What is on your mind? What do you think about most often? In Philippians 4:8, the Apostle Paul exhorts us to develop a Christian thought life. Os Guinness, the English author and social critic, taught that we need to think “Christianly”. Since our thoughts form the basis for our behavior, a godly thought life is essential for our relationship with God, with one another, and within ourselves.
The Apostle Paul exhorts us how we are to think. In Philippians 4:8 we read, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”
First, we are to think on whatever is true. According to the Greek lexicon, the word “true” literally means, “true as to fact . . . it denotes the actuality of a thing. “True” is that which corresponds to reality. God Himself is the only final test for truth. Since He is unchanging, the moral standards revealed in His Word, which stem from His holy nature, are also unchanging. They apply to every culture in every age.
We read in John 3:33 that “God is true.” As Paul writes to Titus, who was in Crete (the Cretans were notorious liars), “God . . . cannot lie,” and He made known His truth in “His word,” as we see in Titus 1:1-3. Jesus also claimed for Himself that He is true in John 7:18 and 5:31-32.
Friends, we should know God’s Word so well that we automatically run everything we encounter through the grid of God’s Word. We live in a day that is geared toward emotions and strongly influenced by the supposed “virtue” of tolerance. Our culture assumes that love means being tolerant and accepting of everyone and everything, even if God’s Word plainly declares that something is an abomination.
May our thought lives be focused on what is true, as articulated in God’s authoritative Word!
Sunday Worship
Pastor Glen will continue the sermon series, Ephesians: Our Identity and Purpose! His sermon this Sunday is “Living as a Christian,” based on Ephesians 4:17-19. Please read this text in preparation for worship.
We also look forward to welcoming Jonathan & Jen Justine and part of their family. They will give us an update on their ministry in Thailand with Youth with a Mission (YWAM).
Adult Sunday School
Our Adult Sunday school class will meet this Sunday immediatuely after worship in the large Sunday school room. Please join Deborah Kleinschuster and others for a wonderful time around God’s Word!! We will study Mark 5: “Do you believe in demons?” Please bring your Bible!!
Women’s Ministry Thank You!
To our generous Sisters,
Thank you SO much for your gracious financial gifts to our kitchen fund. We received an anonymous donation for a brand new 29 cubic foot refrigerator. Since we have received this gift, the Women’s Ministry has decided to take the funds you have so graciously given to put towards a new stove . . . and shortly after receiving our new refrigerator, money was added to the $350 contributed by another anonymous donor for a new stove!!
These gifts will go a LONG way for the Women’s Ministry to continue serving Hope Community Church and even beyond!!
Salt Shakers
It’s time again to form new Salt Shakers groups. Salt Shakers provides an opportunity for us to gather in smaller groups for a meal and fellowship. We meet about once per month. We will change up the groups some this fall, so if you were in a group that maybe didn’t meet that often last time, please sign up again. Email Glen, or sign-up at the Welcome Center on Sundays through July 11th.
Bless Every Home
Let’s ALL participate in blessing every home in our neighborhoods by intentional pray-care-share lifestyles! PLEASE check out the website: www.blesseveryhome.com!
Bibles for West Africa
The Church in West Africa is growing exponentially! Joe Fleming of Training2Send shared in a recent email, The Lord has truly multiplied throughout Sierra Leone, Liberia and Ghana that it has become impossible to keep up with the number of new believers. In Sierra Leone they will have 3000 disciples in training by the end of the year and 1000 in Liberia. The majority of these are new believers. I am amazed how the Lord is moving in the English speaking West Africa countries.”
Given this tremendous increase in Christians in West Africa, Joe has asked that if you have extra Bibles you are not using, PLEASE bring those Bibles to the church, so they can get in the hands of these new believers and Training2Send trainers!! They have very few resources in these countries, so may we be a blessing to these new brothers and sisters in the Lord!!!
Photo Directory
If you have not had your photo taken to update our photo directory, please sign-up this week in the Welcome Center. You would be able to have your photo taken THIS Sunday!!
Tithes and Offerings
An offering box is available when you enter or exit the sanctuary. Additionally, online giving opportunities are available on the website.
May Financial Report
Offerings: Monthly: $35,143.89 YTD: $89,892.88
Expenses: Monthly: $13,604.31 YTD: $73,820.51
We have also received monies designated for our capital campaign and building fund. In May received $1,185.00 for the Capital Campaign and $550.00 in restricted giving.
Amazon Smile
Support Hope Community Church by choosing us as your Amazon Smile charity. Simply login to Amazon. In the upper left corner, Click Amazon Smile. If you are supporting a charity already, you will see that name. Click the dropdown arrow. Click “Change Charity”. Search for “Hope Community Church Waynesboro”. Click and select.
Mission Corner
Prayer Meeting
Our Weekly Prayer meeting is held at our church facility each Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. We invite you to join with us as we seek the Lord’s face!
July Birthdays
Helen Wilson (7/21); Marty Porter & Nina Gross (7/27); Ted Brown & Bill Watkins (7/31)