Beyond Belief
James 2:17 - In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
The Christian life was not meant to be simply believed, but to be lived out in daily life and practice. In the Old Testament, the Proverbs provide significant practical advice for Christians desiring to live a God honoring life. The book of James is the New Testament equivalent in many ways. James wants people who profess to be Christians to act like it. Come and explore with us as we study of the book of James and challenge your faith to go beyond belief!
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Glorious Unfolding
Happy Birthday New Hope! This weekend we celebrate 25 years of a community loving Jesus and trying to reveal Him to the world. Our original mission was to present the life-changing hope of Jesus to the unchurched people in the city of Rochester; to teach unchurched people to grow in relationship with God in community with each other; to help each individual discover, develop and use his or her spiritual gifts for service through the church. We have always been committed to proclaiming faith in Jesus, doing good works, and engaging in future church planting efforts. Today we simply say we love God, we love each other and we serve the world. So much has changed, yet so much has stayed the same. Let us remember the love, strength and power of God in our past 25 years and use that as the foundation of God's mission for our church in the future.
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Healthy Relationships
Do your relationships honor God? Do you draw strength from your relationships and are they thriving? Whether you are married, single, a parent or a child (or both), a friend, an employee or whatever other role you find yourself in, we are relational beings. We are relational in nature precisely because we are made in the image of God. God is love, and his desire is to share that love with us. He does that by inviting us into relationship with Him. Our relationships with others have the potential to reflect His example of relating to us. However, in most cases our human relationships fail to live up to the desires and goals we have for them precisely because we don't understand God's designs and expectations. This series will help us understand our relationships with others by looking at our relationship with God and unpacking the pitfalls the world puts in our minds that cause us to miss our full relational potential. #GodsnotGrey
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Catching the Vision
Why does New Hope exist? What has God called His universal church to do, and how does New Hope as a local church participate in that broader scriptural based narrative? This sermon series explores New Hope's mission and vision statements, unpacks God's vision for our church, and explores God's invitation to each of us to participate with him in impacting the world around us. We invite you to join with us as we start out the year "catching the vision" of God's purposes and plans for New Hope FMC and each of our roles in them.
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Advent Conspiracy
Christmas was meant to be celebrated, not regretted.
We all want our Christmas to be a lot of things. Full of joy. Memories. Happiness. Above all, we want it to be about Jesus. What we don't want is stress. Or debt. Or feeling like we "missed the moment". Advent Conspiracy is a movement designed to help us all slow down and experience a Christmas worth remembering. But doing this means doing things a little differently. A little creatively.
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Preparing for Spiritual Attack
September 28 – November 16 2014
Recent events in the life our church have caused many people to question whether we are under spiritual attack. The Bible instructs us that we most certainly are, and in fact that our battle is not against flesh and blood but against some unseen enemies that are at work in the spiritual realm. In order to be prepared, we must put on the full armor of God. This series is designed to prepare us for battle knowing that we are will experience it and indeed may be already in a vulnerable place. Join us each Sunday for a discussion on each of the elements of armor discussed in Ephesians 6:14-18.
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God Is ...
Current sermon series: God Is ...
August 24 – End of September, 2014
During trying times, we need something to hold onto. We need to understand God for who He is, and cling to the truth about Him when it doesn't feel like He's there, or the foundational things we thought we believed are shaken to the core. We don't want to rush a grieving process, and we certainly don't want to miss the blessings He provides by truncating a healing process he can use to refine us and develop new levels of spiritual health, growth and awakening. We need to learn to live with and into suffering versus "fixing" it or avoiding it because it is too painful.
Sermons are available immediately after each Sunday worship service.
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The Way of Wisdom
The Way of Wisdom
In the days before Jesus Christ, God spoke to his people in three ways: The Priests taught the Law; The Prophets declared his Word, and the Sages gave counsel or wisdom. The Book of proverbs is a collection of the wisdom sayings that guided daily living. This sermon series is designed to equip the listener with several of the themes of the proverbs applied to a contemporary context. The series will extend from June through August.
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The B.L.E.S.S.E.D. Life
Jesus told his disciples that he developed a relationship with them so that they could live an “abundant life”. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount, it begins with the repetitive phrase “blessed are the....” . His sermon focuses on the qualities of the life that experiences the blessings, or happiness/joy that comes with a relationship with God. This sermon seeks to look at 7 experiences with God that form the core of the “Blessed” life.
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The Way of Worship
We often think of worship as an event as opposed to a way of life. However, the follower of Jesus is committed to a lifestyle of worship. Everything that we do, say, and even think is to be committed to the Glory of God (Col 3:17). How do we enter into the way of worship? This series reflects on God as the object and subject of worship and what that means for life of the believer.
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Encountering Christ
Authentic faith is not simply agreeing to a set of beliefs, but nurturing a dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ. It is this relationship that gives us new life, matures us, disciplines us, inspires us, and motivates us. Often this relationship is cloaked in “religious language” that prevents a deeper understanding of the process. This sermon focuses on the relational process that the disciple of Christ experiences as they grow deeper in their faith. Using the relationship between Jesus Christ and the Apostle Peter as our model, the listener will understand the unique nature of the relationship, expectations, and opportunities between Christ and his disciples.
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The P.E.A.C.E Plan
The P.E.A.C.E Plan
Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." The Old and New Testament reveal the mission of God as the redemption of mankind through Israel, then his son Jesus Christ, and extended through the Body of Jesus, also known as the Church. That missionary essence and expression is incredibly diverse and varies according to context and mission field. This sermon seeks to define and discern the missionary impulse in the context of the New Hope family and within our sphere of influence.
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The Power of Vision
Without a clear vision, we struggle both individually and collectively. The key to vision is the revelation of God via His Son, His Word, and His people. Often, the church seeks to manufacture its vision and mission based on business techniques or marketing plans, but God intends for His Bride to be guided by His revelation. This sermon series looks at the formation and development of the vision of the church and the nature of His revelation through the prophetic writings of Habakkuk and the gospels.
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The Resurrected Life
We are commanded to “live by the spirit” in the epistles. The emphasis on living is a emphasis to think, act, and respond, as opposed to a faith that simply tries to avoid sin and sadness. The Book of Acts records the portrait of the spirit filled community and its reflection of the person and mission of Jesus Christ. This series seeks to equip its listeners with an understanding of the promise of a spirit filled life and how it is essential to glorify God. Each text is based upon the common lectionary readings for that week.
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Created for Good
The Bible devotes more pages to the life of Joseph than any other person in the Old Testament. His life is a classic story of redemption and the faithfulness of God. This series will focus on Joseph’s life and its implication for the purposes and processes in our lives.
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Jesus, I have a Question...
Jesus, I Have a Question...
Jesus describes himself as the “Way, the Truth, and the Life”. He is described as the “exact representation of God” in the book of Hebrews. He literally has all of the answers. This sermon series seeks to pose our most common questions to Jesus, using his word and the practice of the Apostolic church as references.
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