Our Pastor

Rev. Dr. Mathew P. John

From Technology to Theology

About Pastor Mathew

Mathew P. John has just the right spirit and content to speak to a culture often confused or turned off by religion.
Phillip Yancey, Editor-at-Large at Christianity Today

Pastor Mathew P John brings us a wealth of professional, academic, theological, and ministerial experience. Originally an electrical engineer from the East (India), he pursued a successful corporate career in the Middle East (Kuwait) and eventually transitioned from 'technology to theology' in the West (Canada). He holds a Master's degree in Theological Studies (MTS) from the University of Toronto (Canada) and a Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary (USA) with a specialization in Film and Theology.

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From Left to Right: Joanne, Pastor Mathew, Hannah, and Emma

Pastor Mathew has taught courses in theology, film, and culture and presented papers at academic conferences hosted by the American Anthropological Association and the Center for Religion at UCLA, etc. He is an award-winning producer and alumnus of the Professional Producer's Program at UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television. He is the creator of “The Mosaic Course,” an exploration of world religions from a Christian perspective, and the author of two books: Film as Cultural Artifact: Religious Criticism of World Cinema (Fortress, 2017) and The Unknown God: A Journey with Jesus from East to West (David C. Cook 2020).

Pastor Mathew is married to Joanne, who currently works as the CFO at Cal Poly Pomona (Foundation). They have two daughters, Hannah (Toronto) and Emma (Minneapolis)

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A Personal Note from

Pastor Mathew

As your pastor, I believe I have equipped you well for civic engagement from a Biblical perspective. If you have been part of our church community over the past two years, you know that I have addressed most cultural issues from the pulpit with clarity and conviction.

It is impossible to give a simple yes or no answer to every sociopolitical question that arises during an election season. What I am providing below is a compilation of the teachings and discussions we have had over the past two years, which will help you figure out the answers for yourself.

This is part of why Jesus spoke in parables—so do I.

I understand that there are many other socio-political issues that will influence your decision-making at this election that are deeply rooted in the complex relationship between politics and religion in America. Unfortunately, I am not yet fully equipped to address these topics with the theological clarity they deserve. I trust that your own conscience, informed by your faith and values, will guide you toward a well-considered conclusion. Ultimately, your choices should resonate with both your personal convictions and your understanding of God’s will for justice, mercy, and truth (Micah 6:8).

Election Resources

Sermon Series

One Flesh

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One Flesh - Exploring God's Design for Human Sexuality

In this series we embark on a biblical exploration of sexuality as God’s sacred gift to humanity. Inspired by Genesis 2:24, which speaks of the union between a man and a woman becoming "one flesh," it will challenge us to foster a community that embraces God's intended purposes while also extending compassion and support to individuals navigating the complexities of sexual identity in a broken world. The series will also highlight the calling of singleness and celibacy and the importance of pursuing godly purity, recognizing that true fulfillment is found only in experiencing oneness with Christ.

In this Series

An Interview with

Rev. Dr. Mathew P. John

on Sexual Identity

To address this question, it is helpful to distinguish between three aspects of what we normally call “homosexuality”: (1) same-sex attraction/orientation, (2) same-sex act/intercourse, and (3) same-sex marriage/lifestyle.

  • Same-sex Orientation: According to the "theology of the fall," the entire creation has fallen out of its intended design due to the “original sin” described in Genesis 3. As a result of the fall, we are all born with predispositions that can be at odds with God’s plan and purpose. Therefore, nothing in my theological understanding prevents me from accepting that individuals may struggle with same-sex attraction through no fault of their own.
  • Same-sex Intercourse: Some might ask, "If I am genetically predisposed to a homosexual orientation, why can’t I act on it?" The answer lies in understanding that no predisposition automatically grants moral permission to act upon it. Just as individuals born with violent or antisocial tendencies are still held accountable for their actions, so must individuals with same-sex orientation consider the implications of their choices. Christian teaching holds that sexual act is intended for the union of male and female, and is part of God’s design for reproducing His image on earth. Any use of sexuality outside of its original design is therefore deemed unacceptable.
  • Same-sex Marriage: If God established the institution of family based on the sexual union of a male and female, we do not have the authority to redefine or promote an alternate lifestyle founded on a different sexual ethic. For this reason, same-sex marriage is seen as an open rebellion against God’s created order.

Four key verses—two from the Old Testament and two from the New Testament—explicitly condemn same-sex union. Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 describe same-sex intercourse as an abomination, punishable by death. In the New Testament, Paul includes same-sex acts among behaviors that prevent individuals from inheriting the Kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9; 1 Timothy 1:10) and describes them as "unnatural" (Romans 1:24-27).

While I am aware that some Bible scholars employ methodologies of contextual criticism to reinterpret the meaning of these passages, I believe the underlying principles are still applicable to our current context.

In first-century Jewish culture, same-sex intercourse was already considered an anomaly and clearly condemned as a sin under the Mosaic Law. This belief was widely accepted across cultures, and there was strong consensus on the matter among Jesus' audience. He did not have to reiterate what was already universally understood and upheld within the community.

It is also important to note that Jesus didn’t specifically address other sexual sins, such as incest or bestiality. His silence on these issues does not imply acceptance or approval. Moreover, Jesus affirmed that God created humans male and female and intended marriage to be a union between one man and one woman (Matthew 19:4-6). This affirmation of the created order reflects Jesus’ implicit endorsement of traditional sexual ethics, reinforcing the understanding that deviations from this model, such as same-sex intercourse, are outside of God’s design.

God created only two sexes—male and female—but the fall (Genesis 3) has corrupted human physiology, leading to the existence of intersex individuals, who may have a combination of male and female biological traits, including variations in chromosomes, gonads, hormone levels, or reproductive organs.

The existence of intersex individuals does not negate God's divine design but rather serves as an example of the "groaning of creation" in a fallen world (Romans 8:22). The closest Biblical reference to an intersex individual is the term "eunuch." Jesus acknowledged that some eunuchs are born that way (Matthew 19:1-12, Mark 10:1-12, Luke 16:18) and are no less valuable than biological males or females.

God's love for the intersex individuals is clearly expressed in Isaiah 56:4-5:

"To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths,
And choose what pleases Me,
And hold fast My covenant,
To them I will give, in My house and within My walls, a memorial
And a name better than that of sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name that will not be cut off."

However, the term transgender is used in our culture to describe people whose gender expression differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. A transgender individual, unlike an intersex individual, is biologically male or female but chooses to identify as another gender—or neither (non-binary) —based on their internal sense of identity. The concept of "transgenderism" suggests that the distinction between male and female is socially constructed rather than biologically defined.

I strongly believe that sexual identity should be grounded in biological sex, rather than subjective feelings or perceptions that can fluctuate over time. Our bodies, as created by God, provide a clear and objective basis for understanding human sexuality, and this biological reality offers a stable framework to anchor our sexual identity.

I am particularly concerned about the growing trend (especially among minors) to undergo medical interventions, such as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and sex reassignment surgery (SRS), both of which have irreversible effects. We should rather focus on providing compassionate care, emotional support, and guidance that affirms their value and identity without rushing into drastic medical interventions.

Download QA on Sexual Identity

© Mathew P John 2022
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Fireside Chat with Pastor Mathew | July 6, 2022

An Interview with

Rev. Dr. Mathew P. John

on Abortion

I believe that categorizing people into pro-life or pro-choice factions creates a false dichotomy. Many "pro-life" individuals still value a mother’s choice, just as many "pro-choice" individuals acknowledge the value of the unborn child's life. Instead of engaging in ideological warfare, we should focus on addressing the complex and nuanced issue of abortion itself.

I believe life begins at conception, and that a child in the mother’s womb is a human being made in the image of God. Abortion extinguishes that image and, therefore, should be discouraged. I am deeply concerned by the growing tendency in our culture to promote abortion as a method of birth control following an unplanned pregnancy.

When a child is formed in a mother’s womb, it can be viewed from different perspectives. From a naturalistic worldview, science often views it as a clump of cells with no identity, and there is no clear consensus on when it becomes a human.

From a legal perspective, once a fetus is formed in a mother’s womb, it is considered a separate living human. For example, if someone attacks a pregnant woman and causes a miscarriage, it is charged as a homicide. If the mother also dies in the act, it becomes a double homicide.

The Biblical worldview holds that every human life is a dream of God even before it begins. The prophet Jeremiah declares, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I set you apart" (Jeremiah 1:5). The Psalmist describes how carefully God watches over the growing fetus in a mother’s womb: "My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body" (Psalm 139:15-16). In the Gospel, we see that an unborn child is sensitive to spiritual activity, as seen in the story where “when Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb” (Luke 1:41).

Abortion is the act of taking the life of an unborn child. However, there is a distinction between taking a life and committing "murder." For instance, if someone causes involuntary manslaughter in a car accident or kills an intruder in self-defense, the court treats these situations differently from premeditated murder.

No one has the right to judge the heart of a woman who makes the difficult decision to abort her child under the most strenuous circumstances. Only God, who sees the true intentions behind every action, has the authority to judge whether a person’s choice constitutes murder.

There are situations where abortion may be considered a legitimate option—for example, when a medical crisis threatens the life of the mother. Some may also argue that pregnancies resulting from traumatic circumstances, such as rape or incest, fall into this category. Ultimately, this decision should be left to the conscience of the pregnant woman.

Once again, I believe that no one has the right to pass moral judgment on a woman who is burdened by such a complex ethical dilemma.

I view abortion primarily as a moral and theological issue rather than a legal or political one. No court decision can truly resolve a moral problem. Legalizing morality is a complex and often incomplete process, as even the Bible acknowledges (Romans 7:13, 24; 8:3-4; James 2:10; Hebrews 10:1-4).

I believe that a pregnant woman already possesses the right to choose whether to keep or terminate her pregnancy. However, it is equally important to recognize that her unborn child also has the right to life. Therefore, providing legal representation for the unborn in a court of law is a noble and just cause.

God has entrusted His church with the responsibility of defending the voiceless, and the unborn child is certainly one of them. While SCOTUS and POTUS may change their positions and decisions over time, the church’s commitment to advocating for the unborn must remain steadfast, regardless of shifting public opinion.

The term "reproductive rights" is often misleading when used in conjunction with abortion, as it encompasses a broad range of rights that a woman should naturally possess, such as the right to access birth control, make decisions about family planning, and have autonomy over her body.

Under current law, a woman holds the right to make reproductive choices, but this right, like all rights, has limits when it comes to protecting the life of another. The key moral question in the abortion debate is whether the unborn child is considered a distinct human life with its own inherent rights. If we recognize that the unborn child has the right to life, then any decision that threatens that life must be carefully weighed against the right to bodily autonomy.

In this sense, a woman’s right to reproduce and make decisions about her body is not diminished; rather, it is understood within the framework of protecting all human life. Just as society places limits on certain freedoms to ensure the well-being of others, reproductive rights should be framed in a way that respects both the woman and the unborn child. The goal is not to strip away reproductive rights, but to ensure that both lives involved are given due consideration and protection.

The child you lost is safe in God’s hands, and one day you will be reunited with him or her. God knows your heart, and He offers His grace and reconciliation through Christ.

We love you and will never judge you. If you need prayer, counseling, or any other form of support, we are here for you, and all assistance will be provided at no cost. More importantly, we will wrap our arms around you and walk alongside you on this journey.

Download QA on Abortion

© Mathew P John 2022
Private Circulation Only

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Israel - Palestine Conflict: What Christians should know?

A three-part teaching series exploring the complex and often contentious legacy of the land that both Israelis and Palestinians call home. We will trace the origins of the conflict from ancient times to modern days, examining the role of significant biblical events that shape the theological perspectives held by many Christians today. We hope this series will equip participants with a well-rounded understanding, enabling them to engage in respectful and informed discussions with people of differing opinions.

In this Series

Sermon Series on

Racial Reconciliation

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One Blood

We delve into the biblical foundations of our shared humanity and the affirmation of the inherent worth and equality of all races in God’s design. Inspired by Acts 17:26, which emphasizes that God created all nations from one blood, this series aims to foster understanding, empathy, and actionable steps toward racial harmony within the Church and the broader community. Drawing from the transformative power of Christ’s reconciliation demonstrated on the cross, the series will challenge us to actively dismantle the barriers perpetuating racial divisions, fostering a community that authentically reflects God’s heart for all people.

In this Series

Sermon Series on

Faith and Politics

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Thy Kingdom Come

"Thy Kingdom Come" explores the practical implications of living as dual citizens of both the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the World, navigating our civic responsibilities in a world that often opposes Christian values. It will address the complex relationship between faith and politics, providing guidelines for engaging in political discourse while respecting the separation between church and state. It will also examine how conservative and liberal values can complement each other within a Christian worldview, encouraging dialogue, mutual respect, and cooperation.

In this Series