“We are people of hope,” Mark Finley, long time evangelist, boldly stated at the ground-breaking ceremony of the Living Hope Community Church, in Haymarket, Va.. “The whole concept of Living Hope is not to isolate ourselves, but to make an impact.”
For years, Finley and his wife, Teenie, have felt that every church should be a training school for Christian workers. That these places would teach how to give Bible studies, care for the sick and poor and live a balanced life. One day, a gentleman approached Teenie, saying God had impressed him to donate $50,000 to this cause. They quickly began a faith fund and soon enough money was donated to buy a property.
The Finleys along with Robert Banks, currently the pastor of the Warrenton Church, will operate Living Hope as a church and training center. “This will be a place where the Bible is exalted,” said Finley. “A place of prayer. The doors will be open every day to provide an oasis for people to come and pray through the world of stress, anxiety and tension.”The vision is to expand the church outside of itself and focus on the needs of the community, by providing services like parenting classes for single-mothers, healthy cooking classes, seminars from top health care professions, computer classes for children and designated volunteer days for changing automotive oil for those who are unable to do it themselves.
Inside, the sanctuary will be set up with the latest technology in order to broadcast services. Joe Sloan, director for distribution and promotions for the Hope Channel, will be working to create the best technology plan and find equipment for this church. “Television allows you to take the church outside of its walls,” he said, “and be a light unto your own community and a light of lights in other places. It can be used as a very effective ministry tool.”
As a training center, classes and programs will be held at Living Hope, equipping pastors from all over the world with skills on how to be and create a center for hope. There will also be seminars and programs to train lay people on how to impact their churches. “By integrating all of these components we can help make a global impact,” said Finley. “We are all a part of something much larger then ourselves. Something that will make a difference for God.”
Banks says they want to be a benefit to the community. “In 1 Peter 1:3 the Lord says, ‘My house should be called a house of prayer for all people.’ We want to be a positive contribution to the town of Haymarket. The Bible states that when the temple of Solomon was being built, there was no noise at the site. Stones were chiseled and later brought over. While this building is being constructed, my prayer is that we will allow the spirit of God chisel and hammer within our own hearts so they are fashioned in a way of a servant.”
