On the 26th of December this year, Michelle and I celebrated our 26th anniversary.  I want to thank everyone for the encouragement.  Someone suggested that I share lessons I have learned over the years, so I thought that would be a good idea.

When I say this I truly mean it (you know me): Michelle and I are more in love today than ever.  We really support each other and give incredible grace to each other.  We are both very excited about the future in regards to our married life.  As our youngest daughter is now in high school, I am looking forward to having grandkids – just not too soon.

I wanted to pause and answer the question that has made me think for the last two days.  What lessons could I share that would help someone else in their marriage?  Here are my thoughts, not in any particular order:

I wish I would have been less about my dream and more about Michelle’s dream earlier in life.
As I look back, I would say our lives have revolved mostly around the call that God has put on my life.  I hope as time goes on that I can be about helping to unleash the dream in Michelle’s life.  I love this passage in Philippians 2:3-4: Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.  Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Another thing I am learning through the blessing of being married 26 years is to have appropriate expectations.  I wish I could have learned this one earlier, because I believe misplaced expectations are the primary destroyer of most marriages.  We generally love people the way we are loved, when the goal ought to be learning the way they are wired, understanding their needs, and responding that way.  Expectations without clarifications will always result in frustrations.

Communication is key in this.  Michelle and I are getting better at clearly communicating what we would like to see (or expect) and at the same time there is a higher level of grace for each other.

I’m learning how valuable the moment is.  It seems like we are pre-wired to be about the next thing, or job, or buying the next car, or getting the kids into college.  It seems we are thinking more about where we are going and less about where we are.  I’m 46 years old, and I wish I would have slowed down more and seen the incredible moments God gave us instead of looking to the next thing.

This comes down to making your marriage the priority.  Make your wife more important than your kids.  If you make the kids the center of your marriage, what will happen when they are not there?  You have to nurture and cultivate the relationship, which simply takes time.  I feel like a lot of my life has been about my friendships, and I thank God for them.  But I am learning the value of time with just Michelle, beyond friends, or kids or cell phones, or technology.

I need to learn to dance.  I am one of the most uncoordinated people ever, but my wife loves to dance.  One of my goals for 2010 is to take the time to do what she loves.  And not only do it because she loves it, but learn to love it myself.  I want to learn to dance.  I will.

Use words wisely.  God has graced and gifted me with the ability to use words to bring change in the lives of other people.  I also know that in the past I have used my words to hurt people.  I wish I could take back the times I have said reckless things to my wife in haste and in the moment.  Words that for the most part, were not true.  Words will always hurt or help people.  As I look back and think about my words, I move forward more cautious in what I say, how I say it, when, and where I say it.

Along the same lines as what I say is how I listen.  When my wife has been hurting in the past, my desire as a husband was to solve the problem for her.  The motive was right, the message was right, but it wasn’t what she needed.  She needed to be loved and LISTENED TO.  As a husband my job is not to fix every problem.  I have learned that sometimes simply listening is fixing the problem. 

Michelle is an amazing leader and I have learned that her words are really God trying to speak into a situation.  Whether it was buying something we couldn’t afford, hiring someone we didn’t need or making a change before it was too late.  She is so often the voice of wisdom.  Sometimes I have to learn the hard way, but I generally don’t need to learn it twice.  Listening to her not just as my wife, or the mother of our children, but as a leader in our church is super important to me.

I have learned to make time.  Michelle and I have made a commitment in our marriage to vacation together (just the two of us).  For the most part that has happened, but just this week I have learned the value of it again.  Make time to just be together.

Don’t be married to your job, be married to your wife.  Michelle has always been so gracious and understanding that ministry is our lives.  I’m learning what it means to have a better rhythm.  Part of rhythm is learning to say no, and to shut off.

Another lesson is that sex is not the main thing, but it is a good thing.  It’s not a physical act as much as an expression of oneness and intimacy.  I’ve said it before and I believe that sex really does begin in the kitchen.

I want the next half of my marriage to be about what it says in 1 Corinthians 14:1: Make love your highest goal.  We can do lots of good things and miss the best thing.  Love is really what should mark us not only as Christ followers, but also as husband and wife.

Love is not a feeling but an action, a decision.  It is about life.  I hope that I can do more of what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 13…Be patient, be kind and be forgiving, not keep records of wrong, ever.

Those are some of my lessons.  It’s certainly not an exhaustive list, but some things to think about.  Hope you have a good new year.

John
P.S.  So excited for the new series, "Jesus Moments", starting this weekend.

Hello friends!

This has been another busy week for us at Living Hope and I'm sure for all of you as well.  We are in full swing with plans and preparations for our 12 Christmas services, and I wanted to take a moment to update you on the happenings around here:

HOPE FOR HOMELESS UPDATE

Please pray as we continue on the journey of serving and blessing our new friends.  We are currently working closely with a team of leaders and a group of men who are living in a house we have on the property.  They are so grateful for all they have received.  Our hope is to walk towards job placement for as many as possible.  In the last week, we have purchased 5 bus tickets.  Two of the women are in rehab for heroin addiction.  We talked to one girl today and she couldn't stop thanking Living Hope for the second chance.  When she gets out of treatment she already has a job because of someone at Living Hope.  ONLY GOD.  

I have heard so many stories of people doing what they can in Vancouver and Portland on their own.  WAY TO GO.  That is what will cause a revolution.  When we do "something"  Jesus does everything.  Michelle has been so instrumental in providing leadership in the Homeless initiative.  I am proud of her and love working with her.  We have learned a lot in the past 10 days.  There are several agencies we will partner with in the future.  Many of the homeless men and women want to come to Living Hope, so we are figuring that out now.

We need furniture, washer/dryer, everything to set up a house.  Also need bunk beds, etc.  If you can help with that, please email duanew@livinghopechurch.com us or let us know. 

I will keep you updated.

VOLUNTEER/CAMPUS PARTIES

So far we have hosted 6 Christmas parties at our house with only one to go, and I have to say we are really enjoying spending time with our amazing volunteers, campus teams, and staff.

Michelle and I are so blessed to have leaders and pastors who love the people they serve and passionately believe in the cause of Jesus - reaching the lost.

These parties have given us a chance to hear again the stories of life change that happen as the campuses reach their local communities and simply do life together.  I love how each group is so different, and yet so connected in their own way.  It is exciting to see how the teams relate and work together, and show genuine love and respect for each other.  Thank you for what you do and for you who are. 

CHRISTMAS SERVICE TIMES THE CAMEL IS IN THE HOUSE

This weekend begins the first of 12 services in which we are presenting a live nativity and what we hope will be an authentic portrayal of the the first Christmas.  (Camel and donkey included - no tiger.)

Christmas is always a great time to invite neighbors, co-workers and friends, and this year will be especially so with the live animals and shorter services - only 40 minutes each.  Our staff and volunteers have been working hard to make this Christmas meaningful in many ways, so please don't miss it!   Service times are as follows:

Saturday, December 19th:  5:00 & 7:00 pm

Sunday, December 20th:  8:30, 10:00* & 11:30am & 1:30pm 

Tuesday, December 22nd:  7:00pm

Wednesday, December 23rd:  7:00pm

Thursday, December 24th:  3:30, 5:00, 6:30 & 8:00pm
*Deaf interpreted services

Please be praying for those who will attend a church sometime in the next 6 days, that they will encounter the life-changing message of Jesus, and the unexplainable grace of God.

Merry Christmas! 

John

Living Hope Church,

What a busy last 15 hours.  It has been simply amazing.  I have so much to share and update you about what happened and what ONLY GOD is doing.

Last night we housed 30 homeless men, who mostly hadn't slept in a building for a year or more.  Many of them were homeless for the first time in their lives.  We picked them up with our trusty 50 year old bus and brought them to Living Hope Brush Prairie campus.  From the initial email that everyone received at around 5:00 PM, you responded like the army that you are.  YOU brought sleeping bags.  Hundreds of sleeping bags, blankets, pillows, clothing, underwear and socks.  The men walked straight in and started picking out things.  They said they felt like they were in Heaven.  Then we all ate together.  It was just beautiful.  Then several of our guys stayed with the men.  Steve Young is our director for homeless ministries and the director of our downtown campus.  Some stayed up, played games, talked about life and God. 

YES, we are doing this again tonight.  The men asked us (some begged us) and so the wheels are in motion.  The bus (buses if we can get another one) will roll out from our Brush Prairie campus at 5:00 PM.  People should start arriving back to this campus at around 7:00 PM or so.  If we have families, we will open up our Orchards campus.

We are expecting more people tonight.  Most of the news stations reported on what happened.  Some are coming today to report for tonight.  We are trying to keep up.  Like taming a tiger that jumps on you.   

We will house, feed, clothe and spend time with whomever God brings tonight.  In fact, I just got word we will also be doing haircuts for any of the homeless people who are interested.

How can you help?

1.  Pray

2.  We still can use donations.  See the needs list below.

3.  We really also need non perishable food items, for this homeless intitiative and also for our food pantry. 

To Living Hope Church:

I got an email from a friend today, which included an article from the Portland Tribune.  You can take a look at this article HERE and it has really caused an agitation in my soul.

Through a sequence of events, I have communicated with the Mayor of Portland and different homeless shelters, and the truth is that the needs far outweigh the resources.  As shelters are doing all that they can, churches are asking about what they can do.  I talked to the commissioner’s assistant today in Portland, and it comes back to the thought that we can’t do everything, but we have to do something.

As I’m typing this, plans are being formulated to turn our church into a warming center tonight and possibly tomorrow night, and we’ll trust God for beyond that.

So here’s the deal...

1.    We need sleeping bags (at least 100), and we need them ASAP.

2.    Men will be housed tonight at our Orchards campus, women and children at our BP campus.  Beyond a place that’s warm, we plan on providing food – which is being purchased now.  If you can possibly help out with financial donations, it will help offset the cost of this.   

3.    The homeless community is asking for underwear, all sizes for both men and women, also socks and blankets.  We already have lots of donations, but the greatest need is sleeping bags, pillows and blankets.

1 John 3:17 says, “If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?”

4.    We need some people to stay at the shelters (men at Orchards, women and children at Brush Prairie).

We currently have one or two people there to help, but need more.  If you are willing and able, please call Steve Young at 360-600-8550.

Next, a bus will be leaving to go downtown Portland (we believe the need is more in Portland than Vancouver) to pick up people right now, and the plan will be to take them back to downtown Portland in the morning after we feed breakfast.  We will need volunteers to help both tonight and tomorrow.

If you can help, please show up by 7pm at the Brush Prairie campus, or earlier to help with food preparation.  We will bring everyone there to be fed, and then when the youth service is finished at Orchards this evening, the men will be taken to that campus for the night.

Last thing, when I first read that article, I was very frustrated with the lack of participation from the faith communities, but the more I investigated, I saw there are lots of churches doing all they can do.

Praise God for the local church.  When I called the commissioner's office, I said this is John Bishop and I’m calling on behalf of all churches.  What can we do to help?  This is bigger than any one church.  This is all of us working together.

We have to do something.

Last night we had the second of eight annual Christmas parties at our home.  You gotta love a wife who has a gift of hospitality.  There is a team who is here before and after each night.  Props to everyone who shops, sets up, cleans up.  It is worth it.  For our second party we had 60 people at our house.  Everyone gathered at around 7:00 PM.  Last ones out I think by 11:45 PM.  As tired as it may seem Michelle and I just love the connection with people.  We love hearing the stories.  Although one person said I looked "much taller" on the video at the campus than in real life.  Michelle laughed.  Hmmm

LIVING FREE.   What a great team.  Loved hearing the stories of family and friendship.  Thanks everyone for serving each other and our community.  If you haven't, you ought to check out Living Free on Tuesday nights.  They meet, eat and have worship and a message each week.  Also, there are multiple options of small groups to check out.  Great group of men and women who love Jesus and who serve each other.  You can feel the family environment in the leadership team.  Some have been serving since Living Free began.  Kenny Fritzler said that what blesses him each Tuesday night is when he pulls in the parking lot and sees there are more at just this one service than at Prairie before we merged.  ONLY GOD.  Thanks Living Free!!!! 

LIVING FULL.   Also, we had our kitchen team here.  Thanks to Marie who cooks each week for our staff and Living Free, and the weekend volunteer teams (not to mention other times as well) and also is cooking for the Christmas parties.  It seems in every group there are people who just love to cook and those who just love to eat.  One person, who shall remain nameless, actually took a plate of food and hid it for his granddaughter  under our table in the hallway.  I took a picture and will always remember it.  If you come over, there is plenty of food.  No need to hide :)

THE FRIESEN SEASON.   Thanks Dan Friesen for leading worship and for having the heart you do.  Love the blue lights.  It is an honor to serve with people who want a deeper reality of the Holy Spirit.  I can sense that God is doing a new thing, as He promised he would in the book of Isaiah.  Camas/Washougal leadership team (mostly) was here.  To hear the stories and how people love the connection of the smaller campus with the ministry and vision of Living Hope is just confirmation of all that God is doing.  I tell people all of the time.  You will grow better at a campus because you will know and be known more.  It is the way I have seen it to work over and over.  Keep reaching people.  God will be glorified, Jesus will be lifted up and we all will rejoice together.

Peace on earth!

John and Michelle

Day one of our annual Living Hope Christmas parties for leaders and volunteers.

Woodland and Longview campus teams.

Words I think of:  Overwhelmed.  Thankful.  Gary.  Our early years.  Oh ya, food....

OVERWHELMED.   We had a beautiful time of worship and prayer.  It was a picture of what Heaven will be like.  I was so blessed and really was overwhelmed by God.  Simple worship.  Simple words.  Powerful reality.  Thank you to everyone who was willing to serve and to everyone who spent time with us.  I love what God is doing in Longview and Woodland.

THANKFUL.   As I felt God's overwhelming presence, I began to feel a spirit of thankfulness.  I know there are people in Woodland and Longview that would most likely never visit our main campus who have found faith in Christ.  Think about that.  I saw such gentle passion in these teams.  Simple devotion to their God.  Made me so thankful that we are one church that meets in different locations.  So thankful for the leaders, who believe God for big things in their cities.  Thankful to Jesus for how He alone is working in the lives of such faithful servants. 

GARY.   Love him.  He is my friend and is so loved by everyone.  Gary, thanks for serving God by serving these campuses.  You are a good friend and leader.  The best days are in front of us.  I will always remember your faithfulness and encouragement in my life.  You are a funny guy, but I love you anyway.  Thanks Gary.   

OUR EARLY YEARS.   I thought about the years we spent at the grange on 72nd Avenue.  We were a church of 150 people who simply gathered to eat together and worship together.  We still worship together, but sometimes the pace and different times and locations don't allow for those "first days"  feelings.  The campuses do that.  It is awesome.  Funny thing.  When Living Hope started, there was never the goal to be a mega church in multiple locations.  Campuses were birthed from our desire to reach people.  The culture was simple.  Risk everything to reach everyone.  That was it and still is.  Church planting is one of the things I love the most.  I love helping church planters.  Our campuses are extensions and in essence church plants.  Go Woodland and Longview.  Storm the gates of hell, reach the world and love your communities.

OH YA, FOOD...   The food was potluck and was good.  Woodland and Longview teams have set the bar.  We will see how the week progresses.....  :)     

Great day.  Truth is, the parties are a lot of work and I want to give a shout out to Duane, Trinette, Marie, Carly, Teresa, Katie and Eric.  In for the long haul to serve the leaders who will be here.  Also, I am blessed to have kids who share their mom and dad with so many people with such great attitudes.

Christ is Born!!!  

John and Michelle

Sitting in my living room, Monday morning and we are getting ready to go get a tree.  We are a crazy family.  We watched the movie Four Christmas' last night, and began the tradition of putting up decorations.  Each of the kids have Christmas Villages.  Fun.  It was a good night and I think it will be a great season.

Hasn't so much been that way for me personally.  Losing my grandma a few years ago and my grandpa last year have been more difficult than I could have ever imagined.  They were Christmas people.  They loved Christmas.  They loved to give.  They loved their kids.  When I was young (if you don't know, they raised me in the wake of my dad dying), my "pop" would set out cookies before I went to bed for Santa and even celery for the reindeer.  He was so into it.  Promise.  As if I really believed it.  One Christmas eve, after we prepared for Santa and I went to bed, I tiptoed down the hallway of our house with wood floors and hid under the couch.  I was a lot smaller in those days.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  Pop sat up and ate the cookies, drank the milk and then proceeded to eat even the celery.  He was so happy and Christmas at our home growing up was one of my best memories ever.  We had very little money, but had lots of incredible memories, mostly of each other.  The older I have gotten the more I have realized the impact he has had in my life.  Maybe sometimes our busy lives prevent us from seeing what matters and more importantly WHO REALLY MATTERS.

He has been gone now for a year.  One year ago today on December 7th, I sat in the front row of our church with my family and just cried.  It is a bit surreal.  You never realize the impact of a person's life until they are gone.  It is only then you wonder where the time went, and why you didn't make more time when you could have.  We traveled together and laughed a lot together.  He must have told me the same jokes for 30 years.  I still laughed even though I could finish every joke he told.  He loved to make people happy.  He was a servant.  He was the dad I never knew and looked for, for so many years of my life growing up.  The very thing I wanted was right in front of me.  Dang it.  Why can't we see the blessings and provision of God more clearly?  Why does it take tragedy to wake us up to reality?      

The vision to begin Living Hope Church was birthed in my heart when my grandpa asked Jesus into his heart 14 years ago.  That vision is as clear today as it was then.  You must start a church for people (like your grandpa) who don't go to church.  Reach them with the Gospel and teach them how to live a life that honors God.  I guess you could say pop was our first member.  Now he isn't struggling, and is in the presence of the One who created him and who died for him.  His humility was the key to his heart being open to the Gospel.

God is never closer to us than when we are in pain.  I know that first hand and today, before we leave, I just want to say publicly how much I loved and miss my grandpa.  I have grieved well this year and now am ready to go get a tree and carry his legacy of love to my children.

I have a giant picture of him hanging in my living room.  I was going to take it down after a year, but I think it may stay through the holidays.

Praying for my friends and family of Living Hope.

You are the best.  Thank you for loving our Pop.

CHEERS TO YOU POP.  I miss you so much and can't wait until I see you in Heaven!  

John

aka your boy

Hello friends,

I spent the better part of the day at the office and was amazed at how many volunteers were there, doing what they do best – serving God by serving others.

Our December series is called Simply Christmas.  And more than a series that we listen to, we pray it’s a series we do.  We pray all of us can pause to find out what “simply Christmas” means in our homes and lives.

The set is one of the best one we’ve ever seen.  The concept is to learn from the first Christmas. 

A couple thoughts:

1.    If you can, come on Saturday.  Sunday has become increasingly congested (Praise God!), so if you can, try Saturdays out.

2.    Our Christmas production will be so different than any one you’ve ever seen.

Here's the schedule for our production:

Saturday, December 19 – regular service times (5 and 7pm)

Sunday, December 20 – regular service times (8:30, 10, and 11:30am, 1:30pm)

Tuesday, December 22 – 7pm

Wednesday, December 23 – 7pm

Christmas Eve, December 24 – 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 pm

3.    This will be a great series to invite a friend to. 

Join our Facebook conversation about snow (you can find us at John Bishop and Living Hope Church).  Bottom line:  It was supposed to snow today; I prayed; it didn’t.  Thank you God!

 John and Michelle

PS – We want to thank everyone for the response last weekend, which was incredible and overwhelming.  We were able to serve hundreds of homeless people in the Portland/Vancouver area.  In case you don’t already know, you’re the best church ever.