New Life Church of the Nazarene

02/04/2016

01/22/2016

There will be NO Sunday Service. Stay home and keep warm.

01/04/2016

Monday minute:

Praying for you!

12/09/2015

Living a life on mission - Life Notes - Pastor Desmond

Within the Church of the Nazarene, many of her churches are small in size and are struggling to see what their mission is outside of the four walls of the local church. Dr. Carl Summer a retired District Superintendent and former professor of mine wrote: “It seems to me that for a Church to decide they are going to take care of themselves first and foremost and basically ignore those outside the walls of the Church, is a violation of the very Spirit that created them.”

The Church is crying out today for missional leaders that will enable the local body to conquer its compliancy and see its relevancy in an ever-changing world. The Church of yesterday, can’t be the church of today. Hear my heart when I say, the good ‘ole days are gone, but they don’t have to be lost. Leaders within the local church have to become leaders who help propel, share, and pray for the mission of Christ as they once did. The people within the Church have to feel that they are a part of a fellowship of believers that are living for Christ and not just checking off their spiritual obligation box by showing up at a church on Sunday.

A missional church is one who is visible to the invisible of society. Christ showed through his missional life three steps that the local church should strive for.

1. Serve with openness: The local church has to be open to receive and love others that don’t look like them, act like them, or even talk like them. Closed doors must become open doors if the church is going to live and love on mission. Christ showed us through his example of missional living that even sinners need love, grace, and forgiveness extended to them. I remember at my first church a man named Israel who was bi-polar/ schizophrenic, who wanted to invite Christ into his heart and then be baptized. As we stepped into the Church, he tripped and let out the biggest F-bomb you could imagine. At that point I had the decision to make; be a Pharisee or Jesus. I chose to follow Jesus. Israel sought forgiveness at the altar, and he was baptized that day.

2. Do it in and through love: Living on mission is living life, like Christ. When others hurt you, love them. When others disappoint you, love them. When others talk bad about you, love them. When others struggle with your leadership vision, love them. Jesus shared: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). The act of loving others may be uncomfortable at first, but love with the heart of Christ.

In my second church, I was hurt early on by several long-term members who were used to doing things a certain way. I was new and wanted to live out the concept of being missional. Instead of explaining, the complaining started. It took over six months for these members to see that I was turning the church in Christ direction, which was to live the mission and not just changing things to change things. Today those members are my biggest supporters and friends in the church, all because they were able to see that I was serving in and through the mission, given by Christ.

3. Welcome one and all: Being a church on mission, is being missional to a people that may make you uncomfortable. Christ is calling the local church to stop being comfortable and turn to be comforters. Throughout the life of Christ, he was not comfortable in ministry but was a comforting force to sinners, cheats, loafers, etc. His example should be your example. Welcome into the Church body all who enter. Welcome into the Church body all who need help. A missional church is a church that sees Christ in everyone.

One winter night at the church, my children heard a knock at the door and got me. I went to the door and found a scruffy looking man who looked to have been living in the woods. In speaking with him, he was 21 years old and was hiking from New Hampshire to Florida. I invited him in from the cold and took him to our parsonage to get something to eat. In speaking with him, it was clear he needed a place to stay for the night and some rest. I told him he could pitch his tent on the church lawn and spend the night. Then the Spirit spoke to my heart and said: ‘keep him warm.’

As he got up from the dinner table, he said: ‘I’m going outside to pitch my tent’, and again I heard the Lord say; ‘keep him warm.’ Living life on mission welcomes all, even strangers into your home. Needless to say, he stayed in our home that night, was able to take his first hot shower in weeks. The next morning after breakfast I drove him to the state line, some 100 miles away, to help him on his journey. Christ welcomed the stranger, the sinner, and the seeker, into his life. Let me encourage you to do the same.

Evangelist Greg Laurie wrote: “We should never be afraid to commit an unknown future to a known God.” You can’t be afraid of the unknown. Just trust God and he will make it known and live life on mission.

12/01/2015

The Hope that comes from God - Life Notes - Pastor Desmond

This past Sunday, the Christian Church celebrated the first Sunday of Advent. Advent is a season where the Church waits and prepares for Christ birth at Christmas. The Church of Jesus Christ, celebrates the hope that is found in the saving grace of Christ birth. Contrasted by this hope for the birth of Christ is the hope of finding the right item on Black Friday, the traditional day after Thanksgiving, where nearly 140 million people go shopping looking for a quick bargain. They hope to find just the right item to place under the Christmas tree or to place in a stocking. This group of bargain hunters spent nearly 60 billion dollars on bargains that were found either in a store or online.

Hope can’t be found in ‘stuff’, but can be found in Christ. God’s word records in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” The future is not found in things, but in Him. God has gifted you with a marvelous gift, if you are willing to accept him as your Savior. He has sent a second gift in the Holy Spirit until his return. His gifts extend hope to the hopeless, and joy to the joyless.

Psalm 119:49 says; “For you have given me hope.” Hope in tomorrow. Hope in today. Hope that he has made you for this season, for this hour of time, to achieve the calling that is on your life. The hope that comes from his gift is extended as hope through guidance in your daily walk. Psalms 25:5 says; “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” God’s plans for you are far greater than any preparation that you could make on your own. His plans may take more time than you hope for, but I promise it will be worth it in the end. What would take you two years, God could move everything in your favor overnight. Stay in hope and stay in God.

In the down times of life, seek out the hope that comes from God. God’s purpose shines the brightest in the midst of your darkest times. The timing of your ordeal may not look promising, but it’s perfect in God’s master plan. God wants a willing, obedient, open heart that listens for and to him and I promise that is when the hope of a new season will begin its journey in your life.

As the first candle in the Advent Wreath signifies hope, I am reminded of an anonymous quote on the subject: “Hope is faith holding out its hand in the darkness.” In this season I pray that you find the hope found in God.

11/29/2015

Start your CHRISTmas Season off right @ 10:45 - Pastor Desmond will begin a new sermon series: Only Jesus - Matthew 1:18-25

11/20/2015

Jesus; in the face of the refugee - Life Notes - Pastor Desmond

Today 60 million people are considered refugees with nearly half being children. More than 30 million of them have come from three conflicts (Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia), according to a June 2015 report by the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR).

According to the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and amended in 1967; defines a refugee as a person who "owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group, or political opinion, is outside the country of his nationality, and is unable to or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself of the protection of that country..."

Social media, television, and newspapers have erupted with angry anti-immigration speech that has called into question the Judeo-Christian values of the United States. In Luke 10:25-37 Christ followers are reminded through the story of the Parable of the Good Samaritan, that Jesus is in the face of the refugee.

“On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?” He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him.

He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

“Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.””
Jesus did not say; walk around, ignore, or to close the door in the face of the hurting. Instead Jesus said; help, love, extend grace, and mercy. A Christ-follower accepts all and expects nothing in return. Love your neighbor, and welcome the refugee in.

11/17/2015

Great job!

11/17/2015

The prayers of your people God are powerful! Answer our prayers.

11/17/2015

11/17/2015

What an anointed revival! Praise the Lord for Gods move!

11/15/2015

One more service: Monday at 6:00 pm... Dinner at 4:30.

Healing Service - Come be transformed through the work of the Spirit!