Think of your favorite story – whether it is a movie, a book, or even a personal story from your own life. There are parts of that story that you just love because they fill your heart with emotions and joy. The storyline finds a way to bring you back to a moment of hope and happiness. But the chances are very high that your story included moments where all was not well. Some damage was done, or some threats were closing in, and all looked lost. Recovering is a part of our best stories. When we’re in the middle of the loss or suffering, we wish for a story with no need for recovery. But somehow, our favorite and most meaningful stories always include some type of come back. Spiritually, our journey is not a smooth ride, and we all face times where our lives have gone off the rails. We desperately need a recovery. Did you know that worship is one of God’s most powerful tools to bring us to restoration and healing? Whether the problems in our life reflect our own mistakes, the mistakes of others, or just the fallen world in which we live, worship is something you need to recover. And ironically, it is probably what we need most when we ‘feel like it’ least.

This Father’s Day, we’re inviting our kids to take over our service. We’ll have our GoZone in the main auditorium and the whole church will join their normal Sunday routine. We do this in honor of our Dads who have an incredible and indelible impact on their children. And we do it to partner with all our parents as they work to lead their children spiritually. At Hope, our HopeKids Ministries exist to help all our young ones know Jesus, and to stand with each Dad and Mom in this sacred calling. So join us for fun, excitement, and challenge. And be a part of Hope’s heart to reach the next generation for our King!

How are you at responding to messages and texts? Some people are so continuously on their phone that every message is immediately returned. Others look at their phone once in a while, and when they get a notification, they neglect to respond. No matter how you are at responding, you’d certainly like others to respond to messages you send that need an answer. Responding is a natural part of any human relationship. It is also a normal part of our relationship with our Creator. In worship, we respond to what He has done, promised, and asked of us. We respond to Him. So worship is more than just some nice songs with good words; it is a way that we react to our Lord and draw closer to Him in relationship and trust.

The Olympics have a unique tradition: after the winner and the runners up are decided for an event, the champions are honored by standing on a pedestal to receive their medals, and having the winner’s national anthem played. This idea goes way back to the ancient games, almost 800 years before Jesus was born, when victors were given an olive wreath to wear on their heads so all would know that they stood as champion of the competition. Recognizing the achievements of the victorious seemed fitting through the ages. As believers, we serve someone who is worthy of all honor. Our worship is the wreath we give Him over and over again. We worship because He is worthy of it. And because it brings joy, both to God and to us! You will never run out of reasons to worship God. As God’s people, we need to value the opportunity we have to tell of all His victories and goodness over and over again.

If you’ve ever been at a public pool, you’ve probably seen a sign that warns against running near the pool. Of course, this is common sense because a wet surface can be quite slippery and pose great danger if a person is not careful. The idea of losing your footing is exactly why we worship. The world around us can pose many hazards to our spiritual footing. We’ve all experienced how the trials of life can cause us to slip and fall in our faith – to lose our grip on our powerful and eternal hope. Worship is a time when we recognize both our human vulnerability to slip, and a time when we intentionally re-grip our hope. We’ll take a look at some of the concepts in Scripture that teach us how important worship is to our hope!

We don’t often associate music with a fight. In the last few years, we have seen the tragic combination of violence and music too often. The irony is that music is generally associated with enjoyment and ‘good feelings’. So when anger or danger shows up where people are singing along to their favorite songs, it is startling. But one of the big reasons we sing in church is to do battle spiritually. You may not realize how imperative it is that you regularly worship with your church family, but we learn from God’s Word that worship is definitely a part of our war against spiritual forces. We’re going to start our discussion on worship with one of the most practical reasons we worship: because music fuels our fight!

SUNDAY MORNING MESSAGE – Mother’s Day – Choices of the Heart (Genesis 38:24-30)

Few gifts in life are more universal or precious than the gift of motherhood. While not everyone experiences it the same way, we all have a mother. And this simple reminder points us back to the Creator of life. Our society is currently in a real struggle to decide what to do with babies before they are born. As believers, we want to reflect the respect we have for the value of the gift God gives as a tiny child is formed. But we also want to express love and kindness more than judgment and rejection. We want to help people who are hurting and overwhelmed. This Mother’s Day, we have the privilege of hearing from a local ministry that we support, Choices of the Heart. We’ll hear about how they find practical and gracious ways to help those who are caught in the choice about what to do with their unborn child. And we’ll dig into God’s Word for a story about an unwed mother, the judgment thrown at her by powerful people, and the value of the children she carries.

You’re certainly familiar with the expression, “desperate times call for desperate measures.” Good news hardly ever precedes or follows that expression. But it’s just pithy enough to sound true. We’ve all experienced that fight or flight moment where our back was against the wall. Behavior that would normally be unacceptable, all of a sudden became a real possibility. But do desperate times actually call for desperate measures? Is this how the people of God should act? The Bible is rife with examples of men and women in desperate times, some act desperately while others don’t. How do we make sure we are faithful in good times and in desperate ones?

Re-gifting is the genius idea of taking something you've been given that you didn't want, and using it as a gift to someone else. It has the benefit providing a free present that you would have to otherwise buy, and it allows you to feel less guilty about not wanting what you've been given. However, it can hardly be characterized as generous. Or thoughtful.  Or loving.  As believers, we are called to give.  The One we follow set and example of generosity that challenges each of us.  He lived for eternal things, not earthly things.  We are not called to give what is leftover, or to give like God's work doesn't matter.  We are called to follow our Savior in giving generously and sacrificially.  In doing this, we tear ourselves away from the pull of this world's stuff, and fix our heart on our eternal home.  Let's each grow in this clear and powerful calling to give to the work of the Lord.  And let's pray that God will use our giving to build His Kingdom in greater ways than we can ever imagine.