FAQs

FAQs

What kind of church is New Life?

We love God and we love people. Jesus Himself said that these were the most important of God’s commandments, and the ones that summarized the entire law of the Old Testament. But you probably want to know if we are affiliated with a particular denomination. We are not — New Life is an independent, “non-denominational” church. The pastors of New Life have been approved and appointed by the local church, and lead the church without governance from any other entity.

At New Life, we express our love for God and people through the following purposes, which we pray for every Sunday morning:

  • A Place to Be Saved
  • A Place to Belong
  • A Place to Grow
  • A Place to Give

What do we believe?

New Life can generally be described as Evangelical and Reformed in our theology. We are completely dependent on the grace of God for our salvation; the Word of God for our teaching; the character of God for our example; and the Holy Spirit of God for the abundance of love, joy, and peace that God wants all of His children to regularly experience.

Our Statement of Faith

When should you arrive and what should you wear?

Sunday services start at 10 a.m. and will end by 11:30. Consider arriving a few minutes early to grab a free cup of coffee and check out what’s going on at the welcome center. You can wear any modest clothing you feel comfortable in.

Who will you meet?

New Life is blessed to be a “cradle to grave” church family, with every age demographic represented. On the whole, however, we are a church of young to middle-aged families. Many visitors have told us that we are one of the friendliest churches they have ever encountered. Perhaps this is because we began in a living room when every new person really mattered to us. And you still do.

What will the worship be like?

Worship has a two-fold purpose. First, to glorify God and recognize the tremendous gift of grace He has given to His children. And second, to encourage the believers to love God even more and serve Him with our whole lives. Our music would fit the definition of “contemporary,” and will be led by one of several small bands. Every Sunday we share the Lord’s Supper together, to remember the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Savior. All believers who have been baptized in water to symbolize their new life in Christ are welcomed to participate. We also take a few minutes each week to pray for God’s blessing on New Life and our ministry activities.

What will the sermon be like?

The Bible says that Jesus came to the world full of grace and truth. Our teaching seeks the same balance – to help us appreciate the great grace of the gospel, while communicating the truth of God’s Word and character. The messages are practical — and with God’s help — powerful. Our prayer for every person in attendance at New Life is that God would use the worship and the teaching to change our lives, week after week. All three of our Pastors have scheduled teaching Sundays.

Where will the kids be?

We’d love your kids to be with you for the first half hour of our worship as we sing, pray, and honor Jesus. Just before the teaching time we’ll take a short break. At that time if your little ones require nursery or toddler care, both are available and staffed by multiple trained volunteers. Kids up through sixth grade will rush the doors on their way to Sunday School classes. But if you prefer, your kids can stay with you for the sermon — they’ll learn right along with you.

How do you become a member of New Life?

First and foremost, New Life is a family committed to Christ, and committed to one another. Beyond this, you won’t visit too many Sundays before you hear a Pastor talk about the four core purposes of New Life – “A Place to Be Saved,” “A Place to Belong,” “A Place to Grow,” and “A Place to Give,” and we pray for one of these purposes every Sunday morning. We believe these are the cornerstones of any Christian church. Or to put it another way, it is the definition of an Authentically Christian church. A broader description of how we define and seek Authentic Christianity can be found here. If you like what you read and want to join with us for the sake of Christ, just let one of the Pastors know. Membership classes are offered each year in the fall and those expressing a desire for membership are asked to sign a membership covenant.

What is Authentic Christianity?

That’s probably not a question you would directly ask, but its one we want to directly answer. There is no doubt that it is a great blessing of God that we live in the United States, and at this time in human history. We didn’t choose this for ourselves — to be born into the greatest wealth, the greatest age of information, and the greatest freedoms that have ever existed on planet earth. But perhaps this unearned abundance has led many to a mistaken understanding of what God desires from those who have been saved by grace. All of God’s Word is very clear — our Heavenly Father wants all of our heart, all of our soul, and all of our mind. He wants all and every part of us. As the Apostle Paul describes in Romans chapter 12, when we have a clear understanding of how merciful God has been toward us, our only reasonable response is to worship Him. Paul describes this as “offering ourselves as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.” (Romans 12:1)

At New Life, we use the phrase Authentic Christianity often, to describe what we believe God expects from every born again Christian. See a more detailed explanation of Authentic Christianity.

What is the Mission of New Life?

Our Mission Statement is: Joyfully serving Christ with our best friends. Learn more about our Mission Statement, Purposes, Goals and Strategies.

What happens outside of Sunday mornings?

The vast majority of our members belong to a L.I.F.E. Group that meets every other week for small group Bible study, prayer, and to build closer friendships. Our L.I.F.E. groups meet on various nights, and you can choose the one that’s right for you. Another type of small group that meets regularly are Barnabas Groups. These same-gender groups of 3-5 adults dig deep into the blessings and burdens of life, and encourage each other through sharing and prayer.

On Wednesday evenings throughout the school year, our six-acre ministry center is brimming with activity. About 50 kids age kindergarten through sixth grade participate in our AWANA program, where they play games, memorize Bible verses, share the Gospel, and enjoy a lesson from the Bible. In another part of the building, our 7th-12th grade Awaken youth group is meeting for worship, Bible study, and small group discussion. Parents are welcomed to volunteer and participate in both AWANA and Awaken.