While you are enjoying your copy, check out this great endorsement for Preaching to Connect Truth to Life:

“Whenever I hear Benji Kelley preach, I come away with two consistent impressions. First, there is the gratitude I have to God for His willingness to anoint preachers with his enabling presence, so that the Word goes forth with power. When I hear Pastor Benji preach, I am reminded of the words of Oswald Chambers, “There is no limit to what God can do with a man, if he touch not the glory.” A hallmark of Pastor Benji’s preaching is that he always, consistently and intentionally gives God the glory. And God blesses Pastor Benji with an unusual anointing. The second impression is the gratitude I have to Pastor Benji for the way he honors the Word in his preaching. True to Wesley, the scriptures are the foundation of the reason, experience and tradition that is proclaimed from his pulpit. Benji Kelley is a man of the Book! As a result, we see the transformational mission of the church effectively displayed right before our eyes, as people’s lives are changed, some radically and dramatically.

It is my honor to minister alongside this man of God.  What he shares in this book will bless those who love God and the Word. Enjoy this book on preaching from a man who loves to preach and does it extremely well!”

~ Pastor Dan Leroy, District Superintendent of North Carolina East Wesleyan Church

You can share your own endorsement on PTCTL’s facebook Page!

If you missed the opportunity to have Benji sign your copy, don’t worry! Stay tuned for news on another signing event when the Kelley’s return! Order your copy here or find them at any newhope church Campus Resource Center! With questions you may call 919-206-HOPE (4673).

A Prayer of Blessings for You

Heavenly Father, creator of the heavens and Earth, I beg of you to hear my prayer. You have anointed and have chosen our leader to further your kingdom’s work. A charge that he has strived and pressed on to fulfill at great sacrifice of himself. And now you have blessed him and his family with a season of rest. Gracious God thank you for blessing your servant, our leader. You are forever faithful to your people.

Lord and God Almighty, I beg of you to hear my prayer. Keep our leader, your chosen servant, safe. Watch over him day and night. When he is awake. When he is asleep. I humbly ask that you intervene with all power and authority should he be in danger. Not only danger for his physical form, but also of the schemes of evil. For soulful danger is more easily encountered when traveling away from your Holy Places. Lord I ask that you give him a gift of awareness such that he has never had, to help him avoid danger in all its forms has he travels during your gift of rest. Arm him with refreshed memories of past experiences and heighten the senses you have given your creation to guide his family safely on their travels and back to the place you have called them to serve. I ask for these words to come true in your Son’s name. In whom I know as my savior.

Great God, greater than us all, I beg of you to hear my prayer. As he is allowed by you to relax from what have become his normal day to day activities in leading your church at newhope, bestow vision of your future plans to our leader, your chosen servant. Draw him closer to you. Allow him to sink into your knowledge and be made aware of your plans for him. Lord be omnipresent, through your Holy Spirit, in his thoughts, relentlessly. When he is human and focused on the worldly and is not tangible to your Spirit, Lord send a heavenly host of angles to awaken his conscience. Lord I pray this for all your chosen leaders in all the nations. Awaken them, wreck them with your visions, and shake their souls so they may cast to reach the lost and already chosen but not active leaders of your kingdom. For nothing is more important than your kingdom, God.

Creator and Giver of Life, I beg of you to hear my prayer. As you have blessed our leader, your chosen servant with a season of rest, I ask that you allow him tremendous joy. Lord of All, I ask that he enjoys this season so much that he smiles until his cheeks hurt, laughs until his sides are sore, and cries tears of joy every day of this time you have given him. Grant him memories of this time that will stay with him for the rest of his life. Memories so rich and precious that when shared, others are blessed.

Lord my God, I beg of you to hear my prayer. Strengthen your church, newhope, during this season you have given our leader. I pray that your omnipotent power rests in the favor of your church, newhope. That the staff of your church stay faithful to you and draw near to you and ask for your wisdom in every decision so that you are glorified in all things by your church, newhope. Lord I pray that your church body of newhope remain faithful. From keeping your commandments to finding your favor during this season you have given us. Let not our leader return to find that your church has swayed from your favor. Allow his return to be a joyous occasion with celebrations of your graciousness and glories in your honor.

Omniscient Sovereign God, with wisdom of the ages, I beg of you to hear my prayer. Teach your church, newhope your ways during this season you have given our leader. May the servants you have chosen to speak to your church, be instruments for your glory, and teach faithfully your word. God may you be praised and pleased with the words spoken by your servants you have chosen. I pray that through these servants’ teachings, your church is filled with your Holy Spirit and bless others in your name. For you are worthy, Lord.

Great God, let your people be in awe of your power, grace and majesty. You are worthy of our praise. God, thank you for blessing our leader. Thank you for the church you have called him to lead. May you be praised and glorified with the gracious season you have given him. Lord keep him and his family safe, draw him closer to you, give him rest, and continue to bless your church during the season you have given us all. I ask for these things as an adopted son through your Son, Jesus Christ, who made salvation possible.

Thank you to newhoper Ryan Peedin!

Dear Saints of newhope,

Sunday is a big day in the life of our church! I hope and pray you will do everything within your power to Worship at one of our campuses on Sunday morning and then gather back at central Campus at 4 pm for a Potluck Party on the Patio with great food, music, games, and Believer Baptisms and Baby Dedications!  It is going to be a blast and you do NOT want to miss this PAR-TAAAY!  

I hope you will join us Sunday afternoon and let me hug your neck before the sun goes down! Also, if you have been considering Baptism, Sunday is your day!

Sunday morning, I will be sharing my heart and teaching from Ephesians 3. This is one of the most remarkable chapters in the Bible and culminates with this amazing doxology:

“Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us,  to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20 – 21)

It is with both sadness and excitement that I remind you that this Sunday, May 20, will be my last Sunday until August.  No doubt, this is “bitter sweet” and I am feeling emotions that I have never felt while serving God’s movement to Reach, Teach, and Release. I would love for you to pray for my family this summer and I can assure you that we will most definitely be praying for you and our church family during this Sabbatical.

To be honest, I have never liked saying “Goodbye.” It always elicits feelings of finality. So I say other things like, “See you!” or “Later” or “Peace out.” Most of the time I like quick goodbyes. However, when loved ones leave, there are no formalities to ease the tension. We tend to embrace, sometimes through tears. It is not uncommon to cast out clichés, often with a bit of humor, to lighten the atmosphere. But in the end the word “Goodbye” is bound to be spoken.

It’s a comforting thought really, because it is a shortened form of “God be with you.” In fact, the farewell in many languages express the same thing. The Spanish, “adios” means ‘to God’ – meaning that our lives are in His keeping.  And “Vaya Con Dios”means ‘go with God.’ The benediction/send off that we often implore at the close of our Worship Celebrations are reminders that as we part from one another God goes with each one of us!

I guess what I’m trying to say is that I am NOT looking forward to the benediction and send off Sunday morning or Sunday afternoon. However, it eases my dilemma and comforts my soul to know that God will be with us until we meet again…at the end of the summer.

I hope to see you Sunday, beloved, and until we meet again, “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20–21)

Today I have a couple of announcements to share as well as news on Pastor Benji’s book! The release is finally here and copies are en route to newhope Campuses this very moment! I want to share a review from General Superintendent of the Wesleyan Church Dr. JoAnne Lyon on Preaching to Connect Truth to Life.

“More than a “How to” book, this is a WHY book! Preaching to Connect Truth to Life is a one of a kind, brief and compelling journey through church history, that speaks to the styles and impact of preaching in light of the current debate of Expositional, Topical  and Narrative.  Benji articulately blends them all together, adding the dimension of contexualization, with current examples of life transforming results! The prophet Amos describes our current age as, ‘Not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the Words of the Lord.’ This book offers a powerful answer to that famine!”

Wow! Defintiely worth a read for anyone with a voice in the Church or anyone desiring to share the Gospel in relevant ways! So, check out some announcements below and I hope to see you this Sunday at newhope!

YOU’RE INVITED!

This Sunday, May the 20th, at newhope‘s Central Campus at 3:30 pm, Pastor Benji will be signing copies of Preaching to Connect Truth to Life! This will be part of the Party on the Patio Baptism Celebration and Potluck Party on the Grounds. newhope will be sending the Kelley family off for their well-deserved sabbatical this summer, so be sure to get your opportunity to wish them well and get your goodbye hugs! But don’t worry, they’ll be back with us in September!

Join us for an afternoon of good food, fellowship games and best of all, believer baptisms! We kick things off at 3:30 pm with the book signing, dinner is served at 4:00 pm and registration for baptism begins at 4:45 pm! If you would like more info on getting baptized this week, email office@newhopenc.org!

GET YOUR COPY!

You can order from Wesleyan Publishing House here or stop by any newhope Campus Resource Center beginning this weekend to get your copy!

POWERFUL service in the Garden of Gethsemane. Ultimate question about His will & now the will of our lives. #sorrow

St. Anne Church in Jerusalem. She was the mother of Mary. #sundayworship

My good friend, Mishi (Our guide) and I at the pool of Bethesda. #john5
I want to thank @JohnCMaxwell for the connection to Mishi, the best tour guide I have ever experienced in the Holy Land!

Original stone road from Herod’s time, Via Dolorosa. We are quite certain Jesus walked on these stones on His way to the cross!

St. Peter Church, on top of the place where Peter denied Christ 3 times.

Possibly the cave/cell 60 feet beneath a church, where Jesus spent the night before the trial before Pilate/Ciaphas.

The synagogue in Capernaeum, Jesus’ post for most of his ministry!

The cave where the ancient Qumran scrolls were discovered in 1947. #extracanonical

Historic battle site of Masada, the place of King Herod & Jews against Rome.

 Closet thing resembling jar that antiquity teaches Jesus used to change water to wine.

King Herod’s palaces on the north side of Masada. The dude loved the good life.

Today we swim/float in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the planet #floatinginsalt