The Story Sermon Series Kicks Off!

The Whole Bible. The Whole Church. The Whole Year.

God has gone to great lengths to rescue lost and hurting people. That is what The Story is all about - the story of the Bible, God's great love affair with humanity. Condensed into 31 accessible chapters, The Story sweeps you into the unfolding progression of Bible characters and events arranged chronologically from Genesis to Revelation. Using Today's New International Version, it allows the stories, poems and teachings of the Bible to read like a novel. 

Your pastors are excited to share The Story with you each week in worship beginning Rally Wednesday, September 8, 6:00pm, Thursday, September 9, 7:00pm FUEL (South Campus) and Rally Sunday, September 12 at all services.

• A powerful faith witness will be shared each week during worship. People from our congregation describe how God's story collided with their story.
• Copies of The Story will be available to purchase.
• A 32 week small group experience begins September 12 which will follow weekly worship themes built around The Story.

A Season to Focus on Adult Growth

Biblical wisdom reminds us, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven." (Eccl.3:1) Jesus himself was attuned to the ebb and flow of the seasons of his ministry here on earth. At times he was more externally focused (mission & ministry) - at others much more internally focused (prayer & renewal). There is an ebb and flow to life. There is also an ebb and flow to congregational life. What season are we in at Hope Lutheran?

Through prayer, reflection, planning and listening, your pastors believe it is time to focus on adult growth. This year we are inviting you to join us in a season of growing your faith, of taking time out for your heart and soul, of opening your life up to the Word of God for you. It is time to focus like a laser light on God's word for us. The Bible is God's Story, your story, our story.

THE BACKGROUND FOR MAKING THIS DECISION

In the Lutheran Church, after Confirmation, there is often little involvement with reading and studying the Bible to seek its application for daily life. In fact, every Christian Church in America struggles with this challenge. Gallup Polls recently noted these statistics:

Bible Reading - only 59% of Americans read the Bible at least occasionally

Bible Study - ony one in seven Americans report any involvement with Bible study

Bible Knowledge - only half of the adults interviewed could name any of the four Gospels; just 37% could name all four Gospels; only 42% of adults were able to name as many as five of the Ten Commandments; 70% were able to name the town in which Jesus was born but only 42% could identify him as the person who delivered the Sermon on the Mount.

A NARROWER VIEW OF WHY NOW IS THE TIME FOR ADULT GROWTH

In living out the mission of Jesus, time and again the leadership of Hope Lutheran has asked the adults of our congregation to step up to an outreach challenge and they have. The adults are the life blood of this organization. They provide the financial resources through their offerings. They step up to the massive amounts of volunteer hours needed to make this congregation go and grow. They continue to respond wherever and whenever an outreach challenge is set before them. As the Body of Christ at Hope Lutheran we have accomplished much for the sake of His Kingdom's mission. We have:

• Developed and launched a global mission perspective including building a church and medical clinic in the Central African Republic, partnering with Compassion International to sponsor over 500 children around the world and partnering with Wellspring for the World to drill several water wells in Africa
• Added additional children's and youth spaces at both campuses to meet the needs of a growing congregation
• Revamped Hope Lutheran's Children's Ministry program asking adults to take the lead in teaching our children the faith - Hopekids was born!
• Launched and completed the first year of a dual internship program between Hope Lutheran and rural Eastern ND congregations heralded as pioneering and innovative to serve the rural congregations of this area and at the same time to develop leaders for the future of the church

NOW is the season to focus on the adult's hearts and souls.To invite adults to grow. To renew. To re-tool.

THE CHALLENGE BEFORE US

This year, your pastors want ALL of our adult faith community to be renewed and strengthened in their faith walk. We are asking you to consider your level of commitment this year. We realize we are all at different places in our faith journey so you decide which level will serve to strengthen your relationship with God. Then get involved!

THE RESULTS

God's Word is God's story. God fully intended His story to connect with yours. And when you read the Word of God, study it, engage His Word in worship and discuss it, you begin to see your story reflected in God's story. You will hear God Himself whisper deeply into your soul. His guidance and direction for your life will be clearer. Best of all, your relationship with your heavenly Father will grow stronger!

Now is the time, now is the season, for all of us as adults to grow deeper in our relationship with God! What level of commitment will you decide upon to feed your "heart, mind and soul" this year?

Pastor Chuck