John Bishop

We've moved!

We've moved the blog! You can get new material straight off my website johnbishop.tv
That is the new site for my blog and videos and speaking schedule. My blog will be there permanently.  If you get this through a feeder, you can update your feeds and links below.

Feedburner RSS Feed

Email Delivery

(bookmark)

We also have a brand new website for Living Hope: livinghopechurch.com

It is very different and extremely unique in that in combines normal informational stuff that a church website would have.  In addition, it has a social networking platform much like myspace or facebook. that brings about greater levels of connection and internet community. There can be thousands of people who are connected together through the site, we have separate sites for all of our campuses and please know that a lot of bugs will be worked out as time goes on. It will get only better and will become far more functional.   

This website virtually connects what will eventually be hundreds of Living Hope campuses around the world.   We will be able to connect with the pastors, share resources, pray for each other, etc.

OK.   Have fun.

Pastoral Confession #1

I have to confess.  I AM A WIMP.   

Michelle is speaking at our women's retreat this weekend. And I hate being alone. I miss her and it has only been hours since she has been gone.

We had some "man time" last night with a couple of the pastors, but the movie was lame and for the 4 of the 5 guys at my house, we were without our wives.  Dismal night. You know what is interesting?  Guys won't admit it, but they can't stand being without their wives.  They just grow a beard and act all tough and when the day is over they aren't.   

We all need our wives.  Yes, I said need.  We only "need" to tell them more.  Hard to be humble, but so necessary in relationships. 

You know what else?  How does a dad get in trouble by his almost 19 year old daughter?  Weird.

Once the guys left, the kids were up (Hannah had friends over) and we were all hanging out and Taylor Clinton (who's 8 years old) asks me to go to the store and buy pickles.  I said "let's call Katie who is on the way home from a movie". We did, Katie proceeds to ask ME if I know what time it is...... It was 12:30 AM. THEN, she asked ME to give the phone to Taylor. I hear 'ya", "I know", "ok".  Taylor gives me the phone back, and she heads upstairs to bed.

I was in trouble.  Not only am I missing my wife and grieving her departure, now I am in trouble with my daughter.

When she and Heather got home, she asks if the kids are in bed, I said ya.  On her way up to bed, she comes into my office, smiling, and says, "Dad when I have kids, I am going to have to give you rules when you babysit".

I only responded with, "I think a better word would be "IF" you have kids and "IF" I babysit......"

I went to bed alone, the dog wouldn't even come into the bedroom. 

I am learning how Jesus must have felt..........

Death by blog

It is a sad day for me.  I have been blogging now for almost three years, and the cool thing we have over 3300 comments and almost 300 posts.   

Blogging has been fun and as long as I can add personal value or value to leaders in the local church, it's worth it.  We will have blogs categorized and are adding over time some pretty cool features.  I am really enjoying being able to write more.  I wrote an article this week for the next issue of Outreach magazine.  Blogging has been a good outlet for that.  I am hoping to do a daily devotional type blog, in addition to the leadership, church and informational posts.

Because more people have asked where I am speaking, etc. we are adding a link for that section.  It will list where and when I will be speaking (churches, conferences, etc).  I know there are a few events in progress that we will be adding as soon as we get the official word.  So keep checking as it is a work in process.

In an attempt to add more value and content, we have created a totally different look, and the best part is we are hosting it ourselves.  Meaning we aren't using blogging software any longer.  This eventually will be for all of our campus pastors as well.  It has taken time to import the comments over, etc. 

I want to publicly say goodbye to Typepad.  Time to move on, grow up, move out on my own.  You have served us well, and you have consistently "been there" for me.    Late at night, I could count on your loyalty and friendship.   Thank you Typepad.   From the bottom of my heart. 

I need to stop, because I am getting pretty teary-eyed about the whole thing.  Breaking up is SO hard to do.

This new site is still a bit under construction and will be updated more each day.  Have patience and give us your thoughts.

I'm going to have a new website www.johnbishop.tv which will be the new blog host. Go and check it out if you want, and if you want to update your RSS feed manually just type in http://livinghopechurch.com/blogs/rss/2128

Otherwise we will be updating our feeds throughout the week.  For the people who already have a Kuzoa accounts, when you want to go to the new website, you can just log on as usual with your Kuzoa info.  It will auto-create an account for you using the settings from your Kuzoa account. 

You will have a new profile page and a new start page on the LHC website, which by the way will be launched this week sometime.

So from today, just visit my website to read the blog.  You can comment there as well.

JOHN

PS
I am pretty excited about the weekend.  I shot a video in Portland this week, specifically for the service.  It went well.  I want to thank our video team who does SO much for so many people.  Their attitudes are good and I appreciate their hearts.    

1 week until Easter.  There is so much going on.  So much that will happen and so much rejoicing in Heaven.  What matters more?

Church in a Bar

We started out a campaign this year called "This Is Your Easter."  I would have never guessed what God was going to do when we created environments of encouragement and empowerment. One example is Treasa and Rick Conn, who with the help of Danny Joe and the rest of our teams, are starting a church in a bar. Specifically Dodge City Saloon (I know, we live in the west). Over the course of the weekend and during the last several days, there has been nothing but incredible momentum, buzz and support over what ONLY GOD might do.  I feel like we're stretching and risking like Paul did, who wrote most of the New Testament. Paul was a legalist, a Pharisee, went to the best schools, from the tribe of Benjamin, he knew more than most in his day, and was respected by most everyone in his day.  Yet when God broke his heart, his faith became break-through and he saw EVERYTHING differently.  Look at the words he told the church at Corinth:

1 Corinthians 9:22-23 says, "...Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings."

I love that!  I try to find common ground with everyone, and do everything so that I might bring them to Christ. The thoughts are pretty radical.  When we broke the news about Dodge City, with over 5,000 people in all of our campuses, I thought that people would be frustrated, and I assumed people wouldn't understand, but it was just the opposite. We didn't hear any negative comments.  Only positive, only encouragement, only support for Rick and Treasa, and in the end, ONLY GOD will be glorified.  Thanks to the owner of Dodge City Saloon who is not only helping finance the campus, but is allowing us to use the facility every Sunday morning for no charge.  Did you get that? Every Sunday morning for no charge.

I hope that we continue to find common ground and do whatever it takes to reach someone for Jesus Christ.  When the day is over, the bar is simply a building.  I'm glad to be a part of a church that always does whatever it takes to reach the next one person for Christ, which brings me to Easter.  The total for Easter services at this point is that we have around 200 homes hosting Easter (Channel 12 at 10:00am). Here's the Easter service times for the Brush Prairie campus (10702 NE 117th Ave, Vancouver WA 98662):
Wednesday at 7:00pm is the taping for the tv program.
Friday services at 5:00 & 7:00pm.
Saturday at 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00pm
Sunday at 9:00 & 11:00am and 1:00pm.
Sunday evening I will be preaching a completely different message on Baptism at 4:00 & 6:00pm. So if you attend a campus or have watched our service on tv and would like to be baptized, you can join us Sunday evening.

This weekend you'll be able to check our website for our other campus service times and locations.

To close, here's a bit of encouragement when it comes to inviting friends and family to Easter:
1. Find common ground with those you know. Accept them like God accepts you. (Rom. 15:7)
2. Be intentional. 
3. Be invitational. 
4. Be unconventional. (Maybe host an Easter House church...)

-John

BREAK-THROUGH FAITH

Big idea from the weekend. 

When your heart is really broken, your faith will be really break-through.

We looked at the story that is told in three of the Gospels (Mark 2, Luke 5 and Matthew 9).  The story of the friends who were desperate enough to bring their paralyzed friend to Christ.  They were friends who were intentional, courageous and creative.  Seeing their friend healed is the only thing that mattered to them, and they weren't going to allow difficult situations to stop them.

I shared about a friend that I knew in High School, whom I did not "seize the moment" with, and the next time I saw him never came. I ran into his brother and he told me the untimely and unfortunate news that Doug had died.  I made a commitment to always reach people and to try and take advantage of every moment, but when the time came, my faith shrank back and I NEVER told him about my faith.  Sucks, but true.

This weekend, we talked about how being desperate as a church to reach lost people won't happen until everyone in the church is desperate for the people in their world.  I guess I get a little passionate about this.

The story of these friends, sacrificing to carry their hurting and "broken" friend to Jesus, is the story of Living Hope. Our story has been people coming to a place of brokenness in their hearts, and then as God stirs or causes what I call a Holy Agitation to reach their friends, their faith becomes break through because they will do whatever...whatever it takes to get their friends to Christ.

We wrote down the names of hundreds and hundreds of people on the banners that are at the road.  All week, if you want, stop and write down the name of a person who you will "carry to Jesus".

We can't wait until "next time" because we don't know.  What we can do is allow our hearts to be broken with what matters to God.  We can always focus on what is temporal, like the roof being messed up or we can keep our eyes on all that matters which is people.

Break-Through faith.  It matters and it is how the world is changed.  One friend, one mess, one person being willing to be interrupted for the sake of Eternity.

Next post I want to share about all the Easter updates.  We have 200 homes (that we know about) who will be opening up their homes.  We have signs for all the homes that are for their yards that say EASTER SERVICE HERE 9:30 AM.
I have heard of SO many stories of people being intentional and creative to reach their friends and people they know and work with.  Businesses closing for Sunday, but opening for church, apartment complexes, retirement homes, the Clark County work release center, and the list goes on and on and on.  Let's not forget about Dodge City....

Those friends lived in Capernaum, which translated means villiage of comfort.  They chose to not be comfortable and to risk and to do whatever it took for their friend.  When the day was over, he got up, walked out and the Bible says the onlookers were "stunned" and they all praised God.

Broken hearts will always result in break-through faith.  Will it be messy to reach your friends?  Will it cost us something?  Definitely, but truly wouldn't it be more messy not to?

Thanks for being the church you are.

John

TALK LESS....SIN LESS

The Bible has SO much to say about words.   

I have been thinking alot and speaking less for the last 10 or so days.  Not because I wanted to but because my voice hasn't "worked" very well.  I am better, but my voice still isn't "there" yet.   

I think so often, we don't stop to really appreciate the things God has done in our lives or gives us to use or enjoy.  For 10 days, at first I thought how I have never been this sick, like I was throwing my own little party.  Then, as the week progressed, I started thinking about how blessed I have been in my life.  Words always matter.  They always heal the people around us or they can be used as weapons to hurt those same people that matter to us and God.  We are all products of words to very large degrees.  I am not sure we quite get how much words matter.  At least I don't and thought a blog devotional may help us.

This verse is a powerful thought and carries with it eternal ramifications.   

"The tongue has the power of life and death..."   Proverbs 18:21

Confession.  Prior to this week, as a speaker or pastor I have never really thought about or NEVER thanked God for the gift of talking.  The ability to use words and speak into people's lives.  Out of necessity, I have, this week thought more about my words.  What to say, what not to say, what I can say with the least amount of words, etc.   

Check it out.  The Bible has a lot to say about words.   

Jesus said in Matthew 12:37, "For whatever is in your heart determines what you say..."

Like in many areas, we so often are sorry for what we "say" and what we ought to be about is getting beyond the spoken word and get to the words in our heart.  Figuring out why we say what we say will ultimately and more permanently change what we say. Jesus reminds us that what we say reveals what is in our heart.  Your mouth is simply the exit point for what was already there.  When people say, "Where did that come from?", Jesus would say, "from your heart."  He was speaking, rather frustrated actually, to the religious leaders who were so about how good they looked and how others could never measure up.  This was one of those times you see Jesus really really not cool with stuff.

What words come from our mouth? When people say, "I just speak what's on my mind", first of all no, you speak what's IN your heart and secondly, why would you brag about that?   

So often, we think we will try harder and not be angry.  I met a person at our Longview campus this last Sunday who boldly admitted how he was angry and wanted to change how he acted and what he said to those he loved.  I loved his heart and it was a privilege to pray for him, but my prayer was that God would reveal why he was angry.

Anger (for example) is always a secondary emotion.  When you unpack it, and get to the "heart" of it you find out that every time you are experiencing anger, you are either hurt, frustrated or fearful.  If I don't change the source, I won't change the outcome.  I have to change how I think, allow the Spirit of God to cleanse my heart, to confess what isn't good, to see different and then the outcome will naturally change.  It is for sure a process.  Trust me.

Another one is sarcasm. I can be so careless sometimes. Really hate that about me and the words I say to people I would in reality die for.  Sarcasm comes from a Greek word "sarkasmos" which means to tear flesh. 

Heck, maybe we will have a whole blog series on words.  So much to say... carefully....

To start with, let's make a commitment to talk less.  Talking less was the thing that made me think about all of this.  For me, it wasn't because I thought about it, it was because God allowed my voice to almost be coughed out of my body.

If you talk less, you will sin less.

Proverbs 10:19 says, "When words are many, sin is not absent."

Did you know that every day we speak enough words to make up a 50-60 page book? The average person speaks around 18,000 words per day.  That makes up a library of books in a year, 100 books a year with 200 pages each.  They say that most people by default talk too much.  Like in fact 35% too much. Talk less, sin less. 

Maybe we should just let this first "words" talk sink in.  Maybe we should think more and talk less.  Maybe before we go angrily into a conversation with our teenagers we should stop to think about where they are coming from.  To think about the words we want to say and process them more through the grid is this what Jesus would say. 

Maybe?

I think when we realize that our words have the power to bring life or death and we think about the ways we have helped each other or hurt each other, we can have a sobering wake up call to the power of our words. 

Let's do this.  How about getting real and practical?  TODAY.  Let's talk less and think more.  Let's make this blog pact together today for our words to be used to change lives.  Words bring healing and life or death and pain.  When you allow that to sink in, it just may change you enough to begin the process.  As we continue to learn, and unlearn, we will over time begin the slow process of being more strategic, intentional and life-giving with our words.   

I have thought more about what I should say, what I shouldn't say, and in some cases what I haven't said. That has been the big 10 day lesson for me.

So, as God leads you, why not encourage the rest of us?  Your stories become things we can share together.

DANGEROUS TRUST

I am pretty excited about Easter.  The service and details are coming together.   

I believe in my heart God wants to do more than we can imagine. I think we have these self-imposed limitations. 

"You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.  I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father." John 14:12-13 

That is such a radical thought.  Anything in the name of Jesus that brings glory to God.  You have to picture it.  Jesus has been with His disciples for over 3 years.  He knows that that historical moment where He will die and raise from the dead is hours away.  Jesus is in this timeless moment, after He washed the feet of His friends, and after He shared His last passover meal with them, He begins what He began when He called them to be His disciples.  He always was about the people He led.  There is the common and intentional thread through His life that was pretty cool. He believed in the people who followed Him.  He spoke enouragement and truth into their lives.  He let them lead, He let them fail, He loved them in a way that was so different and is so captivating.  They gave up everything they knew to be part of Jesus' dream of changing the world.

Some things never change.  Can I say that Jesus believes in you more than you believe in you? Really  He does.  Not only does He believe in you, He wants to do amazing things for HIS GLORY through your one and only life.   

Anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done and even greater works.  This isn't a self-promoting look at me statement.  This is about a God who risked everything for you to know Him.    He is not only about risking, but is also about releasing each of us to do that thing that God has uniquely gifted us to do.  I love that so much.  He believed in His friends and then He released them to begin the church that all of today so much appreciates.  He released them (AND YOU) to do greater works for His Glory.  He releases us to take the message to people everywhere.

Talk about radical?  Talk about dangerous trust.  Talk about letting go of control.  It seems that we over organize and in the process over complicate what I think ought to be organic and simple.  I love churches.  I love pastors.  I also believe that too many churches in the name of religion and control prevent people from being whom God created them to be.

I think lately, as I think about the future of Living Hope, I am most excited to release people, to empower them, to trust them, to help and support them be about that "thing" that God made them to do.  I think our greatest destiny will not be in what we do, but in investing in others.

Easter is in just a few weeks. I can't believe the amount of people that will be hosting Easter services in their homes.  I am excited about campuses that are beginning now, preparing for Easter weekend.  When the vision was announced, I really had no idea it would spark the creativity and dangerous trust in so many people.  It is truly a God thing.

Easter will be one living example of this statement that was said by Jesus 2000 years ago:  Whoever believes in me will do even greater works....  How sweet it that?  We will collectively take Easter to as many people as we can in and around the greater Portland metro area this year.  Our primary focus is taking the message to everyone everywhere, to people who may never otherwise darken the doors of any church.  It is the message and the freedom and the story of Easter that will change people forever.  Our goal is to see thousands saved and connected to local churches around the Vancouver/Portland area. We are working on details right now, call center details, follow-up details, launching churches everywhere details.  Stuff God already has answers for.  After all, it is His church and He promised to grow it.   

We will leverage technology for God's glory and for eternity.  People are stepping up in pretty cool ways. 

We have business owners opening their stores and offices to have Easter services.  We have more campuses starting on Easter than we could have imagined.  AND, we will have all of our normal Easter services at ALL CAMPUSES.

I hope this year will be marked with us Risking more, Releasing more and REACHING more for Jesus Christ.  I hope you walk into a dangerous trust relationship, and believe Him to do even greater works than He has ever done in and through your life.  I am excited, as you risk, release and reach more.

TWO WORDS....

John

PS:  I am still not the best.  My voice is really bad.  Really bad.  I can't believe it.  I sound terrible and feel better.  All good.   I can't wait to see what God will do.