Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.-Romans 5:1-5

In early May, I and other members of the ministry team went to the Southeastern District Convention to vote on the business of our district. I acted as Hope’s pastoral delegate while Stephanie Hoopingarner represented Hope as our lay delegate. In addition to elections for all of the SED’s major officers and board members, we worked through numerous resolutions to focus the business and interest of the district.

Key highlights included: the pastoral shortage, online education and routes to ministry, church/ministry planting, disaster and human care ministry and many other good things. Perhaps the standout of all of those was the District President’s focus on the desire to create new unity in planting, revitalizing, and lifting up new congregations and ministries. President Harmon offered up a bold goal of starting 21 new ministries in the next three years, whether it is a school, a church plant, or many other opportunities.

President Harmon’s approach is one guided not by defeat in the face of the challenges of the trials of the day but by a radical Hope in Jesus Christ. It is because we worship the creator of the world who went to great lengths to save us through the death of his Son that we know there is nothing he cannot do or accomplish. In that Spirit, we make plans, not in vain as James warns us against, but in accordance with God’s will and plans.

As a people guided by and even named Hope, it is right for us to consider how we can be a part of this mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus through new ministry. We had great conversation about the possibility of expanding our school offerings as a congregation at our vision casting meeting in February, but I Hope we might consider how we can support the start of a new ministry plant as well in the years ahead. Such tasks are easy to say (but hard to do) and require real planning and forethought, but it begins with us a congregation fostering a heart for mission, for evangelism, and for the spread of the name of Jesus to everyone in our community.

I pray we can light that fire of Hope in our hearts as we look ahead. Jesus has given us his Word to spread in this world, and it is our privilege and honor to bear it and support it for what time he gives us. Pray that the Lord of the harvest would send workers, send financial support, send a blazing desire for mission into our hearts.

Hoping with you,

Pastor Devin Murphy