Walking with God

Beginning January 8th, we are beginning a new series entitled Walking With God.  You don't want to miss it.  We are planning to look into the stories of Old Testament characters such as Adam, Noah, and Abraham and apply the five basic promises that God gives us in the Bible.  One of the promises is provision.  The Bible says, "And my God will meet all my needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19)

Our theme verse for the series comes from Micah 6:8 - "He has shown you, O man, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God."

I am confident that God has a plan for you and will provide all of your needs as you seek to live by His promises.  Walking With God is sure to be an encouragement to your spiritual growth.  Jump in and keep pace with the promises of God. Pastor Tom

Prayer Circles

Looking forward to 2012!  Can't wait to see what God is going to do at New Life.  This past year has been exciting to see God do great things in our lives, in our families, and in our church.  We had the largest crowd ever at our Christmas eve gathering 2011 and our largest Sunday gatherings to date in December.  PTL!!!  This past year, the Lord has answered many of the prayers we have offered up to him and I want to keep the focus on prayer alive at NLCC.  Prayer changes us and God moves when we pray.

Beginning in January we are planning to host an emphasis on prayer every Wednesday.  Wednesday, January 4th at 7 PM we will be meeting at the church office for a prayer meeting and hope you will come.  The following week we will transition into a 4-week prayer emphasis at the ARC utilizing Mark Batterson's book The Circle Maker.  Make plans to join us as we rekindle the importance of prayer in our lives.

I want to encourage you to dream big in 2012.  Ask yourself what big dream God wants to accomplish through you this year?  You might think of three areas: 1) your family? 2) your church, and 3) your church.  Together we can dream big and watch God do miracles in our lives.

This is Christmas Choir presentation

I hope you will join us this Sunday, December 18th for the New Life choir presentation of "This is Christmas".  Last Sunday we had more than 100 people in the gathering for the first time.  PTL.  This Sunday let's continue the momentum by packing out the gathering.  Bring friends and family.  See you at the ARC at 10:15 AM.  Pastor Tom.

God loves the underdog

Hope you enjoyed Sunday's message.  I have to admit, I was still thinking about how God loves the underdog this morning as I made my way to the office.  As our church grows, I hope God will help us to add ministries and programs which can assist those who feel abandoned or left out.  The historical reality that God came into the world as a baby in a manger reminds us that God is a humble God who loves to perform the impossible for those who have been marginalized by life.    Keep the faith.  Pastor Tom

Merry Christmas from New Life

Merry Christmas from New Life!  Each Sunday in December, we are making plans to celebrate the true reason for the season.  Pastor Tom is preparing a four-part series entitled "This is Christmas"  to accompany the choir presentation on December 18th, "This Is Christmas".  Join us each Sunday as we celebrate Jesus and the joy, peace, and hope He brings into our lives.

We hope you have the best December ever.  See you Sunday at the ARC.  Pastor Tom

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given  . . ." (Isaiah 9:6)

We are family!

Check out our new advertisement in Columbia Home magazine.  At New Life, we are family!  We have four core values which express our purpose for existence as a church.  They are begin, belong, become, and branch out.  We want to help every new lifer to grow spiritually by exploring biblical truth (BEGIN), enjoying Christian community (BELONG), enriching the lives of others through service (BECOME), and empowering others through friendship and leadership (BRNACH OUT).

I'm excited to see how God will continue to change our lives and help us grow this December and into next year!  Don't miss the gathering this Sunday.  See you at the ARC!  Pastor Tom

Thanksgiving!

Just a note of thanks for all of life's blessings!  At New Life we have a lot for which to be thankful - good friends, good fellowship, and opportunity to grow spiritually.  Plus we have God's purpose, promises, and presence to guide us along the way.  Have a great Thanksgiving with family and friends and take time to give God thanks for your family and many blessings.   See you Sunday at the gathering!  Pastor Tom

Goals!

What's your number one goal in life?  Success?  Winning?  Getting ahead at work?  Finding happiness at home?  All of these goals are good, but how do we accomplish them?  So many people spend their lives striving after the mirage of success or happiness only to find that the oasis in the dessert isn't there when they arrive.  So what's the key?

Paul gives us some insight into true happiness in the book of Philippians when he reveals the greatest goal of his life -- to know God through Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:10).  Paul understood that a God-centered life was the key to a truly great life.  If you want to turn your successful life into a significant life, you must not only be willing to walk with God, you must make it your goal.

Walking with God requires sacrifice and self-denial.  It was Jesus who said, "If you want to save your life, you must lose it . . ." (Mark 8:35)  What sacrifices are you willing to make to build a significant life, a happy home, or a satisfying career?

Join us Sunday as we strive to become everything God has designed us to be!  See you at the ARC.  Pastor Tom

Knowing God

Looking forward to Sunday and our focus on the Joy of Believing.  This week we will look at a pivotal verse in Philippians on knowing God (Philippians 3:10).  J.I. Packer once penned, "What were we made for?  What aim should we set ourselves in life?  To know God.  What is the “eternal life” that Jesus gives?  Knowledge of God."

Knowing God is the aim of the Christian life.  The more we know him, the greater peace, contentment, and fulfillment we experience in our daily lives.  Jesus spoke these words, "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Many things in life distract us from this ultimate pursuit which is to walk with God and to know him more fully.  Our flesh pulls us in the opposite direction.  The culture surrounding us "shouts" of other more pressing pursuits.  And the enemy of our souls, Satan, works to distract us from a meaningful relationship with our creator.

I'm praying fro you this week as you pursue God and seek to know Him more fully as you follow Christ.  See you Sunday!  Pastor Tom

  

Hayride and Flag football

This Friday night we are looking forward to the New Life hayride.  Looks like the flag football game is going to be a real hit!  So all of you "Middle Agers" begin stretching now.  Bring the whole family out for a great evening of fun.  Call 443-LIFE for more information.

Looking forward to ALPHA group tonight (6:30 PM).  Hope you can make it.

Dancing in the Rain.  I woke up this morning thinking about the tune, "Singing in the Rain".  No it wasn't raining this morning in Columbia.  Remember the 1952 musical, "Singing in the Rain"?  Gene Kelly was the original singer.  At one point in the song, Gene is dancing in the rain with a smile on his face.  I'll come back to "dancing in the rain" in just a minute.  But, first a word about "river dancing".

I wan't to give a shout out to river dancing as a new form of exercise, plus it can lift your spirits.  The other night I noticed that my youngest son, Micah is a river dancer at heart.  So I went online and found some river dancing music.  Wow, what fun!  Micah can really dance.  Here's my suggestion, google "river dancing" and then play the music for around 2-3 minutes.  Dance with the music and try to keep your feet moving the entire time.  I tried it myself and it was a real work out, plus the entire house was in uncontrollable laughter (anyone over 35 should see a doctor before trying this, so take my suggestion at your own risk).

Ok, back to "dancing in the rain".  One of the most important lessons we can learn in life is to dance in the rain; to sing in the midst of the storm.  Most of the people I know are facing some type of struggle or setback in some area of their life.  One area may be going great, while another area is really difficult.  I remember Rick Warren sharing his story of triumph and tragedy concerning his book sales and his wife's struggle with cancer.  About the time his Purpose Driven Life was a best seller, his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer.  What a triumph, what a tragedy-- both were happening at the same time.

That's how I picture the apostle Paul as he writes about joy to the believers in Philippi from prison-the rain is coming down on the outside, but inside he is happy as can be!  He has learned the secret of happiness in the Lord.  He has found contentment in whatever situation he finds himself.  Joy and contentment are great gifts in the midst of life's struggles.  So, if something is getting you down today, take a few moments  and dance or pray and celebrate the good things in your life.  Join us Sunday as we kick off the new series "The Joy of Believing". Pastor Tom

We are the Middle Agers.  Honestly, I can't believe I fit in this age group, but I am ready to lead my team. This year at the NLCC hayride, we are planning a flag football game between the "young guns" and the "middle agers".  So, men and women, boys and girls, if you are middle aged with kids (I think that means 30-70 years old), then I need you on my team and ready to play in the New Life Bowl on Friday night under the lights (October 14th).  Don't disappoint!  Buy some ben gay and plan to play!  I negotiated in the rules that middle agers can also recruit their kids, so what we lack in speed, skill, or agility can be made up by recruiting some of our older kids for the team.  Hope you'll make plans now to be on the team.  Bring a water bottle.

New Life Hayride is coming soon.  Looking forward to the fall weather and loads of fun at the Sim's Farm.  Hope you will make plans to join us and bring a friend.  Pastor Tom

Men's Prayer Breakfast and Golf

This Saturday, September 24th, we are looking forward to a morning of Prayer and Bible study.  Jim Coy will be sharing a message specifically for men.  We begin at 8 AM at the church office (1206 Business Loop 70 West, Ste C) with breakfast, prayer, bible study, and discussion.  At 11:30 AM, we have a tee time at Lake of the Woods Golf course for men who would like to golf and fellowship.  Make plans to join us.  Call 443-LIFE for more information.

The Church Is . . .

Really excited about the upcoming series, "The Church Is . . ."  The church has always been an important part of my life as a pastor.  For me, every sunday is like super bowl Sunday.  Increasingly, however most Americans don't attend church or even feel animosity or suspicion towards the church.  How has the church impacted your life?  During the month of September, I hope you will join us each Sunday for the series and consider why you're a New Lifer.  See you Sunday!  Pastor Tom

Speaking of Victory

Can't help myself, but I am very proud of my three kids who competed in the HyVee Iron Kids in Columbia this past Saturday.  They all placed in the top five which means they can compete again in Des Moines later this September.  Way to go John, Jess, and Ben.  It's fun to be a winner!

Hope of Victory

At New Life this month we have been focusing our lives on heaven.  We have considered Jesus' promise of eternal life (John 3:3); Jesus' promise of heaven (John 14:1-3), and the reality of Christ Jesus' return (1 Thessalonians 4:17).   this week we are looking at heaven as the ultimate victory in life and the life to come.

Yes, the Bible is a book of victory and the Christian faith provides every person the hope of ultimate victory regardless of what circumstances we face in the here and now.  I hope you will grab ahold of the hope which we find in the Scriptures.  The assurance that we have the ultimate victory in eternity can transform our attitudes and actions today.  Join us Sunday as we celebrate the Hope of Victory!  Pastor Tom

Parenting Conference

Looking forward to this year's parenting conference on September 9-10 at the ARC (1701 West Ash Street).  The Cost is $10.00 per person.  "Building a Healthy Home" is our theme for 2011.  IF you would like to join us, please call 443-LIFE (5433).

More Fishing

Just got back from the New Life float trip.  Wow!  What a beautiful day.  Perfect weather and everyone who made the trip created some great memories together.  We caught four trout.  Let's do it again next year.

Lessons Learned

Summer time on the farm is a great time to learn some of life's greatest lesson.  This past week my family spent a few days on the farm bucking bales.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get away form work, but the pictures of all the fun got me thinking about life lessons on the farm.  Here's just a few - 1) Work is fun.  I'm amazed how much fun my kids can have in 90+ degree weather loading up hay bales on the farm.  Too often we view work as a problem rather than a pleasure.  Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that work is a gift from God; it's an opportunity to produce something of value.  2) Working together as a team increases productivity and mutual respect.  Video games do not produce mutual respect.  When my kids play video games for a day they end up fighting, complaining, and upset with each other (not always but often).  Working on the farm together produces a cooperative spirit and a desire to help each other reach a goal.

Have a great week.  Pastor Tom

Leaving a Legacy

Leaving a legacy is the focus of Sunday's message.  We have been working through our One Month to Live Challenge and making changes in our lives as we go.  The Bible says, "A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children, but a sinner's wealth is stored up for the righteous." (Proverbs 13:22)  Although this passage focuses on finance, leaving a legacy encompasses all areas of your life.  What type of spiritual, emotional, or financial legacy are you leaving your children and grandchildren?


God wants to help you leave a wonderful legacy to all those who know you - a legacy of righteous living and generosity to others.    Sometimes we fail to connect the dots between our lives and the lives of others.  What we do really does echo in eternity.  How you live, who you spend time with, your habits, your vices, and even your thoughts, they all impact your life and the lives of others for eternity.  Think of your life as a small smooth stone which causes the water to ripple when you toss it.


Everything we do leaves a ripple.  What will your ripple look like?  I believe a God-cetnered life leaves the greatest ripple on others and produces the most satisfying life as well.  Join us Sunday as we focus on leaving a legacy.

The Value of Work

We live in a culture which values play more highly than work.  I grew up on commercials which promoted the slogan, "working for the weekend".  But scripture promotes a different view of work, reminding us of the redeeming nature of hard work.

This morning I read through 1&2 Thessalonians (two short letters in the New Testament).  Paul writes some strong words about "idleness".  In 2 Thessalonians 3:7-11, Paul writes, "We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it.  On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you."  Paul goes on to say, "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."  So Paul believed in work or at the very least he believed in not being dependent upon others or a burden to others.  His example is a good model to follow!

This could end up as a good sermon series, so I'll stop for now.  But . . . today as you go to work, work as if you were working for the Lord.  Have a great day at work.

Fishing in the Dark

You never know what is lurking out there after dark.  Luke and I had a great time fishing together.  Way to go Luke.

I Love America Concessions

Can't wait for Monday and July 4th.  We have a great line up of special speakers, music, and events.  Lots for kids and families and the Honoring Those Who Serve Ceremony is sure to be  a great experience for everyone present.  I wanted to highlight that concessions will be taken care of by Doug Stritzel of Pickleman's and volunteers from New Life.  Doug has a great menu planned for the whole family so come to the festival ready to eat.  See you July 4th at the Boone County Fairgrounds.

Honor Flight at the I Love America Festival

This year Central Missouri Honor Flight will be joining us for the Honoring Those Who Serve Ceremony at the I Love America Festival (July 4th).  Special speakers begin at 7:30 PM.  the Faith and Freedom Concert including the Honoring Those Who Serve Ceremony begins at 8 PM.  Don't miss it!  Honor Flight is an organization that transports WWII veterans to their memorial in Washington DC.  Mary Paulsell, president of the organization will be present to explain their mission and help us honor the veterans.  Go to www.iloveamericafestival.org for more information.

Psalm 103

Each Sunday at New Life we read a Psalm or Proverb as we begin our worship gathering.   This week I came across Psalm 103 and I was caught off guard again at the width and depth of God's love for you and for me.  In verse 2, David declares, "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."  David goes onto to recount all of the benefits we receive from our relationship with God.  Take some time today and read Psalm 103 and thank God for his immeasurable love for you!  I feel encouraged and blessed after reading it.  God loves you so much that he never leaves you in the valley of despair or the pit of self-pity.  Because of God's love, we can stand up when we fall down; we can step higher when we have been living below God's best for our lives.

I Love America Festival

Great news.  Bill Federer of The American Minute will be a speaker at this year's I Love America Festival. Mr. Federer's book "America's God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations" has sold over a half million copies, and his American Minute radio feature, recalling events of American significance on the date they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousands on the internet.

Join us on Monday July 4th at the Boone County Fairgrounds for a celebration of America's b-day.  Gates open at 4 PM.  Guest speakers begin at 7 PM and the Faith and Freedom Concert kicks off at 8 PM.  Go to www.iloveamericafestival.org for more information.

Fighting For the Family

Looking forward to this weekend and Father's Day.  We have a special day planned for fathers and families.  Sunday, June 19th we kick off a two part series on Fatherhood.  We need godly fathers more now than ever.  As we come together to honor our fathers, lets ask God to give us more godly fathers.  See you Sunday.

Show Me State Games - basketball

Had a lot of fun over the weekend and learned that 40 isn't 30.  We were playing in a 40 and over league that was combined with 30 and over.  We played 3 games on Saturday which was more than I have played in a long time.  Getting older is no fun, but it helps to have some friends along the way.   Have a good week.

I Love America Festival

I Love America Festival is almost here.  We are planning lots of activities for kids as well as special speakers and a terrific fireworks show.  Make plans now to join us on July 4th at 4 PM.  We need your help to volunteer.  Go to www.iloveamericafestival.org for more information or to sign-up

Fighting for the Family

Father's Day is almost here.  Beginning on June 19th, we are kicking off a series entitled, "Fighting For the Family."  Hope you will join us.  If you have a good story about your dad, we would love to hear why you think your dad is a hero.  E-mail me at tom@newlifecolumbia.org.  See you Sunday 10:15 AM at the ARC.

Fishing Tournament

Looking forward to the Fishing Tournament this Saturday.  Hope you will join us.  Call the church office to let us know you plan to join us.  See you then.  Lots of prizes.  This is Micah with a recent catch.  Tom

Pure Faith - Closing the Gap

What a great day at New Life this past Sunday.  We focused on becoming hearers and doers or God's word out of James 1:19-27.  For all of us there exists a gap between what we ought to do and what we are actually doing.  This is true in all areas of our lives.  I hope you will allow the seed of God's word to be planted in your heart so that the Holy Spirit can grow the righteous life in you.  If you will, you will become a blessing to everyone who knows you.

Don't miss this Sunday as we celebrate Mother's Day.  See you at the ARC at 10:15 AM.

Lion of Judah

Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011

This Sunday, April 17th we are celebrating the death of Jesus and Palm Sunday with our first ever Cantata called "Lion of Judah / Calvary's Lamb.  I hope you will join us and bring a friend.  Palm Sunday service begins at 10:15 AM at the aRC in Conference rooms A&B.  See you there.  Tom

Single-minded faith

This Sunday at New Life we are focusing on "Single-Minded Faith".  James 1:6-8 reads, "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does."

God wants us to "fix our eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2) and live a single-minded life of faith.  Everyone experiences doubt from time to time and it does have a negative impact on our relationship with the Lord.  The key to living with joy, hope, and faith, is becoming single-minded towards God.  Life will always present us with questions; and many will be left unanswered.  But, we can always be sure about God's love for us and God's plan.  Join us Sunday as we learn how to live with single-minded faith.

This Sunday we meet at the ARC Gymnasium at 9 AM.  Next week is back to normal.  Blessings to you and bring a friend.  Pastor Tom

Spring break and family fun

Just got back from a great spring break trip.  Hope you had fun with your family.  One thing I learned is that experiencing new places together as a family can be an exciting adventure.  I also learned that a five year old can do anything you tell him he can do.  After a few days on the bunny slope, I took Micah all the way to the top and he made it all the way down the mountain.  He never looked back, now he is a professional.

Faith and Feet

Beginning in April, We are kicking off a series entitled, "Putting Feet to Your Faith."  Join us as we learn how faith changes our lives and the lives of others.  The Christian faith is more than words; it's action.  Let's be hearers and doers of God's word.

Money Madness

Looking forward to our march series on Money.  Money Madness can happen to all of us.  Join us at New Life as we learn how to honor God with our finances and remove the stress of managing this important area of our lives.

ONLY YOU CAN BE YOU!

This month we are taking a look at "Loving God" out of Luke 20:27 and Mark Batterson's book, Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity.  Have you ever thought about what it means to love God with all your soul?  When the Bible refers to the "soul" it is speaking of your unique personality as a person.

You are a unique person and one of the best ways to love God is with your unique personality.  When God made you, he threw away the mold.  Only you can be you!  So what is it about you that you can bring to your family, your church, your job, or even the world?  More on Sunday!  See you at the ARC.

Walking in God's Favor

This Sunday, we wrap up our series, "Destiny 2011: Praying Towards Your Destiny."  I'm convinced that too many people live as if life is an accident or that personal choices don't really matter.  The Bible teaches us that God has a plan and purpose for each day of our lives.  When a person seeks God and walks in his blessings, that person can expect to live a satisfying and successful life.  Walking in God's favor makes all the difference for eternity and today!  See you Sunday @ the ARC!  Pastor Tom

Wrestling with God

Do you ever feel like Jacob wrestling with God?  Actually, Jacob only wrestled with a messenger sent form God, but you get the point (Genesis 32).  This week at New Life we are focusing on prayer as a means to move towards God's purpose for our lives.

The Bible is clear -- God has a will, a purpose, or a plan for the whole world - you included.  So what does praying have to do with God's purpose?  There are many types of prayers.  But praying toward purpose can be a life-changing experience.  Many people, Christians included, tend to treat pray as an opportunity to present a "wish list" to God.  Praying towards God's purpose for your life begins with getting in touch with God's promises and principles of truth.

The more we know of God's promises and principles of truth, the more we pray accordingly.  Jesus taught us this in the "Lord's prayer" (Matthew 6:10) and lived it out in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-44).  Praying towards God's purpose for you life transforms your life into a prayer which crys, "Not my will, but thine."

Join us Sunday as we consider Go's purpose for our lives and pray for his will to be done.  Pastor Tom

Thinking about favor and healing

This week in our series, "Destiny 2011" we are focused on healing.  Two weeks from now we will take a look at the word "favor".  After looking at a number of healing scriptures, I was impressed by the Luke 4:18-21 text in which Jesus reads a prophesy about the coming Messiah and then points to himself as the fulfillment.

Physical healing is a part of the spiritual redemption and restoration that we gain in Christ.  In Luke 4, Jesus reads, "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."

Take a deeper look at the phrase, "the year of the Lord's favor".  It refers to the year of Jubilee described in Leviticus 25.  The year of Jubilee took place every 50 years in the Hebrew calendar.  It was a year of redemption, freedom, and restoration.  What a powerful principle at work so early in the Hebrew religion.

Healing is a part of God's nature and design for you and me.  Just as God wants to redeem our souls, He wants to restore our physical bodies to health.  Let's pray for God's work of restoration to be active in our physical bodies as well as our spirits.

See you Sunday.  Pastor Tom

God's presence and prayer

The story of the Bible is the story of God's presence interacting with humanity.  We live in a world which believes that God is a fairy tale or at the very least a mystical, invisible force that can't be known.  The Bible teaches us differently.

Beginning in Genesis God's presence is experienced by people like you and me.  In the garden, Adam and Eve walked with God in the "cool of the day" (Gen 3).  Enoch walked in close fellowship with God and cheated death.  The Bible says that God "took him" (Gen 5).  Noah also walked in God's presence and was given an important task in God's plan.  The Old Testament is full of examples of people who walked with God and experienced his presence.  God desires for us to know His presence.

Just consider the cloud and pillar of fire which led the Israelites or the tabernacle and the Temple which provided a place for the people to meet with God.  Jesus was the ultimate fulfillment of God's desire to be known by us.  when JEsus came we were given full and complete access to God's presence.

So what's keeping you from walking in the presence of the Lord?  God has made his presence available; but it's up to you and me to humble our hearts, turn from our sinfulness, and reach out to God by faith.  Only then can we experience true satisfaction in life and the promise of heaven.

I'm praying for you this week that you might experience a new measure of God's presence in your life.

See you Sunday @ the ARC.  Pastor Tom