Hope's Blog Spot

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:43:00 +0000

Someone really smart once said, “You must stand for something or you will fall for anything.” How important is it that we be established and strong in our faith.

If there ever was a time when God’s people should be plugged in and growing in our faith, it is now! However, throughout history, God’s people have always been challenged. But, we face a great challenge in 2009. Who is going to come to my rescue? Who will bail me out? What about me? All around us we see friends and family that are hurting. We see people who are suffering, hurting, and feeling all alone.

Unemployment – Down Sizing – Foreclosures – Taxes – Cost of Living – Divorce / Separation – Drugs Alcohol Abuse – Cancer – Brokenhearted – Alone – Depression – Corruption – Death

We must become determined to put our trust in God as we journey through life in 2009. As I talk with people from day to day I am often asked the question: “What do I do”? I wish I had the answers. This one thing I do know. We can put our faith and trust in God. In Isaiah it says…
Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.

I have called you by name; you are mine.
When you go through deep waters and great trouble,
I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty,
You will not drown.
When you walk through the fire of oppression,
You will not be burned up;
The flames will not consume you.
For I am the Lord, your God,
The Holy One of Israel, your Savior
Isaiah 43:1-3 NLT

God has a stimulus package for us. He said in Isaiah 41, “Do not be afraid, I am here to help you.” I am convinced that God is the only one who can rescue us from our troubles. One day at a time we must learn to put our trust and confidence in Him. I want to encourage you today to get into God’s Word. Establish and build your faith. Work on it! Determine a time for you to be alone with God. Personal quiet time. We can’t face the challenges of life alone. The battles that we fight are too big for us. We need the Lord.

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you.
Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.
Be careful! Watch out for the attacks from the Devil, your great enemy.
He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour.
Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith.
1 Peter 5:6-9a

Larry Evans

Pastoral Care Pastor

Watty Watson - Operations Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:32:00 +0000

There Are Still Good People

Savannah, my daughter and I took a hunting trip up to the Panhandle of Texas. The trip was great and getting to spend time with my daughter was priceless. We talked about everything - even the birds and the bees. I figured I should talk to her about all that stuff before her friends do. I have taken each of my kids on an adventure like this and it has been awesome!

Let me tell you the story:

The last morning of our hunt we left Pampa at about 4:30 a.m. to light snow showers. By the time we got to the hunting blind, it was 5:30 a.m. and the snow was starting to stick on everything. It was still too dark to hunt so Savannah and I cuddled up for warmth and we dozed off for about 30 minutes. When we woke up, about 5 inches of snow was on the ground! We had a nice hunt and then we had to walk about a quarter of a mile in the cold.

When we reached the truck and started it I noticed the steering wheel would barely turn. After a bit, I was finally able to turn the wheel but I was scared because I also discovered that the defroster was not working! So I started driving very slowly because I could not see anything. Once I got on to the main road to town, my temperature gauge starting acting up, hitting the red line and then backing off the red line the five miles to town. I looked at my daughter and said, “pray”. A trip to town that should have taken five minutes turned into about a 40 minute trip. Once we got to the town of Fort Elliot (pop. 100) we pulled up to the only store and gas station in town. I did not know what to do but ask for help. Only two guys were there and one the guys said he could help but it would be about two hours! Four hours later he comes back with a part to fix my Dodge. However, when he went to the parts store in the big town of Wheeler (pop. 500) he could not believe the part was available! We left the store and went to his shop (which was actually just a barn) and he fixed my truck. I then asked how much and he just showed me the receipt for the part and would not take any money. I tried to give him an extra hundred but he just refused to take my money. “Wow!” my 11-year-old daughter said.

Now we had to go back and get our deer. The store manager refused to let us go back out in our 2-wheel drive truck. He told his wife to cover the register and took us in his big 4-wheel drive truck. There was no way we would have made it through the snow drifts four and five feet high in my truck. But in his truck we ran right through them! When we finally got back to the store I pulled out my wallet to pay him and he wouldn’t take a dime. My daughter was again shocked. We finally got everything together to get back on the road and we talked about how there was still good people and how God provided for us.

Helen Hartzo - Early Childhood Director

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:31:00 +0000

The Uncomfortable Zone

One thing is for certain - life always has a way of changing... family, friends, church and jobs. Lately in my life, I have been experiencing a lot of changes. Kids growing up and moving out of the house (empty nesters as some would say). A spouse, relative or friend loses their job and has to start over again. A new president. Uncertainty in a lot of ways as to what the future holds. We all experience change on a daily basis. The question is, how will we handle those changes? Will we try to stay in our comfort zone where we feel snug and secure or, will we be open to venture out into that UNCOMFORTABLE ZONE, “go where no man has gone before” to what God has for us and trust Him to lead and guide our paths.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.

Change can bring excitement and apprehension. As the next few months unfold at Hope during this transition phase (sometimes uncomfortable zone) with the building, we as individuals have to be open to what God wants to do here and how He wants to use each of us. It isn’t just about “me” but about people’s lives being changed.

I have heard several well–known speakers say (paraphrased) “if you want to go where you have never gone before, you have to do what you have never done before.” The UNCOMFORTABLE ZONE. We can’t expect change to happen if we don’t change. If I want to draw closer to Him, I have to spend more time with Him. If I want to learn more of His Word, I have to spend more time reading His Word. If I want to have more faith, more faith comes by hearing His Word.
My prayer for our church family is that we will be open to the changes (those UNCOMFORTABLE ZONES) that God has for us in our personal lives as well as for the individual areas of ministry one is involved in (or maybe to get involved in) and let God use us how He wants to. Be open and sensitive to His will…His purpose! He wants to use YOU in a greater way than ever before!

Launa Vaughn - Communications Director

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 17:30:00 +0000

I categorize my life with doors. There are certain doors in my life that just don’t need to be opened, places I don’t need to go. Right now I’ve got one that’s wide open and I can’t seem to shut it. Its like a dam, you’ve got a small amount of water coming through and you can handle it. Maybe plug it up, but then a crack starts and more water comes through and before you know it the dam has been demolished and there’s a flood.

My doors are like that. The one that I can’t seem to shut right now is the door to chocolate and desserts. Usually I don’t eat sweets, but if I’ve indulged a couple of times, I start to crave them. Then I’m looking to satisfy that craving. I scrounge the Early Childhood area for treats. I eat my kid’s ice cream out of the freezer (and add nuts and chocolate syrup too, yum).

So, I’m in the process of trying to shut it, but it’s difficult. I fail sometimes but I can’t give up! We all have doors that we allow to be opened, even if ever so slightly. We always know better, but the temptation can seem too hard to resist.

Whatever your door is I know that God will help you shut it, no matter how difficult. His Word says so!

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Mark Lunsford - Executive Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 13:06:00 +0000

Distractions

This morning as I am sitting in my office, there is a construction worker pounding on my window and using a loud saw trying to dislodge it from its current location. The window is being replaced to match our new church addition. Of course, since I am trying to write, this has me very distracted. Why is it that when I am trying to focus and accomplish a goal, distractions always come up? I don’t know, but it seems to happen a lot in life. Distractions can keep us from accomplishing the very things that we have talked about as being priorities. Goals that we have talked about or dreams that we have envisioned get pushed aside many times because distractions cause us to lose focus.

I’ve found that this can also happen in our spiritual lives. In Luke 10, we read about Mary and Martha. They were sisters who had invited Jesus and his disciples into their home. Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening to what he said. “But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’ But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (Luke 10:40-42 NLT)

Sometimes we forget how important it is to simply sit as His feet and listen. With all that has to be done it’s easy to lose focus on why we’re even doing it in the first place! The things that Martha was doing were good and necessary, but they were causing her to be distracted and even made her miss out on hearing from her guest, the reason for the dinner in the first place! Recently I have felt that God has been saying that same thing to me; that the things I’m doing FOR Him are hindering my relationship WITH Him. It’s hard for me to slow down long enough to just sit at Jesus’ feet. But I know that when I do, I am able to hear Him more clearly. The apostle Paul said it well in Philippians 3:13-14, “No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

“God, help me this week to remember that without your help, I can do nothing. And help me not to be so distracted by everything going on, that I forget to spend time with you. Help me to listen and hear what you’re saying to me so that everything I do glorifies you. In Jesus name, amen.”

Scott Berkey - Children's Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 18:09:00 +0000

I was driving home from church the other day when my wife and I got to experience something pretty cool. Madeline, our 4 year old, loves music (she is always saying “turn it up daddy”) and she is starting to learn how to listen to the words of the songs that are on. She likes to sing along (remembering as many of the words to the song that her 4 year old mind can). We were listening to a song from the Passion CD “God of this City.

The song was “Hosanna”, and I was almost brought to tears listening to my baby girl sing “ Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna in the Highest”. I am pretty sure that she didn’t know what exactly she was singing, all she knew was that she was singing a praise song to her really big God. I went back and listened to the song one more time a little later, one of the verses jumped out at me. It said “I see a generation, rising up to take their place with selfless faith”. I couldn’t help but think of my little girls and all the children of Hope Fellowship rising up to take their place and do great things for the Kingdom of God.

Sarah and I are so blessed to be a part of the family of Hope Fellowship. Please join us and our entire kid’s ministry team as we pray for and raise up a “generation” that will soon “take their place” to do incredible things for God!

Scott Berkey
Children's Pastor

Aubrey McGowan - Worship Pastor/Student Ministries Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 15:44:00 +0000

Stamps are interesting things:

1. The price of a first class stamp keeps going up… never down. Bummer.
2. $0.42 is still a pretty good deal for sending a birthday card from Texas all the way to Maine.
3. $0.42 is a rip off for sending my water bill from my house to city hall.
4. Although, it’s not such a rip off if I leave it in my car with good intentions of taking it to a convenient payment location, but forget until the bill is past due. At that point, I am charged a $10 late fee and in the end $10.00 is less than $0.42.
5. The cool commemorative stamps cost the same as the generic ones.
6. You can buy the generic ones in many places.
7. You can buy the commemorative ones if you feel like standing in line at the post office for three days.
8. Or you can get them online, but then you’ll have to pay postage to get them delivered… seems to defeat the purpose a little.
9. You don’t have to lick them anymore. No more awful stamp-adhesive taste.
10.On the other hand you don’t have the grace period once afforded to stamp lickers during which one could remove the stamp without wasting your 42 cents. So, make sure you get it perfectly aligned the first time!

We spend so much of our lives focusing on initiatives, goals, processes, strategies, and to do lists. It’s true that there are many great things that get accomplished when we are laser focused, but we often forget about something that is equally as important… our imagination. When is the last time you let your imagination run wild? I know. You say, “That’s just kids’ stuff.” Right? Wrong! Your mind, your imagination, and your creativity are all gifts from God. These form the foundation for many of the great things that initiatives, goals, processes, and initiatives accomplish. Don’t let them go to waste because you are too caught up in everything pressing on you right now. If you are in a place of imagination atrophy, I have a recommendation; an experiment of sorts. It may seem a little counter intuitive, but here ya go! Take a moment right now and plan out a few minutes in the next day or so specifically set aside to let your mind wander. Maybe you will think about something more important than stamps or maybe you won’t. It’s not “what” you are thinking about that matters, but rather “that” you are thinking. Don’t let your imagination go to waste. Use it and see what great things God may spark in you. ~A

Larry Hopkins - Counseling Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:00:00 +0000

A few weeks ago I wrote a blog on Hope’s website. I may have been a little harsh on what the definition of a blog was, sorry Aaron. Part of the definition was that it is self promoting. Well, I must apologize because I am about to do that very thing in this blog.

Starting February 10th Hope will be offering five classes generally called Life Classes. Individually these classes are called:

Discovery – Discovery is a four week class on the foundational doctrines of the Bible. Faith, baptisms, and spiritual gifts to name a few.
Divorce Care – Divorce Care is a 13 week course for those who have experienced or are experiencing the trauma of divorce. It is to help those regain hope and healing.
Financial Peace University – FPU is a 13 week action packed course that will help you manage your money better, eliminate debt, and build wealth biblically.
The Life and Teachings of Christ – This is a 13 week study of the life and teachings of Christ based on the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The content of this course will focus on ways for students to apply the principals of Christ to their own lives.
Experiencing Spiritual Maturity and Freedom – Now here is where I get self promoting. The goal of experiencing spiritual maturity and freedom is to help us to grow and walk daily in the freedom Jesus promised through knowing the truth. Spiritual maturity is a life time process. This class will help you get started on that journey. Spiritual freedom on the other hand can be obtained in a relatively short time. Jesus said the spirit of the Lord is upon Him to proclaim freedom to the captives, the blind, and the oppressed. (Luke 4:18). Each one of these classes is to help us grow in maturity and gain our freedom from the bondage the world and the devil have put on us.

I read this story and thought it could fit some of us. “A general of the Persian Army always gave his condemned prisoners a choice, the firing squad or the black door. Most chose the firing squad. The prisoners were never told what was on the other side of the door. Few ever chose the unknown of the black door. When asked what was on the other side of the black door the general answered, “Freedom, and I’ve known only a few men brave enough to take it.” It seems like so many are willing to settle for where we are at instead of stepping out in faith choosing the freedom general Jesus has to offer…….Blog on fellow blogger.

Larry Hopkins
Counseling Pastor

Larry Evans - Pastoral Care Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:15:00 +0000

What a change! I am enjoying Hope Fellowship. I’m the “other” Pastor Larry, the Pastoral Care Pastor. I am doing what I love. I believe that pastoral care ministry is where the “rubber meets the road” in ministry. It is really where people are. I have been at home (I mean at Hope) for about six months. I’ve learned to love this place so much. It’s changing. Every week we change on the outside and on the inside.

I have learned that in this life there is one thing that is consistent: CHANGE. Every day we change. Paul wrote that from glory to glory He is changing me, into His likeness and image to perfect me. I’m kind of new to all this technology and stuff. I mean, a year ago I had no idea what a blog was, and now… I’m writing one. I am changing.

Change is often not easy though. Sometimes change is difficult and causes us to move out of our “comfort zones”. My son, Justin, wrote and recorded a song about our comfort zones. The song declares, “Lord, make my comfort zone uncomfortable.”

God brings about change in two ways: (1) He changes circumstances in our life, and (2) He changes me. In Jeremiah 18, the Word says: “The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, go down to the shop where clay pots and jars are made. I will speak to you while you are there. So I did as he told me and found the potter working on his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so the potter squashed the jar into a lump of clay and started again. Then the Lord gave this message: O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.” Jeremiah 18:1-6

When God changes me, he sometimes has to squash me in order to make me right. Have you ever been squashed? It doesn’t feel good. It hurts! Who likes to be squashed? Not me. It really is important to realize that God isn’t mad at me when I get squashed. I have always been hard headed and stubborn. I get used to doing something a certain way and it is hard for me to change. I get familiar with the road I’m going down and I don’t want to go another way. God has to squash me sometimes to change me. The process of change is painful at times. God has to squash me to make me over again. God wants to make me better. Do you feel like you have been squashed? From one lump of clay to another, I want to encourage you to stay on the wheel. God is up to something good. It is only as we remain still can God re-make us. Remember Jeremiah 18, “As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.”

I love you all very much.

Larry Evans
Pastoral Care Pastor

Launa Vaughn - Communications Director

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:57:00 +0000

I will never... that's a phrase I try not to say. Not that I haven't always felt that way about the phrase. My first memory of using it was "I will never marry a man in the military." (I don't know why I felt that way, I was young and stupid.) I was a sophomore at Macon College when I made that firm decision. Two years later I started dating a young military officer. Eight months later I was married...

My second memory of using 'the phrase' was around the same time. "I will never live in the north." (It was just too cold up there for a Georgia girl.) One year after I was married, we moved to our first duty station, Fort Drum, New York. It was 20 minutes from the Canadian border.

I really think when we use the phrase "I will never..." it's kind of like daring God, don't you think? We say, "I will never..." and He just kind of chuckles and thinks, watch this! I try really hard not to use that type of language any longer. Even my children realize the dangers.

I wish I could say moving to New York was my last "I will never..." but it wasn't. I'm a pretty slow learner. I do know when life takes me in a direction I didn't want or plan, that I have a couple of scriptures I always go to. Words He's given me to reinforce the fact that regardless of what life has thrown my way, God's with me.

Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:8-9

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

So, regardless of whether we dare God, or life just takes us on an unexpected road in our life journey... He's always with us.

Launa Vaughn

Communications Director

www.hopefellowship.net

launa@hopefellowship.net

Aaron Alexander - Student Ministries Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 15:26:00 +0000

As most of you know (unless you've been living under a rock or in Siberia), we're smack dab in the middle of a construction project here at Hope. It's been talked about a few times on this blog mainly because it's completely consuming us. It's had it's crazy weeks, uncomfortable weeks, disastrous weeks, but it's definitely been interesting. But has it lost it's excitement? I surely hope not! So, I wanted to share the Top 10 Reasons we're Excited about the New Hope Fellowship campus expansion. Not all of these are completely true, but wouldn't it be better if they were?

10. The new lobby is perfect for impromptu games of bowling. 10 pin anybody? I'll provide the shoes.

9. Myrtle, the most powerful person in the church, gets her own underground paring area and security detail. Yes, she is that important.

8. They say the new playground area in the Adventure Kidz area is for the kids, but they are wrong. It's for all the adults who play on it when the kids aren't there. Anybody game? Just remember to take your shoes off and wear flexible clothing - Pastor Scott has torn many a pair of jeans sliding down the slides. Not pretty.

7. The TVs in the lobby will be put to great use with MacGyver marathons every Thursday. Pastor John loves MacGyver...and who doesn't?

6. I heard the Hope Cafe will have the BEST coffee around - and free WiFi. That's true.

5. I know our current portable stage is cool and all, but is anybody else tired of being so close to Aubrey while he's singing that you can actually see his tonsils?

4. Not having to walk across the "drawbridge" made of plywood across the "Hope Moat" to get into service. That was fun for a while, but it got old quickly after Watty started pushing kids into the water. Not cool, Watty. We totally caught you.

3. The new screens in the auditorium will be perfect for Wii Tennis. Pastor Larry Hopkins will probably win though with his amazing back swing - he's a monster not to be messed with!

2. John's entrance into the new facility at the Grand Opening involves fire-breathers, acrobats, and gorillas. Interested...aren't you?

1. We get to see Christ change more lives in Frisco. Period.

Is there any other reason to have a bigger campus than to see more people come to know Christ? Absolutely not. That is the reason we are excited about the new stuff all around Hope - not because of any gadget, not because of any new mural on the wall, not because of a new sound system. Those are just tools that we use to reach people for Christ. You can take this entire building away, every TV, microphone, light, coffee mug - it won't mean a bit of difference to God and it won't to us. We believe God will reach people whether or not we have the most advanced equipment or building on the face of the earth. Do you?

We aren't excited about the new "things" - but rather the new people that will step into our church building for the first time starting in April. That may be the first time they have ever stepped foot into a church building. Are we focusing on the right things when it comes to that moment? Yes, the lights are important. The sound system is important. If the windows are clean is important. But are they the MOST important? Of course not.

So let's remember why we are doing what we are doing. It's not to build an earthly kingdom made of concrete, metal, wood, or glass. But rather to be a part of building a Heavenly Kingdom of changed lives, forgiveness, grace, and redemption. God is in the business of changing lives. It's important to Him and is unapologetically important to us.

I couldn't be more excited about that! But are we ready? I have a feeling we better get ready - God is moving in Frisco - let's keep our priorities in order so we don't get in His way.

Aaron Alexander
Student Ministries Pastor
www.mylifeisepic.com

Helen Hartzo - Early Childhood Director

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:34:00 +0000

I just finished reading “Just Courage” by Gary Haugen. In his book, Gary shares a story about a trip to the mountains he took with his Dad and brothers. It was the last “BIG” hike of the trip and he had no desire to hike – he was tired and worn out! Gary finally convinced his Dad into letting him stay at the visitor’s center. At first, it was a lot of fun hanging out at the center but as the day went on it became increasingly boring and “safe”. His Dad and brothers came back tired but excited and had many adventuresome stories to share of their final hike. Gary said he went on the journey, but missed out on the adventure along the way.

Some of my most favorite times have been hiking in the mountains of Colorado, especially the Thanksgiving Mike and I and the kids spent in the mountains, in a log cabin near Durango. Even though horseback riding is not my most favorite thing to do, we all went on the voyage! However, Amy and Cherish’s horses decided to run away! We wanted to get a family photo to memorialize the event and our guide kept getting us to back up and back up to the edge of the cliff for a “great picture”. The kids kept looking behind them because we were just inches away from the edge! Needless to say, we were all were glad that we survived the horse riding adventure and for the great memories it created for us. The kids still say that this was their favorite family vacation.

Even in Texas there are some small mountains (big hills) to climb, (like Lost Maples National Park in the Hill Country)…but even those small mountain journeys can turn into big adventures when we take that step of faith.

I know that sometimes it may seem easier to be indecisive and not make a definite decision. But if I had not of made a choice I would have missed out on the adventure God had for my family and me -even when it seems like sometimes it is not going to work out or looks hopeless. Taking that step of faith (courage) and trusting God to see it through, is like stepping out of the visitor’s center (or agreeing to go horseback riding) and continuing the journey with God - all the way. What about you? Are you ready to settle in at the “visitor’s center” in your journey or continue on the adventure God has for you? I know that I don’t want to settle… I want all that God has for me. What’s next God?

Scott Berkey - Children's Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:13:00 +0000

I am sitting here in my office listening to the fire alarm go off every fifteen minutes, the pounding of the sledge hammers knocking down walls (it feels like my office wall is the one they are trying to knock down), and the buzzing of drills and other power tools working steadily to construct our new auditorium. Hope Fellowship is certainly in a time of physical transition. It seems as though every day I come in there is something new and some change to the structure. Change can be very inconvenient, it is almost always messy (most of you only get to see it on the weekend when it has been “cleaned” thoroughly), and it is never easy! The only thing that keeps us going is the promise of the future.

It has been my experience that our journey with Christ is very similar. Each of us has a promise that we have received from God. God has incredible plans for our lives, He tells us in Jeremiah that He has plans to give us a future and a hope. You have probably received a “promise” from God. A promise for a future that looks so different from where you are at now, that you probably have no idea how it is going to happen. Before we can see the payoff of these “promises” (when it actually comes to pass) we have to go through a process. In that process God is preparing our hearts and our lives for the incredible payoff He has in store for us.

For us here at Hope, that process involves bulldozers, sledge hammers, and a bunch of concrete and metal. For each of us as individuals, it is usually a lot more complicated. Wouldn’t it be nice if God could send a “construction team” to take you from where you are to where He wants you to be! It doesn’t work that way though. I can remember singing a song as a little kid that talks about this very thing, it’s chorus said:

He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be. 
It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars, 
The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. 
How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me.

What is God taking you through right now? How is it “making you what you ought to be?” Are you willing to trust Him through the Process, so that you can see the Payoff?

“Enjoy the Journey”

Scott Berkey
Children’s Pastor
Hope Fellowship
www.justakidspastor.com

Larry Hopkins - Counseling Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:35:00 +0000

Blog, that seems to be an odd name for something to do with writing. But there are a lot of words used today that didn’t have the same meaning they did years ago, and I’m talking years ago. A megabyte back in my day was a big chunk of skin taken out of another kids arm with Johnnie or Susie’s teeth. A microchip was a small area of paint knocked out of your new car door. A dell was a small secluded, wooded valley. So I grabbed my trusty Webster’s New Compact Dictionary to find the latest definition of blog and guess what, it ain’t in there... but ain’t is! Sense I can’t seem to find a definition for blog, myself and one other anonymous staff person came up with our own.

Blog (blog) n. (1.) to self promote one’s own thoughts or ideas (2.) to ramble on about something no one else is interested in (3.) to spend time on a computer that could be more productive spent in personal relationships.

I am sorry if I have offended anyone but after all look at what I am doing right now. My ministry here at Hope is to be a Godly counsel for those who seek it. Although my creditability as such may be gone after this “Blog”. I know that technical progress is needed and I am not saying we should stop progress. I do think we lose some of the personal relationships that brought an extra ordinary unity among the early church believers.

Act 2:41-47 in the Message says, “That day three thousand took Peter at his word, were baptized and were signed up. They committed themselves to the teaching of the apostles, the life of fellowship together, the common meal, and the praying together. Everyone around was in awe-all those wonders and signs done through the apostles! All the believers lived in a wonderful harmony (unity) holding everything in common. They sold whatever they owned and pooled their resources so that each person’s needs were met. They followed a daily discipline of worship in the Temple followed by meals at home, every meal a celebration, exuberant and joyful, as they praised God. People in general liked what they saw. Every day their numbers grew as God added those who were saved”.

This sounds like more fun to me than blogging - but that’s just me. There were four areas the early church devoted themselves to that caused them to grow spiritually and in numbers.

#1.) The teaching of the Apostles: They were in unity relationally by having the same mind set, speaking the same thing and making the same judgments based on God’s word.

#2.) A Life of Fellowship: We were created for fellowship with God and man. Really caring for one another takes personal relationship.

#3.) Having a Common Meal: Communion is one way we have fellowship with the Lord. Inviting others for a meal is a good way to have fellowship.

#4.) Praying Together: Praying together can build strong relationships and that unity produces great power spiritually. So I guess what my rambling, self promoting, uninteresting thoughts are saying. Don’t stop blogging, but don’t stop bonding either.

Merry Christmas!
Pastor Larry Hopkins
Counseling Pastor
Hope Fellowship

Mark Lunsford - Executive Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Identity- 1. the condition of being oneself or itself, and not another. 2. condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is.

As a pastor, one of the things I love is getting to know people. It’s one thing to be acquainted with someone so that I can say hi when I see them, but it’s even more fun to me when I get to know who they really are. I have been fascinated over the years by the number of times I have been surprised by the beauty and depth of people. There have been instances when I’ve been forced to admit that I had made snap judgments about them that proved completely wrong in the end. It’s apparent that God has carefully crafted each and every one of us, and that His handiwork is never shoddy. The funny thing is, I think it’s easier for us to believe this about others (Well, most others…) ☺ than it is to believe it about ourselves. I have met so many people who think that they have nothing to offer. They have started to believe the snap judgments of others; those who haven’t stopped to recognize the beauty within. It’s so disappointing to see people settle for less than their true identity. Here is what I have found. I must accept and acknowledge that God created me and designed me for a purpose, and that I am who I am not by accident, but because God specifically chose my unique qualities. I love the words of Psalm 139:13-15 in The Message:

“Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God-you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration-what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, the days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day.”

It’s incredible to think that the God of the universe, who created the entire world, also cared enough to shape each one of us, both inside and out! So today, whose voice will you listen to? Who will shape your identity? “God, today I pray that I will see myself the way that you see me. Help me to also see the beauty in others, and see your craftsmanship in everyone I meet. Amen.”

Keep up with Mark by following his daily updates at www.twitter.com/marklunsford or on his blog at www.marklunsford.net.

John McKinzie - Lead Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 17:35:00 +0000

Welcome to our 3rd week of Hope’s new Blog Spot! I’m not one to read a whole lot of blogs (hardly any…), partly because of time and partly because of time… J But maybe you have time and love to read blogs and if that’s the case, hopefully you’ll find ours helpful & encouraging for your spiritual journey.

Speaking of journeys… since the very beginning of Hope, our theme has been “experience the journey”. The whole idea is that our relationship with God is a process not just an event. For so long I focused on getting people to “experience God” rather than inviting them on a journey with him. I most definitely believe our experiences with God are awesome & potentially “life changing” but in my view what happens between the experiences is just as important if not more.

Simply following Christ authentically each day is an “experience” in and of itself. It’s not always “touchy feely” or as some same “sexy”… but there’s nothing like it. I’ll leave you with some of my favorite words spoken by Jesus. They’re found in Luke 9:

Luke 9:23-25 (NLT)
23 Then he said to the crowd, “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross daily, and follow me. 24 If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. 25 And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but are yourself lost or destroyed?

John McKinzie
Lead Pastor
Hope Fellowship
www.hopefellowship.net

Libba Tullos - Programming Director

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:49:00 +0000

I love Tuesdays and the weekends! I love looking over my calendar, preparing for meetings, and seeing what lies ahead. I love working with a team to make things happen. I love dreaming and imagining what might be, what the future could look like, how we could make a difference. I love starting to change things, and setting things in motion that might make those changes happen. I love celebrating the wins along the way and learning from the losses. I love watching the team getting healthier and happier as it gets better and better at the work it does.

In just a few weeks, our team will come together for a time of prayer, brainstorming, and decision making. I'm living for December 2! What might God want to speak to us in 2009? What challenges will we face next year? Who should we interview? What passages in the Bible should we respond to? Inspire us. Challenge us. Surprise Us. Make us cry, laugh, think....

I'm most inspired whenever I take a look at what my long distance mentor, Willow Creek Community Church, is creating. I read this recently and wanted to share it with you! I'm INSPIRED when God speaks clearly to a group of artists in the local church. Check out this weekend experience:

Darren Whitehead delivered a powerful message about the "Potential of the Young", featuring a teaching about King Josiah who was only 8 when he led the people of God. But the major moments of the service were still to come. Darren described a young man now in his twenties, a guy named Joe, who grew up in a terribly difficult home which led to foster care. From the time he was 5 years old until the age of 7, his first foster care parents brought him to our church, to the ministry of Promiseland. Later the state moved this kid all over the place, and he completely lost his way. He got into a serious drug problem and was arrested for assault in his early 20’s. When Joe hit rock bottom, he called that first foster mother, sobbing and threatening to take his own life. She pleaded him to return to God, to turn his life over to the Father he had learned about years ago. And Joe made that decision! He also went to AA, and began a process of healing that ultimately led him to 4 years studying at Moody Bible Institute to be a pastor to the young.

At that point in the service, Darren called Joe up front along with those original foster care parents! Our church just went crazy. To see how the seeds sown in a child’s life two decades ago ultimately bore fruit and brought him home to a relationship with God was hugely inspiring. As if all that wasn’t moving enough, the service came to a rousing climax when the adult worship team began leading us in the song, How Great is Our God. One by one, the adult instrumentalists were replaced by junior high students, starting with the drummer, then the guitarist, bass player (a young girl!), and keyboard player. At that moment, three young vocalists took over for the adults, and no one over 18 was left on the stage! All of us were blessed with a vivid picture of what it means to pass the baton of the church intentionally and enthusiastically to its future leaders!

In 2009, I hope to focus on the power of stories. Philippians 1:6 says "And I am certain that God, who began a good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns"....

If you are open, I would love to hear YOUR story. E-mail me at libba@hopefellowship.net.

Not knowing when the dawn will come, I open every door. -- Emily Dickinson

What is now proved was once only imagined. -- William Blake

If at first the idea is not absurd, then there is no hope for it. --Albert Einstein

Aubrey McGowan - Worship Pastor/Student Ministries Pastor

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:01:00 +0000

Here it is! Hope Fellowship’s endeavor into the blogosphere! I know that you and the whole church world have been waiting on pins and needles to hear the meanderings and musings of your beloved Hope pastors and leaders. Well, wait no more… “Hope’s Blog Spot” is bursting on the scene and I have been entrusted with the great responsibility of startin’ this e-party off right.

Blogs are an interesting odd mixture of someone’s thoughts, opinions, grammatical prowess, wordsmithy-ness, sense of humor, and of course typographical accuracy. All of these things hopefully communicate the writer’s personal perspective. That, after all, is the attraction of a blog; it is an invitation to hear a person of interest’s private perspective that they are extending to the rest of the public world to see, hear, criticize, etc.

With that in mind, I was watching a video produced by a creative design firm today and in that video they talked about the importance of gaining fresh perspective. Here are some of the methods they suggested for gaining that fresh outlook: (1) Wear a patch over one eye for a day and see the world differently; (2) Wear earplugs while walking down the street and hear the world differently; (3) Take the long way to work and notice the things that go unnoticed. It is important that we gain fresh perspective because that is what keeps us from creating, writing, doing, living the same old things we’ve seen repeated over and over. You can do better than that. You were created by an Infinite Creative God for more than living a rutted routine ridden life. So, break out and stretch for a new perspective. Believe me, sometimes it takes hard work, but it is always rewarding when you see fresh color in those things that have faded into every day grey.

Ephesians 2:10
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Maybe you should start by finding a new perspective on the masterpiece that is You! I hope that this blog helps you in some way to see things in a different way. May your perspective be changed and challenged revealing the endlessly fresh beautiful colors of God’s creation.

Aubrey

Hope's Blog Coming!

noreply@blogger.com (Hope Fellowship) — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:16:00 +0000

Get to know the staff of Hope Fellowship. Each week a different staff member will post a blog - a little insight into who they are and what they do.