The Light Church: learning how to be human

The Light Church

• Contact: 831 3rd St., Encinitas 760-975-2403, www.lightsandiego.com
• Attendance: 700-800 “on any given Sunday.”
• Associate Pastor: Stevy York
• Age: 29
• Born: Escondido
• Formation: Biola University, La Mirada
• Years Ordained: 8

San Diego Reader: What is the mission of your church?

Associate Pastor Stevy York: It’s simple: In San Diego as it is in heaven. The three expressions of that mission are to be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus would do if he were you. Jesus teaches us how to be human and shows us what the flourishing life is. He shows us that he’s the paradigm for what someone in relationship to God looks like. He’s also so much more than that: he’s not just an example but also truly our savior. He invited his disciples by saying, “Follow me.” That phrase in the first century was relevant to those who heard him say it. When a rabbi at that time asked you to follow him, the rabbi meant for you to spend as much time as possible with him to become like him… So, when Jesus invited his disciples, that’s the same invitation to us—not to just know a lot of facts about Jesus, but to become like Jesus and do what Jesus does. We believe that as we live the life of Jesus in our everyday lives, we will see the world look more and more like the kingdom of God.

SDR: Where is the strangest place you found God?

PY: My wife and I just had our first child. I was changing my son’s diaper in the middle of the night, and I felt hit with the reality that Jesus came to us like this—as a baby. Jesus had his diaper changed. There’s such humility in that idea—and through it, as I was changing my own son’s diaper, God struck me with the humility and wonder of the Incarnation.

SDR: Where do you go when you die?

PY: There’s life after death, so I believe I will be with God in his presence. I also believe there is life after life after death. God is bringing a new creation, renewing all things. In Revelation, it talks about a new heaven and a new earth, so we will be a part of God’s new creation, living in harmony with God and with others. Many people might think heaven is floating on clouds with babies in diapers holding harps. But the Bible paints a picture of a new heaven and new earth, which is a very physical reality where we will be living with God in his uninhibited presence and fulfilling what we were always created to do, co-rule and co-reign with God, creating goodness and beauty. Based on my humble reading of scripture, there are some for whom being with God in eternity forever would not be a joy. They have chosen a life in which being with God isn’t a delight for them. God in honoring that choice doesn’t force them to be in relationship with him in his presence forever. So, the alternative is eternal separation from God, which we call hell. In the same way that people don’t have a well-articulated view of heaven, very few people have a well-articulated vision of hell. I don’t think it’s a flame that is always burning and there’s a guy waiting there in a red suit with horns. But I do know it exists as a place of separation from God for all of eternity.