Farewell Message To New Life."

“Farewell message to New Life”

Opening Video Illustration: The three video movies from the 25th Anniversary Celebration (play). We also have the 4th edition of life at New Life covering the last two years.

So let sit back and see what God has done here at New Life!

So what have we done over the 11 years 1 1/2months I have been your pastor? You have seen some of what we have done in the recent videos but here is a re-cap.

I have preached 521 sermons to you.

I have led 682 Bible Classes for you.

I have taught over 100 leadership classes.

We built the parsonage my first year here which is now paid for.

We also started our TV ministry on Tuesdays which continues to this day.

We introduced a computer to the church office and moved into the digital age.

We started Kids Church and Kids Club.

We started the Hallelujah Party Outreach.

We started reaching out to the people at Amery Fall Festival with the Mime Team from Cloquet Gospel Tab., We also did many other ministry outreaches during these festivals and we did it for many years.

We added three new missionaries that we still support faithfully today.

The following Summer we built the garage and finished the lawn with the help of Action Corp from Duluth Gospel Tab they also did service projects in our community.

The next spring we brought in the One Nation Youth Choir to the new Amery Gospel Fest which is still going strong today and we did this for many years.

We following year remodeled the sanctuary to make it bigger.

This same year we started supporting Heart of the Father Ministries which has now reached over 170,000 people with the Gospel

We a year later bought the Café and remodeled it. We then opened it up and ran it for a couple years. We also added three new offices and more class room space for New Life. We today still enjoy this blessing!

Then about 2 years later we sent Patrick Hoban out with our prayers and blessings as he went to Chicago to start a new FCA church which now runs over 200 people weekly.

The next year we opened the Discipleship House which ran for 4 years under our leadership and is still moving forward in Centuria, under its own 501 C3 status and leadership.

This same year we opened New Beginnings Counseling Center which still reaches out to our community.

A year later we hired a full time Associate Pastor over worship and youth

About Three years ago we helped WPCA radio and still assist them in reaching Amery with the Good News.

We last year helped build and dedicate Agape Bible College in Hubli, India which yearly trains up to 20 ministers, and pastors to reach the people of India with the Gospel.

This year we reached out and helped Serenity House open up to reach and meet the needs of the hurting in Polk County.

We helped to resurrect the Amery Evangelical Ministerial which meets every Tuesday for prayer

We helped to resurrect the Amery Ministerial which is going strong today and meets monthly.

I have baptized 112 people for the Lord

I have done 17 funerals

I have dedicated 18 babies to the Lord

I have done 21 weddings

I have Licensed 3 people into ministry

We have prayed for and sent out 4 into other ministries

And currently we have 6 people in school who desire to go into the ministry as youth pastors, pastors, missionaries, and worship pastors.

And there is more to come under the guidance and leadership of your new pastor!

Thesis: There is more new life coming to New Life even after I leave as pastor because God is going to prosper this church.

Scripture Text: Jeremiah 29:11-14

“11For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14I will be found by you,” declares the LORD…”

This verse keeps coming up for me in prayer meetings and I know God wants me to share it with you today.

I believe the Lord wants you to understand these points from this text:

I. He knows the plans he has specifically designed for this church.

a. He has the right pastor all picked out and he knows what will take place over the next few months. It’s all in his hands and he is working out all the details.

b. He is going to prosper this church.