Making Space - Presence During Social Distance

This is an unprecedented time for the body of Christ globally. As things continue to unfold, the people of God are asking crucial questions. What does it mean for us to be the people of God in this devastating situation?

COVID-19 has affected every sphere of life. One of the primary ways that we express being the family of God is by gathering together. Currently, that is something that we are unable to express in the way that is normative to us. So, how can we be present to one another in a time of distance?

One of the reasons this is a necessary question for us to answer is that for the near future ministry will depend entirely on person-to-person care. Not only that, but serving and engaging as the people of God will be more in front of us as/if supply chains get interrupted.

As we continue to discern how to serve one another and our community we wanted to provide some helpful resources to think through as you lead your own community through this.

1. Be Present During Distance
Again, one of our primary expressions as a body is gathering under covenant renewal, prayer, meals, communion, stories, encouragement, etc. One tool you can utilize to have presence while being distant is a common liturgy. Sarah and Drew Billups (click here) have contributed a daily ritual to provide peace to anxious minds and hearts.

Your GC can commit to praying this liturgy together during your normal family meal time. If your GC Gathers Sundays at 6:00p.m. share this liturgy with your GC and each of you can do it at home. Joining in on the same formative liturgy to settle your hearts and minds even while being in different homes.

Additionally, as we normally gather at 9:00 and 10:45 on Sunday mornings, we can all be present with distance by attending our online streams and being formed in our liturgy and covenant renewal there.

2. Check-in Regularly
GroupMe is a fantastic group messaging app to allow you to communicate together. Facebook groups are another way to communicate. Part of this regular checking in will be shepherding one another in how we are doing, and communicating needs that are present, etc.

One of the ways we are trying to serve our body is by contacting and pressing in with those who are most vulnerable. If someone in your GC is in this category and LH can serve them, take time to let deacons@lhchurch.com know the needs. We can begin to best serve them as we learn of the needs present.

3. Pray
This may go without saying, but one of the most pressing needs right now is prayer. Not just from within our own body, but remembering this is a global pandemic. Many are suffering and cut off from support right now. We can pray that as they always have the people of God would serve and engage the most vulnerable among us.

Glen Scrivener wrote a fascinating piece on the Gospel Coalition yesterday (click here) on how the people of God have served and responded across history during pandemics. It may be helpful to think through ways you can serve those around you.

4. Presence through Serving
The city of Memphis is asking for volunteers and donations to the Mid-South Food Bank. This is being distributed across our city to the most vulnerable.

Additionally, the city is encouraging donations and partnerships through the Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association for meals and relief with the vulnerable and underserved in our community. More information for both of these opportunities can be found here.

Lastly, you can serve Shelby County Schools through providing meals during next week's extended break. You can find all the locations and times daily for March 23-27 here.

I am continuing to pray for each of you, if there is a way that I can serve you or your GC please do not hesitate to reach out.

- Dakota Zook, Gospel Community Pastor

Coronavirus Update

In light of further developments with the COVID-19 virus, the pastors and elders of Living Hope have determined to suspend our weekend gatherings for March 15 and 22. As an alternative, we will stream a worship service online, which will be available on each of those Sunday mornings.

As we prayed and carefully considered this decision, it became apparent that the best way for us to care for the vulnerable, both inside and outside of our church, is to be a part of the solution in slowing the spread of the virus in our community. As I shared in our previous update, this is not a time simply for us to retreat, but rather, is an invitation to practice faith and hope in Christ while we engage our neighbors with God’s love.

In the days to come, our Gospel Community Pastor, Dakota Zook, will be providing direction for our Gospel Communities to engage with one another and the needs around us. Please stay tuned to our website, social media, or church app for further developments. As always, our elders and pastors are available to help you or your family in this time. Please let us know how we can serve you.
 

In Christ,

Gib

Coronavirus Considerations

I wanted to write you a brief note to shed some light on our considerations as a church in regard to the COVID-19 virus and our gatherings. First, our pastors and elders are monitoring the situation closely while communicating with local leaders concerning risks and dangers associated with gathering as a church. As of right now, we plan to have our regular Sunday services this coming Sunday, March 15. However, as the news and developments concerning COVID-19 continue to change rather rapidly, we will keep the church notified of any cancellations or adjustments to our regularly scheduled events and services. 

Second, if you plan on gathering with us this weekend, we wanted to notify you of some precautions. If you are a parent, please observe and honor our children’s wellness policy. If you have any symptoms yourself, please refrain from gathering with us at this time, and please let us know so that we can be praying for you. Our elders are making adjustments to our communion service, so as to minimize contact with our communion elements. Additionally, we ask that you would be mindful of your fellow church members and keep physical contact to a minimum as well.

Finally, as your pastor I’d like to remind you that “God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (1 Timothy 1:7). Rather than become panic stricken, let us pray for healing and protection for our neighbors. Join us in praying for all of those entrusted with providing leadership to our city, county, state, and country in dealing with this issue of public health. Pray for wisdom and direction for doctors, nurses, scientists, and health administrators who are working tirelessly to address sickness. And please remember the most vulnerable in your prayers, those who may be impacted severely by this virus.
 

In Christ,

Gib

Volunteer Celebration

A few weeks ago, my husband and I had the pleasure of attending Living Hope’s Volunteer Celebration at the Quonset in Collierville. It was a beautiful night! 

The place looked wonderful (thanks to Helen and Jenna), and the food was delicious (thanks to Wolf River Brisket). There were silly games, sweet giveaways, and LOTS of laughs. I believe everyone would agree that the sweetest moment of the night was when Ron Chandler and Gib Gibson shared their appreciation for Richard and Diane Collins. As they walked to the front, they received a well-deserved standing ovation. 

The most meaningful moment for me was when I looked around the room and saw the faces of so many people who have served my family over the last 3 years. People who have intentionally loved my husband and my girls. 

People who encouraged me to dust off my guitar and use it again. 

People who mourned with me when I lost my sister. 

People who rejoiced with me when I got my dream job. 

People who continually pray for my family. 

People who convince my girls week after week that they really WILL have a blast in LH Kids IF they will JUST walk through the door. 

It was refreshing to spend quality time with my church family outside of Living Hope’s walls. I’m so thankful for our time to make memories and celebrate all those who offer their time, talents, and hearts to serve the body of Christ. 

- Hannah Nall 

If you’re interested in serving at Living Hope, visit lhchurch.com/serve today! 

Lent - A Season of Fasting & Prayer

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a season that the Church has long observed as a time to reflect upon our sin and the great work of Christ at the cross, and to prepare our hearts for the joy of Easter. In much the same way that we confess our sin corporately each Sunday in order to remind ourselves of the magnitude of Christ’s work on our behalf, the Lenten season gives us a specific time to corporately put off the old self, and put on the new. Many people choose to give up certain things during Lent (foods, technology, etc.) in order to focus more time and energy toward spiritual discipline and to eliminate some of the distractions in our lives. I would encourage you to pray and ask God to reveal something in your life that you may want to eliminate or change during this season, and join with us and the Church around the world as we walk through this season of prayer and fasting, seeking God and fixing our eyes on Jesus.
 

Some resources that might be helpful for you during this season:

Community Lenten Guide – Living Through Dying

SheReadsTruth.com – Lent 2020 Reading Plan

HeReadsTruth.com – Lent 2020 Reading Plan

Iron Sharpens Iron

“As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.” - Proverbs 27:17 NKJV

When two pieces of iron are drawn across one another by a skilled swordsmith, there is friction, heat and sparks. Something wonderful and transformative happens to both pieces. Rough edges are brought to a fine cutting edge. Rust and impurity are rubbed away and a mirror finish reflects the image of the master swordsmith.

When Christ-following men engage one another in gospel-centered relationship, scripture says this same wonderful transformative process takes place. Each man’s “countenance” is “sharpened”.   Webster defines “countenance” as: “face, visage; especially: the face as an indication of mood, emotion, or character.”    

To put it simply, through gospel-centered relationship, men make each other better men. The challenge – most men are dangerously isolated from this type of refining relationship and community by the ruthless and relentless demands of life.

To fight this dangerous trend and with the goal of seeing men live fully into the high calling God has given, the mission of LHMen is to: 

ENGAGE & CONNECT men through TIME and MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS.

STRENGTHEN & EQUIP men through FRIENDSHIP and TRUTH.

CHALLENGE & ENCOURAGE men through DISCIPLESHIP and in MAKING DISCIPLES. 

- Darrel Sumner, LHMen

Reflect & Celebrate

The mission of LHKids is to teach the truth of the gospel in a way that kids understand and embrace it and want to change their lives because of it.

As we look ahead to next steps in 2020, we want to reflect on how God directed us in 2019 to a curriculum change, in order to focus on our mission.

After talking with parents and teachers, our desire was for families to have intentional conversations on the way home from church each Sunday. This seemed best implemented by having all LHkids, 0-12yrs of age, learn the same Bible lesson each week. We hoped that as parents asked, “What did you learn today?”, each child could articulate an age-appropriate understanding and be able to connect it to their everyday lives.

This curriculum, known as The Gospel Project, teaches our children that the Bible is one whole story, not just a collection of individual stories. From Genesis to Revelation, we learn that all stories point to Christ as our Redeemer.

We love that our teachers and The Gospel Project lead our kids to know the Truth, the love, the mercy, the grace, the authority and the humility of our King Jesus. No matter which lesson is being taught, each story reveals the Christ Connection of who Jesus was, and is and is to come…and that truth deserves celebrating! 

- Helen Carlson & Jenna Dargie, LHKids

Awe & Wonder

“Intercessory prayer is spiritual defiance of what is in the way of what God has promised. Intercession visualizes an alternative future to the one apparently fated by the momentum of current forces. Prayer infuses the air of a time yet to be into the suffocating atmosphere of the present. History belongs to the intercessors who believe the future into being.” - Walter Wink

At the beginning of 2020, LH/STUDENTS wanted to begin a prayer team filled with parents who believe this quote above and were committed to contending for our students, in prayer, daily. Our longing and pursuit is for students to be filled with awe and wonder of Jesus and experience the riches of knowing Christ. We had about 12 parents sign up and each parent received a list of about 10 to 11 names and began praying on January 6, 2020.

It’s been 27 days. And in that time we have experienced awe and wonder. One student who was deeply disconnected and walking away from the faith, returned and got connected in the community of students. We began a study on the Gospel and World Religions and saw a hunger among our students to learn about other religions in light of the Gospel. Each week we have had more than 70 participants, including parents who were also interested. In the last two week we have seen a self-professed atheist come to faith in Jesus. This same student deleted her old instagram account, which is a huge deal for students, because it represented her old life and she’s not that person any longer. She started a new account where she now posts videos of her and her friends singing and dancing to worship songs as they praise Jesus she has been redeemed from death to life. 

Awe and wonder and it’s only been 27 days. I don’t know where you’re at or what your heart is longing for God to do in your life or the life of your family and friends. Many times what our hearts long for can seem impossible, but He still does impossible things everyday. He still does immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine. Be encouraged. Remain steadfast. History belongs to the intercessors who believe the future into being.

- Coleton Segars, Student Pastor

Four Easy Ways to Be Missional During the Super Bowl

There are several days on the calendar that I call “Culture Days.” A Culture Day is pretty self-explanatory; it’s a day marked on the cultural calendar (and often the actual calendar) that is highly regarded, has lots of participation, and is not distinctly religious in any way. It’s a Culture Day.
Good Examples of Culture Days are:

Most Holidays

- Halloween

- Christmas

- Thanksgiving

- Fourth of July

- MLK Day

Big Events

- National Championships

- Election Day

- Super Bowl

There are a great deal of them. The point of a Culture Day with mission and engaging is they provide amazing avenues for a community to build new relationships and serve as beautiful on-ramps for the Gospel. One of the most basic principles of biblical mission is a willingness to adopt someone else’s culture to reach them for Christ.

February 2nd is a great opportunity for a Gospel Community or your family to be on mission as it is one of the bigger Culture Days: The Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is a massive place for community, food, laughter (commercials alone are worth watching!), and building new relationships.

So, whether you enjoy football or not, here are 4 easy ways to demonstrate the gospel, and be on mission during the Super Bowl this year.

1. A Collective Effort
The first is to make it a collective effort. Have your Gospel Community join in the fun with you. If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, invite your community to invite THEIR community. Don’t make it a closed off effort, have an open invte to anyone connected to your community to come join in.

2. Encourage Story
Encourage story with everyone! Walk around and lead in learning and inviting story. Be the story encourager at your Super Bowl Party. One of the best ways to encourage story is to ask meaningful and open ended questions.

- How did you and your spouse meet?

- Why did you choose the career your in?

- What do you like about living here?

There is no bait and switch here, either. We aren’t asking questions so we can get to the Jesus bit. We are building relationships. Nothing does that more than encourage a place for stories and life to be shared!

3. Have Great Food
One thing that is always a blessing, and can take a bad party and make it much better is really great food. Again, be inclusive of your community here and provide a killer potluck style feast for your guests.
It is an easy way to be a blessing, and open a space at your table and party for others to enjoy!

4. Give Stuff Away
One practice we have at our community’s Super Bowl party is a gift basket. We make an awesome basket of coffee, movie tickets, and a gift card and give it away to the person who guesses the score correctly. This simple practice tells the story of how God lavishes the gift of Jesus on us.

Mission and sharing the Gospel story with others does not have to be complicated, but it does require us to be present and intentional. This Sunday is a great time set aside by our culture for us to do both!

- Dakota Zook, Gospel Community Pastor

Focus: Gospel Community

2019 was really our first collective step towards seeing our community groups engage our neighbors and city in more intentional ways. It has been unbelievably encouraging to see the willingness and eagerness from so many within Living Hope desire to grow in participation in a Gospel Community. Our Gospel Communities at Living Hope have been asking themselves some hard questions, seeking the Lord in prayer and in the scriptures discerning where the Spirit of God is leading us as a body.

This year we were able to launch Gospel Community Genesis, which serves as a place where people within our body can connect into deeper community while gaining new clarity and insight on what following Jesus into his mission could mean for them. From our first time walking through Gospel Community Genesis we saw twenty families from Living Hope begin exploring where the Spirit is leading them. We’re also celebrating the four new Gospel Community groups that were launched out of this time together.

In 2019 we saw groups begin to initiate neighborhood dinners, gatherings, and parties to build relationships with those in our city that God is leading us to. It has been beyond encouraging to see so many of our people faithfully following the leading of the Spirit. My prayer as we Focus in during this sermon series on what it means for us to be the Church here and now is that we see more and more of God leading us to love and serve our city. My prayer is that we see everyone at Living Hope connected in a community committed to loving God, one another, and those around them. 

- Dakota Zook, Gospel Community Pastor

Rachel Davis

Focus: LH Missions

Reflection upon 2019 brings encouragement due to the involvement of so many Living Hopers reaching out to people near and far with the love of Christ. Fifteen folks went to Mexico in June to serve alongside our friends in Querétaro. Nine of us went to Kenya in July to serve orphans; to encourage caregivers; and to minister to the local church, neighbors, slum residents, prisoners, and special needs students. We saw the formation of a disaster relief team among willing and capable Living Hopers. There are too many other examples of local ministry involvement to mention them all, but here are a few…In November, we collected thirty coats for the Neighborhood Christian Center’s Cozy Coats drive, hosted the Ken ya Give? silent auction and giving campaign that brought in nearly $50,000 to support the orphans of Eldoret, Kenya. During Advent, Living Hopers filled 25 Red Tubs for Memphis Family Connection Center to provide Christmas gifts to foster children in Fayette and Shelby Counties. In addition to the filled tubs, $3,250 was raised to support MFCC to meet needs of foster and adoptive families throughout the year. Several families were adopted for Christmas through NCC. Living Hopers provided Thanksgiving and Christmas meals to the residents of the Gaal House, and $2,500 was given to support children served by our partners in India. 

Looking forward to the year ahead, there are opportunities, again, to serve in Mexico, June 3-9, and Kenya, July 21-31. The Living Hope Worship Team is sending folks to Querétaro later this month to lead a worship conference with the members of Lumina and Vertical Connection. Hopefully, the current Bottles for Life campaign for Life Choices will raise a lot of support to give life to moms and babies. Through weekly Prayer Prompts Living Hopers are praying for our local ministry partners, global missionaries, and church planters here in the States and around the world. May the Lord bless our ministry partners through the prayers of the saints. There will be opportunities for Living Hope to come alongside the Common to stock the Melrose Food Pantry through which the folks of the Common meet practical needs of many children and elderly residents of Orange Mound. 

It is my prayer and heartfelt desire that many more individuals and Gospel Community Groups at Living Hope will get plugged into a rhythm of ministry and missions. 

- Alan May, Missions Administrator 

LH Women's Spring Bible Study

LH Women is kicking off their next Bible study very soon! I encourage every woman to sign up, especially if you are scared of doing it. I certainly was. This will be the third bible study I have done in my entire life. I had a million reasons for never doing one: never a convenient time; probably won’t know anyone; can’t quote scripture; barely find the books of the bible (and y’all I have my Bible tabbed); hard time comprehending what I read in the Bible; really afraid of people thinking I was failing at being a Christian because I didn’t know all the facts of the Bible. The list goes on. 

I know the Gospel and I love Jesus with all my heart and soul but the truth is, I was not investing any quality time to understand and apply God’s Word. All those fears culminated from those lies I was believing that keep me from the Truth. The day I signed up for the 1 John study, I clearly remember God saying; “do not be fearful of this; you need this; this is why your soul feels so malnourished.” So, I signed up and put my credit card information in before I could change my mind. I was done saying “no” to God. 

I have grown so much from each Bible study. Had it not been for God’s persistent nudging I would have missed out on so much He wanted me to hear from His word. He was also kind enough to put women in my path who have become pillars in my walk with Christ. He gave me helpers who point me to Jesus. I am able to be real with them and speak up when I feel I’m drifting from God. They are always there free of judgement to help encourage me on the weeks I am slacking or just not really understanding the text. Regardless if I had the right answers going into the study, I always got exactly what God wanted me to hear and apply. I leave each evening with a revitalized faith that is being fed and flexed and strengthened.

Ultimately, don’t let your fears or insecurities get in the way of getting to know God through His word. I can’t wait to get started and see how God moves through this study and speaks to the women of Living Hope through 1 Samuel. 

- Anna Harlow

The Peace Candle - Advent Week 4

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” - Isaiah 9:6

Imagine it’s a Monday evening. You’ve had a long and hard day. Whether it’s due to the busyness of preparing for Christmas, the hustle and grind of work, or just the overwhelming sense of all the schoolwork you have before the holidays, you’re just tired. And you’re longing for some rest for your weary mind and heart. You think, let me just make it to the holidays and then I’ll rest. But in the back of your mind you have this little voice that tells you everything you must do and what you must get everyone for Christmas. And you wonder, is there such a thing as rest? Is there peace?

You and I were made to know peace. In the beginning of the Bible, when man was created, we didn’t have a worry in the world. All we knew was peace, joy, comfort and an amazing sense of awe because we were in the full and perfect presence of God. This perfect, glorious presence gave us peace beyond our wildest imaginations. But when man sinned, we lost our ability to go into His presence. And without the Peace Giver’s presence, we are left trying to figure out how to make our own peace. So, we work hard because we hope success will bring us peace. We purchase nice things for Christmas hoping they will help fill our void of peace, but they fail.

But, there is a gift that brings all that we long for. It’s a gift we all long to experience but are unable to obtain on our own: the gift of peace, of restoration and joy. This is the gift that God promised when we sinned and lost access to His presence. That we could be given back access and know peace that we’d never lose again. This promise was fulfilled in a manger on a very stressful night.

You see on that night we find a mother about to give birth to a child, and a husband rushing to try to find shelter in the middle of the night. They knew stress, anxiety, and weariness after traveling so far to come home for the census. Yet in the middle of all that stress a child who is called Wonderful Counselor, and the Prince of Peace was born. That night of restlessness and exhaustion, peace entered the world and His name was Jesus. He is Emanuel which literally means “God with us.”

Peace was born in Bethlehem that night. Because Jesus has come, weary people like you and me now have access back to the only one who can give us rest. Will you come to Him or will you continue to try to figure out how you can create peace on your own?

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Suggested Prayer 

Father, we are tired and weary. We long to feel your peace. Forgive us for looking to other things to satisfy only what you can. Help us to look to you to find rest for our weary souls. We lift our lives up to you trusting that in you we’ll find our peace.

- Jarrian “JayWill” Wilson - Church Planting Resident, Riverside Community Church- Columbia, SC

The Joy Candle - Advent Week 3

“The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing… Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.” - Isaiah 35:1-2,5-6 (ESV) 

The third Sunday of Advent is called Gaudete (“GOW-deh-tay”) Sunday. It’s the “pink candle Sunday” on our Advent wreath. Gaudete is latin for “rejoice,” and this is the Sunday where we can think about joy, maybe in two different ways: joy in what God has already done, and joy in what God has promised he will do one day. 

Having joy doesn’t mean we will always be “happy,” because happiness and joy are two different things. Happiness comes from outside ourselves, and can sometimes go away as quickly as it comes. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, but it has its limitations. A hug, a beautiful sunset, a great meal; these things can make us really happy. But joy comes from a deeper place. It happens when we know that God fully knows us and fully loves us, and that the promises he gives to his people are true and trustworthy. It’s tough to feel happiness when you are crying, but joy can be present even in the midst of sorrow. 

So, we can live in the joy of what God has already done, in the joy of Jesus’ birth, when God became a man to bring mankind back to God. We can know that because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, he is present in our hearts and lives, as we walk with him through this beautiful but broken world. 

And, we can have joy in anticipation of his second coming, when the promises of God will be fulfilled. When Jesus returns, everything sad will come untrue, and he will wipe away every tear from our eyes. Isaiah 35 talks about that final fulfillment of God’s promises: We will never cry again, because there won’t be anything to cry about. And not only that, but there will be constant and never-ending joy because we will be hanging out with King Jesus in person. It will be a reversal of everything that’s wrong in the world – those who can’t speak will be able to sing with joy, and those who can’t walk will dance with joy. Because Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, will be shining on them, in person, forever. May our steps be filled with joy as we walk ever closer to that day when we are in the presence of Jesus forever. May he continue to shine on us, and scatter the darkness from our path. 

___________________________________________________________________________________ 

Suggested Prayer 

Heavenly father, we thank you for the joy we have in Jesus. We rejoice in what Jesus has already done for us by being born a man and dying for our sins, and we joyfully await his second coming when we will be with him forever. And it’s in his name that we pray, amen. 

- Rev. Jay Traylor - Church Planter, Staunton VA, Diocese of Christ Our Hope, Anglican Church of North America 

The Love Candle - Advent Week 2

CERTAINTY IN CHRIST 

“It also seemed good to me, since I have carefully investigated everything from the very first, to write to you in an orderly sequence, most honorable Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things about which you have been instructed.” - Luke 1:3-4 (CSB)

Turn on the TV, go to the store, talk to friends, and you will know the Christmas buzz is on; the songs, the movies, trees, and decorations are everywhere. During Advent, we celebrate peace, love, and rejoicing; yet for many, even Christians, it has become a time of stress, anxiety, and grief. But, as we revisit the story of Jesus, we can actually find certainty. Certainty is what Luke hoped for Theophilus as he read the story of Jesus; it is what should also come to us. It should be a place of rest for us.

When Luke wrote this story, there may have been many conflicting stories of who Jesus was in circulation, and he wanted him to be able to determine which accounts were reliable and which ones were doubtful. Jesus was not a myth, but the God-man who entered into time. Luke is sure that the birth, life, and death of Jesus actually happened, fulfilling God’s promises for a savior (vs.1). He had eyewitnesses (vs.2). The story was carefully investigated and put down in an orderly sequence (vs.3). In the story of Jesus, there was enough to secure Theophilus’s faith (vs. 4). In this story, we can also come to know the unchanging Emmanuel, “God with us;” the God who came to dwell with us and in us, and who will come in the future. The God who so loved the world that He sent His son. Thank God that this message is certain, trustworthy, reliable, and true.

Luke wanted Theophilus and his readers to find confidence in the gospel story they had heard. We need to hear the gospel daily to be assured over and over of what we have believed. Hearing it ushers us into a sanctuary where we rest in God’s love for us. Then, this Gospel reassurance results in 

inexhaustible implications. One worth highlighting here is that we can honestly say with the Psalmist in Psalm 23:1 that “the Lord is our shepherd; we have everything we need.” In Jesus, we have enough, we are satisfied, and that dethrones anything that attempts to assail us. 

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Discussion 

- Examine the state of your heart. Are you anxious, restless,or uncertain? List those things and bring them to God with the certainty he hears your prayers.

- What will you do to make Jesus the center of your advent season? How will you rehearse the gospel to find confidence in God’s love for you?

Suggested Prayer 

Lord, thank you for the good news of Christ and the inexhaustible riches we have in him. Amid all the uncertainties of life, lead us to rest secure in you because you are enough for us. This Advent, may the story of your coming reassure us that you are present with us and that you love us. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

- Raphael Mnkandhla - Church Planter, City.Church –Williamsport, Pennsylvania

The Hope Candle - Advent Week 1

HOPE IN GOD, HE ALWAYS KEEPS HIS PROMISES 

“There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” - Isaiah 11:1-2 

Guess what, Christmas is in 25 days!!! Do you feel the excitement? What is the one present you are hoping to receive? If I close my eyes I can imagine the alarm going off running into the living room and seeing all the presents under the tree. Could you imagine if you had to wait 100 more days for Christmas? What about over 1000 years? 

At the very beginning of the Bible, God promises that he will give his people the greatest gift they could ever receive, a better gift than you could ever imagine. A gift that would never run out of batteries, break, or that you would get tired of. What kind of gift could be that good? The gift God promised to his people was himself. He would make away for us to fix our broken relationship with God. This gift was Jesus and he would come in a really unexpected way, like a really big surprise. The only challenge was that they would have to remain hopeful and wait to receive it. They would have to trust that God would keep his promise. In the same way you and I hope Christmas will come each year, the people of God had hope that God would send a savior. 

God was very kind to his people as they waited. As the years went by God would send them signs and reminders that he was trustworthy and that he would keep his promise. They had to continue trusting and hoping that the Lord would send the greatest gift, a savior. 

God kept his promise and gave his people a savior. Jesus came as a baby and by his life, death and resurrection gives the gift of eternal life to all those who believe. Today as you’re waiting and hoping for Christmas morning to come, remember that God has already given us the greatest gift Jesus. This also helps us to remember that the best place we can put our hope is in God, he always keeps his promises. 

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Discussion 

- What is something you are hoping for? 

- Make a list of the prayers you are hoping God will answer. Pray through them with eager hope that God hears your prayers and will answer. 

Suggested Prayer 

Lord, thank you for always keeping your promises, especially your promise to send a savior. Please forgive us when we lose hope in you when we are waiting on your timing. Help us to remember that we can place our hope in you. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 

- Derek Kimes - Church Planting Resident, Stonegate Church - Midlothian, Texas 

Gospel Community Genesis

“That’s such good news!” 

This was the statement a family in our body shared with me during one of our GC Genesis trainings. The person who shared this with me also shared about the culture of discipleship they grew up in. It was a culture for the experts and elites. The message was that all the weight on being a good disciple and on making disciples rest squarely on your shoulders. Who could carry that kind of burden? Who could stand up in the face of that kind of fear of being good enough? As we talked about the reality of the finished work of Jesus in the second week of GC Genesis, I was so struck by the above statement from one of our participants. Thankfully, Jesus welcomes us to participate with him in his on going and present work of making disciples. Discipleship is not for the elite, discipleship is not for the professionals, discipleship is for those who know good news about a person and a promise. If you’ve experienced good news, if you know how to listen to others, you can disciple anyone!

It was a gift to gather with more than 20 families from within Living Hope as we shared good food, good community, and most importantly good news. We oriented ourselves around the good news of what God has done in Jesus every week. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus is either going to a meal, coming from a meal, or reclining at a meal. This teaches us that something profound happens in our own discipleship at a table. As we gathered at tables during Genesis we shared struggles, fears, and encouragement together. It was a beautiful thing to be a part of. I’m so grateful to see more and more from within our body orient themselves to good news. As we roll around to GC Genesis in the Spring, I’d love for you get connected to others around good food, and good news! 

- Dakota Zook, Gospel Community Pastor

Jeanne McGonagill

I grew up in the Episcopal church and was “sprinkled” as a baby. At the age of 12, I was confirmed, which made me a member of the church, however, I wasn’t deeply rooted in my faith. At 22, I got married but my husband was not a believer. We had three children, Allen, Dixon and Trace. I took the children to church often, but my marriage was struggling. At the age of 52, after thirty years of marriage, we went through a difficult divorce. As I look back, I know that Jesus carried me through that time. 

I had struggled with depression all of my life; I felt unloved and I attempted suicide. Jesus protected me from myself and saved my life, again. After my divorce, I needed a source of income, so I began cleaning houses. I met Geneva Stagg, who was also cleaning homes and we began working together. As Geneva shared about the Lord, I started wondering more and more about Jesus. I wanted to know God and His Word. I started going to the Precepts Bible study with Geneva. I loved sitting under the wise and godly teaching of Marie Strain. 

In 2018, I went through another difficult time. My oldest son, who was living with me at the time, died from complications due to diabetes. It was only because of faith in Jesus, and my deepening walk with Him, that I was able to go on. I started attending Living Hope and joined a small group. I enjoyed the fellowship, the honest sharing and the deep caring that I experienced as part of that group. I also grew spiritually as I sat under the weekly teaching of Gib. 

When I decided that I wanted to become a member of Living Hope, Ron Favaloro graciously walked me through the baptism process. He even offered for me to get baptized in his pool! I am so grateful for those who came to celebrate this joyous event with me…my small group, my friends and family and the God I serve! 

David & Esther Bledsoe