Hope Christian Fellowship

Some people believe that being late is a good thing.  They use terms like “fashionably late” to describe the benefits of not arriving on time.  Being late on purpose is one step further than someone who is carelessly late or just couldn’t seem to get there on time.   It can feel like a slap in the face to everyone else involved, like there just wasn’t enough consideration or respect for those who...

Where to stand against demonic influences.

His Forever

Safe Sheep

If you have ever been on a serious hiking trail, you probably know from experience that the trail is marked.  Walking with your head down can get you lost – you need to be paying attention to the markings or you could easily wander off the trail.  Let’s say a hiker did just that (wandered off the trail) and they realized it.  How foolish would it be to press forward in spite of the fact that there...

We’re getting ready to jump into one of our biggest events of the year – Vacation Bible School.  We’re thrilled that we get to serve our kids and the surrounding neighborhood in this way and this Sunday will be a day when our focus shifts to our kids.  Get a sneak peek at VBS, join us in prayer for our kids and the coming week, and get a little taste of the ministry Hope has for kids.  Whether you...

Standing Out

Hope is 10 years old!  This weekend marks the anniversary of our very first service and we’re going to be taking the morning to give thanks, glory, and praise to God for what He has done among us.  We’re grateful for each person who has sacrificed and serve – everyone who has shared in the work God is doing.  God has been amazingly good to our church and we want to take this anniversary and celebr...

Denial…. It is a well-worn response to news that we don’t want to hear or accept.  It doesn't change the facts, but it makes us feel better in trying to pretend that they aren’t true.  However, denial almost always crumbles under the weight of reality over time.  Eventually, virtually everyone has to face the facts that what they don’t want to be true is in fact true.  For many people, this is...

Cause and effect.  This concept is behind all detective work and science theory.  We see a result and we look for the cause.  Many times the mystery comes from the difficulty of identifying the correct reasons for what we’re observing.  In life, when trouble or suffering comes our way, we tend to do the same thing.  We look at the circumstances and we try to come up with the source of our pain.  S...

What is it about death that is so overwhelming?  We live aware that it is a reality for us all – we lose people we love and we face it in our own future.  It seems that we would be equipped for such a universal reality.  But our heart aches for life to go on – we struggle to digest the end of life.   Perhaps this is because we weren’t meant to die.  Jesus speaks to this universal desire by promisi...

"Cast the First Stone" from Sunday Morning by Pastor Mark Ott

"Gods Role In Evil" from Wednesday Night Bible Study by Pastor Mark Ott

"Arguing with Jesus" from Sunday Morning by Pastor Mark Ott

"Fearing Failure" from Sunday Morning by Pastor Dave Hallahan

"Abortion" from Wednesday Night by Pastor Mark Ott

"The Cause" from Sunday Morning by Pastor Mark Ott

"Does God Make People Gay" from Wednesday Night Bible Study by Pastor Mark Ott

In general, dogs bark. It may amuse you or irritate you, but it is a very difficult thing to try to get a dog to stop barking. Likewise, babies cry. It may not always be convenient or fun, but it is a reality. All of us act in line with our nature. To try to change a normal expression of a dog's nature or a baby's nature is to try to do the impossible. Jesus talks about the nature of the D...

Free Indeed

The first installment of the Wednesday Bible Study special series on Gay Marriage by Pastor Mark Ott

The second installment of the Wednesday Bible Study special series on Gay Marriage by Pastor Mark Ott

Parents generally take naming their baby very seriously. While there are different reasons for everyone, most people put a lot of weight on ‘liking’ the name. Some options are eliminated because a person with ‘that name’ has a painful or bad history with one or both of the parents. Other options are eliminated because of personal taste (i.e. not liking how the name sounds or fits with the family n...

In our culture, it is understandable to say whatever you need to in order to get the results you want. Sometimes it means leaving out certain information to make sure that someone sees your point of view. Other times, it means actually being less than honest to protect yourself. From this mindset, the truth is less important than the results you desire.  Christians can find themselves following al...

A special word from our brother in Christ, Jim Jefferson. Original date: Sunday, October 29, 2023.