Sunday Recap - April 25th 2010

After the great day Saturday in the park, a bunch of us were feeling the effects of that labor of love. It was a good tired. Having the opportunity to talk to hundreds of people and to expose them to what God is doing around the world and here in Valparaiso was a rush. But I was really looking forward all week to coming together on Sunday. Here at New Hope it's like every Sunday is a family reunion. 

Second week of the "Primal" series and we looked at "Wonder" as part of what a person who loved God with everything would experience everyday. Oh how I can resonate with that theme. I don't know how many times, especially since we moved down here, where I have been blown away by what God has done in Creation, in provision, in people. "Wow!" is a proper response as is worship and that's what we did.

Our worship music set was:

Here I Am To Worship
Amazed
Your Grace Is Enough
- we did not do "Forever" - I felt that we had hit a "sweet spot" and wanted to get into the message right then!
Come Just As You Are - was our commitment song

The message was really fun to prepare for even though the week was WAY over filled with prep for Saturday. We took a minute or two to review where we had come from and spent some time explaining how living with a sense of amazement and wonder - with excitement about what God has done, is doing, and will do - is key to loving God with everything you have. We are starving our souls by filling them with "junk food" like TV, internet, games and chat when we could be experiencing the presence, love, grace and mercy of Almighty God!



The audio actually did record this week. It seems to help if the preacher turns the mike on - so I'll upload it later and it will be available on the church website. New Hope Valparaiso

Sunday Recap April 18 2010

Great day at New Hope! It took us a little while to get rolling in 2010 but we've hit our stride for sure. With the Kidmo kid's ministry really reaching out into the neighborhood and  touching some excited kids with God's Word.and the excitement building for Saturday in the Park I was really pointed toward the insight provided by Mark Batterson in his book "Primal." So we worked on putting the worship set together to help us get started.

Couple of things I did yesterday that I have never done before - read the focus Scripture before the opening prayer. I felt so strongly that God was going to use His Word to change us that I wanted to get the text out there immediately.

Second thing was I called on someone from the congregation to read Scripture during the sermon. And our Bible Drill star Ian Anderson did an awesome job. I love his "I'm paraphrasing this but..." - To me, it felt like family worship yesterday, where we are all engaged and sitting at Jesus' feet. Having Ian do that just seemed like we were all being involved in God's work during the sermon.

Music we used yesterday - Arise, Blessed Be Your Name, Be Thou My Vision, Still, and I Surrender All

Then last night we had our preview for Saturday in the Park. Pam Roberts and her crew put the booth we are going to use up and it looked great. All the items we'll be selling to support other ministries were on display and available for purchase. We sold over $600 worth right there!

What does that mean?

• Families in Malawi have a more secure future and a real hope that they can make a better life for their children. 
• Three people are going to have clean water for five years who wouldn't have had it.
• From HIV 2 Home will be able to provide part of the funds for an adoption or use the funds to keep children cared for and loved until they are adopted. 
• Love 146 would be well on the way to saving another child from being trafficked into slavery.

God DID SOMETHING GREAT yesterday and I can't wait to see what He's going to do this week in and through the people of New Hope.

Primal Christianity

I read this book a few months ago for the first time, then a month ago I read it again. Mark Batterson is one of the most unique pastors I have ever learned of. He seems to combine equal parts prophet and scientist. At first his writing style kind of put me off, but I made a decision to read on. This book is his third and while it does take some work to order his thoughts and insight, it's well worth the read. This morning I'll be using it as a touchstone to begin a look at the early church and why they were so effective.

Batterson believes that the church as a whole has lost the essence of what made it great. The single-minded focus on loving God with everything and using your life to show it. We've been on that trail for a while now at New Hope, so I initially put this book away, but it wouldn't stay under the pile. We need to be the greatest we can be at the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. So here we are.

Next weekend, we are going to move into uncharted territory. Our band of brothers and sisters are going to take what God has taught us- is teaching us - into the community and we will speak to our neighbors about what Primal Christianity is all about, as we seek to be a conduit of help and hope for the least of these. Pray for us today and through the days until then - that God be glorified.