Makana Geppert, Author at Mount Hope Church

About Makana Geppert

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So far Makana Geppert has created 6 blog entries.

How to Share Your Testimony

Sharing your testimony can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Your testimony is simply the story of what Jesus has done in your life — and it’s one of the most powerful tools God has given you. Revelation 12 says that believers overcome the enemy “by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” That means your story carries both encouragement for others and real spiritual authority.

Here’s a simple way to get started.

Step 1: Understand Why Your Story Matters

Your testimony doesn’t have to be dramatic to make an impact. Every single life changed by Jesus is a miracle. When you share your story, you:

Glorify God by pointing to His work in your life.
Encourage other believers who may be going through something similar.
Show non-believers that Jesus is real and still transforming lives today.

Remember: no one else can tell your story. God has given it uniquely to you.

Step 2: Use a Simple Framework

When you’re ready to share, think of your testimony as a short story with four parts:

Before Christ – What was your life like before you knew Jesus?
Encounter with Christ – How did you come to faith? What moment stands out?
After Christ – How has your life changed since? What’s different now?
Encouragement – How can your story inspire or invite others to know Him too?

This structure keeps things clear, relatable, and easy to follow.

Step 3: Prepare Your Story

A little preparation goes a long way. Try these practical tips:

Write it down. Jotting out your story helps you focus on the key parts.
Keep it concise. Aim for 3–5 minutes — short enough to hold attention.
Be authentic. Don’t exaggerate or try to make it sound “better.” Honest is best.
Embrace vulnerability. It’s okay to share your real struggles and emotions.
Use expression. Speak with warmth and energy. Let your story come alive.

Step 4: Practice and Share

The more you share your testimony, the easier it becomes. Start small:

Tell a friend over coffee.
Share in your small group or Bible study.
Write it out as a post or journal entry.

With each time you share, you’ll grow more confident and see how God can use your story in powerful ways.

Step 5: Always Point to Jesus

Your testimony is about your life, but it isn’t really about you. The purpose is to point others to Jesus — the One who saves, redeems, and transforms. Make sure your story ends with Him as the hero.

Ready to Begin?

Your story may be exactly what someone else needs to hear. This week, take time to write down your testimony using the simple framework above. Then pray for an opportunity to share it.

Because when you share your story, you’re not just talking about what happened to you — you’re showing the world who Jesus is and what He can do.

How to Renew Your Mind Daily

Practical Tools to Transform Your Thinking and Align with God’s Truth

Pastor Chris Cook

We’ve all been there—wrestling with toxic thoughts, old mindsets, and feelings that pull us away from God’s best. But the Bible gives us a blueprint to live differently. A renewed mind isn’t a one-time event—it’s a daily discipline that positions us to walk in freedom, clarity, and purpose.

You will never live beyond the identity you believe. So, let’s talk about how to renew your mind every single day.

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1. Start with Surrender

Scripture: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” – Romans 12:2

The first step isn’t striving—it’s surrender. We often think transformation comes by trying harder, but it starts by allowing God to shift how we think. By trusting His TRUTH to overwrite our “truth”. This means laying down cultural patterns, fear-based thoughts, and performance-driven mentalities.

Daily Practice: Begin each morning with a simple prayer:

“God, I surrender my thoughts to You. Align my mind with You and what You think about me. Replace the lies with Your voice. What transformation step can I take with You today?”

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2. Immerse Yourself in Scripture

Scripture: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” – John 17:17

You can’t renew your mind with empty space—you renew it by filling it with God’s truth. As we get to know our Father, He often reminds us that if you want to live a transformed life, you need to feed your mind what heaven is saying. The beauty of His heart. Let his Word wash over you, set His promises on fire in your life, and root you deeply in Him.

Daily Practice: Meditate on one verse a day. Don’t just read it—speak it, write it, memorize it. Let it become a filter for your thoughts. A Kingdom lens you view life through.

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3. Identify the Root and Replace the Lie

Scripture: “We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2 Corinthians 10:5

Thoughts have power—but they don’t have authority unless we give it to them. A renewed mind means we actively recognize thoughts that don’t line up with God’s Word and replace them. Don’t let the enemy’s intrusive thoughts dictate your destiny. You are more than an overcomer!

Daily Practice:

• Ask God: What lie am I believing today?

• Identify the root: Is it “I’m not enough,” “I’ll always struggle,” or “God won’t show up for me”?

• Remove the power: I repent for letting this lie ____ have space in my life, and forgive anyone who caused me to give into it. Please forgive me Lord! I receive your forgiveness and choose to forgive myself.

• Replace it with truth: “I have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16) or “God is my ever-present help.” (Psalm 46:1) – ask the Lord to show you what specific gift or truth He is replacing the lie with.

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4. Speak Life Over Yourself

Scripture: “The tongue has the power of life and death.” – Proverbs 18:21

What you say is shaping how you think. If you’re constantly rehearsing defeat or insecurity, your mind will follow. Instead, speak the Word of God over your life. Get rid of silly verbiage like “I’m dead” and start declaring life and victory over your circumstances. It is amazing when the craziness in the storm transforms into an opportunity for the Lord to prove His love in your circumstances.

Daily Practice: Write or speak a daily declaration rooted in Scripture. Practice healthy “I am” statements. For example:

“I am a new creation in Christ. Old things have passed away. Today, I walk in wisdom, strength, and purpose.”

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5. Practice Gratitude

Scripture: “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Gratitude is a fast-track to mind renewal. It shifts your perspective from lack to abundance, from anxiety to peace. We encourage you to “train your focus,” you see what you magnify, multiplies. Scripture tells us we enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Press in to the Presence, let the Holy Spirit overflow with gratitude and praise within you!

Daily Practice: Write down 3 things you’re thankful for every day. It rewires your brain for joy and hope in a practical way. You start paying attention to things to be thankful for and opportunities for testimony.

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6. Surround Yourself with True Community

Scripture: “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17

Renewing your mind is easier when you’re not doing it alone. Find community—people who speak life, hold you accountable, and remind you of who you really are.

Daily Practice: Stay connected to truth-speaking friends, mentors, or life groups. Listen to podcasts, worship music, or teaching that build your faith. Check out our YouTube channel for all kinds of great truth!

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Final Thoughts:

Renewing your mind daily is not about perfection—it’s about persistence. It’s choosing day by day to invite the Holy Spirit to align your thoughts with God’s thoughts, until your entire life reflects the Kingdom within you.

Let today be the day you stop letting the past or the destructive patterns define you—and start living with a renewed mind that reflects your true identity in Christ. He will make you new!

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What’s one truth you’re choosing to believe today? Share it below and let’s renew our minds together.

How to Cultivate Community

“It is not good for man to be alone.” Genesis 2:18

Pretty much from the beginning, God establishes that humanity is not designed to be alone. He created Eve as a partner to Adam, a helper in caring for God’s creation. But Eve was also there to create community with Adam. It wasn’t good for him to be alone. So why do we think we’re made that way?

During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, we saw what the world would look like in isolation. Forced to quarantine, it was easy for people to feel stir-crazy, cut off, and search for other ways to connect. Why? Because we were made for community. The National Institutes Of Health (NIH) reported that severe loneliness rose to 21% during COVID-19 compared to 6% prior. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that social isolation and loneliness can increase a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, suicidality, self-harm, dementia, and earlier death. These examples show that science reinforces what we already know: God created us to live in community.

As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus’ example, and He lived in community. The twelve disciples weren’t just traveling with Jesus to hear Him teach, they were learning from Him just by being together. Mark 3:14 tells us this with, “He appointed twelve of them. They were to accompany him…” The bonds these men built with each other were likely what made their ministry so strong after Jesus’ ascension. They were able to rely on one another and hold each other accountable to the task Jesus gave them.

This is why we need community as Christians. It’s not just for support, it provides accountability for the times when we struggle. When life is difficult, or doubt creeps in, your community is there to encourage you and help you to course-correct when you need it.

So we know community is important. But how do we build it?

1. Be intentional.

While time spent with others is important, the quality of the time is more so. Put away the phone, listen for more than how to respond, and be present. Invite people over, linger after church, follow up on prayer requests — small steps build deep roots. Hebrews 10:24–25 encourages us to “consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.” Community doesn’t happen by accident; it grows when we make space for it.

2. Be vulnerable.

Real community isn’t built on surface-level connections. It’s built when we take the risk to be known — struggles, questions, and all. Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” But people can’t carry what we hide. Vulnerability allows others to step in with encouragement, prayer, and practical help. It also gives others permission to do the same.

3. Be consistent.

Community grows with time, trust, and showing up. That doesn’t always mean doing big things — sometimes it’s just being faithfully present. Whether it’s a small group, Sunday service, or coffee with a friend, regular connection builds familiarity and safety. Like Acts 2:46 describes, the early church met together “daily with one accord… breaking bread from house to house.” That kind of rhythm created a deep and lasting unity.

4. Be welcoming.

Cultivating community doesn’t stop with the people we already know. It includes making room for others who are new, hurting, or lonely. Romans 12:13 tells us to “practice hospitality.” In a world that often feels cold and closed off, warm and open hearts stand out. Be the person who invites others in — into your conversations, into your life, and into your circle.

At the end of the day, community is not just a Christian idea — it’s how we thrive as people. It’s a Kingdom necessity. It’s how we reflect the heart of a relational God. And in a culture that is increasingly isolated, we have the opportunity to be different by simply doing life together.

So let’s build the kind of community that lifts people up, points them to Jesus, and reminds them they are never truly alone.

Who Do You Worship?

By Elena Ardis, First Year MHLS Student – Worship Track

Did you know that you could be worshipping something other than God?

You might be thinking that sounds silly. We have worship in church on Sundays, where we sing praises to the Lord. Who else would we be worshipping? But it’s true—a lot of believers are actually deep in idolatry without realizing it.

In order to properly assess how that is possible, we need to ask: Why should we think about worship in the first place? What is worship, really? Why does it matter?

Worship and religion are connected, because they both focus on serving God. If you consider yourself to be a Christian, it is important to evaluate your views on worship.

Here is a look at the definitions of worship and religion:

WORSHIP: (noun) The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity. (verb) Show reverence and adoration for a deity; honor with religious rites.

RELIGION: (noun) A pursuit or interest to which someone ascribes supreme importance.

RELIGIOUSLY: (adverb) With consistent and conscientious regularity.

MISDIRECTED WORSHIP

We may not make this connection in our conscious, but we can turn anything we choose into a religion. Think about it. Is there anything in your life that you are giving all of your attention to? What do you feel conviction for?

Matthew 6:22-23 NIV reads:

“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!”

As humans, we can easily be swept up in escapism and temporary pleasures that satisfy our flesh, but not our spirit. It is dangerously easy to let ourselves worship our phones, our possessions, or our habits. However, these things will only fill us up with darkness. There is only one thing that will fill us up with pure light: God.

“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” Matthew 6:24 NIV

Although Jesus is speaking about the love of money in this verse, it also applies to any other worldly thing that we might have love for. If we are fully committed to God, our hearts will not crave the things of this world as strongly anymore, being drawn to holiness and purity instead. This is why we should only worship Him and ascribe importance to things that glorify Him.

If you have ever been stuck in a cycle of sin, you know that it is frustrating beyond belief. You can find yourself questioning if there is any escape, or if there is any possible way that God could forgive you or save you from it. But one thing that we don’t often realize is that our sin issues are tied to idolatry. You feel poisoned and dirty, but you’ve been on social media for 8 hours while your Bible has been collecting dust. You fall back into comforting sin habits because you have no motivation or self-respect, but you haven’t stopped to thank God or pray in weeks.

Take a look at this passage in Romans:

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.” Romans 1:21-25 NIV

Because these people did not acknowledge or turn to God, they fell deeper and deeper into degrading sin, and God gave them over to their desires. The things that they worshipped filled them up to the brim with darkness, and they made no space for light.

GOD IS WORTHY OF OUR WORSHIP

Read through these two passages:

“In a loud voice they were saying: ‘Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!’ Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, forever and ever!” Revelation 5:12-13 NIV

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NIV

Because He loves us, God sent Jesus as the perfect living sacrifice for all of our sin, to redeem us for all of eternity and be the bridge connecting humanity to God. Without Him, we would all be doomed to suffer forever. He is infinitely more worthy than any other thing we could possibly imagine! The more time you spend reflecting on what He has truly done for us, the more gratitude and joy will spark within you and begin to fill you up, empowering you to boldly worship Him with awe and reverence!

REDIRECTING OUR WORSHIP

So, are you stuck in your sin and ready to redirect your worship? The best first step you can take is to invite the Holy Spirit in to examine your heart.

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV reads:

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”

God is gracious, so if we ask Him to, He will point out the things in our life that we must remove. All it takes is intentional prayer time with Him and the patience to listen.

“To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” Romans 2:7-8 NIV

On top of listening to God’s voice, we must also turn away from things that encourage sin and replace them with holy habits.

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8 NIV

Just like how we read that the eye is the lamp of the body, replacing worldly things with holy ones will flood your body with light—creating a welcoming atmosphere for God to dwell in.

Here are some practical examples of habits that you can change:

Instead of spending all day scrolling & consuming anything your algorithm feeds you, try:
- Deleting your socials for a time to focus in on prayer and reading your Bible every day
- Setting a time limit on your socials so they don’t take up more of your attention than God does
- Resetting your suggested content to build a healthier for you page
Instead of constantly worrying about how other people perceive you, try:
- Committing to a Bible reading plan that uses Scripture to teach you more about your identity & value in Christ
- Being intentional with who you spend time with—mature believers in your life can speak life and encouragement into you as a person
- Asking God about any self-deprecating habits you may need to stop and cutting them off
Instead of impulsively doing whatever your flesh desires, try:
- Engaging in a physical activity that takes all of your effort (e.g. working out, dancing)
- Practicing being still before God in contemplative prayer when you feel tempted
- Finding an accountability partner to confide in and spend time with

Lastly, remember to have grace for yourself as you learn and grow. It is impossible to get everything right in one try, and it takes time to cultivate a healthy lifestyle that gives glory to God. Rest assured that you can lean on His strength, wisdom, and presence to guide you through as you redirect your worship towards Him!

Made to Love

We are about to start a very exciting series on Sunday mornings that could drastically upgrade your life: The Great Pursuit. Seriously! With all that is going on in the world, we need to discover what the Word of God tells us is the greatest pursuit of all time! If you join me in this pursuit, I promise your life will begin a journey of massive upgrades.

What is the greatest thing in the world? What is the noblest goal for anyone to go after?

The Bible is clear—the greatest goal is love! Nothing else matters. The greatest gifts you may have or desire to have, mean nothing without love. Love brings about the greatest transformation. Love—we were created for it.

Was love the motive behind all our actions on this earth? If you could take the entire Bible and sum it up in one word, it would have to be: LOVE.

Nestled between a description of spiritual gifts, and how they are to function in the church, we find that the real heart of the matter is love. The Apostle Paul said,

If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-3,13 NLT)

We desperately need the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be properly exercised in the church today. However, as in Paul’s day, the gifts would mean nothing if there is not love.

The great evangelist D.L. Moody heard Henry Drummond expound on 1 Corinthians 13, the subject of love. In response, he said, “It seemed to me that I had never heard anything so beautiful. The one great need in our Christian life is love, more love to God and to each other. Would that we could all move into that love chapter and live there.”

But what is love? What does love look like when it shows up on our doorstep, offices, schools, and homes? In this series, we will discover what real love is—the kind of love that comes straight from the Father’s heart.

Love has nine attributes:

Patience—love suffers long.
Kindness—love is kind.
Generosity—love doesn’t envy.
Humility—love is not proud.
Courtesy—love is not rude.
Unselfishness—love seeks not its own.
Good temper—love is not easily provoked.
Purity—love thinks no evil.
Sincerity—love rejoices in the truth.

You were made for the one thing that really matters: LOVE.

To get the most out of this series, I strongly encourage you to connect with a Life Group! Discover the power of love together with friends and family and be transformed by the love of God. Looking forward to seeing you real soon!

Believe Big

Dear Friend,

Renee and I thank God for you, and we are praying Luke 1:45 over your new year!

You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said (Luke 1:45).

Mary believed in God and was blessed because of her faith. It is the same with you! There is a blessing for you that is linked to those words, “because you believed.”

An unwavering belief in what God said has shut the mouths of lions, caused walls to come tumbling down, brought salvation to an entire city, brought Israel out of Egypt, brought healing to sick bodies, caused the waters of the Red Sea to run out of the way, brought overnight miracles, and filled God’s people with courage in the midst of the impossible.

The times we live in call for unwavering belief. Will you put action to your faith by joining Renee and me in 21 days of fasting and prayer? We will start the fast on Monday, January 3 and continue through Sunday, January 23. We will then pray, worship, and celebrate together with a citywide prayer gathering on Wednesday, January 26^,@ 7pm.

Fasting is the secret weapon for every Christian! Fasting can trigger freedom for you and for others! Fasting can transform your prayers, deepen your relationship with God, increase your spiritual senses, bring increased sensitivity to the Holy Spirit, and result in personal revival.

Fasting can put you on the fast track to living your God-given destiny and bring freedom and awakening to our city and this region.

“Combining fasting with prayer can result in a spiritual atomic bomb that pulls down spiritual strongholds and releases the power of God in your life and the life of your church, its pastor, its leaders, and its members.” — Bill Bright

For more information on fasting, I highly recommend Pastor Dave Williams’ book, The Miracle Results of Fasting. You can stop by the Resource Center, just across from the Connect Center, to pick up a copy this Sunday.

During our fast and throughout the rest of the year, let’s read the One Year Bible together. You can access The One Year Bible online at: https://oneyearbibleonline.com/daily-oyb/?version=51&startmmdd=0101. Or you can purchase one at the Resource Center. Just remember this— when you are reading your Bible, you are not just reading words. You are reading the very words of God.

As He promised, may the Lord reward you for your fasting this year (Matthew 6:18). May you be filled with uncommon faith as we read through the Bible together this year. May the Lord smile on you and be gracious to you. May the Lord give you peace! God bless you and happy new year!

Your Friend and Pastor,

Kevin Berry