As December speeds up, most of us feel the pressure of a mental countdown clock — one more gift to buy, one more deadline to meet, one more thing on the list. In this Celebration Sunday message at NewHope Church in Durham, NC, Pastor Adam Bishop invites us to do something different: to slow down and practice the discipline of celebration. Instead of letting the year blur by, we intentionally pause to remember God’s faithfulness and trace His hand through every “yes,” every “no,” and every moment in between.

Looking back over 2025, we celebrate how God has moved in the life of our church: the completion of the Next 22 kids ministry renovation and new environments for every age group, surprising financial provision, increasing generosity, and stories of life change that can’t be explained by anything other than His power at work. Anchored in 2 Chronicles 16:9 and Ephesians 3:20, Pastor Adam reminds us that God is still searching for people and churches whose hearts are fully committed to Him — and that when we track His work over time, what once felt confusing begins to make sense in light of His bigger plan.

From that place of gratitude, we look ahead in faith to “Six in 2026” — six new ministry initiatives we believe God is calling NewHope to launch in the coming year. Rather than waiting for guarantees, we step forward trusting the God “who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.” This message is an invitation for each of us to do the same: to name what God has done in our own lives this year and to trust Him with whatever comes next.