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News from a Far Country: Notes from an American Conversion
I. The Madman and the Arsonists: A Parable Let’s say that you have lived your whole life in a small town well-known for arson cases. Let’s say your parents lived and raised you here, as did their parents, back and back to time immemorial, so that you really don’t know...
How to: Identify & Ask New Co-Leaders
Why Hope Community Church utilizes the structure of Co-leaders What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in...
Small Group Open Chair Model
Whenever possible and healthy for the group, we encourage groups to maintain an “open chair.” This means that the group fosters an attitude of openness to newcomers and maintains an environment that would make a newcomer feel welcome. The group does not need to be...
How Do We Worship on Easter?
In less than a month, we will be celebrating Good Friday and Easter Sunday. I didn’t grow up with a strong Christian foundation. I’d overhear comments at church about special days, services, terms, and theology and wonder about their significance. What is Lent? Or Ash...
Planting a Small Group
Why plant a new small group from your existing group? Before we continue, we would like to be very clear: Hope does not desire numerical growth of the small group ministry just for the sake of having a large ministry. We only hope for numerical growth if it reflects...
Seven Accessible Ways to Connect With Jesus This Easter Season
My choice of the word “accessible” over “easy” was intentional. Connecting with Jesus is accessible to all of us. But if I were to say “easy” too many would misunderstand this to mean “fast”. I don’t offer you 10 “fast” ways to connect with Jesus. But I do believe...
Small Groups With Missionaries
As Hope Community Church small group leaders we see our group members experience many major life events and changes. This document contains helpful tips for leading someone called to overseas missions. Please note a few things before reading this document. First,...
5 Lessons I Have Learned From My Time Overseas
As the great theologian Bob Wiley said so many years ago, “I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful… I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful… I feel good, I feel great, I feel wonderful…” For those of you who have not seen What About Bob? (spoiler alert? Not...
Justice Requested, Justice Received
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. — Micah 6:8 The year 2020 has brought us two crucial things: COVID-19 and increased awareness of systemic racism in our...