Tim Liston

The Big News: God is amazing & THIS just happened...

Here's what I wanted to tell you this past weekend, but couldn't because it had not yet happened. It just happened. Rejoice with me!

 

Our East Campus is located in a beautiful section on the far left side of a former grocery store and large strip mall (see picture) at the busy corner of FM518 and FM2351 in Friendswood. We've averaged over 1000 people in weekend attendance for the first 5 months of this year, in a space that's approximately 27,000 square feet. It's an attractive and very hip space, and the people who attend there are hip as well! :)

 

Nearly two years ago the owners of the property approached us about buying the entire strip mall. The price was $5 million. We seriously looked at and prayed about this option, but sensed that God was telling us to walk away. Since then our staff has walked around the entire building barefoot on two occasions, praying that God would do something special.

 

A few months back, the owners' agent approached us again and floated $2.5 million as a possibility. We submitted an earnest money contract while we prayed and took a fresh look at the property. Again, we walked away. But this time we returned with an offer below their $2.5m asking price. After some back and forth, (insert drum roll here...) we now own the ENTIRE building for well less than half the original price tag. Our monthly payment is about the same amount of our monthly lease payment. And our East Campus has room to expand!

 

The building has a total of approximately 70,000 square feet in a high traffic area, with great visibility and accessibility. (For perspective, that's nearly the size of the 288 Campus building, but with less parking.) We have several tenants whom we will work with and treat fairly. But it's obvious: The East Campus is being set up by God for great things!

 

Thank you, Lord, for your love and favor on our church family!

 

The Lord's Prayer where it was banned...

After the school district ruled that a prayer was no longer going to be performed at any school functions and at graduation was replaced with a moment of silence, Valedictorian Roy Costner ripped up his prepared remarks and put the Lord's prayer into his speech. (Liberty High School is located in South Carolina.) Pray like Jesus!

 

Welcome to the New Hope Church Alvin Campus...

 

Estimated completion date is late August, early September! Pray for the process to go quickly and for the safety of the workers! And pray that God would use our church to make a huge impact for His glory!

 

Thank you, Lord! And thank you, Great CoMission Givers and those who give regularly at New Hope! You are making it possible for so many more people to know Christ and to have the opportunity to be involved in a church family!

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you, New Hope Staff...

Top: East Campus / Below: 288 Campus
 

We're always thanking our volunteers, and by all means, that is appropriate. We couldn't do anything without our volunteers. But when I woke up today I had this overwhelming gratitude for our staff at New Hope Church. Maybe that's a normal feeling after the biggest weekend in the history of our church! Our East Campus set a new record with over 1800 people. Our 288 Campus set a new record with over 8000 people. And our Haiti Campus set a record with 270 people. All together, we had over 10,000 people worship with us this past weekend. And our staff... worked... hard! They work hard every week. Many of them work behind the scenes, to make our church great. And I'm thankful for them. They are crazy, fun, serious, talented, human, and today... tired. But they are always ready for the next challenge! Please do me a favor and give a staff member a hug and an encouraging word this weekend.    

 

 

 

 

Easter 2013 at New Hope, and a Dream for Easter 2014...

Let me begin by telling you something semi-funny. We had 12 services for Christmas Eve and the final one was packed. Someone who came to that final service had difficulty finding a seat. Overflow was suggested by our ushers, to which this person replied, "Well... he should have had more services!" :)

 

EASTER 2013

Bottom line: No matter how many services we have for Easter, we can only fit a few of those services on Easter morning. So my advice: If you have a choice in when you can attend on Easter weekend, don't come to church on Easter morning. Yes, I said that. Here's what you can do instead: Come on Saturday evening! We're having Saturday evening services at both our East Campus and 288 Campus. Let's pack those services out so that we can fit those who don't have a choice, or those who are brand new, into a service on Sunday morning. Here are the times for Easter Weekend this year...

East Campus:                                       288 Campus:

Saturday 4:30* & 5:45* p.m.                  Saturday 3:15*, 4:30 & 5:45 p.m.

Sunday 8:30, 9:45 & 11:10 a.m.            Sunday 8:30, 9:45, & 11:10 a.m.

 

*Service added for Easter Weekend ONLY

 

EASTER 2014

Here's something I've been thinking/dreaming about for Easter 2014 (that's NEXT year)...

Easter 2014 will be our 25th Anniversary as a church. At that time, Lord willing, we will be having 11 or 12 "normal" weekend services at our East Campus, Alvin Campus, and 288 Campus combined. How about we celebrate Easter 2014 in ONE service at the Toyota Center (or some other large venue)?? Imagine our entire church famiy coming together in one place for one service! Talk about a celebration!! It will be expensive, and we may need some sponsors (corporate and otherwise). Obviously, we can't do this every weekend, nor should we. But this is a big day for us as Christians (Easter - when we celebrate Jesus' resurrection) and it's a big day for our church family (25 years of doing ministry and enjoying God's blessing). We could have a "special guest" or two, invite our friends who don't know Christ, give the gospel... It could be an EPIC celebration! Please pray & dream about this with me.

 

 

 

 

New Hope Church is still here... :)

Well, we've done it: We've talked about money for 3 weeks in a row! Some might predict doing so would scare people away. But we ended the "2 Masters" series with nearly 6.5k in church! Literally HUNDREDS made the commitment to tithe or give a percentage working toward the tithe! And I'm not so sure that people are afraid of the subject... (unless they have chosen the wrong master). Most people want to choose God over money! Besides, God is a much better Master!!!

 

This weekend we begin a series called, "Thin Places." The ancient Celtic Christians believed there were places where the distance between heaven and earth was "thin" and that God's presence was overwhelming at times in those places. We're going to steal their descriptive term and use it as the title of our series as we visit some "thin places" in the Bible where God showed up more than once! I hope that this series will inspire us to be ready and willing for God to show up in our lives as well!

 

Please say a prayer for our guys, Marc and Max, as they travel to Haiti in the next few days to get the construction started on the new New Hope Haiti building! Also, please pray for us as we continue to move forward with our Alvin Campus construction! (Stop by and say a prayer if you're in the area!)

 

We've had our best year EVER in 2012! And with so many committed to serve and give, and with New Hope Haiti and New Hope Alvin under construction (and the new areas opened up at 288 and about to open at East) God is positioning us for an even greater harvest in 2013! Let's do this church family! All for His glory!

 

 

Merry Christmas to my Church Family!!

Warning: I'm about to get mushy with you! I want to wish everyone in our church family a Merry Christmas. I can't even begin to tell you how much you mean to Jane and I. Every day I wake up and I'm in disbelief that God has blessed us with the joy of being a part of a church family that is so loving (and crazy). I'm often amazed at the heart of our church: the people who go on Micro-Missions, those who save and go on Missions Trips, those who give to those in need, those who give financially even though they are just getting by, the volunteers who serve with the attitude of Jesus... I'm telling you: GOD is all over this church family, and I'm so glad I get to be a part of it! I'm looking forward to another year of serving Jesus with you! I love you!

 

Dear Lord, Thank you for the people who make up New Hope Church. I thank you for the year we had. I know it wasn't easy for everyone. But we give you praise in the good and the bad. I pray for a banner year in 2013 for our people. Bless them in ways they weren't expecting! May we continue to "get out of the boat" for you! I pray this in Jesus' name, Amen

 

 

 

My Mother-In-Law is in heaven and my wife is amazing...

It's been a tough few days for our family. My wife's mother suffered a stroke back in November. It looked as though she might be okay after some rehab. Jane and I visited her a couple weeks ago. When we were told her vitals were improving, we headed back to Texas. Then we got the call everyone dreads: Things had taken a turn for the worse. I'll fast forward the story to say: She died in my wife's arms. It was a tremendously beautiful and sad moment.

 

Through this I have gained new appreciation for my wife. I've always known that she is a loving person. But her love is intense. I marveled at my wife in the Hospice as she slept next to her 89 year old mom, holding her. All through the night I could hear her voice in the darkness telling her mom stories of the old days, singing one worship song after another, and telling her mom she loved her.

 

From my wife's arms to the arms of Jesus. My mother-in-law will be missed, but she was and is loved by the best.

 

Juanita Reeves, 11.02.1923 - 12.11.2012

 

 

 

 

Great CoMission 1 Year Update (video)!

Wow! What a difference a year makes! You can commit (or re-commit) to helping us finish up our Alvin Campus by submitting an amount via email to mail@newhopechurch.tv. Or, you can pick up a copy of the brochure mentioned in the video at church on the weekend, fill out a commitment card, and turn it in at the Info Table. Thanks for helping us reach thousands of people for Jesus!

 

 

12 Christmas Eve Services at New Hope Church...

Dear New Hopers!

 

This year we will be having 12 Christmas Eve Services over three days/nights, and I love it! All 12 services will be identical. So, if you come on Saturday night - you don't need to come back on Monday, because it will be the exact same service.

 

The reason I'm loving this schedule is that we always have people who are traveling on Christmas Eve day. They can now join us before they go out of town! For those who have to work on Christmas Eve: You can join us on Saturday or Sunday! For those who are just getting into town, you can join us on Monday. With our services spanning three days, there should be enough opportunities for everyone to attend.

 

Every one of these services are "kid friendly" (although nursery and toddlers rooms/care will be open). Our kids will be singing on Christmas Eve and you can listen to or download the music for them to practice here: http://www.newhopechurch.tv/christmas-songs.html.

 

So, get ready to celebrate with friends and family at New Hope Church! Invite a friend or two. And let's thank God for the greatest gift of all: Jesus!

 

Merry Christmas and lots of love!

 

Tim