Hope Christian Fellowship

At the start of any project, there is a key moment when the thing you are doing moves from something that COULD happen into something that IS happening. At lot of people get stuck in the dreaming phase and never really begin anything of substance because they cannot imagine going from the “anything is possible” part to the “this is what I’m going to actually do” part. Thankfully, Jesus’ ministry d...

If you have been alive for any length of time, you will know the weight of your mistakes. Whether they are premeditated or reactionary, the result of misplaced intentions, or flat out selfishness they all pile up. We can lie awake at night wondering how we could have done things differently, tip toe around relationships we once thought we were secure in, or feel that desire to do enough good to ou...

Everyone has someone they need to forgive. And everyone needs to be forgiven. That is not new; in fact, it has always been this way. Some people think they don’t need forgiveness, and others don’t want it. But with God, forgiveness is necessary for any hope of a future that we want. John the Baptist bursts on the scene in Luke’s Gospel and he is baptizing people and calling them to the pathway tha...

So often, we think we know what God is doing (or what He should be doing) in the situations we face. Most of our misunderstanding about God’s plan comes down to thinking that the story unfolding in our lives is all about us or all about ‘right now.’ Luke includes a story – the only one we have – from Jesus’ childhood. In these events, you might be surprised to see that Mary and Joseph had normal p...

As we celebrate all of our Moms today, we’re going to take a look at the treasured memories of Jesus’ Mom. As Luke interviews the eyewitnesses, he gets these stories from Mary about some of the early interactions she had with people who reinforced the promise of God in her Son. Mary and Joseph go about their parental duties and God uses those faithful acts to show them (and us) that, just like wai...

For most of us, the social dynamics of middle school and high school are really hard to navigate when you’re living through them. Trying to fit in when you don’t even really know who you are is an experience of real struggle and trial. There are few things more painful than being left out of a group to which you’ve tried to connect. It tends to send the message that you are unworthy and that you a...

Some of us consider ourselves to be ‘control freaks.’ But all of us actually would prefer to be in control of many of the things that happen in our lives. We’d like to decide if we get the job or don’t, if we’re able to have kids or not, if tragedy skips over us, or if people like us. The list goes on. And each of us have our own. The problem is that we don’t get that kind of control. And as long...

Today, we know that the resurrection of Jesus is the most well-established fact in ancient history. But for those who lived through those days, His resurrection was unthinkable. Jesus’ followers were left crushed and confused by His crucifixion. Before they even had time to process that loss, there are reports that Jesus was alive again. Can you imagine what it felt like to live through that? Toda...

On Palm Sunday, we celebrate and remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem to the shouts of praise and victory. Of course, we know that it was only a few days later that Jesus was crucified. That contrast can make Palm Sunday seem empty or tragic. Yet in a real sense, Palm Sunday told the truth about what was to come. This man came as the fulfillment of God’s promises to David and Abraham and Moses. Wh...

Faith is a word that gets thrown around a lot in church. Sometimes, that familiarity can lessen our appreciation for the miracles that God offers through faith. By faith, we can know Him and have a relationship with our amazing Creator. By faith, we can find salvation and healing and hope and peace in this life. It is faith that navigates us out of the traps of discouragement and despair. It is fa...

Have you ever been driving somewhere on a road that you use all the time and zoned out? You get to where you are going, but you didn’t ever really pay attention to anything along the way. You are so familiar with everything on that road that you can basically tune it all out. With Bible stories, that can happen too. Today, we’re going to look at a story that gets read every Christmas. You may be v...

In a scam-filled world, there is a saying learned from hard experience: if something is too good to be true, it probably is. We learn to be skeptical of good news and stay on guard against those who would use our desires or desperation to take advantage of us. So when we come to God’s Word and we read promises that seem too good to be true, we find ourselves struggling to believe. Years of disappo...

Luke decided to interview and record those who had witnessed Jesus’ life and words and to write down the story in an organized matter. He presents some themes in his work (like Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy and the bringer of salvation). He makes it a point to show how those normally on the outside of society are invited into the kingdom. But perhaps the most important reality to this Gospe...

When I was young, I often heard people in church use the phrase “on fire for the Lord.” It gave the impression that there are times in life when the desire to live for Jesus burns more strongly than others. In this passage, the Apostle Paul stands trial and gives testimony to what Jesus has done in his life and how his life has been forever changed. As we look at this Scripture together, let’s see...

Relationships are hard. But they are also essential. Have you ever thought about whether or not knowing Jesus makes a difference in relationships? If it does, what kind of difference does it make? We’re going to look at the close of Paul’s letter to the Corinthians and see how he describes some of the things that happen in a Christ-centered relationship. This will be a good chance to see if you ar...

How long of a gap is there between the time you get out of bed and your first look in a mirror? Most people probably catch a glimpse pretty soon after waking up. Others may wish to avoid the reflection for as long as possible. Seeing yourself in a completely disheveled state can be unsettling! But of course, that’s just because you haven’t addressed how you look yet. If you still looked like that...

There was a song by Tim McGraw back in 2004 called “Live Like You Were Dying.” It was about the eye-opening effect of hearing that your time on earth might be coming to a close. In it, the man who got that news decided to go on adventures and take some risks. The idea of the song is that sometimes we forget to live until we are faced with the end. Then, we actually start living! It is ironic that...

Believing in Christ saves our souls, but it doesn’t stop our suffering. In fact, it can often increase our suffering, because living out our faith means a life that puts us at odds with the broken systems of this fallen world. Yet, God’s promises of redemption are so profound that Christians should overflow with hope and gratitude! Let’s meditate on those promises together and uncover the power an...

Have you ever known a person who seemed to criticize others a lot? Soon enough, it begins to feel like that person doesn’t think they ever do anything wrong. But of course they do, because we all do. It isn’t unusual for someone with secrets to hide to go on the offensive and throw darts at others. If people are looking at others, it can distract them from the critics own issues. As Paul starts to...

Have you ever known someone who stubbornly holds onto something that just isn’t true? Maybe they believe some rumor that they’ve heard about you, and since you actually know your own story, you know that it is not true. But the facts do not matter in this instance. That person continues to believe the lies. Paul is up against that in his relationship with the Corinthians. If you have walked this p...

The Marines have a saying: “Pain is weakness leaving the body.” Of course, in context, that is a powerful way for those protecting our nation to train and push their bodies beyond what they thought was possible. But behind that idea is also a truth that most people believe about their own normal lives: weakness needs to leave my life. In fact, it is so unwanted that I would be ready to suffer so t...

We all know that this life won’t last forever. Our time on this earth will come to a close when we die. There is the hope that the Lord returns and we bypass that journey and go directly to be with Him. But if that does not happen in our lifetimes, then we will take the journey that so many have before us. What waits for us after death? Many believe that we just end; that there is nothing and we s...

As we approach the close of another year and begin to anticipate what is to come in the new year, it is natural to assess where we have been and where we are going. But with this evaluation often comes the frustration in the realization that we have so often failed to be and act as we wish had, both in the past year and even in the years previous. The Apostle Paul was intimately aware of this frus...

Our elementary program is always a non-negotiable part of our Christmas celebration as a church. The kids have worked for months to be ready to step up on that big stage and sing their hearts out. We’re so privileged to watch them tell the story of Christmas this day. And we’re going to take some time when they are done to talk again about why this particular baby remains such a reason for celebra...

There is something more precious than words can describe about our WonderZone Program. These little preschoolers have a way of bringing us joy and capturing our attention as they sing their songs and do their parts in telling the meaning of Christmas. When they are done, we’ll take some time to talk about why this particular baby is the reason for so much celebration. Maybe you just love Christmas...