A Day of Prayer and Fasting

What?

As part of this December’s 5(hundred) Hours: A Call to Prayer, we are setting aside New Year’s Day—Friday, January 1st, 2010—as a day of prayer and fasting.

John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion

[W]henever men are to pray to God concerning any great matter, it would be expedient to appoint fasting along with prayer.

Arthur Wallis, God’s Chosen Fast

Fasting is calculated to bring a note of urgency and importunity into our praying, and to give force to our pleading in the court of heaven. The man who prays with fasting is giving heaven notice that he is truly earnest . . . . Not only so, but he is expressing his earnestness in a divinely-appointed way. He is using a means that God has chosen to make his voice to be heard on high.

When?

There will be two gatherings for prayer and worship at the Riverfalls Campus. Please join with us by fasting for one or both of the meetings, either in person or while you’re away:

12pm-1pm (Lunch Fast)
6pm-7pm (Dinner Fast)

re:Generātion/5(hundred) Hours - Gospel

5(hundred) Hours - Gospel from New Life Church on Vimeo.

Week 5 - Gospel

What is 5(hundred) Hours?

5(hundred) Hours is an ambitious, church-wide call to prayer aimed at spending five hundred cumulative hours in corporate and private prayer to prepare for the February launch of re:Generātion, a new Young Adults Ministry taking place Sunday nights.

Week 5 - Gospel

The gospel is the good news that God sent His Son to save us from our sins. This means that union with Christ—in his life, death and resurrection—is not only what converts a person, but what transforms, empowers and matures them too. Everything we do—from ministry to mission—is to be shaped by the reality, as Paul says in Galatians 2:20, that having been crucified with Christ, we no longer live, but rather Christ lives in us. The life we live in the flesh, we live by faith in the Son of God, who loved us and gave himself for us.

re:Generātion exists to convey and communicate the centrality of Christ to the gospel and the gospel to all of life.

What to pray for as we ought . . .

Gracious Father, make re:Generātion a gospel-centered community committed to conveying and communicating the centrality of Christ to the gospel and the gospel to all of life.

Guard and guide the hearts of both its members and its leaders for we are all prone to follows other gods—idols of our own making and design.

Grieve them, I pray, in those times when they forsake you, with a profound and godly sorrow and lead them in a life marked by true repentance(2 Cor. 7:9).

Cause them to turn away,
From seeking their own good,
From exalting their own names,
From loving their own lives,
From playing their own gods,
From saving their own souls.

Be gracious, O Lord, according to your loving-kindness; according to the greatness of your compassion blot out their transgressions. Wash them thoroughly from their iniquity, and cleanse them from their sin!

Create within them clean hearts and renew right and steadfast spirits within them (Ps. 51:1-2, 10).

Make them righteous by your grace as a gift received by faith. Do not allow them to trust in their own works but in you, the God who justifies the ungodly through the redemption that is in Christ (Rom. 4:5).

Root them deeply, Father, in the reality that having been baptized into Christ they have been baptized into His death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through your own powerful glory, they too might walk in newness of life.

Unite them to your Son that sharing in His death they might also share in His life-giving resurrection.

Through the cross, dispel the power of sin and set them free from its slavery.

As Christ himself died to sin and now lives His life to you, so too teach them to consider themselves in all their parts dead to sin but alive to you in union with your Son.

May sin, therefore, have no dominion over them, for they are no longer under the law, but under the reign of grace (Rom. 6:1-14).

And finally, Father, having experienced your gracious, gospel love, may they then love in return.

Make them agents of your grace, sent out in the name of Christ to seek and save the lost.

Printable Prayers

For a printable version of these prayers to take with you throughout the week click on the following link.

A Prophet Like Moses

A message from Deuteronomy 18:15-19, December 20, 2009 by Scott Reavely.

Some of the comparison between Jesus and Moses came from this website. It has even more than I had time to share in this message, complete with scripture references.

God Comes Down!

A message from Exodus 19, December 13, 2009 by Scott Reavely

The God Who Welcomes Outsiders

A message from Exodus 18:1-27, December 6, 2009 by Pastor Aaron Orendorff

The God Who Provides for Complainers

A message from Exodus 15:22-17:7, November 29, 2009, Pastor Aaron Orendorff

2009 at New Life Church: AWANA

Another highlight of 2009 was the beginning of AWANA. Last summer Sara Pylate began to think and pray about leading an AWANA club for New Life Church. Her children had gone to another church for the club and she thought it would be a great way to minister to other kids as well as her own, if we would offer it.

When she presented it to me, she wanted to go full scale, doing club for two-year-olds through sixth grade. I talked her down to two clubs to start with. Puggles and Cubbies started October 14th. After having more Puggles and Cubbies than we prayed for, we are expanding in January to include Sparkies and TNT clubs. If you would like to register a child you may do it online here.

Thank you to all you who make AWANA possible. Please continue to pray for them.

Brad Titus in Rwanda

Many of you know that Brad Titus is a medical doctor who attends New Life Church with his wife Jan. For several years, Brad has been involved with leading teams to Guatemala to support the work of Food for the Hungry in community development.

Last summer Brad got connected with a group of physicians who were going to Rwanda as a part of Luis Palau's efforts there. The Lord led him to go on the trip. While in country Brad sensed the Lord bringing together a vision in his heart to help build a hospital, nurses training school, and community health outreach program in Kigali, Rwanda through a group called Africa New Life Ministries. The Lord has been working in amazing ways to confirm this vision. On January 4-15 Brad will again be traveling to Rwanda to further pursue the formation of this vision with leaders from the US and Rwanda. Below is a list of things you can pray for Brad as he goes on this trip:

1. In all ways, the name of Jesus Christ be exalted
2. That He exalt His Word; that He empower His servants to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ in both word and deed
3. That He raise up thousands of Rwandan disciples and strengthen His church in Rwanda
4. That He grant us favor in the eyes of the Rwandan government and other community leaders who will help us carry the ministry forward, but also protect us from any hindrances of proclaiming the Gospel in every aspect of our work
5. Protection of our team from the evil one
6. Grant us single-mindedness, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose
7. For wisdom and discernment in our dealings with people who may attempt to halt the works of God
8. To raise up Spirit-gifted fund-raisers
9. To provide every resource necessary for completion of the ministry vision
10. For humility and recognition that we will labor in vain if we attempt to labor apart from Christ Jesus and the perfect will of God
11. That the faith of the Rwandan people would rest on a demonstration of God's power through the Spirit-transformed witness of Christ's servants
12. That the people of Rwanda will see the compassion, love and mercy of our Lord Jesus as His servants minister to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the communities in which we will serve.

2009 At New Life Church

New Life Church had a great year in 2009. This series of posts will summarize a few of the highlights.

Several ministries that began in previous years had significant years for which we are thankful.

• Celebrate Recovery had near 100 people at Thanksgiving dinner. CR has a core of committed workers who have ministered to literally hundreds of people over the year. CR is the launch pad for several key initiatives that began in 2009.
  
• Coffee Cart, which is in its 15 years, is serving 43% more students every day than they did last year. God has supplied a new coordinator, Mike Wright. We are truly enjoying the new environment created by the remodel.
  
• H2O which began at New Life Church a couple years ago now has 27 active cities throughout the country that are giving away bags. H2O was the 2009 CB Women’s camp project and recently received a $1750 check. Thank you! In addition, Leslie and Lauren Reavely were honored by Dr. Lynn Smith in Lake Oswego in a "Do a Good Deed Contest" earlier in the year. They spoke at Mission Connexion to encourage kids to do hard things and will speak there again this year.
  

Celebrating David Henderson's Life

On Saturday, December 19, 2009 hundreds gathered at Gladstone First Baptist Church to celebrate the life of David Henderson who passed away on December 9th after a battle with cancer. Dave and his wife, Sherie, served as missionaries in Indonesia and in Moscow, Russia and Dave also served on the European Ministry Team and assisted after the 2004 tsunami hit Indonesia.
The Celebration of Life service involved many participants including music by Ronn and Peggy Pricer and family and Marcia Reavely and family. Pastor Scott Reavely delivered the Memorial Message on Dave's life verse, Psalm 84:6,7.
Dave Henderson is survived by his wife, Sherie, and their children Adriel, Paul, Anna, and Sean. Dave also leaves behind a legacy of a life well lived and is now in Heaven with his Savior.

Thank You from Lee and Louise Bennett

We thank God for you, remembering you in our prayers.
Dear brothers and sisters at New Life Church: We have to say how wonderful it is to be a part of God's family at New Life.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your love, concern, and prayers for Wilda and for us. From the time she fell until even after she went to Heaven, we felt God's love, grace and mercy through you.
Thank you so much!
Till we see His face,
Lee and Louise Bennett

Song of the Sea

A message from Exodus 15:1-21, November 22, 2009, by Scott Reavely

No Graves in Egypt!

A message from Exodus 12:33-14:31, November 15, 2009, by Scott Reavely

Hunter Haugen Home from India

Hunter Haugen is home from India!

He came home with a small carry on that easily held what he did not give away. "Three square meals of rice and spice" each day left him visibly lighter. The big smile and lots of stories of all God has been doing in his life were cause for praise to God for answered prayers. Please see Hunter's final report below:

नमस्ते,
What a trip. When Brian and I first
talked about coming to India, I only knew that 1. three months sounded like a really long time, and 2. there would be computer stuff to do. Within this sparse framework I began to add all of my expectations of how my time could best be spent here and what I would have to accomplish for this trip to be a "success." Looking back over my time here, I can only be amazed at how once again God redeems whatever we give him and returns it to us increased a hundredfold.
In my time here, I was engaged with Brian and staff in the office in
training for various topics giving a deeper understanding of the various server
operating systems, developing and deploying streamlined working procedures
and software to more closely integrate their development cycle and at the same
time provide flexibility which was previously nonexistent, set up a virtual private
network, as well as a few other other buzzword-bingo subjects. I was also given
the chance to teach a class for 40 teachers-in-training on the finer points of
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
But more than technical aspects, I was able to come in contact with many
Indians on a micro and macro scale. Just being there with white skin makes
people naturally curious, and as English is the de facto language of the country,
I was able to engage with people when I went to the city, towns, schools, or
anywhere. There are several Hindus who I was in frequent contact with, often
taking meals or tea together and having conversations that moved beyond the
customary social talk. I was given several occasions to explain in depth what
the Christian faith is, and who I am because of it. They did not take me up on
my offers for church yet, but I will have them in my prayers.
On a personal level, this trip vivified and verified my desire to serve the
practical needs of technical expertise on the missions field, and this could very
well be one of the key chapters of my life. The monetary and time invested in
this trip have had a very direct effect on my life, and have made me a sharper
tool in the hand of God.
I thank you for your gifts to allow me to make this trip. India is a country
where the people are open to teaching and friendship, and don't shy away from
the idea of an almighty God. God is definitely at work in this country.
Hunter Haugen

re:Generātion/5(hundred) Hours - Community

5(hundred) Hours - Community from New Life Church on Vimeo.

Week 4 - Community

What is 5(hundred) Hours?

5(hundred) Hours is an ambitious, church-wide call to prayer aimed at spending five hundred cumulative hours in corporate and private prayer to prepare for the February launch of re:Generātion, a new Young Adults Ministry taking place Sunday nights.

Week 4 - Community

Having been created in the image of a triune God, humans beings are made for relationship; we are built to live in community. Tragically, our rejection of God, what the Bible calls “sin,” has fractured our relationships—both with God as well as with other people. Through the gospel, God is at work to draw us back into renewed communion not only with himself but also with his people—the church. Life, ministry and mission are, therefore, all meant to be done together in the context of God’s family.

re:Generātion exists not to replace the local church but to embrace and support it by providing both small and large group gatherings committed to propelling their members into full participation within the body of Christ.

What to pray for as we ought . . .

Unifying Spirit, I pray for the ministry of New Life re:Generātion, for its individual members and for the communities of believers who gather beneath its name.

May they be one, Father—as an extension of Christ’s body—just as you and the Son are one,

Enable them to love one another in such a way that the world might see and know that you too have loved them and sent your Son to save them (Jn. 17:11-21).

Cause them to walk in a manner worthy of the calling they have received, with humility, gentleness and patience.

May they bear with one another in love and eagerly maintain both the unity and the peace that your Spirit has brought between them.

For there is only one body, through which your people have become members one of another, one indwelling Spirit, one enduring hope, one sovereign Lord, one common faith, one initiating baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all (Eph. 4:1-6).

Make re:Generātion, as a ministry and as Life Groups, a gospel-shaped and Christ-centered community.

May its members experience through their shared lives encouragement in Christ, comfort from your love, participation in the Spirit, affection and sympathy towards one another,

In doing so give them one mind, maintain among them one love, make them united in one spirit and focused upon the same purpose and goal.

Let them do nothing from selfishness or pride, but rather in humility may they consider others of more value and significance than themselves,

Cause them to look not only to their own needs but to readily turn to the needs of others (Phil. 2:1-4).

May they rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep, being neither haughty nor conceited but associating with the lowly (Rom. 12:13-18).

Make them daily to watch over and exhort each another that they might not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, nor be led away from you, the living God, through an evil, unbelieving heart (Heb. 3:12-13).

Make re:Generātion a safe, gracious and honest place where the truth is spoken in love and sins are freely confessed (Eph. 4:15; Jam. 5:16).

Ultimately, Father, may you, the God of endurance and encouragement, enable them to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together they may with one voice glorify you, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, welcoming and accepting each another just as Christ accepted them, all to the glory of God (Rom. 15:5-7).

Printable Prayers

For a printable version of these prayers to take with you throughout the week click on the following link.

Lord of the Passover

A message from Exodus 11:1-12:32, November 8, 2009 by Pastor Travis Tadema

Christmas Eve Services

We will have two All Church Christmas Eve Services at 4:30 and 6:00 p.m. at our Robinwood location. We hope that these services will provide a good opportunity for you to invite friends and family to come with you to worship Jesus this Christmas.

End of the Year Finances

This year has been a hard one for all of us. God continues to bless us and provide what we need. And, He does that through His people. We want you to know how we expect to end the year.

We need $54,000 in the month of December to finish 2009 in the black. Of that, $18,000 has already come in, leaving $36,000 needed for the rest of the year. We also have an outstanding balance in our remodel project of about $11,000. We would love to finish that project off by the end of the year, too. [Did you know Coffee Cart is serving 43% more kids than last year? The remodel is making a difference every day!]

Can you help? Pray about this. Check your giving records. Have you given all you intended to give? Thank you for pulling together at year’s end.

The Plagues

A message from Exodus 7:8-10:29, November 1, 2009 by Travis Tadema.

Don't Let God Be Your Biggest Problem

A message from Exodus 4:18-31, October 18, 2009 by Scott Reavely.

I AM

A message from Exodus 3:1-4:17, October 11, 2009 by Scott Reavely

Failure & Exile

A message from Exodus 2:11-25, October 4, 2009, by Scott Reavely.

The God Who Saves

A message from Exodus 1-2:10, September 27, 2009, by Scott Reavely

Snow Policy

When it snows, there is always the question as to whether to go to church. For your safety and to aid you in making a decision, we have developed the following policy.
Weekdays:
If West Linn High School is closed that day, the church’s activities will also be cancelled.
Sundays:
If snow or ice on the roads makes travel treacherous where you live, don’t attempt to come to services.
Check the blog for official announcements about weather cancellations.

re:Generātion/5(hundred) Hours - Mission

5(hundred) Hours - Mission from New Life Church on Vimeo.

Week 3 - Mission

What is 5(hundred) Hours?

5(hundred) Hours is an ambitious, church-wide call to prayer aimed at spending five hundred cumulative hours in corporate and private prayer to prepare for the January launch of re:Generātion, a new Young Adults Ministry taking place Sunday nights.

Week 3 - Mission

If the church exists to worship God, then its mission is simple: “Make worshippers.” This is what the Great Commission is all about. In John 20:21, Jesus connects his mission to the mission of his followers: “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” Being a follower of Jesus Christ means being “sent.” The aim of this sending is to call people of every kind to turn away from all that is “not God” and embrace the reality of the one, true and living God as revealed in Jesus Christ.

re:Generātion exists to equip and send its members—as individuals and as Life Groups—into the world around them to “seek and save the lost.”

What to pray for as we ought . . .

Lord of the Harvest, send out workers into the harvest field.

Send the individuals and Life Groups of New Life re:Generātion out into their families, communities, neighborhoods and workplaces with the message of salvation (Matt. 9:37).

As you sent Your Son, so send them (Jn. 20:21):
Not to be served, but to serve;
Not to be loved, but to love;
Not to save their lives, but to lose them.

For though they are free and enslaved to no one, I pray that they would make it their aim to become the servants of all (1 Cor. 9:19).

Make them to be all things to all people that by all means they might reach and save some (1 Cor. 9:22).

Make them, Father, salt and light, deeply embedded agents of grace shining as light in dark and crooked world (Matt. 5:13-16; Phil. 2:15).

Move them, in all this, to set apart Christ as Lord in their hearts that they would be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is in them.

May they do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clean conscience, so that even if their message is rejected their lives and good behavior may put all objections to shame (1 Pet. 3:15-16).

Help them to conduct themselves wisely, making the most of every opportunity (Col. 4:5).

Let their speech be gracious and authentic, seasoned with salt, so that they might know how to answer each individual person (Col. 4:6).

Create through this ministry :
New opportunities for the gospel to be advanced,
New relationships for the gospel to be shared,
And new communities for the gospel to be spread.

Open for re:Generātion a wide door for effective work that the mystery of Christ might be boldly and powerfully declared (1 Cor. 16:9; Col. 4:3).

Use those who join together as emissaries of King Jesus, heralds of the coming kingdom, that all the ends of the earth might acknowledge and turn to you, that people from every nation might worship before you.

Kingship belongs to you, our LORD God and Savior, for you rule over all the nations.

Say, therefore, Sovereign LORD, to the north and to the south, say to all the world, “Give up My people, do not withhold them” (Is. 43:6-7).

Printable Prayers

For a printable version of these prayers to take with you throughout the week click on the following link.

Be Cautious on Your Way to Church

The roads are sparkly and slick in spots. Services will be on at regularly scheduled times. Please give yourself plenty of time and drive carefully.

re:Generātion/5(hundred) Hours - Worship

5(hundred) Hours - Worship from New Life Church on Vimeo.

Week 2 - Worship

What is 5(hundred) Hours?

5(hundred) Hours is an ambitious, church-wide call to prayer aimed at spending five hundred cumulative hours in corporate and private prayer to prepare for the January launch of re:Generātion, a new Young Adults Ministry taking place Sunday nights.

Week 2 - Worship

Worship is the whole-person response to the revelation of God in the gospel. Human beings were made to worship; we were created to “glorify God and enjoy him forever.” This means that worship isn’t a specific action that only takes place at certain times; rather, worship is the action behind all other actions. To worship something means to make it our treasure, to invest our life, meaning and significance into it.

re:Generātion exists to catalyze a response to God that affects and penetrates every area of life.

What to pray for as we ought . . .

Great and Glorious Father, I pray that through the work of your Holy Spirit you would inspire and enable the people and ministry of New Life re:Generātion to worship you in spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24).

Impress upon those who will gather together Sunday nights a deep and heartfelt sense of your redeeming mercy and move them, in light of that mercy, to offer their bodies to you as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable. Make this to be their spiritual act of worship (Rom. 12:1).

Let them no longer be conformed to the pattern of this world, but rather transform them through the renewing of their minds (Rom. 12:2).

Cause them, I pray, to engage their entire beings in their worship of you:
To pray with their spirits as well as with their minds,
To sing with their spirits as well as with their minds (1 Cor. 14:15).

As they come together, may each member play their part—whether with a song, a prayer or a lesson—so that everything will be done to build up and strengthen the whole (1 Cor. 14:26).

May they sing praises to you, O Lord, and tell of your salvation, your wondrous works to the children of men.

May they glory in your name and rejoice with their whole heart.

For you, Lord, are great and worthy of great praise, you are awesome above all gods, above all the idols of our hearts.

Show forth your splendor and majesty and pour out your strength and joy.

May those who are yours ascribe to you the glory due your name; may they worship you in the splendor of your holiness and tremble before the God who established and sustains the world.

Through their worship, may creation itself be glad and rejoice; may they and all the nations say, “The LORD God reigns!” (1 Chron. 16:21-31).

I pray especially for Taylor and Grant that you would guide them as worship leaders, make them blameless and above reproach.

Give them wisdom and ability, insight and direction.

Gathering around them , even now, a team to share in the ministry of worship.

Equip them and gift them to be a blessing to one another as well as to the people they lead.

Finally, Lord, draw in the outsider and make Sunday nights such that as the lost enter in their hearts would be laid bare, their consciences convicted, their lives called to give account so that falling on their faces may they turn to worship you and declare that God is truly in that place (1 Cor. 14:23-25).

Printable Prayers

For a printable version of these prayers to take with you throughout the week click on the following link.

Invitation for the New Life Church Family

When It Looks Like God Fails!

A message from Exodus 5:1-7:13, October 25, 2009 by Scott Reavely.

Financial Peace

Financial Peace is returning January 6th 6:30-8:00pm.  Mark Hanson will be leading this class on Wednesday evenings at New Life Riverfalls.  Financial Peace University (FPU) consists of a 13-week video curriculum—taught by financial expert Dave Ramsey—that incorporates small-group discussions to encourage accountability and discipleship.
If you are interested in participating in this class please contact Mark Hanson 503.803.4099.

Thank you note from Bruce Tissell

At the last Global Outreach Night, many of you signed a card to Bruce Tissell that was sent to him upon the occasion of his 15th anniversary of missionary service in Brazil. The thank you note below is what Bruce wrote upon receiving this card and a care package put together by Nancy Carlson.

The big weekend of the 15th anniversary of the Morada Nova Baptist Church had just ended Sunday night and I was tired. So Monday I did as little as possible. I was not even planning on going to the post office when suddenly I found myself having to go to a store right next to the post office. So I went to check my post office box not expecting anything when to my surprise there was a huge package waiting for me.

Inside the package were the fixings for a cake. It will not make a 15 meter cake but it will make a cake that reaches from West Linn, Oregon to Teresina, PI. I wonder how many meters that is?

Thank you so much for your thoughtfulness. This is just one more example of why New Life Church is so special to me. You have always been there to encourage me and lift me up in prayer. I can not express my gratitude or the joy that the package brought to me. The notes written by various people touched me and came at just the right time when I needed some encouragement.

Now I am planning another party to have some friends over to help eat a cake that came all of the way from West Linn, Oregon. I must confess though that I will not share the M&Ms. In fact they have already been disposed of by me while I was reading the notes.

Thank you again.

Bruce Tissell