Text of Pastor Jason's Video Message (if you prefer to read it):
Hey, everyone, I hope you’re having a great day and I hope you’re always aware of just how good of a heavenly father you have and just how much He has been faithful to you in your life. We’re VERY aware of that here at our church because we have such a long history of God’s goodness to us over the years, and I’m here today with an exciting announcement that is a sign of God’s continued faithfulness to us.
As you may know, our church was founded in 1966 by some wonderful, spirit-led people, and a pastor by the name of W.F. Carlile. Back then we were known as First Assembly of God, Algood, and it was clear that God was birthing a work to be started in this little town.
Over a decade later, our church’s season changed, and Pastor Buford Nivens came, and led a new building project that included a new sanctuary, and he also led the church through a name change. We became Trinity Assembly of God, and that name has served us well for over 40 years, and through several more pastors.
As we know, seasons still change, and our church has seen a lot of changes, especially over the past few years. But, through it all, God has still been faithful, just as He will continue to be faithful until the day Jesus comes back. In fact, we actively believe a prophetic word spoken over our church many years ago that it would be a lasting work until Jesus returns.
Over the last couple of years, God began speaking to my heart about the next “new season” for our church, and he brought Susan and I back to Middle Tennessee and the Upper Cumberland, a place we love very much, having been on staff at this church about 20 years ago.
But before we even became the lead pastors of this wonderful ministry, the Holy Spirit revealed to me that a new season was coming to Trinity, at that it would soon be time to lead the church through another significant change, and it would be one that would reflect our new season, and the mission-critical focus of which He has reminded us – of loving people into a life-changing relationship with Jesus – literally centering everything we do at our church and in our personal lives around helping those who are so lost to come home.
It was during this season of change that one of our long-time members gave a prophetic word to me after service on a Sunday morning. He said, “Pastor, God spoke to me that we are becoming a place of HOPE. We will be a house of Hope.” I tucked that away and continued to pray.
Eventually, I invited our board members into the prayer and fasting process. With their permission, we then consulted our church members, asking them to also fast and pray for 30 days. The vast majority of our members were either open to a change or they communicated very specifically that God had spoken to them that NOW was the time to make the change – to move ahead into our new season.
During this season of prayer, a missionary friend to whom I had said nothing, and knew nothing of the possible change, said to me that God has spoken to him as he was driving up to our church one Sunday morning, that now was the time to make the change, and to not be afraid to step into this new season. And he spoke very specifically about what God has said. So, after another season of fasting and prayer, and many more confirmations that I won’t take the time to mention today, our board voted unanimously to change the name of our church.
The two questions I get most often, and that I believe are very important, are “Why are we changing the name?” and “Why this specific name?” Well, I’m glad you asked!
The answer to the first question is two-fold: First, because we believe with all our hearts, after much prayer, that God has led us to this decision. We believe God has spoken. Second, we also believe that a church name should communicate to our community what it is that they desperately need – what it is that they’re looking for even if they don’t know it yet. This world constantly tries to pull the life out of us at every turn. Everywhere we look people are searching for something that’s real – for something that will truly satisfy their deepest desires.
The answer to the second question – why this specific name that’s been chosen – is found throughout the Bible – in fact the more I prayed about it, the more the Holy Spirit revealed it to me. It’s literally everywhere! In Hebrews 6:19, here’s what it says, and I believe it’s what people need so desperately today. It says, “We have this hope as an anchor for our soul, firm and secure.”
Friends, hope has a name, and His name is Jesus. And that’s why starting today, our church will simply be known as, “Hope Church.” We’re still saying in Algood, we’re still an active part of the Assemblies of God fellowship, we’re still the same spirit-filled, spirit-led church we’ve always been, but we fervently believe that this name communicates exactly what we’re trying to give to the community around us – we want to give them an eternal and lasting hope.
In 1 Corinthians 13, it tells us that three things will remain: faith, hope, and love. Our mission, as people of God, is to love people and to allow the Holy Spirit to use us to bring them to faith. HOPE is that bridge between love and faith, and if we’re anything, we’re a people of Hope.
So, I ask that you pray for us during this transition. I’m well aware that when you make a leadership decision it’s almost impossible to please everyone, and that’s ok. That comes with the territory. But what we WILL unite around as believers in Jesus, and from which we will not be distracted, is our God-given mission to reach the lost, to give hope to those that are so far from Jesus.
If you’re part of our church, thank you for believing in our mission and being part of our family. And if you’re looking for a place – if you’re searching for something that you know is missing in your life – that’s why we’re here, and let me say to you will all my heart, “Welcome Home to Hope!”
