Author Archives: Lane Corley
Six Years of Hope – History
In 2001, God led my wife Heather and I to Southeast Louisiana to start a new church in St. Tammany Parish. This weekend that church – Hope Church of Waldheim – will celebrate its 6th Anniversary. Though words can’t describe the experience it has been for our family, I’ve got to try anyway. And lucky for you I’m going to do it with pictures. Today, a little history…
Hope Church began with four people in a home Bible Study in December of 2001.
The spring & summer of 2002, we conducted a number of Block Parties, preview services, & informational meetings across the region to seek to build relationships & get the word out to our community that a new church was coming to the area.
In the Fall of 2002, we launched public worship services in an unairconditioned fire station in rural north Covington, LA. We met there for over two years. Yes, I said there was no air conditioning.
In June of 2005, with the help of partners, we were able to purchase this 4,000 square foot cafe/bar on 16.6 acres in the middle of our target area. For the first time in the church’s history we had A/C and clean floors. We also had for the first month at the new location our own bar equipped with daquiri machines.
In August of 2005, Hope Church found itself in the way of Hurricane Katrina’s winds. Our community was devastated by falling trees, our church body was cut in half, but we were loved well by the body of Christ as we hosted near 30 mission teams from around the country assisting with cleanup, rebuilding, and outreach.
Today Hope Church, holds two services ministering to hundreds each year, has sponsored 10 new churches in Zimbabwe, co-sponsored one new church in Louisiana, traveled to assist the Tzotzil Church Planting Movement in Chiapas, Mexico.
Where today there is a body of worshippers of Jesus, seven years ago was a cafe/bar and a community in need of a witness to the glory of God.
I am thankful to the hundreds from around the country who have prayed, given financially, and sweated for the sake of the Gospel’s influence in South Louisiana. I am also deep in prayer for the leaders of Hope Church as a new door is opening in her history and what lies before her is the opportunity to influence Waldheim/St. Tammany/the world for generations to come.
Next – Greatest Joys and Greatest Challenges.
Worth Reading: Search and Rescue by Neil Cole
One of the best books I read this summer was Search and Rescue: Becoming a Disciple Who Makes a Difference by Neil Cole. If you’re looking for a simple, personal, and inspirational approach to disciple making, get this book. It contains a lot of information from Cole’s previous two books Cultivating a Life for God and Organic Church, but it is repackaged and updated with the theme of Search and Rescue. I would still highly recommend reading the first two. Cole borrows from his experience as a life guard on California beaches to illustrate the task of making disciples. So, you can learn a great deal about rip currents and rescue swimming along with healthy disciple making. Cole shares his tried and true method of disciple making which involves gathering people into groups of two or three to confess sin to one another using accountability or character conversation questions, plant the word of God by taking the challenge of reading 3-5 chapters of Scripture daily, and reach the lost by praying for specific people to be saved from your personal network of relationships. Cole calls these groups Life Transformation Groups, but gives permission to call them what you want, even listing names being used by other churches and organizations. You may want to follow up as I have by purchasing Cole’s LTG cards which describe the process and offer suggested questions for the group. The author’s resources, articles, and newsletter can be found at www.cmaresources.org.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
Church Planting Again
Our family is embarking upon a new journey. This month we began working toward the planting of a church in St. Tammany Parish. After seven years planting Hope Church of Waldheim, I feel no more prepared for this huge task, but I do know a little better what to expect – hard work, reliance upon God and others, incredible highs and lows, falling in love with people that God will save and call and change, and seeing my own life change as well.
What is it like starting a church? This picture says it well…
Found here.
A bit of an overstatment, but pray for us. If you’d like to join our prayer team or partner in other ways give us a shout.
More info about our plant soon…
Top Ten Reasons Hurricane Season is Like Christmas
Some Diversionary Humor
Top Ten Reasons Hurricane Season Is Like Christmas
10. Decorating the house (with plywood).
9. Dragging out boxes that haven’t been used since last season.
8. Last minute shopping in crowded stores.
7. Regular TV shows pre-empted for ‘Specials’.
6. Family coming to stay with you.
5. Family and friends from out of state calling you.
4. Buying food you don’t normally buy . . . and in large quantities.
3. Days off from work.
2. Candles.
1. And the Number One reason Hurricane Season is like Christmas: At some point you may have a tree in your house!
“A cheerful heart is good medicine…” Proverbs 17:22
Chain Saw Crews Needed
If your church or men’s group is looking for a great missions project, let me suggest bringing a team to South Louisiana to help with disaster recovery. The Greater Baton Rouge area lost a lot of trees and many people are in need of help removing them from their homes and yards. This also is a great way to help a local church meet the needs of its community in the wake of Hurricane Gustav.
If you don’t know where to go or who to call, let me suggest Fellowship Church in Prairieville, LA. They are located on Hwy. 73, near I-10, just south of Baton Rouge, LA. Our church
sent a group over last Saturday. We removed four trees from three different lawns for people that could not have done it on their own. We were able to pray with and encourage the families as well. I know from experience (click here) that when you are in the midst of a disaster, those trees seem a lot bigger than they actually are. Serving in this way can give someone immediate hope in a time of crisis.
Email me if you need more information. Or call Fellowship Church at 225-673-4735 or 225-572-8933. For other disaster relief opportunities contact the Louisiana Baptist Convention at 1.877.487.4658.
Allowing the Teachings of Jesus to Go Deep
I’ve been spending some time reading the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). It’s more than a high moral code, it’s a search light that is truly penetrating if we’ll allow it to be. Here are some questions I will be dwelling on during my study the next few weeks:
- Am I hungry and thirsty for righteousness? Matthew 5:6
- Is my heart pure enough to see God? Matthew 5:8
- Is my life giving light to all? Matthew 5:15
- Do people give glory to the Father after observing my life? Matthew 5:16
- Am I harboring anger toward anyone? Matthew 5:22
- Have I insulted anyone? Matthew 5:22
- Do I consider any other person as worthless? Matthew 5:22
- Is there a brother or sister that has something against me? Matthew 5:23-24
- Is there lustful intent in my heart? Matthew 5:28
- Is there anything in my life that is causing me to sin? Matthew 5:29-30
- Am I resisting instead of serving evil and difficult people? Matthew 5:38-41
- Are my possessions availabe to those in need? Matthew 5:42
- Can I pray for my enemies? Matthew 5:44
- Am I concerned about performing righteousness to be seen and praised by others? Matthew 6:1-2
- Am I praying, fasting, and giving to be seen by men or to be obedient to God? Matthew 6:5-24
- Am I serving my money or is it serving me? Matthew 6:24
- What does my spending say about my heart’s condition? Matthew 6:21
- Am I anxious of worried? Mattthew 6:25-34
- Am I seeking the things of the world or God’s kingdom and righteousness first? Matthew 6:33
- Am I conscious of the logs and specks in my eye when I look at others? Matthew 7:1-5
- Am I holding other people to a standard that I am not willing to be held to myself? Matthe 7:1-2
- Am I asking, seeking, and knocking for good things from heaven? Matthew 7:7-11
- Am I looking for and desiring an easy way over the path of obedience to God? Matthew 7:13-14
- What good fruit is coming from my life? Matthew 7:17
- Am I doing the will of the Father? Matthew 7:21-23
- Am I hearing and doing the words of Christ? Matthew 7:24-25
Hurricane Gustav in Waldheim, a personal journal
The Church Planter’s Kid
Born 8 days after the very first service of our church plant which started in an un-air conditioned fire station. Because his dad’s a church planter, until he was four we would drive past a fire station and he would yell “church” and when we drove by a steepled church building he would yell “space ship.” Because his dad’s a church planter, the first time we attended a church besides ours on Sunday, he asked where their fire truck was and why their chairs were so long. Because his dad’s a church planter, he likes to hang out in coffee shops and has great bedside manner in hospitals. Because his dad’s a church planter, he doesn’t have as much as many kids in our area, but never complains. Because his dad’s a church planter, he doesn’t know that you shouldn’t wear shorts to church or that you shouldn’t be close friends with people of another race or class.
HE TURNED SIX TODAY and I’m looking forward to seeing what God does in the future with this church planter’s kids. Happy Birthday Jack!!!!!
Lopez Lomong: An Unbelievable Olympic Story
My favorite olympic story thus far is that of Lopez Lomong, a Sudanese refugee who ran his way into the United States and into the 2008 Olympics. He carried the flag for Team USA during Friday night’s opening ceremony. He was one of Sudan’s Lost Boys. His story is well worth reading. Also, see his olympic bio. Also, check out his personal website here.
I’ll be rooting for him as he competes in the 1500 meter run beginning August 15th.
It’s Official: I Know Everything!
This morning, my five year old son, Jackson, asks my wife a question that she couldn’t answer. She asked, “Do you think I know everything?” His very honest response, “No, Daddy knows everything!” He’s a very smart boy (Grin). Of course he’ll be learning in short order that I do not know everything and chances are there will be moments when he’ll think I know nothing at all before he heads off into the world as a man. However, as Father of a five year old, I have a tremendous responsibility. Not only does he think I know everything, but he’s learning what is important, what is valuable, how to talk, how to think about God and others, and much more from me. If you’re a parent you have that same responsibility. The good news is you don’t have to know everything. Be consistent, live with integrity and passion, and stay connected to the one who does know everything (Proverbs 2:6-8) and you’ll do OK.
Father, help me be a good steward of my little boys impression of me. Help me lead him in the right direction. May he learn from my example that nothing is more important or valuable than you, that others are more important than himself, and when I fail (because I don’t know everything) may he see me humble before you.
