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Embody Hope

January 02, 2018

In my church planting efforts in Oshawa, Ontario, I’ve been confronted these last couple months with a mistake I made. A mistake that feels like it has the potential to derail our whole mission, if I were to allow it to fester. What, exactly, that mistake was is relevant, but not completely necessary for the rest of the story, so I’ll leave out the details for now. But, essentially, I began our time with my new Core Team casting a vision that success for our church isn’t about “butts and bucks” but about how we are faithful in listening for God’s voice and following where He calls. Our success wasn’t going to be measured by growing to a Sunday morning congregation of 2,000 people - or maybe even 200 for that matter. Rather, our success was to be measured by our faithfulness in living into the abundant Life we know in Christ and trusting God to draw others into His body. And then, without realizing it, I fell into the trap of measuring success by numerical growth.

I’ve spent many hours in the middle of the night pouring over this mistake, wondering how I had gotten there and how to get us out. And I spent many of those mid-night hours in prayer, asking God to show me how to set us back on the right trajectory as a new baby church again. What, exactly, is success for our new church?

And this is what I heard: We are God’s people, and our job is to listen to God’s voice and follow where He calls. And, ultimately, each of us are called to embody hope.

Our calling as God’s people is to embody hope. To embody His kingdom. To share the abundant Life we know in Christ with all those with whom we come into contact, and to do so in a way that invites them into that Life with us. 

We are a people who embody hope. So what is this hope that we embody? 

Often, when we speak of hope in our everyday conversation, it’s used as a sort of wish. “I hope the Leafs win the Stanley Cup,” we might say. Or, “I hope my preschooler doesn’t catch this cold going around.” Or, “I hope this cake I’m baking turns out alright.” It’s something we wish would happen. It’s a looking forward to an end result that may or may not turn out.

But when we talk of our hope in Christ - when we talk about Biblical hope - it’s not a wish. Our hope in Christ is what we know to be true. We know that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. We place our hope in that truth. Our hope is in our shared future, that Jesus Christ will come gain to make all things new and set all things right. That He will, as it says in the Jesus Storybook Bible, “make all the sad things come untrue.” So, if this is our hope, success is embodying that hope in all the places we live, work, study, and play. Success is living in such a way that displays that hope now - in ways that seek to make all things new, by living in peace, justice, love, grace, and mercy with one another.

If our hope is that one day, God will wipe away every tear - how are we wiping tears now? If our hope is that one day there will be no sickness and no death - how are we bringing healing and life to those around us now?

So, for our church, the main question is not how we can grow in number. It’s not about getting more people in our worship services so that we can have a bigger budget and do bigger things. Rather, the main question for us moving forward is how do we embody hope in Oshawa? How do we add value to our neighbors; how do we make Oshawa better? How do we live in a way that showcases God making all things new?

May we always live as those who listen to God’s voice and follow where He leads. May we always be His faithful ones who embody hope.

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: Exodus 3:11-12 :

But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?”

And God said, “I will be with you.  


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Due to inclement weather, worship is cancelled this week. Stay cozy, friends! Come listen in on the conversation of two men and Jesus on the road to Emmaus tomorrow evening. 
4:30 pm. 2066 Avalon St in Oshawa. .
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#worship #gathering #gather #ecclesia #luke24 #emmausroad #newchurch #churchplant #oshawa #ontario #lampandlight FYI. .
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#worship #gathering #newchurch #churchplant #ecclesia #oshawa #ontario #fyi Still struck by these words from Palm Sunday. Scripture says that one day every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. God is worthy of our praise - and if we fail to do it, creation worships in our stead. Praise the Lord! Why do you look for the living among the dead? Jesus is not here - he is risen!
He is risen, indeed! This Holy Saturday, we wait. We wait for the fullness of Easter - not just for Easter Sunday, for worship or brunches or Easter egg hunts. We wait for all things to be made new; all things to be set right. We wait for that day when Christ will come again in power and wipe away every tear. The world is not as it should be - and so, we wait. Greater life be has no one than this: that he lay down his life for his friends. [John 15:13] Hosanna!
Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Sing Me A Story!

You’re invited to this FREE story time with Ecclesia and @mommyconnectionsdurham ! We’ll sing songs and rhymes and enjoy some stories, plus have a chance to connect with other mommies, daddies, and little ones. 
Geared toward children ages 0-4yrs. We'll start with three sessions dates to guage interest (April 14, 21, and 28). Come to one, some, or all. No registration necessary - but an RSVP is appreciated! 
Look for the Oak Room at the Northview Community Centre in Oshawa.
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#ecclesia #storytime #mommyconnectionsdurham #momandbaby #dadandbaby #travellingtots #churchplant #newchurch #loveyourneighbour #singmeastory Next week! Alpha begins next week! Alpha is a safe space to ask questions and explore life, faith, and meaning. If you’ve been wondering about God, if you have questions about faith and spirituality, or if you’re hungering for some good, meaningful conversation - then Alpha may be for you! 
Runs Thursday evenings at 6:30 beginning March 22nd. 2066 Avalon St in Oshawa. Email jana.koh@gmail.com for more info.

: Archives :

  • March 2018
    • Mar 28, 2018 How awesome is this place. Mar 28, 2018
    • Mar 7, 2018 Where We Are & Where We're Headed Mar 7, 2018
    • Mar 3, 2018 Prayer Update - March 2018 Mar 3, 2018
  • February 2018
    • Feb 16, 2018 Resource Roundup - February 2018 Feb 16, 2018
    • Feb 5, 2018 Alive Feb 5, 2018
  • January 2018
    • Jan 22, 2018 The True Story of the Whole World Jan 22, 2018
    • Jan 15, 2018 Jan 15, 2018
    • Jan 8, 2018 Prayer Update - January 2018 Jan 8, 2018
    • Jan 2, 2018 Embody Hope Jan 2, 2018
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    • Sep 11, 2017 Prayer Update: September 2017 Sep 11, 2017
    • Sep 1, 2017 What to Expect When You Worship with Ecclesia Sep 1, 2017
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    • Aug 17, 2017 Guest Post: Inside Out Aug 17, 2017
    • Aug 9, 2017 Why Ecclesia? Aug 9, 2017
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    • Feb 28, 2017 In Summary Feb 28, 2017
    • Feb 23, 2017 Grace Feb 23, 2017
    • Feb 14, 2017 Place Feb 14, 2017
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    • Jan 30, 2017 Gathering Jan 30, 2017
    • Jan 23, 2017 What were we thinking? Jan 23, 2017
    • Jan 17, 2017 30-30-30 Challenge Jan 17, 2017
    • Jan 9, 2017 The Beauty of Failure Jan 9, 2017
    • Jan 2, 2017 Prayer Update Jan 2, 2017
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    • Dec 28, 2016 Second Saturdays Dec 28, 2016
    • Dec 23, 2016 Merry Christmas! Dec 23, 2016
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    • Nov 29, 2016 Love Deeply Nov 29, 2016
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    • Oct 31, 2016 Three Circles Oct 31, 2016
    • Oct 24, 2016 Food for Thought Oct 24, 2016
    • Oct 19, 2016 Prayer Update Oct 19, 2016
    • Oct 12, 2016 Bringing Life Oct 12, 2016
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    • Sep 19, 2016 The Called Out Ones Sep 19, 2016
    • Sep 12, 2016 Love in a Little Free Library Sep 12, 2016
    • Sep 8, 2016 Prayer Update Sep 8, 2016
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    • Aug 29, 2016 I Need YOU Aug 29, 2016
    • Aug 25, 2016 Prayer Update Aug 25, 2016
    • Aug 20, 2016 Love Your Neighbour Aug 20, 2016
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    • Jul 28, 2016 Prayer Update Jul 28, 2016
    • Jul 26, 2016 Around the Internet Jul 26, 2016
    • Jul 21, 2016 Prayer Update Jul 21, 2016
    • Jul 18, 2016 Just Bring Yourself Jul 18, 2016
    • Jul 14, 2016 Prayer Update Jul 14, 2016
    • Jul 11, 2016 Life Jul 11, 2016
    • Jul 7, 2016 Prayer Update Jul 7, 2016
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    • Jun 30, 2016 Prayer Update Jun 30, 2016
    • Jun 28, 2016 A Breath of Fresh Air Jun 28, 2016
    • Jun 23, 2016 Prayer Update Jun 23, 2016
    • Jun 20, 2016 A Monday Prayer Jun 20, 2016
    • Jun 14, 2016 A Posture of Learning Jun 14, 2016
    • Jun 8, 2016 Currently... Jun 8, 2016
    • Jun 2, 2016 Prayer Update 1 Jun 2, 2016
    • Jun 1, 2016 Day One Jun 1, 2016
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    • Apr 24, 2016 An Update: Moving is Exhausting Apr 24, 2016
    • Apr 12, 2016 A Minor Miracle Apr 12, 2016
    • Apr 2, 2016 Why "With You"? Apr 2, 2016
  • March 2016
    • Mar 14, 2016 Away We Go Mar 14, 2016