We Are Hope Church

Tim continued our series on Whole, focusing this week on forgiveness from Colossians 3:1-12. We were reminded that, as followers of Christ, we are called to throw off our old selves and embrace a new way of living.Looking at Colossians 3:12, Tim encouraged us to "put on" Christ-like qualities: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. When we clothe ourselves in God's love, the challenges and hurts of life do not affect us in the same way.Forgiveness is rarely easy, but Tim shared three important steps we can take:Receive God's forgiveness.Forgive yourself.Forgive others.Forgiveness is often a process rather than a one-time decision. Keep bringing those hurts to God in prayer, asking for His help each day, and continue praying until you are able to genuinely forgive.

Tim begins a new series exploring what God has done in us — both as a church family and as individuals. Speaking from Romans 6:15–17, he helps us see the ongoing work of God in our lives.Tim guides us through the beautiful journey of salvation:Justification — we have been saved (Ephesians 2:8)Sanctification — we are being saved (Romans 12:2)Glorification — we will be saved (Philippians 3:20–21)We are living in the beautiful, imperfect place of sanctification — God is still shaping us, still transforming us, still leading us into Christlikeness.Tim reminds us that true change begins in the heart. It is not about self-powered behaviour modification, but about Spirit-powered heart transformation.He then gives us three practical ways to step into this ongoing transformation:Renew your mind — Romans 8:5–6Surrender your heart — Ezekiel 36:26–27Practice obedience — Galatians 5:16, 22–25God is at work in us, forming us into His people.

Daniel, from 24-7 Prayer Peru, spoke to us from Isaiah 43:18–19, reminding us that God is the God of new seasons. He encouraged us to recognise when God is inviting us into something fresh, and challenged us with this truth:“You can’t say hello to something new if you’re not willing to say goodbye to something old.”Daniel walked us through the journey of Joshua, who transitioned from serving under Moses to becoming Israel’s new leader. He highlighted three qualities that shaped Joshua and prepared him for the new season ahead:Love — It is impossible to truly work alongside someone you do not love. Love is foundational. Exodus 17:9–10Faithfulness — Faithfulness is seen not only in action but also in seasons of waiting. Exodus 24:12–13, 18Vision — Joshua carried the same God-given vision as Moses. Numbers 14:18; Exodus 3:8Daniel reminded us that closeness matters. Joshua stayed near Moses, learning, watching, and growing. Exodus 33:11

Ben spoke to us from John 9, reflecting on the healing of the man born blind. He shared part of his own journey of living with a devastating diagnosis, as well as the heartbreaking reality his close friend’s daughter is facing.Ben invited us to consider three big questions:Why do we face suffering?Does God care, and can He really do something about it?How should we respond when our prayers seem to go unanswered?

Jen concluded our series, The Gospel, by exploring what it truly means to be victorious in Christ.She asked us a powerful question: Are we fighting to win a victory, or learning to live in the victory Christ has already won for us? 1 Corinthians 15:57 reminds us, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”The Gospel is not a battle we are trying to win — it is the announcement of a victory already secured. Our confidence rests not in what we have done, but entirely in what He has done.Jen reminded us that we are victorious through faith. As Ephesians 2:8 declares, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.”We are not striving to make Jesus victorious. We are learning to trust in the victorious Jesus — and to live from the victory He has already won.

Joey continued our series The Gospel, speaking on the theme of Restoration — exploring who we are today and where we stand in Christ.She reminded us that restoration means being brought back to our original state of wholeness — or even better. Through Scripture in Isaiah 59:2 and Galatians 4:4–7, Joey showed us that we are God’s children, adopted into His family, and made His heirs. God walks with us as a father walks with their child, and we can come to Him with the intimacy of saying “Abba — Daddy.”Joey beautifully highlighted that the first part of restoration is rest — learning to rest in Him: in His love, His grace, His forgiveness, and His full acceptance. We are encouraged to come to Him daily, forming a continual rhythm of returning to our Father.We are precious to God, and He longs to keep leading us into deeper restoration.

Tim continues our series on The Gospel, speaking from Romans 6:1–14.He reminds us that the effect of sin is death and judgement, but through God’s grace we receive righteousness and the gift of eternal life — yet we must choose to be “in the boat,” fully united with Christ.Scripture teaches us that no sin is too great to be covered by the grace of God. But this grace invites us into a profound transformation: to be born again, to die a spiritual death, and to leave behind our old self.Through a visual demonstration, Tim shows that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. We are not only forgiven — we are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live righteously and walk in the new life God has given us.

Tim continued our series on freedom in forgiveness, giving us a clear picture of being tangled in brambles — held back from stepping into the fullness of what God has prepared for us. Forgiveness, he reminded us, is God’s way of clearing the path so we can move forward.From Ephesians 1:1–7, Tim showed us that we were designed to be forgiven. Right from the beginning, with Adam and Eve covering their shame with fig leaves, God stepped in with a another covering — the shedding of blood and the gift of animal skins. Even then, God was pointing toward His greater plan of redemption.Tim highlighted three powerful truths from verse 7:“In Him we have redemption through His blood” — Jesus restores us so we might become the righteousness of God.“The forgiveness of our trespasses” — We cannot out-sin God; His grace has no limits.“According to the riches of His grace” — All things, in heaven and on earth, are united in Him.

Tim encourages us to lift our gaze, grounding ourselves in Hebrews 12:1–2 as we look to Jesus.1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.Tim begins our new series, The Gospel, by focusing on Grace.Tim helps us see how God demonstrates His grace toward us:Justice — God always does what is rightMercy — God does not give us what we deserveGrace — God gives us what we have not earnedRighteousness — Christ’s goodness becomes oursJustified — God declares us “right with Him”

Ness Wilson, leader of the Pioneer Network, shared with us at Tim and Jen Keenan’s Commissioning Service from Ephesians 4:1–16.She reminded us that this is a moment for a fresh, new way of operating. Just as with any system upgrade, it can feel tempting to revert to familiar patterns, but Ness encouraged us to trust the Holy Spirit and step confidently into the new.We were called to walk in unity, beginning with grace and mercy toward one another, so that together we can grow into the fullness of what God is shaping in us as a church family.