New Hope Community Church

Today we worshiped at New Hope Community Church, 592 Beaver Road, Ambridge, PA 15003, 724.266.0890, www.4newhope.org, Rick Thornhill, Pastor.

Scripture: Romans 7:14-8:2 –

For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.

For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.

I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!

So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Sprit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Bob’s thoughts:

When I realized where this church is I had some real misgivings about worshiping there, but when I prayed about it I felt that we were called to be there. I admit I did not expect to find Christ there. We had visited about five years ago and the person who delivered the message preached a very skewed Scripture. I do not remember the specifics except that there was some requirement to be acceptable to Christ. I am so pleased that God led us back and met with us in worship here.

We were welcomed as warmly as I remembered from our first visit but today we were welcomed in Christ.

From where we were sitting I couldn’t see the cross but was relieved to see one later.

The pastor related how in preparing for this service he felt God calling for a time of healing. A number of people came forward and were prayed over individually. This is a ministry dear to my heart as God has blessed me with the gift of healing. It was a good opportunity to not only pray for those requesting healing, but the pastor and his wife as well.

The heating system was inoperable and there was one space heater for the worship area, but with the love of Jesus it was more than enough.

In his message the pastor revealed that when we visited there were others preaching or leading the service, but he started by sharing how God brought him to where he serves today. By sharing his struggles in faith he became real to those he was trying to reach.

I was remembering one of the devotionals I read this morning. It contained a quote from “The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life” by Hannah Whitall Smith who related a sentence from an old book: “Never indulge, at the close of an action, in any self-reflective acts of any kind, whether of self-congratulation or of self-despair. Forget the things that are behind, the moment they are past, leaving them with God.”

Good advice for Paul, for ministers, for us all. Without Christ we are all hopeless sinners. Our sinful nature is hard to overcome, and that struggle is a sign of our salvation. Were we not trying to be like Christ we would not care about our backsliding.

Jan’s thoughts:

When we walked into church this morning, I realized we had visited this church once before – and left in the middle of the service due to theological differences. This had to be at least 4½ years ago as it was before we were blogging (i.e., keeping track of our visits). That remains the only worship service we ever left for that reason. But today we received a lesson in newness in the Spirit.

I’ve known unbelievers who seemed hopeless, whom I was tempted to write off, but when Christ came into their lives they literally changed overnight. Well, God has done the same sort of work in this church. This church is not the same church we visited several years ago. What we heard being taught at our previous visit here was absolutely wrong, but what we heard today was Biblical, Christ-focused, and God-glorifying.

We were invited to partake of donuts and coffee and greeted early and often. It was a joy to see so many children of all ages among this diverse congregation.

Toward the beginning of the service the pastor indicated he had been moved by the Spirit to pray for those who were ill. The pastor and another gentleman testified about God’s healing power over cancer and a 3^rd degree burn, respectively, and many people came forward for the pastor and his wife to lay hands and pray over them.

I loved that as the children were dismissed for Kids’ Church, the congregation prayed over them with raised hands. I’ve seen this done a couple of other places, and it’s always such a striking picture of what a church should be to the children God has entrusted to their care.

The message, “Pursuit of Happiness,” was part of a series entitled “Power of the Gospel.”

Some of the best messages include personal stories, and that was the case today. His moving account of when he first began to answer God’s call was a perfect illustration of the Scripture. He spoke to the sin nature with which we’re born and God’s faithfulness when we fail. He emphasized that there are no quick fixes or shortcuts, and the closer we get to the Light, the more obvious imperfections become…a wonderful point, I thought.

He also suggested specific steps to help in our attempts to kill the sin nature: 1 – have a plan that includes daily time of devotion and prayer; 2 – make church attendance a priority; 3 – join a home group for study and fellowship; 4 – don’t let the devil have a foothold because “you’re not that strong;” and 5 – have people in your life to whom you stay accountable.

He urged the congregation to share their struggles and be honest, to walk the middle ground between being a legalistic church full of “happy plastic people” (his thought but words from Casting Crowns’ song “Stained Glass Masquerade”) or an “anything goes” church where you do whatever you want.

Amens echoed from the congregation throughout the message, which tells me these are real people who understand struggle and seeking. I hope God sends us back to this church.

Our prayer for this church:
Father, we lift up this church for Your continued blessing and encouragement. We pray You will keep them from becoming “plastic church people,” that they may live to glorify You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.