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Archive for the ‘New Hope Stuff’ Category

Here’s to the Study Spot.

In church planting journey, New Hope Stuff on February 19, 2009 at 9:42 pm

I am a little ADD. If you didn’t know that…hey it’s snowing out right now, and of course…the Bengals are terrible [did you hear they made their KICKER a franchise player?], I can’t wait to grill out tonight, we really are, and man this song on my tunes rocks…oops, there it is.

So in order to keep you all awake week after week and to be faithful to the WORD OF GOD, I have made it a rule to lock myself in the ASHLAND THEOLOGICAL LIBRARY week after week to study for the sermons God lays on my heart. Above is a pic of my favorite little dive.

Nothing fancy. A wood carrel, decent chair [butt is always sore though], great view out the window, and tons of books. It really keeps me focused on the task at hand. Do you have some sacred space to share with and to hear from GOD? [by the way we are talking about that this weekend...HEARING THE VOICE OF GOD!]

I will miss preparing sermons in this spot. This is my last one. Wow. Hurts to type that.

And as I sit here thinking about how much I love all of you at New Hope…my mind has been thinking about how much I will miss journeying with you on a week to week basis.

Thank you for being a part of my life. And thank you for allowing me to be a part of yours. And of course…thank you for listening to really long sermons from a really crazy dude.

I pray you were touched, moved, made uncomfortable, and broken by HIS WORD. I also pray that you felt HIS touch, HIS love, HIS mercy and you felt HIS healing. I pray that they touched you in ways to drive you to the SAVIOR ONLY! And that NOTHING I said was contrary to HIS WORD.

That was my only goal. To see JESUS glorified and to see YOU live out your part of the story.

all things NEW HOPE.

In church planting journey, New Hope Stuff on February 17, 2009 at 5:00 am

Since this is my official last service @ New Hope this weekend [insert tear hear]…I want to devote this blog space to sharing about how God has changed my life through this gathering of some of the most amazing people I have ever shared life with. [i will be at the ashland campus in 2 weeks for a final hoe-down].

Next week I will get back at journeying our travels and also will rock a series on Multi-Site Landmines and Goldmines that we have discovered in 5 years of thinking, planning and doing multi-site. I presented this stuff last week in Orlando, where yes, the sun lives.

Let me start with this: the top 10 things we will miss most about New Hope [in no particular order].

1. OUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY. Yep. Enough said. Painful.

2. THE PEOPLE HERE WE DON’T EVEN KNOW. Who have rocked the mission at all our campuses without having to be our best friends. We don’t even know your names. Maybe we know your beautiful faces, but no recognition had been asked for. Quite warriors praying, giving and serving behind the scenes for the MISSION of CHRIST, not NEW HOPE.

3. OUR STAFF. I have said it before…find me a group of people who are more talented, gifted and passionate about small town ministry…I’ll fight you any day. I will miss this family I have walked with over the years.

4. OUR VOLUNTEERS. Dang. They have freaking bled for this thing. We don’t drive an easy train around here. I didn’t say it enough: THANK YOU!

5. THE PASSION. Second to none. Top to bottom, side to side, passion drips for Jesus and HIS KINGDOM off of this place and it’s people. It’s like BRAVEHEART on steroids around this place. No challenge has ever been to BIG. And together with each other and our GOD, we have conquered them ALL!

love you all…more tomorrow.

amazing.

In flood relief, New Hope Stuff on July 30, 2008 at 11:07 am

I can’t begin to say THANK YOU to everyone who helped donate, pack, sort and DELIVER the relief packages to the flood damaged area in COLUMBUS, INDIANA last week. (My hometown growing up.) Can you imagine running from the flood waters as these people to the right did with just a handful of possessions? Please continue to pray.

This place called NEW HOPE is truly amazing at how we respond to needs as they arise. We help bring NEW HOPE to the world spiritually and physically through CHRIST’S POWER and VISION! Let’s never forget WHO we serve and WHY we serve! The POWER of EVERYONE really does make a difference. Here in THE STICKS and around the world!

Please head over to PASTOR TOM’S BLOG for a brief summary from some of the youth and leaders who went and some pics of their journey. THANKS TOM and THE GANG and to everyone who served those we might only meet in ETERNITY!

Blessings and peace.

this is RARE.

In New Hope Stuff, one service on July 25, 2008 at 4:50 pm

I can honestly say that I have not heard many people tell me that they have been involved in what we are about to do as a COMMUNITY of FAITH this weekend.

As we gather in 2 locations for the ONE SERVICE event with 17+ churches involved, I can honestly say that this is RARE. It shouldn’t be. To OBEY HIS command to be ONE. (John 17). Head to the One Service BLOG and we want to HEAR from YOU TODAY about this.

This weekend it will be a reality. I can’t believe this amazing weekend is here already…and I can’t wait! I can honestly say that I am beyond PUMPED about what GOD will be doing this weekend!. And no, I could care LESS about the weather. He knew the forecast eons ago. Whether inside or outside…this thing will be OFF the CHAIN…JESUS STYLE!!

Some important info if you are coming:

In LOUDONVILLE: Please ride the shuttle from NEW HOPE. It will save a lot of headaches. Don’t forget your sunscreen and a CHAIR.

In ASHLAND: Please respect the parking areas and DO NOT park @ Southview GBC as people do normally for football games.

BOTH SERVICE LOCATIONS are serving a FREE lunch afterwards, so plan on staying and FELLOWSHIPPING together!

AND LAST BUT VERY IMPORTANT!!!!! Please to everyone at all campuses and churches, don’t forget to be faithful with your GIVING. I have to be real here: Every outdoor event we do (and other churches say this as well)…they have miserable giving and have hardships for weeks, no…MONTHS to come (it almost KILLED us last year outdoors due to the weather…and by the way, if you can’t come due to whatever reason, you can now give online at our website). Let’s not let that stop what GOD wants to do. Our BUILDING FUND especially needs a kick in the pants this SUMMER @ the Hope so we can PAY OUR MORTGAGE. No…Really. We need NEW PEOPLE stepping up there as well. Let’s be faithful every week. SERMON OVER. (But you guys always say to tell it like it is…so there:)

CAN’T WAIT! See ya there! Who ya bringing?

real men.

In manfest, New Hope Stuff on June 18, 2008 at 2:47 pm

Wow. What a weekend!

Men all over the place, which is an amazing site for any church. We had an awesome day with lots of food, cars, motorcycles, archery, and so many other amazing things to speak to the hearts and minds of the men of our communities.

The best part of the day…there were TONS of hands that went up both to TRUST CHRIST as SAVIOR and to RE-DEDICATE their lives to CHRIST.

Our best friends (she went through a divorce) had an amazing story happen. Her ex was going to be in town to pick up their daughter for the summer. I asked her if they were all coming to church and she said, no, that he had to leave Sunday AM…I reminded her that services were only on Saturday for MANLY MEN…

She was able to get him to come and what do you know…HE TRUSTED CHRIST! We are working on finding them a church back home now. How awesome is that?

That’s why we do what we do my friends. For the sake of the KINGDOM. We don’t do things like MANFEST to entertain, but to REACH OUT!

Are you doing ALL you can to REACH people in your MISSION FIELD?

Blessings.

p.s.–TOWN HALL MEETING tonight @ 7pm @ Loudonville in the X-Kidz space. PLEASE BE THERE…these conversations (come on…it’s a small part of your year) are BEYOND IMPORTANT to the MISSION here! See ya there (and the CHEESECAKE IS AMAZING!)

awake.

In Ashland Campus, Church Leadership, New Hope Stuff, re:SOURCE conference on April 16, 2008 at 1:41 pm

not really yet. wow. what a weekend. catch the teaching if you can @ the website.

It looks like Ashland High School will probably be the place. What an answer to prayer. Now the bad part…but it is a good part: 2 SERVICES right away due to the size of the place. Don’t think about it, just PRAY.

The re:SOURCE conference is gaining steam…had a great talk with Mark Batterson and Dwight last week. We are all amped about teaching, networking and fellowshipping with Pastors in small to medium sized towns or that are in large cities who want an inside look at not just what is going on here, but in various models around the country (world). It’s an ALL-ACCESS look behind the scenes. It’s not your ordinary conference gathering. Look for the website and all info around the 1st of JUNE.

Heading out to help train church planters @ First Steps in Charlotte. Are you a church planter in need of comprehensive training? E-mail me…I’ll give ya the scoop.

And next Friday…be here for the official scoop on some BIG PLANS that God has given to us. Read it here first…

Last but not least…we have plenty of JOB OPENINGS. Check them out if God tugs @ ya.

It never slows @ the HOPE…nor should it. And man…the more we do lately, the better I feel. I am certainly a long way from who I used to be in that area where I did it all and loved this place more than my FIRST PLACE.

blessings and peace.

pic: http://flickr.com/photos/jamie-uk/577306923/

why we do what we do…

In easter, New Hope Stuff, Watch This on April 9, 2008 at 2:20 am

from Easter oh-eight. man this helps me press on every day…how about you? are you living a life of passionate worship, fellowship, evangelism, growth and ministry? let’s lay it ALL on the line and leave the sea shore to RUN AFTER HIM…

back, back, back gone!!!!!!!!!!

In New Hope Stuff on March 24, 2008 at 1:58 pm

Easter hangover. Ouch. Most of us are off on Monday’s, and I closed the office Tuesday for some extra rest for all the staff. They deserve it and we really need it. We have an amazing staff…as if you didn’t know that. Half the staff compared to most churches our size, yet they are knocking it deep all the time. NO EXCUSES.

Here is the scoop: A TON of people TRUSTED CHRIST this weekend. It made it all worthwhile. That’s why we do what we do. Our teams knocked it out of the park at all our campuses! Our staff, volunteers and the spirit of our people was off the chain…big time! If anyone every accused us of being ALL ABOUT THE NUMBERS, they are RIGHT! We are all about these numbers…THEY CHANGE ETERNITY and we make no flipping excuses for that one!

Pastor Tim @ Wooster talked to a young man struggling with homosexuality that has been booted out of 2 churches (just for asking for help)…a Muslim man visiting the USA from Egypt has been mesmerized by our services…a whole row of people I have been trying to reach who have struggled in the past with drugs, alcohol and other crazy stuff…the whole row with them and THEIR people they got there…and on and on…ONLY GOD! ANY STORIES YOU HAVE TO SHARE?

Oh…those other numbers you ask? Not sure on how many people showed yet, but probably between 1,500-1,600 people who heard the dangerous message of Christ. I pray that lives were changed and it wasn’t a typical Easter weekend where tons of new people come out and few there be that sticketh.

I am so proud of our staff, and especially proud of our people who did INVEST and INVITE people with the prayer we would changes some eternities in Jesus name! Way to go NEW HOPE! Now…let’s get them ALL back NEXT WEEKEND! Our new series on WALKING THE JOURNEY OF GROWTH will rock us to the core.

Pop some aspirin…shake off the hang-over and let’s get back at it. HEAVEN came down…let’s keep it rollin’. Love you all. This is an AMAZING church! And we serve an AMAZING SAVIOR…who deserves our praise and honor every day! No spiritual hang-overs allowed.

blessings.

pic: http://flickr.com/photos/48784910@N00/217402107/

a different kind of capital campaign…it’s RAD.

In money, New Hope Stuff, obedience on March 3, 2008 at 3:52 pm

Impact 2008…a different kind of campaign. Not about money. It’s an OBEDIENCE campaign.

OBEDIENCE with our TIME, TALENTS, and TREASURE.

When we ALL do this, we will have MAXIMUM IMPACT in 2008 and beyond. This week we looked at our TREASURE. Ouch. That stung a bit, especially to see that 29 out of 640 families helped fund God’s Kingdom to the rate of 50% of all our giving. Wow. It took the other 611 to do the rest.

If we each stepped up and were simply OBEDIENT…imagine the possibilities for HIS kingdom. Our giving was off the charts and I am sure that people came this weekend knowing (they didn’t) that we were talking about giving, and they came ready. No. That was just going a bit above and beyond, because the POWER OF EVERYONE contributing the 3 T’s to the Kingdom will have CRAZY RAD IMPACT (rad is a word from back in the day…don’t worry, I’m now officially old when using a word that my kids don’t know and think is lame.) When we all step up…the results are off the hook and Satan is sent a powerful message. rad.

I can’t wait to see what God is going to do as we move into Easter to rock the snot out of this community, country and world. If you want to hear a radically different message (one that can’t be found on TV) about OBEDIENCE straight from God’s Word, and one that will rock your world not just in GIVING, but in your overall spiritual life…listen HERE to week 3…really it will. Go for it. I dare you…American Idol can wait.

blessings peace and rad.

clear vision…

In Church Leadership, New Hope Stuff on February 25, 2008 at 12:20 am

Wow, what a weekend at New Hope. I truly feel that we are prepared to make the huge vision that God has given us a reality. Are YOU dreaming GOD’S dreams? But way more than that…are you going to help make them a reality? (Listen to the part in the message where I almost punched out the group of Pastor’s sitting behind me…really, it is worth the listen.) Yes, I am fanatical about making HIS name FAMOUS all over the WORLD!

We are going to make a huge IMPACT in 2008 in our church, community and everywhere in the WORLD. After all, Acts 1:8 commissions us to go everywhere…even to the ends of the earth, and we are crazy enough to believe that and then accomplish it. No matter a town of 2,899 or 2.8 million. How about your church?

If you missed last weekend…catch up on-line or we will be giving the DVD’s away next weekend. It’s too important a message to miss…I will outline what NH is doing soon.

The coolest part was seeing the passion in 2, soon to be 4 campuses, including the CHINA campus that will be opening. YES, I did say CHINA. We will be opening a campus in CHINA. Did I mention CHINA? Only God. And we truly have the craziest, most passionate church anywhere.

Pray for our contacts that are forming a launch team that will take New Hope to CHINA. Wow. Our vision is clear, and I pray it’s the same. What were your thoughts from this weekend?

blessings and peace.

pic: http://flickr.com/photos/won7ders/231260732/

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