Sorry for the longer than normal blog entry. I've been super busy trying to write and also was able to spend a few days just with Michelle. Great Mother's Day weekend. I love honoring moms. Always one of the highlights of our year. Thanks again to everyone who has willingly changed a Sunday service time or switched to Saturday night. Your willingness to change so more people can hear about Jesus honors God and inspires me.
Last year Living Hope joined with other churches for different projects around the city. It is called "Season of Service". This is a great initiative that allows us to meet the needs of our community, both practically and spiritually. I'm so grateful for the generous way many of you served and gave to the various initiatives, including the hunger project, which we organized. Vancouver Mayor Pollard sent us a letter and I want you to see it...
Dear Pastor Bishop,
Last year of group of pastors came to me to ask what their churches could do to help the City of Vancouver. This question has begun a partnership between the faith community and the City of Vancouver that I hope will continue for years to come. I wanted to thank you and your congregation for your contribution to the Vancouver community through the Season of Service last year. I was amazed at the outpouring of volunteer service from your church as well as other churches, and the results of your efforts. As we come into 2009 we find there are still many unmet needs in our community. We must work together even more if we are going to prosper as a community. On behalf of the City of Vancouver, I look forward to working with you to make Vancouver a great place to live.
God Bless you and God bless America...
A question that I have asked over and over is: "If our church ceased to exist, would anyone notice?"
As much as we know and understand the importance of our spiritual presence in our neighborhood, have we fully realized and embraced the importance of being a physical, practical, serving, helping, force in our community? Have we "shown" the love of Jesus as much as we have "spoken" it?
This coming Saturday morning, churches around our city are coming together to clean up the downtown area. I am excited to see what can be achieved as we put hands and feet to our faith, and serve this city and its leaders in a very practical and tangible way. Living Hope is a willing part of this project, and I would love to see 500 of us show up to work. Can you be there?
Volunteers are meeting at 7:30am (gulp) at Esther Short Park. (Bring gloves, and rakes or lawn tools if you have them.) Teams will be organized to work in a 6 block radius to care for and clean up however needed. Lunch will be provided for all volunteers and hosted by Mayor Pollard, followed by a celebration time with 3 different bands.
Another way we can help is by providing food for the volunteer lunch. They are needing contributions of food that does not need to be heated or chilled. (Sandwiches, bagels, fruit, vegetables etc.) If you can help with this, please phone Tina at 904-2454.
I encourage and ask you to be part of this project. Together we can make a difference in our city. I will be there (yes it is early). Hope to see you.
Friday is usually a busy day with thoughts full of message preparation and service planning, but this week I am taking some time to rest and write. (Please pray - the book deadline is just around the corner.)
We have had some really awesome letters in response to our Mother's Day contest, and it's going to be a real challenge choosing the winners. If you haven't yet and still want to enter your mom, it's not too late. Email teresap@livinghopechurch.com or get them into the church office. The deadline is May 4th.
I am excited about our speaker this weekend...
Chuck Goetschel is an icon in the personal development and life coaching field. He has mentored hundreds of people and touched the lives of millions. He has a compelling "rags to riches only to lose it all" story which ultimately led him back to God. Chuck is the author of "Simon Says" (which will be available to purchase this weekend) and he will bring a great message about purpose and direction. Please don't miss it.
I want express my gratitude to everyone who has been praying for Lyle and his family. The support has been felt and appreciated. Your financial gifts are helping to ease the burden of 4 memorial services. Lyle has received enough to bring his family home and wants to extend his thanks. If you are still wanting to give, you can donate through an account set up at Wells Fargo bank under Laurie Tetters and Family.
As we all know, people are concerned about the swine flu right now, and any venue holding large groups of people like ours is aware of the risks. We are doing what we can to have good supplies of hand sanitizer available as you enter and leave the buidling, and by next week should have permanent stations in prominent places. Maybe "turn and shake a hand" should now be "turn and wave from a distance"? Joking.
Let's continue to be about reaching those around us, always inviting, and always accepting.
I LOVE MOTHER'S DAY. For 13 years, we have gone over the top to restore what culture has stolen. One of the 10 commandments says, "Honor your mother...." It is the only commandment that carries with it a promise. It is not contingent on activity or even relational health. Simply, God says honor. We can do better and need to. Moms need to be valued. The value and vision of Motherhood needs to be raised. SO. Mother's Day. Please take the time to pause, to celebrate, to thank God and to appreciate your mom. Please don't do what so many of us (including me) do.
This year we have a special treat planned for some moms in our church which I know they will love.
On Friday, May 8th, Michelle and I will pick up the chosen moms in a sweet white hummer limousine, and go out for dinner. It's going to be a lot of fun. (Me and limo full of ladies.) Can't wait.
So how do we choose who goes?
We need you to write an essay (500 words or less) explaining why your mom deserves this special night out. Please tell us her name, contact details, her age, and a bit about yourself as well. You can email this directly to teresap@livinghopechurch.com, mail it to the church at 10702 NE 117th Ave, Vancouver, WA, 98682, or drop it in to the church office any day of the week.
The deadline for these is MAY 4th.
Make sure you take a moment to let us know what your mom has done for you, how she has invested in your life, and the sacrifices she has made. Tell us her story and why you would love to see her have a great night out.
Please be praying for Lyle and his family. Lyle's mother and 2 sisters were killed in a tragic accident as they were traveling to his father's funeral. I talked to him tonight. Reality is setting in and the unthinkable is in front of him. How does a person fly and be at a funeral for his father, then fly back home to plan services for his two sisters and mother who died on the way to be at the funeral Lyle was supposed to meet them at? So so so hard.
I asked Lyle what we can do. He said, and I quote, "We want to get them back here to do a service for the three of them...." That involves details not necessary for this blog, but suffice it to say I would like to see us raise at least $5,000 for the family to cover cremation and transportation expenses. Lyle is distraught, the family is devastated, and his brother-in-law is in a hospital with a broken back and won't be able to come home for days, if not weeks.
Friends, let's bless them. I believe that collectively we can raise what is needed to take the "burden" of the necessary costs to lay their family to rest.
If you can give, donations for Lyle's family may be made at any branch of Wells Fargo bank, in the account name of Laurie Tetters and Family. Your gift will NOT go unnoticed and will help to provide the relief we can offer here. It is unthinkable. PRAY FOR THEIR FAMILY. Four loved ones dead within days. There are four remaining sisters and Lyle, who will never see their mom or sisters again this side of heaven.
If you have questions, call Pastor Duane Warren at 360-606-3613. He is a close friend and pastor to the family, and can answer questions.
Live for today friends. It really is all you have.
What a great weekend. I am constantly amazed by what God will do when we are willing to share our story. So many lives were touched as Shelly Kelly became transparent with her past of abuse and pain. More abuse than any person I have ever met. Thank you Shelly for being willing to be used by God to allow your story to become a platform for His story. Really love you and Mark and appreciate your hearts. Mark Kelly, one of our pastors, has officially graduated with his Doctorate of Ministry. If you know him you love him. Mark and I met in Seminary 18 years ago, after graduating he went on to pursue a D.Min. and John got a little caught up in this crazy church called Living Hope. Mark will now teach us all!!!
This weekend we talked about the road trip where we have this chance and opportunity to invite Jesus into our lives. These two travelers had the God that created them walking right WITH them, but because of pain, because of despair, because of depression and defeat they almost missed God. The Emmaus Road trip is not optional for those of us in Christ. Walking that road isn't an option, but how we respond to that road becomes a point where change can authentically happen.
All of us will walk a 'Road to Emmaus' where frustration and misinterpretation leave us disconnected, but God wants us to know that He is in control, and is bigger than our pain and despair.
There is a point on our ‘Road to Emmaus’ experience when we have to choose to be a victor or a victim.We can either live like its ‘Saturday’ and Jesus is still dead, or we can live like its ‘Sunday’ and Jesus is victorious. We might not like it, but we have to walk it. It will not leave us the same.
Emmaus is never a place you "plan" to be, but always the place God will walk with you and meet you. Emmaus always interrupts you. Always. After the weekend services, I had a great Leadership team meeting and BBQ at my home I got a call about a friend, who I have known the entire time I have known Jesus. Please pray for Lyle and his family. Devastating news. On the way to Denton, Arkansas to the funeral of their father, Lyle's two sisters (one his twin) and mother died in a horrific accident. I talked to him last night (Sunday night) several times and can't imagine the pain he is going through. He leaves Tuesday to fly to Denton, be at the funeral he was supposed to meet his family at, then he has to fly back to Vancouver and prepare for three more memorial services. We talked and prayed together for over an hour. Lyle has a strong confidence in the reality that God is in control. He has walked through alot of difficult circumstances and I have seen him time and time again, through sadness and frustration and even confusion walk WITH God. PLEASE PRAY FOR THE FAMILY. Lyle said, I want to see God glorified in this. Our church will stand with him. Pray as he travels, and for immediate decisions that have to be made.
THANKS for being the church you are.
Here is a quick video talking about the weekend and a few things coming up, so take a couple minutes to check it out here:
Thanks to God for loving us enough to work out the details of the services. Started a brand new service, and so many of you came to 8:30 AM (over 500) I am amazed and thankful. Now there are open seats at our Brush Prairie campus in 6 of the 7 weekend services. Continue to bring friends. Continue to believe. Continue to allow Jesus into every area of your hearts and lives, not just your heads. Continue to pursue following Jesus. Continue to trust in the absolute and total control of ONLY GOD.
Friday is a busy day for me.
I feel very blessed to be able to spend quality time with several very amazing leaders, and although I hate being alone when I travel, it’s been really profitable.
This weekend it is really important that we notice the new service times, as we add a service to the Sunday lineup. We are changing ALL of the Sunday service times as follows:
Q - Why are we adding services?
A - We need to add services at the optimal inviting hours, and hope that some people will be willing to switch to a Saturday night service.
Q - Will Pastor John speak live at all services?
A - Yes, but occasionally we may drop the big screen so he can visit campuses.
Q - What will change?
A - The essence of the services will remain the same, but the programming team will work the elements to shorten the first two services to be 1 hour in length.
Q - Will there be Kidsworld and childcare available?
A - Yes, at all services.
Q - Do you need volunteers?
A - Yes! We really need help at every service, and in almost every area, to make these services what they can be.
Investment matters. My life was invested in and I'm grateful to guys like Andy Stanley, Rick Warren, Wayne Cordeiro, Brian Houston, and Luis Palau for taking time to speak into my life. Their investment has made me a better leader and pastor. I have been very blessed by God to have the right people in my life, at the right times, to speak and teach the right thing. When we invest into Kidsworld or LSM or greeting teams, it’s the same thing; you invest in people, and they are changed because of it.
We hope these services will not be too much of an inconvenience. After prayer, thought, and conversation, we feel it’s the right thing for us to do. Ultimately we are having the discussions and dreaming about the potential of a bigger building. Keyword: DREAM. God knows the future, and we know God, and that’s enough.
This weekend will be a great story about walking on a road trip and being unable, at times, to see God. It is a story of the guys walking on the road to Emmaus and I know it is the story of many of you. This won't be a weekend to miss.
If you have any questions, please contact the church office at 944-3905 or info@livinghopechurch.com
Love you guys
John
P.S. Be praying - I have a really long day ahead of me. It's times like this when it seems too difficult on the front end to get away for a couple of days, that I always come home thanking God for the investments and for the relationships.
Great services this weekend as we took the opportunity to remember and celebrate what God did over Easter. We heard stories from those who saw their family and friends respond to Christ after having written their name on a post-it note and place it in the tent. I still can't forget the one lady who invited 20 people. Post it note prayers... She said all came on Sunday (all unchurched) and the incredible thing was all came to Christ and every one of them were baptized.
Stories like this remind us that it is SO WORTH IT. It’s worth writing down a name, it’s worth sticking it to the tent, it's worth asking God to bring them, and it's definitely worth praying and inviting them to come. NEVER EVER STOP.
Recently I wrote about being a hypocrite. I think so often Christians can become the barrier to church instead of the door. Hypocrisy is the number one thing Christians are accused of and labeled for, but it seems to me that you can't have hypocrisy without first having judgment. Hypocrisy is when we judge someone for doing something, then do the same thing ourselves.
Here’s the thing...so often what we "see" is not in any way what it "seems'". Looks can be, and often are, deceiving. How many times have you judged a person's car only to find out they are borrowing it? Or considered someone's behavior unacceptable, until you found out they just experienced a tragedy? We do it every day, all the time. Constantly making judgments about how others should dress, behave, talk, and spend money. Why are we so quick to judge what we see without really seeing the whole picture?
Last week I received a copy of an email that was going around...check it out:
"I was driving by Living Hope Church today and this truck caught my eye. I turned my car around and caught this picture. Sorry I was in my car and only had my phone camera with me at the time ( bummer ). I came home and drove back with my purse camera and he was gone. He was delivering kegs and cases of beer. So tell me what's wrong with this picture? First of all its Easter. The Church uses this time to celebrate Jesus' gift of life for us. Second of all Churches preach drinking is not good let alone drinking at Church. Lets get a truck load and get everyone loaded. Free 6 pack for every new member....(be sure to fill out your new membership form on your way out) This is many shades of wrong!"
Here is the photo attached to the email:
What the writer of this email doesn't see, and doesn't ask, and doesn't take the time to find out, and what is really so wrong about this picture, is that this truck makes our weekly pop delivery. It has never once delivered beer (kegs or otherwise), and a simple phone call could have easily clarified that.
Jesus only accused the "religious" people of being hypocrites. The more you think you know about God, the more you think you have the right to judge others.
The thing is Jesus was a magnet for people. Crowds came to hear him teach. He talked to sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes. He touched lepers, He led a revolution that has changed the world.
I wonder what would happen if we just loved people and allowed God to be God in our lives and in the lives of those we judge? I wonder how different the world would be if Christians simply spent more time learning about Jesus, and less time studying what others are doing.
Matthew 7:1- 5 says it best: " Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, "Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye', when you can't see past the log in your own eye?" Hypocrite: First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.
The Greek word for "judge" is KRENO. It means to condemn or bleep someone. In essence, when we judge we are condemning someone. We are playing god.
Whoever you have judged, why not pause right here and confess it and repent of it? God is faithful to forgive us. Judging only makes us further from God and besides that we will be judged, the Bible says, by how we have judged.
There is a world of difference between "making judgment" and being "judgmental".
There have been lots of times in my life where I have made a judgment about someone. More times than I can count. I have been a hypocrite, a pretender or a mask wearer. It never makes me better, and always causes my faith and relationship with God to be strained. Mostly I figured out I was wrong in my judgment.
The more you realize how loved and forgiven by God you are, the more you can authentically receive His grace. The more you get it, you will give it.
Being people of the Way, or Christ followers, has to begin with seeing the people made in God's image as valuable people. Living the new life is about less of us and more of Jesus to those around us. I am excited to be part of a church that risks everything to reach everyone.
I found a video that so beautifully illustrates this point. It shows the debut performance of Susan Boyle, a contestant on Britain's Got Talent, who took everyone by surprise and proved that looks can be deceiving. Check it out HERE
I am on my way to California. Doing a speaking thing (a few minutes) with Luis Palau about what God is doing in Portland/Vancouver through the Season of Service. It is an honor to spend a little time with Luis. I truly love and appreciate his investment in my life. I will be back Friday and am pumped about the weekend. We will be studying the Road to Emmaus.
The Road Trip videos have been really fun and each one has been uniquely different.
My buddies Adam & Isaac have literally asked me to come to their house every week, so I wanted to visit and spend some extended time with them. Take a look at the video…
!! NEW SERVICE TIMES !!
This week we announced some changes to service times. Our Sunday services are at or over capacity and have been for some time now, so we are adding an extra Sunday service. This means that every Sunday service time will be changing except 6pm.
Beginning this week new service times as follows...
* SATURDAY - 5pm & 7pm as usual. (If you go to Sunday services currently and are able to, please consider checking out a Saturday night service.)
This has been one of the most incredible Easters that I can ever remember and I would say one that we will remember for years to come. I am constantly amazed at the grace of God to welcome His children home, no questions asked.
The story of the son who left and the Father that waited still blows my mind. Grace is undeserved, unthinkable, unearnable (is this a word?) and when it touches your life you can't not be changed. When you are changed by grace, you will change others. I will say it again. Grace is so easy to say, so hard to "do" and changes life the most.
This weekend we had the privilege of baptizing over 400 people in four pools in three locations. In addition, there were hundreds more that surrendered to Christ, including over 200 children. I am humbled that God allows us to be part of what He wants to do in our city. Today we saw lives rescued to an eternal destiny in heaven. What matters more?
I want to pause to thank each and every volunteer who gave their time and their energy to make "church in the tent" possible. We could not, and would not want to do it without you. Honestly I'm blown away by so many who served above and beyond to make this one of the most incredible Easter weekends in our history. I am so blessed to be part of a church that will do whatever it takes to reach people. WE WILL CELEBRATE NEXT WEEKEND. Don't miss the service and if you have a story, tell us.
Also; to everyone who risked to invite. So worth it. On Sunday, I talked to a lady who said there were 20 people (that were invited) who all CAME and who ALL CAME TO CHRIST and who ALL WERE BAPTIZED. Simply ONLY GOD.
Pastor Neal, who led me to Christ 20 years ago, told me tonight, "I think we are seeing the current reality of Acts chapter 2".
ONE MORE BAPTISM SERVICE TUESDAY NIGHT AT LIVING FREE. Come if you are able. Bring friends. Watch ONLY GOD work.
I hope to see everyone this weekend. Dang. So excited.
Some cool (and fun) facts from the weekend:
Close to 10,000 people attended Living Hope this weekend, in multiple locations, serving and worshipping ONE GOD
OVER 400 people were baptized in 3 locations (close to 200 in just the last 2 services)
1,860 people were at the 11am service
250 kids faces painted
Over 4000 pictures taken (thanks to the photographers)
Over 400 were at Fisher's Landing campus (permanent location opening)
23 parking attendants (over 560 cars all on the grass at one service)
lots of garbage
lots of fun
lots of tired people
Tired. Maybe an understatement. Maybe not worth mentioning. I love these photos. Check out my Facebook for more...
This week has been met with permit delays, time problems, budget issues, and rain. I have watched the attitudes of so many who have just served for the greater cause of seeing lives changed.
It is worth it. To see the tent packed for two services, to see the Kidsworld teams pull off amazing services, to see a church working TOGETHER just makes me know that what we do matters for ETERNITY.
Incredible day! Thank you God for no rain.
2200 people in two services, over 200 salvations, 95 spontaneously baptized, and a lot of tired volunteers and staff.
Let me say it one more time. IT IS WORTH IT.
Trying to keep updates going during services. If you have twitter, you can help. Updates at #LHC.
Hope to see you Sunday. The kids area is pretty cool. The team is doing a great job.
WE NEED LOTS OF HELP TEARING DOWN STUFF AT AROUND 3:00 PM. If you don't have plans, it would be such a blessing to all of the team to get some volunteers to help out.
Still praying for pastors I know and love locally and around the country.
It always touches my heart to see a whole family baptized. Quite amazing.
MY FAVORITE MESSAGE OF THE YEAR. Because of our growth in the last 5 years, we have been unable to do a Good Friday message. Because of the tent (which is so cool), we are able to do this as a separate service this year. Praise God. There is something about understanding what Jesus went through that deepens your devotion to Him and expands your passion to serve Him.
As I prepare today for this message, I am overcome once again by the intensity of the affliction Jesus suffered in my place. The more I understand it, the more deeply it affects my level of gratitude, my faith, and my humility. It brings me to my knees.
The truth is, you simply cannot see the facts and walk away the same. To think that the symbol of our faith is a brutal instrument of death is amazing. Most every company has a logo or a "brand" and you can quickly identify what they are and what they stand for by seeing their symbol. Think about it. Mercedes is a sign of status, and McDonald's is a sign of fast food (I might add fast doesn't mean good). Nike is a symbol of victory. THE CROSS IS A SIGN OF DEATH. It is not a sign of abundance but rather of ultimate loss. It is not a sign of status, but an expression of complete and total humiliation.
CRUCIFIXION ranks right up there on the list of the most painful and torturous methods of execution ever devised in human history. Interestingly, we get our word excruciating from the Latin words that means "out of the cross".
Look at this first century quote from history: "They had tried death by spear, by boiling in oil, impalement, stoning, strangulation, drowning, burning and they had all been found to be too quick. They wanted a means of punishing criminals slowly and painfully."
History also reveals that in one year, over 2000 people were crucified, and there are instances where a victim would be on the cross for days.
Another quote: "Not only was the cross the most painful of deaths, it was also considered to be the most debasing. The condemned man stripped naked and left exposed in his agony, and often the Romans even denied burial to the victim, allowing his body to hang on the cross until it disintegrated."
Death came by way of suffocation primarily. Victims were in constant motion, up and down with their raw, ravaged back pushing against the splintered wood beam, as they pushed up to breathe, generally on the nail that was pounded through both feet.
I think in doing Easter and celebrating the resurrection, we can easily forget what Jesus went through.
It is safe to say, many of us want the power and promise of the resurrection without the cost of the cross and death. The only way anything lives is that it has to die.
Good Friday is only "good" if it changes YOU.
Tonight I want to talk about the horrific sacrifice, and the physical and emotional price that Jesus displayed when he was crucified on the cross in this unthinkable act of love. As a husband and a daddy, I can say that I am willing to die to save my children and my wife, as I'm sure many of you would, but what Jesus did defies all sense of logic or reason. To die in this way for those who hated him, for those who didn’t even know him, for those (us) yet to be born for hundreds of years to come. I can hardly get my head around it! And really, I hope I never fully understand it.
As we attempt tonight to honor and remember the way Jesus purchased our freedom, I am asking you to bring people. Bring your friends, coworkers, and neighbors. Jesus already did the hard part. We simply have to invite. His story will work powerfully to touch hearts and call people home. Let's create as much opportunity as possible for lives to be changed.
I found this article shortly after I came to faith in Christ. It helped me see beyond the fact that Jesus died, to understand how he died. It gives amazing insight to the physical details of death by crucifixion. Please take time to read it and to better understand the truth. It will make you uncomfortable, but it's pretty incredible.
1 Peter 2:24 says, "He Himself bore our sins in His body on a tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed"
It has to make a difference.
The cross is our symbol. It is about a promise and power. It has the power to change, to forgive, and helps you realize you are not a failure. The power to say you are sorry or you are wrong. It provides the power to live unashamedly for Jesus Christ, the power to reconcile broken relationships, the power to heal a marriage that has seen betrayal. The cross is the power to find freedom from addiction. The cross is about God's promise to save each of us, even yet while we were sinners. It is a reminder that you are deeply loved by the God that made you.
"....being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6
Be praying for the service, and for all those who will come. If there are ever questions about Living Hope or what we are about, point them to the Cross. We are people of the Cross. Fiercely loyal to the One whose Name we collectively and personally bear. This is what it is about. This is all it is about. This is why we do what we do.
