Hey New Life!
As we get closer to 2012, we get closer to something I have been anticipating for several months now!
I want to challenge everyone that makes New Life Community Church their home church to be there on the first Sunday of the New Year – January 1, 2012!!
I will be revealing our 2012 theme and focus for the year and preparing everyone for a 21 day prayer and fasting time that begins the following Sunday, January 8th and ends on January 29th – which is the next 3 block outreach event that we are planning and the first of 5 that are all on the 5th Sundays in 2012.
To get you ready, I encourage you to go to this link below and read a great article that centers on the outreach that we and God’s House have on the neighbors right around our churches.
http://www.iwusojourn.com/2011/11/16/three-blocks-at-a-time/?fb_comment_id=fbc_5006999581794_839442_5007004497794
God is stirring the call in all of our lives to saturate the 3 block radius with God’s love and at the same time I know we will be exposed to God’s amazing love for all people and in turn take this compassion for others everywhere we go!!
Start planning now to be there January 1, 2012 and what you will fast starting January 8th!! As we give God our first month of the year we will see Him bless our church, our lives and those we come in contact with throughout the rest of the year!
In Him,
David Grieve
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
Our Dream
I sent this to the leaders of New Life Community Church today, but this is also something I believe others can grasp the heart of for where ever they may live!!
Here is a link to the Catalyst Leadership online magazine.
There are two things I want you to take about 5 minutes to do…read one article and watch one video from this magazine.
http://christianitytoday.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/vcat11/i7/p2
The article is called “the false gospel of impact” and it is an interview with Phil Vischer – the creator of Veggie Tales
The video is of Christine Caine called “passion deficiency”
I believe both come together to get us to think about what is our dream. At the end of the interview Phil says this, “God is now my dream, my deep desire not what I can do for Him.”
As we look at the dream of impacting our 3 Block Radius with an outpouring of love, let us not forget that the real dream is to be Loving God with everything we have!! If we are loving God with everything we have the by product will be Loving People no matter what, or more specifically Loving our 3 Block Radius no matter what! God has a love for all people and our love for Him will birth a love for all people inside of us!
Let me say the words of Isaiah found in his writings (Isaiah 62:1)
Because I love Zion,
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem,
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
I feel this same passion for our 3 Block Radius that Isaiah had for Jerusalem. Our 3 Block Radius is our Jerusalem for New Life Community Church. Isaiah did not pray his prayers non-stop alone. Instead he gathered others to join him, until God had to act!
Isaiah 62:6-7
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
I am posting you, leaders, as watchman on the walls! “Take no rest” and pray…pray until He finishes His work in our 3 Block Radius!
Again that article and that video will help us all put our focus on what matters most to God – the saving of souls!
I believe in you!
No matter where you live - what matters most to God stays the same! There are souls waiting for you to share God's love with them!
Here is a link to the Catalyst Leadership online magazine.
There are two things I want you to take about 5 minutes to do…read one article and watch one video from this magazine.
http://christianitytoday.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/vcat11/i7/p2
The article is called “the false gospel of impact” and it is an interview with Phil Vischer – the creator of Veggie Tales
The video is of Christine Caine called “passion deficiency”
I believe both come together to get us to think about what is our dream. At the end of the interview Phil says this, “God is now my dream, my deep desire not what I can do for Him.”
As we look at the dream of impacting our 3 Block Radius with an outpouring of love, let us not forget that the real dream is to be Loving God with everything we have!! If we are loving God with everything we have the by product will be Loving People no matter what, or more specifically Loving our 3 Block Radius no matter what! God has a love for all people and our love for Him will birth a love for all people inside of us!
Let me say the words of Isaiah found in his writings (Isaiah 62:1)
Because I love Zion,
I will not keep still.
Because my heart yearns for Jerusalem,
I cannot remain silent.
I will not stop praying for her
until her righteousness shines like the dawn,
and her salvation blazes like a burning torch.
I feel this same passion for our 3 Block Radius that Isaiah had for Jerusalem. Our 3 Block Radius is our Jerusalem for New Life Community Church. Isaiah did not pray his prayers non-stop alone. Instead he gathered others to join him, until God had to act!
Isaiah 62:6-7
O Jerusalem, I have posted watchmen on your walls;
they will pray day and night, continually.
Take no rest, all you who pray to the Lord.
7 Give the Lord no rest until he completes his work,
until he makes Jerusalem the pride of the earth.
I am posting you, leaders, as watchman on the walls! “Take no rest” and pray…pray until He finishes His work in our 3 Block Radius!
Again that article and that video will help us all put our focus on what matters most to God – the saving of souls!
I believe in you!
No matter where you live - what matters most to God stays the same! There are souls waiting for you to share God's love with them!
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Deliver 2011
New Life Family,
I am so very proud of all of you! Because of your generosity of Giving to fill Wal-Mart bags with household items, Going to pass them out to our neighbors, and Praying for those that you met this past Sunday during “Deliver 2011” we have stepped out into our 3 Block Radius around the church and begun to re-introduce our community to Jesus! Life change happens best out on the streets of life!
There were countless stories of encounters with people that day as we shared with one another after we had distributed the bags. If you were unable to go, just ask someone who did what took place that day! There are things that have transpired even since Sunday…
- We have had our neighbors across the street say, “thank you.”
- We have already received a thank you card from one neighbor on 10th Street who was not home at the time of our deliveries and she wanted to express her gratitude.
- We also had a young man come into the church today and we were able to meet an additional need of his and pray for his children and family!
Because of your commitment to Give, Go, and Pray we had almost 180 bags passed out to New Life’s community! Now comes the time to continue! To continue to re-introduce Jesus to our 3 block radius and our own neighbors, where ever we live!
You will hear more in the days ahead, but let me finish by preparing you for our 2012 theme, simply stated as “3 Blocks.”
2011 was themed – “Year 51” and that harvest of children and becoming the best at taking care of kids on the Westside of Marion has broken through in many ways for us at New Life.
Now by the end of 2012, our 3 Block Radius of New Life is going to be so saturated by the love of Jesus through our Giving, Going and Praying that they will have no doubt how we feel about them and they will turn to us in their needs instead of us trying to figure out what there needs are.
Why?
Because you and I will have developed such intimate, personal contact with them that there will be no way to avoid the truth that God loves them and cares about every detail of their lives!!
Are you ready?
If you want to be a part of the Creative Team for the 5th Sunday Outreaches into our 3 Block Radius let me know asap so I can schedule an upcoming time to gather with you and get the brainstorming going for our next time of going, giving and praying on January 29, 2012!
By the way, you can go to the homes of those you met and prayed for before January 29th!
I am so very proud of all of you! Because of your generosity of Giving to fill Wal-Mart bags with household items, Going to pass them out to our neighbors, and Praying for those that you met this past Sunday during “Deliver 2011” we have stepped out into our 3 Block Radius around the church and begun to re-introduce our community to Jesus! Life change happens best out on the streets of life!
There were countless stories of encounters with people that day as we shared with one another after we had distributed the bags. If you were unable to go, just ask someone who did what took place that day! There are things that have transpired even since Sunday…
- We have had our neighbors across the street say, “thank you.”
- We have already received a thank you card from one neighbor on 10th Street who was not home at the time of our deliveries and she wanted to express her gratitude.
- We also had a young man come into the church today and we were able to meet an additional need of his and pray for his children and family!
Because of your commitment to Give, Go, and Pray we had almost 180 bags passed out to New Life’s community! Now comes the time to continue! To continue to re-introduce Jesus to our 3 block radius and our own neighbors, where ever we live!
You will hear more in the days ahead, but let me finish by preparing you for our 2012 theme, simply stated as “3 Blocks.”
2011 was themed – “Year 51” and that harvest of children and becoming the best at taking care of kids on the Westside of Marion has broken through in many ways for us at New Life.
Now by the end of 2012, our 3 Block Radius of New Life is going to be so saturated by the love of Jesus through our Giving, Going and Praying that they will have no doubt how we feel about them and they will turn to us in their needs instead of us trying to figure out what there needs are.
Why?
Because you and I will have developed such intimate, personal contact with them that there will be no way to avoid the truth that God loves them and cares about every detail of their lives!!
Are you ready?
If you want to be a part of the Creative Team for the 5th Sunday Outreaches into our 3 Block Radius let me know asap so I can schedule an upcoming time to gather with you and get the brainstorming going for our next time of going, giving and praying on January 29, 2012!
By the way, you can go to the homes of those you met and prayed for before January 29th!
Thursday, April 28, 2011
A Blessed Life lived out!
I received this news from Megan Christensen about one of our Young Adults here at our church. I asked if I could share it with everyone because it’s a great reminder to us all that if we put God first, He will take care of all our needs. Enjoy reading the great testimony!
Pastor Dave,
I just wanted to share this with you. One of the After High girls came to me a couple of weeks ago upset over her finances. I asked her several questions one if which was, “do you tithe?” She said no and that she knows she should but her family has always had financial problems and although they are faithful to go to church, they have never really tithed either. So, I told her that she needs to start tithing first and foremost then we could talk about the other things but I told her I really want her to tithe and told her all the reasoning about being faithful to what God gives us and asks us etc. The next week she wasn’t able to come to church so she asked me if she got me her tithe check if I would give it for her. She brought it to me and I could tell it was a definite step of faith for her.
Fast forward…last week she was driving to her internship and needed gas. She had $15.03 in her account so she put $15 in her tank. All the way home she was praying and worried because she had no money or food to make it thru the week. That night, she went to help someone (she’s been giving voice lessons) and the girl she’s been helping gave her an envelope. In the envelope was a $25 gift card to Meijers and a $10 gift card to Subway. She couldn’t believe it. She called her mom and told her and it was a huge testimony to her parents as well a testimony to this young lady of God’s faithfulness and love.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this story with you. It’s one thing to hear it happening to people on a video, it’s a totally personal thing when it’s “one of my girls!!!”
Have a great day!
Who it was is not important for every one of us to know. What is important is to see how God is moving in the hearts of his people here at New Life Community Church!! Keep living a Blessed Life!
Pastor Dave,
I just wanted to share this with you. One of the After High girls came to me a couple of weeks ago upset over her finances. I asked her several questions one if which was, “do you tithe?” She said no and that she knows she should but her family has always had financial problems and although they are faithful to go to church, they have never really tithed either. So, I told her that she needs to start tithing first and foremost then we could talk about the other things but I told her I really want her to tithe and told her all the reasoning about being faithful to what God gives us and asks us etc. The next week she wasn’t able to come to church so she asked me if she got me her tithe check if I would give it for her. She brought it to me and I could tell it was a definite step of faith for her.
Fast forward…last week she was driving to her internship and needed gas. She had $15.03 in her account so she put $15 in her tank. All the way home she was praying and worried because she had no money or food to make it thru the week. That night, she went to help someone (she’s been giving voice lessons) and the girl she’s been helping gave her an envelope. In the envelope was a $25 gift card to Meijers and a $10 gift card to Subway. She couldn’t believe it. She called her mom and told her and it was a huge testimony to her parents as well a testimony to this young lady of God’s faithfulness and love.
Anyway, I just wanted to share this story with you. It’s one thing to hear it happening to people on a video, it’s a totally personal thing when it’s “one of my girls!!!”
Have a great day!
Who it was is not important for every one of us to know. What is important is to see how God is moving in the hearts of his people here at New Life Community Church!! Keep living a Blessed Life!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Red Robin...Running
A few days ago, Shami saw something odd. She saw a robin…….running!!
There’s nothing wrong with a robin running and I don’t want anyone to think that I am against birds using different modes of transportation, but birds were not made to run! They were made to soar in the air!
You and I were made for something too. What were we made for?
We were made to “Give God Glory!”
Giving God Glory is giving Him the highest honor in your life. He is more important than your spouse, your kids, your home, your job, your…well…anything. When we put God first it transforms your heart and your life. You begin to look at things through the lenses of eternity and the things of earth lose their luster and shine.
Think about it. Who can compete with a place that has streets of gold! What we view as a precious metal and pay expensive prices to wear as jewelry, God uses for people to walk upon every day in heaven! I think that’s amazing!
I love what Isaiah says to those of us who might feel overwhelmed with life and unsure of our purpose...
“those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
It is in God that you find that purpose and can live life with an unearthly patience. Give God Glory today and begin soaring in the air!! It what you were made for!
There’s nothing wrong with a robin running and I don’t want anyone to think that I am against birds using different modes of transportation, but birds were not made to run! They were made to soar in the air!
You and I were made for something too. What were we made for?
We were made to “Give God Glory!”
Giving God Glory is giving Him the highest honor in your life. He is more important than your spouse, your kids, your home, your job, your…well…anything. When we put God first it transforms your heart and your life. You begin to look at things through the lenses of eternity and the things of earth lose their luster and shine.
Think about it. Who can compete with a place that has streets of gold! What we view as a precious metal and pay expensive prices to wear as jewelry, God uses for people to walk upon every day in heaven! I think that’s amazing!
I love what Isaiah says to those of us who might feel overwhelmed with life and unsure of our purpose...
“those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
It is in God that you find that purpose and can live life with an unearthly patience. Give God Glory today and begin soaring in the air!! It what you were made for!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Spring Forward by Giving Up
Something happened this past Sunday that has left me wondering.
I am in no way a perfect man, pastor, father or husband and it was evident to me on Sunday as I lay on the ground up front during worship. As I covered my face with my hands, I felt like I was going through a tunnel. Deeper and deeper I passed and as I did I asked God what was keeping me from engaging Him with all I had that day. He revealed some unconfessed sin in my life.
I knew that I needed to confess to Him, right then and there…Giving Him those sins! When I did that, this weight or burden came off of me and I was free as a bird to soar in the sky and I openly shouted my praise to him!! I knew how I felt in that moment was not available for just me, so I came to the front of the platform and shared this verse with everyone…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – I John 1:9
A very small number responded to the call to confess sins, give our sins over to God. I was frustrated. I knew there was a need for coming and giving our sins to Him that day. This is what has been stirring in my heart since then...
Do we come to God more often when we can get something from Him or are we going to come to God more often to give something to Him?
It’s just like Daylight Savings Time. I don’t know how you feel, but I would rather give up an hour of sleep for more sunshine than be given an hour of more sleep for more darkness. I love it when the sun is out past 9:00 pm!! For that to happen, I have to be willing to give up 1 hour of sleep on 1 night only 1 time a year! I’ll take that trade any day!!
I want you to have a deeper relationship with God’s SON and find true intimacy with Him, for that to happen we have to be willing to give up our sins, ourselves to God so that darkness does not close in on us!
Don’t wait for this coming Sunday to Spring forward in your life! Stop right now and confess any sin you have left unconfessed and find the Son waiting to shine brighter than ever in your life!!
I knew that I needed to confess to Him, right then and there…Giving Him those sins! When I did that, this weight or burden came off of me and I was free as a bird to soar in the sky and I openly shouted my praise to him!! I knew how I felt in that moment was not available for just me, so I came to the front of the platform and shared this verse with everyone…
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” – I John 1:9
A very small number responded to the call to confess sins, give our sins over to God. I was frustrated. I knew there was a need for coming and giving our sins to Him that day. This is what has been stirring in my heart since then...
Do we come to God more often when we can get something from Him or are we going to come to God more often to give something to Him?
It’s just like Daylight Savings Time. I don’t know how you feel, but I would rather give up an hour of sleep for more sunshine than be given an hour of more sleep for more darkness. I love it when the sun is out past 9:00 pm!! For that to happen, I have to be willing to give up 1 hour of sleep on 1 night only 1 time a year! I’ll take that trade any day!!
I want you to have a deeper relationship with God’s SON and find true intimacy with Him, for that to happen we have to be willing to give up our sins, ourselves to God so that darkness does not close in on us!
Don’t wait for this coming Sunday to Spring forward in your life! Stop right now and confess any sin you have left unconfessed and find the Son waiting to shine brighter than ever in your life!!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
You don't need God?
Last night on the news I heard of a new billboard that is going to be placed at 4 different locations along the 465 that circles Indianapolis. This is what it will say…
“You don’t need God…to hope, to care, to love, to live”
They then cut to the response of a few Christians, and one lady was quoted saying, “I’ll see it but I won’t look at it.”
WHAT? How do you see without looking?
Anyways, guess what?
They then cut to the response of a few Christians, and one lady was quoted saying, “I’ll see it but I won’t look at it.”
WHAT? How do you see without looking?
Anyways, guess what?
The billboard is true. You don’t need God for those things. You really don’t.
Then what do you need God for?
Yes, we need God for our salvation. Acts 4:12 says that “salvation is found in no one else!”
But is that all you need God for…Salvation?
“If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”
I need God because I am in love with Him!!
I need Jesus because he has transformed me!!
I need the Holy Spirit because he comforts me!!
I don’t just need Him…I want Him!!
I want God with me in my highs and lows, in my best times and my worst times.
If I had nothing, but had Him I would have enough!
I believe that because I want God…
…it drives me to hope in eternal things that will never end and not temporary, earthly things that one day will fade away.
…it drives me to care for people with a greater, self-less, active compassion than if I was without Him.
…it drives me to love Him and others, no matter what, with no strings attached just like He loves me.
…it drives me to live a life that is more abundantly full of joy, trust, and a desire to see lives around me renewed, and restored.
The billboard is right I don’t need God…I have to have God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I pray that you come to that point in your own life. And then be unashamed about sharing that with those in your life each day whether you meet them just once or you have known them for a lifetime!! Remember that they do need God!
Then what do you need God for?
Yes, we need God for our salvation. Acts 4:12 says that “salvation is found in no one else!”
But is that all you need God for…Salvation?
“If you could have heaven, with no sickness, and with all the friends you ever had on earth, and all the food you ever liked, and all the leisure activities you ever enjoyed, and all the natural beauties you ever saw, all the physical pleasures you ever tasted, and no human conflict or any natural disasters, could you be satisfied with heaven, if Christ was not there?”
I need God because I am in love with Him!!
I need Jesus because he has transformed me!!
I need the Holy Spirit because he comforts me!!
I don’t just need Him…I want Him!!
I want God with me in my highs and lows, in my best times and my worst times.
If I had nothing, but had Him I would have enough!
I believe that because I want God…
…it drives me to hope in eternal things that will never end and not temporary, earthly things that one day will fade away.
…it drives me to care for people with a greater, self-less, active compassion than if I was without Him.
…it drives me to love Him and others, no matter what, with no strings attached just like He loves me.
…it drives me to live a life that is more abundantly full of joy, trust, and a desire to see lives around me renewed, and restored.
The billboard is right I don’t need God…I have to have God!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I pray that you come to that point in your own life. And then be unashamed about sharing that with those in your life each day whether you meet them just once or you have known them for a lifetime!! Remember that they do need God!
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