Hope Alliance Bethlehem

God is great, so I don't have to be in control.  When we embrace the gospel of the reign and rule of Jesus, we are invited to a different perspective on life as the resurrected Jesus brings true peace to even the stormiest moments of life.  

The gospel is the true declaration that Jesus is the victorious, rightful and eternal King who has brought peace to earth through his incarnation, death and resurrection.  We access this peace through repentance and belief - deposing the would be kings of our lives and turning in active faith to the rule and reign of Jesus.

Followers of Jesus should be known by their love of their neighbors.  This has always been God's design - that his people would be a blessing to the world.  In order to be intentional about loving our neighbors - we want to BLESS them through prayer, listening, eating together, serving and sharing our stories.

One of the first realities we see of disciples of Jesus is that they are inviting other people.  Specifically they are telling their friends and even those throughout their village to "come and see."   Most of us are not evangelists or apologists, but we are all witnesses.  And disciples of Jesus are always asking others to "come and see."

To be the church God is calling us to be, we need everyone serving.  This means serving each other, serving those in need and serving the church.  And as we do this, even if its unglamorous at times, we are quite literally building something together for the glory of God.

To be the church God is calling us to be, we need everyone engaged.  That means we are intentionally in - not dragging our feet or reluctant, but diligent and empowered by the Spirit.  And it means we are active - not just hearing, but doing.  

At Hope we are committed to making disciples to the glory of God.  To be intentional about this, we embrace a simply Jesus identity and a multi-congregational structure that desires to see the gospel within reach of every single person in the Lehigh Valley (and beyond). 

Jesus said that we bring glory to God by finishing the work he gave us to do.  What is the work of the church?  To make disciples.  This means introducing people to Jesus, helping them embrace the gospel and enabling them to grow in their faith.  To glorify God we need to make more disciples and mature disciples.

The glory of God is the reason we exist as humans.  And it's the reason the church exists.  The glory of God enables the world to know God and to worship God.   As we take up this divine purpose, we are charged to be fruitful and multiply - to grow, so God's glory increases.

As the book of Numbers concludes, once again the character of God is on full display, namely in his gracious care for his people.  He shows his care for the insignificant, for those carrying a special calling or burden and for those in dire circumstances.  This care points directly to Jesus, the ultimate manifestation of the care of God for his people by laying down his life.