City Hope SC

One generation will love God, the next generation turns away from Him, follows false Gods, and sin against God, and it goes back and forth.This was the same problem that the Israelites had after they returned to Jerusalem after their exile to Babylon.....

Follow week 8 with Pastor Steven as he dives into the book of Habakkuk.

Hear the word of the Lord from Nahum today:God’s got your back and God will bring you through it.Call on Him again today. Trust Him with your unanswered questions. Exercise your faith and believe that the same God who broke Assyria’s yoke is still breaking yokes today.

The power to walk humbly with God, to love mercy, and to act justly does not come from trying harder. It comes from the Holy Spirit living inside of us. What Micah is giving here is God’s gracious invitation to join His work, through His power.

Maybe you’ve been seeking success, comfort, politics, or entertainment more than you’ve been seeking God.Maybe you’ve been passive. Avoiding evil but not really pursuing good.Or maybe, like Israel, you’ve become numb. You’ve stopped hating sin. You’ve learned to live with things that God hates.

The same God who sent the locusts as a wake-up call is the God who says…Even now… return to Me.It’s never too late. He wants your whole heart. And He is full of mercy, grace, and love that never fails.

Who is Hosea? It's God! His love is relentless. Even when we run, He pursues. Even when we hide, He seeks.Hear this: Your Hosea is still pursuing you. He has not given up on you. He will go into the darkest places to bring you home.And if you’ve been running, today is the day to come home. Are you ready to come home and finally stop running?

Church, let's get real for just a second…What do you feel must change before you can fully experience joy and peace? What aggravations (like Peninnah’s taunts) are you still listening to? Whose misjudgment (like Eli’s) of you do you need to reject? Where do you go for comfort when life feels heavy?

Why live a generous life? Why give? -- To hear God say, “Well done”Can you imagine that day you get to see Jesus face to face. I know that I have a lot I want to tell Him. I know I have a looooong list of things I'm so grateful for...

Can you imagine living in such a way…that your obedience inspires people long after you’re gone?What if your kids give millions one day because you give thousands?What if your company changes their whole culture because you are so extravagantly generous with money and with kindness and with love?What if your church could see our entire city come to Jesus because you and I caught the attention of Jesus in our giving to build His church?

At the end of the day, your life is already declaring something...what is it saying? – to your kids, to your friends, to the people around you?Conviction NOT pressure. It's not about giving more. Giving comes as a result of Him having ALL of your heart.

Friends, putting God first isn’t complicated…it’s a decision. It starts with recognizing it’s all His, managing it faithfully, and giving generously. When we put God first with our money, we discover He’s more than enough. He meets every need. He brings peace where there was stress. He turns fear into joy.

Is He your Lord? He didn’t just die to be admired. He died to be followedNot your spouse’s. Not your parents. Not your church’s. Is He your Lord?

There is so much we can learn from Jesus. He finished the mission. He lays down His life and surrenders it all. No one took it from Him. He laid it down.Completely surrendered. Completely obedient. All the way to the end.Prayer doesn’t just help you start well. It helps you stay faithful.

Here’s the tension: You will never fully forgive others until you fully receive forgiveness yourself.And you will never fully experience the freedom of being forgiven if you keep refusing to forgive.The cross is where both meet. Jesus is hanging there…offering forgiveness…while purchasing forgiveness.

The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier or to gain some magical powers but to know God. I need God more than anything I might get from God. Prayer is not about controlling God. It is about surrendering to Him.The victory of the cross began with the surrender of the garden.

For the singles in the….Culture will tell you to settle for convenience. Find someone who makes you happy right now.But Scripture points us to something better. Wait for the kind of love that reflects God’s design. Trust His timing. Because the goal is not just finding someone. The goal is finding a covenant worth building a life on.To the married couples. Marriage was never meant to be perfect. It was meant to be faithful. Healthy marriages are not the ones that never struggle. They are the ones that keep choosing each other.Because covenant love refuses to walk away when things get hard.And the beautiful truth is this. Every love story on this earth is meant to point us to a greater one…The love of Christ for His people.

Culture says test drive everything. Scripture says covenant first.Culture says follow your feelings. Scripture says steward your fire.Guard it now so you can grow it later…and enjoy it the way God intended.

Here is what I think we see here….Feelings start relationships. Pursuit sustains them.That’s why this series is called More Than a Feeling.Because biblical love isn’t passive. It keeps choosing the same person over and over again.

This six-week series walks through the book, Song of Solomon. Many scholars call this the most neglected book in Scripture. We are going to rediscover God’s heart for romance, intimacy, and passion. These are not something to be avoided or abused, but as a sacred gift meant to be enjoyed within His design.

Pastor Bobby led our church into a moment of prayer and abandonment before God—calling us to respond fully to the Holy Spirit. As a church, we believe that without surrender and presence-centered worship, we cannot move forward into what God is calling us to next.

Vision doesn’t move with agreement. It moves with participation.You don’t have to do everything. But you cannot do nothing.Crowds consume. Disciples contribute. Families invest.We believe we are here to lead everyday people to experience Jesus and follow Him in ways that change the world. If City Hope is your church, this is your mission too.Let’s get it started.

Vision doesn’t move forward because we agree with it. It moves forward when we commit to it, together.Scripture says we are members of one body. Not attenders of an event. Bodies only work when parts are connected.John 6.22-36

Spiritual growth accelerates when people know who they are, whose they are, and why they were saved. This series is really designed to lead us (This local body of Christ) into the days ahead. This is not a normal series for us…this is a peel back the curtain series.

Where Jesus is, Joy is.You don’t have to manufacture joy. You don’t have to pretend to have joy. You don’thave to wait for circumstances to improve. You just have to get into His presence.

Luke 1: 5-17Joy doesn’t begin when the promise is fulfilled. Joy begins the moment you trustthe promise.Trust the Promise again | Some of you stopped praying for what still lives in your heart.Bring it back to God.For the weary…Waiting does not disqualify you…it positions you for joy.

we can live on mission because of the confidence we have in the work of Christ on the Cross and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We are not just called to be an audience. God calls the church to be an army. Our mission is to join with our heavenly father in the ministry of reconciliation, we ought to approach that purpose with confidence and boldness not in what we have done but what Jesus Christ has done for us on the cross and what the HE is doing in our lives.

The question is not if God is speaking – but if we are listening.Jesus is my authority, and his Kingdom is my priority.Are you hearing his voice, listening, knowing, and obeying all that he commanded. Jesus was a prophet powerful and word and deed. A holistic Gospel. We don’t want the Great commission to become the Great OMISSION.Isaiah 6:8a; John 10:27; Matthew 28:18-10, 4:17,19,23

Church… I believe this first week is a moment of decision. Isaiah didn’t just see theLord, he responded. When he saw the glory of God, it broke him, it changed him, and itsent him.It’s about a commitment to See God on Purpose.

We started this chapter talking about the big implications of being united with Christ.When you belong to Him, it changes everything. When Christ becomes your life, He changes what you look at, what you live for, and how you love others.

The false teachers in Colossae said, Jesus plus something. Paul says, Jesus plus nothing equals everything.Know who Jesus is | Know what He’s done | Know who you are | Know what to do

In the first 3 verses, Paul is saying here is what I want for you. I want you to know that in Christ alone there is wisdom and knowledge.Paul is warning them of the add-on trap that Satan is setting. Let me show you some of these add-ons that may be affecting your life even today.

Where are you looking for "fullness" outside of Christ? (Career, relationships, hobbies,religious performance?).Live from your new identity...holy, blameless, loved. Stop seeing yourself as an enemyor an outsider...embrace the reconciliationFind Meaning in Your Suffering. How can your struggles, when offered to God, serve tobuild up others in the body of Christ?"Christ in you" is your hope. Your spiritual life is about relying on His presence andpower, not your own willpower.

Unless we put Jesus first in everything, He’s not truly first at all.Making Jesus “Lord” of your life means that He must have the first and last word in allthings that concern you. It means you are called to walk with Him, to prove yourselfvaluable to Him, to please Him and do what He wants, when He wants it, and in the wayHe wants it done.When you truly...once and for all surrender and make Him Lord over it all. It’s the mostfreeing experience in life.

Paul is saying...I want you to know the will of God and the reason I want you to knowthe will of God is...Colossians 2:10 - so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit inevery good work and growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened withall power, according to his glorious might, so that you may have great enduranceand patience, joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has enabled you to sharein the saints’ inheritance in the light.The question that jumps out is...How do I discern Gods Will?

By default we are Children of Darkness – by choice we become Children of Light.Jesus said in John 8.12 | I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will neverwalk in darkness but will have the light of life.

Even though the letters weren’t written to us, they are stillwritten for us.We can learn about Paul’s heart (his passion, his struggles, his priorities).We can learn about God’s character (His grace, holiness, mission, love for thechurch).We can see timeless theological truths that do apply broadly (like the gospel,salvation, unity, humility).Colossians 2

Church—this is what prayer does. Prayer breaks chains. Prayer opens doors. Prayerchanges lives.“Prayer isn’t just powerful when you do it alone, it’s explosive when we do ittogether.”There is life changing power we havethere waiting for us.

Posture isn’t only about how we stand or kneel, but aboutan attitude of submission and reverence before God.Proper posture provides strength...stability, support, and freedom.

Make it a habit to give God your attention. Stillness prepares me for what God wants me to hear. “The quieter the mind, the more powerful and perfect the prayer is.” | Eckhart The Bible is Gods voice and prayer is my response. We when listen is shows that our prayer lives aren’t just a transaction but its based on a relationship. This week, before you ask God for anything, spend time with Him in worship, gratitude, and listening.Make a daily habit of starting prayer with His presence, not your problems.

Mark 5. 1-20Your story isn’t just for you. We use our story in the worship of God. We use our story to point other people to God. We can testify to the miraculous power of Jesus and his authority over hopelessness and despair.Because, we are miracles and walking testimonies of the power of Jesus.

Joshua 1: 1-10God’s Word isn’t just information—it’s direction. You can’t be surprised you ended up inthe wrong place when you ignored the map.Obedience is the bridge between knowing the Word and walking in strength.Joshua was stepping into a new role, and God knew he needed help andguidance.He gave Joshua the rules, but it was still Joshuas decision whether he was going toobey.Just like you and I have the decision every day on what we are going to seek.If you want to be strong and courageous, you’ve got to stay close and obedient.

Luke 12: 13-21 (CSB) Jesus made it very clear...life is not found in an abundance of possessions. It’s found inthose rich toward God.A “rich toward God” life looks like, a life defined by God, measured by eternal impact,rooted in purpose, and fulfilled by a relationship with Him.Life is not about how much do I have? It’s who am I becoming?

[Luke 10:25-37]Because God first loved us, we can love him supremely and love others as ourselves. We can be the hands and feet of Jesus to everyone we meet from day to day.God is not surprised by where we are and what we do. He has given us assignments, areas of influence, whether it be at work, school, your neighborhood, your gym. God knows you are going to come into contact with people who are hurting, struggling, and need the hope of Jesus Christ. And these acts of compassion don’t have to be big but they do need to be intentional.

The Unforgiving Servant -Matthew 18.21-35When we offend, we are called to repent and apologize.When someone comes to us and repents...we must forgive. Not 7 times, but 70x7.We must stand ready with the same compassion manifested by this King.Forgiven people, forgive people.The Christian has to be a person of a forgiving spirit. Holding grudges, allowingbitterness to grow up in your life is one of the most destructive things we can ever do.The application here in this parable is the same that comes from The Lord’sprayer...forgive us our debts, as we forgive out debtors. That’s kinds of a scary prayer topray.If we are not willing to forgive those who have sinned against us, we should neverexpect God to forgive us. – SproulForgiveness is at the very heart of the Christian faith. We of all people should be knownas a forgiving people.

Stories - Week 6 - Lost Sheep and Lost Coin

Stories - Week 4 - Treasure and the Pearl

Stories - Week 3 - The Parable of the Mustard Seed

Stories - Week 2 - The Wheat and the Weeds: Trusting God’s Timing

Mother's Day 2025