDonald’s. What about showers and hygiene you ask? Don’t ask. Let’s just say we had a lot of gum.

Anyway, collegians, know that the staff is praying for you this week that you would do your best in your studies to the glory of God. Remember that life is more than school and grades and jobs and salaries. Life is about living for the One who by grace died in your place for your sins and provided a means for you to have the hope of life. It is by grace that you are in school and have the opportunity to exalt God in your finals.

Good Fellowship

I was able to enjoy some really great times of fellowship today with my small group guys and some others whom I meet up with regularly. Funny that I was originally going to cancel on everyone because I was pretty drained today. By God’s grace, I’m thankful that I didn’t cancel these meetings because I walked away from each refreshed, encouraged, and edified! Proverbs 16:24 is indeed true, “Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”

For a long time I’ve held the opinion that if there was anything LBC could work on, it would be its genuine fellowship. Although I feel as though many of the relationships in the church are sweet and friendships close, still many of the conversations we have are shallow and focused on topics that are spiritually useless. (I’m sure all churches can improve on this.) However, I’ve seen this change within the last few months and it has been a huge encouragement. Of course, we are nowhere near perfect, but I have had and witnessed some really wonderful conversations with various members. These talks are focused on God and His Word and are coupled with prayer. As these kinds of conversations continue, I trust that the relationships within the church family will deepen further as we continue to encourage each other with those sweet, healing words.

On Your MARK, Get Set, Go!

On Friday evening at College Life Searchlight, I plan to begin our series in the Book of Mark. It has been really amazing reading through the life of Christ a little more carefully, and studying the background to the Gospel has also been stimulating. It’s always interesting how when you read through a book more carefully you see things that you might have missed in the past. Although Mark is the shortest of the Gospels, it is still packed with great themes and amazing theology. I must admit, though, that there is some hesitation with venturing into one of the Gospels. I know that there is a weightiness in preaching any part of the Bible, but I feel like there is added pressure in preaching the life of Christ. Of course all Scripture is equally God-breathed, equally God’s inerrant, authoritative, sufficient Word. But I can’t help but want to do an extra careful job of preaching through the life of Christ.

Regardless, I think it’ll be a great series. I’m excited to walk through it with the collegians. May we all walk away from it in the end with a deeper love for our Lord Jesus Christ and a greater appreciation for the Christian testimony we have in the Gospel of Mark.

Faith Easter Kim Arrives

Congratulations to Pastor Steve, Lynnie, and Hudson (and Scully) on the birth of Faith Easter Kim! Can’t wait to see the new edition to the Kim household!

O the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus

A number of us had a wonderful discussion during the second service this past Sunday about the love of God as preached by Pastor John. It never really dawned on me before how the love of God may be one of the most profound doctrines in the Bible. Of course I understand that the cross of Christ was the demonstration of God’s love and that it is a wonderful, amazing, undeserved blessing that God would pour His love out on me at all. But I didn’t meditate enough on exactly what is the breadth and length and height and depth of God’s love (Eph. 3:18-19).

Everyone on Sunday shared about how much more they needed to dwell on the love of God. In so doing, it would produce much desired fruit. Some shared that as a result they would want to know God’s Word more so that they could better understand God’s other attributes. Others stated that they would become more humble by a deeper understanding of God’s love. Still others shared that they would in turn love others more because of their greater appreciation of God’s love for them.

No one shared anything negative. There were no negative effects from meditating more on the love of God and thinking about its profundity. Unanimously, all shared that to think more on the love of God would essentially produce greater spiritual maturity.

So why don’t we dwell more on the love of God?

One sad reason may be that we do not think we need to dwell on it. Perhaps you feel like you have it down: Christ died for your sin, that was the demonstration of God’s love, and that’s pretty much all there is to it. What a remarkably proud approach to this amazing truth! The Apostle Paul’s prayer for the church was that they would understand the depth of the love of God. Certainly this means that this doctrine would require quite a bit of attention if it is as deep and wide and long and tall as the apostle indicates.

Are you amazed at the love of God? If you were to think more about God’s love in your life taking to heart the passages in Scripture that teach about it, how would your life change? What would it benefit you to have a greater understanding of God’s love for you?

Here is just a glimpse of the God’s love. Consider these passages:

Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. ~John 14:23

Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. ~John 15:9

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. ~Romans 5:3-5

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8

Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? ~Romans 8:35

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. ~Romans 8:38-39

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. ~2 Corinthians 5:14-15

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. ~Ephesians 1:3-6

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ~Ephesians 2:4-7

…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. ~Ephesians 3:17-19

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma. ~Ephesians 5:1-2

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. ~Ephesians 5:25-27

…and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. ~1 Timothy 1:14

But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ~Titus 3:4-7

The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked. ~1 John 2:4-6

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. ~1 John 2:15

See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ~1 John 3:1

We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. ~1 John 3:16

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time; if we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us. ~1 John 4:7-12

We love, because He first loved us. ~1 John 4:19

As the Fall Quarter Approaches

As we approach the beginning of another school year, there is an air of excitement amongst the College Life staff. For those of you who may not be aware, College Life is the title of the college ministry at Lighthouse Bible Church. We have an on-campus ministry at UCSD and a Friday night Bible study called Searchlight. The staff met last night at Hansol and Angella An’s to finalize plans for the upcoming school year. On the one hand, it is really exciting to plan for the Bible studies, special events, and overall structure of the ministry. On the other hand, I think the staff feels the weight of responsibility there is in shepherding these collegians.

While I was sitting there at the meeting, I couldn’t help but think how amazing these people are to me. I realized that some of them have been working together with me in ministry for a long time now. How do they not get sick of me? =) Seriously though, we have a great team! And with Kevin Au, J. R. Cuevas, Teddy Yu, and Tim Yu joining the staff, we’re an even better team.

I’m really looking forward to the upcoming school year. My hope is that the Lord will work in the students’ lives to grow in Him and develop closer more intimate relationships with Him. I also trust that the Lord will work through this staff to be an encouragement to the students and one another. I have no idea what the Lord has in store for us in terms of particulars, but I know that the staff is working hard together to make this upcoming year the best it can be. What an exciting beginning to what should be an awesome school year!