Do you have a gift for hospitality? I believe that it is prevalent in New Life Church. Perhaps you have had friends and neighbors over to celebrate the holidays, perhaps you have had friends over to watch a game, your Life Group may meet in your home, or you may find yourself inviting others out for lunch after church. Each of these is an example of hospitality.Hospitality is also apparent in the way you welcome people into the church on Sunday mornings and so generously contribute to our monthly shared meals.
Having identified this strength among us and having seen how it honors God and blesses others, I now want to challenge us even further. Let's intentionally use hospitality in 2013 to build relationships with, and show the love of God to, people who are not in the church. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to have dinner with one person or family in the next 8 weeks (see rules below). Together we can see what God will do as we are not only generous to one another, but to those who are far from God as well.
Hospitality Challenge - Have at least one person over for dinner between February 1st and Easter (March 31st).
Rules: In order to "count" it must be a person/family who is not from our church, does not believe in Jesus, and is not a family member. You may choose to team up with someone from your Life Group (working together is always a bonus and is often more fun) or be as creative as you like. Please share your stories with us so that we can pray together and celebrate together.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Hospitality Challenge
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Bless Your Neighbors
Dave Ferguson shared some good ideas on the Verge Blog this week. It struck me as an easy way to think about the relationship building process. He gave 5 key activities:
B- Begin with prayer. We want you to ask, ‘God how do you want me to bless the people in the places you’ve sent me to?’
L- Listen. Don’t talk, but listen to people, their struggles, their pains, in the places God sent you.
E- Eat. You can’t just check this off. It’s not quick. You have to have a meal with people or a cup of coffee. It builds relationships.
S- Serve. If you listen with people and you eat with people they will tell you how to love them and you’ll know how to serve them.
S- Story. When the time is right, now we talk and we share the story of how Jesus changed our life.
Who will you bless this week?
Tuesday, January 08, 2013
Happy Anniversary New Life Wilsonville!
On January 1st, the first Sunday of 2012, New Life Wilsonville had their first baptism as Ricky Belendez gave his public testimony before the church. One week later, on January 8th, they had their first public worship service and were officially launched as a campus of New Life Church.
Please continue to pray that the gospel will be made known in Wilsonville through the people of New Life Church.
Start the New Year with a GOOD BOOK!
Non Fiction
The
Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian
Grieving
the Child I Never Knew by Kathie Wunnenberg
Life
Management for Busy Women by Elizabeth George
Women
After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George
Parenting
from the Heart by Marilyn Boyer
When
Mothers Pray by Cheri Fuller
Reforming
Marriage by Douglas Wilson
A
Women's Journey to the Heart of God by Cynthia Heald
Weather
of the Heart by Gigi G. Tchividjian
MARRIAGE:
Experience the BEST by Dr. Steve Stephens
Empowered
by PRAISE by Michael Youssef
Unrealistic
Expectations by Barbra Minar
Heaven
is for Real by Todd Burpo
RUTH Under
the Wings of GOD by John Piper
Emotional
Purity (an affair of the heart) by Heather A. Paulsen
The
Heart of ANGER by Lou Priolo
Beautiful
in God's Eyes (the treasures of the Proverbs 31 women) by Elizabeth George
52
Simple Ways to Share your Faith by Roberta Hromas
When
Children Pray (teaching your kids to pray with power) by Cheri Fuller
Choosing
REST by Sally Breedlove
Finding
a Mentor, Being a Mentor (sharing our lives as women of God) by Donna Otto
Speak up
with Confidence (A step by step guide for speakers and leaders) by Carol Kent
Fiction
The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (special read aloud edition)
Thank
You for being a Friend by Jill Briscoe
MOTHER
by Kathleen Norris
Children’s Books
Heroes
for Young readers GLADYS AYLWARD (Daring to Trust) by Renee Meloche
My Child
My Princess (A parable about the King) by Beth Moore
DVD
Galilee:
The Land Where Jesus Walked