Pastor's Corner

Dear Friends,

Recently, on my personal sabbath, I wanted to do something different so Luke, my son and I attended a Giants game that night. I wanted to watch a winning team in action.

The game started out well with Bonds and Snow both hitting home runs in the first inning, the Giants jumped out to a 4-1 lead. But then through a series of mishaps the opposition began to slowly makes it's way back. There were errors and miscues, the bullpen could get anyone out, substitutes couldn't get the job done. When the Padres went ahead 6-4, I turned to Luke and said "Do you want to go?". We walked around a little bit and then headed to the car.

There was one thing I forgot. You don't count a winning team out before the game is over. As we listened intently to the radio on the way home in the 8th inning the Giants scored 3 runs and despite a shaky ninth won the game 8-7. The Giants will most likely win their division and who knows how far they will get in the playoffs.

As I reflected on my regrets for not staying at the game until it was finished, I thought about the parallels to New Hope.

In the beginning it's easy to be excited about being part of a new team. But then as the season rolls on and the grind of doing this every week began to take it's toll or because of some miscues along the way some people have chosen to leave early.

But let me remind you that we are on a winning team. Our owner Jesus Christ the head of his church, has already hit a grand slam for us at the cross. He simply asks us to do play our role until the season is over.

Our goal at New Hope is to move people around the bases, from membership to maturity, to ministry, to multiplication. We do all of this while seeking to magnify the Lord through worship.

Friends, there will be Sundays when the gym is too hot, the music is too loud, the style of the guest isn't what you would prefer, but let me remind you that when we come to church we are seeking to play for the owner, Jesus Christ. We are not coming to receive from the service as much as we are coming to give. Give our praises, our offerings and ultimately our lives to God.

I believe that God is preparing us for the post season when he wants to do a work that will last forever. When I think about the potential of the 40 Days of Purpose, I can't help but get excited. We already have double the number of small groups that we had all of last year at New Hope. Yeah God.

Let me close with 2 verses that are relevant.

" So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time" Galatians 6:9

" And so dear brothers and sisters, I please with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice- the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?"

My answer is absolutely not!

Go New Hope and Go Giants, most importantly Go God,
Pastor Jim