The first 6 weeks

This is a bit overdue of an update, but I know a decent number of folks have been wondering about how things have been going at church.  One of the areas that we put a good bit of time and effort into was sending out a mass mailing of flyers.  The flyers were put together by a friend in Alabama (to whom we owe a great deal of thanks!!) and they turned out great.  We sent nearly 12,000 to the immediate area surrounding the church (and didn't touch anywhere near as much as we wanted to due to cost restrictions).  The reply to these has been great.

 We've received good feedback and the vast majority of our visitors have come via the mailings.  Even for those who haven't come, there is now a good amount of name recognition.  Folks in our core group share stories about how they meet people, talk about church, and when they tell the name the reply is:  "Oh, I've heard of that...I saw their flyer."

However, more importantly the first 6 weeks of worship at Living Hope have been highly encouraging.  The core group of people who started this with us labor weekly to get things set up and torn down; they are some of the friendliest people - always welcoming visitors.  I have been greatly encouraged by our worship services.  I am enjoying preaching through 1 Peter and even leading the music (though I would gladly give that up if the Lord were to bring someone else who could lead).

We have had some families join with us beyond the original group.  Each one has their own story and perhaps I'll ask one to share sometime.  My big prayer now is to continue to see new people come.  In that it is to see my heart grow stronger for people to hear the gospel and experience the true and living hope that comes by grace through Jesus Christ.

One exciting perk of worshiping at a local elementary school is we get to be a part of the community.  We don't want to simply use the school on Sunday and have no impact there.  We want the community we are in to flourish.  More than that we want our deeds to point people to the gospel of grace.  As I have been preaching through 1 Peter I think about part of the text I am on for this very week:  Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.  (1 Pet 2:12)  I want the school, the community, to see the good deeds of our church so that it would glorify God - mostly in that they would ask about the hope we have and why we do what we do and we can give the reason - the grace of God!  This Saturday we have 4 people helping out at a Santa Breakfast that very possibly would have been cancelled without these volunteers.  We look forward to more of these small ways we can serve, but make a difference and in that point people to God's great grace.

        ¹⁷     If the Lord had not been my help, 

           my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence. 

¹⁸  When I thought, “My foot slips,” 

your steadfast love, O Lord, held me up. 

¹⁹  When the cares of my heart are many, 

your consolations cheer my soul.  (Ps. 94:17-19)

I am not currently in the midst of what the Psalmist was experiencing - that of evildoers at work against him - taunting and persecuting.  However, these words are so powerful and real.  "If the Lord had not been my help..." - but the amazing reality is that for the child of God, He is!!  He is our help.  He is our security.  He is our treasure.  His steadfast love holds us up.  His consolations do cheer the soul.  Think of what he has done for you child of God.  Ponder the grace that has been bestowed on you through the sacrificial love of Christ.  

As I have been preaching through 1 Peter it has been so refreshing to read how Peter encouraged his readers in the midst of severe trials.  He starts his letter in such a majestic manner.  The verses below are actually what inspired the name of our church plant.  Read through them slowly and ponder what Peter writes.  (If you want to hear my sermon on this go here and pick the one on 1 Peter 1:3-5)  

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.  (1 Peter 1:3-5)

We have been born again to a living hope, to an inheritance that will never and can never be destroyed, that has not and cannot be defiled, and that will never lose its majestic beauty.  Not only that but it is kept for believers, who themselves are guarded by the God of grace.  

Let these consolations cheer your soul daily.  Let the gospel bring refreshment all your days.