Iron Sharpens Iron | lightatthelighthouse

IRON SHARPENS IRON...

...is the Light at the Lighthouse theme for 2025! It is our way of recognizing and appreciating how the Lord and His children bring joy and encouragement to the world, as we help each other to improve, and
be better people.

"As iron sharpens iron, sooner person sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17

We plan on creating an inspiration storybook of testimonies reflecting this theme. Below you can read some of the stories.

Steven Salgado: From Fighting with Fists to Fighting with Faith

Steven Salgado was a tough kid. He grew up fighting in the “barrios” of Las Vegas and East LA.

He was always being recruited to be in gangs, but he never joined them because “I didn’t have any

respect for the gang leaders.” He sensed that they were not people worthy of respect, and anyway,

he was tougher than they were. He never backed down. A real bad-ass.

He didn’t have any good role models to follow. His Dad and his uncles and his cousins were all

alcoholics and druggies, with time in the joint.

Once, as an 18 year old, he was driving the Strip in Vegas, looking to score some chicks. His car

was filled with 4 of his friends, and they were getting some attention from a car full of cuties in the

lane to the right of them. It was a hot night; all the windows were down.

Steven glanced to the lane on the left side and saw a truck full of gang-bangers, and they were

staring at him. That wasn’t good; wasn’t friendly. Just staring at him, driving in the lane next to him.

Steven didn’t like that; he didn’t like being challenged. But he decided to give them one more

chance, and shifted his gaze back to the road in front. After 30 seconds he glanced back to the left,

and they were still staring at him; glaring in a way that he couldn’t ignore. He REALLY didn’t like that.

“What’s up, bro? You want to mix it up? Throw some hands?”

His challenges were met with shouting and insults from the truck cruising just 2 feet to the left.

Just then they hit a red light and when they stopped, Steven saw almost 20 vatos piling out of TWO

trucks running up to his car. “Hey guys, we got to go get ‘em!” he said, and Steven and his buddies

jumped out of their car.

Five guys were swarmed by 20, and the only thing that saved them was the 3 foot high concrete

street divider and the car on the other side that kept all 20 guys from reaching them at the same

Time.

So they got into it. And it wasn’t just hands they were throwing; Steven got kicked in the head by a

couple of guys who had jumped on top of his car, but then they slipped off the car and he punched

them out. Steven decked everybody who attacked him. The red light lasted about 3 minutes, and just

as one of the bangers reached for his gun, the light turned green, and everybody ran to get back into

their cars.

Everything was over within 3-4 minutes; they all had bloody noses and bruises all over from being hit

and kicked. But the light turning green had saved their lives.

The next night Steven and his crew got together again. They were hurting all over and didn’t really

feel like cruising the Strip, more like licking their wounds. They decided they would go eat at the

Pancake House.

As they were pulling into one side of the Pancake House parking lot, they were met by a small ray of

sunshine. Because there, on the other side of the lot, limping out to their cars were some of the

same bangers from the night before. But they were covered in bandages, and a couple of them were

on crutches. “Hey, guys,” Steven said with a small chuckle, “I guess we didn’t do so bad last night.

Those guys look worse than we do!”

* * * *

The decade of his twenties wasn’t an easy time for Steven, and at one point he wound up in jail for a

year. Actually one day less than a year; if your sentence was for 365 days or more, the State of

California was required to put you into prison, where they had schools, libraries, and exercise time in

the sunlight. For jail time, you were in a cell with 3 other guys, period.

One night in the cell, Steven was awakened by the feeling of someone hugging him in their arms.

Thinking he was being accosted, he jumped out of bed and checked that the other three guys in the

cell were still asleep.

He got back into his bunk but didn’t go to sleep. After 5 minutes, he became aware of the feeling of

someone hugging and holding him again; but there was no one there to be seen. And he realized

that he was being held and comforted by the Holy Spirit. He was being invited into Jesus’ family. It

was such a moving experience to be welcomed and wanted by God, that he broke down crying “like

a baby”.

And that was the turning point in Steven’s life, when he can point to becoming reborn. He had finally

found a Leader he respected enough to be a follower.

Following this radical experience in jail, Steven has tried to do his best to follow what his new Leader

wants him to do, and to share the love and the Good News that he himself has received. His life has

followed a Radical Transformation: no more alcohol, no more drugs, no more fighting. And he felt an

obligation to tell his cousins, his friends and kids in school about the terrible mistakes he had made

and how they didn’t have to make the same mistakes; and there was a way for them to follow a

Leader that would save them, and bring joy.

It has been an evolving experience, as Steven had to learn a new lifestyle, and has to constantly

unlearn the old one. But being a bold leader into a fight has conditioned him to be a bold leader for

the Gospel. He is not shy about addressing a crowd, and sharing his faith, and the lessons he has

learned. He is a natural leader, and this is recognized by others. He attends Mission Eben-Ezer

church where the Youth Group has a boxing ring and the Pastor had a brief career as a professional

baseball player. And his mentor Pastor Josh Canales has picked Steven to help with discipling

young adults and coaching the softball team.

In recent years, he was chosen to be the San Pedro Coordinator for the Fellowship of Christian

Athletes, because he loves helping teenagers. Every week he encourages and disciples 4 or 5

“huddles” of kids at 3 high schools and 2 middle schools. At these lunch meetings in the schools, he

feeds the kids pizza as he shares the Gospel message. He wants them to feel the welcoming joy,

love, and encouragement that the Holy Spirit has for him and for them also.

And recently, within the huddles he has started a program of mutual encouragement, where pairs of

kids sit together and listen to each other’s problems, and offer advice. This program, just like the

lifestyle that Steven has evolved into, is the living proof for Proverbs 27:17. “As IRON SHARPENS

IRON, so one person sharpens another.”

Amen.

Harbor Christian Center: From Glory to Glory

The story of Harbor Christian Center begins in the 1930s. God spoke to Helen Carl, and her husband Norman, about a place called Wilmington. He wanted them to build a church there.

Originally called “Ye Old Time Gospel Mission,” Pastor Helen and a small congregation first met in an old grocery store building located in East Wilmington. Drunks, street people, and dockworkers often came in to hear the Gospel message. The crowds continued to grow until there was standing room only in the church. The presence of God was so strong that unsaved people ran up to the altar even before the sermon was preached.

In 1937 during a Sunday morning service, a telegram arrived informing the church that their building was scheduled to be torn down. A new four lane highway, now known as Pacific Coast Highway, was being built and the church was right in its path! After much prayer and a series of miraculous events, Pastor Helen and the congregation were able to rebuild the church on the side of the new highway. It was truly a labor of love as dozens of church members volunteered their time and resources.

Ye Old Time Gospel Mission was a vibrant church, filled with the power of God. Not even World War II could dampen the move of the Holy Spirit. Because of Wilmington’s close proximity to the naval base, the area came under the “blackout” rules: When air raid sirens sounded, lights had to be dimmed. In order to hold church services, windows had to be covered and only one candle was allowed inside. Even under these precarious conditions, the church continued to thrive.

The Gospel Mission also demonstrated an innovativeness not found in many churches. For instance, a loudspeaker was installed outside of the church, which allowed people to listen to the worship and the teaching while seated in their cars. Many lives were impacted for Jesus through this unconventional method.

After 10 years of pastoring, Helen and Norman resigned to go into evangelistic work. Pastor Joe Watkins led the congregation for two years. Then, in 1947, Pastor Herbert Ezell, along with his wife Edna, and their two young sons, Herold and Don, moved to Wilmington. Pastor Herbert became the new shepherd of the church. This transition would mark the start of a new chapter in the church's story.

The growing congregation and its new pastor saw the need for land and a building that would allow for future growth, so property was purchased along Wilmington Boulevard in 1948. With the new location came a new name: “Boulevard Assembly of God.” There were frequent prayer meetings and revival services often lasting into the early morning hours. The worship and preaching were always lively and Spirit-filled.

While Pastor Herbert taught the uncompromising Word of God, he also understood the difference between Biblical principles and manmade religious traditions. Through his ministry, the old ways of thinking began to change, but the gospel message maintained its integrity.

Pastor Herbert also understood that the youth of the church needed fun and fellowship along with spiritual instruction. He and Alline Grim worked to provide a variety of activities for the next generation.

In 1961, Pastor Herbert took a sabbatical and Pastor Leonard Nipper led the church until 1970 when Pastor Herbert returned, filled with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit. A dynamic new era in the life of the church started and it was confirmed with mighty miracles, signs, and wonders.

In 1973, the name of the church was officially changed to Harbor Christian Center. God used Pastor Herbert to create a space where people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, and ages felt welcomed and accepted.

The 70’s at Harbor Christian Center were characterized by life-changing teaching from guest speakers such as Derrick Prince, Kenneth Copeland, and Kenneth Hagan.

In 1974, Pastor Herbert accepted an invitation to teach about the Holy Spirit in Los Mochis, Mexico. During this time of ministry Father Lomeli, a Roman Catholic priest, was baptized in the Holy Spirit. With financial support from the congregation, the church became the owner of a six-passenger airplane that flew monthly mission trips to Mexico. Even after surviving a plane crash, the team continued to minister in Mexico, following the purchase of a new airplane.

Pastor Herbert always saw the importance of investing in the next generation. In 1978, his vision for a Christian school was realized when Happy Harbor Preschool opened its doors with eight students. It soon grew into Pacific Harbor Christian School, including grades K-12.

Pastor Herbert died unexpectedly on September 9, 1986. A few weeks later, his son and daughter-in-law, Don and Linda Ezell, became the new pastors of the church.

Under Pastor Don and Linda’s leadership, Harbor Christian Center continued to be a beacon of hope for many. Through the years, the church stayed true to its Pentecostal roots and maintained a strong community involvement.

Even after two fires, one in 2007 and the other 2008, destroyed most of the church building, the mission of the church was undaunted. In fact, Harbor Christian Center flourished and experienced great growth. Services were held in a tent for nine months as the sanctuary and classrooms were being repaired. In 2009, the church family rejoiced as they opened the doors to the newly remodeled building. God had brought beauty from the ashes.

Harbor Christian Center has not only impacted the South Bay region, but has also had international influence. Through missionaries and a live Internet broadcast, the church has reached all 50 states and over 40 different countries.

But the mission has only just begun.

We have decided that we don't want to just hear stories of God's goodness. We want to be the ones telling them.

We have decided that we don't want to just read about revival. We want to experience it.

We have decided that we don't want to just go to church. We want to be the church.

We have decided that the 9.14 square miles of Wilmington is an epicenter for Heaven to touch earth.

From “O Store Gud” to “How Great Thou Art” In 70 Years

In 1885, a Swedish Pastor named Carl Boberg went out for a ride in the country on a pretty Sunday
afternoon after church. But he was soon pelted by a tremendous storm with thunder and lightning,
which was very impressive, if not outright terrifying. Fortunately for him, the storm blew over as fast
as it came; and he was delighted to see birds singing in the trees and a beautiful rainbow in the sun-
dappled aftermath of the storm.

Pastor Boberg was so inspired, that he wrote a poem of 9 stanzas entitled “O Store Gud” or “O Great
God”. The local newspaper was happy to publish his poem, and before long, a long-forgotten
musician put a popular melody to it, and it had started being sung in churches by 1888.

The hymn was so popular that it was translated to German in 1907; and then later to Russian in1912.
And in 1925 E. Gustav Johnson translated 5 of the verses to English, with the title “O Mighty God”.
But that’s not the hymn that we all know and love.

An English missionary to the Ukraine named Stuart Hine was using the Russian hymn in his church
services, and added some verses of his own. He began translating it into English, but was forced to
return to England at the start of World War II.

Finally, Mr. Hine completed his translation and published the work in 1949, as “How Great Thou Art”.
It was in London, in 1954 that Billy Graham heard the song, and started using it in his crusades.

The song was made world-famous in 1957 by Billy Graham’s crusade at Madison Square Garden in
New York City; the poem that Pastor Boberg was inspired to write 70 years before that had lived on,
after being translated and interpreted by Swedish, German, Russian, Ukrainian, English and
American musicians. And the glory of God that was revealed in a thunderstorm and a rainbow in
Sweden in 1888, has continued to be celebrated and glorified in music around the world ever since.

Iron Sharpens Iron.