Seeing Beyond The Limits | Rev. Lavetta Pope
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
“Seeing Beyond the Limits” explores how God redefines boundaries not to restrict us, but to expand us. Preaching from Zechariah 2:1–5, Pastor Lavetta Pope reveals how God calls us to put down our measuring tools and trust Him to build beyond what we can see. Through the Perception of Possibilities, the Promise of Protection, and the Vision of Hope, this message challenges us to stop limiting God's work in our lives. Just like Jerusalem, God desires to make our lives places of limitless expansion, surrounded by His fire and filled with His glory. We are invited to stop merely surviving...
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"God Never Said When He Will Return” | Rev. Roberto Chaple
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
In God Never Said When He Will Return, Pastor Roberto Chaple dives into one of the most debated and misunderstood topics in Christian faith—the Second Coming of Christ. While many try to predict the end times, Pastor Chaple reminds us that Jesus explicitly said, “no one knows the day or hour” (Matthew 24:36). Instead of speculation, Jesus commands us to keep watch—to live prepared, focused on our spiritual readiness rather than worldly timelines. This message is a powerful call to shift from prediction to preparation. To keep watch means to pursue holiness, stay alert in our faith, and...
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“God Never Said There Are Many Ways to Heaven” | Rev. Dr. Vicki Harrison
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
God Never Said There Are Many Ways to Heaven confronts the increasingly popular idea of universalism—the belief that all roads lead to God. Pastor Vicki Harrison compassionately challenges this with Scripture, grounding her message in John 14:6, where Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This isn’t just a comforting verse—it’s an exclusive claim of divine truth. The sermon reminds us that bad theology leads to bad decision-making and distorted views of God, often fueled by cultural narratives rather than Biblical truth....
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God Never Said Things Will Be Easy | Rev. Vicki Harrison
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
In God Never Said Things Will Be Easy, Rev. Vicki Harrison unpacks Jesus’ words in John 16:33, reminding us that the Christian life is not a path of comfort, but a journey of faith, endurance, and trust. Bad theology can lead to poor decisions and wrong assumptions about , causing us to believe that faith guarantees a trouble-free life. Instead, Jesus calls us to follow in His footsteps—even when it means facing pain, challenges, and sacrifice. Drawing on the Apostle Paul’s trials, Rev. Vicki reassures us that God will give us all the grace we need for every situation, abundant life in...
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God Never Said Follow Your Heart | Rev. Vicki Harrison
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
In her message “God Never Said: Follow Your Heart,” Rev. Vicki Harrison (she/her) dismantles the cultural myth that our feelings are always trustworthy. Drawing from Jeremiah 17:9, Matthew 15:19–20, and Proverbs 3:5–6, she reminds us that our hearts can be deceptive and self-serving. When we base our decisions on flawed theology or fleeting emotions, we risk misunderstanding who God truly is and what He calls us to do. Instead of following our hearts, Rev. Vicki challenges us to ask deeper, faith-forming questions like: Why am I here? Whom do I serve? She urges us to lean not on our...
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Why I Believe - Testimonies from New Hope
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week’s message in our Use Me series, led by Rev. Vicki Harrison, powerfully highlights how God continues to use real, broken people to build His Kingdom. Centered around 2 Corinthians 5:17, we witness four deeply personal testimonies—from Stan Cope, Garnette Stohr, Matt Yeo, and Donna Terrell—who share how Jesus met them in moments of fear, self-doubt, complacency, and helplessness. Their stories reveal a central truth: when we say “yes” to God, He transforms our ordinary lives into vessels for His extraordinary work. Feeling stirred? Join a or share your story—God wants to...
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Use Me: Paul - Rev. Roberto Chaple
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week, Pastor Roberto brings us the powerful story of Paul—a man whose life was radically transformed by the grace of God. Once a fierce persecutor of the church, Paul became one of its greatest missionaries. His story confronts us with this challenging question: Why might God have chosen someone like Paul, a former persecutor of the Church to become a central figure in its growth? Paul’s past was marked by violence, legalism, and pride. He hunted down believers and sought to destroy the movement of Jesus. But on the road to Damascus, everything changed. Jesus interrupted his path and...
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Use Me: Mary Magdalene
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week in our Use Me series, Pastor Vicki shares the remarkable story of Mary Magdalene—a woman healed by Jesus, a leader among the disciples, and the first witness to His resurrection. Her story invites all of us to ask: What does God want to do through our brokenness? Scripture tells us that Mary was afflicted by seven demons before encountering Jesus (Luke 8:1–3), but from that moment on, her life is changed. She becomes one of the women supporting Jesus' ministry and is consistently listed first among them. She’s there at the cross when the others flee (Matthew 27:55–56) and the...
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"Use Me: Simon Peter: A Rocky Character” | Rev. Roberto Chaple
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week we begin our new series Use Me: Beauty in the Broken with a powerful message about the disciple Simon Peter. Pastor Roberto reminds us that God doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before calling us—He meets us in our mess and shapes us into vessels for His mission. Peter’s story is deeply human. A fisherman turned apostle, he was impulsive, passionate, courageous, and flawed. He walked on water and then sank in doubt. He declared loyalty to Jesus, then denied Him. But through grace, repentance, and restoration, Peter grew into a steadfast leader of the early church. This message...
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The Most Uncomfortable Comforter | Dr. David Wilkinson
New Hope Tampa Bay Sunday Sermon Podcast
This week’s message dives deep into the reality of encountering the Holy Spirit—not just as a comforting presence, but as a God who challenges, equips, and sends. Dr. David Wilkinson, who holds doctorates in both physics and theology, brings a unique lens to Pentecost and the person of the Holy Spirit. With warmth, wisdom, and global perspective, he explores how the Spirit is not merely an abstract idea or a reserved experience for the ultra-spiritual, but the personal presence of God with us—here and now. In his message, Dr. Wilkinson makes four key observations: Encountering the Holy...
info_outlineThis week’s message centers around a vital question for the church family:
Are we intentionally leaving a legacy that honors God and makes a lasting spiritual imprint on the next generation?
Pastor Vicki opens with Deuteronomy 6:4-9, reminding us that forming a spiritual legacy is a sacred calling: loving God with all our heart, soul, and strength—and passing that love down to our children in our daily rhythms. She also highlights Deuteronomy 4:9, which challenges us to be mindful not to forget what we’ve seen God do—and to intentionally teach it to our children and grandchildren.
The core of today’s message is a panel conversation with two couples from our church community, each raising young children. Together, they reflect on parenting challenges, share how New Hope has helped them stay grounded in faith, and offer guidance on how the church can better support families.
Discussion Questions
From the sermon handout:
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According to the panel, what are some of the challenges that parents today are facing?
How can the church come alongside to support them? -
What are some specific ways that New Hope can help young families...
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grow deep roots in Christ as a family
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develop strong marriages
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grow individually as disciples of Jesus
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While we are seeing a resurgence in Generation Z (born 1997–2012) coming to Jesus,
the generation before them (Millennials, born 1981–1996) have left the church in droves.
What can the older generations do to welcome Millennials back into the fold?
According to the panel, what does their generation need most from the church?