FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.)

There are many questions about the Vision, especially from those who are looking for a theological debate. This page will not even attempt to answer debates or attacks, rather to demystify the Vision for those who are just getting started. All of the components of the Vision are Biblical and the Bible is truth. There are questions from time to time that people need answered that helps them to really engage in the Vision. Below are questions that people have asked and the answers that helped them become fruitful in the Vision!

What's with the loud music, shouting, dancing, and clapping at service?
Good question! When you first come to Hope Alive, the service seems... different than most you have been to. The dancers (we call them our praise team) that were leading you in dance and the musicians (we call them our worship team) are fulfilling Psalms 149:3 " Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music!" Giving praise to God can come in many different forms...clapping because of excitement, shouting for joy, and dancing are just to name a few. These are all great forms of worshipping God because he just wants to know what's inside your heart.

What is a cell and why have I been invited so much?
Doesn't it feel good to have a circle of friends that you trust and share your life with? That is what a cell, just a group of people who have a common interest and want to know more about God, life and how it all connects together. We do not believe it just the pastor's job to preach, but everyone is called to preach the Gospel. So many people are enthusiastic to invite you to their own cell meeting because they are eager to share the good news that God has placed inside of them.

Why are Encounters important?
Moses did it. John the Baptist did it. Jesus did it. No, its not wear sackcloth or have really long facial hair but its something more important they all had in common. They all set themselves apart from their day to day lives and went away to meet face to face with God and see what he wanted for their lives. That is all an Encounter is, a time when you separate yourself from your friends, family, job, everything that goes from your day to day life for three days to have a face to face meeting with the creator of the universe who wants to have a personal relationship with you.

What is School of Leaders? Is that the same as Sunday school?
School of Leaders is a school but it is not Sunday school. School of leaders is where you are given the knowledge and know-how to prepare you to become the leader that God has called to win souls and make disciples (see further down). At Hope Alive we believe everyone is born a leader and to help bring that potential out of you will be taught fundamental but essential Christian values and lessons so you can be successful in every aspect of your life.

Why do people talk about the number twelve so much?
Hey...wait...I thought seven was God's favorite number. God has a lot of favorite numbers like seven, three (see question about Encounter) and twelve. Jesus had lots of people who followed him around and wanted to listen to what he spoke on, but he only had twelve men who choose to really invest his whole life in and spend the most intimate time with. Mark 3:14 He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word.

“I’m excited to hear all the conversation about winning souls.” Could you please teach me what it means and how can I get involved?
Ever hear the saying, "Save the best for last." Maybe that's what Jesus did with the last instructions he gave us as Christians. The last thing Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,...and that is exactly what we are trying to do. Jesus must have known that all the work he had put in his ministry would have been useless unless his disciples went out and shared what they had learned. That is why we are so driven to "win souls and make disciples", we want to show Jesus that we took what he has given us and gone above and beyond what he asked.

1. What do you believe?
Click here...

2. How do we contact you?
Click here...

3. When are your Sunday Service times?
10:00am-12pm. Click here for a map.

4. How should I dress for Sunday Service?
Dress casual, yet comfortable. If you feel a suit and tie suits you, or if you want to wear a t-shirt and jeans; wear whatever suits you.

5. How long does your service time last?
Approximately one hour and forty-five minutes.

6. How do I get plugged in and become a church member?
Begin attending Sunday Service and attend an Encounter Retreat, which will then put you on the leadership track to becoming a church member.

7. How do I lead someone to Christ?
This is what is called your telling testimony! It's telling people what happened to you, how you changed, what God did, and anything else that has really changed in your life! What messes most people up is that they think they need to know the whole Bible to get someone saved and nothing could be farther from the truth! To lead someone to salvation, you need to ask them if the accept that Jesus died and rose again for them and that He will now be the Lord of their life. After that it's about consolidation which you should do in partnership with your leader.

Many people waste opportunities trying to impress an unsaved person with big vocabulary and a promise of a life that is free from problems. This approach never works! Telling a person that they are a sinner is like telling someone standing in a fire that they are hot. NO KIDDING! They need to know about God's love and how only that love will rescue them from the emptiness of life. They need to know that you are motivated out of LOVE!

You aren't trying to impress your leader, get more people at church, or think you are better than them. You are just sharing with them the only answer there is that will rescue them from this life and guarantee eternal life. It's not about debating when you are talking about your testimony. It's truth! Your life was changed forever and it was supernatural. That's it! Hands down! Nothing to debate!

Boldness is the biggest obstacle for most people as we try to rationalize who to approach and how to approach. Jesus didn't die so that we could be cowards... He died to demonstrate being courageous! He died to show us that souls are worth any price and any sacrifice! That means that we constantly look for the opportunity to share what Christ has done for us. Never back down. Never give up. Open your mouth and give God the opportunity to work through you.

For an example of the prayer of Salvation, continue to scroll down.

You have clicked on the challenge! Now, let me tell you where it begins.
The greatest decision you will ever make in life is the decision to acknowledge that you are a sinner and have fallen short of the standard of God. By acknowledging this you must turn to Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. You must turn to Him with an open heart and embrace His love, forgiveness, acceptance and great grace.

It begins by praying this simple prayer:

Dear Jesus,
I need you. I need you to change me. Make me to be the Godly person that You created me to be. I am sorry that I have sinned against you and against heaven. Please forgive me. Come into my heart and be the Lord of my life.

If you have prayed this prayer, let us help you. Please e-mail us so we can pray for you and guide you.


	Frequently Asked Questions (F.A.Q.) There are many questions about the Vision, especially from those who are looking for a theological debate. This page will not even attempt to answer debates or attacks, rather to demystify the Vision for those who are just getting started. All of the components of the Vision are Biblical and the Bible is truth. There are questions from time to time that people need answered that helps them to really engage in the Vision. Below are questions that people have asked and the answers that helped them become fruitful in the Vision! What's with the loud music, shouting, dancing, and clapping at service? Good question! When you first come to Hope Alive, the service seems... different than most you have been to. The dancers (we call them our praise team) that were leading you in dance and the musicians (we call them our worship team) are fulfilling Psalms 149:3 " Let them praise his name in dance; strike up the band and make great music!" Giving praise to God can come in many different forms...clapping because of excitement, shouting for joy, and dancing are just to name a few. These are all great forms of worshipping God because he just wants to know what's inside your heart. What is a cell and why have I been invited so much? Doesn't it feel good to have a circle of friends that you trust and share your life with? That is what a cell, just a group of people who have a common interest and want to know more about God, life and how it all connects together. We do not believe it just the pastor's job to preach, but everyone is called to preach the Gospel. So many people are enthusiastic to invite you to their own cell meeting because they are eager to share the good news that God has placed inside of them. Why are Encounters important? Moses did it. John the Baptist did it. Jesus did it. No, its not wear sackcloth or have really long facial hair but its something more important they all had in common. They all set themselves apart from their day to day lives and went away to meet face to face with God and see what he wanted for their lives. That is all an Encounter is, a time when you separate yourself from your friends, family, job, everything that goes from your day to day life for three days to have a face to face meeting with the creator of the universe who wants to have a personal relationship with you. What is School of Leaders? Is that the same as Sunday school? School of Leaders is a school but it is not Sunday school. School of leaders is where you are given the knowledge and know-how to prepare you to become the leader that God has called to win souls and make disciples (see further down). At Hope Alive we believe everyone is born a leader and to help bring that potential out of you will be taught fundamental but essential Christian values and lessons so you can be successful in every aspect of your life. Why do people talk about the number twelve so much? Hey...wait...I thought seven was God's favorite number. God has a lot of favorite numbers like seven, three (see question about Encounter) and twelve. Jesus had lots of people who followed him around and wanted to listen to what he spoke on, but he only had twelve men who choose to really invest his whole life in and spend the most intimate time with. Mark 3:14 He settled on twelve, and designated them apostles. The plan was that they would be with him, and he would send them out to proclaim the Word. “I’m excited to hear all the conversation about winning souls.” Could you please teach me what it means and how can I get involved? Ever hear the saying, "Save the best for last." Maybe that's what Jesus did with the last instructions he gave us as Christians. The last thing Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations,...and that is exactly what we are trying to do. Jesus must have known that all the work he had put in his ministry would have been useless unless his disciples went out and shared what they had learned. That is why we are so driven to "win souls and make disciples", we want to show Jesus that we took what he has given us and gone above and beyond what he asked. 1. What do you believe? Click here... 2. How do we contact you? Click here... 3. When are your Sunday Service times? 10:00am-12pm. Click here for a map. 4. How should I dress for Sunday Service? Dress casual, yet comfortable. If you feel a suit and tie suits you, or if you want to wear a t-shirt and jeans; wear whatever suits you. 5. How long does your service time last? Approximately one hour and forty-five minutes. 6. How do I get plugged in and become a church member? Begin attending Sunday Service and attend an Encounter Retreat, which will then put you on the leadership track to becoming a church member. 7. How do I lead someone to Christ? This is what is called your telling testimony! It's telling people what happened to you, how you changed, what God did, and anything else that has really changed in your life! What messes most people up is that they think they need to know the whole Bible to get someone saved and nothing could be farther from the truth! To lead someone to salvation, you need to ask them if the accept that Jesus died and rose again for them and that He will now be the Lord of their life. After that it's about consolidation which you should do in partnership with your leader. Many people waste opportunities trying to impress an unsaved person with big vocabulary and a promise of a life that is free from problems. This approach never works! Telling a person that they are a sinner is like telling someone standing in a fire that they are hot. NO KIDDING! They need to know about God's love and how only that love will rescue them from the emptiness of life. They need to know that you are motivated out of LOVE! You aren't trying to impress your leader, get more people at church, or think you are better than them. You are just sharing with them the only answer there is that will rescue them from this life and guarantee eternal life. It's not about debating when you are talking about your testimony. It's truth! Your life was changed forever and it was supernatural. That's it! Hands down! Nothing to debate! Boldness is the biggest obstacle for most people as we try to rationalize who to approach and how to approach. Jesus didn't die so that we could be cowards... He died to demonstrate being courageous! He died to show us that souls are worth any price and any sacrifice! That means that we constantly look for the opportunity to share what Christ has done for us. Never back down. Never give up. Open your mouth and give God the opportunity to work through you. For an example of the prayer of Salvation, continue to scroll down. You have clicked on the challenge! Now, let me tell you where it begins. The greatest decision you will ever make in life is the decision to acknowledge that you are a sinner and have fallen short of the standard of God. By acknowledging this you must turn to Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of the Father, Creator of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen. You must turn to Him with an open heart and embrace His love, forgiveness, acceptance and great grace. It begins by praying this simple prayer: Dear Jesus, I need you. I need you to change me. Make me to be the Godly person that You created me to be. I am sorry that I have sinned against you and against heaven. Please forgive me. Come into my heart and be the Lord of my life. If you have prayed this prayer, let us help you. Please e-mail us so we can pray for you and guide you.