Hope Fellowship Community Church

Below is the complete training video from our introduction meeting.  I have broken it up into sections to make it easier to view or review as needed.

Part 1 - The Foundation:
 

Worship/Tech Arts Intro (part 1 of 5) from gohfcc on Vimeo.

Part 2 - Available Positions:

Worship/Tech Arts Intro (part 2 of 5) from gohfcc on Vimeo.

Part 3 - 5 Commitments:

Worship/Tech Arts Intro part 3 of 5 from gohfcc on Vimeo.

Part 4 - 7 Habits:

Worship/Tech Arts Intro part 4 of 5 from gohfcc on Vimeo.

Part 5 - Training:

Worship/Tech Arts Intro part 5 of 5 from gohfcc on Vimeo.

Reading is very dangerous for me. The last few books I have read have really challenged me in how I view life and our culture.
My family recently drove 1200 miles to Indiana and then back to Florida. Crazy, right?! One of the things I did to stay awake was to listen to the book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan. Another was to have Bev read to me. We started reading The Hole In Our Gospel and you want to talk about eye opening.

I am discovering just how unimportant "things" are in my life and how really important people should be. Bev and I have really been challenged in the way we think, the way we talk, the way we act, and the way we spend our money. We have committed to making some major changes in our lives to be able to do what it is that we feel Jesus is calling us to do.

What did Jesus say about how we should live our lives? Love God, Love people, right? He constantly modeled his love for people by doing, helping, and getting involved in peoples' lives. He was all about the business of God. He was so consumed that he couldn't help but follow through with God's purposes.

What consumes you? TV, Facebook, Work, Alcohol, Sex, Money, Knowledge, Being Good, living a good life?

We need to be consumed by nothing but God. It is a daily thing. Saying everyday, every minute, God I am yours…and then allowing him to lead us. Always looking for someway to show his love, to help someone, to share what he has given to us with someone else.

Here is a story about a man named Jimmy who was sponsored as a child. Jimmy starts sharing at 3:45.
http://vimeo.com/7072300

How many lives can you change? How many lives could you save? How much are they worth to you? How much are they worth to God? I read recently that people wonder where God is in all the sickness and disease going on, but do you ever think that God wonders where we are?

We are supposed to be his hands and feet in spreading his love and his truth.

Our church is doing something called Advent Conspiracy again this year. Putting Christ back into Christmas and really going against the mindset of consumerism and the "iNeed" mentality. Find out more about it at www.adventconspiracy.org.

Seeking God is not only about knowledge. It is not only about what we believe. It’s what we do with it once we know it. It is about the saving love of Jesus Christ.

What are you doing with what you have heard once you hear it? Once you believe it?

I was reading today and found an awesome passage. Proverbs 4:23-27

I think of the old song we sang in Sunday School so many years ago.

Oh be careful little eyes what you see...
Oh be careful little ears what you hear...
Oh be careful little tongue what you say...
Oh be careful little hands what you do...
Oh be careful little feet where you go...
Oh be careful little heart whom you trust...
Oh be careful little mind what you think...

That pretty much covers all the bases but isn't it just a kids song with no real application to our adult lives?

Check out this video from Casting Crowns: Slow Fade

When we make choices that compromise our integrity, that go against what we know is right, a part of our heart is hardened. Whether it is getting too much change back at the grocery store or telling that lie so that we don't stain our reputation, our heart feels those kinds of things and reacts or is desensitized to those acts. We slowly begin to accept those things as okay because we don't feel as guilty when we do them again.

"I am not as bad as __________."
"I am not hurting anyone."
"It's just a few dollars."

God does not "grade on the curve." If you will allow me to use that expression. God is concerned with our heart, our character, and our integrity. He is not concerned how it compares to the integrity of our neighbor or our pastor or our parents. He is looking at how you express your love to him and how you interact with and love his people.
Love God, love all. Comparing is a dangerous game because if I compare myself to the serial killer sitting on death row, I look pretty good. 

Guard your heart. Keep your focus on Jesus and don't be distracted by all the junk that is around us. Most of the time, we have the choice of what we put into our minds, where we go, and what we do. We make the choice to walk down the ice cream aisle. We make the choice to turn on that TV show. We make the choice to say those things about our neighbor. Our hearts are affected by each thing that we do.

How is your heart? Is it fading, crumbling? Are you making the choices that honor God? Are you making choices that build other people up? How can I live my life in a way that reflects the love that has been shown to me? How can I be all that God wants me to be?
Remember that "the Father up above is looking down in love..." He does not want to be the old man with the lightning bolt. He wants to be the loving Father that is proud of what his children do. He wants to be the one who says "well done."