Hope Christian Fellowship

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...

(2 Cor. 11:16-33) From different points of view, the same information can have dramatically different impacts. For example, a national election can bring results that cause some to feel euphoric and others to feel doomed. In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he talks about their idea of foolishness versus his own understanding. He uses sarcasm quite a bit in these chapters, so if you’re fluent in...

Camouflage was first officially invented in France in 1914. Of course, armies have been using some form of it since warfare began. The concept is pretty simple: if your enemy doesn’t know you are there, they cannot attack you. And they cannot effectively defend themselves. Paul talks about our spiritual enemy, Satan, using the same tactic. In fact, Paul says that Satan disguises himself as an ‘ang...

Have you ever met anyone who thinks everything is dangerous? They can find deadly peril at every turn. Usually, they have statistics and personal stories to back up their approach to life. If you don’t share the same level of panic, they think you are blind and dumb. It’s kind of annoying, isn’t it? Essentially, you internally think, “What’s the big deal?” That’s exactly the response the Corinthia...

Have you ever been in a place where you felt blinded by despair? Are there times that you forget about God's ability to do the impossible? In these verses, we will look at how Jesus took extraordinary steps to prove who He was and how His disciples responded. Jesus is the same, yesterday, today, and forevermore. Let us fix our eyes on how He moved in this text and how it can give us a blueprint fo...

Virtually every ad you see invites you to compare yourself with someone else. The advertisers know that comparison is a natural driver for our desires and choices. If we see someone enjoying a vacation, we compare our situation with what we think the person in the ad is experiencing. Social media influencers embody this principle even more powerfully. They recommend product with the same kind of c...

We all know people who are full of confidence in a way that makes everyone else irritated. The self-focus of this kind of confidence seems to think everyone else matters less and is not worth their time. Many people – Christians included – assume from people like this that confidence is the same as pride. Basically, you have to have a big head to be sure of what you’re doing. However, in these few...

In the series Cobra Kai, the iconic characters from the original Karate Kid come to life again. There is still a contrast in fighting techniques. And there are still bullies and those who need to stand up and fight back. But one of the subthemes of the story is that those who were powerless can become powerful by learning a different way to approach an unavoidable fight. The kids who get bullied a...

The last word of our church's name seems to point directly to small groups. It certainly is our goal that everyone experiences and knows the joy and peace that come from deep and healthy community within our spiritual family. We've given away how high of a priority this is for us by putting it in our name. Is this unique to us? Are we being extreme? Or is this the God-designed way for a church to...

The second word in our church’s name is “Christian.” In American culture, many people call themselves a Christian without really meaning what we mean. So what is the difference between someone who chooses a label and someone who is what the Bible describes as a Christian? We’re going to focus on one word today that describes real salvation: Grace. It is the grace of God that saves someone and make...

We call ourselves Hope Christian Fellowship. Over the next three weeks, we’re going to look at each word in our name. This Sunday we look at hope. What kind of hope do we have? How do we get it and what does it do? We’re going to look at some words from Paul who describes the process for each believer receiving hope, and then he describes how each one experiences that hope more and more. Our hope...