Teacher’s Foreword

Teacher Linda Cha
The Junior high baptism was a time of great blessing from God.
I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit working within the congregation not only to rejoice and bless the students, but also to reflect on my own spiritual life. I was deeply challenged and blessed by their acts of obedience to our Heavenly Father and the determinations that were made.
I truly believe and pray that these students will live a life of a disciple and work to expand His kingdom, each in their own special way. God bless you!

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Joshua Suh 전도사
This year’s Junior High Baptism was a great blessing for me as well as a time of deep reflection. As I heard the students’ testimonies and as I saw them go under the water, I was reminded that this could only be done by the working of the Holy Spirit. Though the parents, teachers, and fellow peers may have played a part, ultimately, only God could make the seeds of the Gospel that were planted to grow and to produce fruit. As I reflected on this, I saw how beautiful and how significant baptism was to a believer’s life and I was all the more blessed. As always, I am thankful for Pastor Lee, Samonim, and all the leaders who pour out their love through prayers. I’m also thankful for the Junior High staff who work hard to expand the Kingdom of God. I hope and pray that whoever reads through this post would be challenged and reflect on how great our God is.

Junior High Baptism Testimonies

Joshua Lee

Hello, my name is Joshua Lee and I am currently in 6th grade. Since my parents were Christians, I have been going to church even before I was born, and I have been spending my Sundays like that for my whole life. I always came to church as a place to play and meet my friends, and I never really came for the Sunday worship. I had heard about the importance of coming to church, but I never really felt it for real in my mind. As I came into Jr. High, I got to know God more but had more questions about him. Last winter, on the Jr. High retreat, our cabin leader had told us how they had felt when they first met God. I had never had that feeling before, so I wondered what it must have felt like. During the praise night, everybody felt like they were really praising from their hearts, and I felt like an outcast. But when we were worshipping, I had a feeling, as if God had taken away my worries, and let me feel like I belong. After the retreat, everything came back to normal. I had so much things to do, but I was very tired. I wanted to complain about it, but I realized that I shouldn’t be having a bad attitude but rather be thankful for all of this, because I was sinful like that before I was saved. But God forgave me and let me be with him. I am sure that I can go to heaven because the Bible says that if believe that God has died for me, then I will be saved and go to Heaven. This encourages me to work harder to learn more about God. This is why I am getting baptized to show that I am a person of God. But since I cannot do this myself, I must pray to God and do QT more often.

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Su-A Kim
Hello, my name is Su-A Kim. I first became a Christian in November 2016. I just assumed that I was a Christian because I was born in a Christian family, I went to church, and did Q.T. In doing all these things, I tricked myself into thinking I was a Christian. But all of these things nor can anyone save me. I was a sinner whom could not save herself, but only through Jesus was I able to be saved. The night I got saved, I accepted this stone-hard truth. The stone-hard truth was, Jesus died on the cross for my sins and he rose again in three days victoriously. I could not have saved myself, but because God sacrificed his one and only son to die on the cross for me, I was able to believe and be spared of the horrible punishment awaiting me. On that day, I asked my dad a question about the Q.T. The question was, “I get how Jesus died on the cross, but I don’t quite get how he resurrected in 3 days.” My dad explained why Jesus died on the cross and how he resurrected in 3 days. After, I finished my Q.T and I thought that was it. Gladly, it wasn’t. My dad and mom kept explaining to me about how God created the world and the heavens in 7 days and how and why Jesus died for my sins. My dad kept lecturing me for days and weeks. This precious information would go through one ear and come out the other. I was half-listening, half-ignoring whatever my dad was talking about. I did this to the point where my dad realized I was not even listening. My dad told me that I already believed in Jesus and that I needed to let everything go and give my all to God. He also told me that Jesus is a very kind savior and how he loves us very much. Next, my dad said, “Follow my exact words if you believe that Jesus is your savior.” I was praying the sinner’s prayer. After I prayed, I cried and laughed with joy now that I was a Christian. Two years have gone by since I prayed the sinner’s prayer. As I lived the 2 years of being a Christian, my life had plenty of ups and downs. But because I was a Christian, God helped me pull through. I would never be able to save myself no matter how many times I would try. Believing that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and resurrected was the only way I could be saved. During 2017 Jr. High Winter Retreat, I felt God’s presence around and inside me. I believe the retreat was one of my climax points in my spiritual life. Jesus is my savior who will always be there when I need him. As I go on to live my new life, I will try to spread the gospel with even more non-believing friends. And yes, even if I died today, I am 100% sure that I will go to heaven. I thank God for letting me become a daughter of Christ and how he helped me be here on this very day.

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Mina Gwak

Hello, my name is Mina. When I first went to church, I went because my family and friends went, and I wanted to play with my friends. All my friends said that Jesus died on the cross, so I said so too because I didn’t want to be left out. But, in the 4th grade VBS, I understood who God was in my heart. During Pastor David’s message at the end of VBS, I had a time to think about why I hadn’t accepted God as my Lord and Savior. I realized that God was my one and only Lord and Savior. At the end of the day when we all just had a time to pray, I accepted Christ as my Lord and savior. I declared that my faith would not waver in God and accepted the gospel message, the great gift of salvation from God. But, when my teachers asked if I wanted to be baptized, I responded in excuses. I was scared to say my testimony in front of an audience. When Winter Retreat came, my life was changed when the teachers all said that whoever was saved shall walk in obedience in God, and the first act of obedience for a saved Christian is to get baptized. I decided that I would be a Christian that follows God through any obstacle or hardship. I am determined to spread the gospel to all my non-Christian friends and family and try to do QT every day because that’s what pleases God. I am very thankful for the precious life that God has given me. So, I’m here today, to declare my new life and become a Christian that follows God and spreads the gospel, until he comes.

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Daniel Kwak

Hello, my name is Daniel Kwak and I’m in the 6th grade. I regret that I did not get baptized in the new tub after renovation. But I am still happy. I was born in a Christian family, so I have gone to church at least 3 times each week. I did not remember but I received an infant baptism after 3 months I was born. Naturally, there was a lot of Christian friends and teachers around me. It was natural for me to go to church, every time I went to church it was very exciting. I never worried about why I was a Christian. I grew up in Cornerstone Church and I saw my mom and other church members getting baptized. Even junior high and high school department…I had an indefinite plan about being baptized in my future. I told myself, “Now is not the time. Now is not my time.” Because I was too unconfident and anxious to get baptized in front of a lot of eyes looking at me. But, God came to me when I was in 2017 VBS. He changed my life and I wanted to know him better. He made me know what was wrong. In pastor David’s final message, I declared that I wanted to have more faith in GOD. And I realized that it was not natural I believe God and I go to the church. I had to accept the Christ is the Lord and my savior. And then, in 2017 Winter retreat I got confidence to get baptized. At Winter retreat, it was a blessing. I had fun, I prayed for my longest and worshiped the Lord the best I can. I stood up in VBS and Winter retreat because I wanted to get baptized. I wanted to get baptized because in teacher Jiho’s class I had learned that I had to get baptized when I first accept Christ. Because it was the first act of obedience. I realized how sinful my life was. I wanted to change through Jesus. I declare today to live as God’s man. It was difficult to express my feelings and happiness when I was writing this testimony all through. But now I know that it is the greatest of all Christian blessings. I thank that God made me and send me to this land and allow me to get baptized today. “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (Corinthians 10:31) If someone asks to me about that verse, “yes” I will. I will try to do, I will start a war with myself. I promise following this. I will try to do QT every day and go to “새벽기도” every Saturday. I will practice praise team faithfully. I will live in God’s glory in my school, house, and with my friends. So, I will live as a man of God.

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Andrew Kwon

Before I truly met Jesus, I was only going to church because it was fun, and my friends went. I never really cared about the fellowship. I only wanted to have fun. But then as I got older, I realized church isn’t about fun. It’s about the fellowship with God. At past VBS’, I felt the Holy Spirit knock on my heart, but I never answered. However, at the winter retreat, Pastor Sung was telling everyone to pray. While we prayed, he asked for the people that didn’t accept God to stand up. I had a feeling to just stand up and when I did, I felt the Holy Spirit knock on my heart. This time, I finally answered. As I grow more in God, my life will surely change. My first change, is to love everyone, no matter how different they may be. Another change, is to do more QT and prayer, so I can grow more and more in God. The last change, is to spread the gospel to all non- believers. Not only is my job to believe in God, but it is also to spread the word to all.

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High School, Junior High, Worship

CYG Winter Retreat

By Joshua Suh on

January 10, 2018

- High School, Junior High, Worship

On December 28-30, 2017, Cornerstone Church’s Youth Group had a winter retreat at the Angeles Crest Christian Camp. Our retreat theme, “Unshaken”, was based on Psalm 62:2 through which we learned how to have a faith that was not shaken by difficult circumstances we may encounter in life.

On the first night, the high school praise team led the congregation in passionate praise and many of the youth responded with hands held high and heads bowed in worship. After the praise, Teacher Joshua gave the first night’s message from the book of Philippians and shared about Apostle Paul who was in a difficult circumstance, but did not allow for his circumstance to dictate his faith. The night ended in more prayer and a time of intimate sharing in smaller groups.

The next day was filled with many different activities including archery, volleyball, preparation for skit, and more importantly a seminar given by Teacher Minji. She shared some difficulties that students would encounter in life and how these things could shake our faith. Additionally, she shared her own powerful testimony on how she had overcome some of the difficulties placed in her life and how she learned to have an unshakable faith. At night, we enjoyed a time of great fellowship as each group presented the skits that they had prepared and there was much laughter. The teachers and judges were surprised at the level of creativity exhibited by each group and were excited at the prospect of future skit members. As the night continued, we had another night of passionate praise and Pastor Sung spoke from our theme verse, Psalm 62:2. He taught about how we were to put our trust in God alone and only then would He be our rock, salvation, and fortress through which we would not be shaken. The night ended with an altar call which led to two junior high students accepting Christ and the group prayed corporately over various prayer topics.

Overall, we believe that the Holy Spirit moved mightily through every activity, praise, and message. We are so thankful that God used this retreat to speak to His people, and we are praying that God continues the good work that was started. Please join us in prayer over the students that they would continue to grow spiritually and desire to be more like God. Additionally, we are thankful for all of the staff that helped at the retreat, Cornerstone Church, and for Pastor Lee and Samonim who supported us through prayer and love.

Junior High, Worship

Junior High Baptism

By Joshua Suh on

November 7, 2017

- Junior High, Worship

On October 27, 2017, seven of our junior high students received baptism in the newly renovated sanctuary. These seven students determined to be baptized after having been challenged by their junior high teachers, that those who were saved must walk in obedience to what scripture commanded and be baptized. Those who had made the determination were talked to individually by the junior high staff and were guided through the process of receiving baptism which included assurance of salvation, preparation of testimony, and significance of baptism. Once these things were established, the church staff set into motion preparations for the baptism and invited all our members to celebrate together. On the day of baptism, many of our church members gathered together in order to celebrate the public declaration of the students’ faith. It was a great time of rejoicing but also a time to reflect and to be challenged in our faith.

We want to thank God for the gift of salvation that the seven students received and the blessing of baptism. We also want to thank Pastor Lee and SMN for their prayer and guidance, and for leading the baptism ceremony. Additionally, we want to thank all the members of our church who came out to celebrate and for showing their support by bringing enough flowers to start a flower shop.

Lastly, want to congratulate the seven students on their baptism: Jua, Jini, Jina, Jin Kyung, Daniel, Ryan, and Theodore. Congratulations! May the memory of your baptism be branded on your heart and serve as a reminder that, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”