Pray

Please pray that dale can go home!

One day that mouth of yours is going to get you into trouble......

Said my supervisor at work.
I think that it has finally happened.

THIS SUNDAY WE ARE HAVING AN OUTDOOR BAPTISM!

Andrea Dahlke received Christ as her savior last night and wants an outdoor baptism.
Awesome Right?
I am praying for a low tide and a warm baptistery but I don't think that this would satisfy this amazing young lady who wants to follow Christ!

Exciting Times a Coming!

I wonder...............

Yesterday was a strange day for me as I left at 6:30 am to bring Dale McGinnis to a Veterans Hospice in Vancouver.
Dale was in bad shape, mentally, physically, and emotionally.
and it only got worse.
He would come in and out mentally once asking me, "how long is this (death) going to take," as well as "is this how this (death) happens?"
As his room began to fill up with people I left thinking "OK Lord this is your answer to our prayers" and drove home.
But then Tim calls me at 6:00 pm and says everything had changed.
Dale was eating, talking, joking, and laughing as if he was fine. and He had been that way for a few hours.

I do not know how he is this morning, but last night Tim told me that even if this is temporary, it was the best gift God could have given the family.

But I wonder if there is a better one? I'll take that as a blessing, but I wonder, if God can raise the dead, why wouldn't He raise the living?

I wonder what God is doing with our Prayers?
and this question only makes me WANT to pray more.

Maybe its not the answers to prayers that motivate us, maybe its not the miracles, maybe what ought to move us to prayer is nothing more than the wonder of what God might do if His people pray to Him.

I wonder...................Pray with me

A Letter from Pastor Andy to newLife

Can you believe that our year is about over? It seems as if the older I get the shorter they get!

Today I wanted to share a few things from last week that I think sums our year up pretty good.

#1 The Christmas Service was Awesome. We had a great number of people attend, the spirit was amazing, and the fact that people wanted to worship our Savior that night just sums up that people do LOVE GOD!

#2 Found People do Find People! Many of the visitors who came, came solely because someone invited them. Our willingness to be like Jesus even when we are uncomfortable with it only shows that the Gospel has become important again.

#3 Saved People Serve People! Can I say THANK YOU enough! They came early on Christmas eve, they worked hard on Christmas eve, because they LOVE PEOPLE on Christmas Eve!

#4 Sunday's Service was Awesome but Strange. I guess it shows the depth of the changes in our church when most of those in attendance were people who just started attending our church in the last six months. And they WANTED TO BE THERE.

#5 We are going into our Third Year of Transition as a Church and God is challenging us in new ways to take us to deeper levels with Him. I believe that this will be our most productive year as a church and that our love for Him and others will only grow. He has never asked us to play it safe, don't plan on it this year.

#6 I will be entering my 14th year as a Pastor and it has not been easy. The first five were chaos, the next seven were costly (Debra's accident), and the last two or so have been transitionally difficult. BUT I HAVE NEVER FELT SO MUCH HAPPINESS IN MY LIFE! God has filled me with Hope, encouraged me with Help (Prayer), and given me a vision of Heaven! To say I am excited about 2011 is an understatement.

#7 Last, but not in any way the least. We have in our midst for the first time in my church life, mature disciples who love this church as much as I. THEY want to SERVE. THEY want to SACRIFICE. THEY want to SEE HIM. And this can only mean that THEY are going to have a break our year.

Thank you for an awesome year 2010. As our Theme stated, we wanted to be known by God and I think that has happened.

Have an awesome day newLife!

Please keep Praying!!!!

Dale will be admittted tomorrow to a hospice care facility in Vancouver Washington tomorrow.
But please keep praying for Him as they must make one more night at Tim and Misty's and then pray as Tim and I travel with Dale to Vancouver at 8:00 am. We must have him there by 11:00 or He will lose the bed.

Also please be praying for Tori as this is especially hard on her.

Needed: The Effectual Fervent Prayers of Gods People

Yesterday, I got a call from Dale McGinnises family telling me that Dales condition has worsened.
To make matters worse, the very institutions set up to help in these situations have been anything but helpful, in fact they have been hurtful. Namely Columbia Memorial Hospital and Clatsop County Hospice.

Right now the family is on 24 hour watch of Dale. They have split up the duties in 24 hour blocks each taking one day.
Understand, this family is 3 young girls under 25 and 3 married ladies with young children. One just had a baby three weeks ago and has to go back to the east coast next week.

This means they must watch their father slowly deteriorate, suffer, struggle and as young as they are try and figure out why this is all happening.

I realize that this is a part of life, but when the very institutions set up to help with this process fail people, it shows me its time for the church to be just that.

Pray
Pray for a Miracle
Pray
Pray for God to show up in those girls lives
Pray
Pray for Dale to be Healed
Pray
Pray like you've never prayed before.
Fast if you can, Let God know were serious
Pray
Pray
Pray
If we fail this family, by not praying in Faith, we are no better than them and our God no bigger than our government.

Pray
James 5:15-16 (KJV)  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
¹⁶ Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Gods word says that the Energetic Prayer that is Labored over from the Righteous Prevails over Much
Pray that God Prevails over Dales Cancer
Pray today
Pray

Maybe its too early.......

Too early to think about the pain caused by "Christians" to Churches and Pastors. ARRRGGG.
Too early to be reminded of wolves in sheep's clothing.

No its too early for all of that, it only raises my blood pressure and hurts my heart.

I would rather think on these things early in the morning...........

New Christians learning what prayer and the bible really is!
The testimony of a Positive church experience last Sunday!
The story of a Christian family coming "through" a trial!
The consistent attitude of Love being shown to a hurting church member.
A Soon to be Candlelight Service!
A New Sunday of worshipping the King.

Its never too early to think about those things.
I hope and pray you have an awesome day and can't wait to be with you all Friday and Sunday.

Merry Christmas

A Letter from Pastor Andy to newLife

I have to admit, I am a little sceptical and maybe even fearful, but I actually think we might be growing up as a Church.
I know it sounds as if I am faithless but when you drive the same road for 40 + years its a little strange to see something different on your journey.

What am I seeing that makes me feel this way?
     Fantastic testimonies from people who love God.
     Families working THROUGH their problems rather than creating Bigger Ones.
     Faith being lived out in the lives of church members.
     Faces of Happy Christians who choose to come to church.
     and dare I say it, Followers of Jesus Christ.

and while there is a Fear of God, it comes from respect and honor due to His work in our hearts.

Oh there are still some room for improvement, but it seems as if we are finally on the other side. Maybe, just maybe, God will allow us to leave the desert so many of us have been in to enter into that Promised Land where every week Souls will be saved, Baptisms will occur, and lives, our lives included will be forever changed by the Love of God through Jesus Christ.

What do You See for 2010?

What a Sunday!

I just want to thank all of you for a wonderful Sunday Morning.
The Music was great, the Spirit of the people was warm, and Baptisms never get old.

But there are a few things I want to mention that many of you may not see.

One young lady came to me specifically, waited until I was done talking, and let me know how the message touched her heart.
What makes this special, it was REAL. She was not telling me so that I could feel good about myself, she was telling me because it made HER feel good and she wanted to share her joy with me.

Another man about my age (Young at Heart) took me aside, looked me square in the eyes, and talked to me about the message. I am not sure that He is saved, but He so wants to see God and feel His Liberating Forgiveness.

and I watched as after Kia and Susan's Baptism, they were enveloped by people who love them. It never gets old to see people love people.

Years ago, our church adopted a slogan of being a church that loves people.
If what I am seeing now is what Love is, we were not being honest back then.

I am thankful that I got to experience God with you all this Sunday and look forward to 2011 filled with more of the same.

Have an Awesome Day

Pastor A

Another Sunday, Another Opportunity

Isn't that the best way to look at Sundays?

This Sunday is another opportunity to see two people who have just received Christ as their savior share their new found life through Baptism!

This Sunday is another opportunity to see the love that our Singers have for Jesus.

This Sunday is another opportunity to see the power of the word of God through preaching.

This Sunday is another opportunity to see people that you have prayed for come to worship with us.

This Sunday is another opportunity to share the love of God you have with the people of God you have been given.

What will you do with the Opportunity God gives you this weekend?

All I can say is Start working on 2011 Anthony and I-Pads for Everyone

Better?

I have always had a love hate relationship with the story of Gideon out of Judges Chapter 7 because it goes against everything I believe about life.

More is Better – Always

More Time is Better – Always

More Money is Better – Always

More Food is Better – Always

More People is Better – Always

In fact I have heard some of your children using that word at a very young age. More.

But God doesn’t always need More, in fact, I believe He wants Better First.

This we see in our passage.

Judges 7:2 (KJV)  And the LORD said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me.

Gideon starts out with More People, But God wants Better.

So 22,000 out of 32,000 leave.

Still not good enough for God, He still wants Better.

So, 9,700 are taken away.

Leaving 300 followers of God to defeat an army of Thousands.

And they did.

What made the 300 better than the 32,000.

22,000 were fearful.

            Fearful of change

            Fearful of the challenge

            Fearful of the cost. (Possibly their lives)

9,700 were prideful.

            They were not cautious

            They were not wise

            They were not prepared

The 300?

            They believed in God

            They were submissive unto God

            And they were victorious because God was the center of their lives.

More scared and prideful Christians do not make a better church.

Though I prefer more, as it makes ME feel better. (see the second half of Judges 7:2)God has other plans to defeat Satan.

As I think about this year and the new spirit of the people of newLife, I see better.

This is not quality over quantity, its faithful over just full.

But the reason for the better is to get the more for God.

Let’s go.

Sunday Sunday..........

How do you describe a Sunday where so many people were out sick? Pretty cool actually.

Did you notice how Faithful some of our new families are?
David and Joan, Chris and Alexis, Ralph and Randy, Rick and Johna.
Did you get chill bumps when Khayla Sang?
Didn't you love the Christmas Songs we did?
and if you missed it............
Did you hear the Angels Sing?
Yea Kia received Christ as His savior last week and could not wait to tell me about His knew found relationship with God!
Do I hear Baptisms anyone?

I don't think that there is anything better than when God's people get together to worship and then are blessed by seeing the work of His hands in our lives.

While we still must keep praying for more souls to be saved and added to the church, I like what I am seeing.

I pray you all have an awesome week and keep praying for this church.
If I missed anything let us know with a comment.

Sunday's Coming!!!!!

I received a treat this week when Joe Jasper went to visit a new family with me. As I shared the gospel of Christ with them, once in a while, when appropriate, Joe added what he thought would help.

It was Perfect.
And while the wife had received Christ during an altar call a few weeks back, and the husband still thinking about all that he heard, Just working with Joe made it better.

That's what I love about the Church.
Its not just one person, but many people working together.

Its James as he greats you at the door.
Its Khayla as she sings from her heart.
Its Kathy Butcher as she keeps track of all of the business.
Its Mandy as she teaches our little ones.
and its Joe, whose years of faithful witness, encouraged someone who needed God, to know where to go to find the answers.

Its not about One of us, but all of us working together as one.

Sundays coming and I can't wait to work with you in reaching people for Christ.

The Danger of Distractions

Last night as I was headed home from a wonderful time sharing the gospel with a new family, I had a wake up call while Driving the back roads.
I was so busy rejoicing that I almost (due to excessive speed) missed a turn. It was close enough to really scare me.
I have driven this road at least a thousand times in my life, yet on this night I was distracted by my excitement over people coming to know Christ.

Our church has been through a lot of changes in the past four years and each one of them come with distractions.

Practical changes.
        We simply decided that we were not going in the right direction as a Church.

Practice Changes
         We went from a busy church to a Simple Church.
          Loving God and Loving  Others is our Practice.

Personal Changes
         There is not one of us that hasn't been changed by God in these last four years.
         Whether through trial or triumph, we are different.

and this year,
Personnel Changes.
         In the last four years, the people that God has given us are different than before.
         But this year, it just seems we have more of them.
                  They are more concerned with Love than Law.
                  They are more upbeat about life.
                  They are more excited about Jesus and His word.

The danger of all these changes is getting distracted from what we are doing and then allowing those distractions to put us in the ditch.

And while there are many distractions we face, the one I see right now is the distraction of people.
We must never forget that the Christian live involves people. In fact without people the Christian life is nothing. (John 3:16)

For some of us this means we must learn to get along with new personalities.
For others it means we must open up to new relationship possibilities.
For all of us it means that we must work hard at loving people we don't know, forgiving their differences, finding ways to work together, and seeing the benefit of God adding to the Church.

Its not like we have not been down this road a thousand times, but every time we must be aware to keep our eyes on the Road (the Word of God)
But if we are not careful, we will allow the little distractions to wreck what God is doing in our lives.

and since were all out of Blogging Shape, I have an all Skate Question.

What has been Distracting you?

I look forward to your comments.

A Letter from Pastor A to newLife

While I would not say that Sunday was Great, it was good.

Its difficult to close out a powerful series by summery because so much has been said, its hard to take it all and bring it into one simple point.
The Message was good, but not Great.

Its hard when so many people are missing for any reason, let alone the flu. But December is that way. People are sick and often tired at this time of the year.
The Attendance was good, but not Great.

Its not easy to consistantly have Powerful Music Services. Sometimes the Music team is off, and other times the congregation is. Because of that we are going to have a few good worship experiances mixed with the Spectacular. This Sunday the Music was good, but not Great.

It was strange to see so many people leave quickly. I know that people are busy and have plans, but sometimes the fellowship is good, but not Great.

Sunday was good, but not Spectacular, and the only problem with that is God is not the God of good, He is Great.

He is Great in Power
He is Great in Presense
He is Great in Purpose
He is Great in Praise
He is Great in PEOPLE

If He is in us then we ought to be GREAT!!!!!!

Its easy to settle for good, when God deserves more. This next Sunday, I know where God is going with the message. It will be Great.

So here is a question to start your week off. What Great thing are you bringing with you next Sunday?

Great Service, Great Sacrifice, Great Spirit, Great Suffering, Great friends, Great hope? I know you may have something that I have not even thought of, Share it, and then Bring it!

Nothing ever seems to work the way you Thought

When I first started attending church, I had in my mind how it was supposed to be.
This came from years of attending church as a child.
But with this came all of my baggage.
Rarely do we bring the best things of Christianity to the church, but the not so best.

For me it was the fear of people.
In the church I was raised in people didn't treat each other well.
In fact, they were pretty rough on each other and so I always attended with one eye open. And while that changed over time, I still didn't bring my best.

I should have been that voice for Change in that area, not stopping THEM from doing wrong, but by my doing right.
How much better would it have been for the church and I, if I would have dropped the baggage and loved people sooner?

While the church may never work the way you thought, it works.
But it works best, when you bring your best.

Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV) ¹³ Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, ¹⁴ I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Rather than focus on what we leave behind, I wonder, what best can you bring that makes the church better?

A New Beginning

Have you ever really thought about the amazing people that God puts in your life through the Church?
I mean really looked at them and just thought how amazing it was that God put us together?

I go through an exercise every week in my prayer life that I would encourage everyone of you to do.

1. I have a list of people to pray for. (it keeps me mindful of them)

2. I look down at that list looking for all of the people that bring a smile to my face.

 People who just bring me Joy to see their name.
 People who have ministered to me by their love.
 People who have spoke truth into my life that week.
 People who make me laugh.
        
 and I thank God for them.
 and then I try to text or call them to let them know how blessed I have been by them.

3. I look down at the list looking for the people who are in need.

People I know that are going through a hard time.
People I know are struggling with faith, family, finances, feelings, failures.

and I ask God to use me to encourage them, to sacrifice for them, to Love them.

4. I look down at the list looking for the people I do not like.

 People who have wronged me.
 People who have betrayed me.
 People who have hurt me.
                     
and I ask God to forgive me for feeling that way.
and I ask God to open an opportunity for me to set things right with them.

We must realize that even Judas had a purpose in the work of God.

5. I look down at the list looking for people I don't know very well.
New People.
Distant People.
Angry people.

I never want anyone to feel alone and so if I get to know them, at least they know someone!
If it don't, I may miss out on an opportunity of a lifetime.

By doing so, it keeps my heart in a place of truly loving others as I am not only thinking about people, but acting upon those thoughts.

Everyday God gives me a new opportunity to show Love, How Awesome is that?

Excited!

I am so excited to start blogging again. I did so through a very difficult time in ministry and it encouraged me as well as others but I let it overwhelm me a little so this time I want to do it a little differently in that I will only blog three days a week.
    
Tuesday we will discuss what God did on Sunday.
Wednesday we will have some teaching to encourage your faith.
Thursday we will talk about what is coming up on Sunday.

This way we keep you informed as well as educated without overwhelming any of us.
So if you would like to ride along join us every week.