Christmas meal & fellowship at our home

Thanks to the Lord, we had one of the best weekends at New Life Bible Church. After the worship service on Sunday, Shawn and I invited everyone back to our home for a Christmas lasagna dinner. The sweet closeness and fellowship reminded us of the earlier church planting days in Lancaster, PA.

If you know of anyone who is looking for a church and would like to attend NLBC, please give us a call at 817-788-9810. May you have the most blessed, Christ-filled Christmas with family and friends.

Worship Service/Charter Membership Day

Christ-centered Worship at Christmas

Worship is never man-centered, but Christ-centered. Therefore, the proper emphasis and spirit of Christmas is worshiping Christ. The famous evangelist of the past, Charles H. Spurgeon, once said: "The holiday will come and go, so we must now take the opportunity to exalt Jesus Christ."

Christmas is the heralding of the entrance of Christ into human history. It is heaven descending to earth in the person of Jesus Christ. Our response should be the same as the angels on Christmas Eve: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"(Luke 2:14).

From a biblical perspective, every personality attached to the birth of Christ worshiped Him joyfully and with sincerity of heart. Here are some examples:

1. Elisabeth, mother of John the Baptist
"And she spake out with a loud voice" (Luke 1:42)

2. Zacharias
"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited and redeemed his people" (Luke 1:68)

3. Angels
"A multitude of the heavenly host praising God" (Luke 2:13)

4. Shepherds
"And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen." (Luke 2:20)

5. Simeon
"Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God." (Luke 2:28)

6. Anna
"She coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord" (Luke 2:38)

7. Wise Men
"Come to worship him" (Matthew 2:2)

8. Mary
"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:46-47)

Please keep Christ at the heart of your Christmas holiday celebrations.

Change

A special thank you to all of you who are praying for NLBC! God is using you to scatter gospel seeds in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. We've been encouraged to see some of those seeds take root and begin the growing process. Other seeds need more watering, and will require nurturing through prayer. Be assured that you share in the fruit....that which is visible, and that which we believe will become evident in the future, through the power of our Lord.

Our average attendance has been around 20, and the spirit in our services has been refreshing. The Lord has added a few new couples to our core group, and their faithfulness and participation encourages us. One young man who has been regularly attending recently expressed a desire to rededicate his life to the Lord. Others have expressed interest in membership and everyone is always willing to serve. This eagerness to grow and develop and serve is a direct answer to your prayers and ours, and is at the very heart of church planting.....CHANGE. We are seeing change in the lives of saved and unsaved alike. And God is also changing our own hearts by increasing both our burden for the lost and our dependence upon Him alone. True change here in the North Richland Hills area occurs slowly and without flash and drama. We must keep our focus on Christ alone who is able to do the saving, the restoring, the growing, and the changing.

Last week's canvassing brought some interesting results. In one group of young people who had gathered outside we met a professing Atheist, an Agnostic, and another who obviously had some Bible background. In that one group we witnessed hardness, coldness, bitterness, openness, and hopefulness....all who needed the permanent change that only faith in Christ can bring. We trust that one of them might accept our invitation to attend our church services. If not, perhaps they will read the gospel message printed on the brochure and someday trust the Lord to save them. The results are in God's hands.

We plan to hold a Charter Membership Service on the first weekend of December. Please pray that our spirit of oneness will continue and that we as future charter members of New Life Bible Church will always be open to change as God leads and redirects our paths. As some of you have experienced, church planting requires flexibility and the ability to change at a moment's notice....change of location, change of strategy, change of plans, but never change of goals, purpose, or doctrine. Our stand for the truth must be unchanging.

Having lived in Pennsylvania for the past 19 years, we confess that we miss the beauty of autumn....the colors of the changing leaves there are always breathtaking. The seasons are changing here in Texas as well, but with little obvious color....almost unnoticeable, except for the welcome gradual decrease in temperature. How fitting, and what a perfect reminder of the church planting ministry in this area. The change is occurring, but not as overtly, and perhaps not as visible to the casual observer. But upon closer inspection, we see signs of growth and change that God, by His grace, has brought about, and these changes are beautiful. The fact that He is using NLBC (and YOU) to bring about this change makes us feel humble, grateful, and desirous to daily change into His image.

To God be the glory!

In His Service,
John and Shawn

II Corinthians 3:18 "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Church Service & Bowling Fellowship

What Does The Bible Say About MONEY?

Does money have a controlling influence over us? Do we worry about the lack of it? As a pastor I’ve found that the subject of money, its use and misuse, is normally the main topic of discussion in all domestic struggles. What does God’s Word say about this subject? How are we to use it and acquire it? What should be our perspective on finances? God has an incredible amount of instruction for us in regards to money:

1. Love people and God more than money- Matthew 6:33.
2. Adhere to sound financial principles (get out of debt; establish a budget; do not spend more than you take in; shut down impulsive buying; invest wisely)- Prov. 15:22.
3. Be content with what God has given you- I Timothy 6:8.
4. Remember always that God owns everything- Psalm 50:10-12; Exodus 19:5.
5. God promises to supply all our needs, not wants-Philippians 4:19.
6. Be conscious that one day your riches will perish- I Timothy 6:7; Job 1:21.
7. Give your employer an honest day's work for an honest day's wage-Colossians 3:22.
8. Do not be lazy in providing for your family-Proverbs 6:6.
9. God may withhold spiritual/material blessings due to a sinful life- Isa. 59:1-2.
10.Be cautious how you spend and acquire money-I Timothy 6:9-10.
11.God condemns the "love" of money- I Timothy 6:10.
12.Be concerned with "righteousness" over riches- I Timothy 6:11-12.
13.Give to God regularly, cheerfully & wholeheartedly- I Cor. 9:7;16:2.
14.Freely share what you have with others in need- I John 3:17.
15.Be thankful for what you have- I Thess. 5:18.

CHURCH UPDATES:

Thank you for praying for New Life Bible Church! God has brought two more families to join us in corporate worship. Last Saturday several of us passed out doorhangers in the surrounding community. This Sunday afternoon we will have our first NLBC activity with a noon meal at the church, followed by a time of bowling fellowship.

Our pulpit ministry at NLBC is paramount. We believe that God's Word is the panacea to all of life's problems. The Psalmist said (119:24): "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." Here is a schedule of our preaching topics/themes for the next few months:

1. October- Applicable messages on the Christian life: How to handle pressure and stress; How to pray; The importance of private devotions; What does God say about money; Overcoming worry & discouragement; etc.
2. November- Preaching through our church goals
3. December- Christmas themes
4. January- Practical book study in Philippians

Using Your Spiritual Gifts to Serve

We at New Life Bible desire to use our spiritual gifts to edify the body of Christ. In order for the church body to be healthy and look more like Christ, every believer must be a functioning organ exercising his or her gifts. Our physical bodies are never as healthy as they could be if our organs are not operating. It’s the same in spirituality in regards to the body of Christ. What gift(s) do you have?

1. Gift of showing mercy- This means to exercise deeds of loving-kindness. It is a compassionate ability to lesson the afflictions of others.
2. Gift of evangelism- This is a heavenly gift from God to mightily preach the gospel to non-believers. It is a gift that challenges others to witness for Christ.
3. Gift of teaching- It is a God-given ability to explain Scriptural truth clearly to others. Others in the church will recognize this gift in you.
4. Gift of administration- This gift is a divine ability to provide leadership in & outside the church.
5. Gift of exhortation- This is the capacity to come alongside fellow Christians and encourage them in the Lord. The devil is working overtime to discourage people.
6. Gift of giving- All believers are commanded to give; however, this spiritual gift goes beyond to assist those in need. It is a complete denying of oneself for the sake of others.
7. Gift of discernment- God has raised up certain believers who help protect the church from false doctrine and discern between good and evil. This gift goes beyond natural insight and human wisdom.
8. Gift of faith- This is often called the gift of prayer. Every saint is to have faith, but this gift speaks of those who have extraordinary confidence in God. These are prayer warriors!
9. Gift of prophecy- This gift refers to preaching. Prophecy means to “tell forth and declare.” It does not refer to predicting the future (it’s proclaiming). It is possible that church musicians could be included here as they declare the Word through song, which is an act of worship.
10. Gift of helps- It is a gift that humbly serves other people. Most of the time this gift is done behind the scenes.

It was Dwight Moody who said, "I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And that which I can do, by the grace of God, I will do." God miraculously used Moody to bring spiritual revival to England and America because of his willing to serve. How about you?