Tim Liston

288 Campus Construction Report...

Looking good... :)

 

Thank you, Great CoMission givers! Thank you, Lord!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alvin Campus Sneak Peek (Great CoMission Update #6)

Here's a sneak peek inside the Alvin Campus building. I'm not a prophet, but I'm believing that God will fill this building up with people hungry for Jesus! (Thanks Pastor Chris for the video and for your work on this project!!) We will totally remake this building - and it will be awesome. (Thank you, Great CoMission givers!!!!!) Consider this a "before" video. Enjoy!

 

Great CoMission Update #5: Digging Trenches in a Dry Land...

 

Pastor Caleb from Haiti posted this on Facebook today: "If you think your house is too small to asking people come to stay with you its ok. But Heaven is Large! Ask theme to come with you!!!"

 

How right he is!! Heaven is big - and what God wants to do for us and through us is usually bigger than we're thinking as well! That's why our church hires, builds, expands, starts new campuses, and why we DREAM BIG!!! If you've been around our church lately, you know God is up to something. Even at this moment, I hear the sound of construction going on at the 288 Campus. Our East Campus recently smashed all previous records with an event held for our Krush students. There is an excitement in Alvin like I've never seen before as we move toward the renovation of our building/campus there. And our efforts in Haiti may have had a breakthrough recently!! (I'll let you know. Keep praying.) WE ARE GETTING READY! Here's an excerpt from a Charles Spurgeon sermon from the 1850's. It reminds us to be ready for what the Lord wants to do. Enjoy...

 

"And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your cattle, and your beasts." -2 Kings 3:16-17

 

"The armies of the three kings were famishing for want of water: God was about to send it, and in these words the prophet announced the coming blessing. Here was a case of human helplessness: not a drop of water could all the valiant men procure from the skies or find in the wells of earth. Thus often the people of the Lord are at their wits' end; they see the vanity of the creature, and learn experimentally where their help is to be found. Still the people were to make a believing preparation for the divine blessing; they were to dig the trenches in which the precious liquid would be held. The church must by her varied agencies, efforts, and prayers, make herself ready to be blessed; she must make the pools, and the Lord will fill them. This must be done in faith, in the full assurance that the blessing is about to descend. By-and-by there was a singular bestowal of the needed boon. Not as in Elijah's case did the shower pour from the clouds, but in a silent and mysterious manner the pools were filled. The Lord has his own sovereign modes of action: he is not tied to manner and time as we are, but doeth as he pleases among the sons of men. It is ours thankfully to receive from him, and not to dictate to him. We must also notice the remarkable abundance of the supply--there was enough for the need of all. And so it is in the gospel blessing; all the wants of the congregation and of the entire church shall be met by the divine power in answer to prayer; and above all this, victory shall be speedily given to the armies of the Lord. What am I doing for Jesus? What trenches am I digging? O Lord, make me ready to receive the blessing which thou art so willing to bestow."

 

Charles Spurgeon

 

 

 

I stand amazed...

Easter weekend is always busy at church. This year was no exception. We had 9,371 people worship with us. (That alone is amazing!) However, I was blown away by the number of people who made commitments! In EVERY single one of the 12 services people went public with their decision for Christ. And every time I thought I was going to lose it! I've heard some great stories of family members/friends who came to church by invitation and left church a new creation! Thank you, volunteers!! Thank you, staff!!! And most of all, thank you, Lord Jesus for what you did for us!

 

 

 

Great CoMission Update #4: Walls on the ground, on paper, and in dreams...

 

288 Campus: The walls of the 288 Campus expansion have been poured! There will be a week or two wait now as the walls cure and the steel is shipped. Then the walls will be lifted into position.

 

Alvin Campus: Last week we had a meeting about the Alvin Campus and I was  very encouraged! Yes, we have a building. But all of the needed changes are still being worked out on paper. But it's fun watching a dream becoming a reality!

East Campus: We are about to begin the design of the East Campus build out! We've been told this shouldn't be a difficult process because the area is already under roof and everything has been removed.

Haiti Campus: As you heard in the service two weeks ago from Marc Davis, Haiti is a challenge! We knew it would be. We've got our eyes on a piece of land, but are moving forward with caution. It's risky, but the potential for making an impact for Jesus Christ is so great, we are going to keep pressing ahead in faith. Prayers please!!

Thanks again to every faith filled, fully devoted, commited and crazy New Hoper who is giving toward these projects! You are the GREATEST! Much love!!!

 

 

 

 

Great CoMission Update #3: We just bought a bank...

Guess what your church just did: Bought an old bank building in Alvin to start a brand new New Hope Church Campus! We closed on the building last Thursday. As we continue to receive money, we'll do the renovation. Then we'll have a Campus right in the heart of Alvin. I'm so excited I can hardly wait! Thank you faithful Great CoMission givers!!!

That is all.

Oh wait. One more thing: God is amazing!

 

 

Great CoMission Update #2: It has begun!

TODAY: December 12, 2011!! Here's a shot of the very beginning of the New Hope Church 288 Campus Great CoMission project! Dirt is moving as we get ready to pour the foundation. This is something we needed to do in order to allow us to move forward using the building codes from 2011. We'll pour the foundation, then work will pause as we wait for more money to come in. The decision has been made to build only what is needed at this time - as opposed to building unfinished space for future use as well. This will keep us well within our budget and commitments. Vision and resources must intersect!

 

Our Real Estate Lawyer is making some final adjustments to our New Hope Church Alvin Campus Documents, but everyone is ready to ink the deal on the building there. We have our down payment ready and we will continue to move forward on the construction documents for this brand new campus! Pray that God moves - and that people continue to be faithful in giving so that we can get this campus up and running! I'm so excited about what God is doing in our church family!!! Thank you for being a part of this amazing work!

 

(I'll fill you in on our East Campus and Haiti Campus in a later update!)

 

Great CoMission Update #1: Amazing!

Street view in Jacmel, Haiti where New Hope is planting a Campus.

 

We are now at $2.1 million for the 1½ year giving period with commitments still coming in! Thank you, Lord!! And thank you crazy people of New Hope Church!

 

Here’s what we should be able to do with your generous giving *if the Lord wills it…

• Add square footage to our New Hope Church 288 Campus building for the kids.
• Build out square footage at our New Hope Church East Campus so that the kids can have more room and create some additional parking.
• Put the down payment on a building in Alvin and renovate it for our brand new New Hope Church Alvin Campus! (Launch Date: TBD.)
• Start our first international campus: New Hope Church Haiti Campus.

 

BTW – Caleb from Haiti texted to tell us they were holding their first worship service TODAY! (I’ll post pictures when/if I get some.)

* “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.  Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’” -James 4:13-15 (NIV)

 

New Hope Church: What's next...

This weekend we introduced The Great CoMission stewardship emphasis at New Hope Church. What follows is brochure #1 which gives an overview of the projects. It also gives some info about "your mission" in the Co-Mission effort. Here's a hint: Jesus said, "Go!"

 

Matthew 24, Left Behind, and an old song...

 

I've had several people mention this song during our End of the World series, plus I heard my wife listening to it the other night, so I thought I'd share. I'm not sure how compelling it will be for those who've never heard it. When I hear it, it takes me back to my youth. Larry Norman, who originally wrote and performed this song, was one of the first contemporary Christian singers who looked the part back in the 70's. (He's the one with the long blonde hair in the video.) The guys doing the singing in the video are from DC Talk. It's taken from the Matthew 24 where Jesus says, "One will be taken, the other will be left behind."

 

Enjoy. 

 

 

 

30,000 reads?! Amazed to be used by God…

 

As I prepare to publish this post, my total blog “reads” are at 29,364. That means this post, more than likely, will move the reads beyond 30,000 total. Insert my amazed face here: ______!!  I’ve always been amazed that God would use me, at all. When I stand up to preach and look out at everyone (and our East Campus via the screen) I still have this thought after all these years, “Why do these people sit here and listen to me? I wouldn’t listen to me!!” Awhile back, someone was telling me they love the lessons at New Hope. Then they told me they drive an hour each way every weekend to come to church and I actually said, “Why?” Insert my embarrassed face here: _____!!

 

But I truly believe one of the reasons this all works is because it’s not about me.

 

Years ago, I sat down to talk to Howard Agnew (New Hope Worship Pastor). The church had just grown beyond 500 people each Sunday and I was feeling overwhelmed. I told Howard I was troubled that so many people were coming to church and I didn’t know most of them. He let me talk for a moment and then he said, “Well, they’re coming to church to get to know Jesus, not you.” Insert my "ouch" face here: _____!!!!!!!!!!!! Lesson learned: Preach Jesus hard and stay out of the way!

 

Now we move toward the fall with great and wonderful things on the horizon for our church family. And if you’re ever amazed by what God is doing in our church, or through the people of our church, please know that as Pastor… I’m just as amazed!

 

 

 

 

The Next New Hope Church Campus...

 
We’ve been praying about where we should open our next New Hope Church Campus. Our 288 Campus continues to grow with nearly 5,000 people in attendance on a regular weekend. CR58 is nearing completion which will dramatically improve access to that campus. And our East Campus is so strong and amazing with over 1,000 people attending on a regular basis! Utilizing the lessons learned from the East Campus (our first venture into the multi-site model) we are looking to plant again. After much prayer and discussion and more prayer, we’ve come up with what feels like an obvious choice: Alvin, Texas. We have so many great New Hopers in Alvin and we feel like we could reach those who need Christ with more of a presence there. In addition, Alvin gives great access to “points beyond” which is another way of saying, “those people who live out in the country.”  There are a lot of rural areas beyond Alvin with small neighborhoods/communities that we feel could benefit from the ministry of New Hope.

 

Here’s the catch: We don’t have a date or location yet. We’re still praying about that. But we feel that making this news public might give God room to use some New Hopers to help open doors.

 

For those who want to give to fund the start up, simply write, “Alvin” in the memo of your check. If you give online, go to "extraordinary" fund, and then click the "Alvin (future) Campus" sub fund.

 

 

PS: Please pray as we move toward this important step.

 

 

100% of the offering leaves our church...

 Nicaragua: Two little girls cautiously approach the group of New Hopers in the background. Our team was there to serve the people who live in the dump.

 

The weekend of June 11-12 we will be giving away 100% of our offering to missions away from home. If your heart is for overseas missions, then be sure and put some money in the offering bag or give it online. People need Jesus. We want to help our missions partners who are making Christ known in far away places. Please give generously!

 

 

Beyond expectations, but not unexpected...

New Hope's signature "crown of thorns" becomes permanent in Friendswood.

It was mid-May 2010. The school year was winding down and so was the economy. But our East Campus needed a home and our 288 Campus was being choked by poor traffic flow. And in the middle of a bad economy (and a bad time of the year to raise money) our church family came together and did something amazing: With no fanfare, banquets or home meetings, we pledged to give $650,000 over & above normal giving in 12 short months. Incredibly, a few weeks later the pledge amount had increased to $763,992. It was obvious that our people believed the projects of Beyond were worth the sacrifice!

 

Fast forward one year to today, and our East Campus has more than doubled in attendance and has three Sunday services to fit the 1000+ people (and their cars) on our property there. Over 1600 people attended our East Campus on Easter this year! It’s a rare weekend when there isn’t a baptism or two at East. And on Baptism Weekend this past month, 50 people were baptized at our East Campus. Amazing. You might say it is “beyond” what we ever thought possible!

 

Our 288 Campus now has a new bridge and driveway. Our old driveway was expanded to three lanes, all of which are now “exit only.” We also have an exit for those going west on CR58, increasing our total exit lanes from 1 to 4. Traffic wait times have decreased by approximately two thirds. (That’s even before the CR58 expansion is completed.) Turning lanes are being built on our new county road specifically designed for our church family. All these improvements will make it much easier for our friends and neighbors to come to church! And together, all these changes are "beyond" what we were expecting! 

 

Remember: The final pledge amount was $763,992.00. And now here’s the most amazing news. The total given (as of 06/02/2011) was $791,692.00 (and growing). Yes, it is “beyond” what was even pledged!

 

Somehow, that’s not a surprise!

 

Thank you to everyone who committed and gave so that our church family could continue to reach people for Jesus. What we do is important. I’m so glad you understand that and are willing to sacrifice to make it possible! May God bless you!

 

PS- If you were giving to Beyond and would like to continue we will use that money to continue our campus development projects! Thank you!!  

 

New Hope on the other side of the world, literally...

 
  
The dedication service of a building in 1ndia where young men who are studying to be pastors stay. Major funding for this building came from our church, which is why they chose the name, New Hope Center.

 

 
  
New Hope Church Operations Leader, Marc Davis, presenting six pastors with motorcycles that will expand the reach of their ministries. C1CM has found that pastors with transportation can reach 3 times as many people for Christ. New Hope Church paid for these motorcycles.

 

 
  
A church of Burmese refugees in the heart of the major city of De1hi in the moments after they received Bibles in their own language. These Bibles were purchased for this church by people of New Hope Church.

 

 
  
Ajai, the director of the Central 1ndia Christian Mission and one of the most amazing people I've ever met, "bringing it" at a youth conference.

 

This weekend, May 28-29, we will be hearing from our 1ndia Missions Partner, Ajai. 1ndia is in a "red zone" for Christianity, meaning, it's dangerous for Christians. (I hesitated to post this blog on the internet, because I don't want him to get in trouble at home. That's why I've purposely left off his last name, and spelled 1ndia with a "1" instead of an "I.") But right in the heart of 1ndia where danger for Christ-follwers abounds, we are seeing the Good News of Jesus spread and change lives. It's soooo exciting for our church to be involved in this move of God! 

 

I know this weekend is a holiday weekend, but I'm going to encourage you to be in church as we get inspired by a modern day hero of the faith! (BTW- June 11-12 is our "MISSIONS OFFERING WEEKEND." 100% of what is given on that weekend goes to support God's work away from our home turf. So please, give generously on that weekend!)

 

PS- This weekend, May 28-29, I'll also be passing out and explaining the "Bring A Bible You Can Write In" Series Addendum.