INKLINGS
GANGSTER’S PARADISE
DIARY OF A COLLEGE KID
Pastor Dave Gilpin teaches you how to dig
The Switch, a sensational semi-autobiographical
Whitefields Leadership College student Matt
through your emotional layers to find the true,
story that took one man into the thick of the
Hooks shares his diary with us, documenting a
life-guiding passions that dwell beneath.
criminal world.
rollercoaster year.
HOPECITY.CHURCH
GANG
STER’ S
We are , one church in twelve locations. An amazing number of experiences ♥. The Future We See:
10,000 PEOPLE GATHERING ACROSS 30 LOCATIONS OF ONE CHURCH 1,000 DINNER PARTIES HAPPENING ACROSS 5 CONTINENTS 2,000 VISION PARTNERS UNITED TOGETHER ACROSS THE NATIONS IN ONE VISION 3,000 DEDICATIONS TO CHRIST ACROSS ALL OUR LOCATIONS IN ONE SINGLE YEAR 500 STUDENTS TRAINED FOR LEADERSHIP & MINISTRY IN ONE YEAR IN ONE COLLEGE 10 INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS OF CITY HEARTS ACROSS THE WORLD WITH ONE MISSION
E KID
10
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9 NEVE R AL
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PARA 42 DISE
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INKLI 22 NG
P em y ast ot ou h or D lif ion ow av e-g e a ui l la to d Gil di y p ng ers ig th in pa to ro tea ss fin ug ch io ns d th h yo es th e t ur ru at be dw e, ne ell at h.
S
17 F IS F OR F
AMIL Y
We th ask ey ed th ey love our ’re L a in bou oca vo lve t a m tion s di i n, nis wha ta try t ke al oo k!
HOP E C IT Y. C HURC H
Dave & Jenny Gilpin
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GLOBAL SENIOR PASTORS
Welcome to the ninth issue of the Hope City Magazine.
I
f you’re new to Hope City then WELCOME! We hope you find us authentic and friendly and genuinely interested in who you are. In all we do, we try so hard to mix faith with reality. We want to develop people who have both a real ear to hear and understand the complexities of life, as well as a confidence that God not only “gets it” but He’s already found a way through those complexities if we trust in Him with all of our hearts. “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past for I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 God can do astounding things, unusual things, incredibly loving things as well as things that maybe don’t mean a lot to other people, but mean a lot to you. He knows and speaks your
love language more than anyone else does. The greatest miracle though, is found in God becoming a baby, then a boy, then a man in the form of Jesus Christ and, in the knowledge that we would need help in our failings and sins, dying for us upon a cross. It’s through that death that we can receive not only total forgiveness for everything that’s fallen short in our lives, but also total empowerment through the Holy Spirit to live strong, faith-filled lives that make a huge difference to the world around us. This coming season belongs to you! Let’s rise up into our destiny and see His amazing plans come to pass before our very eyes.
Dave & Jenny Gilpin Dave & Jenny Gilpin GLOBAL SENIOR PASTORS
“FORGET THE FORMER THINGS; DO NOT DWELL ON THE PAST FOR I AM DOING A NEW THING! NOW IT SPRINGS UP; DO YOU NOT PERCEIVE IT? I AM MAKING A WAY IN THE WILDERNESS AND STREAMS IN THE WASTELAND.”
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01.
You definitely can’t stay a stranger very long at this church – we are now part of the Welcome Team!
DINNER PARTIES
Accra
Building church and God’s kingdom on Sundays can be busy at times, with setting up and serving on teams each week. It can feel like a really big place with no time to really connect with other people. Dinner Parties have been a great way for me to get connected, build friendships and break down the message from Sunday’s service. I love the different food themes each week and putting my cooking skills to the test!
03. YES COURSE
The Yes Course sky-rocketed me from having a desire to learn more, to allowing Jesus and the Holy Spirit to move within and become a part of my everyday life. It gave me a detailed understanding of God, and JOIN A TEAM his plans throughout history as well as all he has I joined Hope City Leeds planned for in September London the future. I 2017 with no “Every team is learnt that connections different, but God wants to anyone and the support and a relationno plan. Being the love that I ship with us part of teams am surrounded and that the has given me foundations with is always a whole new of a strong family that incredible” WELCOME relationship I didn’t even PARTY is trust, beknow were We first found out about lief and an unwavering out there. It has opened my Hope City when Pastor’s commitment of those who eyes to the way that God Karen and Ali ordered from want a relationship to work. can move and it is a joy to our pastry shop for some One analogy that will stick be serving alongside people church events. When we with me forever is that in who have such a heart for came to Hope City Accra, most religions, you can what they do. Every team everyone we met welcomed follow rules and essentialis different, but the supus very warmly and somely build a staircase to the port and the love that I am thing about our interaction Father but what the Yes surrounded with is always with the members just felt Course taught me is that incredible. It’s allowed me real. Once we God is the to develop and grow in my started atone building journey with God and his “everyone we tending sera staircase plan for my life. met welcomed vices we were down to us so us very warmly... invited to the that we can It helped us Welcome Parjoin Him. As Leeds learn more about a result, my ty. It helped the church as a us learn more life has been whole” about the far richer in church as experiences, a whole, infriendships cluding its purpose, goals and happiness. and most importantly how BAPTISM we could recreate our experience for others by beI grew up in a Christian York household, but I always coming active members.
04.
We want church to be so much more than a gathering; we’re building a hit factory designed to help you become the person God created you to be. We’ve developed clear pathways to help each of you BELONG, GROW, BUILD and then GO. We asked people across our Locations what they love about different parts of the pathways and how they’ve ‘walked the line’ to maximise their life and destiny.
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Wa l k the Li n e
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knew that I did not want to be baptised, I didn’t think that I was ‘ready’. I felt as if I had to obtain a certain level of Christian status before I could do so. When they announced the date of baptisms it landed on my dad’s birthday and I knew this was not by coincidence but was God. Since being baptised I realised God had always lived my life been chasing “The spiritual under the gifts masterclass after me and spiritual umhe was just was amazing in brella of my waiting for that it showed parents, not the perfect me what really having opportunity my spiritual a personal to heal my strengths are.” relationship heart, restore with Jesus. my faith and When my dad fill me with joy! Being baptised isn’t what I thought unexpectedly passed away I wanted but God knew it it changed my life forever. I was exactly what I needed used everything possible to and being able to do that on distract me from the pain, my dad’s birthday turned relying heavily on the hapa memory of sorrow into piness I would receive from one of joy which will forother people. At the time I ever remind me that God’s didn’t realise that all I was promise still stands, he is doing was running, this faithful and his love is evwasn’t filling my void but erlasting. instead masking the hurt and pain. I couldn’t understand why God would take my father from me and my family. In my first year of university, I started attending Hope City Birmingham and had found what felt like my new church home. Baptisms were being announced and I already
Birmingham
06. DISCOVER THE VISION When we did the Discover the Vision lunch, we really enjoyed finding out about
the history of Hope City and how the church was formed. We love that the church vision is the same in all the Locations, so we are able to worship wherever we might be on a Sunday. The preaching is so vibrant and exciting, and we love the friendly atmosphere and being part of a church family. We love attending Hope City Newcastle. The growth in church is so encouraging and we love the enthusiasm of everyone. We look forward to starting to serve in team and love being part of the Dinner Parties.
Newcastle
of discernment, and since doing the class, I have been deliberate in leaning into that gift in my everyday life. It has meant that if I get an inkling about a person or a situation, I now have the confidence that that inkling could well be a whisper from Heaven – and something that I can act on!
Sheffield
08. DISCOVERING PARTNERSHIP
I love being a Partner in the Vision because it’s like becoming a member of the family. I really feel right at the heart of things; not just serving a vision, but that the vision belongs to me. It’s so cool to get the inside SPIRITUAL GIFT track on where we’re headMASTERCLASS ing so that I’m able to be I’ve always sort of known right at the forefront of takwhat I’m practically good at ing us in to our great future. and what I don’t really enTo be part of the core of our joy doing. I think from bechurch, standing togething a kid, you er with our go through Partners and “Not just serving life working holding up a vision, but the out what your the arms of vision belongs to our Lead and strengths and weaknessme.” Senior Pases are. The tors is a real Spiritual privilege and I can’t wait to Gifts Masterclass was see what unfolds next. amazing in that it showed me what my spiritual strengths are. I realised that I have the spiritual gift Liverpool ■
07.
Freedom isn’t a place; it’s a journey.
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Matt Hooks is with 16 others at Hope City 15 September • M
Matt Hooks is with Paul Benger 24 October • M
Just done ‘den’ building and forfeit jenga with new friends - lots of laughter. So much fun doing team building at the peak district.
Blown away by the lectures this past term. A highlight has got to be Paul Benger’s lectures on theology. 12 likes
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View 2 other comments Jamie Baker AGREEEEEED!!!!!
Matt Hooks 21 November • M
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What a week! Both physically and mentally exhausting, but so worth it in the end. This conference has impacted 100’s of lives and I’m so proud I had a hand in it. Bring on the next one!
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Matt Hooks updated his profile picture. 26 September • M
11 Indah Kalebos, Jamie Baker and 13 others
Whitefields Leadership College is a one-year course with an optional second year. Matt Hooks, a recent two-year graduate shares his diary with us, documenting a rollercoaster year.
162 likes
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Luke Hitchen is with Matt Hooks and 19 others 4 March • M
View 24 other comments Bryony Hammal Can I have your hat????
Eyup! So excited to take Yorkshire on’t mission! Romania here I come! Philip Hitchen, Daniel Walker and 12 others
Tom Woodhouse Dreamy
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Di ary o f a C o l l e g e Kid
Matt Hooks
Matt Hooks
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Romania, you have been incredible. It’s been one of the most impacting 10 days of my life. So proud of the team and everything they have imparted! Until next time Romania, can’t wait to see you again!
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You can find more information about our college and how to apply at: whitefieldsleadership.college
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The dreaded preaching exam is today ... Pray for me! 12 likes
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Lois Willis How did you go? Matt Hooks OK I guess!
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Dan Hawkins OK? You were epic!!!
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Matt Hooks was at Hope City Sheffield 25 May • M
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That’s it! Final conference is officially over. Such an incredible week preparing and then serving. As tough as they can be, I really am going to miss doing them!
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Joe Dunys Gosh! I remember when I went on mission way back when. I went to Poland...but best two weeks I’ve ever spent. Nothing like being Jesus to those who need it most. Adam Bond How many chuffin’ photos did you take!!!!
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Joe Dunys When are you going to do College, Bond?
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Matt Hooks 15 July • M
Keith Kaselampao 24 March • M
Only just realised I missed your birthday last month!! Happy belated Birthday Matt Hooks. Sorry lol. Sorcha Rooney, Maggie Bough and 132 others
Can’t quite believe it’s the last day of college today. What a year! It has definitely changed my life forever. I sure will miss everyone, but excited to see what God has in store for us all! Ian Harding, Jo Willis and 243 others
“And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.� 1 PETER 3:21
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Like any good family we are a whole mixture of people, life stages and interests coming together. Our ministries create a space for everyone to find their fit with people running in the same lane. Find out more from people who love them, from all over Hope City!
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Whizz Kids
Neon Youth
I’ve been with Whizz Kids for a year and half and it’s my perfect fit; teaching and mentoring these amazing little ones. These kids wear you out Sunday after Sunday but by the next Sunday I’m like a mother who has gone through labour - I just yearn to go through it all over again!!! Children, for me, express God’s greatness because while they have no worries at all from their innocence, they still have this very inquisitive mind and the opportunity for me to satisfy this innocent curiosity is such a blessing. I look forward to us making Whizz Kids a model Christ-centred child development centre so that we can create even greater impact than we’ve already done in the community.
For the last 4 years, I have chosen to give my Friday nights to Neon Youth because of the overwhelming conviction that this generation needs an encounter with God and Neon does exactly that! As a team we get to watch teenagers overwhelmed with the love of their heavenly Dad. I get to be part of a team that creates such a beautiful culture and atmosphere that breathes life back into each youth’s soul.
Beverly / Accra
Michelle / Leeds
We get the chance to display the delight that we’ve experienced. Neon is a glimmer of hope to a broken generation, banishing the notion that they have to be a certain way for them to be seen, heard, loved or wanted. I am overwhelmed I get to be a part of the lighthouse that helps to guide so many back home.
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F i s f or Fa m i ly
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Hope City KL Representin’
I come away from events encouraged to believe God for greater things in my business and to hold firm to my convictions, to continually do the right things, which may at times be contradictory to what others may say or do in the cut-throat business world. If you are a new business, established business or a budding entrepreneur, Business Colab will be so refreshing for you.
Alpha
John & Susan / Newcastle
Students
Julie / Liverpool
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Being part of the Student Team at Hope City Liverpool has really helped me to grow stronger in my faith and deeper in my relationship with God. I’ve loved the opportunity to serve in church whilst studying at university. As a self-confessed home bird, the thought of moving away from familiarity to embark on university life seemed extremely daunting, however by being part of the team, I’ve found myself surrounded by a real community, it’s the best support network! I’m seeing God use our team to inspire and support students throughout their time at university. God’s really at work as we laugh together, share our worries and see our prayers answered! Entering my final year, I am excited about my role of welcoming more new students into the life of Hope City Liverpool. Seeing fellow students gain confidence and step into what God has planned for them during this season is the most exciting thing to witness. Moving to university can be terrifying but knowing that there is a team who are rooting for you to succeed and become all that God wants you to be is amazing!
Young Adults
Kimberley / Sheffield Serving on the Young Adult team is one of the highlights of my experience within Hope City Church. It’s all about connecting with people and spending one-on-one time with them outside of a Sunday setting in order to build a genuine relationship and grow their interest in church life. As a team member you gain a sense of responsibility for another person, and they trust you to help them with their spiritual, relational and practical problems. For me, serving on this team has been hugely rewarding.
I’ve seen people come to Christ and have their lives changed, and I’ve made so many new friends. It has helped me learn to love helping others and grow in confidence in speaking with new people and making them feel at home both with me and at church. You feel a great sense of pride and joy for the person you’re mentoring when they have a breakthrough with their situation, and when you see them get increasingly involved in church life. Watching my mentees get baptised has definitely been a high point! This is one-on-one kingdom building. Jesus himself stressed the importance of leaving the 99 to go after the one!
“I’ve seen people come to Christ and have their lives changed, and I’ve made so many new friends. It has helped me learn to love helping others and grow in confidence in speaking with new people and making them feel at home both with me and at church.” As members of the young adult team, our part in building Church is crucial. We help those we mentor feel like they have a personal connection to church, and through our unconditional love for them, we give them a glimpse of Jesus.
Business Colab Miran / Sheffield
As a new business starting out on my own, I found networking to be a key component to growing my business. However, I also found that everyone at networking
As a couple, we love discussing life’s big questions, such as: “what do occasional tables do the rest of the time?” or “do you know another word for thesaurus?”. So we jumped at the chance to facilitate a group which asks: is there more to life than this? It’s such a privilege to host Alpha at Hope City Newcastle, setting a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere where people can explore faith and encounter Christ. We’ve found the DVD series to be well presented with sound teaching, thought-provoking questions and humbling testimonies. It’s a blessing to meet and get to know such a diverse group of people who’ve signed up for the course. It’s not just people who’ve been along to church previously, we’ve also had people who found us online and Alpha has been their first experience of church. We’ve been really encouraged seeing some people who arrived in week one - clearly apprehensive - gradually growing in confidence, finding their voice, passionately engaging in the discussion and then taking the decision to be baptised. It’s definitely increased our faith. Alpha keeps our thinking fresh and relevant as we share with those in our world.
She Is
Laura / Frankfurt Here in Frankfurt we have a fantastic group of women involved in the She Is ministry and I love getting to be a part of that team. Everything from Bible studies, social events and breakfasts with the mums, to themed evenings with ministry and lots of
fun together, it is such a joy to serve in this area of church. I love being able to connect with women of all ages, from encouraging other mums, to supporting younger women and serving at church on Sundays. I have such a passion to see the women of Germany come to know Jesus personally and as a team we get to be a part of this. We have the opportunity to encourage women to keep going, to not give up and to continually pursue all that God has for them. A key Bible verse for me is: ‘And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.’ - Galatians 6:9. This is something I very much believe for our She Is ministry; that in every season as we bring God’s goodness into all we do, we will see many women find belonging, hope and restoration in Christ.
Creative
Ryan / Kuala Lumpur I’ve been part of the worship team for just over 18 months at Hope City KL. I love being part of it because you get to see the congregation grow as you stand on the platform and look out. Seeing people impacted when they come forward to respond to what’s been preached is so humbling and keeps me sensitive to the Spirit of God at work in people’s lives. Being part of serving in the team has brought growth not only to my technical skills, but my faith journey as well. I’ve learned the importance of investing time to grow in my spiritual capacity, practicing excellence in both my skill and strengthening my relationship with God. This helps me to be more sensitive to the Holy Spirit, which ultimately improves the quality of genuine worship and not just noise that my team and I are able to offer as a whole. On top of this, the friendships I’ve formed in the team have been instrumental in my growth as a Christian. Knowing that I’ll always have people who will spur me on and keep me accountable through the ups and downs of my journey. They inspire me to press into God so he can be revealed through me and make it easy for a new person to be caught up in the beautiful presence of God. We set a platform for the service to flow from and it’s an honour to help build that here in KL. ■
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events appears to have the same goal - which is to sell their own business or service. The culture and environment of the Business Colab is very different. With no hidden agendas, the Business Colab aims to provide encouragement, support, and advice; which is very refreshing. I love that the Business Colab helps us to dream bigger.
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“This is the bread that comes down from Heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from Heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.� JOHN 6:50-51
I nkl i n g s
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Your inner desires are completely linked to the will of God for your future. If you delight in Him, the Bible says, He will grant you the desires of your heart. Yet you’ll never truly be able to find them or follow them if you’re driven by demand, fear and conformity. In this article Pastor Dave Gilpin teaches you how to dig through your emotional layers to find the true, lifeguiding passions that dwell beneath.
Recently I double booked a dinner date with Jen, and made a massive vocabulary error when telling her I’d cancel my other plans. I told her it was a ‘bit of a sacrifice’ - and in classic Jenny Gilpin form she replied that if it was going to be such a sacrifice, then I could put the dinner where the sun don’t shine! I have a feeling it is the same with God. We can be full of so many complaints and find ourselves dragging our feet and always thinking ‘Do I have to?’ I want to say on behalf of God, if it is going to be such a sacrifice, then you can place your obedience where the sun don’t shine. God trades in love, and love trades in desire. If you have lost your desire then you’ve lost the magic that started the whole thing. It began with a love for God and a love from God, not sacrifice. Even doing nothing for God for the rest of your life is better than doing God’s love a disservice by dragging your feet along the beautiful pathway that is filled with the precious, loving blood of Jesus Christ.
God is looking for a desire and for a mindfulness of Him that changes what you do from a demand to a delight. He wants to build an atmosphere of desire, passion and love.
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W
hat you are currently desiring is possibly your future. Your inner desires are intrinsically linked to the will of God for your life. If you delight in Him, the Bible says, He will grant you the desires of your heart. Yet you’ll never truly be able to find them or follow them if you’re driven by demand, fear or conformity.
In Psalm 37:4 it says to ‘take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.’ Why would God give you the desires of your heart, unless that is the will of God? It would appear to me that the will of God is wrapped with the wrapping paper of desire.
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God is crazy about your desires for a number of reasons. 1. The first reason is because it reveals love. The greatest presents that my wife gets are when I get her spontaneous presents, because there was no need: just love. It’s the same with God: He takes the pressure off you to not have to do anything you don’t want to, which creates an opportunity for us to bring voluntary gifts. These are more precious to God than anything done in duty. 2. The second reason is because it reveals worship. Real worship needs options: it needs to be something you choose, not something you choke on. In the west we have thousands of options. Choosing God is beautiful because you could have an okay life without Christ, but you chose to follow Him. God is stripping us back from have to, got to; to love to, get to. You could do nothing and God
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There are a few levels of emotion we need to carve through before we reach the layer where our desires meet with God’s will.
The Four Layers of Emotion:
There are five levels of our desires we need to get in touch with.
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3. The third reason is because it reveals real excellence. After 33 years of marriage, if Jen repeatedly reminds me of a job that needs doing around the house it can easily move from being a delight to a demand. If something is a demand, I am only going to do it half well, but if I do it out of delight, I am going to do it brilliantly. When you can keep everything in the realm of desire, God will get excellence, but if it moves into the realm of duty, He will get far less than our best. The horse of desire always pulls the cart of diligence, commitment, consistency and a magnificent obsession with excellence. Right now, if you feel like God is demanding something of you, take it off. Know He loves you as much before you do anything as after you do everything. If you think He has more for you, another level and another challenge, you are not obliged to do it. Jen and I travelled 10,000 miles, 27 years ago from Brisbane to Sheffield to plant a church - but we did not have to. God offers an invitation of love, not a demand of duty. Stop being driven by condemnation and allow yourself to be driven by desire.
LEVEL 1: A LIKING An attraction, a curiosity, an inclination, a soft spot, a fancy, a wish, a taste. It’s the mildest kind of desire, but it is still a desire.
What you are currently desiring is possibly your future. Everything starts with a hunger.
LEVEL 4: A HANKERING A pining, a craving, a fervour, an aching.
LEVEL 2: AN INKLING
There is an unease in you that’s trying
A niggle, an itch, a fly in the room, a restlessness, an unease.
to push you out of your nest of predictability and comfort into the new pathway of progress.
You are steamrolling your inklings when you’re led too long by ‘I’ve got to.’ Your complaining becomes noisier than your inklings. Come back to the inklings.
LEVEL 5: AN OBSESSING A
drivenness,
a
smitten-ness,
an
infatuation, a consuming, an addiction and absorption.
LEVEL 3: A SEARCHING
Most of the greatest breakthroughs
A wanting, a yearning, a hunger, an eagerness, an excitement, an urge.
in science and invention have come through Level Five desires.
“True worship isn’t duty, it is a whole-hearted engagement. It’s a heart thing. God is stripping us back from have to, got to, to love to, get to.”
LAYER 1: OUR VOLATILE EMOTIONS Anger, spite, hate, recklessness, rage, jealousy (mixed with the virtuous emotions of the fruits of the Spirit).
LAYER 2: OUR VULNERABLE EMOTIONS Anxiety, fearfulness, disappointment, sadness, loneliness, rejection, inferiority.
LAYER 3: OUR VISIONARY EMOTIONS Desire to win, desire to be significant, desire to live for a higher cause, desire to make a mark.
LAYER 4: OUR VICTORIOUS EMOTIONS Righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Joy contains your deepest desires.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is— his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:1-2
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won’t love you any less than He loves you right now. True worship isn’t duty, it is a whole-hearted engagement.
To dig down into your deeper emotions in order to discover God’s will for your life, you need an altar. A rededication of your ambition to God, to say to God, ‘everything I have is yours’, and then refuse to be squeezed into the pattern of thinking on this world. Stop being overwhelmed by the top layer volatile emotions and dig down until you find the deep-seated emotions of peace and joy.
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There is something exciting in the depths of your heart. Put your life on the altar and grab that desire. Your future will be found by it. ■
For more articles, quotes and scribbles from Ps Dave Gilpin, or to watch Pastor Dave’s ‘Inklings’ message preached live, go to: davegilpin.com
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In every prison, detention centre, rehab clinic and hospital ward lie the forgotten. Yet, one by one, people are realising that they are actually the unforgotten - the remembered, the noticed. Siobhan, one of our City Hearts staff, writes about her experiences taking the City Hearts ‘About Face’ programme into the criminal justice system in Britain and seeing hearts stir as the spotlight of love and care falls upon them.
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y day starts in the New Hall Prison visiting room, meeting Sophie*, my first client of the day. The cold room with old foam padded seats is very different to the blue skies and green grass outside, and Sophie looks tired and defeated.
viction and time in a Young Offenders prison. We’d met with her and her alcohol worker, and had helped her join a volunteering organisation in order to fight one of the main barriers to her recovery: boredom.
living in the community surrounded by the things he is trying to move on from, so it’s difficult. We know there are always bumps in the journey for the people that we work with, and we try to support them through them all. If Trevor is open to us visiting him in prison while he serves the remainder of his sentence we will. When he’s released we will do everything we can to support him as he integrates into a new community, and rebuilds his relationship with his kids.
“she was referred to the About Face programme with a history of substance misuse from an early age, which led to a burglary conviction and time in a Young Offenders prison.”
All our clients access our services because they want to change, but only four weeks in Sophie was recalled to prison after being found working the streets trying to earn money for drugs and alcohol. It’s rarely an easy road.
We are some of very few visitors that she gets. We talk about what educational programmes she’s enrolled in, what her plans are for the next few months and by the time we say goodbye, she’s perked up and looking forward to the afternoon and to getting outside for a few hours. On my drive to my next appointment I get a call from the police. It’s about Trevor, one of my clients who has been doing really well. But now he’s broken his licensing conditions and is being recalled to prison. It’s a blow - Trevor had strong motivation to rebuild his life and most importantly to regain contact with his children. But he’s
CITY HEARTS WAS BIRTHED OUT OF HOPE CITY CHURCH AS A MINISTRY OF RESTORATION OF LIVES TORN APART BY THE BLIGHT OF HUMAN SLAVERY AND LIFE CONTROLLING ISSUES.
325 For the first time in years, Brian feels motivated towards something positive and can see himself in a stable job. It’s a big win for him, and it’s great to have helped him to get there. Each day as an About Face key worker brings new challenges for me and for the clients I work with. It’s never straightforward, and sometimes the setbacks can be discouraging, but there are still so many positives. We never give up on a client, and we celebrate each victory no matter how small, as they represent a step forward into building a brand new life. Being part of that transformation is so rewarding. ■
“On my drive to my next appointment I get a call from the police. It’s about Trevor...”
My final meeting for the day is a good one. I go to see Brian at his home. He has a cup of tea waiting for me and a huge smile on his face as he tells me he’s got a job. Three months ago we connected him with at a local community centre where he completed an employability skills training course, his local Job Centre arranged an interview for him, and we arranged for a fantastic charity to fit him out with a brand new suit.
About Face supports men and women who have a history within the Criminal Justice System and are vulnerable to reoffending behaviour. Through a designated mentor, the team prepare individuals for the transition from incarceration to integration into the community, helping them live positive and fully restored lives. This service forms part of City Hearts commitment to starting at the source, supporting not just survivors but also perpetrators, to create a better society.
*Names and places have been changed to protect the identity of those involved
W E H AV E SA F E - H O U S E D 3 2 5 WO M E N & M E N R E S C U E D F R O M M O D E R N S L AV E RY
880 W E H AV E H E L P E D 8 8 0 P E O P L E T H R O U G H O U R O U T R E AC H A N D LO N G T E R M C A R E ( S O M E O F W H O M H AV E B E E N T H R O U G H O U R SA F E H O U S E P R O G R A M M E )
180 W E H A V E M E N T O R E D 1 2 0 C H I L D R E N A N D 6 0 A D U LT S T H R O U G H O U R C H I L D - PA R T N E R S H I P P R O G R A M M E I N A F R I C A
60 W E H A V E H O U S E D 6 0 C H I L D R E N D I R E C T LY A F F E C T ED BY HUMAN TRAFFICKING
55 T H R O U G H O U R PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H T H E C O - O P W E H AV E S U P PORTED 55 SURVIVORS INTO WORK THROUGH OUR BRIGHT FUTURE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME
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W E H AV E C A R E D F O R 2 5 WO M E N W I T H L I F E - C O N T R O L L I N G ISSUES IN OUR RESTORE RESIDENTIAL PROGRAMME
IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS WITH OVER 150 STAFF AND A STRONG BASE OF VOLUNTEERS @CITYHEARTS
CITYHEARTS.CO.UK
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We met seven months ago when she was referred to the About Face programme with a history of substance misuse from an early age, which led to a burglary con-
S TAT S
“He said to them, “Put your net over the right side of the boat. Then you will catch some fish.” They put out the net. They were not able to pull it in because it was so full of fish.” JOHN 21:6
Gr a n d D e s i g n s
HOP E C IT Y. C HURC H
Colin Davies
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Although Church is the people, we believe in the steeple. We have Grand Designs of how we can create spaces that our cities will know and flock to. Here’s an update of some of our building projects.
O
ur dream to build a new home for Hope City Sheffield has been on our hearts for many years. It has been both exciting and encouraging to start to see the dream becoming a reality. Someone once said ‘if you can accomplish your vision without the miraculous hand of God, then your vision isn’t big enough.’ Well our vision is certainly a God vision by that definition. It’s a vision not only for a new building in Waverley, just off the Sheffield parkway, but to expand our
of writing), but we are all hands on deck to see its sale come through.
Like any journey, this one has plenty of highs and lows. We have seen favour and challenge alike in the past 12 months. We are now on the cusp of being able to secure the land for the building in Waverley, and land for a large car park and have submitted our planning application, which has gained excellent feedback up to now in the pre-submission stage.
As always one of the greatest challenges to a project of this scale is financial. The continued and faithful generosity of our church has been nothing short of incredible. Our prayer is that as we put our best foot forward financially, God will open doors of influence and favour which will fund the project in its entirety.
“Waverley is more than just a building. It’s a people thing!” We recently confirmed the sale of our building in Leeds, which will release funds to invest into Waverley and allow our Leeds Location to pursue their new season of church growth. The sale of the Sheffield Megacentre has still yet to complete (at the time
One of the great privileges of this journey, and at the very core of who we are, has been to build relationships and links with local community members, partner organisations and businesses at Waverley. Both corporately and individually we get to share our story with people almost daily. These authentic relationships are ultimately what we are about. Waverley is more than just a building. It’s a people thing!
You can find more information about the Waverley project at waverleyishome.org
venue options are really different. We prefer the warehouse on the ground floor but it seemed like all our ‘big weekends’ had already been booked out by large organisations holding events on campus. Our frustration turned into a hunt to find a long-term venue for church.
Kuala Lumpur Joel Burden
Early 2018 started with an itch. We’ve done church pop-up style every week and our church venue is situated in a sought-after campus in a busy neighbourhood of Kuala Lumpur, full of bustling weekend crowds and festivals. The crowds are obviously great for exposure, but they make it really hard to secure venue bookings; each week we only find out a few days before, which venue on the site we’ll have. It’s made for a really flexible team and keeps us on our toes but it’s meant the consistency for new people isn’t there and building momentum has been hard as the two
I‘d heard of a theatre space in a nearby shopping mall, so I went along to meet them and boldly asked if I could block it out every Sunday for the next year - but as soon as they discovered it was for a church, I was met with a very clear ‘no’. I got back into my car and remember praying (probably from a place of frustration more than anything else) that God would provide us with a permanent venue for our church services. I walked back into our church office that afternoon to be met by the owner of the campus, who asked for a meeting. We sat down, and he began to tell me about the ideas he had for the future of the campus - including a plan to renovate a permanent space for our
“It’ll be a creative space where gifts and talents can be honed and bring the gospel to life.”
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work and grow our influence and impact across the UK and beyond.
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Gr a n d D e s i g n s
We’re raising funds for the production kit out that’s needed to make this venue work really well. It’ll be a creative space where gifts
Quick update
and talents can be honed and bring the gospel to life. Back in May 2014 when Emma and I, along with Pastor Dave and Jen came to Malaysia to scout out the land prior to our move here a few months later, the very venue that’s being repurposed into a place of worship was instagrammed by the owner captioned ‘we’re ready to move’.
uary 2019 we will enter a new chapter and we wish at this moment in time we knew exactly what that looked like. As usual God likes to keep you walking forward one step at a time and that’s exactly what we are going to do.
Many lives have been impacted within these walls and more importantly by the people who have gathered here. But as of Jan-
What we do know, is we have an amazing building right around the corner that God is leading us to. In 2014, Pastor Phil Pringle prophesied over us the following words – unbeknownst to him (and all but 4 people) at the time we had just decided to put our building on the market. He prayed: ‘“Fear not, for I am with you” says the Lord. “No door that is closed against you right now will remain that way, it will open. If you knock, I will open,” says the Lord. We see a beautiful building that God’s going to give you. You need to knock on the door to get that building.
Birmingham
Liverpool
Frankfurt
We need a new home, and we’ve been looking everywhere! There are a number of opportunities for us which we’re excited about out. We’ll keep you posted!
We’re busrting at the seams and are really excited about stepping into new territory in Liverpool as plans are afoot for a new home for us in the city. Stick around!
We are believeing for a new season of growth and we need a bigger space. We’re expectant and are in talks for our next venue coming soon. Stay tuned! ■
Our declaration and belief is that God is about to move. As He sets us up with a permanent space, He’s going to demonstrate what happens when people make a home for Him in their heart. They become fruitful, strong, reliable and empowered for purpose. That’s what is happening to this congregation as walls are put up and seats laid out. A devoted space makes room for hundreds more to gather each Sunday - we’re just getting started.
To see a video of the latest developments, check out hopecity.church/kl
Leeds
Gosia Denham
S
old! That’s where the journey continues (at the time of writing). After nearly four years of waiting, negotiating and a lot more waiting, the Leeds Megacentre, in July 2018, finally exchanged hands to a developer who will turn it into apartments. It really is the end of an era.
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church services. That’s the kind of answer to prayer we’re all looking for - fast and just like we’ve asked for! The miracle is unfolding, but we’ve spent a few months working with the designers to create a 250+ seater auditorium with church services in mind that can be rented out by other organisations which will help pay for the renovations in time. We wrote down our wish list and finally got to see the designs in June 2018. Contractors have put bids in and work is underway.
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Check out what’s happening in your location at hopecity.church
HOP E C IT Y. C HURC H
I
had attended Hope City Church from the age of seven for about seven years, being involved in Whizz Kids and Neon Youth - but as a teenager I decided it was not for me anymore and stopped coming altogether. After leaving church I always felt there was something missing.
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Not yet in her twenties, Jess saw firsthand the desperation that loneliness mixed with mental-health problems can lead to. Heartbreak drove her to look for more, and in that she found a caring God. This is Jess’ story.
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accepted. The guilt built up to such a point that I couldn’t leave the house without an intense suffocating anxiety. My school work and grades suffered, my behaviour along with it, and soon I found myself constantly in detention. I started having counselling during my final years at school and was diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder. I found myself dependent on medication to get me through each day. It was then that I decided to reach out to some of my old friends from my years at Neon Youth. I got in touch with a girl who had left too and we bonded as we started talking about struggling with the same problems.
“during my final years at school and was diagnosed with an Anxiety Disorder. I found myself dependent on medication to get me through each day”
I joined the air cadets, but that didn’t help. Trying to fill the loneliness, I threw myself into friendships at school. I tried to gain approval and popularity at school by getting involved in under-aged drinking, smoking and spending lots of my evenings with the wrong crowd - but at the same time, I was lying to my parents, living a double life. I convinced myself that I HAD to do it all to be
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Never A l o n e
When I went to my friend’s funeral, I met loads of people from church who I hadn’t seen in years. The openness they showed and the fact that they were genuinely interested in my life, eventually led me back to church.
I felt a little relief. After a few months, though, the pressures and issues she was fighting overwhelmed her. She took her own life. I was devastated. That was the final straw and it left me completely broken.
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Life was bleak and one day I began to think that in order to find peace from what I was facing, I had to do the same as her. But before I could do anything with that thought, my phone started ringing. It was a friend that I hadn’t heard from for years. I didn’t answer but she kept calling. When I eventually picked up the phone she said she had called me to tell me I was loved and that she was thinking of me. In that moment I knew someone or something was looking out for me. God was on my case.
Even after that decision, it didn’t get any easier. I almost turned my car around to go home that first Sunday, but something stopped me. When I got there, I was greeted with the same acceptance and openness, and before the service even started my heart was feeling full. At the end of the message the pastor asked for anyone who wanted to commit their lives to God to raise their hand. I had no intention of doing so. But I felt that God was very clearly trying to connect with me and urging me to respond, so I raised my hand.
“I was devastated. That was the final straw and it left me completely broken” From that moment my life began to change. I kept coming to church. I joined a Dinner Party and the Photography Team and began to find true friendships that didn’t come with expectations or demands but rather acceptance. I no longer felt lonely or the need to prove myself. I belong here. I belong to Jesus. There have been times since then that have knocked me down and made me
want to walk away, but through God’s help and the community I have been able to keep going with support and encouragement on every side. God has given me a new confidence in myself and I’ve begun to step out in areas I never thought I was capable of. In the past I was so fearful of relationships and where I would go in the future. Now after learning and understanding that God loves and cherishes me no matter what I do or what I think of myself, I have a peace and hope and can look into the future, confident that He has it all under control. I am no longer anxious about fitting in or belonging somewhere. I no longer feel worried about what I am doing in the future, and as of this year I am no longer dependent on medication to get me through the days. It hasn’t been an easy journey and it has taken a lot for me to get here. I can now confidently say how proud I am of myself and how grateful I am to God for where I am today! ■
If Jess’ story has moved you and you’d like to get in touch or if you’d like to find out more about Jesus, then check out hopecity.church/ discover.
“Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey;” EXODUS 33:3
G a ng s ter ' s Pa r adi s e
HOP E C IT Y. C HURC H
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Drug dealing, violence and hatred for life, are things you would usually associate with a film or television series. The Switch is the brand new book from our very own S J Otten, showcasing a sensational semi-autobiographical story that took one man into the thick of the criminal world where he thought there could be no way out. He did eventually escape, but with a whole lot of scars. Here’s an extract from the book.
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I
didn’t really have a plan with regards to my future career in crime. It wasn’t as though I had aspirations of being the next Frankie Callaghan, but I had made a conscious decision that if I was asked to do anything for him, then my answer would invariably be yes. I realised it was a pretty risky attitude when dealing with a man like The Boss, but I had long ago been seduced by the criminal underworld.
I was involved in a world quite unlike any other, and watching Frankie I realised I was in the presence of not just a gangster, but of a businessman unlike any other. The man carried a presence that demanded instant respect. This was not simply down to the fact that physically he was a colossus. It was more to do with how he conducted and presented himself. For such a large man he had a quiet manner and was well spoken.
Always smiling, his presence was authoritative yet approachable, his demeanour confident but never cocky. I couldn’t help but be impressed by him, but I wasn’t under any false illusions. A man like The Boss didn’t have the kind of reputation he carried because he occasionally smiled at people and spoke nicely to them. He could be the very worst of men if you found
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yourself on the wrong side of him. That was something I would witness first hand. One evening I received a text message asking if I could drive Frankie to a meeting the next day. I replied “Yes,” without hesitation. I arrived at The Boss’s dockside apartment at dawn to find him standing next to a brand new Range Rover. “Park yours up over there. You’re driving this today” he shouted to me. Every time I saw Frankie he was in a different car. His paranoia of being followed and a love for top-end cars was the reason he gave for this. The Boss was carrying a large holdall, which I took from him and placed into the boot, before getting in the driver’s seat and making myself comfortable. On the way out of the city, Frankie instructed me to make a couple of stops to collect Ronny and Hassan, two large and well known doormen who I knew fairly well from working with them. I could only assume that the fact that Ronny, Hassan and I were in the car meant this was a very serious trip, and whatever was in the boot of the car was a very important package. We made the journey over to Leicestershire without incident and arrived at a hotel on the outskirts of the city after a couple of hours of travelling. Drop-
ping The Boss and his two henchmen at the entrance to the hotel, I parked up, retrieved the holdall from the boot and followed the three men into the hotel lobby. Ten minutes passed before another group of four men walked in and headed straight over to the check-in desk. One of the men approached the desk and, after a short conversation, was given the key to a room. The group walked off and about thirty seconds later Frankie received a text message with the room number for the meeting. “We’re on, so you two stay here,” Frankie issued his orders to Ronny and Hassan. “Just keep your eyes open.” The Boss had changed his persona instantly. He was straight into
to detail - especially when meeting other notorious criminal figures, such as Frankie Callaghan. This day was no exception. An obscure hotel in the middle of nowhere, miles from the places both men usually conducted business. Everything was done to avoid potential prying eyes. “Let’s get down to it, kid,” The Boss said to Giuseppe, embracing the much smaller man as he entered the room. I followed behind the two men into the main room. Instinctively, I looked for quick exits and potential weapons in case things turned sour. I didn’t exactly know the reason I was there, but I assumed it was to offer a level of protection, so I wasn’t going to take any chances.
“You’ve just seen your first multimillion pound deal, lad. How’d you feel about that?” business mode. “You ready to learn a thing or two, kid?” he asked, looking straight at me. “Let’s do it,” I replied, unsure of what ‘it’ was, but ready anyway. Reaching the room, The Boss banged on the door. “It’s me,” he said. Seconds later the door opened and the shortest of the four men we had seen in reception, stood in front of us. “Well, don’t just stand there,” said the man, “get yourself in here, big Frankie, before you get us all noticed.” The guy standing in front of us was Giuseppe di Nattale. He had been bringing drugs into the United Kingdom for almost thirty years and had managed to escape the attention of the authorities for all of that time. This had been mainly because of his renowned attention
The other three men with Giuseppe remained seated, relaxed and non-threatening. This reassured me that what was happening was a straightforward business transaction. The Boss had been dealing with Giuseppe for many years and he trusted him more than anyone else he conducted business with. However, Frankie seemed to not trust anyone fully, hence the presence of myself, Ronny and Hassan. Frankie took the enormous hold-all from me and passed it over to one of Giuseppe’s henchmen. “It’s all there, lad, as always,” said The Boss, snarling a little, his honour hurt as Giuseppe’s henchman unzipped the bag and suspiciously began to explore its contents. “What are you doing?” screamed
the Mediterranean businessman, striding across the room and slapping the hired muscle across the face. Out of nowhere, the small, seemingly inoffensive middle-aged man had turned into a beast. “If you ever disrespect a friend of mine again it’ll be the last thing that you do!” Staring into the eyes of his employer, the cowering giant was left in no doubt that Giuseppe would fulfil his threat if necessary. “I’m so sorry,” said Giuseppe as he handed a heavy looking black briefcase to Frankie. The smaller man obviously embarrassed by his henchman’s actions. “No sweat, Sepe. I understand mate, it’s no problem,” Frankie replied. “Ok Frankie. Thursday, usual place, usual time?” said Giuseppe. And with that, both men embraced and The Boss turned toward the door. I followed behind him. As we walked down the corridor, back toward the entrance lobby, Frankie turned to me. “Now, that is the way you conduct business. Five minutes, in and out,” he said. “You’ve just seen your first multimillion pound deal, lad. How’d you feel about that?” I didn’t really know if I should feel privileged or terrified. Privileged that he trusted me enough to witness him at work, or terrified that I was now potentially implicated in a major, class A drug deal. ■ S J Otten is the director of About Face - a restorative programme for those who have found themselves caught up in the Criminal System; operating under the umbrella of City Hearts UK. He lives in Sheffield and is happily married with one very intelligent and gorgeous son. The Switch will soon be available at the Hope City Shop.
S m a l l P eop l e B i g Influence
HOP E C IT Y. C HURC H
Every Sunday, church is filled with a vast blend of people, arriving from different cities, different homes, all with different occupations. Although we couldn’t speak to everyone, we thought we’d hear from some of the people that carry great influence within their working week and catch a glimpse into why they do it and what has bought them to this point in life. We hope you enjoy it.
A little frail woman answered the door. It was obvious that we couldn’t hand over the heavy box, so we gestured that we would carry it to her attic bedroom. In the room there was a single bed, a camping stove and a black bin bag containing her possessions. As we handed over the food parcel I noticed from the corner of my eye that something was moving on the bed. I thought, “oh my word. It’s a rat!” On my second look, I realised that it was a new-born baby. Once outside, I cried and cried. I felt as though I was putting a plaster on a gaping wound. I remember uttering a simple prayer: “Lord, if it is your will, let me be an influence to the i n f lu e n c e rs .” Unbeknown to me that simple prayer would turn my life upside down. After several prophecies from visiting guest speakers, I was released
from the church leadership team to enter the political arena. I didn’t have a clue of what to do! I just started to show up to meetings and campaigns. I stood in a local election and took part in a political mentoring course. Over time, I felt that God was saying that I shouldn’t pursue elected office for He had a unique role for me that would combine my twenty years of church ministry experience with my passion for politics.
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I
will always remember the day that I received the phone call. As the Megacentre Director, I was asked to deliver an emergency food parcel to a young woman in Sheffield. I was eight months’ pregnant at the time, so I quickly grabbed one of our receptionists to carry the box.
I am now the Director of Christians on the Left. I have the unique opportunity of walking along the corridors of power in Westminster. I influence 2500 Christians in the Labour Party, over 40 MPs and even the leader of the Labour Party. I spend part of my week in parliament, meeting politicians; praying and prophesying over them. The rest of my time is spent resourcing and encouraging Christians to show up; to be salt and light in the political arena God has called them to.
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My forties have been a decade of reinvention. I am not sure what God has in store for me, but I am confident that it is good.
s e i v a D e s i u o L SHEFFIELD
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joined Hope City Church four years ago, coming out from the mainstream evangelical church.
the church to find our present new location and build from scratch, I knew I had finally found my space to be of service to God.
It was a stream of church I never felt a part of. I would attend church on Sundays, participate in the odd church programme but felt alienated and didn’t feel included within the church family. I did not sing, was not very sociable and my busy schedule with my work did not allow me to get involved in the weekday activities at church. I knew I was extremely blessed and was grateful, but I still felt that I was not serving God well.
I found relevance in Proverbs 22:29 which tells us “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men”. Every time I see the auditorium filled and see new members, I feel truly grateful that He gave me the privilege and honor of building His church. I now fully understand what that verse means to me!
As the owner of a successful Interior Design and Construction firm, I was always cognisant of the role my faith had in my workplace. My aim was always to focus on being a positive influence to my staff and clients. My mother’s life and that of her family had been dedicated to the service of God in the traditional sense: preaching, mentoring etc. and I’d always had a yearning to do the same. On a chance visit to a Hope City Church service; I saw the need to build a new stage and to revamp the ‘Connects Corner’ and jumped at the chance to help. I stepped in because I had the experience to do it and even though I had not decided at that point to be a member of the Church, I guess at that time I just wanted to fit in. As a result, I felt a part of the team working there and felt a sense of belonging for the first time. When the opportunity came up last year for
As Christians, it is very important for us to realise that our gifts and talents are not always for accumulating money but there are opportunities to use them to expand God’s ministry. Leo Buscalgia, says “Your talent is God’s gift to you and what you do with it is your gift to God”. I recognise this, that God is the one who gives us the conviction and the talents to pursue a career, and He is able to draw out our potential even in the oddest situations in our lives. The most difficult part of that journey will be how to get there, stay there and be relevant in our Christian walk and service to God. Let’s all grasp the bigger picture and be our true self so that we can be an influence in Hope City. Our church motto of “Be You” goes further than just the slogan, it means that we should be influencers with whatever God has placed in us. We can change the face of Christianity throughout the nations. ■
A
g n o p r a doma S ACCRA
“As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.� MATTHEW 13:23
07.09.18
SHE IS EUROPE
09.03.19
SHE IS ASIA
FRANKFURT, GERMANY
23.09.18
FIRST FRUITS
16.03.19
PARTNERS BALL
11.10.18
C3 CONFERENCE EUROPE
24.03.19
DREAM OFFERING
20.10.18
SHE IS AFRICA
21.04.19
EASTER PRODUCTION
02.11.18
THIS NEW REPUBLIC
23.04.19
PRESENCE CONFERENCE
SHEFFIELD, UK
16.12.18
CAROLS EXPERIENCE
18.05.19
THE HEIST PART DEUX
06.01.19
DREAM SUNDAY
21.05.19
LEAD SUMMIT
22.02.19
SHE IS CONFERENCE
ACCRA, GHANA
SHEFFIELD, UK
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
SHEFFIELD, UK
SHEFFIELD, UK
Please note that the schedule is subject to change. Check our website at hopecity.church for the latest updates.
Hope City is a part of C3 Global - A movement of over 500 Churches and locations worldwide, under the leadership of Phil and Chris Pringle in Sydney Australia.