New Hope Church | becomehope

Why would God pick such a helpless people? Much less the little nation of Israel? God chose Israel because he uses the humble, weak, and the forgotten to show His glory. 

When we look at the birth of Jesus through a modern lens, we wonder why our King would be born in poverty to an immigrant working family. Jesus had the power to choose to be born the son of an earthly king, but instead, he was born to a poor lower-class family and entered the world to be swaddled in less than desirable cloth and laid in a borrowed feeding trough. Why? 

John 3:16 is one of the most used verses in the Bible, frequently found on shirts, coffee mugs, and signs, and like all overused things, it often loses its meaning. We need to develop a habit of meditation when reading scripture. When we do this, we discover more profound truths in God's word.

When the Pilgrims arrived in the New World, their journey had been marked by hardships, and more challenges were to come as they adapted to life in this unfamiliar territory. Despite enduring difficulties, they paused to express thanks. What inspired their gratitude amid such pervasive hardship?

If we believe that Jesus is the only way to salvation, then why do we live lives that reflect otherwise? Like the man in John Mark 9:23-25 we struggle with our unbelief. In those times, we should pray. 

Numerous churches nationwide have observed a decline in their congregation's attendance since the lifting of pandemic regulations. Has the disruption of our routine led us to overlook the significance of attending church? The Book of Acts provides a clear illustration of the vital role the church plays in our daily lives.

Driving down the road, you see church after church, each claiming they are the right way to follow God. How are you supposed to know which church has the correct answer? Do you have to agree on everything? Jesus gives us these answers and a few more as he teaches his disciples in the Book of Matthew. 

Jesus calls His disciples to wholeheartedly follow all of His teachings, and to go and make disciples. He does not instruct them to cherry-pick teachings that suit their comfort while making disciples. Instead, He emphasizes the importance of taking every word He says and passing it on to others, even when these teachings challenge or cause discomfort.

Some of New Hope's guiding principles are remembering that God is on a mission to redeem creation, we want to think Kingdom first, and God has called us to be the Church as we go.

In Matthew 20:1-16 we read the parable of the vineyard workers and how no matter how long they worked everyone was paid the same days wage by the landowner. We read this parable and think, "That's not fair." Does this mean that God doesn’t have fair judgment? 

You demonstrate exceptional moral character, consistently adhering to ethical principles, showing kindness to your neighbors, and actively supporting those in need through various charitable acts. Yet, is there more required to attain heavenly blessings and secure eternal life? Matthew 19:16-30 recounts a profound exchange between Jesus and a wealthy young man, revealing that the path to eternal l...

We frequently encounter hindrances that prevent us from dedicating time to be with Jesus, and these hindrances often originate from our own actions and habits. It's crucial for us to identify and eliminate these obstacles. 

How many times should we forgive someone? In Matthew 18:21-22 Peter asks Jesus this question, "Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?" Jesus responds, "No, not seven times, but seventy times seven!" But what does this truly mean? Is Jesus advocating for keeping a tally of forgiveness? Jesus continues with a parable (Matt. 23-35) that teaches His disciples to emb...

Jesus guides us on how to handle conflicts within the Christian community. He teaches how to address conflict when a fellow believer sins against us in a way that builds relationships instead of feeding derision. He starts with approaching the situation privately, seeking a resolution, and involving witnesses if necessary. 

The disciples ask Jesus who will be the greatest in Heaven, but instead, Jesus uses this moment to teach His disciples about humbleness. Jesus challenges the disciples to be humble and to look outside of themselves to help the lowly in society.  

The Bible shows us examples of faith and how Jesus addresses doubt. From Jesus' words, we see that faith is not a feeling or about how sincere we are, but what is faith? Does God care about how much faith you have? 

God cares about the posture our hearts take as we enter His presence, and we should view worship before God as more than 'filling our tank' every Sunday. The writer of Ecclesiastes tells us to guard our hearts, watch our words, and be mindful of how we act before God. So, how do we worship a holy God?

Family can be complicated, and we often find ourselves at odds with our family. So what does the Bible say about this? The examples we read about in the Bible don't seem that helpful because they are broken and messy, but we can look to Jesus and his ministry to learn how to be a good family member. 

The writer of Ecclesiastes writes of a world full of chaos and confirms in his search for meaning that it is all pointless without God. He knows that even in the chaos, we are not alone. 

A life without God pleasure, education, work, political causes, wealth, and other good things is meaningless. To live, love and go like Jesus we have to balance life with God at the center. 

The church loses all influence when it stops caring for the brokenness of its community. We need to step into the brokenness of our community with all of our resources, and when we do this, we are showing them who Jesus is.

What does Paul say about giving to the church of Corinth? Does he tell them to give until it hurts? Did he pull on their heart strings and persuade them to give beyond their means with the promise of a 10-fold return? No! Paul shows us how the church willingly supports its church family. Paul even encourages the church not to give unless it's from a place of willingness.  Giving to the church incl...

Are all spiritual gifts created equal? Should we desire some gifts more than others? Paul tells the Corinthian church how they should view and use the gifts of the Spirit. 

Can a man wear a hat while praying? Should a woman cut her hair? What is Paul saying when he addresses these things with the church of Corinth in 1 Corinthians 11:2-10?