Living Hope Bible Church

09/06/2026

Pastor Mark's Connection Corner (9/5/2026):

Dear Church Family and Friends,
One of the greatest privileges and responsibilities the Lord has given us is the ability to represent Himself before our world. As the very "body of Christ," the church of Jesus Christ is to physically and spiritually speak and minister for Christ. This concept is taught throughout the NT and illustrated through several biblical terms which are used concerning our outreach to the lost. Luke, for instance, tells us we are to be "witnesses" for Christ (Acts 1:8), while Paul tells us we are "ambassadors" for Christ (II Cor. 5:20). We are even told that we are an "epistle" which is "known and read by all men" (II Cor. 3:2-3). Through all of these terms and metaphors we can see more clearly God's heart and desire to reach and save all people. We can also see His intended design for His people and church in reaching the world.

Evangelism is designed by the Lord to entail both a personal and corporate aspect. Personally, we are to seek to develop relationships with the lost where we can share with them both the love and truth of Christ. Corporately, the church is to attempt to build bridges to both minister and draw unbelievers into the church and to Christ. Unfortunately, most believers and churches are failing to do either. Because of such indifference, the church and believers have suffered a credibility crisis where most unbelievers question the sincerity and concern of Christians. This is a key hurdle the church must learn to overcome if it hopes to reach unbelievers.

As we enter into another fall season, LHBC will be hosting a number of evangelistic events to minister to our community and individuals who are searching for spiritual answers to their lives. For instance, in two short weeks we will be hosting our Family Fun Day on Sat. Sept. 19th. This year's event will be held in our new church parking lot. Although this will present some new logistical challenges, it will give far greater exposure and potential to draw more people. Our intention is to provide a safe, free and enjoyable event for families within our community and surrounding area. By hosting this event we are attempting to show them the love and concern of Jesus Christ while also sharing the saving message of our Lord. Not only will we be providing free food and games, but we will also be conducting a gospel presentation for younger and older children. What an amazing privilege and opportunity!

Our Family Fun Day is a great opportunity to visibly and verbally share Jesus Christ with South Wilkes-Barre. But to successfully undertake this community outreach we will need your help! We will need your prayers, donations and involvement. We are presently in need of volunteers and have provided a sign-up sheet listing our needs. Will you pray and consider how the Lord may want to use you in making this event a powerful testimony for Jesus Christ right here in South Wilkes-Barre? Your prayers, support and involvement can make a life-changing experience for those who we will meet and minister to.

Other evangelistic opportunities this fall will also include our Trunk-R-Treat event and our next Bring A Friend Sunday coming this October. We will need prayer warriors, volunteers and donations for this next key outreach as well. All of us can also pray as to who we may want to invite out to church for our next Bring A Friend Sunday service. Statistics show that most people visit churches when they are personally invited by a friend. These are all limited opportunities that we must be careful to take advantage of as a church family.

In closing, I want to challenge each of us to reassess our individual involvement and commitment to reaching the lost for Jesus Christ. It can be easy for many long-standing believers to become comfortable in their faith and lose their burden for the unsaved and our passion to lead them to Christ. My prayer is that the Lord would reignite our passion for sharing our faith and sharing the difference the Lord has made in each of our lives. Please join me in praying for these coming evangelistic events and for our church family as we continue to work together under our Lord's direction and empowerment to reach South Wilkes-Barre for Jesus Christ!

Thank you and God bless!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark
Corner Of Horton Street & Carey Avenue

09/02/2026

FAMILY FUN DAY Everyone Is Welcome!

Join Living Hope Bible Church on September 19th at 10:00 AM for a fun-filled community event for the whole family! The best part of this event is to share our faith in Jesus Christ.

Enjoy:

Free Food and Snacks
Inflatable Games
Bounce House's
Raffle Prizes
Fun for kids and adults

A welcoming community atmosphere

Admission is FREE.

For more information, visit LHBCPA.ORG

Bring the whole family out for a FREE Family Fun Day at Living Hope Bible Church! Enjoy food, inflatable games, a giraffe bounce house, raffle prizes, and plenty of family fun. Come spend the day with us and enjoy a great community event, everyone is welcome!

Join Us to here the Word of God under the Good News Tent!! See You There!!!

September 19th • 10:00 AM • Living Hope Bible Church

Living Hope Bible Church is a conservative and compassionate nondenominational church that is committed to fulfilling Christ's Great Commission: to make disciples of Jesus Christ through the faithful and uncompromising proclamation of God's inerrant and authoritative Word.

08/23/2026

CHURCH PICNIC AND BAPTISM SERVICE

AUGUST 23, 2026
TODAY’S ORDER OF SERVICE
Welcome - Keith Culver
Call to Worship - Annette Meade
Songs of Praise
Opening Prayer
Celebration of the Lord's Supper
Scripture Reading - Luke 5:1- 11
Prayer Needs of LHBC
Worship Through Giving
Message
"The Dirty Dozen:

Discovering God's Design of A True Disciple”
Part II - "Peter: The Rolling Rock"
Closing Song and Invitation
Benediction
Baptism at the Lake

08/16/2026

Pastor Mark's Connection Corner (8/15/2026):

Dear Church Family and Friends,
There may be many things that we struggle with at times within our faith as believers. Some of these things can often be used by our enemy to discourage us and to cause us to even waver in our joy and commitment to Jesus Christ. One such topic is when we feel the Lord is not answering our prayers. Many questions may arise within our hearts about whether God hears us, cares or whether we should continue to pray or accept the fact that God may not want us to receive our request. Although there may be different opinions on this key issue of unanswered prayer, I believe there is a clear answer given to us in Scripture.

Prayer is one of the greatest gifts and privileges the Lord has entrusted to us, although it is also one of the most misunderstood and neglected. Prayer grants us the amazing opportunity to go directly into God's presence before His very "throne of grace" to receive "mercy", "grace" and "help" (Heb. 4:16). What could be of any greater value or privilege? Unfortunately, however, many of us fail to fully utilize this incredible gift. Many times, this is because of a lack of faith or perseverance.

James warns us that we must not be "double-minded" in our prayers, believing at one moment and then doubting at the next. In fact, this individual we are told "ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord" (Jas. 1:6-7). But just as we must maintain faith in prayer, we must also maintain perseverance.

In Col. 4:2, we are told, "Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving." The word translated "Devote" is the Greek word, proskartereo. This compound Greek word contains the two words meaning, "toward" and "strength or fortitude". In essence this compound word depicts a strong, solid, never-give-up attitude of leaning toward something. Moreover, it conveys a persistent spirit of prayer that resolutely refuses to give up until our prayer is answered. It is this tenacious attitude of prayer that is often lacking in our prayer lives.

Paul goes on to tell us that this persistence in prayer should be coupled with an expectant attitude; one marked with alertness and "thanksgiving" (Col. 4:2). The ideas expressed here are that we are to be both thanking God in advance for what He will accomplish and alert to the fact that we will no doubt be tempted to doubt or grow discouraged as we wait for God's answer.

Prayer is no doubt a battle in which we wrestle with God over seeking His will and glory for our own. This was what Jacob did when he wrestled with God all night seeking God's blessing over his life and future (Gen. 32:22-32). The outcome brought both blessing and sacrifice as Jacob's hip became dislocated and served as a permanent reminder of his battle of faith. Jesus Himself further elaborated on this concept when He taught the parable of the widow and the judge and how she persistently pleaded with him over receiving justice (Lk. 18:1-8). The answer to her request only came because of her persistence!

Prayer then, is often a test of our faith and patience. It is intended to teach us how to align our lives and wills with God's. But it is also a process of deep dependence and persistence in seeking God's goodness and blessings. Instead of giving up on prayer about certain concerns, we must forge ahead in true faith and persistence realizing that the Lord may very well be testing and growing our faith through this process. In many cases, we can be on the very brink of receiving our long-awaited answer!

Thank you and God bless!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark

07/19/2026

Pastor Mark's Connection Corner (7/19/2026):

Dear Church Family and Friends,
Life can sometimes be very dark and difficult. Many of us have encountered various challenges that have shaken our very faith and peace. These have no doubt included health concerns, financial problems, disappointments, losses and a host of other painful experiences. Even Christ forewarned us of this very thing when He declared, "In the world you will have tribulation..." To find our way through these 'desert experiences' it is vital that we understand the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ as our High Priest.

Although most believers focus on Christ's past ministry as our suffering Savior, it is crucial that we also understand and focus on Jesus' present ministry for His followers. In Revelation 1 the Risen Christ is presented to us in a unique vision that the Lord allowed the apostle John to see and record. This crucial vision of John reveals great truth concerning the true nature and ministry of our Lord. While the risen Christ is presented as both eternal and almighty (Rev. 1:8) and the conquering king over death itself (Rev. 1:5), He is also presented as standing in the midst of seven lampstands "clothed in a robe reaching to the feet and girded across His chest with a golden sash" (Rev. 1:13).

It is significant to understand that the risen Christ is pictured both as King and High Priest. As our High Priest, Jesus is in the midst of the seven lampstands which represent each of us as His church. Instead of some powerful and distant king, we see a loving and concerned priest engaged with His people and their struggles. In fact, Rev. 2-3 further show us Christ's awareness and desire to assist His people in their daily battles and concerns.

The priestly ministry of Jesus is described more fully in the book of Hebrews which helps to demonstrate the superiority of our Savior over the Old Covenant and the past and limited priestly system that existed under the Law. Unlike the old system we now have an eternal priest who continually intercedes for our sins before our Heavenly Father (Heb. 7:25). Not only does this assure us of an eternal and secure salvation, but it also grants us a permanent "Advocate" to defend us against all of our Enemy's accusations (I Jn. 2:1). As our defense attorney, Jesus stands with us, and defends us against those who would accuse us and attempt to deny us God's love and forgiveness (Rom. 8:33-34).

Priests were to serve as a bridge between man and God. They were to represent both parties. As the perfect God-man, Jesus represented both man and God at the cross. As the perfect man, He came to earth to represent us and reverse the curse of sin the first Adam brought to mankind (I Cor. 15:21-22). He bore our sin and paid for it through His own death. As God, however, Jesus lived a perfect and sinless life, and then raised Himself from the dead procuring our forgiveness and justification (Rom. 4:25).

But Jesus' ministry for each of us did not end there. As our High Priest, He now intercedes for us by praying for each of us! In fact, this is what Christ did for Peter on the fateful night he betrayed Him. Jesus said, "Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you..." (Lk. 22:31-32). Incredibly, our Savior and Lord prays for each of us in our daily struggles and temptations! But not only does He pray, He understands our weaknesses and struggles because He went before us and faced each individual temptation and battle we face today! In Hebrews 4:15 we are told, "For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin".

In light of such wonderful truth, we are additionally encouraged to "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace..." Many times, we fail to understand both the privilege and power of prayer. What a privilege God has provided for us to enter into His glorious presence to receive His grace and help freely through humble prayer! I'm often amazed at how many believers neglect this gift, and under-utilize its power and blessing.

In closing, I want to remind each of us of the great Savior and God we serve. In the midst of the storms of life, we have our ever-faithful friend and priest who seeks to comfort, strengthen and guide us. Do we realize this and are we going to Him in our distress? He invites us daily to His throne. He lovingly exhorts us, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest..." (Mt. 11:28-30). Will you embrace Jesus as your faithful and loving high priest?

Thank you and God bless!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark

06/21/2026

Pastor Mark's Connection Corner (6/20/2026):

Dear Church Family and Friends,
It is one of our biggest outreaches of the year. This coming week we will be conducting our 2026 VBS program, "Emerald Crossing." Our program will run from Jun. 22–26, each evening from 6:00PM–8:15PM. Our theme will center around the 23rd Psalm and the Lord's loving care over us as our shepherd. The week will be filled with games, crafts, songs, snacks, and Bible lessons. It should be a fun week of ministry, filled with many opportunities to meet and reach children and their families for Jesus Christ!

With this coming event in mind, I want to encourage everyone to do three vital things. First, I want to ask that everyone would pray that the Lord gives us a great turnout and many opportunities to lead these children to faith in Jesus Christ. We need to understand that without the Lord's help we can do nothing that will impact eternity. Your prayers can make a vital difference in the outcome of this year's event. Please pray for our workers and good weather, as well as patience and wisdom in working with the children and their families.

Secondly, I want to also ask each of you to consider inviting someone out to our program. We have fliers you can take and pass out to neighbors, family, and friends. Sometimes all people need is a friendly invitation for them to respond and attend. Remember, many people today are curious and searching for God and answers to their lives. As believers we must seize these opportunities. As Paul himself commanded, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity" (Col. 4:5). This phrase "making the most of the opportunity" in the Greek conveys the idea of buying up those limited windows of opportunity to share the love and truth of Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, I would like to also encourage each of you to consider coming out one night to our program. By doing this you can not only get to see what the Lord is accomplishing at LHBC, but also to encourage our workers and even interact with some of the children. Our words and encouragement can make a lasting impression on these children and be a key seed that takes root and eventually blossoms in their lives. In fact, I'm sure many of us can recall similar key moments in our childhood that helped shape our faith. It may have been a key individual or event, or even a VBS program that the Lord used to open our eyes and bring us to faith in Christ. We must not forget that our words and actions can impact the eternal destiny of those around us.

I would challenge each one of us to commit ourselves to these three vital steps concerning our coming VBS. This coming event is a team effort and will be a reflection of our church and our Lord Jesus Christ to our community and surrounding world. Your support and involvement are a key part of our corporate testimony to our neighborhood. Without your cooperation, our outreach will be hindered and even thwarted by the Evil One. As we approach this coming week, we must anticipate spiritual warfare that will attempt to disrupt and prevent our program's success. Your intercession will be a vital component to overcoming these attacks and attempts to blind the eyes of those we will be ministering and witnessing to.

I want to, personally, thank each of our workers and those who have already donated to this year's VBS program. Your love and commitment are strong reminders of God's work of grace in your hearts and in our church to serve and honor our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe the Lord wants to accomplish several great things this coming week, and I look forward to each of us being mightily used of the Lord.

Our closing program on Sunday, June 28th will also provide us with a great opportunity to personally meet some of the children and their families and enable us to invite them back to our church. May the Lord bless us and use us as we commit this coming week to the Lord.

Thank you again and God bless!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark

06/06/2026

Pastor Mark's Connection Corner (6/6/2026):

Dear Church Family and Friends,
As a believer in Jesus Christ there may be no more important or more neglected responsibility than sharing our faith. The famous English preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "I would sooner bring one sinner to Jesus Christ than unravel all the mysteries of the divine Word, for salvation is the one thing we are to live for." As followers of Christ, we have been granted both the great privilege and grave responsibility to represent Him and share the gospel message with our world. And yet, sadly, statistics show that very few believers actively participate in personal evangelism today.

Only about one in ten churchgoers average at least one evangelistic-based conversation a month while up to 61% of Christians have not even shared their faith or invited someone to church in a six-month period. In addition, only about 64% believe evangelism is a personal responsibility as compared to 89% in 1993. Many believers have come to believe that evangelism is the responsibility of the church or missionaries and not the individual. Since most Christians have abdicated this vital responsibility, our world has become progressively more godless and hostile.

As Christ Himself declared, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few" (Mt. 9:37). Today many people are searching for answers and are open to religious conversations and yet few believers seize these opportunities. While there may be a host of reasons why we do not share our faith, fear (30%), not feeling equipped (10%), and the perception that others aren't interested (9%) rank as some of the highest. Within today's highly sensitive and more progressive culture, many believers fear they will be rejected and canceled for sharing their beliefs and opinions.

There is a crisis among Christ's church today. Personal evangelism is a dying activity among God's people. There is an urgency for a renewed commitment to reach the lost. The spiritual battle for the souls of men, women and children is raging around us and few believers seem concerned. We must begin to search our own hearts and pray that the Lord might reignite our concern and interest in this vital area of need. We must ask God to burden our souls for those who are lost and perishing all around us!

When the early church met strong resistance in proclaiming Christ, they gathered to pray. Their prayers, however, were not directed toward deliverance or relief from their persecutors but amazingly were for greater boldness. They prayed, "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and grant that Your bond-servants may speak Your word with all confidence" (Acts 4:29). The Greek word translated "confidence" here is the word parrhesia, which conveys the ideas of "frankness," "openness," and even that of "boldness". This boldness is exactly what we need to be asking the Lord to instill in us as we seek to interact with and lead others to Christ.

Paul had to remind the younger and more fearful Timothy that God "has not given us a spirit of timidity (or fear), but of power and love and discipline" (II Tim. 1:7). In response to this great truth, he further exhorted Timothy by warning, "Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord or me His prisoner..." (II Tim. 1:8a). Fear and our lack of faith in the power of the Holy Spirit have driven many Christians into a sense of shame and apology for their faith and the person of Jesus Christ.

Ironically, we have become more concerned about how others view us than our need to obey Christ and share our faith. As Paul commands, "Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity" (Col. 4:5). We must be prepared to share our faith with those the Lord places around us. We must be wise in our conduct and words, both visibly and verbally sharing Christ. This is a "show and tell" process that involves intentional prayer and sensitivity to the Lord's leading in our lives to recognize those unique opportunities and people He will lay before us.

As we prepare to celebrate our annual "Missions Sunday" this week, I want to encourage everyone to carefully pray and consider their personal responsibility with regard to evangelism. I want us all to begin to ask the Lord to reignite our burden for the lost and give us greater boldness and excitement in sharing Jesus Christ with others. I also want to personally challenge each of you to consider sharing your personal testimony with each of us at LHBC. This is a great way to reestablish your commitment to learning how to become bolder and more effective in sharing the difference Christ has made in your life. If anyone is interested, please feel free to contact me.

In closing, it is crucial that we accept our personal responsibility for sharing Christ. God has called us to be both His "witnesses" and "ambassadors." He has likewise said we are to be His "light" and "salt" before the world. He has also commanded us to "be prepared to share the hope that lies within us." None of us should neglect this great privilege and responsibility! May the Lord help each of us to faithfully fulfill this great calling.

Thank you again for your service and God bless!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark

05/31/2026

Journey through Ireland in Emerald Crossing, where Psalm 23 comes to life! Kids will explore God as Shepherd, Guide, Comforter, Provider, and King through David’s story, hands-on activities, and apologetics. From Donegal’s green pastures to Dublin’s Viking history, each day...

05/23/2026

Special Weather Announcement / Invitation / Reminder:

We wanted to share, due to Saturday's weather forecast, our Saturday morning neighborhood canvasing is cancelled for walking the streets of our special neighborhood. We will still meet as a group, in the sanctuary, for a time of prayer from 10:00AM to 11:00AM. We plan on praying for our community, our church, our church family & friends, and our coming VBS outreach program. We are a church that serves all of Wyoming Valley and beyond - and we are so looking forward to what God is going to do through our upcoming VBS program. All of you are welcome to join is in the Sanctuary, tomorrow, May 23rd, from 10:00AM to 11:00AM. If you can't join us in person, please set aside time tomorrow, during this hour, and join us in prayer, from home.

We also want to remind you about our special 20th Anniversary service and fellowship dinner this Sunday (5/24). It will be an awesome celebration - and we can't wait to share some very special 'Living Hope Moments' with you. Pastor Mark's message is entitled, "Running the Race of Endurance: Learning To Cultivate a Spirit of Faithfulness". Join us at 10:15AM.

05/17/2026

Pastor Mark's Connection Corner (5/16/2026):

Dear Church Family and Friends,
As we enter further into the spring season, we can begin to see the vivid colors and fragrances of the new life that has begun to bloom all around us. The changing seasons teach us much about our God and the wonders of His miraculous works. After a long and harsh winter, the Lord renews His creation and brings new and breathtaking sights, sounds, and smells! This seasonal process is a beautiful reminder of how our God often works in our lives.

The winter season of disappointments, frustrations, and failures of life can often make us discouraged and even doubtful at times. Does God really care and can the Lord somehow make sense and purpose out of my pain and disillusionment? Thankfully, like the spring rains and emergence of new life, God can miraculously transform our situations and life. Paul reminds us of this vital truth in Romans 4:17 when he says, "in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist."

This key verse refers to Abraham and the amazing faith he exhibited in God to fulfill His promise of blessing him and Sarah with a child. Our God can bring to life that which is dead. He did this to both of the bodies of Abraham and Sarah when he enabled them to conceive a child despite their advanced years. As the author of Hebrews tells us, "Therefore there was born even of one man, and him as good as dead at that, as many descendants as the stars of heaven in number..." (Heb. 11:12). As the very author of life, our God has the power to inject resurrection power and life into any failing circumstance in your life.

We serve an awesome God who specializes in taking humanly impossible situations and turning them around for His glory and our good! As risen Savior and Lord, Jesus can take broken dreams and resurrect them. He can take dashed hopes, withered vision, and dried-up callings and restore them to life again. That which seems hopeless, impossible, and beyond repair is all within the resurrection power of our God!

Just as God used Ezekiel to instill breath and life into the dead and dried bones that filled a valley, so can God bring His Spirit and renewal to the insurmountable circumstances that often appear to overtake our lives (Ezek. 37:1-10). Ironically, it was from those very dead bones that God raised and created "an exceedingly great army" (Ezek. 37:10). Our Great God can miraculously reverse impossible situations into victorious opportunities to glorify and honor Him. He can take that which seems dead and useless and spiritually resuscitate it into a living and powerful expression of His power and grace.

When Joseph was sold into slavery by his own brothers, the dream that God had given him concerning his future exaltation and service had no doubt become shattered. But out of 17 grueling years of injustice and deep hardship, Joseph's God-given dream was finally fulfilled (Gen. 50:18-20). God had taken a broken dream and supernaturally made it come to life again years later. Joseph's life reminds us of how God can resurrect our dashed dreams and disappointments and turn them into wonderful displays of His power and faithfulness.

When the Lord finally fulfilled His promise to Sarah for a child 25 years later, we are told that Sarah "considered Him faithful who had promised" (Heb. 11:11b). As we reflect over the first 20 years of LHBC's history, we too should consider our great God and His faithfulness. Despite the many challenges and difficulties, we have encountered as a church, the Lord has remained faithful to His promise to meet our every need! In many cases, He has likewise miraculously brought that which seemed dead and impossible to life! Like Paul we can boldly declare, "Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass" (I Thess. 5:24).

In closing then, is it possible that we have begun to lose hope and question God's presence and power over the circumstances of our life and church? Have we begun to question or doubt God's promises for our lives? If we have, then it is vital that we reaffirm the resurrection power of our God and its active presence in our lives. Like Paul, we must pray that we might come to more fully "know Him and the power of His resurrection" (Phil. 3:10). May today be the day that we rediscover our new resurrected life in Jesus Christ and take hold of the unlimited promises and dreams God lays before us!

Thank you and God bless!

Your servant in Christ,
Pastor Mark