Calling all future pilots, aviators, and high-flying adventure seekers between the ages of 3-12 – THIS IS FOR YOU!

Join New Life Church Sunday, June 10 through Thursday, June 14 (from 6PM – 8:30PM each night) for a great time of Jesus, fun, and adventure!  And of course, don’t forget the ROCKIN’ Pool Party – Friday, June 15! At SKY VBS children will learn that everything is possible with God! (Mark 10:27).  During their time with us at New Life Church, children will see that:

•         No matter what happens… Trust God
•         No matter who you are… Trust God
•         No matter how you feel… Trust God
•         No matter what people do… Trust God
•         No matter where you are… Trust God

VBS is open and FREE for all children ages 3-12! This will be great! Register at the link below!

Register for SKY VBS Today!

Join New Life Church Sunday, June 10 through Thursday, June 14 (from 6PM – 8:30PM each night) for a great time of Jesus, fun, and adventure!  And of course, don’t forget the ROCKIN’ Pool Party - Friday, June 15! At SKY VBS children will learn that everything is possible with God! (Mark 10:27).  During their time with us at New Life Church, children will see that:

•         No matter what happens… Trust God
•         No matter who you are… Trust God
•         No matter how you feel… Trust God
•         No matter what people do… Trust God
•         No matter where you are… Trust God

VBS is open and FREE for all children ages 3-12! This will be great! Register at the link below!

Register for SKY VBS Today!

• New Life Church, Richardson Texas
• Fellowship Hall
• April 29, 6:30-8:30
• Speaker: Heather Geddie
• “Story of Surrender”

This is a FREE event but to help us be prepared, please REGISTER yourself and your guests online by April 27th (by clicking the button below) to be entered into a free giveaway.  

So, bring the kids, bring the flashlights, and bring some batteries, and have some FUN!

See you at Huffhines Park on Saturday, April 7!

It’s time to be courageous, and the charge is very simple:

INVITE SOMEONE to Easter Celebration this year.

[audio:http://download.newlifedfw.com/Ignite_Pt3.mp3]

Pastor Michael concludes the series “Ignite: How ONE LIFE can CHANGE THE WORLD”. In this session, Pastor Michael shows the five things that MUST HAPPEN for our INVITATION to change the world. (04/01/2012)

Title: Grow Intentionally

Study Text: Romans 6:1-13; Philippians 3:12-16; Hebrews 12:1-3; James 4:6-10; 1 Peter 5:5-10

Central Truth: Like Jesus, Christians must continually pursue the kingdom of God.

Focus: To recognize that spiritual growth is a lifelong journey and stay on course.

In-Class Event (use for following along via phone, tablet, or computer): http://bible.us/e/FKk

Post-Class Wrap-Up: ACTION Night Wrap-Up (12/21/2011)

[audio:http://download.newlifedfw.com/Ignite_Pt3.mp3]

Pastor Michael continues the series “Ignite: How ONE LIFE Can Change The World”. In this session, Pastor Michael talks about our readiness physically, spiritually, and intellectually, and how “MY READINESS Can Change The World”. (03/25/2012)

Title: Grow through Prayer

Study Text: Matthew 6:6; Luke 5:15,16; John 15:5-8; 17:20-26; Romans 8:26,27; Philippians 1:9-11; Colossians 1:9-12; 4:2; Hebrews 7:23-25

Central Truth: Prayer is a direct connection between the Christian and God.

Focus: To explore how prayer is essential to spiritual growth and pray consistently.

In-Class Event (use for following along via phone, tablet, or computer): http://bible.us/e/FKk

Post-Class Wrap-Up: ACTION Night Wrap-Up (12/21/2011)

Regular church attendance is vitally important to helping each of us grow in our relationship with God, in our understanding of God’s Word, and in our ability to worship, pray, and engage with God. We learn things at church about interacting with God and with other believers. God uses our time at church, in His presence and the presence of others that believe the way we do to help us build a strong foundation and to grow us spiritually.

So, what does that mean? It means come to church. Come to church each week. Let nothing keep you from church. Plan church first, then plan everything else around church. And when we show up, we need to show up ON TIME. And when we show up on time, we need to show up READY! Ready to meet with God. Ready to hear from God. Ready to receive what God has for us.

I honestly believe one of the key reasons that regular church attendance is so difficult, and for many is non-existent, is because we come to church for the wrong reasons. We come to church with our American consumer hat on, asking “What’s in this for me?”. That is the wrong question to be asking when it comes to church. When we come to church, the right question is always “What can I give?”. Here’s the reason why… it’s not about you. It’s not about me. It’s never been about you or about me. It’s about Jesus. It’s always about Jesus. It’s only about Jesus. And when we come to church, it’s no different. Jesus is why we come. And every time we come to church, ready to meet with and receive from Jesus, He will never disappoint. He will always provide for us exactly what we need from Him at the time. Because He is faithful, and He is good.

So – church attendance is not a social activity – it’s a regularly planned, scheduled, high priority event that allows you to gather with other believers and come and give yourselves in worship to God… together.

How about it? Gonna be at church?

Paul writes that the full Bible, the Word of God, was given to us for our benefit – by God, breathed by Him, for us.

Most people allow Sunday morning – one time per week – to be the only time they get the Word of God into their lives, and that comes from hearing a message at church. Hearing is an excellent way to catch hold of God’s Word, but if you are limited to one time per week, or twice per week for the super dedicated church attender, then you are limiting the power of God’s Word in your life.

Jesus called the Word of God His sustenance, that He didn’t need bread, but He needed God’s Word (Luke 4:4). If the Bible was to Jesus like a burger is to me, that must mean it’s pretty important. If I were to only eat one time per week, or maybe two times per week at the most – I would be in a pretty pathetic state. My physical body REQUIRES nourishment on a regular basis. In the same way, my spirit REQUIRES the nourishment of God’s Word on a regular basis.

So, I cannot only wait to be fed by the hearing of the Word – I must also grow in maturity to the point that I begin to feed myself. That I begin to take God’s Word into my life on my own. That I discipline myself and begin to read God’s Word regularly, daily, seeking to understand God’s heart as the scriptures are opened before me.

How do I do that? I read. I pick up the Bible, I blow off the layer of dust that has accumulated from its apparent un-use, and I open the book. I follow a reading plan, like the one New Life is going through together, and I get on track, I get in gear, and I begin to read. As I do, God is speaking. God speaks to us primarily through His Word. For us to become accustomed to hearing God speak through His Word, we must acclimate ourselves to reading His Word. We must do it and we must stick to it.

As we do that, God will begin to change us. His Word will begin to take hold in our lives, to take root in our hearts, and will begin to change who we are, how we think, how we act, and what we believe. We will become more and more like Jesus, the more that we delve into God’s Word on a regular basis.

Now, there are different activities for us to do while reading God’s Word, which I will share below. All of these point to one main activity, and that is the “applying of God’s Word to my life” – meaning this is the point where I do what it says.

For me to effectively read God’s Word, I must perform different activities to gain the most insight and understanding the scriptures. These various activities are:

1. READ: this is the most basic. This is picking up the book and reading the words. This is not, however, hurrying to try to get finished so I can do something else. This is the first step to gaining an understanding of who God is and what He’s wanting to do in your live.
2. STUDY: After we read, we can study. This is when we begin to ask questions and research the answers. Questions such as: who wrote the book, why did they write it, who did they write it to, what were the circumstances, what was the culture like? These are all valuable questions that will help you to gain insight to what God is really speaking.
3. MEMORIZE: Take those key verses that stand out to you, that mean something to you, that speak to you – and memorize them. Hold them in your heart, so that when they are needed, you can speak them into someone else. God’s Word is living and active, sharper than a two-edged sword (Heb. 4:12). Allow God’s Word to do its job of molding and shaping you into the man or woman God has called you to be.
4. MEDITATE: Think about what God is saying. Ponder what God is saying. Wonder about what God is saying. As you meditate on God’s Word, you allow it to soak deep into your heart. You allow yourself to get comfortable with God’s Word, and to begin to take God’s Word as God’s Word for YOU, personally, powerfully.
5. And all of these point to APPLY: Apply God’s Word to your life. Use His Word, do what He says, be obedient, and God will change you and grow you into the person He created you to be.

So, if you haven’t done so already, join us on our Bible-reading challenge, and let the adventure in God’s Word begin with and in you!

• Christians are giving at a 2.5% per capita or tithe.  During the Great Depression, they gave at a 3.3% rate.
• Today, 33-50% of church members, those who claim they have bought in at a deep level to your ministry, give nothing.
• If we were able to have our people increase their giving from 2.5% to 10% of their annual income, an additional $165 billion would flow into the Kingdom.  To show the global impact those resources could make, consider the following:
• $25 billion would relieve global hunger, starvation, and deaths from preventable diseases in 5 years.
• $12 billion would eliminate illiteracy in 5 years.
• $15 billion would solve the world’s water and sanitation issues, specifically at places in the world where 1 billion people live on less than $1 per day.
• $1 billion would fully fund the Great Commission.
• $100 – $110 billion would still be left over for additional ministry expansion.

NOTE: the source of these statistics were provided by www.generouschurch.com.

God allows us to partner with Him to advance His Kingdom. He doesn’t need the money – it’s all His. However, we NEED to be involved with Him – and by being obedient and giving to Him FIRST – as He has directed, we are placing ourselves in His service, in His blessing, and in His favor. See the difference we could all make, together!

A quiet time is simply a time that I set aside, each day, to be alone with God to get to know Him through the Bible and through prayer.

This time is very important for a Christian – and needs to be the top priority of our daily schedule for five reasons:

1. We were CREATED to have relationship with God (Gen. 1:26). God created us in His image. He did not need relationship with us. He did not need fellowship with us. God was existing perfectly, in perfect relationship and fellowship within Himself, in the persons of the Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit). There was perfect unity and harmony. However, God DESIRES to have a relationship with us – so we were created.
2. Jesus died to make this relationship possible (1 Cor 1:9). It is only through the death of Jesus that the separation from sin between man and God can be removed and relationship can be restored. Without that death, without that bridge, without that payment being made, none of us would be able to be in relationship with God. It is only through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus that we are able to fulfill what we were created to do – be in relationship, in fellowship, in unity with God.
3. Personal time alone with God was Jesus’ source of strength (Mark 1:35, Luke 5:16, Luke 22:39). When Jesus began his ministry, his days would be spent pouring himself out in ministry, preaching, teaching, healing the sick, casting out spirits. When He was emptied out, He would withdraw to a quiet place to pray, to spend time with God, and to be refilled by God so He could continue in ministry. We need this in our lives also. As a Christian, we should be pouring ourselves out in ministry to others – to our family, to our friends, to our neighbors and our co-workers. It is our daily time with God that we are refilled and strengthened by Him for the work that He has ahead of us.
4. Every person that has been effective in service for God has developed this habit. As we look through the Bible, we can see examples of people that have put this habit into practice in their lives. And we can see from the example of their lives the power and the impact that this habit has had for them. Some examples from the Bible include Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Paul, and Timothy. There are other examples of this as well – and we need to use their example as reason to establish this habit in our lives.
5. The last reason listed here is that you cannot be a healthy Christian without a daily quiet time with God. We were created for relationship with God. If we are not living that out then we are not living a life with any purpose. How deep and intimate of a relationship can we possibly have with God if we spend no time with Him? I am very happily married to my best friend, and I know that I would not be able to say those words if it were not for the vast amount of time that we spend together, enjoying one another, and deepening our relationship. If this is how relationships work with us, how do they work with God? Remember – it was we that were created in HIS image – not the other way around. We develop a healthy, strong, intimate, deep relationship with God by spending time with Him, by talking with Him, by sharing with Him, and by letting Him speak back to us.

So, now that we’ve established that a daily quiet time is very important to the life of every Christian, what is the purpose of a quiet time?

1. To give devotion to God, because He deserves it! (Psa. 29:2)
2. To get direction from God. (Psa. 25:4)
3. To gain delight in God, to grow in our delight of Him. (Psa. 37:4)
4. To grow more like God. (2 Pet. 1:4)

The point here is, the better we get to know Jesus, the move that we love Him! The purpose of our time is not to grow in our knowledge ABOUT Jesus, not to STUDY Jesus – but to actually spend time with Him!

Ok, what do you need to do to get started? Here’s a few pointers to get you on track…

1. Select a specific time and schedule it. The best time for your quiet time is when you are at your best. Regardless of the time you select – be consistent. Try to stick to the same time each day – this will help you to establish the habit.
2. Choose a special place. This is not a sacred place, but just a place for you to know that this is where you have your quiet time. I, personally, have a really comfy chair that I like to sit in during this time. That’s my place. Yours may be different – maybe a deck, or a desk – whatever it is, pick a place for you.
3. Get what you need to be successful. If you are going to be spending time daily with God, a good first item would be to have your Bible. A Bible you can read. A Bible you can understand. Next might be a journal or a notebook so you can write down your thoughts, things God might be speaking to you about. Some people may want some music playing, although for me, this is a distraction. But – it’s up to you… give it a shot…
4. Start with the right attitude. You are coming to spend time getting to know God. A reverent attitude is a good place to start. Also, God will honor this time, so come expecting to hear from Him.

Sometimes, even the best of intentions are shot because of things that we allow to happen. So, for this to be successful, we must be disciplined. With discipline come some problems we must face. Here are some tips for you:

1. Go to bed on time so you can actually get OUT OF BED on time. There’s nothing that will hinder your quiet time more than sleeping right through it…
2. When it’s time to get up, GET UP. This is not the time to snooze through your quiet time with God.
3. Be aware of things that steal your time. Don’t check email or Facebook before your quiet time, or you will be sucked in and miss out on your time with God.
4. Sometimes, sitting still early in the morning causes me to be distracted – sometimes with just wanting to go back to sleep. During these times, I find that walking while I pray helps me to focus and stay awake and alert.
5. Remember, this is time you are using to DEVELOP a relationship with God. There may be times that you don’t really feel a lot happening. Please try to get past your feelings on this. Time with God, a relationship with God is not about feelings. Please do not think your quiet time was ineffective because you didn’t get goosebumps during it.
6. If you miss a day, don’t beat yourself up – just get back on track tomorrow. God is not legalistic, even though some people are. God is not religious, even though some people are. Just don’t give up, and keep moving forward.

This habit is extremely important. Get this one started so you can begin to develop that relationship with God. God will honor what you are doing, and you will begin to see the fruit (the benefits) of this habit in your life!

You can do it – just get started!

Damage from Branson Leap Day Tornado, 2012

Storms come. Throughout life, there are storms that come against you. The storms of life. Sometimes they come in seasons. Sometimes they come on their own. Sometimes they are really big. Sometimes they are smaller. They are usually unexpected and unannounced. These storms can blow and howl, they can cause damage and devastation.

Regardless of what you try to do, storms come. And storms will continue to come. As discouraging as that may sound, we can either stand strong through a storm or we can be blown off course, blown off track.

Storms are not necessarily a bad thing, although we usually see them that way. Most of the time, in the midst of a storm, we want out. We want to change the circumstances. We want to get out of the storm. However – what if God is using that storm, and our response to the storm, to lead others to faith in Him.

So, how is it that we are to stand in the midst of a storm, and not be blown off course? Well, the difference is not the size of the STORM – the difference is the size of the PERSON in the storm. What do you have in your life that builds you up? What do you have in your life that holds you down? What do you have in your life that allows you to remain on your foundation during a storm? When the storms come, your life needs to be filled with something solid, something lasting, something secure. Many people fill their life with money, or the pursuit of money, or the pursuit of things. Many people fill their life with family, or friends, or entertainment. The problem with these is that they do not last. They are not secure. There is only one thing that we can fill our lives with that is able to stand, that is able to last. That one thing is not a thing at all, but a person.

Jesus is the only person that is able to keep us grounded and secure, strong and firm, throughout the storms of life that come against us. It is our relationship with Him that is able to keep us grounded. And our relationship with Him is determined by who He is to us in our lives. Who is Jesus to me? Where does He stand in my life? What place is He in my life? Is Jesus first in my life? Or does He come somewhere after my wife, my kids, my family, my friends, my church, my job, my entertainment, my hobbies, and anything and everything else that might come up?

Jesus desires to be FIRST in my life. I was created for that relationship with Him. Because I was created for that reason, I need to make sure that He is in the top place in my life. And there are habits that I can put in my life that will help to develop my relationship with Jesus. We’ll be covering some of those habits over the next few days – things that we can put in place in our life to develop our relationship with Jesus. After all, it’s ALL about Him. It’s ALWAYS about Him. And He deserves to come first in our lives!

Pastor Michael continues the series “Ignite: How ONE LIFE Can Change The World”. This week, Pastor Michael focuses on our worship, and how living a life full of God speaks to people and can bring them to faith. (03/18/2012)

God surrounds you and I with people that WE can speak to, people that WE can make a difference to, people that WE can CHANGE THEIR WORLD.

I believe that God has placed people in YOUR life, and in MY life, that need to know Him. It is His desire that ALL would be saved, and that NONE would be lost. That means it is our responsibility to use that tool that we have, OUR STORY, and tell them about Jesus.

This is what Jesus meant when He said for us to Go and tell the good news – thesis the news that we have to share with the world. The good news of our experience with Jesus. Of who we were, and who we are – and the difference is Jesus.

So, who has God put in your life that you need to share YOUR STORY wife? Pray for God to show you those people, and begin to pray for them daily. Pray that God would open a door for you to share YOUR STORY with them. And pray that when that time comes, God would give you the boldness to share your story clearly and confidently. And then pray that God would make them receptive to your story, that your story would speak to their hearts, and that God would be able to use that see planted to produce a harvest of change in their lives.