Discover New Hope Fellowship

In a recent conversation with a minister friend, the topic of discipleship came up and he made this observation; “If the purpose of the church is to make disciples, we should know who they are, how many we are making, and the quality of our product.” That conversation has turned me inside out and has helped me to begin to refocus our campaign for Christ here at New Hope Fellowship. I believe people today are looking for relationships and community far more than they are looking for big programs, extravagant buildings, and cheap evangelism tricks. In all of my pondering and praying about this subject, to date, I have come up with this; we are a church with small groups, but we must become a church of small groups to meet the needs of the next decade. For this to happen several things must take place:

1. We must have every capable facilitator leading a small group of some kind.

2. We must have every available home for small groups.

3. We must start small groups in every possible venue.
(i.e. workplace, coffee shops, athletic clubs, etc.)

4. We must be ready to train and equip an army of facilitators.

5. We must offer online training for facilitators and host homes.

6. We must focus our groups on reaching out to unchurched people.

7. We must re-work our Sunday Service to celebrate and interpret small group community.

8. We must continue to start new small groups and create organization and accountability for

those groups.

9. We must be willing to attend a different group and sacrifice our personal comfort.

10. We must all step forward to participate in authentic community.

I believe we can make a major impact for the Lord when we apply ourselves in providing authentic community to people who have lost all hope in church and religion. The methods most churches are using today are not working. Church cannot continue to be about buildings, budgets, and “bigger” and hope to reach a confused and skeptical people. I am convinced that people do not go to church because they have been to church. Church must change…Lord let it begin with us and let it begin soon!

The latest edition of the church newsletter is available online now.

Church Newsletter July, 2009

The Women’s Newsletter for July, 2009 is now online.

Women’s Newsletter July, 2009

Sunday, June 21st is Father’s Day. We will be recognizing all Fathers in attendance. Make sure your Dad is here and make sure all the children come too. Also, we will be launching a new series entitled, “First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage”. I hope you will try to be present for each of these 8 important messages on marriage and family.

June 22-25 is Vacation Bible School. You may enroll your children, grandchildren, or neighborhood kids this Sunday. This year’s VBS will meet from 9:00am until Noon daily, Monday through Thursday at our Recreation/ Activity Building.

Sunday, June 28th is Rodeo Round-Up Sunday.  We plan to have hats for the kids, drawings for free tickets to the Rodeo of the Ozarks, pony rides, the Rodeo of the Ozarks Rounders, and a free BBQ lunch at the RAC after church. It’s going to be a big, big day!

I hope you will try to be present each of the summer Sundays you are not on vacation. I think you will be blessed.

Summer is upon us and New Hope is praising God for one of the greatest years in our nearly 14 year history. God is so good. This year we will see as many people come to accept Christ and be baptized as ever before. Our giving is consistently breaking all-time records and our mission endeavors are spreading across the globe and reaching out to countless hundreds of needy people. This summer alone we will send two different groups to the Amazon Region where they will be working with New Hope’s Mission Evangelist Brandon Carroll. At the same time we will be starting and supporting mission work in Montana with our Mission Evangelists Alan and Sarah Damron. Our older youth will be traveling to Guatemala on mission trip in August to work with a children’s home while all of our youth will be traveling to New Mexico for mission work in that state. Our Hispanic Ministry, Jehovah Jireh Baptist Church, is moving forward under the direction of Pastor Avelino Berroa and his family. We are being blessed by our giving to PS.100. as we prove faithful before God in what He is doing in and with our fellowship. In August we resume our Lifebuilder Small Group Program with many new groups and a study of the book of Romans. All of this and God has so much more in store for each of us. Be sure you are fully onboard and experience the blessings of God at New Hope.

I had a great kindergarten teacher. Her name was Mrs. Miller. It wasn’t just that I began to learn reading and math. Mrs. Miller taught more than that. As I was thinking about church at New Hope, I realized that some of what I learned in her class applies here as well.

Mrs. Miller reminded us to be in the right place at the right time. When it was time for reading groups, we all went to our assigned location. We were divided up on reading levels so that we could each learn best with those who were on our own level. At New Hope, our children’s ministry provides awesome opportunities for children to begin to learn even before they reach kindergarten. By offering age-appropriate classes, the Spiritual Education begins early. Young children or preschoolers in our adult worship service won’t benefit spiritually, but a child who learns to tell the story of Jesus, or Moses, has definitely grown spiritually no matter their age. As children transition to youth, they begin to learn from the adult service, and apply what they’ve learned through our youth ministry.

Mrs. Miller also reminded us to put others first. At New Hope, we’ve got so many great people who are constantly inviting friends to church. Each week we welcome new guests, many who decide to make New Hope their church home. We’re definitely a welcoming, open community of believers. Mrs. Miller’s advice still rings true; is there anything else we can do to put others first? Have you adopted any of these seating habits? Saving a seat for your friend or family member is great, but leaving your Bible or coat in the seat next to you just hoping that no one sits there, isn’t. Having a regular place where you always sit is fine, but being upset when someone gets to it first isn’t. Members sitting on the back rows while making our guests walk all the way to the front of the worship area can also be intimidating for our guests. Let’s always keep looking for ways to put the needs of our guests first!

Mrs. Miller reminded us to be participants in our own learning. Everyone who wants to grow and learn has to be an active participant, not a spectator. Sometimes it seems more convenient to just go grab another cup of coffee, or shoot the breeze with a friend, than to participate in worship. Once the service has begun, it’s time to focus our minds and hearts on God, our savior and creator, and eliminate the competing distractions. Not only do I have to work to keep myself focused on worship, but I also have to ensure that I don’t create a distraction for others. Too much moving around or talking, and I know that I may cause those around me to be distracted from what they may really need that week.

Sometimes it’s just the simple things that matter most.

The latest edition of the church newsletter is available online now.

Church Newsletter June, 2009

The Women’s Newsletter for June, 2009 is now online.

Women’s Newsletter June, 2009

The Peru Newsletter for Spring, 2009 in available online now.

Peru Newsletter Spring, 2009

“God is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.” Eph. 3:20

The verse begins with, ”God is able.” Do you see God as able? Able to change your situation? Able to provide for your needs? Able to change your disposition? Able to change the way you are? How “able” is God in your life? The Bible says that He is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think. Really? Beyond all that we ask or think? Can God really do that in my life? I believe He is able but can He be “able” for me? What’s the catch? Read the rest of the verse: “…according to the power that works within us.” What power? The power of God’s Holy Spirit inside of every Christian! The truth is this, God wants to do so much more with you and in you than He has ever done before. Your greatest days of ministry for the sake of Christ are before you. Your greatest days of impact for the Kingdom are in your future, not your past! He wants you to start today on the road to ”dependence.” He is able to change your situation. He is able to change your circumstances. He is able to change you. God is able!

Are you seeking God today? I mean really seeking God. I said to our church staff this week, “I believe that when I stand before our people on Sunday morning I will be standing in front of some of the best Christian people I have ever known. They are hard working, faithful servants of God. I think they all believe God can do anything. I think we all believe God can do anything. But I am concerned that while we believe ‘God can’ we must move to a higher plane so we can know ‘God will’. There is a vast difference in believing and knowing. There is a great difference in knowing God can and knowing God will. I want us to be people who know, not only that God can do something but that He will do it!  God has not changed and He is still able! Our greatest days for God are just ahead!