At HBF we are committed to coming alongside all who are sincerely seeking to learn more about God and connecting with others in grace-filled relationships. WHAT TO EXPECT ON SUNDAY MORNING:
Our's is a friendly, relaxed and welcoming environment where you are free to explore the hard questions of life and faith that you may have: about God, the Bible, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, why we are here
on this earth, etc. Its a holistic, relational approach to ministry that helps you connect, learn, grow, serve, and "go" tell others, so come as you are whether you are in your workout clothes, jeans and a tee shirt, casual clothes or something a bit more dressy. More importantly, come as you are in body, mind and spirit. Be refreshed, encouraged, or challenged on any given Sunday in our celebration service. Vibrant worship and Biblical teaching, practically applied for everyday living are close to your home. Come check us out on your journey of faith and discovery on Sunday mornings from 11:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., and start connecting with God and others. There is a Sunday school hour for adults from 9:45 - 10:30 a.m. When you get here you can expect to see faces from around the world that is increasingly reflecting our multi-cultural community. Musically you will encounter a blend of contemporary Christian worship music and and some more traditional hymns. With families of various ages and life stages, our music reflects our desire to create a place of worship where young and old can be ministered to together. Pastor Southard received his Masters of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfieild, IL and brings into the ministry his real world business and military experience, in addition to being a dedicated husband and father. A graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, he served seven years as an Air Force officer, working on a Masters Degree in Administration at the same time. Following his military service, he worked diligently building a business from the ground up before responding to God's call to serve Him in the pastorate. I HAVE AN INFANT/TODDLER
Your children are always welcome in our worship services at any age, but you are invited to place them in the care of our Little Lambs (ages 0-2) or Tiny Turtles (ages 2-4) for the full duration of the service as well. The nursery and classrooms open at 10:45. your child's safety, security, and food allergy concerns are our first concerns. You will need to sign in your child at the children's ministry desk. A minimum of two teachers, helpers, and/or caregivers are present in each classroom. Tiny Turtles will receive an age appropriate lesson, do a craft, and receive a snack. We are sensitive to food allergies here, so please let us know if your child has specific allergies. If so you may need to bring a specific snack. No peanut products please. I HAVE A CHILD AGES 5-11
We value family worship together, so your child will start out in the service with you. Just before the pastor speaks at around 11:30, a slide for our Kid's Power Hour will notify our kids its time to go to their classrooms where our teachers have prepared an age appropriate Bible lesson for them. While most kids prefer KPH, others or their parents prefer they remain in the service with them. I HAVE A TEEN
Our youth group for middle and high school students meets on Sunday evenings. Youth sit with their parents on Sunday mornings, and then connect in the evening for some fun and a lesson from our youth pastor Alan Crawford. As with our smaller children your child's safety and security are always paramount, and the same precautions are taken for our teens as for toddlers and infants. GOING A LITTLE DEEPER: WHO WE ARE
WHAT WE BELIEVE & ASPIRE TO BECOME
One of the first questions people want to know about us is “What does your church believe about…?” Here are the foundational doctrinal truths we hold to here at Hope Bible Fellowship Church. In one God, Creator of all things, holy, infinitely perfect, and eternally existing in a loving unity of three equally divine Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Having limitless knowledge and sovereign power, God has graciously purposed from eternity to redeem a people for Himself and to make all things new for His own glory. BIBLE. God has spoken in the Scriptures, both Old and New Testaments, through the words of human authors. As the verbally inspired Word of God, the Bible is without error in the original writings, the complete revelation of His will for salvation, and the ultimate authority by which every realm of human knowledge and endeavor should be judged. Therefore, it is to be believed in all that it teaches, obeyed in all that it requires, and trusted in all that it promises. HUMAN CONDITION. God created Adam and Eve in His image, but they sinned when tempted by Satan. In union with Adam, human beings are sinners by nature and by choice, alienated from God, and under His wrath. Only through God’s saving work in Jesus Christ can we be rescued, reconciled and renewed. PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. Jesus Christ is God incarnate, fully God and fully man, one Person in two natures. Jesus-Israel’s promised Messiah-was conceived through the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He lived a sinless life, was crucified under Pontius Pilate, arose bodily from the dead, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father as our High Priest and Advocate. WORK OF JESUS CHRIST. Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins. His atoning death and victorious resurrection constitute the only ground for salvation. HOLY SPIRIT. In all that He does, the Spirit glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ. He convicts the world of its guilt. He regenerates sinners, and in Him they are baptized into union with Christ and adopted as heirs in the family of God. He also indwells, illuminates, guides, equips and empowers believers for Christ-like living and service. RESPONSE & ETERNAL DESTINY. God commands everyone everywhere to believe the gospel by turning to Him in repentance and receiving the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world, assigning the unbeliever to condemnation and eternal conscious punishment and the believer to eternal blessedness and joy with the Lord in the new heaven and the new earth, to the praise of His glorious grace. THE CHURCH. The true church comprises all who have been justified by God’s grace through faith alone in Christ alone. They are united by the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ, of which He is the Head. The true church is manifest in local churches, whose membership should be composed only of believers. The Lord Jesus mandated two ordinances, baptism and the Lord’s Supper, which visibly and tangibly express the gospel. Though they are not the means of salvation, when celebrated by the church in genuine faith, these ordinances confirm and nourish the believer. CHRISTIAN LIVING. God’s justifying grace must not be separated from His sanctifying power and purpose. God commands us to love Him supremely and others sacrificially, and to live out our faith with care for one another, compassion toward the poor and justice for the oppressed. With God’s Word, the Spirit’s power, and fervent prayer in Christ’s name, we are to combat the spiritual forces of evil. In obedience to Christ’s commission, we are to make disciples among all people, always bearing witness to the gospel in word and deed. PROMISED RETURN OF JESUS CHRIST. In the personal, bodily and premillennial return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The coming of Christ, at a time known only to God, demands constant expectancy and, as our blessed hope, motivates the believer to godly living, sacrificial service and energetic mission. OUR ASPIRATIONS. We desire to become a people who...
CONTINUALLY SEEK GOD. People who hungrily pursue Christ’s heart, seeking to know Him, to follow His will and to share His values. This becomes the agenda for our personal life and for the life of our church. ARE IN & OF GOD'S WORD. His Word is the authority and guide for our attitude and Godly conduct. Consistency in and through His word and through prayer helps foster greater intimacy with God. LOVE GOD & LOVE THE CHURCH. People who embrace Christ’s love for Him and for one another, recognizing it as the heart, soul and business of God. The natural result is living a life of vibrant worship 24/7. ARE GOD'S SERVANTS. People who submit ourselves to Christ to bring about His will, and to sacrifice as He did for the glory God and the souls of men – to be the hands and feet of Jesus. SUBMIT TO THE AUTHORITY OF GOD. People who eagerly take orders from their Lord, a yielding in love, and willfully enter into accountable relationships with fellow believers that we remain spiritually refreshed and dynamically effective for Him. ARE TEACHABLE. People who are seeking from God and others to grow in wisdom regarding the Lord, life skills, relationships, and in the work of the ministry of the church. ARE HUMBLE. People who are seeking to esteem others as better than ourselves. UNDERSTAND THE TIMES WE LIVE IN. People who seek to deal wisely within our culture and our relationships (i.e. home, workplace, church) and will know how to rightly apply God’s truth to the practical issues of that culture. HAVE INTEGRITY. People who value godly character and the purpose and plans of God above personal gain whether money, this world’s goods, praises or pleasures. ARE TRANSPARENT. People who have no hidden agendas. We are open regarding our failures and weaknesses, recognizing there are no perfect people. We are known as an authentic and sincere people of God. INTENTIONALLY REPRODUCE OURSELVES. “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” 2 Tim. 2:2. BOLDLY DECLARING THE LOVE OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. A people who proclaim to good news of Jesus Christ through our lives and by our words. WHERE WE COME FROM:
OUR HISTORICAL ROOTS & GOVERNING STRUCTURE (POLITY)
Hope is an evangelical, independent/autonomous (free), church and are affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America (EFCA). The EFCA is an association of about 1,250 other autonomous churches united by a mutual commitment to serve the Lord Jesus Christ with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to the Word of God. We share a commitment to cooperating with one another in ministry and fellowship as we seek to fulfill the Great Commission which Christ entrusted to His church. Our Statement of Faith (above) explains our doctrinal beliefs. WE ARE EVANGELICAL. Evangelical refers to our commitment to the proclamation of the Gospel or good news of Jesus Christ, and to the authority of the Scriptures as the only safe and sufficient guide to faith and practice. To this end we share a common heritage with many other churches of many different denominations of Christianity. WE ARE A FREE. Free refers to the autonomy of local churches, as well as to a congregational form of government – each church is free to govern itself, and so depend upon the active participation of lay people in their decisions and ministries. Our church is affiliated with but not formally governed by our national and district offices who serve our local churches as leadership and ministry resources. While a member of the EFCA, we are an independent, self-governed local church whose own highest authority is under God. WE ARE THE CHURCH. Church refers to the assembly of the true or believing church – all people, everywhere, in all ages who have found salvation in Jesus Christ through their profession of faith in Jesus Christ (see Statement of Faith). While the worldwide church often has facilities that are commonly referred to as or by reference to "the church', the true church is comprised of people of many different denominations, each with their expressions of the same saving faith in Jesus Christ, and not comprised buildings, facilities, grounds or institutions. OUR GOVERNING STRUCTURE (POLITY). Ultimate authority in the church resides with the membership of the congregation in the sense that they shall approve Biblically qualified Lay Elders for the governing board, our leadership team. Once approved by election, the authority of the local membership is considered delegated to the Elders except as outlined in our Constitution and By-Laws. The elders, which includes the Pastor, are ultimately responsible for the spiritual, operational, and governing oversight of the church, striving to work closely with the various ministry teams to accomplish the mission of the church. OUR EFCA HISTORY & DISTINCTIVES. The EFCA is philosophically rooted in two major historic events that have shaped it. The 16th Century Protestant Reformation laid the foundation for our belief in the authority of the Scriptures or Bible alone (sola scriptura) and not the institutional Church as an authority on par with Scripture; salvation by grace alone (sola gratia), the free and unmerited gift of God to a sinful human world; and the gift of salvation and the benefits of being in God’s eternal family as having been received through a personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior, not from any good works, or institutional efforts (solo fides). In the mid-19th Century a grass roots movement to break away from the established state-controlled churches in Scandinavian countries over a number of issues including the dominance of the State over the Church; a hollowness in the Church lacking any commitment toward true spiritual commitment - the function of religious observance had taken on far greater importance than true, authentic faith; and the mandatory ordinance of communion in the Church, often required by law, was granted to all regardless of a personal saving faith in Jesus Christ. This grass roots movement began to return church goers to a faith founded on the word of God as found in the Bible. The eventual result was a movement of churches in Scandinavian countries and into the United States and abroad holding strongly to these convictions concerning:
CHURCH MEMBERSHIP is to be comprised only of “believers only, but all believers” meaning that all individuals who professed Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord were members of the true church, and so also eligible for Membership in the local assembly. Membership was not to exclude anyone, except where their confession (of Christ) was lacking
SCRIPTURE as the basis for theological belief and personal life-style. “Where stands it written [in the Bible]?” was asked on questions of belief and practice
LOCAL CHURCH AUTONOMY, the right of self-government, free from the control of the State. At that time in Europe, the state controlled the church
BAPTISM & COMMUNION. The ordinances of baptism and communion were only for believers only -- those who confessed personal faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord
ACTIVE INVOLVEMENT OF LAY PEOPLE in the work of the church. The ministry of the church was for all believers, not just the professionally trained pastors
GLOBAL OUTREACH. The necessity of missionary activity to reach people who needed to know the good news of the gospel in other parts of the world
In 1946 two free church groups united, merging their schools and publications and forming the Evangelical Free Church of America. Global in outreach, the EFCA has gone from a primarily ethnically homogeneous movement of predominantly Swedish and Norwegian American immigrants and their descendants to an ever increasing ethnically diverse people who are faithful followers of Jesus Christ worldwide who are standing firm on the foundation of Scripture as the basis for our faith and practice. It is from this movement and the spiritual awakening in rural Kimbro, TX in 1896 that this church began. Hope has resided in its present location since 2006. Our desire and commitment is to be the family of God reaching families with the life changing reality of Christ's love -- to reach our multi-ethnic, multi-cutural, multi-national, and muli-religious and non-religious community for Christ in its variety and complexity of family structures and dynamics. For some who visit this page, we are your neighborhood church. For others, more broadly a church in your broader community that aspires to be the hands and feet of Christ in and to the surrounding neighborhood where the Lord has given us a facility to gather and worship in. In a neighborhood where only 11 percent of its people value worship of any kind, we need your help to share the good news of Jesus Christ and offer hope to families that may have never even heard of Jesus Christ. We aspire to be missionaries to the world right here where we live and work in Round Rock, Cedar Park and North Austin with love, hands on care and compassion, and with the ministry of God's word. Come check us out!
