Easter Weekend In Review

Posted on April 26, 2011 by Steve LaMotte

What an amazing weekend we had at Hope Church! I hope that if you were with us that you are excited, renewed, and going out into the world as Easter people who are living out the resurrection!  Just a few thoughts from the weekend.

  • Good Friday Service- what a powerful experience coming together as community to nail our sins, fears, prayers to the Cross.  The Psalmist writes, “Cast you cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”  
  • The Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday was exciting- the rain held off and the people from our community came! As a church, it is a priority for us to get out into the community.  We will continue to capitalize on special events (Dover Days is coming up!) to get out into the community and be the church.
  • Easter Sunday- what can I say? Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! As Christians, and as the church, we need to learn to live out resurrection each day.  We need to have and live out the truth that this life matters.  We have purpose in what we do today.  Because of the resurrection, we are called to invite others to experience that hope through the resurrected Jesus . We also are called to live out resurrection in our hope that God is redeeming all things.  It’s a future hope- but just as Jesus was resurrected with a new body- all of creation longs and groans for the redemption of our bodies.  Are will living as hopeful people?
  • Speaking of Hope, I was blessed by one guest who shared with our church about just moving to Dover as she is getting out of an abusive relationship- and how many from our congregation responded by speaking with her and encouraging her.  This is a resurrection story as this woman sees that there is hope for a different tomorrow because of Jesus and because the community of faith called Hope Church is living out resurrection.  Please keep her in your prayers.

Let’s be encouraged, Church, as we come to live out the resurrection daily.  God is doing something new in our lives and in the world around us!

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Take Off Your Grave Clothes

Posted on April 11, 2011 by Steve LaMotte

 Yesterday in worship, we looked at John 11:1-45- the account of the death and resurrection of Lazarus.  What I found particularly interesting in the passage is that when Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb- back to life- that Jesus told some people nearby to “Unbind him, and let him go.”  Lazarus was given new life and yet, he still needed the help of the community to embrace the new life and take off his grave clothes.

  •  We might be surprise at the people around us who stink like death because they are not surrounded by a community who will help the remove their grave clothes.
  • We may have been given new life in Christ, yet we still allow sin to be part of our life.  We have a habitual sin that we just cannot shake…We keep the grave clothes on!  This is why confessing our sins is so important- we break the bound of secrecy and invite others to help us take off our grave clothes by holding us accountable and praying for us.
  • Heard the phrase “so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good?”  By raising Lazarus, Jesus accentuates that this life matters. Our everlasting life with God begins when Jesus becomes our Lord and Savior. God has a purpose and a plan for our lives…to live out resurrection and invite others to experience resurrection for themselves.

This passage is a hopeful reminder about what God is doing through Jesus…and is a foreshadow of what is to come.  If Jesus can bring Lazarus back from the dead, surely he can do the same for himself—-and for you and me!

Lazarus needed help taking off his grave clothes…just for fun, where were Jesus’ grave clothes?

Posted in Bible Thought | Leave a comment

Sunday Follow-Up: Jesus and the Blind Man (John 9)

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Steve LaMotte

Sunday’s message focused on Jesus’ encounter with the blind man in John 9.  This man was blind from birth.  Blindness is the inability to perceive light.  While this man was unable to perceive physical light, he clearly “saw” Jesus, who is the Light of the World.
The man is a model for us of a growing disciple.  His view of Jesus became more clearer and complete as the story unfolds.  He saw Jesus as a…

  • Man (9:11)
  • Prophet (9:17)
  • Man sent from God (9:33)
  • Lord (9:35-37)

When the man confessed that Jesus was Lord, he fell at Jesus’ feet and worshiped.  A disciple of Jesus Christ re-orients their life to submit to Jesus’ Lordship. If we are truly a follower or disciple of Jesus, then our life should reflect that Jesus is at the heart or center of everything that we do.  Our speech, thoughts, and actions begin to be transformed through our obedience to Jesus’ teachings and example.  This is what the life long process of discipleship looks like.

Throughout our Lenten Journey, we’ve seen Jesus encounter very real people.  We’ve looked at Jesus’ encounter with Nicodemus the religious leader, with the Samaritan Woman at the Well, and now with this man born blind.  Each encounter with Jesus requires a response.  The man born blind falls on his knees and worships Jesus as Lord.  How will you respond to Jesus?

Posted in Bible Thought, Discipleship | 1 Comment

Where Has Steve Been?

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Steve LaMotte

If you’ve check the blog recently, you’ll notice that there hasn’t been any post.  Hopefully, that will be changing in the coming weeks.  I’ve been busy finishing seminary (graduate on May 21, 2011) and getting adjusted to a new child (Chloe Grace, born December 15, 2010).

 This Sunday, I’ll be preaching on John 9:1-41 where Jesus heals the blind man.  I will be posting a follow up blog on Monday after the sermon.  Hopefully, things will begin picking up on the blog.  Thanks for your patience!

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Keep Moving

Posted on January 5, 2011 by Steve LaMotte

(I’m using Youversion to read through the Bible in 2011.  I’ll be posting thoughts here on the blog and on my Youversion profile (www.youversion.com/users/lamo5973) I hope you’ll join in on some discussion!)

Genesis 12 (The Message)

Abram’s father, Terah, had originally set out from Ur of the Chaldees to the land of Canaan (Gen. 11:31). But when he got as far as Haran, he settled his family down there. In chapter 12, God calls Abram to leave his family and country for a new land- the land of Canaan- the place where Terah had originally set out for.
Terah settled down before reaching his destination. Abram “kept moving, steadily making his way south, to the Negev.” (Gen. 12:9).
The ability to “keep moving” is so important to our spiritual life. Abram knew that God had called him and “kept moving” in order to fulfill that call. Abram did not allow himself to settle down. He probably had his opportunities. In Egypt, Abram became a very rich man- but because of his deceit of Pharoah, Abram was kicked out and put back on the move.

We need to keep “keep moving” in our lives. If God has called us to something, we need to keep moving until we get to where God is leading.  Settling down before reaching the goal is not what God has called us to. We should recognize that things in our life happen in order to help us to “keep moving.” As we grow as disciples, we should “keep moving” in our study of the scripture, prayer life, fasting, and service so that we do not become stagnant but become vibrant disciples of Jesus Christ.

Posted in Bible Thought, Faith | Leave a comment

Hope Now

Posted on October 18, 2010 by Steve LaMotte

“What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven- and the future starts now.  God is keeping careful watch over us and teh future.  The Day is coming when you’ll have it all–life healed and whole.”
                                                                                       1 Peter 1:3-5 (The Message)

My devotional reading today came from AW Tozer. He writes,

“Brethren, we have been born of God and our Christian hope is a valid hop! No emptiness, no vanity, no dreams that cannot come true.  Your expectation should rise and you should challenge God and begin to dream high dreams of faith and spiritual attainment and expect God to meet them.  You cannot out-hope God and you cannot out-expect God.  Remember that all of your hopes are finite, but all God’s ability is infinite!”

As a husband, father, Christian, and Pastor I am claiming that promise that the future starts now! That hope starts now! That God will give me dreams of faith and spiritual attainment- and they will be greater than what I could have dreamed of myself.

Yesterday at Hope we participated in laity Sunday.  Our lay leaders, Ben and Shelly shared from Luke 18 and the persistant widow and how the wicked judge granted her request because of her persistance.  Yet God is not like a wicked judge! God desires to reveal his love for each of us! God desires for us to rest in his grace and mercy!  God desires for us to dream big because we serve a big God!  Sometimes my prayer life reflects my little faith.  I want to pray- expecting that God will answer my prayers!

What are your prayers for your faith walk?  What are your prayers for your family? For your church?  Are you praying based off of your finite hopes or praying to our infinite God?

Posted in Bible Thought | Leave a comment

Laying It All Out

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Steve LaMotte

Seth Godin writes,

“The problem with putting it all on the line is that it might not work out.  The problem with not putting it all on the line is that it will never (ever) change for the better. Not much of a choice, I think. No risk, no art. No art, no reward.” 

Does your church put it all on the line?  If not, why not?  Why do we allow fear to cripple us when we serve the Christ who has overcome the world? 

What would your church look like if you laid it all on the line?  What would your marriage look like if you laid it all on the line?  How would you parent your children if you laid it out on the line?

No risk, no art.  No art, no reward. 

High risk- high reward.

Church- let’s go all out.  Let’s lay it all out on the line for Jesus. Let’s allow God to use us for something great!

Posted in Church, Leadership | Leave a comment

Cannot Help But Speak

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Steve LaMotte

I’m preaching on Acts 1:1-8 this week as we continue looking at pictures of the Church in the Bible.  This week, we’re talking about being a church focused on sharing what we’ve seen and heard regarding Jesus.  Acts 1:8 says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

This is the another example of the Great Commission to go into all the world to proclaim the good news.  The disciples are called to share this testimony to the ends of the earth- and they do this through the power of the Holy Spirit.  As I read Acts, I am struck by Peter and John in chapter four who, when told to quit witnessing about Jesus said;

“Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
This is such a change from the Gospel accounts where the disciples fleed Jesus when he was arrested.  Peter even denied knowing him.  Yet here, filled with the Holy Spirit, he (and John) declare that they cannot help or stop speaking about what they have seen or heard.  Their lives have been changed and they want everyone to experience the same thing that they have!
This passage is challenging.  We live in a culture where it is often much easier to remain quiet about our faith.  We use the “Preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words” as a defense to our silence.  Yet, if our lives have been changed by God- if we’ve experienced unmerited grace and mercy- if we’ve been healed, restored and redeemed- how can we stay silent?
My prayer for myself, Hope Church, and the Church around the world is that the Holy Spirit would so flood our lives that we will not remain silent about God’s love and salvation available through Jesus Christ.


Posted in Bible Thought, Faith, sermon idea | Leave a comment

Have Camera Phone- Will Take Pictures

Posted on September 7, 2010 by Steve LaMotte

During my travels to Virginia a few weeks ago, I came across some interesting vehicles that I wanted to share with you.

1.  LFE SUKS-  I saw this plate at a Chic-Fil-A in Virginia. 
How bad does life have to be to have this vanity plate?  Is this really the type of person you want driving a 2,000 pound missle down the highway?

2.  Going Through Hell-  When I saw this custom paint work, I thought, what possesses a person to paint something like this on their vehicle?  Maybe they have gone through hell?  I’ve seen other ones like “Heaven doesn’t want me and Hell can’t hold me.”  I’m trying to think about what I might put on my car when I save up some extra money!

3.  Creeper Van??  I saw this van in Delaware.  First, you may notice the sheet of plywood in the window.  But there was also a chain link fence kind of rigging in the opposite window.  Oh yeah, a couch in the back.  The cherry on top was that the roof was cut so the van was like a convertable.  Epic. 

Posted in random | Leave a comment

Church Plant Boot Camp Pt. 2

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Steve LaMotte

What is the purpose of planting churches?

Generally speaking, churches are to make disciples.  Churches are to be the Body of Christ in the world.  Churches are to reflect God’s love.

Curiously, in the curriculum for the Boot Camp was this statement,

“Church planting is about one thing- Putting People in Seats.”

I posted this on my twitter feed and some comments came in regarding the above statement.  I wanted to spend a little time talking about this.

  • I don’t feel like the presenters have made the case that we plant churches to get people in seats.
  • In fact, one of the presenters Top Ten Mistakes New Church Pastors Make states, “Pursuing the Great Commission to the Peril of Ignoring the Great Commandment.”  We were told to be a lover of God trying to plant a church rather than a church planter trying to love God. 
  • In a sense, it is more difficult to make disciples or share the Gospel if we do not get people in the seats.  Our worship services are not to be Holy Huddles, but we are to reach out and invite others in.  However- weekly worship services are not the only place where disciples can be made.  We must be willing to go outside the church walls and build relationship with those who do not know Christ.

While I don’t think the presenters really mean putting butts in seats is the most important task of church planting, I wish the above statement did not appear in the material.  Much of what is wrong in the church growth movement is the importance that is placed on getting butts in the seats (and dollars in the offering plate).  The emphasis for the church planter is to develop and missionary heart and love for the lost and to live incarnationally among them- inviting them to encounter the transformational love and grace of Jesus Christ.

Posted in Church, Leadership | Leave a comment