By Board of Directors
The LightHouse World Evangelism 2010 “State of the Ministry Address”
“Failing to plan is planning to fail. If Jesus does not build the house, they who build labor in vain. But if you have a plan to build a house designed by Jesus, no one can stop you!”
Quote from our President and Founder
When the president gives a state of the union address, his purpose is not simply to report on national happenings, but on what he plans to do. It may seem strange for a church to have a state of the union address, however, Pastor Matthew’s purpose here is the same; any organization, be it a church, a business or even a family, should have clear set goals and a purpose. Today’s message addresses the goals and purposes of LightHouse World Evangelism (LHWE) in 2010. Though a state of the union is given once a year, a mission statement should be available at all times. Read LHWE’s Mission Statement here!
Pastor Matthew and Christa founded LightHouse World Evangelism in order to have an impact on the San Francisco Bay Area as well as around the world. LHWE is growing every year, and with that growth comes many responsibilities. Pastor Matthew will be addressing how each of our partners can be a LightHouse in their own community and how you can partner with us to continue to be a beacon of light for lost and hurting souls. The next series of Blogs that will be posted will be a series on the preciousness of our time, talents and treasures and how to use them wisely and in a God-honoring way. Here is an overview of the upcoming blog posts that Pastor Matthew will be writing to help us all focus on God’s purposes for our lives in our own communities.
1. Time – the progression of our existence
We all have 168 hours in each week, nothing more, and nothing less. Donating 2 of those hours in ministry can make us lighthouses to our cities.
2. Talent – Unique expression of Holy Spirit power.
With our partners and the several hundred of you a day that regularly visit our website, you all make up a group with many talents that can change the world for the better, serve your fellow men and women, and honor our Lord, Jesus Christ. It is important that we use our strengths to their fullest rather than trying to do things that are not in our gifting. For example, if you have the gift of teaching, your talent may be to reach many learners in a powerful way. However, if your gift is prayer, then you pray and let the teachers teach! Each person should serve in an area where he or she can have the greatest impact.
3. Treasure – That which has exchangeable value.
If those of you that regularly view our blog (approximately 400 a day) would each commit to giving $5 a week or $20 a month to our organization, the total would come to over $125 thousand dollars a year we would add to our current operating budget. Using that money could do incredible things for not only the San Francisco Bay Area, but the world as a whole.
God has always made it clear to this ministry that we are to reach out to our community and beyond to those who suffer and are considered “the least of these” because nobody else will. Pastor Matthew and Christa Manning, where ever they go, encourage everyone to join a ministry suited to his/her talents so that together we all can touch others and empower our cities, our state, our country and our world (Act 1:8). Going to church and listening to a sermon is nice, but that is not the only thing which God has called us to do. He wants us to help point others to the saving power of the Cross of Jesus Christ, give hope, and give love. With so many ministry outreaches that we have in operation, and you have happening in your own cities that need help, there is certainly one to suit your gifting. There are ministries to help the church function, reach out to elderly people, serve with youth, perform with dramatic arts, witness to gang members or prisoners, or simply give hope to “the least of these in your community”. One outreach that we as a leadership body have found to be of concern here in the Bay Area and is becoming more and more “known” about in America and the world is the issue of human sex trafficking. We have had many individuals come to us for emotional and inner healing due to the cause and effect of being raised in families that were involved in not only incest but also in the business of sex trafficking. Let us be very clear, we as an organization are not called to go out of our way to try to bring down these sects of individuals. This is the job of local, state, and federal agencies. Yes we unfortunately have seen where some in those positions of power are themselves involved; however, we also from experience have found that this percentage is less than more. What God has called us as a ministry to do is to help those who come seeking emotional healing and safety from such experiences a safe place to talk, share, heal and find the loving and compassionate arms of Jesus Christ that will take their damaged and broken lives and put them back together for His purposes and for His glory.
Our city, your city, this country and this world need help and it can start right here with you. We are asking that our partners and regular viewers of this website continue or for the first time become a partner of this ministry as well as become “Lighthouses’” in your own community by volunteering and make a difference in the life of others. LightHouse World Evangelism had its humble start in a room at the King’s College and Seminary in Los Angeles, California over a decade ago as a prayer group called the Gethsemane Prayer Warriors. Now for the last decade we have plucked individuals out of the clutches of satanic ritual abuse, helped persons out of sex trafficking families, helped numerous people find their identity in Jesus Christ, through our four day seminars, that struggled with their identity stemming back to childhood judgments and vows they made, child abuse, molestation, incest, the lack of affirmation due to growing up in broken homes, and or families that were and may still be involved in satanic covens.
Thank you to all of you that have given over the years in support of what God is doing here at LightHouse World Evangelism. We have gone through many changes in the last year that are for the better. One major change occurred in July of 2009 when we moved our offices out of Sonoma County to San Francisco. This move was a tremendous undertaking but went smoothly and efficiently. Thanks to all of our partners we ended 2009 better than we could imagine financially. Thank you all for your prayers for Pastor Matthew and Christa as Pastor Matthew underwent three minor operations at the end of 2009. He is still recovering, and though his travelling has been lessened as we begin this New Year, he and Christa look forward to a busy and prosperous 2010, seeing God’s Kingdom come into the lives of the many that they together will encounter throughout this New Year. We all have a powerful work to do for the Lord, so let’s continue to be focused as a people who what to serve God with all of our hearts and move forward together!
How would God have you serve His people, or how would God have you give of your financial resources in 2010?
The Board of Directors,
LightHouse World Evangelism, Inc.
By Pastor Matthew
New Year’s Eve is a great time for Christian believers to get together and rejoice, either in homes or in churches. Food, fun and fellowship are a healthy alternative to all-night excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages.
Traditionally, many people in the world get inebriated on New Year’s Eve, only to wake up sometime the next day not knowing what they might have said, what happened, or with whom. But God’s people can unite in prayer power for God’s will to be done, and for His Kingdom to come. Although this may perhaps sound too religious or “goody-two-shoes,” it is a safe and sane alternative to the typical New Year’s celebrations that dominate cultures around the world.
Gathering together with music, food, games, good conversation, and perhaps an inspirational message right before midnight, along with prayer, make for a blessed New Year’s Eve celebration. Then go home, go to bed, and enjoy the next day without a smashing headache or an upset stomach.
One of the traditions associated with New Year’s observances is the making of resolutions, promises to stop or start something in the New Year. On the average, about half of American adults make one or more New Year’s resolutions each year, which commonly include weight loss, exercise, quitting smoking and better money management.
Typically, about 75 percent of people who make resolutions maintain their commitment past the first week, and less than half keep their word to themselves after six months. Numbers vary, of course, and some people actually make the desired changes in their lives. But for the most part, it’s another disappointment and another failure, and it comes up again at the next New Year’s time.
Making New Year’s Resolutions was started by early Babylonians. Although this is generally assumed as accurate, no one really knows, but it’s the stuff of great trivial conversation at social gatherings, particularly New Year’s Eve parties. For the Babylonians, the start of the New Year was a good time to return borrowed items, such as farming equipment, and so begin the New Year with a clean slate. Some believe that New Year’s resolutions began as promises made to the gods, negotiating or bargaining in the hope that the gods would grant some favor in return, such as a good harvest. It was also believed that breaking of New Year’s resolution brought bad luck.
The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. Every day is the day the Lord has made, as Psalm 118:24 states, and “we will rejoice and be glad in it.” One can make a resolution or promise to oneself any day of the year, and keeping it or breaking it is in their hands. One thing the Bible does say in Ecclesiastes 5:2, 4 and 5 is that if one makes promises or vows to God, it shouldn’t be taken lightly.
“Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven and you on earth; therefore let your words be few. When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; for He has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you have vowed— better not to vow than to vow and not pay.”
Setting a goal or several goals at the beginning of the New Year can be stimulating, but it is the motivation to keep the resolution that is important. One can determine to pray more, read the Bible more, go to church regularly, or volunteer more, but these resolutions can fail without correct motivation. The incentive must come from within with purpose and a plan. Even though there might be a setback at times, the best thing to do is to immediately start again.
After months and months of tests to develop an electric light-bulb, Thomas Edison was interviewed by a reporter who asked Edison if he felt like a failure and if he thought he should just give up. Edison replied, “Young man, why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitively over 9,000 ways that an electric light bulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.” After over 10,000 attempts, Edison successfully invented the light bulb. The point is, don’t quit. If it is a worthy goal, it is worth sticking to, even if it means starting over a few times.
Happy New Year Everyone…
Pastor Matthew and Christa Manning
By Pastor Matthew
I realize more and more that it was not only joy and peace that Jesus brought to our world. More than that, it was God making a statement that He stood on the side of the dispossessed. Joseph, Mary and baby Jesus ended up in a cave (or something like it), because there was no room at the inn. Mary, who was about to give birth to Jesus, was forced to walk (or ride a donkey) for miles to another city — forced to do so by a foreign dictator who wanted to make a census to further tax the Jewish people.
And then there was the suspicion that she and Joseph experienced in regard to accusations of an illegitimate birth. The only human beings who came were shepherds; the lowest class of riffraff in the culture of that time. Additionally, God did send the angels to celebrate and encourage Mary and Joseph.
In human terms, Jesus’ birth was not only simple, but it also dignified the poorest people that God could have chosen. Thirty years later Jesus told a would–be follower that He (Jesus) had no place to lay His head. So, from beginning to end, God sided with the poor and dispossessed rather than those living in Herod’s palace.
If you can see beneath the surface, this “Christmas Story” has an even more encouraging Christmas message this year where many of you reading are concerned with your future due to the state of our economy that has possibly effected your financial future. However, this Christmas Season means that God is with you more deeply than ever, even in your times of trial, when you may have fewer possessions than before, may even have no place to lay your heads, and for some of you may have lost your reputations.
Jesus not only knew about these trials that you may be facing, but He lived through them with His family, long before He was crucified.
He will be your companion always, no matter what, as long as you stay close to Him!
With Christmas peace, joy and hope for a blessed New Year, (Jeremiah 29:11)
Pastor Matthew and Christa Manning
By Pastor Matthew
God’s way verse man’s way
1 Corinthians 1:17-2:16
I was listening to K-Love Radio last week and heard that a Church in Chandler, AZ was starting a new church service called “Man Church”. The reporter from K-Love spoke about this new concept of church in a positive light and encouraged us listeners to check out the ministry website. What was reported by K-Love Radio alone sent shock waves through my body. To investigate the church and its new ministry for “men” for myself, I decided to look up this church’s website. The following question and answer is what I found on their website. If this does not shock you as a born again believer, then I do not know what will:
What is “Man Church?”
“Man Church is church the way a man expects it to be done. No singing, short sermon, time to talk with other guys, no women present, and coffee and donuts. That’s the way men want to do church. The topics of discussion will have a definite manly focus – being the best possible husband, father, employee, leader – being a real man. In fact, every aspect of Man Church is geared for men – not like any other church you have seen. This ain’t your mama’s church!”
Here are my thoughts from the Bible regarding the church in Arizona’s quotes: “Doing Church the way a man expects it to be done”, and “That’s the way men want to do church.”
The book of 1 Corinthians is actually a letter written by Paul, the Apostle, to the Christians (Believers) of the Church in Corinth, Greece. Paul is writing this letter to them because he had heard that there were divisions and problems in the church and he wants to instruct them concerning these things. Also, he will be answering some of the specific questions which they had written to him concerning various problems and issues which they were facing.
When reading this book, you discover that many of their problems were due to the fact that they were spiritually immature; indeed, Paul had called them “baby Christians.” And, Paul exhorted them to stop going over the basic fundamental (“milk”) teachings of the Gospel, as important and as necessary as those teachings are. Rather, he told them that it was time for them to go on in their spiritual growth and to begin taking in the “solid food” of mature Christians and to begin to live in the light of those “solid food” truths of Scripture.
In light of this “MAN CHURCH” that is starting and getting headline news from K-Love Radio, let’s look at one of those “solid food” teachings, which Paul recorded in 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:16. In these verses, Paul explains to them some “solid meat” information about the message of the Cross and about REAL wisdom and power.
Why did Paul need to teach them about Wisdom and Power? He needed to do this because the culture and lifestyle of the people in the city of Corinth, Greece, placed its emphasis on man’s knowledge, wisdom, and learning. The Greeks esteemed men who were wise and knowledgeable and they believed that things were obtained and achieved through man’s efforts and power. Also, in Corinth, pagan worship of many different gods and idols was common and, indeed, immoral lifestyles and evil and wicked practices were part of these pagan worship rituals. The Greek value system was based on human thoughts, human wisdom, and human effort, and their goal was to obtain and satisfy their own individual desires. Therefore, the emphasis of the Greeks in general, and of the Corinthians in particular, was on man’s wisdom and knowledge, on self, on education, on learning for the intellectual pride it provided, on physical beauty, oratory, art, and sports. (Does this sound a lot like the culture in which we also live today? Does this not sound very much like “MAN CHURCH?”
Yes! Yes it does!
And, it was in such a culture as this that the Christians in Corinth (and we today) find ourselves. And since they were not yet spiritually mature in their understanding of the Gospel message of the Cross of Christ, they did not understand that REAL Wisdom and Power is NOT from or through man, but instead it is from and in God, Jesus Christ, their (and our) Lord and Savior.
Paul, in these verses, 1:17-2:17, is now going to address this situation and teach them what real Wisdom is and what the message of the Cross is and…. Let’s see what Paul has to say to these “baby” Christians who are living in an immoral, corrupt, pagan society which placed its emphasis on man and man’s intellect, wisdom, knowledge, and desires.
The 2 kinds of Wisdom are the Wisdom of “the world” and the Wisdom of “God.” And hopefully you noticed that these two types of Wisdom are very different! They each have a different goal, purpose, emphasis, and focus. In fact these are so different that they actually clash. And, obviously, this was one of the main problems the Christians were facing in Corinth. They were living in a culture where the Wisdom of Man was the focus and was highly prized and esteemed, yet, they were learning from Paul and the other Apostles and teachers who had come to their Church that the Wisdom and Power of God was entirely different, indeed it was OPPOSITE to what the “world” thought and honored! What a dichotomy. What a problem. What were they to DO! How were they to live in a culture like this?
And, it was not just Wisdom that was different depending on whether it is the Wisdom of Man (the World) or the Wisdom of God. Paul is showing them, in these verses, that Foolishness, Power, and Weakness are also different depending on the perspective in which they are viewed (i.e. from Man’s perspective or God’s perspective.)
What did Paul say was the PURPOSE of his ministry? It was to “Preach the Gospel. And, HOW was he to do this? (1:17) Paul was instructed to not use human wisdom because if he did, those words of human wisdom would cause the cross to be emptied of its power.
“Words of human wisdom” would cause “the cross of Christ to be emptied of its power.” What does that mean? Well, in order to answer that, let’s think about it a bit.
First of all, we know that Paul’s ministry was to preach the Gospel, which is, of course, the message about Jesus’ death on the cross and His resurrection from the Dead. That, in a summary form, is what the “message of the Cross” is! So, Paul, in giving this “message” is actually saying that the Gospel teaches that Salvation can ONLY be obtained by believing that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for sin and accepting that substitute sacrifice as a free gift. That is God’s WAY. And, that is why the message of the Cross is POWERFUL, because the way of the Cross is the ONLY way to obtain salvation. Jesus purchased our redemption by dying on the Cross.
But, MAN’S way of obtaining and purchasing salvation would be by trying to do it himself by works. Yes, Man thinks he can use his own human (1: 17) Wisdom and Work his way to God. Man thinks that the teaching that “the Cross is the ONLY way to be saved” is (1:18) foolishness. So, instead of coming to God in the way that God provides and requires, man thinks that God’s way is foolishness and wants to substitute works and human effort and “trying to do good deeds” to earn his way to God.
God, however, says this method does NOT work, and indeed, it empties the cross of its
(1:17) power or effect when you try to attain salvation through human effort.
“Salvation is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast.” Paul said that in Ephesians 2:8. Know that Salvation is a gift. It cannot be earned. Accepting Christ’s death on the Cross as a substitute for sin is the ONLY way to Salvation. That is WHY the Cross has Power! That is the POWER of the Cross. It is the WAY. The ONLY WAY to salvation.
But, the Greeks, and all those who are (1:18) foolish and are perishing, i.e., not saved and are, therefore, dead in their sins and destined for eternity in Hell. (And yes, there is a literal Hell) say, “no, this cannot be. We can figure out a way to get to heaven. We can use our minds, our works and effort, our intellect, our wise words.” God, however, says, “No, you can’t. There is only ONE way to be holy and righteous and acceptable in My sight and to be able to come into My presence and that is through the Cross, through the atoning substitutionary death of Jesus on the Cross to pay the penalty for sin.”
And, this DEBATE has endured down through the centuries. The Greeks and the Corinthians are not the only ones who have tried to get to God through human wisdom and works. And, this effort by man to reject God’s way and to try to “do it my way” continues today.
WE MUST TAKE A STAND AS THE CHURCH AND STOP DOING CHURCH MAN’S WAY!
