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Across this country many fellowships of evangelical Christians are seeking greater spiritual depth in their relationship to Christ and one another. If you are among those who are following Jesus Christ into these unpredictable waters, maybe we can help. My wife, Christie, and I were part of the Jesus Movement that swept through this country in the late 60s and 70s. Our fellowship meetings at that time were free, open and often glorious. We lived in common for several years, pooling incomes and living out of a common purse. We experienced the headship of Christ in a way that seemed unique, though we have come to discover that the Lord was active in birthing similar fellowships all across America. As part of that experience we raised four children, spent four years in Europe and moved across the US twice.
In 1993 I left a career in education and Christie and I moved our family to Charlottesville, VA, to work with an international missions agency. This gave us the opportunity to meet Christians from all over the world. I traveled to places like India, Indonesia, and Egypt. We had the privilege of meeting many godly leaders. The lives they live in the face of constant persecution and poverty humbled us. After eight years we sensed the LordŐs desire for us to be more involved in sharing the experiences gained in our 34 years of following Christ so in 2002 we founded Hope Builders International. This ministry combines advocacy for international missions with local discipleship training focused on the centrality of Christ.
| In 2003 we acquired a 10,000 square foot home on 13 acres to offer retreats to believers interested in pursuing Christ both on a personal and corporate level. We have hosted a very diverse group of believers from a variety of denominations, all of them sincere followers of Christ.
This summer we held our first Forge Summer Training Program. Fifteen participants, eleven from overseas and four Americans, spent a month together, becoming more intimate with Christ and learning how to share life together. A report on that month is available on our website at www.hope-builders.org. The results were better than we could have imagined.
We are hopeful as we see the Lord multiplying the numbers of those seeking him in the face of a culture that is increasingly hostile to the things of God. In service to this move of God we offer what help we can to fellowships and individuals following Christ in these exciting times. This offering has to do with seeing a high vision of Christ through the Scriptures, understanding His purpose in eternity and experiencing Him personally and corporately. To this end we invite groups to our facility for a week of teaching and fellowship where they spend time away from the demands of everyday life to hear from God, handle practical issues relevant to a living fellowship experience, pray and worship together. A week away can do much for a group of people in bonding them together and expanding their vision. If this sounds interesting to you, email me at lance@hope-builders.org or call 540-456-7300.
I look forward to the fellowship,
Lance Thollander
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