3 minute read
IN HIS POWER & PRESENCE!
As we close out year seven and begin year eight, I can’t help but think about the significance of numbers in the Bible. God created the earth in seven days, and on the seventh day, he rested because His work had been completed. In no way do I believe the work of Hope City is done, but I do believe that year seven marks a significant turning point in our journey as a church. In some ways, it denotes a maturing of what God is establishing in our foundation as a spiritual family. While the framework and foundation for who we are has been set, I understand that we will spend our lifetime building on that foundation. By faith and work, we will, with God’s help, build a house for our children and our children’s children to inherit. A house marked by the power and presence of God’s spirit, a house for those looking for hope and healing, a house whose purpose and focus is Jesus, a house for all of God’s children to call home.
This past year, we celebrated our eighth birthday as a church. If seven is the number that marks completion, then eight is the number that carries with it new beginnings. Angela, the staff team, and I are incredibly excited about what God will do this year. With the completion of our Broadcast campus, the relaunch of our High St campus, the full programming of our Dream Center, and the renovation of our Student Center, our faith is high, our hands are on the plow, and we are ready for the good work that God has marked out for our church. We believe that year eight will be a year of increase We understand that with greater opportunity comes greater responsibility, not just for us as pastors and staff but for us as a family. Angela and I have continued to be amazed at the love, unity, warmth, and dedication you all exhibit. We still believe that the local church mobilized is the hope of the world.
As you read through these numbers and read these stories of real people whose lives have been changed by Jesus because of your service, generosity, and love, we pray that your heart will be impacted, your resolve strengthened, and your passion stoked. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus said, I will build My Church,” and through your hands, that is exactly what He has been doing! May this annual report cause you to rejoice, weep, and ready yourself for what God will do through you in 2024 and next year; together, as a church family, we will thank God for how He uses our ordinary lives to do extraordinary things.
