From the Editors

We would like to welcome you to the first issue of Hope & Expectation. Our sincere prayer is that this new publication will be a blessing to everyone who reads it. While our primary purpose is to encourage preachers and church leaders, we hope that every Christian is renewed by reading it. We are excited to offer this publication in a variety of digital formats, including online, as a downloadable PDF, and on Amazon Kindle. Our title is taken from Paul’s letter to the Philippian Christians, “According to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

Every issue of Hope & Expectation will have a theme with articles written to focus on that theme. Some columns written for specific purposes will appear in every issue. Others will run every once in a while.

The theme for our premier issue is Evangelism. Our Father, Jerry A. Jenkins, believed that “God Speaks Today” through His inspired Word for everyone who would listen. The greatest passion of his life was to teach the Word of God to as many people as possible. He was relentless in his zeal for “finding” people who would study with him.

We remember vividly accompanying him many times as we would carry the old Jule Miller Film strips with a record player into the homes of “prospects.” Dad once said that he baptized every person who he studied with if he had a meal with them. Dad certainly did not believe that using the Jule Miller Studies was the only way, but for him it was the best way.

Our goal in this issue is to renew that passion in the hearts of all of us who preach and help lead churches. Evangelism is the heartbeat of the work of the church. Not every church leader will spend the same amount of time in one-on-one studies, however we can all evangelize. Whether it is from the pulpit, in Bible classes, or home studies, we can all teach God’s Word. Our prayer is that this issue of Hope & Expectation will cause all of us to recommit ourselves to telling others the wonderful Good News of Jesus.

— Jeff Jenkins & Dale Jenkins