In recent blogs I have alluded to some things going on, sorry about not talking about it, I needed to allow God to work through the process.   I only have two words that keep coming to my mind in the wake of all that God has done, especially in the last 2 weeks.   ONLY GOD!    2 years ago Living Hope and Praire Church became "ONE" church.   Today we are family, united with purpose, vision and synergy to accomplish greater things together than we could have seperated....ONLY GOD.    Then as we began to ask God to show us what was next, we felt led to pursue a multiple campus approach, and at the same time, congruently continue with the plans for the tent, which ought to be up and going within 2 years.    Check it out at www.sprung.com.  In the meantime how do we continue to reach people, not burn out our staff, allow for other gifted leaders to step up in multiple venues, while staying focused on our goal of seeing people become fully devoted Christ followers.  It seems that the concept of multiple campuses accomplishes those goals and is God's dream for us.   

What began as "discussion" two weeks ago, has resulted (again) in now three churches becoming one church, united in purpose, vision, and stength.    Vancouver Community Church located on 76th street (next to the gun club) is the first official campus of Living Hope Church. (LIVING HOPE CHURCH - ORCHARDS)   They will meet this weekend, Pastor Bruce Avery will share his story, that evening VCC will celebrate Pastor Neal and Julie and their ministry for 24 years.  Then we will take the next 8 weeks, asking people to join us in one of our weekend services, and do necessary repairs and upgrades to the facility in Orchards.   The campus will officially open on January 15th with services at 9 am and 11 am.   I am planning a series called "DESPERATE."   There is a possibility of a sunday evening service at that campus.   This week, we will have detailed calendars on the website to hopefully minimize confusion.   Two words for all that God has done...again....ONLY GOD!

To our new family (formally VCC), thank you!     Only in eternity will you fully realize how much your sacrifice has and will mean to thousands of people.  We will become One in Christ.  Trust God, don't give up and rest.   No matter what, don't let the devil take away what God has and will do.   It is good what God is doing.  Keep remembering that.  Pastor Neal.  You will always be Pastor Neal to me.  Thank you for leading me to the One whose name we bear.  Where would I be now without Christ?  Messed up even more than I am already.  I love you and Julie so much.   Yesterday was the culmination of so much in my life.   Who would have ever known?   Again...ONLY GOD!   To the staff and leaders of Living Hope.   When we dream God sized dreams, we will always be amazed.   Keep dreaming.  Keep trusting and keep risking for God's Kingdom.  More than anything else,  keep letting love win.   I mean it when I say I love each of you so much.  I can't fathom doing life without you (I am crying now, really).    To Michelle.  I am watching you right now do your photography stuff.  You are amazing.  You are my very bestest friend and I only love Jesus more.  Thank you.  Your heart for our old/new family from VCC speaks of your heart for God. He knew you would complete me.  Keep being patient.  ONLY GOD.  David Bishop.   I love you buddy, so much.   I can't imagine life without you son.   (Now I am really crying...)   Thank you for choosing to serve God with your one and only life.   Don't get discouraged.  God is bigger than life and His plans for you are bigger than you could know.  Trust Him son.    You make me laugh, and I am glad to be your dad, and friend.   

To everyone reading this blog.  In our and your personal life, the best days are still ahead of us.    Believe it.  Live it and thank God for it.   This is the only day you have.    The blessability zone series I think may be my favorite ever.   It was a bit of a risk, yet God met us and reminded us that He is bigger than we can possibly know.

This is the day the Lord has made, simply rejoice in Him!  Thanks for all your comments.   You are my friends.

ONLY GOD!

John

First I want to say thanks to so many of you are always so encouraging.   I can't get the song out of my head, "God is bigger than the air I breathe, the world we'll leave."    This week has been monumental in terms of our church, but honestly more than that in terms of my heart.   I have never been more tired, more emotional, more thankful and yet more aware of how in total control God is.   This week, I was scheduled to be out of town at a mult-site church conference and we have cancelled our trip because of the things God is doing right now.    I want to/need to be here to share with our congregation  what God is doing.   I had "many plans" but God's "purpose" is prevailing.   

Please be praying for our dinner tonight.    It will be historic to see almost 200 church leaders gather together to be encouraged, to share a meal and to hang out.    It must make our Father smile to see His children getting along.

This has been the verse on my heart, Jesus prays in John 17, and this part of the prayer is for us "My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father....Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me."   (John 17:21,23)   THAT IS IT!   God wants unity.    He wants the world to see Him, through us.   One of the deepest passions of my heart is to see Christians drop all the labels and just be followers of Christ....together.    

It has been a very different week, but I am convinced more than ever in my life what we are doing matters.  Some of you know the road has been a bit rough,  almost 9 years.   You believed, God was there, He gets all the glory and we get all the joy.   It is a good tired, promise.

Love always, always, always wins (even after 9 years)

John

PS:  Don't miss the weekend services.   I'll be there, and the guest speaker HB London will bless you.  Can there be a blessability zone for our words?  That's what we will talk about.

Very rarely have I ever seen God move the way I saw Him move this last weekend.  The services were great, but what God did Sunday evening I will never forget.   For those who don't know, we are walking through doors that God opens to help other churches, to possibly merge with other churches to create campuses, and as He leads we want to be faithful to simply listen, obey and follow. 

Last night we met with some leaders of a church, we talked, worshipped, cried, prayed and in the end I got to feel my heart healed in ways I never imagined possible.  Pain is so difficult because we can pretend for years it doesn't exist until we are face to face with it.    We got to pray for a group of very tired church leaders.  We got to collectively sit in our Daddy's lap and cry together.   We got to pray with and for them.  We got to (by God's amazing grace) share vision and hope and healing.   I love our pastors and staff.  They amaze me.

Here's the thing.  When God does what ONLY HE can do, we get to see ONLY HIM.  Then, it becomes about ONLY HIM.  I stand in absolute amazement of how God can in minutes change hearts, cause unity, create energy and vision to do something really big for Him.    Living Hope Church, only in eternity will we fully realize all the implications of listening, obeying, risking and following the One whose name we 'together' bear.  I love you all so dang much (is dang a word?)   

It is all so good!  Please be praying, because the things God is up to could and I believe will revolutionize so many lives for Jesus.    The days ahead are critical.   God knows the details, and for now I hope that is enough.   

NEVER, EVER forget who it is about.   As good as we seem to be, none of us have ever died for anyone.  We bear the name of Jesus.  We get to be His hands, His feet, His voice of truth and His heart to a desperate and dying world.    

On a different note, I am excited, because I get to have Al over for dinner tonight.   Isn't he just the coolest guy?   If you didn't have a chance to get to the weekend service, check out the video stream of the service on the website.

Please always pray, please always be who you are, please always let love win, and when our day is over, we can and will celebrate for zillions of years! 

Peace

John

To see people through the eyes of God is easier said than done.   All of us have people who have hurt us, and for months or in some cases like mine for years they may not even have a clue how you feel.   The problem is the poison of bitterness is so destructive to our souls.  Last night I was reminded of the importance of real forgiveness, being able to see people the way God sees them.  Everyone is someone who Jesus died for!    I was so grateful that I could share with several friends in my office before (actually during) the 7 pm service.  You know who you are, thanks! Thanks for listening, for praying and for loving me in my messed-up-ness. There is something so healing about sharing pain with people who love you.  The service was life-changing....for me.  I got to live my message.... during the message.   

God is so good to us

Standing in awe of all that God is doing,

John

Thanks to everyone who has prayed for or has helped with the pastors gathering yesterday.    To all the Living Hope staff, you are simply are the best.   Thanks for being there early to help cut out targets.   What would your day have been without that?   To all the volunteers who took off work, thanks for sacrificing and for serving.  To the PIT crew, I sat in my office and watched you help people to our doors.   Rain or shine!   I think a few were freaked out to see gigantic umbrellas running toward them, but they won't soon forget.  One church leader said he was amazed by the "first impressions."     All of you are towel bearers in the life of pastors and church leaders who need to be encouraged and who need to know they are not alone.    I just am so fired up right now!   The church, when it works the way God designed it, nothing compares to it!   Some of the comment cards were so encouraging, and you each need to know that what you did in their lives matters so much.    Imagine how pleased God must be to see His kids serving and loving others.   

God wins!  You get to be used for eternity and I can't sleep over all of it!

NEVER FORGET

John

ps

I am excited about the weekend services.    God has put a message on my heart that is so important.    It is all about the invitation!   See ya during one of the services.   There are also some pretty cool things God is up to, so please be praying.

I think we all long to live for a purpose greater than ourselves.   Before I was a Christian, Dave Clinton and I were in the Air Force recruiters office and I was so pumped, so excited and filled with so much purpose to "do" something for my country.     I remember at one point, sitting on the edge of my seat, listening and agreeing intently and leaning over to Dave (who wasn't quite sharing my excitement) and saying "Dave, what will YOU do with the rest of your life?"    Subsequently, I enlisted, got my head shaved, learned a alot and spent six years serving in the United States Air Force.    I wouldn't trade the experience for anything.    

During the moment of decision, I remember thinking, I want to "do" something and be a part of something bigger than me.   

There is no greater purpose than knowing, becoming like and serving Jesus Christ.  It is your destiny.   The Kingdom of God is God's agenda.   Things come and go, nations rise and fall but God's Kingdom lasts forever.   

Jesus prayed, "...Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven."  Matthew 6:10

Acts 13:36 says, "David served God's purpose in his own generation, and then he died."   (That statement makes for a seriously good funeral...)

Can you imagine living that reality?   Serving God's purpose for you, never missing what He had for you?   

I think most of our problems in life stem from undefined, unclear and unrealized purpose.    When I can't see purpose, I become a bit aimless and indecisive, and confused.   

IF YOU ARE AN AVERAGE AMERICAN THIS IS WHAT YOU WILL DO ACCORDING TO STUDIES:  You will live 25,550 days.   If you live 70 years, you will spend most of your life this way:

23 years sleeping, 17 years working, 11 years playing and watching TV, 6 years eating, 2 years dressing and 6 months at stop lights.

Is that it?    I believe and have experienced in some ways the reality that we were made for a greater purpose. 

THE KEY:   NOT MY WILL, YOUR'S BE DONE!!!   

Romans 12:1 says, "Offer yourselves...to God, dedicated to His service..."

In other words, there is a choice.  You have freedom to choose God, or NOT.  To live for God, or NOT to.  To serve yourself, or to serve Him.   Sorry, that is just truth.

The key to knowing what God really wants (read Romans 12:1-2) is advance decisions and dedication.  Changing how I...."Think"

The word for God's will is "perfect" in the greek means that God's will is tailor made to fit you and only you.   

Jesus cast the most compelling, life changing vision that the human race has ever heard.   Men and women heard it then, hear it now and will hear it in the future.   People have and will sacrifice  everything, because the benefit was far greater than the potential loss.   

What's holding you back?    Give it up.  NOT my will, not my agenda, not my hopes, not my dreams.  YOURS BE DONE!    Stay here until you fully begin to get this.    Once you begin to let go, you will never be the same.

So easy to say, so hard to live!

Peace

John

I have been thinking a lot lately about prayer. Not just that I need to do it, but the purpose of it.   What if together (us, the bloggers) spent a week or so, thinking about, and applying the Lord's prayer in our lives?  (Read Matthew 6:9-13) I believe doing this could help us "think" different and through that process, the outcome of our prayers could be His goal for each of us, which is intimacy with Him.   When that happens, my faith intersects with His faithfulness and the rest is history.

Remember Jesus' words to His disciples in Matthew 6.   

                                     "Our Father in Heaven..."  Matthew 6:9

I love that I can relate to God as my father.   He is a person, a real person that longs for connection and relationship with me as His son.   This is so huge for us.  Did you know that there are over 24 million children in America who live in a home without a father?   The image of God for so many is a bit messed up.   Even though for some the term "father" brings up frustrating or confusing memories, we have to think different (in order to experience lasting real change).    When you pray, start with "Father" and stay there until you work through stuff.

God so totally cares about you.   1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your worries on Him because He cares for you."   He cares.   I can come to Him, as  perfect, loving, all-knowing father and cast ALL my worries and cares on Him.   So many people (including me) worry and just live stressed out lives.   We honestly, don't we wonder if God really cares.    I am realizing in my own life that my problem isn't stress, as much as believing that God doesn't love me, or care enough about me.

This week, let's begin each day thinking about and believing that God is a caring, consistent, loving, perfect "Father"    Stay there.  Read Matthew chapter 6.  Read Romans chapter 8.  Read Ephesians chapters 1-3.  Believe it.  Revel in it.  Live in it.    When you and I do, it will change the way we think, which over time will eventually change the outcome, which is less stress, less control and more of God, and more peace and more of your Heavenly Daddy.

It's true!

John

Hey there friends,

I have been thinking alot about some things this week.   I am amazed at how fast I can move from a state of trusting, walking with, talking with and having faith in God, to doubt, and worry.    So weird.   I have read and re-read this verse multiple times this week, and it has helped a lot.

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done." Philippians 4:6

I read once that 90% of everything we worry about never happens, so really what's the point?   What does it help...REALLY?  Who is better for it...REALLY?    It seems that I just like to worry.  I have figured out that it is one of my official hobbies.  If you don't worry, send me information and I would love to add your worries to mine.   

We need to just simply trust God.   My worries are around our weekend service.  I worry every week, but this week, it seems I am more worried.  Have you ever noticed how regular weekends come around?   Often times, I have thought that Jesus could return like right before the 5 pm service on Saturday.   Wouldn't that be a perfect time for the rapture?  I sit in my office, staring at those Eastern skies.    So far to no avail, which means there is still stuff to do, so I put my mic on drink a zip fizz, pray, and pray and pray that God will show us grace, that He would touch lives and that we would continually give Him the glory.

Weekend services at Living Hope are so involved, and there are so many who work all week for one service.   Thanks to Teresa, Dave, Trinette, Christy, Carly, Missy, Heidi, Jodie, Melissa, Dondi, Dean, Bruce, Rick, Erik, Duane, Faune, Savannah, Heather, Danny, Jared, Tabi, Carly, Cheryl, Kelsey, Nathan, Bryan, Mikaela, Kathleen, Gene, Aaron, Erin, Robert (you are the best artist I know!), Bobby, David (you are the funniest son I have), Maria, Marge, Albert, Susan, Lucy and every volunteer that gives up their time so people can experience Jesus.  THERE ARE SO MANY OTHERS.  Thanks to Worship teams, usher teams, parking teams, Crash cart teams, prayer teams, greeting teams, Hospitality/Food teams, clean-up/facility teams, KidsWorld teams, and the list goes on and on and on.   There are literally hundreds of people who show up to serve, love people, meet with, pray with and be the arms and feet of Jesus.  The best part is EVERY WEEK God shows up, touches people and lives get changed.  I hear story after story after story.  So WHY do I worry?   Why do I get anxious?   I honestly don't know.  It is so stupid.   

When I worry, faith can't exist in my heart.  When you worry, faith can't exist in your heart.   Don't worry about it (no pun intended) just change.  To worry is a choice, to rejoice is a choice. 

Here are the 6 words:                              

                   WORRY ABOUT NOTHING,

                 PRAY ABOUT EVERYTHING!!!

That's it.  So simple, yet one of the most difficult things we will ever do.     For me it all boils down to how big is God?   That is the question to ask when you are worrying.   

PLEASE Pray for our teams this weekend.  I think you will be challenged by the message, I know I have been.  The big idea is HOW CAN I KNOW WHAT GOD REALLY WANTS?  It seems this is the question that has most often been asked over the years.  TAKE A RISK and  Invite someone, sit with them and watch God speak to their life.  Did you know that in Heaven that reaching people for Christ is one of the only things we will never be able to do after this life?   

It is still worth it!  I love that we get to be on the journey together!

John

OK,   Now that we are a blogging community, can we encourage each other to "do" good deeds this week.    There is a comment from Clay Adams about how he took a step to serve someone just because, and it encouraged me, so let's encourage each other.    Add a comment and if you have time send the story to info@livinghopechurch.com .    

Thanks Clay!   Keep serving, keep "doing" acts of kindness, Keep being an example for us!

It matters!

John

Have you ever had a moment where you wish time would stand still?  I had one of those "ah ha" moments yesterday.  What happend in my life, the lives of our staff and the life of a young couple is hard to summarize, but I will try this weekend.  I had another one of those moments this morning.

I am sitting in my office so overwhelmed by how faithful God has been to us and how His mercies are really new every day.  As I am putting the finishing touches on my sermon and as I listen to the choir practice, with a couple hours to go until our weekend services begin, I just want to say a couple things to anyone who reads this blog (I love the blog thing)

1.  Don't miss the service this weekend, if you can at all help it.   I promise, God will do something in your heart, as He has in mine, but you have to show up, and if you can, bring a friend.

2.  Moments matter  When you have a moment where you wish it would stand still, thank God for it.   Remember it and celebrate it.   All too often we are moving so fast from somewhere to somewhere that we forget to see God in the simple things.

Today, one of those moments happened in my Hannah's life (my daughter).  This morning, I walked in my office and she was reading my blog and Romans 8 in her bible, highlighting sections that she liked. I was on my way out to "do church" and I could have blown past the moment because I am busy, but God quieted my heart long enough to tell me to see this little gift He gave me.  I stopped, read with her and hugged her and left, and as I did, Ithought I wouldn't trade this little moment for anything.  I have the joy of speaking to lots of people each weekend, yet in that moment nothing else seemed to matter.    See and seize the little moments that are in front of you.   The gift of "now" is the one gift you will never have again!

See and Seize every moment

John