Today, we meet directly with the Bud Building realtor to iron out final details of the deal. As Creed said yesterday, their lawyers keep adding & deleting items in the contract; then, our lawyers add and delete items in the contract (because they're looking out for their clients best interests). So, the primary negotiators are sitting down today to work out the final contract face to face.
I'd ask you to pray for God to lead this discussion.
Our next steps will be to get final approvals for building use, and to work out finances. To purchase the building and to build out phase 1, we will need about $8 million ($2 million less than the original asking price for just the building, alone).
We will reach that goal by:
1) Raising funds internally
2) Renting the building for community use activities
3) Taking out a loan
Significant hills still lie before us. Taking them will demand intensified prayer, faith, and sacrifice. The great news is that God is for us! Hang on to your hats. God is doing more than we could ask or imagine.
Brett Andrews, Lead Guy
Growing Spiritually
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We are often asked at New Life about how to grow spiritually. I have to admit, the answer to that question is both simple and yet so difficult.
You see, the basic process of developing any relationship (in this case with God) is to spend time and communicate with the person. The challenge is how can you do that with the God of the universe with whom you cannot sit down at Starbucks and chat about your life. The short answer is to listen to Him (options include listening to sermons, reading the Bible and quietly praying listening for Him to speak to your soul), to commune with other believers (small groups), and to serve the one you love (either at New Life or in the the community or both).
So the first questions are: Do you regularly attend worship services? Are you in a small group? Do you read the Bible on a regular basis? Do you talk to God in prayer? Are you serving Him and His cause?
If you can't answer yes to each of those I would encourage you to do what you aren't sooner than later. They pay off can be huge. As we interview people who feel distant from God we find those key things to be missing. Rarely do we find someone who is consistently doing them feeling distant from God.
Okay ... so by now you are thinking, thanks for the "church answer"... but really, how do I do those things?
Pat Furgerson, Utility Guy
You see, the basic process of developing any relationship (in this case with God) is to spend time and communicate with the person. The challenge is how can you do that with the God of the universe with whom you cannot sit down at Starbucks and chat about your life. The short answer is to listen to Him (options include listening to sermons, reading the Bible and quietly praying listening for Him to speak to your soul), to commune with other believers (small groups), and to serve the one you love (either at New Life or in the the community or both).
So the first questions are: Do you regularly attend worship services? Are you in a small group? Do you read the Bible on a regular basis? Do you talk to God in prayer? Are you serving Him and His cause?
If you can't answer yes to each of those I would encourage you to do what you aren't sooner than later. They pay off can be huge. As we interview people who feel distant from God we find those key things to be missing. Rarely do we find someone who is consistently doing them feeling distant from God.
Okay ... so by now you are thinking, thanks for the "church answer"... but really, how do I do those things?
- Find a small group. These are informal groups that meet in people's homes, often with dinner, that talk about God and how He is working in our lives.
- Read the scripture listed in the program each week (it is also sent out in our twitter feed - www.twitter.com/nlcc)
- Pray. It doesn't have to be a big deal, just find a quiet spot and tell God what you are thinking.
- Find a place to serve. We always need people to help as we impact the community around New Life, and many people find serving others the most therapeutic way to deal with their own lives and grow closer to God as they act as His hands and feet.
Pat Furgerson, Utility Guy
You matter to your coach!
Last night our AAA Nationals played our final game. I'm at work this morning wishing this team could stay together. We won a bunch; we lost a few; but that’s not why I am saddened the season is over.
Our kids and parents were the best! Win or lose, our parents were enthusiastic, positive, & supportive. The players reflected their good parents: well-behaved, disciplined, and respectful of coaches and each other.
Do you know how rare it is to find a team full of families like that?
I’ve experienced 3 kinds of players & families:
Type 1: After the season if you find out they are part of a church, you think, “I’d go to church with them.”
Type 2: After the season if you find out they are part of a church, you think, “Either they are part of a weak church, or they aren’t serious about their faith.”
Type 3: Those who claim no faith and bring no shame to Jesus.
In the heat of battle, I am the FIRST to forget this momentarily! My Nats families have reminded me how much our conduct matters more than what we claim. New Lifers, you matter to your coaches – more than you may realize.
Thanks AAA Nationals.
giving up
I think we like to give up. I look around and listen to people's stories, and it always seems to me that we look at our lives and figure it is easier to just give up than to keep pushing forward.
There are 2 places I have noticed this lately - in marriages and in ministry. Sure, the m&m's if you will. As I read stories and listen to people talk about their marriages, the phrase that seems to keep popping up is 'it would be easier to just make a change'. Wow! Make a change. Do things differently. Move on. How's that been working for people? Stats show that 50% of 1st time marriages end up in divorce and if that group remarries, their divorce numbers for marriage #2 shoots up to 80%. Hmmmmmm ... not good! Oh well, I'll give up anyway.
In ministry I see the same thing. Now, being in ministry I know it can be tough and hard and sometimes unrewarding, but so many guys I know are packing up, leaving ministry and going into other fields of work. And they love it! They jump from ministry to the work force and they tell me, I have more time for my family, I can relax on the weekends, I can leave my work at the office. I hear that and wonder, are they just giving up? (Or are they being smart?)
Both of these - marriages and ministry - are tough. But they are also so important to bringing the best out in the world. I hope less people will stop giving up and start giving in - to their marriage relationship and to impacting the world around us through ministry. Giving in to how God has made you and created you, giving in to the attention and love your spouse needs and wants. And in it all, putting Christ first.
Chad Simpkins, Haymarket Campus Pastor
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