Hope Christian Fellowship

The Lord’s Prayer – Part 3 One of the hardest parts of any relationship is forgiveness. Each of us is desperate to be forgiven; our eternal destiny hangs in the balance. But in human relationships, forgiving those who hurt us, and asking for forgiveness when we hurt others are two of the most difficult tasks. In Jesus’ prayer, He talks about forgiveness. He starts by talking about our need for God...

Many people think of prayer as a way to get God to do what the prayer thinks He should do. Yet, as Jesus prays, He seems to take an entirely different approach. Instead of starting with all kinds of requests about the circumstances of life, Jesus begins by declaring that He wants God’s way to unfold. He teaches us to see prayer as a way to align our hearts with our Lord’s heart. We learn that citi...

Praying is one of the most basic parts of being a Christian. When you’re first a believer, you might feel like you don’t know how to pray ‘correctly’. While prayer is actually not that complicated, it had gotten very twisted up in Jesus’ time. So Jesus takes the opportunity while speaking to a crowd on a hillside, and teaches them how to pray. Some people today may be surprised to learn that the i...

There’s a saying that cryptically asks “if a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” That question has been used in many different debates, but we’re going to look at one way it can be applied. People like for others to see when they perform well. It feels good to be noticed, and it feels like it actually makes more of a difference when our good deeds or ac...

For our last Sunday of the year, we have a special treat: we get to have Lauren Pupchik come and share with us about her ministry in Guatemala, and to introduce us to an opportunity that we have to send some Hopers to work with her for a week in the new year. You don’t want to miss Lauren – she is always such an incredible blessing to us, and her heart for Jesus shines through so clearly. Then we’...

When someone damages you in any significant way, it not only causes you suffering, it also can make you feel powerless. The natural anger or sadness that comes from loss joins together with a desire to regain control of your life. So often, we think through ways to get revenge. It may not bring back what we’ve lost, but it will definitely give us the sense that we’re back on top. Jesus, our King,...

Who would like to be the perfect mom? Or dad? We long to measure up to the highest standard in roles that matter to us. So whether we are trying to be the perfect student, teammate, employee, or citizen, we can all understand the desire to eliminate mistakes and do everything right. But the nature of being human is that we all mess up – no one escapes this reality! So we come to the end of the fir...

some people can’t be believed. Maybe you have someone like this in your life: they have made promises or told stories that later turned out to be empty words or inflated truths. It is a struggle to be connected to someone you can’t believe in any kind of deep relationship. You’re always guessing what is actually true and what is just said for effect. Jesus talks about how our words should carry tr...

We’re going to set aside this morning from our study in the Sermon on the Mount to talk together as a church family. We want to sync up on who we are and where we’re headed. In order for us to function well as a body, we all need to understand what God has called us to and how we approach the work He’s given us. So today, we’ll dig into some of the keys to our ministry and put our hearts and minds...

Cheating On Your Spouse ( Matthew 5:27-30 ) Some of us have taken this path and faced the devastation that follows. Others of us watch depictions of this storyline with fascination. It is incredible that something that causes so much pain to so many is the subject of story after story in our entertainment. Jesus takes on this topic with some startling words. In fact, these words are so shocking th...

But I know I’m right! How often do we dig in for a fight when the alternative is to give in to someone else, even though I’m right? In today’s culture, we are told to stand up for our rights and those who do this are celebrated and honored. So why would we ever surrender our rights? Jesus talks about this topic by using a very specific example which is probably hard to understand in our society to...

On the list of sins, most people illustrate the darkest and most evil extreme by talking about murder. Something about taking the priceless life of another human being is so vile that it automatically elevates homicide to the top of the list. And it’s common for people to say “It’s not like I’m a murderer or something…” when they want to admit they’ve made mistakes, but also say they aren’t an evi...

In times gone by, people went to their ‘local’ church. We still use that term today, but it means something different. Back in the day, the local church was within walking distance – at the most, a few miles from the homes of those who attended. You were born in a church, got married in that church, and your funeral was held at that church. Today, we are much more mobile as a society, and people r...

The greatest sermon ever preached still has unbelievable power to change us. Jesus spoke these words about 2000 years ago to a large audience on a hillside, but He meant them to challenge us as well. The thoughts upend normal thinking on almost every spiritual front, and if we want to follow Jesus, much of what He represents starts here! SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE – Salty Lights ( Matthew 5:13-16 ) Th...

Are you tired of feeling like you’re racing through life, but you have no time for what matters? Discouraged when you think about the lack of meaningful relationships and deep friendships? Perhaps you are wrung out from all your responsibilities and calendar demands and wondering when you ever get a chance to take care of yourself and your soul. Many of us find ourselves in these places in life. B...

Have you ever thought what you’d do if you won the lottery… not just a few hundred dollars, but millions and millions of dollars? Most of us believe we would pay off some bills, take a few nice vacations, and maybe buy a new house. But then, we almost always talk about how we’d help people in need, or give to good causes. And while this reflects a heart that recognizes the good in giving, we have...

“Lucky you”. Have you ever had someone say that to you and thought, ‘If you only knew what it was really like to be me.”? Sometimes we look at people and think their lives are enviable, but it is likely that stepping into their shoes would cause us to think differently. Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with what we call the Beatitudes. And in these, He tells us who is ‘lucky’ – only He uses th...

The Magic Kingdom in Disney world is a place that feels like stepping out of reality and into fantasy. The slogan for the Magic Kingdom is ‘The Most Magical Place on Earth’. Stepping into the theme park is meant to take guests away from their mundane or over-stressed lives and allow them to live in a ‘kingdom’ where things are different and fun. They are in the escape business… But it is interesti...

Overcoming Struggles with Your Identity in Christ Does your past ever come back to haunt you? Do you wrestle with feelings of shame or guilt? Maybe you sometimes feel unworthy of serving our Lord. The enemy loves to throw these things in our faces to keep us from a fulfilling relationship with Christ. Mike Hartwell will be sharing truths from God’s Word to help us win this battle. Topics: Doubt ,...

It is often said that our young people are “the church of tomorrow.” It is probably more accurate as the leaders of tomorrow. Whether in church, business, politics, or wherever else our students end up, they will eventually be making decisions that impact all of us. Regardless if the students at Hope are your biological children or not, they will play a vital role in shaping the future. We have th...

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE – JIM JEFFERSON                                                                                                    We look forward with anticipation to hear what it is that the Lord has placed on Jim’s heart to share with us! Topics: Facing The Impossible

Have you ever tried the arcade game with a hanging claw that drops down into a pile of prizes and grabs whatever is where it lands? Some of the newer versions of this game let you play until you win, but for many years, it was rare that the claw returned with a prize. The player tried to align the claw over the desired item and then hoped that when it dropped and closed, it would catch whatever wa...

The week of VBS is a time of energy and activity. We feel privileged to welcome all of the kids who come out to learn about Jesus. And we love that we get to help families who are trying to raise their kids to be good people. But the big reason we do this is because we've been changed. We're going to close our VBS week by looking at some of the earliest followers of Jesus. They were witnes...

We are embarking on one of our busiest and most exciting weeks of the year. We sacrifice time and energy to serve kids and families so that they will remember what we do here for years to come. While we hope that all the hard work pays off for every person who comes out to VBS, we are really just doing what we’re always called to do. Of course, we can’t put on VBS every week. But every believer is...

There was a time in our world when people had dinner together as a family and then sat around and talked together. It seems like that way of living has mostly faded from existence. We run from one event on our packed calendars to the next. It feels like we’re always running late, but we simply have too much to do and not enough time to do it. This way of living has an impact on our mental, physica...