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!

 

 

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!"

 

Haiti building dedication... pure joy!

Many of you are aware of our involvement with a young man in Haiti named Caleb. Caleb feeds almost 200 kids  twice a week and teaches them songs about Jesus and Bible stories. He also teaches them leadership lessons based on Bible principles. All this took place under a tarp/tent until the last few days. Now they have something more weather proof. Our church, New Hope Church, recently funded the building of a "shelter" where he can run his ministry. Here are some pics of the final clean of the building and the finished product. (That's Caleb front right in the above picture.) Pray for Caleb and the children of Haiti. And rejoice with them in their new shelter.

 

 

 

 

 

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!!  

 

You've got to read this! A note from Haiti... #haiti

  
Kids in the mountains near Jacmel, Haiti.

 

  
Birth of a great church? The foundation of the shelter where the kids in Caleb's ministry will be fed and taught about Jesus. This project is being funded by New Hope Church.

 

  
Caleb Midi (left) is our Haiti Missions Partner, along with some of the kids he feeds and teaches about Jesus. Below is a note from Caleb, unedited. Enjoy!

 

Hey everyone at New Hope Church!

How are you all doing? It's a pleasure today to write you this letter and to tell you God loves you and I love you as well. Thanks to God for His Kingdom and all of the people a part of it, especially you guys :) I am so thankful for your freindship. You allow me to see the love of Jesus in all of your hearts and you are always teaching me and encouraging me in so many ways. I would love to tell you, you are all awesome and I love you. Keep doing what your doing for God. He is so proud of all of you and all that you do for His kingdom. I would also love to tell you it is an honor for me to be a servant for the kingdom of God. I would like to let you know the impact you are having here in Haiti. First of all, the childrens program that you support and also me myself. I keep praying for the ministry in America and especially new hope church. I keep praying for all leaders, especailly brother Tim Liston and Pastor John the Hero because I know they are doing amazing things for the Kingdom and especially for new hope church. Thank you for your support and for your prayers and all you do for us. I pray you guys can keep supporting our prject here because we have so much pain here and so many lives to save for the Kingdom of God. I love you! And Im praying for you! And I hope I can see you  in November.

God Bless you!

Brother Caleb Midi the servent.   

 

 

 

Wow! Easter 2011...

 The LIVE iCampus broadcast of the New Hope Easter service on the big screen of one of our military families in Korea. (Pic courtesy of James & Mallory Sessions.)

 

Wow! We thought we might have a crowd at Easter! This year we wanted to spread out the crowd so that no one would have to sit in the lobby as in previous years. That meant adding 4 services (for a grand total of 12) to our already busy weekends at New Hope. Our East Campus had Saturday services for the first time and the 288 Campus added Friday services. (BTW- Our new drive and multiple exit lanes at 288 seemed to help the traffic flow! Thank you, Beyond Campaign Participants!) Only with the help of the greatest volunteers and staff on the planet could having so many services ever work. But you guys came through in a big way. And get this: 9,489 people heard the gospel this past weekend, and not one of them had to sit in the lobby! There were so many people who committed or recommitted their lives to Christ, it was amazing! Thank you, Lord, and thank you volunteers for making that possible. I love our church family!

 

The best news of the entire weekend is: We serve a risen Savior who is still saving people and changing lives! Jesus is alive!!

 

Don't wait for someone to pick you...

 
Times are changing. There were once identifiable gatekeepers who said who got in and who did not. They had all the power. But now a person can have a hit song without a major record label. You can write a book without a publisher. (Skip the paper and go straight to an ebook!) You can have a dynamic, Bible-believing, Jesus-preaching church that isn’t a part of a denomination. The gatekeepers of the past are becoming irrelevant... and it’s driving them crazy!

 Seth Godin said, “It’s a cultural instinct to wait to get picked. To seek out the permission and authority that comes from a publisher or talk show host or even a blogger saying, ‘I pick you.’ Once you reject that impulse and realize that no one is going to select you--that Prince Charming has chosen another house--then you can actually get to work. If you’re hoping that the HR people you sent your resume to are about to pick you, it’s going to be a long wait. Once you understand that there are problems just waiting to be solved, once you realize that you have all the tools and all the permission you need, then opportunities to contribute abound… Pick yourself.” ¹

 Sure, it would be nice to be picked by another human being. But we’ve already been chosen by God. Jesus said, “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” –John 15:16

So, what are you waiting for? Get busy! 

 

 

¹ http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/03/reject-the-tyranny-of-being-picked-pick-yourself.html

Giving the keys to the teens...

 
If you were around New Hope Church this past weekend, you couldn’t help but notice what God is doing in our youth. Hundreds of kids dressed in blue tee shirts invaded our services at both campuses. We adults are often concerned about the next generation (and those concerns are valid in many instances). But to see our kids on fire for Jesus was an inspiration to me. In fact, I got teary eyed. You see, I’m not just a Pastor, I’m a dad. I love my kids with all my heart and I want them to love Jesus with all of theirs. To know that that is happening is… Well, let's just say it’s a dream come true.

The day is coming in the not too distant future when we will hand over the keys of the church to the kids. That thought used to scare me. Now I'm excited!!!

 Thank you Pastor B and your team of staff and volunteers for making New Hope a church where kids are loved where they are, yet challenged to go where Jesus wants them to go!   

 

BTW - We're finishing up our Family Tree series this weekend with, "WoMan Talk."  (February is typically a mediocre month attendance-wise. However, our attendance has been at or over 6,000 for the entire month! Let's finish strong this weekend!)  

Amazed by New Hope Volunteers!

 

I am amazed by our volunteers. Last night, volunteers packed out both campuses and the energy was amazing. These are the people who make New Hope what it is! I’m so thankful to serve our Lord with all of you!! I love the new volunteer tee shirts because the verse from Romans sums up the attitude around our church, "In Christ we, though many, form ONE body and each member belongs to all the others!"  Yes, yes, yes!!! Thank you, God!

I love you guys and I can't wait to see what God has in store for us this year!

East Campus Breaks 1000!

 
Our East Campus had over 1,000 people in church this past weekend. We’ve done it before (Grand Opening & Christmas Eve) but this was the first time on a “normal” weekend that East crossed that threshold. No guest speaker. No prize giveaways. Just church. And the thing that makes it even more impressive was the downright ugly weather we had Sunday: Constant downpours on a cold, dank day. But even the weather couldn’t keep people away from church.

 If you’re wondering why I’m telling you this, let me put it in perspective: It took 10 years to reach 1,000 people in attendance in our church (total). Our East Campus has done it 4 months after getting into their new building.  [Insert your own, “Wow! Praise God!” here.] 

Thanks to everyone who believed in this vision. Thanks to all the amazing volunteers and staff at East. And thanks to all of you who are giving to the “.Beyond” campaign!

Tell someone in that part of the world about our East Campus! (FM2351 & FM518 in Friendswood.)

 

For further study: Acts 1:15; 2:41; 2:47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1; 6:7; 9:31; 9:42; 11:21; 11:24; 11:26; 12:24; 13:44; 14:1; 14:21; 16:5; 17:12; 18:8; 21:20

Alex Made Us Stronger

 
Isaiah 11 says, “A little child shall lead them.” That’s a prophecy about Jesus, but the concept can certainly fit the way the childlike faith of young children can strengthen the faith of adults. And such was the faith of a little 8 year old named, Alex.

This young man led his mom back to church and once there, he invited friends to attend. He encouraged and impressed all of us with his deep faith. Even as brain cancer limited his ability to move and made his left side go limp, he never complained. Never. And he always had a smile on his face, though a little crooked toward the end.

Today, Alex is in heaven. At 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 9 his “faith turned to sight” as the old song says. But he didn’t leave us empty-hearted. No, he left behind something invaluable for us: Childlike faith so pure and trusting that just days before he made the trip he talked to his mom about turning to the left, once through Heaven's gates, to see New Hopers already there. And he also told his mom, “You’re going to be ok.” (What a big man, taking care of his mom before he left.)

Thank you, Alex, for your gift of strengthening the faith of all who knew you! We WILL see you again!!!

 

(Pictured: Alex's Mom Holly and Alex right after they were baptized. Thank you, Stacy Todd, for capturing these special moments in pictures!)

How could this happen?

 
This question kept me up last night. My heart ached when I received the news that Josh, the young man everyone was praying for, was no longer with us. How could this happen?

This morning I read from the Old Testament book of Laments or “Lamentations” as it’s commonly called. However, the original Hebrew name of this book was, ‘ekah, or “how?” A great question then, a fitting question now. But the very fact that this question has been asked repeatedly for thousands of years reveals to us again that the human condition is painfully sick without God. Even within the first family on the planet there was murder. “While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel…” –Genesis  4:8

It’s not new to the world. Just new to our world. And it shows us that our church still has a lot of work to do in the community. For those of us who love God, let’s make sure that we do our best to spread the love of Jesus. Evil is in our world, but “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” -1 John 4:4

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” –Romans 12:21

Pray for Josh's family.

Be Warm and Well Fed

 

I'm amazed by our church family. Our people gave tons of groceries, coats, jackets, and blankets. And early today, seven buses filled with volunteers and seven Uhaul trucks filled with donations left our church campuses and went to areas of need around us. Everything was given away. It was overwhelming to see the need and it was heartwarming to see our people respond. We based this mission on a passage of Scripture from James chapter 2... 

"14) What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such a faith save them? 15) Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16) If one of you says to them, 'Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,' but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17) In the same way, faith by itself, it it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18) But someone will say, 'You have faith, I have deeds.' Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.'"

Thank you, God, for allowing me to be part of a church family that puts faith into action through love. We are blessed. I am blessed. 

(Video by Pastor Chris Hughes)

 

Warm and Well Fed Details

 
This weekend (Oct 30-31) is your last opportunity to bring items for our Warm and Well Fed outreach. Bring gently used coats, jackets, hoodies and/or blankets. We're also looking for groceries (list below).  We're trying to help at least 1500 families. Seven buses and 7 U-Haul trucks will deliver our supplies and volunteers to strategic spots throughout our city for the distribution on Nov 6. Imagine a cold night in the next few months: Sitting in the warmth of your home or by your fireplace knowing that your coats are helping to keep some less fortunate people warm, or that you provided some meals for a family who may have had to skimp otherwise. Faith is more than talk, it's action.  James 2:14-18 

Here is the grocery list:
1- 14 oz. box cereal
2- boxes of mac n cheese
4- 3 oz. pkgs. ramen noodles
1- 9.6 oz. dry instant milk
...1- box tuna or chicken helper
1- 5 oz. can tuna or chicken
1- 12 oz. package spaghetti
1- 26.5 oz. can spaghetti sauce
1- 17 oz. jar peanut butter
1- jelly (no glass jars)
1- 1 lb. box saltines
1- 15 oz. can chilli
1- 40 oz. family size beef ravioli
1- six pack 4 oz. applesauce
3- 14 oz. cans various vegetables
1- 16 oz. bag pinto beans
1- 16 oz. long grain rice