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Hope Community Church
Real People looking to the Real Jesus for Real Change
Our Mission: To bring glory to God by proclaiming what Jesus
has done for us and by becoming a community of people characterized by
authentic relationships, heartfelt worship, and selfless service as
God’s Spirit applies Christ’s work to us, the people of South and West
Charlotte, and our neighbors in urban centers around the globe.
What Jesus has done for us!!
In Gal. 4:3-7 Paul teaches us,
When we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles
of the world. 4 But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son,
born of a woman, born under law, 5 to redeem those under law, that we
might receive the full rights of sons. 6 Because you are sons, God
sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out,
“Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since
you are a son, God has made you also an heir.
The surprising message of the Bible is that each of us is a royal
mess. Because of the deceitfulness of sin we have all used the harm
others have done to us to justify lives of self-protection and fierce
independence from God.
We all know that this is true in our hearts but are afraid to admit it
because we don’t think there is really any hope for us. But the Great
News of the Gospel is REAL CHANGE IS AVAILABLE WITH JESUS! Whether
you’re an addict, an abuser, trapped in self-pity, or just plain hard
to live with Jesus can change you. At the cross Jesus takes our
well-established sin patterns on himself, pays for them with his
blood, and gives us his perfect love. When we surrender our hearts and
lives to him we are set free to love in ways we never dreamed
possible. No heart is too hard for the melting power of the crucified
Son of God.
(For Further Reading See Insert “The Centrality of the Gospel” by Dr. Tim Keller)
Authentic Relationships
In 1 Timothy 1:15-17 Paul tells us,
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ
Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But
for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of
sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an
example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor
and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Like the disciples before us we intend to glorify God by bringing our
failures out into the light and looking to Christ alone for our
righteousness. This is how Christ gets glory! As we openly confess our
failures and turn again to dependence on Him we serve as trophies of
his unlimited patience. If Christ can save us his work is good enough
for anyone.
(For Further Reading Pick Up “Who We Are and How We Relate” by Dr.
Larry Crabb on Book Table)
Heartfelt Worship
Luke reports that after his resurrection Christ appeared to two
dejected disciples walking on the road to Emmaus. On the walk Christ
“explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning
himself.” After Christ departed “their eyes were opened and they
recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each
other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us
on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?’”
Once you experience the forgiveness of Christ you can’t help but
worship him whole-heartedly.
John Piper warns us, “Truth without emotion produces dead orthodoxy
and a church full(or half-full) of artificial admirers. On the other
hand, emotion without truth produces empty frenzy and cultivates
shallow people who refuse the discipline of rigorous thought.” But
people who’ve actually understood the Gospel in all of its splendor
respond with heart and mind to the overwhelming grace of God in
Christ.
We seek to be a church that opens the Scriptures and teaches all that
is said about Jesus and about us so that our hearts will “burn within
us”, and we will worship Christ in spirit and in truth.
(For Further Reading See Insert “Evangelistic Worship” by Dr. Tim Keller)
Selfless Service
Christ said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have
loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know
that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” We intend to
participate in the forward movement of the Kingdom of God by crossing
man-made barriers. We seek to be a church that partners with other
believers in Christ whenever and wherever we can. We intend to support
God’s work in para-church organizations, other denominations, other
races, and other cultures.
In the words of Paul Miller, “The feel of faith is death, joy is the
fruit of faith. It comes after you’ve died.” We seek to give to the
point of self-denial knowing that as we pursue the coming of the
Kingdom it will cost us the American dream of security and
significance through the accumulation of money and power. Christ came
to give us the full life that is found through using the things of
this world to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.
(For Further Reading we recommend the book “The Jericho Road” by Dr. Tim Keller)
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