It's easy to feel overwhelmed by New Hope Christian Fellowship Church in Oahu. Consider the following: a mid-week teaching service and five packed worship services every weekend; a daily radio program and a weekly television program; multiple small groups and ministries; concerts and courses; nine sold out performances of Les Miserables that we enjoyed from our front row seats last Sunday; an Easter service at the Blaisdell Arena that drew 23,500 people; and a worship album by their praise team that has reached the top five on the Billboard charts.
It's also easy to feel intimidated by the accomplishments of Wayne Cordeiro, New Hope's founder and gifted senior pastor. In thirty years of ministry, God enabled him to grow New Hope to its present size while planting more than one hundred and twenty-five affiliated churches. He is the president of New Hope Christian College in Eugene, Oregon. He has authored a dozen books, including Jesus: Pure and Simple, The Irresistible Church and Leading On Empty, the three books that Marja and I have completed. And he played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, a role that he performed superbly.
Predictably, New Hope Church and Wayne Cordeiro have their critics. An atheist accused the church of underpaying rent at the public schools that they used. A local journalist took aim at Pastor Wayne's earnings and real estate holdings. Other pastors have accused him of preaching a self-help gospel, proving, once again, that it is all too easy to be envious of a colleague's success.
In our experience, Wayne Cordeiro's sermons and books have been biblical, Christ-centred, authentic, humble, accessible and practical. We look forward to every opportunity to hear him speak and we are certainly enjoying his writings. From what we can tell, he fits Luke's description of Barnabas: "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord" (Acts 11:24).
I could be easily overwhelmed, intimidated and even envious of New Hope and its pastor. By choosing appreciation instead of envy, I find that it is just as easy to be inspired.
- Pastor Peter
It's also easy to feel intimidated by the accomplishments of Wayne Cordeiro, New Hope's founder and gifted senior pastor. In thirty years of ministry, God enabled him to grow New Hope to its present size while planting more than one hundred and twenty-five affiliated churches. He is the president of New Hope Christian College in Eugene, Oregon. He has authored a dozen books, including Jesus: Pure and Simple, The Irresistible Church and Leading On Empty, the three books that Marja and I have completed. And he played Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, a role that he performed superbly.
Predictably, New Hope Church and Wayne Cordeiro have their critics. An atheist accused the church of underpaying rent at the public schools that they used. A local journalist took aim at Pastor Wayne's earnings and real estate holdings. Other pastors have accused him of preaching a self-help gospel, proving, once again, that it is all too easy to be envious of a colleague's success.
In our experience, Wayne Cordeiro's sermons and books have been biblical, Christ-centred, authentic, humble, accessible and practical. We look forward to every opportunity to hear him speak and we are certainly enjoying his writings. From what we can tell, he fits Luke's description of Barnabas: "He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord" (Acts 11:24).
I could be easily overwhelmed, intimidated and even envious of New Hope and its pastor. By choosing appreciation instead of envy, I find that it is just as easy to be inspired.
- Pastor Peter
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