Prevention is easy to ignore because of time, energy, & schedules. But what if you could go back and avoid your greatest regret? Starting February 7th, join us as we talk about one of the best ways to prevent regret through groups.
Week #4 - Personal Ministry
Our faith is important to God. It is so important that He will challenge, exercise, and stretch our faith "muscle" through service. While we have all wrestled with feeling unprepared & not skilled enough to serve, God grows our faith in those moments when we are not fully prepared or able.
In Matthew 14, Jesus challenges His disciples to do things they could not do on their own, so that they would have to place their trust in Him more. He challenges them (and us) to do what they can do and trust God to do what only He can do.
Where is God nudging you to serve? Are you willing to be uncomfortable & possibly unable to do alone what He is asking you to do?
Week #3 - Pivotal Circumstances
Pivotal circumstances can be positive or negative. However, it seems from experience that the negative circumstances of life are what typically help us grow the most.
The call...
The diagnosis....
The relationship....
The tragedy....
While we wouldn't sign-up for this to happen again, somehow God grew our faith in a way maybe He couldn't have done another way. In John 11, we read of a circumstance that Jesus allowed to happen so that He could strengthen the faith of the people.
While in this life we will have difficult circumstances, it is critical to have Christian community support and to remember that God is with us.
“There is only one thing worse than disappointment with God, disappointment without God.”
Week #2 - Private Disciplines
Disciplines are hard. However, as with any discipline, if you stick with it, it has the potential to become a joyful part of our lifestyle - exercising, eating healthy, organized, etc. Spiritual disciplines are no different.
In Matthew 6:1-6, Jesus teaches us the importance of giving & prayer as ways that God grows our faith. He challenges us to give our money because that discipline helps us not to place our trust in bank balances or little pieces of paper, but rather in God who sees everything. He also challenges us to pray as a way to demonstrate that our trust is in God not our circumstances, abilities, or the data around us.
When we give of our resources & pray, we are telling God we trust Him with our money & our time.
Week #1 - Practical Teaching
Looking at Matthew 7:24-29 we see Jesus address the importance not just of being in environments where we hear the Bible taught in practical ways, but that we actually apply what we learn.
When we see the Bible as something God wants us to do not just know, our faith gets bigger. Being a consistent attender is of almost no value, if you don't do what the Scriptures teach. Obedience makes the difference.
Are you practicing and applying the teaching from the Scriptures?
Are you looking more like Jesus?
Amazing Grace week 2
Amazing Grace is something we hear in songs, but we don't always have an accurate understanding of God's grace. In this 2nd week, we discover through Jesus' family tree that God's grace is not for a select group of people, but rather...
Vision Sunday November 15
What is the future of our church? Where does God want to take us? Who does God want us to be? What type of changes might be ahead and why should we make them? Join us this Sunday 11am as we discuss our future, worship the One who holds our future, and get some FREE stuff!
New Message Series September 27
Following is something we all do whether on Twitter or Instagram, a coach, teacher, friends, or family. Many times when we think about Jesus, we make it more complicated than what Jesus asked people to do...will you follow me?
Regardless or our past, our current status, how much we have sinned, Jesus still asks us to do the same thing, Follow. Join us this Sunday as we start a new series examining what it means to Follow Jesus by learning from this invitation Jesus gave to others.
Message Recap from 9/20/2015
Last Sunday we wrapped up our Impossible series by discussing how the condition of our hearts impacts doing the Impossible. While this experience can be painful like stepping from a dark room into the midday sun, the reason God shines light into our hearts is so we can experience life and share that life with others. So knowing how we all typically retreat/push back to light or truth confronting us, here are 2 questions to consider this week.
What is your response to truth/light shining on your heart?
What does that response say about the condition of your heart?
From Pastor Chris' Desk
I am excited for what God could do through New Life!
I have been on the job for a little over a month now, and while the To-Do List has grown, I am so excited about how God could use our church. This might seem like a clichéd thing for the pastor to say, so here are some reasons I am excited:
- you have been so welcoming and caring to me and my family...thank you!
- you have worked together to care for one of our members mostly independent from me
- you have taken on important tasks & responsibilities that have allowed me to focus my energy & strength on other items
- God has really clarified the vision & direction He has given me
Along those lines, I am really excited about the next several weeks as I am able to begin to share this with you. This Sunday we will take communion together and hear about arguably the most important aspect that will enable us to do the impossible in & through our church.
I look forward to worshiping our God of the Impossible together these next several weeks!
Pastor Chris
God Makes the Impossible Happen
If God can use Moses and the Israelites to build a nation in Egypt and Canaan, why can't he use people like us, in a place like Cupertino, to carry out his Impossible Plan?
Read ahead in Exodus 13 and 14 for a sneak preview of Pastor Chris' message on obstacles and the impossible. Remember...
- We are __________ God.
- We are __________ on God.
See you Sunday!
Missions Dinner
Friday, Aug. 28th we had a fun and informative Missions dinner with a guest speaker. Thanks to everyone who set up, cleaned up, provided food, and helped with the A/V challenges! The missionary received over $1200 from New Life Church to support his ministry in spreading the good news about Jesus in a large, diverse, important country where direct missionary work is not allowed. Please pray for the missionary's health and safety, and for the Christ-followers in that country to be safe from persecution or government interference.
God Uses the Impossible
- Have you ever wanted to do the Impossible?
- Have you ever been scared at the thought of the Impossible?
- Have you actually accomplished the Impossible?
Join us this Sunday for Pastor Chris' first Sunday at New Life Cupertino and the beginning of this message series where we will be reminded together how our God works in the Impossible!
Rebuild the Churches
Thank you for your donations to the Rebuild the Churches Fund. We will be sending $280 this month to Christ Church Cathedral (Episcopal) in St. Louis for black churches that have been devastated recently by arson attacks and accidental fires.
