Going Where Only God Could Dream

Posted on September 28, 2011 by Tim Mossholder

Guest writer, Pastor Jon Looney, is the director of New Hope United, the ELN program in Simi Valley, CA.

One of my favorite parts of our Christian journey is watching God “work all things together for the good of those who trust him”. It’s so fun to sit back and admire the way God expands his kingdom in ways I could never imagine. As an associate pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship in Simi Valley, CA I get a lot of opportunities to see God dazzle people with his creativity in their situations. And as the Director of our ELN program, called New Hope United, I love helping young leaders discover God’s calling in their lives. I am also fortunate to serve with senior pastor James Craft who is passionate about helping young people discover their God given destiny.

Have you ever started something thinking it was your idea and then mid way into it you realize it was actually God’s idea? As we begin our second year of United it has been yet another vivid example of God creatively knitting his kingdom together in ways that astound me, and me just trying to hang on for the ride! Let me explain.

Pastors David & Gina Hanley, lead singers of Press Play worship band, started dreaming with Pastor James years ago about sending music missionaries around the world. That vision led to the establishment of Dream Records Media Group and just last year God opened the door for Dream to move from Los Angeles to a state-of-the-art recording studio in Simi Valley–just two blocks from New Hope! God birthed the vision and orchestrated the circumstances to allow New Hope United and Dream Records to partner together to create a unique and dynamic ELN experience.

Students at New Hope United can select the Worship & Media ministry track in which young people receive hands on training in the studio from David & Gina. This discipleship teaches things like how to lead with the heart of worship, technical excellence, recording, sound and editing, basic film production, and much more. Its the perfect combination of releasing young leaders in their calling and sending music missionaries to reach the world through creative forms of worship. This joins our existing NextGen ministry track in which young leaders are discipled by Foursquare’s National NextGen Representative and New Hope Associate Pastor Kelly Fellows on how to design dynamic age appropriate ministry for kids, tweens, youth, and young adults.

United is emerging as a premier discipleship school that only God could have designed. I can’t wait to see how God blends these incredible ministries together, “United” for the expansion of his kingdom as only he could dream of!

For more information on becoming a New Hope United student please contact our United staff at 805.581.1628 or visit www.newhopeunited.com (http://www NULL.newhopeunited NULL.com/).

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  • Jlooney

    Thank you Tim for giving me a chance to share the great things God is doing here at United. We are so proud to be part of ELN and our Foursquare family!
    Jon

    • pdggramos

      We are so bless to be able to be apart of this awesome ministry by having Geoff in the program and by being a host family .. It has only been 3 weeks and I can already see the amazing power of God at work in the lives of the students. 

  • Tisha Sanchez

    Great article! It’s amazing how God works everything out. :) You and Denise are amazing and we are honored to know you and to have worked with you as well. So happy that my parents have partnered with New Hope!