Hope Church - Fort Worth, TX

In the first message of the "3C Disciple" series, Matt began with the foundational truth that "you don't have to stay the way you are," emphasizing that real transformation is possible through Jesus Christ. He defined discipleship as more than just belief - it's about following Jesus, being changed by Jesus, and being committed to His mission. The first "C" focuses on being committed to Jesus, rec...

Pastor Matt kicked off 2026 with the first message in a new series called "Becoming a 3C Disciple," focusing on what it means to be committed to Jesus. Using our theme verse for the year, Joshua 1:8, Pastor Matt emphasized the importance of regular Bible reading as God transforms our thinking and lives. He explained that being committed to Jesus involves four key aspects: it begins with personal,...

In this reflective sermon, Josh Hofford looks back at 2025 and shares key lessons God taught him through devotional time, trusted friends, and times of difficulty. He begins by asking the congregation to consider major news stories and family events from the past year, emphasizing that we should "look back to learn, but not to stare." Josh shares that God has been training him to walk through norm...

In this Christmas sermon from the "Rethinking Christmas" series, Pastor Jeremy focuses on how we can "offer more" to others because of what Jesus has done for us. Using John 1:1-18 as his primary text, Pastor Jeremy explains that this passage serves as an "abstract" or synopsis of the entire Gospel of John, introducing Jesus as the Word, the Light, and the source of all things. Pastor Jeremy empha...

Pastor Luke invites us to reconsider what makes a "successful Christmas" by examining how our perspective shifts from childhood (toys) to teen years (monetary value) to adulthood (children's happiness). He warns against making Christmas "thing-centric" or "me-centric" instead of worship-centric, and identifies two main reasons we spend impulsively: wrong motives stemming from our "SAD hearts" (Sel...

Pastor Matt begins a new series called "Rethink Christmas" by inviting us to step back from the cultural holiday current—the shopping, decorating, expectations, and stress—to ask what God truly wants for us this season. Christmas, he explains, is fundamentally "the celebration of the birth of the Savior King" whom we can know personally. Tracing God's promise through Scripture from Genesis 3:15 th...

In this bonus episode of The Sunday Extra podcast, Matt, Jeremy, and Luke begin by sharing their Thanksgiving experiences before discussing the recent sermon delivered by guest speaker Mike Poff, who shared ten lessons he learned during his ministry at Hope Church. The hosts reflect on several key lessons that resonated with them, including "be a learner," "get wise counsel," "ministry comes at in...

Former Hope member and current Senior Pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Warrenton, Virginia, Mike Poff shares ten life-changing lessons learned over decades of ministry—lessons that moved him from doubt and failure to discovering God's genuine purpose. Whether you're new to faith, skeptical, or just searching for direction, you'll find timeless principles that actually work in real life. Mik...

What if gratitude could become a way of life—even on the hard days? Pastor Matt explores how seven ancient festivals from the Old Testament point us toward seven powerful reasons to live with overflowing thankfulness every day. Discover how Passover, First Fruits, Pentecost, and four other feasts all foreshadow Jesus and reveal what we have in Christ: forgiveness, new life, resurrection hope, empo...

In this concluding message of the "I AM" series, Pastor Matt reviews the seven statements of Jesus that reveal His divine identity: the bread of life, light of the world, the door, good shepherd, resurrection and life, way/truth/life, and true vine. Each statement offers a unique invitation, collectively calling us to respond to God's invitation to relationship through Christ. Pastor Matt celebrat...

Pastor Matt wrapped up the church's "I AM" series by reviewing how Jesus revealed His divine identity through seven statements in the Gospel of John. Each statement—Bread of Life, Light of the World, Door, Good Shepherd, Resurrection and Life, Way, Truth and Life, and True Vine—offers a unique invitation to relationship, collectively inviting us back into relationship with God through Christ. The...

In this sermon, Pastor Brian explores Jesus's declaration "I am the true vine" from John 15, delivered during His final hours with the disciples before the crucifixion. Pastor Brian explains that in ancient Jewish culture, the grapevine symbolized Israel, but Jesus now claims to be the "true vine," indicating that what Israel failed to accomplish as God's chosen people is fulfilled in Him. The Fat...

Focusing on Jesus's words in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life," this sermon explores how this sixth "I AM" statement in John's Gospel reveals Christ's exclusive claim as the only path to God. Pastor Matt explains how these statements build in clarity throughout John, showing Jesus's increasing revelation of His divine identity. Against cultural relativism that claims "your truth"...

Pastor Matt examines Jesus' sixth "I Am" statement from John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." This statement, made during Jesus' farewell address to His disciples, represents His most controversial claim of exclusivity. Pastor Matt explains how the previous five "I Am" statements progressively revealed Jesus' identity, culminating in this...

Join Lead Pastor Matt Sturtevant, Pastor Brian Cropp, and Pastor Luke Myers for an in-depth discussion of the fifth "I Am" statement from Jesus in the Gospel of John. In this episode, we unpack Jesus's declaration "I am the resurrection and the life" from John 11, exploring the profound truths about spiritual life, death, and transformation. What We Cover: The story of Lazarus and what it teaches...

This sermon explores Jesus' fifth "I am" statement from John 11:25, "I am the resurrection and the life," alongside the miracle of Lazarus' resurrection. The pastor explains how significant it was that Lazarus had been dead four days—past when Jews believed resurrection was possible—making this miracle undeniably divine. The message reveals two profound truths: Jesus is the giver of life (physical...

Pastor Matt examined Jesus' "I am" statements from John 10, where Christ describes Himself as both the door of the sheep pen and the good shepherd. As the door, Jesus divides (keeping some things in and others out) and demands a decision about which side we choose to be on. As the good shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep, calls them by name, protects them, and gathers them from all nations. Pastor Mat...

Pastor Matt examines Jesus' dual metaphors of Jesus as "the Door" and "the Good Shepherd" from John 10, unpacking the rich shepherd-sheep imagery found throughout Scripture. As the Door, Jesus creates a necessary division between those inside and outside His fold, requiring a decision that determines our eternal destiny. As the Good Shepherd, Jesus knows His sheep intimately, calls them by name, p...

In this Sunday Extra podcast, Pastor Matt expands on his sermon about Jesus' statement "I am the light of the world" from John's Gospel. This declaration occurred during the Feast of Booths (Tabernacles), when Jews commemorated God's guidance through the wilderness as a pillar of fire. Throughout Scripture, light symbolizes God's holiness, truth, glory, life, guidance, righteousness, and fellowshi...

Pastor Matt examines Jesus' profound statement "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12), highlighting its rich historical context during the Feast of Tabernacles. During this feast, four massive 75-foot lampstands illuminated the temple, symbolizing God's presence that guided Israel through the wilderness and the hope for the coming Messiah. By making this declaration in the temple treasury near...

Pastor Matt delves into John 6 where Jesus declares "I am the bread of life," examining how this statement reveals three distinct responses to Jesus that remain relevant today. The first response was outright rejection, as many in the crowd grumbled and walked away when Jesus' teaching became difficult. The second response was shallow faith, demonstrated by disciples who initially followed Jesus b...

In his sermon on the first of Jesus's seven "I am" statements, Pastor Matt explores the profound metaphor in John 6:35 where Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life." He connects this statement to how God provided manna for the Israelites in Exodus 16, showing how Jesus fulfills and surpasses this Old Testament foreshadowing. While the manna met temporary physical needs for one nation, Jesus as th...

This episode launches our new series on the seven "I Am" statements of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Pastor Matt explores why these two words carried such weight that religious leaders tried to stone Jesus for blasphemy. Key Topics Understanding "I Am" - When Jesus said "I am," He used the same phrase God spoke to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). This wasn't casual conversation - it was a d...

Pastor Matt began a new 8-week series called "I am," examining Jesus' seven profound statements in the Gospel of John that reveal different facets of His identity and mission. The sermon focused on "life's most important question" from Matthew 16:15 - "Who do you say that I am?" - which determines not only how we live now but where we spend eternity. Pastor Matt explained the significance of Jesus...

In this episode of Sunday Extra, the pastoral team continues their discussion from Pastor Matt's "Anxious for Nothing" series, exploring the practical application of Philippians 4:4-9. The conversation centers on the "coffee filter" metaphor for filtering thoughts through biblical criteria: whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy. The pastors addre...