There are three phrases that I consider cheap shots when fighting.  These phrases dodge the conversation at hand and create tension. These phrases are indicators that a person doesn’t really want to discuss the issue–they just want to air their own opinion.

#1 “People are saying” 

I can’t tell you how many times people pull this card…who is “people”?  You, your wife, two best friends and maybe the church gossiper or community know it all. Come on, be a man!  (or lady!) Own your opinion and thoughts.  Don’t show your arrogance in a conversation by representing “People”.   Most of the  time this phrase is a cover up for your own opinion…say it..own it…don’t cop out by saying “people are saying”.

If you are listening to “people” stop.  Stop meddling in quarrels that are not your own. You are only making the situation worse.  Proverbs says, “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.” (Prov 26:20)

#2:  ”God told me” 

When people pull the God card it shuts down the conversation. I can’t tell you how many people use the God card. It sounds something like this, ”God told me…” , ”This is the way the Bible says it should be done.”,  ”I was praying about this and ________”.

People use the God card often when talking about worship style. People have actually said to me, “This is how the Bible says we should do worship.”  First–the Bible tells us WHO to worship not HOW to worship.  Second–just be honest…you would prefer a different worship style.  Don’t blame God, your church or even the Bible. The truth is God used a different worship style to transform your life. Be ok with this. But don’t misrepresent God or Scripture in this conversation.  Don’t say, “I was praying about it and you, the church, should do more hymns.” or even worse, “God said the music is too loud.”  Really?  Get real.  You weren’t praying about it.  If so–God didn’t speak that to you.  The truth is you like hymns. Great. I love hymns. But be honest about it. All you are doing is shutting down the conversation for any real and honest dialog.

Please don’t misunderstand me—God speaks to me all the time. I simply don’t misrepresent Him. Many times I will say, “Here is how I am feeling..” or “I’m really trying to get God’s will on this one.”

Sometimes when I am talking to people I want to say, “Stop embarrassing your Father.” (God).  I say this because I would be embarrassed if my girls were talking to someone and they started to say, “Dad told me this”, “This is Dads’ will.”  This would be dysfunctional. My goal as a dad is see my girls make their own decisions.  God the Father wants His Word, His voice, His mission so grounded in our hearts that we just naturally do things according to His plan and will.

#3:  ”I was only joking” 

Proverbs says, “Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows  is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, “I was only joking!” (Prov 18:18-19)

I love humor. But humor should not be an excuse to hurt people.  Sarcasm is hurtful.  Comments made in jest build walls between people. You can’t say, “You are fat and then turn around and say, “I was only joking.” It doesn’t work that way.

People do this all the time. Humor creates culture in any home, organization, or church.  Humor must be used wisely to build people, create community and moments of laughter together.

I actually have other phrases that drive me crazy but I thought I would only write about three…here are some others for conversation..

• My wife told me (how can I argue with your wife?)
• I am only being honest. (honesty is NOT an excuse to be rude)
• I was tired when I said that
• I am thinking about leaving the church (Stop with the childish threat to your pastor…leave)
• This is policy…
• I don’t agree with my boss either…but…

I can go on and on..the issue is: don’t dodge the converstion…have it. One on one.  Own your opinion. State it in a Godly way.  Don’t blame someone or something else.

What are some other comments that drive you crazy?

I want to boldly ask you to pray for your pastor this week…. he or she needs you to partner with them in prayer these next few days before Easter.

Honest confession… I hate asking people to pray for me… it sounds self- serving and insensitive to other’s needs.  But here is the truth–Paul the apostle modeled something for pastors… he asked the church to pray for him.  I am asking that you pray for your pastor every week, but especially this week before Easter.

Read Ephesians 6:19-20 closely… Paul asked the church to pray for him very specifically.

¹⁹ Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰ for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

Pray Ephesians 6:19-20 over your pastor this weekend.  There are three prayers your pastor needs:

Prayer #1: “When he opens his mouth—words may be given to him”.

Paul asked the church, “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me…”

Powerful. Pray as your pastor stands to the pulpit this weekend… that God would give him words to speak, the wisdom to speak and the ability to discern what to say and what not to say. Pray God would give him the exact words that would connect with people far from God.

This is specifically important if your church has multiple services. Pray that every service, your pastor would speak words from God. Words that would connect with the people in that particular service.

Prayer #2: Your Pastor would preach “fearlessly”. 

Paul asked the church twice to pray that he would preach fearlessly… “so that I will fearlessly make known”; “Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should”.

It is easy to get intimidated with the crowds and not want to offend someone. The gospel offends. Pray your pastor would boldly declare the resurrection of Jesus Christ–fearlessly.

Prayer #3: Your Pastor would preach the mystery of the gospel. 

Paul said pray that “I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel”.

Pray your pastor would preach the gospel. Man is a sinner. We deserve the wrath of God. Jesus lived a sinless life. Jesus was crucified on our behalf. Jesus rose again. Jesus is not a way to heaven, HE is THE way.

There is a mystery to the gospel. People don’t understand the power of the gospel. Easter is the time to preach Jesus!

Paul looked at the church as “Partners in the gospel” (Phil 1; 3-6).  IF YOU ARE A CHRIST FOLLOWER—you and your pastor are partners in God’s redemptive mission to this world.  We work together to fulfill God’s redemptive activity in this world.  One may plant, one may water… but God makes it grow.  So many look at their pastor and church as a “consumer”…  I come to church, I consume, I like it or I don’t… repent, my friend, of this deadly attitude. You are a partner with your pastor in the missional and redemptive heart of God.

There is no better way to partner with your pastor than by praying for him.  But go one step further… let your pastor know you are praying for him.  Send him an e-mail, post something on his Facebook or write him a card. Hand him the card after he preaches or send in it the mail. Let your pastor know you are praying… let him know what God did in your life or even better, the life of someone you invited.

But I have a concern…a BIG one…there is so much focus on church planting it seems like many pastors, leaders and church members are giving up on the established church.   Pastors and leaders, we have this natural tendency to listen to the “new” leaders about how they have planted new churches.    Yes, we should.  As a leader you would be stupid not to listen to guys who have planted and made it work.

But you need to understand–there is a big difference between planting a new church and leading an established church. BIG DIFFERENCE!!!  They are not the same subject. While new churches can help you think about your church–it is an error to not understand that you are talking about two animals.

Here is my conviction: God’s missional activity in this world will only be fulfilled with the planting of new churches and remodeling of established churches.

I am calling this part 1 because I have so many thoughts on this subject. I have no idea if  this is will be 5 or 25 parts.  Over the last 8 years God has graciously given me the wisdom and  leadership to see Him do some incredible things at New Life. Today we are a church of over 3500 people who love Jesus, His mission and seeing our people become a part of God’s redemptive work in our community and world.

Perhaps this is a seed for a new book.  Frankly I don’t know. Over the next 12-18 months I will post some blogs and see where God takes it from there.

Part 1: Remodel don’t tear it down.

When I use the term “established” church I am talking about a church with history…all the good and ugly about that church’s history.  A church that has people who are pillars that have paid the bills, seen many pastors come and go and are not aware and frankly don’t care about what God is doing at Elevation or Northpoint.

15+ years ago I bought a 100-year-old house (built in 1899).  If you saw this house today you would know it was 100 years old but you would love it. It is totally remodeled. Over the last 15+ years I have moved it to another location (big story…another post), built a new foundation, added a new roof, redone all the electrical and plumbing, changed the orientation of the house, brought it to it’s studs and put in new floors, new kitchen, new bathrooms, and so much more.

My conviction: many of our ineffective churches need to be remodeled not demolished.

Are there times to tear down a house? For sure. But I think many houses and churches can save the history and make them “modern’ and become incredible places to be.

Anyone can “tear” something down.  It doesn’t take much skill to tear down a building. Yes, I know it takes skill to tear down a building correctly, but no matter how you look at it..it takes much more skill, patience and endurance to remodel than it does to demo a house.

While it may look the same–here are some fundamental differences between remodeling an old house vs. building a new one:

• You have to respect bearing walls. Most walls can come down, you just need to make sure you know it is a bearing wall and put up the proper beams.
• You will find “rot” and “water leaks” nobody knows about. As I was remodeling my old home, I found three major leaks that cost me money and time.  This is reality.  Pastors and leaders–don’t be a baby and blame this on “pharisees”. It may NOT be a pharisaical attitude..it may be a part of reality. Put on your big boy pants and lead.
• You may have to create temporary solutions before you get to the final product.  When I moved my house, I had to put the house on blocks while they built a new foundation.  When I tore down bearing walls I had to make sure the roof wouldn’t cave until the new wall was built.
• It will take longer and cost more than you think. Period. More on this in my future blogs.

So why? Why remodel established churches?  With all these issues at hand…why?

• God loves His church. God’s missional activity is alive in the hearts of established churches.
• On a very practical level–there are resources in established churches God wants to use to build His kingdom and reach this world.
• There are precious pillars of the church that need a pastor to lead them not just put them out to pasture.
•  There are unbelievable benefits of living in my 100+ year home. I have all the modern things of a new home and all the nostalgia that an old home provides.

It is my personal conviction that every established church can be remodeled and become a place where God’s missional activity is happening on a deep level in their community and world.

Pastors, leaders, church members…don’t give up on the established church. I am hoping these posts in the next 12-18 months will help you out.  They won’t be in any kind of order (like a book)….just random thoughts to come along side of leaders and pastors who believe their established church  can still be a part of God’s redemptive story in this world.

These past few weeks there has been a heavy weight on my heart. I have quieted my soul before the Lord and truly asked myself this question: What is it that my heart breaks for? Does it break for my own selfish desires, or for the things that break the heart of God?

We are all guilty of getting wrapped up in our selfish desires. For me, I become so consumed with my life and my struggles that I lose sight of what it is that God has called us to do.

He has called us to be His arms and feet extended to a lost and broken world. He has called us to seek and save that which is lost (Luke 19:10).

This next phrase may come across as harsh, but I am finding it to be true–Life is bigger than you. Sounds cliché, but do you truly believe it? When all is said and done, and life throws you a curve ball and you feel like giving up, do you really believe that life is not about you?

I understand that there are seasons to deal with your baggage. I understand that there is a proper time to face yourself. In fact, I think until you face yourself you will never be able to do what God has called you to do. But, I do not believe that God would call you to a lifetime of sitting in your sin.

There are bigger issues, problems, tragedies and heartaches occurring everyday. While your problems may be the end of your world, they are not the end of the world.

Here is the brutal truth–people are dying. People are hurting. People are waiting for someone to genuinely care.  We cross paths with people everyday who need to hear the name of Jesus. Whether it’s in your workplace, school, or grocery shopping; we are called to bring people to the heart of our savior.

This burden is becoming very real to me. It is my prayer that everyone who claims to be a Christ follower would truly not make it about themselves. God did not create you so you can mope around in your emotions. He did not create you to sit on the side lines and watch someone else fulfill your calling.

He created you for such a time as this (Esther 4:14). God positioned you on this earth, in this generation, to be a part of a people who are carriers of His presence. To show a desperately broken world that our God is love (1 John 4:8).

God’s heart is for the broken and the hurting. It is for the widows and the orphans (James 1:27). It is for those who are weary and crushed in spirit (Psalm 34:18).

Get alone with God. Pursue a deeper relationship with Him and don’t stop until He reveals Himself to you. Ask Him to expose your flesh and examine your heart (Psalm 26:2).

Take time to truly ask yourself this question: What does your heart break for?

For 22 years Jana and I have what we call a date night.  Currently this is on Friday nights.  We love Fridays. This is the day for us…no kids, no ministry…just us.  Over the years this has changed to other evenings and times.  For full disclosure–things come up and there have been times when we skip a couple of weeks.   Not every date night is full of magic and romance.  This is called life.  But having a simple commitment to date night has saved our marriage and kept a healthy rhythm to our lives and ministry.

The bottom line–get creative and carve out times for just the two of you.   It may be a Saturday breakfast, sitting on the couch and talking once a week or having lunch together during the business day.  I don’t know what this is for you–but get creative….do something for your marriage. Recently I have had some couples tell me this is why they love Saturday night church…they can go to church together and then grab a movie. I love it. Whatever works for you.

Why do I believe that every couple needs time without kids to nurture their marriage?

# 1. Pack the big suitcases first.

When you pack a trunk of a car–what do you do?  You put the big suitcases in first..then all the small ones.  If you put the small ones in first–the big ones never will fit.  Determine what the big suitcases are in your life.  For me–my relationship with Christ and marriage are the biggest suitcases I have. Even before my relationship with my two girls. Jana is first!!  I can’t wait until I have “time” to pack this suitcase. I have to make sure Jana is the centerpiece of my life not an afterthought.

To say you don’t have time for your spouse is accepting the idea your marriage will die a slow death.

# 2. Your kids will move out one day—your spouse won’t.

So many parents put their kids over the health of their marriage. Big mistake. No doubt when the kids are young or even in High School you have to adjust your time and priorities around their schedule.  But don’t get so busy with the kids that you neglect your own marriage.

One day your kids will leave home.  I wouldn’t consider Jana and me “empty nesters” yet. My oldest daughter is busy working and leading in worship at New Life. My youngest daughter is in Springfield, Missouri at James River Leadership College. They both have rooms in the house. I guess at some level they will always have a room in their home. But here is the reality, one day my girls will leave the house.  One day we can’t hide behind the kids.  Jana and I have spent years investing into our marriage, romance and friendship. We still like each other. We still enjoy each other’s friendship.

# 3. A “No Kid Zone” sends a loud message to your kids.

My two girls know that dad and mom like each other. They know we date.  Dating your spouse sends the message to the kids, “We love each other.”

Dads–the best thing you can do for your kids is to love their mom.

Moms–the best things you can do for your kids is to honor their dad.

We have to take control of our busy lives. Determine the things that are non-negotiable.  Learn to say no to things that don’t matter.  Your boss won’t be with you when you retire–your spouse will. Your spouse is more important than your job, your hobbies, your church commitment, the lawn that needs to be mowed, your favorite television show—-say “no” to some of these things. They are all the little suitcases…your spouse is the big deal in your life.

I have heard all the excuses, “I don’t have the money.”, “Who will take care of the kids?”, “A movie and dinner is so boring.” etc, etc, etc.  Stop with the excuses.  When you were dating–you would move the moon for each other.  Yes, it may cost some money to create a “No Kid Zone”…but this is a lot cheaper than a divorce attorney and two mortgages because your marriage didn’t work.

Men, here is my challenge…right now, text your wife.  Ask her on a date…tell her that the two of you need to find time together without the kids. Begin the conversation. Experiment with your schedule. Say “no” to other commitments. Say “yes” to your wife.   Do it now!

Clarity without compassion leads to a gospel without redemption!

Watch this video…I’d love to hear from you…

Why does the church speak with so much hatred towards the gay community?  Why does the church need to be clear on the Biblical definition of marriage?  Do you agree that the best way to protect marriage is not signing petitions but having a great marriage?

Many leaders don’t feel cool enough to lead, make changes, and have a voice in the emerging generation.

Parents feel like they can’t keep up with their kids. Pastors live with this haunting thought that their preaching is out of date, the music is not relevant and they need to wear skinny jeans.

Most people would never admit this…but deep down inside you feel irrelevant and can’t keep up with our culture’s definition of “cool”.

Here is my question:  When did “cool” become the goal?  When did we become so shallow that if you are not cool you are not relevant?

If you don’t feel cool enough to parent or lead, I am glad you are reading this.  Here are four things I would suggest…

#1:  Admit you are not cool

This will free you up big time….say it out loud…”I am not cool.”

Pastor and Author Earl Creps says, “It is not necessary to be cool or young to lead. It is necessary to have the grace to admit it when you are not.”

Read that again…you don’t have to be cool to lead. Matter of fact, some leaders look foolish trying to be what they are not.

#2:   Own your age.

If you are 21, be 21…enjoy it. If you are 45, be 45.  If you are 70, be 70.  You bring valuable insights to the table. Your perspective is essential.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young or old.  The day of your birth is providential in God’s hand.  Own your age. I am not suggesting that you don’t take care of yourself and at times even mix it up a bit….but there is nothing worse than a 40 year old trying to be 20.

# 3:  Learn from everyone

I truly believe every home, church and organization needs the energy of youth and the wisdom of age.  I purposefully hang out with people 20 years younger than me and 20 years older than me.  I need both.  It is a tragic life to only hang out with one generation.

#4:  Be Real!

Your goal is not to be cool but real. Write this down.  Our kids, the people we lead, and the people closest to us—need us to be real, not cool.

“You were born an original, don’t die a copy.”-John Mason

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”–Ralph Waldo Emerson

If you are a leader in your organization, your organization needs a real authentic Christ follower showing them you can live for Jesus in the marketplace.

Pastors, your church needs a real pastor— not cool pastor.

Parents, your kids need parents who love each other and provide wisdom and guidance!

Over the next year, we will go deeper into the entire story of the Bible, beginning with the beginning—Genesis—and ending with Revelation.  We will discover that the Bible is more than a collection of stories.  It tells one story.  The story of love so great that it will stop at nothing to restore the broken relationship between the Creator and His creation.  The Bible is really The Jesus Story.

Since the beginning of time, God has been at work in our lives.  The pinnacle of all He created, we are the only part of creation to bear the stamp, “In His Image.”  From the moment God breathed life into Adam to where we are today, The Jesus Story shows the handprint of God in our daily lives.

From the early stories in Genesis—the Garden, the Fall, the Flood—we will see how God pursues a relationship with mankind.  You may have heard stories about Cain and Abel, about Noah and the flood.  You may have heard of a man named Abraham.  God establishes a relationship with Abraham and his descendents—Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—and promises that from this family will come the Savior, the One who will restore the broken relationship—and redeem all mankind.

You’ve probably heard about Moses, the prince of Egypt, who led Abraham’s descendents out of bondage into the promised land.  You may have heard about the walls of Jericho falling, about Samson and Delilah, about David and Goliath.  Each one of these stories show the length to which God went to get the attention of His creation.  Every story has a purpose, leading to an amazing destiny, and they are just a part of The Jesus Story.

We will hear the adventures and exploits and see the journals, poems, and songs of prophets, kings, and priests.  Personal struggles of great men, triumphant examples of faith, and private moments of failure.  Each of these again reveal more of what God wants to say to His creation.  Through books of wisdom and prophecy, we continue to see the way God works in the lives of His people, still reaching out to the ones He loves.

Thousands of years after Abraham, the people of God still look for a savior and wonder—when will He come? The answer is met with silence.  For 400 years, The Jesus Story seems to come to a halt.  But the story isn’t over.  Just when people might have given up hope, God surprises everyone.  He becomes a man.  He comes to His creation as a baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.  But He doesn’t stay a little child—He grows up, raised by a carpenter in a dusty Judean village.  In an untouchable mystery, God disguises Himself as one of us—and the main character in The Jesus Story takes center stage.

We will witness how the story that began in a Garden ends in a City—with the life and ministry, the miracles and parables, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  We will see how the lives of those who knew Him personally were changed, how the church began with one hundred scared disciples, how a man named Paul was transformed from violent opposition to outspoken champion of the Gospel.  We will read the letters he wrote to friends, to congregations.  And we will conclude with a glimpse into the future, the ultimate finale to The Jesus Story.

You may be wondering, how does what happened in the Garden so long ago affect me today—or even tomorrow?  Why should this story be significant to me today?  The answers may surprise you.  The Jesus Story is full of the unexpected, because when we look for God in a place where He would never be, we look again and there He is.  Ready to answer your deepest questions.

I want to invite you to join us as we tell The Jesus Story.  If New Life is your home church, or wherever you are in the world, join us in person or online as we return to the greatest story ever told.

Here is how you can find your place in this story:

• Read The Jesus Story Bible Reading Plan.  Click here to start now.
• Watch each week online.  Click here to watch the introduction to the series: The Prologue.
• If you live in the Seattle area..join us at one of our seven gatherings. Find out times and directions here.
• Use the study questions provided each week. Click here to get the questions for Week One.

Honest confession: The only reason I care about the microwave is because my wife cares…period. I am not trying to be insensitive..but I really don’t care, but I will do anything for my wife!

So I walked into a nationally known hardware store (I won’t mention their name).  I found a sales person and started to ask questions. What widths are microwaves? (I needed this information to know my options of where I can put it).  Where do people put microwaves? Above the stove? On the counter? In the kitchen island? Does need a turntable?  Just basic questions.

The salesperson showed me a couple of models….then laughing, he said to me, “What is your deal, do you live outside the country?” I turned this into a laughing moment..I responded, “Bro, the only thing I care about is my wife and that she is happy.”  He laughed and we went our separate ways.

Honestly, I wanted to go to his supervisor and report this. This guy made me feel like I was an idiot for asking basic and honest questions. He made me feel like I was wasting his time.  Apparently, everyone who lives in America but me knows the width, location, and how microwaves work.

This is how so many people feel about church and Christ followers.  They walk into our churches and have honest questions about God.  We make them feel like idiots…..we send them non verbal clues like, “Don’t you know the story of Jonah?”, “What’s your deal, didn’t you ever go to Sunday School?”…we say things like, “Turn to your Bibles to Acts.” and expect people to know what we are talking about. We talk about Paul the Apostle like everyone knows his name and story.  “Hey, if you live in America you have to know about Daniel and the lions, right?”

Why do we make people feel like idiots in church? I think because most Christians don’t have a friend who is far from God. We live in a bubble and think everyone knows the story of Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph and so many more. We live in a Christian bubble that assumes everyone knows where the book of Galatians is and why it was written.

Here is my burden…do church for people who have honest questions about the Bible, the Gospel and Jesus. This is why I am in the ministry. This is why I preach every Sunday.  The church needs to repent for making people feel like idiots. We need to repent of our arrogance and begin to be ‘friends of sinners’ like Jesus. He never made people who had honest questions feel like idiots.  People have honest questions and we need to be prepared to answer them.

New Life is a place you can ask about the “microwave” and not feel like an idiot. The brutal truth is most “Christians” pretend to know everything about the “microwave”  but secretively they wish they could ask some basic and honest questions as well.

This Sunday I begin a new series called “The Jesus Story”.  For the next 40 weeks I am going to walk you through the story of redemption, the story of God–the Jesus Story.   The next 40 weeks I will give you a bird’s-eye view of Scripture…how it all fits together? Are the stories we refer to all the time a bunch of unrelated events? How does all this work?  What is the timeline? What is “the Jesus Story” all about?

Starting in 10 days New Life will have seven gatherings every weekend.  One on Saturday + two in the main auditorium + two in the North Auditoruim (Softer Sundays) + two on the Maple Valley/Covington campus.

It takes over 1,000 volunteers to make this happen. This last  Sunday alone we had 134 people sign up to serve.

People ask me all the time, “What makes New Life happen?” Honestly, people are looking for a silver bullet to make their church grow.  There is no silver bullet.  There is a mass army of leaders and volunteers who love Jesus, His mission and serve like crazy behind the scenes.  They don’t grab the mic every weekend, they don’t ask for any “glory”, and they don’t get paid monetarily…they are motived by one thing..the gospel being preached and people’s lives being transformed!

I want to say thank you to all the people who serve and make New Life happen every weekend.

1. Parking lot attendents, thank you for being on time…smiling as people drive in…and making the parking lot a place for people to enjoy.
2. Coffee people, thank you for showing up early and making sure the coffee is ready and hot.
3. Greeters, your heart for Jesus is contagious. Thank you for making the lobby come alive every weekend.
4. Ushers, you make a difference.  When people walk into one of our three auditoriums they feel at home because of you. Thank you.
5. Guest Services, you are the first impression!  It takes a lot of courage for a 1st or 2nd time guest to stop and ask a question at Guest Services.  You make it comfortable! Thank you!!
6. Prayer Partners, the heroes of New Life. Every weekend you are covering me and the church in prayer.  People are getting saved and transformed by the gospel because of your prayers. You are the backbone of New Life.
7. Nursery workers, thank you! thank you! thank you!  Bottom line, young families are coming back to Jesus and experiencing the goodness of God because of your ministry to their children.
8. Kids workers, reach a chid and we will reach the family.  New Life is experiencing God’s favor and growth because of our children’s ministry. Thank you for serving, loving and leading kids into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
9. Student leaders, it is amazing to see the fire of God in our Next Generation ministries.  New Life has tons of adults who simply love and serve our students…Amazing!
10. Media Crew, every weekend you are faithful to your task at hand. People are able to experience the presence of God because of your commitment to excellence and ministry.
11. Worship team, love the worship at New Life. We have three auditoriums every weekend! This takes a ton of anointed musicians who love Jesus with all their hearts.
12. Bulletin Team, every week you assemble over 1500 bulletins.  This is critical to help our guests connect at New Life.  Thank you for your faithful service!
13. Guest Follow-up Team, our guests feel welcome and come back because of your great work sending letters and entering each person into our database.  Thank you so much!

There are so many more leaders and volunteers who serve every weekend at New Life…people in the background every Sunday making church a place where people can invite their friends and be transformed by the gospel…..

Jana and I love you!  You are making a difference!  I am blessed by you every weekend. Thank you! Thank you!