a new era ::: hopecity church ::: coming 2011

And so it begins.  hopecity church now has legs.  Truelife Church officially announced on March 14, 2010 that Jenn and I would be sent to launch a new church in SE Portland beginning in 2011.  What started out years ago as a restless thought has developed into a clear call as we seek to carry hope and unleash love as we root ourselves and the Gospel of Jesus in our wonderful city of Portland Oregon.

Currently we are praying and asking God to speak to the hearts of the people He wants to join us in this adventure and privilege of serving Him.  Perhaps you were created and positioned for this very moment to join us.  Pray, seek wisdom, receive counsel, and then let us know...maybe our journey will become yours as well!  Some of you have been waiting for a reason to move to our beautiful city - well, here you go!

Thank you so much for all the love and support we have received from godly counsel, friends, and family.  It is a wonderful thing to be sent to plant a church while in great relationship with those around you!  The future is bright.

Brian Becker
lead pastor
hopecity church

The Actions That Produce The Influence

<sup>I continue to wrestle with the lifestyle of influence - the lifestyle of loving our city, rather than merely preaching at them.  Here are today's thoughts:

These kind of actions....</sup>

¹⁴I put on righteousness, and it clothed me;
   my justice was like a robe and a turban.
¹⁵I was eyes to the blind
   and feet to the lame.
¹⁶I was a father to the needy,
   and I searched out the cause of him whom I did not know.
¹⁷I broke the fangs of the unrighteous
   and made him drop his prey from his teeth.

produce this kind of influence...

 ²¹"Men listened to me and waited
   and kept silence for my counsel.
²²After I spoke they did not speak again,
   and my word dropped upon them.
²³They waited for me as for the rain,
   and they opened their mouths as for the spring rain.
²⁴I smiled on them when they had no confidence,
   and the light of my face they did not cast down.
²⁵I chose their way and sat as chief,
   and I lived like a king among his troops,
   like one who comforts mourners.

These verses from Job 29 show us that whether its our neighbors, co-workers, interest groups, clubs, or organizations...if we will live to serve and fight for those amongst us - we will gain their respect and admiration and our voice will be heard.

On the contrary...nobody wants to hear your message, if you are not willing to first love, defend, and serve.  This serving lifestyle is not natural in American culture, so as Christ-followers its up to us to FIND ways and LOOK for opportunities to serve and love as Job did, as Jesus did, and as went have been sent to do.
 

Love the world.  Proclaim the Gospel.  In that order.


These are the convictions that are fueling my life right now.  I'm excited to be a part of a program that mentors fatherless boys, but beyond programs I want to slow down in my day to day life and look for opportunities to serve and love.


Push back: What have you found difficult or exciting regarding actions that produce influence?