Together We Are Making A Difference
NLF 10/28/2001 Isaiah 6:1-8 John 3:16-21
Rick
In every church, God places a key component that’s critical to its success. The success of New Life Fellowship Church is found gathered in this room. Our key component is the willingness to work together as we first submit ourselves to Jesus Christ, and then to one another in that same spirit. About 8 months ago we gave birth to a dream to start a new church. A dream that began in the heart of our mother church at Glenville New Life Community Church.
Toby
That dream is still taking shape. Even as a daughter baby church, two articles have appeared in our denomination’s national newspaper concerning New Life Fellowship. People want to know, can a church actually be started in a low income inner city neighborhood and make it. Where ever we go people ask about our church., We always find a way to bring the conversation around to how the Lord has used you to make a difference in this part of the body of Christ. Today’s reception of our first new members of Trina, Kirsten, and Vanessa are proof that life is coming from New Life. The baptism of Joshua and Brandon provides a mere glimpse of what is to come.
Rick
When we think of the honor of serving at New Life Fellowship we know that it is really partnership that makes this ministry possible. Our New members would not be here today, were it not for the decisions of the Hoaglands, the Britts, the Holloways, and the Thorntons who were willing to leave their mother church to come and plant themselves in a new place. LaVerne has always loved Glenville, but the moment she came here, she felt the Lord had wanted her to become rooted here. We thank the Lord for all those who have come from Glenville and continue to come to provide us with a worshiping community as well as special music.
TOBY
We are grateful that not only did some people come from Glenville in faith, they also brought others newcomers with them to New Life Fellowship. Without the invitation of Mary Mosely, we would not have know the joy of having Cora Lee and the Malone family. God demonstrated his faithfulness to us by sending us some who simply arrived at our doorsteps. Sabrina simply was sitting out and saw the building and decided she would come give us a chance. Not only did she come, but she brought children and family members with her. Without Sabrina, we may not have had Stephanie and her children. Together we are making a difference in building this church.
Rick
The Lord knows just when we need a serious dose of encouragement. Unknown to us, before we ever put a sign out on the door, God had already spoken to Barbara Jackson a year earlier that she was to come to this church. She was so convinced of it, the first Sunday she came, she and her family waited a whole hour for service to start. Now she lived right across the street, so she could have easily gone home. But thanks to her, her children and grandchildren, our possibilities for ministries have increased greatly. As Trina sang, “His Eye Is On The Sparrow”, surely God’s eyes must be on New Life Fellowship Church. What a gift to have in our midst.
Toby
We are all what we are because of the call of Jesus Christ upon our lives. It’s not an accident that you are here today. God has a plan and purpose for your life. Each one of us here will one day have s a testimony of how our presence at New Life Fellowship Church changed the course and direction of our lives. Some of us are already grateful of how the Lord has met us at this church. Ellen Windham’s smile each week says she’s glad to be here.
Rick
We appreciate that this is a church where Jesus Christ is proclaimed as Lord and Jesus Christ is actively changing the lives of people.. We are unashamed in saying that Jesus is the only Way to God, He is the Truth, and He is the Life. Jesus is the one who makes us all equal at the foot of the cross. He didn’t die more for some of us and less for others. He said all of us were in need of His salvation. Our goal at New Life Fellowship goal is to lift up the name of Jesus Christ and become witnesses for Him , because if we have Jesus we have everything, if we don’t have Jesus, we have nothing.
Toby
Our vision for New Life Fellowship from the beginning has been to have open arms to everybody. We want to be a church where money and social status is not of significance nor a requirement of ministry. We want to be a place where the color of your skin is neither an advantage nor disadvantage when it comes to being used by God. We believe it is possible to see people as sisters and brothers in Christ, without the distinctions the world would have us to embrace. We praise God that God has sent Donnie Hayes and all his nieces and nephews. The Hayes, the Grosee’s and the Fogler’s are part of the vision we have for New Life Fellowship. God so loved the world, and we want to try and do the same.
Rick
We as pastors appreciate the call of God on your lives. Some of you had no idea a year ago that you would be where you are today. Tony was pursuing a pro football career, but God had something else in mind. He has done an outstanding job as our minister of Outreach. Everyone of you who has opened your home to him, has received a visit from him. Tony, Carmen, Little, T, Scottie and even Laney, do a wonderful job setting up everything on Sunday morning. This church could not be what it is today without their faithfulness in ministry. They work together as a team and together they are making a difference
Toby
Likewise with Dave, Karen, Antwan, and Harley as well as with Sam, Danita, Chris and Ricky each member of the family is involved in the ministry of this church in some manner. Our Community Day helped us to see gifts in Kirsten that we had not seen before. Brandon & Juanita are essential to our TV ministry. We could not have found a more gifted music operator than we have in Vanessa. We are examples of the verse in 1 Corin 3 in which Paul speaks of some as doing the digging, others the planting, and some doing the watering, but it was God all along who was making the church grow. God has a plan for New Life Fellowship Church.
Rick
God didn’t call you just to come to the church. God called you because there was something He wanted to do in you. You didn’t get saved just to go to heaven. The word of God says, Eph 2:10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Say it with me. God has prepared a work for me to do for Him today. Don’t just wait to be asked. Come forward as Isaiah did when he said, “Here am I Lord, send me.” Robin Bailey is new to the church, but she stepped up to say “Here am I” in helping to take our youth to the Trip To Hell. Although Rich Marvin and his family are part of another church, they eagerly come to provide staff and teaching for us on Wednesdays for Pioneers and Life-Sharing.
Toby
We are delighted with how our young people have come forward to be a part of God’s Choice Choir. This choir was born out of the Angelic Voice Choir at Glenville New Life Community Church. We are proud to say, the Angelic Voices have given birth to an outstanding choir. You now stand side by side with them as two superb youth choirs singing for the Lord in greater Cleveland. We want to see even more young people singing with them. We thank you for coming to rehearsals and for your parents for getting you here. Together you’re making a difference in our music ministry.
Rick
We thank God for Karen, Danita, and Carmen with the group New Life Sisters. We know that God has birthed a music ministry in their hearts that will bless us all in the future. We appreciate the openness to the move of the Spirit in the lives of many of you as individuals. At New Life, we recognize that not every opportunity to serve God is going to be something great, but it will be something needed. We as pastors need your willingness to be servants for the Lord. We don’t do the ushering, the greeting, the nursery, the singing, the readings, the ringing of the bell, or youth worship, but you do. Together we are making a difference for Christ.
Toby
From its very beginning, New Life Fellowship has been a partnering in ministry. It is a partnership between our presbytery, our mother church Glenville New Life Community, and ourselves, New Life Fellowship. It is a partnership between our pastors and our Lay Pastors. We thank God for our Lay Pastors, Tony Britt, Helen Britt, Walter Glenn, Sandra McLean, Deborah Chambers, Sylvia Fields, Felicia Earl, and Katie Glenn. They serve as our preachers whenever they are needed. Some of you do not yet know it, but God is going to call you to be lay pastors in the future, as well as elders and deacons. Study the word of God eagerly now so that you may be prepared when the day comes.
Rick
Praise God for all of you who are saying to God again and again, "Here am I Lord send me.’" A great church is great not because of great leaders, but because of great partnerships. God intended for leaders and people to be in partnership with each other in building the kingdom of God. We are blessed to have partnership here at New Life.
Toby
We appreciate your love for Jesus Christ. Although many think, we come to Jesus to get happy and an easy life, many of you understand the call to follow Christ is a call to come and die to your own way of doing things. In so doing you find out, God has a better way. Jesus gave the call , "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." Every time what we feel like doing is not what God wants us to do, we are asked to take up our cross.
Rick
Each of us has to pay a price to follow Jesus Christ at New Life Fellowship . It takes energy and effort to come to church. But when you love Jesus, it doesn’t cost as much. It takes energy and time to volunteer to serve when needed. But when you love Jesus, it doesn’t seem to cost as much. It takes a sacrifice of money to tithe. But when you love Jesus though, it doesn’t seem to cost as much. You might not always feel like singing praises in church. But when you love Jesus, you do it because He deserves it not because you feel it.
Toby
There’s something about a love relationship which makes you willing to go that extra mile or two. Instead of seeing obstacles, you see opportunities to impress the person with just how much you truly love them. When you’re in love with a person, you’re eager to offer the very best for them.
Rick
When we think of the New Life Fellowship Church, we know that you want to offer the Lord your best. Today we’re a small church, but that does not mean we are not going to impact literally thousands of peoples lives. Many of the lives will be the lives, families, and friends of people in this sanctuary. Many of them are people who are on their way to knowing Jesus. We don’t know how many people our radio and TV broadcasts touch each week. We don’t know the way God is using some of you to impact the lives of others. God is using some of you and you don’t even know it.
Toby
The vision for New Life Fellowship Church is far bigger than all of us. Our purpose is to reach the people in this world for whom Christ died. We can’t do that simply by TV and radio. There are times when we will have to go to people one on one and invite them to come to church. The people in our community are more open to being invited than we are to invite them. As Pastor Rick and I went through the neighborhood, several people indicated they were looking for a church home. All you have to do is knock on the door and say, Hi, I’m from New Life Fellowship Church. If you’re looking for a church, I hope you’ll consider us.” Give them a flyer and leave. Surely our God can equip us to do that
Rick
When our guests come looking for the Lord, we must make them feel as loved and welcomed as we can. We appreciate your love for each other which continues to grow and abound, but let us always remember the outsider who has just come in. We do not want anyone to feel as an outsider for long. Invite someone to coffee hour and do your best to make them feel encouraged. Why not make it a goal to meet at least one new person each time you come to church? Everybody comes to church with a story they can tell. If we’re willing to listen, we will discover some amazing things that God is doing in other people’s lives.
Toby
New Life Fellowship is to be here as part of your family from God. Be willing to let us know when you have a need so that we can help you. If you need food or clothing, don’t be too embarrassed to let us know. When you’re in the hospital, give us a call, because we want to visit you. If someone dies in your family, let us know so that we can pray with you, or if you need money to help on the trip. This is all part of what family is about. When we say “we love and we care” we want to put meaning in those words
Rick
In order to be a strong family, we all need to do our parts. God has blessed some of us with a lot more than He has blessed others with our finances, but God never asks any of us to give more than others. God asks each believer in Christ to simply give Him one penny out of every ten pennies that we have. It’s called tithing. How much should you give each week at church. If you got fifty cents last week. God only asks for a nickel. If you got $10 last week, God only asks for $1. If you got a $100, God only asks for $10. If you were truly blessed with $1,000, God still asks for just the same amount of $100. Isn’t it wonderful of the Lord to make it so that everybody can be equal in His sight.
Toby
Saints when we tithe, there will always be the funds available to help each other in our times of needs. Not only that, God promises us blessings in our giving. For the God says in Malachi Mal 3:10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” Jesus tells us Luke 6:38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Rick
Our Mother Church, Glenville New Life Community still pays for the staff of New Life Fellowship. The tithes that people give who were from Glenville, continue to go to Glenville, except the portion that is marked for New Life Fellowship. For all of you who first came to New Life Fellowship, all of your offerings go to support New Life Fellowship. This is the best way to be fair to both congregations. We look forward to the day when New Life Fellowship will stand on its own, because it will mean both churches have attained a new victory. Every parent looks forward to the day when his or her child is able to stand on his or her own. Thank God for a mother church that’s willing to stand by us as we take our first steps as a congregation. Together with our tithes we are making a difference for the cause of Jesus Christ
TOBY
To be a great church for Christ, we have to know the word of God and how to apply it to our lives. We need for you adults to come to Life-Sharing/Bible Study on Wednesday nights. We need our youth to come to Pioneers on Wednesday nights as well. We will only be as strong as the amount of Word of God we are willing to learn. Tony and Kellie will be doing a new program in Youth Worship twice a month to help our young people learn the word of God in some exciting new ways. We are told in the Bible to study God’s word so that we will be people able to stand and give a word for the Lord
Rick
One thing beginning New Life Fellowship has taught us is to not try and limit God. When we needed to buy some special computer disks for our TV broadcast, someone who is not a part of either church sent us $920 to go buy the disk because he believed in what were doing. Northfiled Presbyterian Church and Highlands Sixth Presbyterian Church have sent us gifts of over $1,000 each. That’s why we have new hymnals, bibles, and a baptism pool. Covenant Presbyterian Church sent us $25,000 to help us start as a church. That’s how we were able to pay Tony and the utilities in this building. God has touched the hearts of others to believe in us as a congregation. God did it because He has a plan to prosper us. Sure we are going to lose some people every now and then, but some of them will come back, and there are a whole lot of people that we’re all going to bring and others that God is simply going to send.
Toby
You see God has been at work in us to bring us to this point for quite some time. We did not get to where we are today without the valuable contributions that you have made in the past eight months But the Lord is about to take us to whole new level. Our faith is going to grow and our sense of reliance upon Him will be strengthened as never before. By us all being willing to say yes to the Lord, together we will all be making a difference for the cause of Jesus Christ in saving our families, our friends, and our world.
