New Hope Church Messages

After Christianity cripples the occultic book business in Ephesus, craftsmen worry their miniature silver idols business could be next. The result is a mob stirred up into a frenzy, which teaches us about the response turning to Christ can produce in those who still love the world.

Some traveling Hebrew exorcists learn the hard way that the name of Jesus is not a magic word or an incantation, and "many" Ephesians turn to Christ after witnessing His power through Paul's ministry in their city. The radical and immediate actions of those new believers remind us just how profound the immediate change produced by the Holy Spirit coming into a person's life is.

What are "evil spirits" and demons? Where did they come from? How do they get into our lives? In this study, we delve into the supernatural world and see what God's Word has to say about this very strange and yet very real phenomenon.

We continue to unpack the strange account found in these two verses by looking at the present-day "Prosperity Gospel," how our actions can release faith, and how sin can sometimes cause physical sickness, pain, and suffering.

In Ephesus, a strange phenomenon occurs as people are miraculously healed by touching Paul's sweat cloths and aprons. We'll dig into what was happening, why, and what it can teach us about supernatural healing in the Church today.

In this final message, we'll hear one more biblical argument for the practice of church membership. And what does a person do if they want to become a member of the church after hearing all the arguments laid out in this series? We'll explain that process briefly in this message too.

What does Jesus have to say about church membership? Lots, actually! In this message, we'll see that Jesus tells His disciples to practice church membership. It's a practice that the King prescribes.,

Is church membership biblical? That's the question this series will attempt to answer. In this message, we look in the Bible at how God’s people have always practiced formal membership. It was practiced when it came to belonging to Israel in the Old Testament and it was practiced when it came to belonging to the Church in the New Testament. When we observe this pattern, it should lead us to ask the question: Can a practice be unbiblical if it is practiced all throughout the Bible?

In this study, we’ll continue discussing practical pointers on how to suffer well in life’s difficult seasons.

If we’re going to suffer, how do we suffer well? How can we bring glory to God and experience as much peace, hope, love, and life as possible in our trials?

It is critical that we correctly diagnose the cause of our suffering so that we can respond appropriately. In this message, we’ll look at the four primary causes of suffering in the life of the believer, and how we should respond in each instance.

One of the most frequently raised objections to Christianity is the problem of evil. How can a good God exist if there is so much pain and suffering in the world? I this message, we’ll explore what the Bible says about this classic existential dilemma.

This isn't the first time we're talking about church membership at Gospel City. This introductory message will explain why we're bringing up the topic again and will lay the foundation for a brand-new series by addressing one of the biggest pushbacks some people give - the claim that local church membership is too rigid.

As we begin to follow Paul’s pivotal three years of ministry in Ephesus, we are reminded of the importance of yielding to the gracious revelation of truth by God. The alternative is a hardening of the heart, which produces disastrous results.

As Paul heads home to Antioch to end his second missionary journey, we are reminded to submit our daily lives, decisions, and plans to the Lord’s will.

Despite things going well in Corinth, Paul begins to see a familiar pattern emerging that usually ends with him being beaten within an inch of his life or thrown in prison, and having to flee persecution before he is murdered. But the Lord comes to Paul as he sleeps, speaks encouragement, and intervenes to change the course of events.

Paul moves on to the city of Corinth, where God "shepherds" Paul by leading him into a season of rest before returning him to full-time ministry with wonderful results.

Paul finds himself on the Acropolis of Athens before the Areopagus - the city’s rulers and leading philosophers, who ask him to share the message he has been preaching in the agora (the city’s marketplace).

After being forced to flee Thessalonica due to persecution, Paul moves on to Berea, where he encounters a synagogue of “noble” men and women who receive the Gospel “with eagerness”.

Once again, Paul’s powerful Gospel preaching evokes strong reactions both positively and negatively, bringing new souls into the Kingdom and stirring up a mob that seeks to drive him and Silas out of Thessalonica with the charge that they are “turning the world upside down.”