New Hope Chapel

Have you ever been reading scripture and wondered, “That seems weird,” or “I wonder what that means”? I know I have more than once stumbled over certain verses. Right after Jesus taught the crowd the parable of the sower, his disciples asked Him why he taught that way. In his response, Jesus says something that seems strange or, to some, even harsh. Jesus said that those who have more will be given, but to those who do not have, ev...

Many of today’s Christian attempts to foresee the future move against the grain of the early Christian’s patient life of faith, supernaturally empowered by the ferment of the Holy Spirit. Believers in the first three centuries of the Church leaned into gifts of grace to be freely shared, with the sober recognition of Jesus’s command to care for the world. 

The earliest Christians lived into "new hope," our namesake, by rec...

Tabitha was her Jewish name, but she was also known as Dorcas, a Greek name that carried the same meaning as the Hebrew indicated. She was a dear, and a deer. She was known for her good deeds, and she is the only woman in the entire Christian testament who is actually named as a disciple. Her seemingly untimely death rocked her Christian community to its core. Her ministry, her presence, her generosity and reach were so important a...

The Bible does not varnish the truth about Rahab, she was a woman of her day and of her culture. Both the Hebrew and Greek words for her mean “harlot,” though there is evidence she was also an innkeeper, a merchant, and very possibly a brewer. Canaanites were also idolaters, whose morals and lifestyle went entirely against the grain of God's ways as given to the Hebrews. Now, God was going to give this land, including Rahab&ap...

Deep down, do you wonder why you, personally, are here, and what is it that makes you special, if anything? I certainly have wondered that about myself. That question has to do with destiny, and with purpose, does my life have meaning? We know from Paul that God did raise you and me up to new life for good works God prepared in advance. But how do we find out what those things are? Perhaps Lydia was asking herself those questions a...

This week, we will see how Palm Sunday fits right in with the “Changed” series, as we will hear how the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem began a week that changed everything! While not everyone is a big fan of change, when we live our life in Christ, there will be times when he causes us to change or grow into the person He always designed us to be. We will touch on the importance of being in balance; the mind, emotions, bod...

We all put hope in the fact that God is not finished with us yet. He continues the process of transformation throughout our lives, molding and conforming us into the image of Christ. There are many examples in Scripture that demonstrate that process. "Changed" will examine the lives of those transformed: the before, the after, and the catalyst God used to make a positive, permanent change in them. Knowing their stories wi...

We all put hope in the fact that God is not finished with us yet. He continues the process of transformation throughout our lives, molding and conforming us into the image of Christ. There are many examples in Scripture that demonstrate that process. "Changed" will examine the lives of those transformed: the before, the after, and the catalyst God used to make a positive, permanent change in them. Knowing their stories wi...

When you read Matthew 7:21-23, where Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of God... I will declare to them 'I never knew you,'" does it cause you concern? This verse is often taught as a dire warning to believers. But is it? Come along with Julie Coleman as she clarifies exactly whom Jesus was addressing, and what His statement means for believers today. Don&ap...

Have you ever been told to mind your own business? Have you heard someone say, “Judge not!”. This is probably the most quoted and misquoted scripture used by nonbelievers and sometimes even by some believers. What we are going to dig into this week in Matthew 7 is how this opening passage is actually encouraging us to judge and even telling us how to judge one another. We will learn four things: What judging means, how to judge, wh...

This week's passage, Matthew 6:25-34, sure seems a lot like singing with Bobby McFerrin, "Don't Worry Be Happy," which is easier said than done (amiright?). So there must be more to it than that. Towards the end of this passage comes one of Jesus's famous sayings, "Seek first the kingdom of God and God's righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." But what does that rea...