Like gravity, photosynthesis, germination and everything beautiful in our world, sex was God’s idea. As the inventor, designer and overseer of sex, God has been comfortable communicating His intentions and guidelines for sexuality among His people. One of the places where He does so is in 1 Corinthians 5-7. Join us this week and next as we consider God’s vision for this mysterious reality and what fidelity to God’s plan looks like.
Sermons by Dean Wertz (Page 8)
This Sunday, we welcome back our Lead Pastor Dean Wertz from his sabbatical! In order to reconnect as a community, Dean will be leading our congregation in a time of sharing words of encouragement and testimonies of the work God has been doing in our lives. Then, next week, Dean will continue us in our study of I Corinthians.
Should our southern border have a wall? Should our northern border remain closed for non-vaccinated people? Should the FBI have raided former President Trump’s home? What should be included in our schools’ curriculum? So many opinions on so many topics divide so many people every day. In our divided culture, what would it look like if all who call on the name of Jesus heard and obeyed His appeal for a united church? Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. to worship God and learn from our 2nd message from 1 Corinthians entitled, “Our Lord’s Appeal for Unity.”
Problems exist in the world and church. For us who live in Christ to be of service in the brokenness, the opening paragraph in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian Church starts by assuring Christians of our blessed status with God. Join us Sunday at 9 a.m. to worship God as we begin our timely series entitled, “In Christ in Culture” through the book of 1 Corinthians!
Within Hope Church we are united in our commitments to grow, gather, give and go. The primary reason why we do these things is because Jesus included these habits in His life, and He summoned us to do the same. Of the many times when Jesus would “go” to love people, this Sunday we will consider the account of His going to a tax collector and the implications for our going to also love those in our lives.
Our bodies grow until they stop growing. Yet our life with God is meant to grow continually. When the first disciples devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, they began their life-long journey of increasing nearness to God. Join us on Sunday to learn how you can increase your closeness to God and why a commitment to grow for the duration will produce a life of sustained exhilaration.
Last week we learned that our church’s mission comes from Jesus when He declared, “make disciples of all nations.” In this next message, we will consider the gift of intimacy with Christ while we join in the ministry for Christ.
While most organizations engage in a process to solidify their mission statement, the church does not. Every local church has only to receive hers from the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. After Jesus’ resurrection He revealed to His followers that our mission is to continue His mission to “make disciples of all nations.” In this message we will consider why this is the greatest mission on earth and how we all can participate!
Join us on Sunday as we continue to learn how the Greek work “metanoia” (translated in the English Bible as “repentance”) means so much more than making a change and feeling bad about how we have been living. This cardinal word in the gospel announcement from John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles is forward looking and filled with hope! In this message we will learn what happens when the people of God come to grasp the true meaning of “metanoia.”
When Bible translators come across ancient words, like “and” or “hand,” they are easy to translate. Other Greek words, like metanoia, are so filled with meaning that they are difficult to embody with a single English word. Join us on Sunday as we consider a reality that was alluded to in a message a few weeks back. What if this word (translated as “repentance”) means so much more than making a change and feeling bad about how we have been living? And what happens when we get this paramount word in Jesus’ gospel announcement wrong?