Christmastime at Lancaster Baptist is encouraging and festive, and I’m looking forward to our upcoming services.

Our special Christmas services will be livestreamed, available at lbclive.tv. Below is a schedule for these events (times given are Pacific Time):

December 10 & 11 at 6:00 p.m.
A Baby Changes Everything Musical—Life changes for everyone when a new baby is born. But the changes are infinitely more dramatic when that Baby is God. Our Christmas musical is a highlight of the year, and I’m praying we will see many people come to Christ both of these evenings through the musical drama and the Bible message afterward. (more…)

For the eleventh time in the history of Lancaster Baptist Church, we thrust our silver shovel in the ground, beginning a new building project by faith. Yesterday morning we broke ground for our West Wing Tower—the first in a three-phase expansion project for our auditorium.

From a human standpoint, starting a multi-million dollar building project during an economic recession is poor timing. But as we gathered on the lawn yesterday, we looked at another time in history when God’s people began a massive building project in uncertain days. Like Nehemiah and the Israelites who built the wall with him, we believe that “The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build” (Nehemiah 2:20)!

Many times over the past twenty-five years we have stepped out in faith and made the sacrifices necessary to provide more space. Every time, God has not only been faithful to provide each need, but He has also filled every new seat! This week, we embark on another spiritual journey that will expand our capacity to reach more people and will increase our faith in God to provide. (more…)

This past Monday evening, during our Missions Conference, our church had the privilege of ordaining Brother Enoch Kim to the Gospel ministry. Brother Kim is a graduate of West Coast Baptist College and has served on our staff, developing our Korean ministry, for the past couple of years. He and his wife Grace are faithful servants with a testimony of committed love to Christ.

This night was particularly significant as Brother Kim’s salvation and call to ministry is the product of missions. And the evening was particularly memorable as the Lord allowed several of those key players who have had a tremendous influence in Brother Kim’s life to attend.

A few of the special guests attending this occasion were Dr. and Mrs. Daniel Kim, Brother Enoch’s in laws; Dr. and Mrs. Jack Baskins, the American missionaries who led Dr. Kim to Christ; Dr. and Mrs. Andrew Baik, faithful servants of the Lord in Dr. Kim’s church; and Mrs. Esther Yu, a pianist in Dr. Kim’s church for many years. It was through the Baskins’ faithfulness over fifty years ago that Dr. Kim was saved, and it was through Dr. Kim’s church that Enoch was reached with the Gospel as a Korean teenager in a Buddhist home. Later, he married Dr. Kim’s daughter, Grace. (more…)

One of the greatest highlights of the year at Lancaster Baptist Church is our annual Missions Conference. It is a privilege for our church to partner with missionaries in reaching “the uttermost part of the earth” with the Gospel (Acts 1:8).

Each year, we hear from missionaries we have already been supporting as well as new missionaries on deputation. I always enjoy the opportunity to fellowship with missionaries, hear their testimonies, and get to know them.

This year, our entire church family can know the missionaries on a personal level. Rather than beginning the conference on Sunday, as we have in the past, we will begin on Saturday evening with a home-style opportunity to get acquainted with each of the missionaries who will be with us for the week. We’ll have our platform set up as a living room where we can interview and get to know our missionaries. I’m really looking forward to this special time of testimony and fellowship. (more…)

Over the past few weeks, as we’ve celebrated our church’s 25th anniversary, a few people have asked me, “What will the next twenty-five years be like?”

I think they understand our philosophy of ministry enough to know that the basics—biblical preaching, soulwinning, and developing hearts for God through discipleship—are not likely to change anytime soon! I think that what they are really asking is, “What do you see for the future? What do you envision happening during the next twenty-five years?”

I’m excited about the future! I’ve shared with our church family some of the new ministries, classes, and buildings we hope to begin. And I believe God to do even more than I’ve dreamed of—“exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20). (more…)