I Love My Church

It’s no secret that I Love My Church!  In fact, I say it a lot on Sundays because I want the people in attendance to know how honored I am to pastor New Church.  

But when I decided to take last Sunday off from preaching, I wanted people to hear it from someone else, so I asked a young leader in our church, who I also consider to be a good friend, Josh Black, to preach a message entitled, “I Love My Church.”

I asked him to talk about the mission of New Church, and he did a great job!  If you would like to listen to and/or download the message from last Sunday, Click Here.

T. J.

Gratitude Gift

I think an appropriate way to communicate one of the things I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving is to brag on the church God has allowed me to pastor. I am humbled by the way the people of New Church stepped up and gave to our first ever Gratitude Gift!

About a month ago, I asked our church to give a one-time financial gift on November 20th, in addition to what they normally give. People bought in and gave by faith, which resulted in an amount that was twice as much as what I prayed for and expected.

But more importantly than the amount of money that was given was the heart with which it was given. God is at work in the lives of many of the people who attend New Church, and I can’t wait to see how he uses us in the days ahead to advance his kingdom for his glory!

So, as I consider all of the things I’m grateful for this Thanksgiving, New Church is definitely near the top of that list!

T. J.

Give. Me. Faith., Wk. 3: Give Me Faith…to Give

Week 3 of our Give. Me. Faith. teaching series last Sunday at New Church was about giving.  Some people don’t like it when churches talk about giving and money, but those are usually the people who don’t give any money.

We won’t apologize for talking about giving because I’m convinced the biggest competition God has for our hearts is our wallets.

With that in mind, we looked at the relationship between giving and faith, and I may, or may not have used the term “Spiritual Booty Call.”  You’ll have to Click Here and listen to the message to find out for sure.

T. J.

Give. Me. Faith., Wk. 2: Give Me Faith…to Trust

Week 2 of the Give. Me. Faith. teaching series was all about Trust–more specifically, “How do we trust God when life isn’t fair?”

This is an important question for which people need an answer because the truth of the matter is, life isn’t fair.  So, if we’re going to experience the faith we need to trust God when life isn’t fair, we need to stop asking “Why?” and start asking “How?”

To gain a better understanding of what I’m talking about, Click Here to listen to and/or download Sunday’s message.

T. J.

10 Reasons I Love My New Church Group

Every other Thursday evening, Wendy and I get the privilege of hosting a group of college students and single 20 somethings in our home.  We hang out, study the Bible, talk about life, pray together, drink coffee, and eat stuff that some would consider unhealthy.

Because this group of individuals is becoming such an important part of my life, I want to share with you the Top 10 Reasons I Love My New Church Group:

10.  They are refreshing.  Some people are easy to be around, and my Group is like that.  I even feel energized after I’ve spent time with them.

9.  They bring good food with them.  These people come up with some amazing snack ideas, and they always taste good.

8.  They are a diverse group of individuals.  Our Group consists of teachers, a Wake Forest Law School student, a Wake Forest Med School student, a nurse, and a marketing genius.

7.  They are hilarious.  At least 50% of the time we spend together involves laughter.

6.   They are low-maintenance.  They don’t manufacture drama, or come up with reasons for people to feel sorry for them.

5.  They are open and honest.  They share how they feel about what we’re discussing and they talk about their struggles.

4.  They are encouraging.  They are constantly providing positive support and constructive feedback.

3.  They are authentic.  These people are real and genuine.

2.  They want to honor God with their lives.  I believe each one of these young adults has a desire to use their gifts, talents, and abilities to advance God’s kingdom and glorify him.

1.  They love Jesus.  They recognize that without Jesus, they have nothing, so they want to get to know him more.

Those are just a few reasons I love my New Church Group.  I believe everyone should belong to a Group like mine because there is no doubt that we are Better Together.  For more information about New Church Groups, including days, times, and locations, Click Here.

T. J.

Give. Me. Faith., Wk. 1: Give Me Faith…to Wait

Week one of the Give. Me. Faith. teaching series at New Church was a challenge to me personally as we talked about how to exercise faith while you wait.  If we’re honest with ourselves, none of us like to wait.

But when we develop a true understanding of who God is, we will become less concerned about our wait and more consumed with our walk.  Think of it this way,  Our desire to Wait on God is determined by our discipline to Walk with God.  You can listen to and/or download the message from last Sunday by clicking HERE.

T. J.