Hopewell ARP Church is a Biblical, Reformed, Presbyterian church, serving the Lord in Culleoka, TN, since 1820. Lord's Day Morning, set your gps to arrive by 11a.m. at 3886 Hopewell Road, Culleoka, TN 38451
Hopewell Herald – April 25, 2026
Some of you noticed that, this week, the modern state of Israel was proudly promoting its celebration of pride over the most abominable perversions. Others, immediately noted that our own nation does this. Both nations commit these abominations against much grace. What can we, as Christian citizens of our own nation, do about such things?
Hopewell Herald – March 21, 2026
The experience
of Cleopas and his friend, in Luke 24, is amazing in many ways—especially the
conversation on the way:
Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in
all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these
things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the
Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning
Himself.
Luke 24:25–27
So much could be said. But what I’m marveling at is that “their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him” (v16).
These are two of those who followed Him (v13). They’re not unregenerate; they’re not spiritually dead. Yet, their eyes are restrained.
Then Jesus speaks to them in a way that is very characteristic of Himself. “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!” Yet, their eyes are restrained.
And Jesus makes a point that He had been characteristically teaching them. “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” Yet, their eyes are restrained.
Then, Jesus does one of the things most characteristic of His ministry. “Beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.” Yet, their eyes are restrained.
Finally, after He breaks bread, and blesses it, and breaks it, and gives it to them (v30), their eyes are opened (v31).
The fact that their eyes could be restrained through so many things that very obviously revealed Him as Jesus is instructive to us. In our continuing weakness and fleshliness, we are capable of a great deal of spiritual blindness.
How much we need His grace! And how wonderful that, whether it’s over-against this blindness, or against recurring worldliness, God gives more grace (cf. Ja 4:4–6).
Looking forward to worshiping Him together by His grace,
Pastor
Hopewell Herald – March 6, 2026
We have had a death in the church family this week, and while we rejoice with those who rejoice (Susan), we mourn with those who mourn (the whole congregation, and especially Tom, and Russ & Meredeth, and their family).
It seems an appropriate time for us to remember, again, what the Bible teaches about death—so that we will neither think well of it, nor be overcome by it.
Death is an enemy. It is not part of the original design. It entered the world through sin (“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned”—Rom 5:12). It is not natural. And, although God is always good to us in all things, and especially in the deaths of believers, death itself is not good. 1Cor 15:26 calls it an “enemy.” Do not think well of it. When you desire to depart, for what is better by fair (Php 1:23), desire the departing, not the death. We must not seek to be unclothed of our bodies, but rather further clothed by Christ (2Cor 5:4).
Death is defeated. It is swallowed up in the victory of Christ and the Christian (1Cor 15:53). It is a stingless, victory-less enemy (1Cor 15:55). Christ has subdued it as a humiliated servant that ushers us into His presence (2Cor 5:6–8), at which point we are finally perfected in holiness (Heb 12:14), so that this enemy is bent under Christ’s power unto our gain (Php 1:21), unto Christ’s glory in our body (Php 1:20).
Death will be destroyed. Although Christ has crushed death, defeating him who had the power of death through fear (Heb 2:14–15), He is not done with it yet. “Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.”—1Cor 15:25–26. Out of love for Christ, we should long for this final fulfillment of Ps 110:1.
So, let us despise death as our enemy and Christ’s enemy, but let us not be intimidated by it. Rather, let us take it as an occasion to mourn with those who mourn, while exulting in Christ’s having vanquished it, and coming destruction of it.
Looking forward to exulting in Christ with you in the public worship,
Pastor
Hopewell Herald – February 28, 2026
Jesus says
something shocking in Luke 14:26–27
“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and
children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My
disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My
disciple.”
Obviously, He teaches us to honor our father and mother, and to love our wife and children and brothers and sisters. So, what does this mean? It gets close to say that one’s love for Christ must be comparatively greater than these other loves. But, for the believer, loving them is part of loving Him, so that doesn’t quite hit the mark of what it means.
Rather, I think we get help from the expansion upon the idea in v27. The believer carries his cross throughout his life. At any moment, he may be called upon to halt, the hole will be dug, and he will be crucified upon it. Jesus must be enough for us. We must be so content to have Him, that we are ready to lose our life, so long as we might keep having Him. Indeed, in that case, we would have Him even better! But carrying your cross means always being ready for Him to come, by His providence, and say, “now die on it.”
That brings us back to v26. Is Jesus enough for you? If you lose father and mother, will He still be enough for you? If they turn against you, would Jesus still be enough for you? If you lose your wife, would Jesus still be enough for you? If you lose your children, would Jesus still be enough for you? If they turned against you, would Jesus be enough for you?
It is one thing to ask, “does Jesus mean everything to me?” But, it hits differently to put yourself in the place where your children turn against you, or die, or even are themselves lost (God, forbid it!); and, in that place, you say, “you know what? Jesus is still enough for me.”
Of course, one chief way that He drives into our hearts His all-surpassing worth and glory is by His public worship on the Lord’s Day. We gather to God through Him, Who is our God and Savior, and we behold His glory, and find that He is not only sufficient for us, but abundant. May His Spirit give us to perceive that worth and glory in His worship!
Looking forward to finding Him abundantly satisfying, with you,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC41, A Covenant That Can Only Kill
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC18, Guilty Sinners Who Sin
▪Song of Songs 5:9–16, “He Is Altogether Lovely”
▪Deuteronomy 30:11–20, “Grace to Love and Cling to God”
▪Ecclesiastes 12:8–14, “The Bible's Chief Message (Man's Chief End)”
▪Matthew 28:1–15, “The First Lord's Day”
▪Song of Songs 6:1–3, “Where Jesus Makes Himself Known”
Hopewell Herald –
February 14, 2026
Next week, we’ll read the following in Deuteronomy:
Then the LORD your God will bring you to the land which your fathers
possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more
than your fathers. And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the
heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and
with all your soul, that you may live.
Deut 30:5–6
In v5, the Lord says that He will prosper and multiply His people more, after the exile, than He had before the exile. But, historically, we did not see this until the grafting in of those elect from among the nations.
It is helpful for our understanding of God's dealing with covenant children, in the administration under Moses, that His promises to them were not only visible/externally covenantal, but internal and spiritual: "YHWH your God will circumcise the heart of your offspring, to love YHWH your God with all your heart and with all your soul."
And it is helpful for our understanding of God's dealing with covenant children, under Christ, is that this "and the heart of your descendants" aspect of the promise has a focus especially on the time in which the visible church would be prospered and multiplied "more than your fathers."
When it included children, under Moses, it was the covenant of grace.
And under Christ, the covenant of grace still includes children!
When the apostle says, "For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call," (Ac 2:39), he is saying exactly what Deut 30:5–6 says.
Spirit-baptism includes this circumcision of the heart. It corresponds to water baptism, just as the Lord's gracious work of heart-circumcision corresponded to the covenant sign that He had commanded upon covenant children.
Deut 30:5–6 was solving the problem of a people who could not circumcise their own hearts, as commanded in Deut 10:16. And, on the day of Pentecost, there was this wonderful proclamation that Jesus provides, by His Spirit, the repentance that the baptism of John could only announce to us that we need it. Christian baptism announces that Jesus actually gives it.
This hope He gives us for ourself. This hope He gives us for our children.
Looking forward to holding fast to our hope in Him together in worship tomorrow,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC39, An Exchange of Heart
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC16, We Sinned in Him with Whom We Fell
▪Song of Songs 5:1, “Glorious Answer to Prayer”
▪Deuteronomy 29:22–29, “Give to God What Is God's”
▪Ecclesiastes 11:7–10, “How to Live Your Blink of a Life”
▪Matthew 27:45–54, “Truly This Is the Son of God”
▪Song of Songs 5:2–8, “The Way Back from Backsliding”
LORD'S DAY – February
15, 2026
9:50 a.m. Breakfast Line Opens
10 a.m. Sabbath School
We are preparing our minds and hearts for
public worship by studying our Confession of Faith from Scripture, affirming
that Scripture is our only ultimate authority, but also discovering that what
we confess is thoroughly Scriptural.
11 a.m. Public Worship
▫Children’s Catechism for February 15. Q39 What is a change of heart
called? Regeneration. [CC 39 Simply Explained: “An Exchange of Heart”]
▫Shorter Catechism for February 15. Q16. Did all mankind fall in
Adam’s first transgression? The covenant being made with Adam, not
only for himself, but for his posterity; all mankind, descending from him by
ordinary generation, sinned in him, and fell with him, in his first
transgression. [WSC 16 Simply Explained: “We Sinned in Him with Whom We Fell”]
▫Songs for public worship on February 15:
TPH403 [mp3], ARP22A [mp3], ARP22B [mp3]
Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Song of Songs 5:1
Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin
and petition for help
Deuteronomy 29:22–29
Ecclesiastes 11:7–10
Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing the sermon from Matthew 27:45–54
about “Truly, This is the Son of God!”
Lord’s Supper! (Please see the section at the end of the Worship Booklet on how rightly to prepare for and take it).
1 p.m. Coffee Fellowship and Catechism Class
1:30 p.m. Fellowship Lunch
▫Memory
Verse for February 15, Matthew 27:54, So when the centurion
and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things
that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of
God!”
3:00 p.m. Evening Praise and
Preaching
We will be singing at least ten Psalm
selections and hearing the sermon from Song of Songs 5:2
about “How Jesus Awakens the Church”
Hopewell this Month
Hopewell’s Presbytery
Prayer Focus for February
Madison-Monrovia
ARP in Harvest, AL
February Psalm of the
Month
ARP22A My
God, My God
• Wednesday,
February 11, Midweek Prayer Meeting. 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. We will
hear a sermon from Proverbs 21:10–18 then pray until 8 p.m.
• Saturday, February 28, Men’s (and future men)
breakfast, 7a in the Fellowship Hall
• Tuesday, March 5, Diaconate Meeting, 8 p.m.
• Wednesday, March 18, Session Meeting, 8
p.m. in the Pastor’s Study
Hopewell Herald –
January 17, 2026
Special Notice: as announced last Lord’s Day at public worship, and in
the booklet, the annual budget
meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January
28, directly after the prayer meeting (~8p.m.). A draft budget is attached,
as approved by the Diaconate and commended by the Session.
Dear Congregation,
Two women get name changes in the Bible.
First, Adam changes Mrs. Adam’s (Adamah, “woman”) name to “Eve” as an expression of his faith (Gen 3:20) in the gospel promise contained within the curse upon the serpent (Gen 3:15).
Second, when God is giving Abram the sign of the covenant, He changes not just Abram’s name (Gen 17:5), but Sarai’s. Every time Abraham calls her Sarah (Gen 17:15), he will remember that God’s covenant is tied to the Offspring that will come through her (Gen 17:15–21).
But it is not just those husbands who are ancestors of Christ, for whom a big part of their walk with the Lord is to recognize the honored place that God has given their wife.
Treating your wife as a fellow-heir of the grace of life is an essential part of the Christian walk of every husband. Just as Sarah is an example to Christian wives (1Pet 3:5–6), what God gives Abraham to do by changing Sarai’s name is an example to all Christian husbands (1Pet 3:7).
These means dwelling with them with understanding, and “handling with care,” lest the Lord refuse to hear your prayers (“that your prayers may not be hindered”). And it means aiming at their coming into the inheritance of the grace of life, by the regular bathing of the Word (Eph 5:25–26).
A Christian wife is a glory in her husband’s life. And the honor of acknowledging her status, and responding rightly to it, is a significant part of his walk with Christ.
Marvelously, Christ Himself treasures His church, His bride.
Looking forward to drawing near to Him, as He dwells with us with understanding and cleanses us with His Word,
Pastor
Audio lessons to help you prepare for the
Lord’s Day:
▪Theology
Simply Explained — CC35, Conceived in Sin and Misery
▪Theology
Simply Explained — WSC12, The God Who Binds Himself to Creatures
▪Song of Songs 3:7–11, “The Glory of the Groom”
▪Deuteronomy 27:11–26, “Each of Us Deserves God's Wrath”
▪Ecclesiastes 10:8–10, “Trust Only in God But Live Wisely”
▪Matthew 26:47–56, “Christ's Compassionate Commitment”
▪Song of Songs 4:1–7, “Beauty of the Perfected Bride”
LORD'S DAY – January
18, 2026
9:50 a.m. Breakfast Line Opens
10 a.m. Sabbath School
We are preparing our minds and hearts for
public worship by studying our Confession of Faith from Scripture, affirming
that Scripture is our only ultimate authority, but also discovering that what
we confess is thoroughly Scriptural.
11 a.m. Public Worship
▫Children’s Catechism for January 18. Q35 What effect had the sin of Adam on all
mankind? All mankind are born in a state of sin and misery. [CC
35 Simply Explained: “Conceived in Sin and Misery”]
▫Shorter Catechism for January 18. Q12. What special act of providence did God exercise toward man in the estate wherein he was created? When God had created man, He entered into a covenant of life with him, upon condition of perfect obedience; forbidding him to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of death. [WSC 12 Simply Explained: “The God Who Binds Himself to Creatures”]
Songs for January 18 morning
service:
▫TPH471 “The Sands of Time Are Sinking” [mp3]
▫ARP135A “Hallelujah! Praise the Lord’s Name” [mp3]
▫ARP41B “All Those Who Hate Me” [mp3]
Scripture Text for first portion of worship service
Song of Songs 3:7–11
Scripture Readings and basis for confession of sin
and petition for help
Deuteronomy 27:11–26
Ecclesiastes 10:8–10
Sermon Scripture text and topic
We will be hearing the sermon from Matthew 26:47–56
about “Christ’s Commitment to the Cross”
Lord’s Supper! (Please see the section at the end of the Worship Booklet on how rightly to prepare for and take it).
1 p.m. Coffee Fellowship and Catechism Class
1:30 p.m. Fellowship Lunch
▫Memory Verse for January 18, Matthew 26:56, “Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled.
3:00 p.m Evening Praise and
Preaching
We will be singing at least ten Psalm
selections and hearing the sermon from Song of Songs 4:1–7
about “The Bride on Her Wedding Day”
Hopewell this Month
Hopewell’s Presbytery
Prayer Focus for January
Lincoln Memorial
ARP in Fayetteville, TN
January Psalm of the
Month
ARP135A Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord’s Name
• Wednesday,
January 21, Midweek Prayer Meeting. 6:30 p.m. in the Chapel. We will
hear a sermon from Proverbs 20:29–21:3 then pray until 8 p.m.
• Saturday, January 24, Men’s (and future men)
breakfast, 7a in the Fellowship Hall
• Wednesday, January 28, Congregational Meeting,
8 p.m. in the Chapel
• Wednesday, February 11, Session Meeting, 8 p.m.
in the Pastor’s Study