Living Hope Church

09/02/2026

Marshall Segal writes in his Desiring God article titled “The Bitter Fruit of Fearing Man”: 👇

“Fear of man, unlike other more glaring sins, often hides itself behind various masks of love. It stalks the fearful and vulnerable while wearing camouflage, covering malice with the appearance of safety, warmth, kindness, even selflessness. It preys on friendships, marriages, families, churches, and workplaces, often without anyone noticing it. And because it kills without a gun, it covers its tracks well. At least for a time.
While the fear of man may be difficult to discern or detect in the moment, the wreckage left behind tells us everything we need to know…” 💯

I know that for some of you this quote says it all. You’re plagued by the fear of man. 🤯

And while you have a hard time seeing it in the moment, you are able to look behind you and see the wreckage that it leaves in your life. 😭

Is there any way to be free from the grip of fear of man? 🤨

God answers that question with an emphatic yes! As is the case with all of our problems in life, God supplies us with grace in the gospel. 👊

Every one of us enters this world with a heart naturally bent toward the fear of man. And becoming a Christian doesn't mean that struggle immediately disappears. Fear of man continues to exert its influence in our lives. 😅

How do I know? Because one of the pillars of the Christian faith, the apostle Peter himself, was gripped by the fear of man. And this morning, we're going to watch one of those moments unfold before our eyes. 👀

God was gracious to include this story in Scripture to comfort us in our weakness and to challenge us in our sanctification. 😌

So, friend, how aware are you of the fear of man’s presence in your life? Wherever you are, let faith arise in your hearts, dear friends because the gospel frees us from the fear of man so that we can live in step with the truth of the gospel. 🤗

Listen to the full message here: https://lhcfayetteville.churchcenter.com/episodes/734425?media_intent=audio

08/26/2026

Sunday felt like a dream!

In addition to an exciting building announcement, we had the joy of hearing our good friend Gary Ricucci preach God’s Word.

His message on fellowship is already accomplishing so much good work in the lives of many in our church.

Having Gary and his wife, Betsy, with us this weekend reminded us how deeply grateful we are for our partnership in Sovereign Grace Churches and for the friendships God has given us through this family of churches.

Listen to the message here: https://lhcfayetteville.churchcenter.com/episodes/730834?media_intent=audio

08/21/2026

Our mission as a church is to know God, enjoy Him, and make Him known!

One of our favorite rhythms for carrying out our mission to know and enjoy God is our annual Women’s Retreat!

This weekend, more than 35 ladies from Living Hope will gather around God’s Word to study, sing, and celebrate the grace of God in the gospel.

Please pray that God would draw near to these women as they draw near to Him!

08/19/2026

The other day, a friend of mine was telling me about a Disney cruise that she and her grandchildren had just returned from. While exploring her cabin, she noticed something rather unusual in the bathroom—a scale. 😱

She thought it was strange that there was a scale in the cabin, but curiosity got the best of her, so she stepped on it. And to her great delight, she discovered that she was ten pounds lighter than normal! 😲

Now, you can imagine how happy she was about that news. She felt better about herself. She ate a little more. She celebrated a little more. She enjoyed the vacation a little more because she thought she had ten fewer pounds to worry about. 🤗

But when she got home, she stepped on her scale—and there were those ten pounds again. She hadn't lost ten pounds at all.
She eventually discovered that the scale on the cruise ship had been rigged. It was ten pounds off, giving everyone who stepped on it the impression that they were doing better than they really were. 🥺

Doing better than they really were… is a rigged scale the secret to living in Christian freedom the way God intends for us to live?
Is the good news of the gospel only good news to those who step on a scale that lies to them? Is Christian freedom really free or is it actually an illusion? 🤨

The gloriously good news of Galatians 2 meets us right in the middle of those questions and answers with an emphatic no- the gospel is good news because it’s true- and the truth of the gospel sets us free to know God, enjoy Him, and make Him known. 💯

The opponents of Paul’s gospel are basically telling the Galatians of stepping on a rigged scale. They're being told that Christ isn't enough—that they must add something to Christ in order to truly belong to God. 😑

These people are enemies of the cross who want to enslave God’s free people. But Paul’s message in Galatians 2 is Christian freedom was secured in the finished work of the cross. Don’t add to it. Don’t take from it. Rest in it. 👊

Listen to the full message here: https://lhcfayetteville.churchcenter.com/episodes/726955?media_intent=audio

08/12/2026

Last week, the North American Mission Board posted a picture of a man behind bars with the following powerful description: 👂

“Jeremy Stewart faced a life sentence for residential burglary. California’s three-strikes law. A future lost in prison. Pastor Jeremy became fully devoted to Christ while in prison and knew that if he got another shot at life outside those walls, he didn’t want to waste it. His sentence was commuted.
Jeremy was freed. And he wanted to make it count.
He graduated from seminary and planted Breakthrough Church in San Diego. The man who once faced a life sentence now proclaims Jesus to others. Since launching: 78 baptisms with another 12 planned this month!
Our God… Still redeems. Still restores. Still calls. Still sends.” 🤯

What a powerful story! 💯

What could have effected such a radical change in this man’s life? The answer to this man’s problem and ours is the same: the gospel! 👏

But because this message possesses such power to save, the enemy is always at work to change it. But friend, if you change the gospel, you lose the gospel. And if you lose the gospel, you don’t get God. ✊

That’s the heart in this morning’s text. Paul wants us to know that the gospel has the power to save sinners…don’t change it, don’t lose it, just proclaim it. 🏹

The gospel is God’s message of free grace to guilty sinners. Don’t gut God’s gospel. 👆

Listen to the full message here: https://lhcfayetteville.churchcenter.com/episodes/723194

08/07/2026

Church family, happy news, CHURCH MERCH is BACK!

Put your order in before September 20.

Let's rep Christ with our mouth and our merch!

Make your order here: https://www.createmytee.com/Join/395922

07/30/2026

Conquer through the LORD!

6PM | Canfield Home

See you there!

07/28/2026

For the last six and a half years, I've had the joy of watching God write a beautiful story of grace at Living Hope Church. ⛪️

What began as a struggling church plant with an uncertain future has become a vibrant church family filled with new believers, baptisms, weddings, children, and countless reminders of God's faithfulness. None of it is because of us. It's because God loves His church. 🤩

One of the greatest convictions the Lord has given me is this: God loves His church far more than we do. And His desire is that His love for His church would become our love for His church. 💯

Psalm 122 reminds us that church is more than a place we attend. It is a people we love, a family we pray for, and a community whose flourishing we actively pursue.🙏

May God make His church the dearest place on earth in our hearts.

"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the LORD!'" — Psalm 122:1

Listen to the full message here: https://lhcfayetteville.churchcenter.com/episodes/713902

Preacher: Matt Gray Text: Psalm 122