New Life Ministries Podcast

It's Christmas Eve - and we're just one day away from the time we celebrate the coming of our Savior, Jesus! Throughout this series we've looked at many different aspects of history and the preparation for God's Son to be born to a virgin. In the finale of "Questions of Christmas", Pastor Joe reviews the answers to these questions and asks the final one - "WHY?" - including a wonderful opportunity...

Timing is very important. The specific time things happen in our lives can change the entire trajectory of our future. How does God decide when the time is right? Why did Jesus come to earth when He did - not sooner or later? In part four of "Questions of Christmas", Pastor Jordan teaches us about God's perfect timing throughout history and why He sent us Jesus 2,000 years ago.

Where we are born and raised can impact our development, mindset, and opportunities - but how important is it in the grand scheme of our lives? What was Jesus' experience where He was born and how does it impact us? In part three of "Questions of Christmas", Pastor Joe teaches us the relevance of specific places in Jesus' story and how we should view where we come from in light of our own spiritua...

Who we have in our family history certainly impacts our lives. The generations before us can affect our genetics, family traditions, and so much more. But does who we come from have to make or break us? What impact does Jesus have on who we are and who we're becoming? In part two of "Questions of Christmas", Pastor Joe teaches about Jesus' lineage and explains the power that it holds for us today.

Christmas is the time of year where we as Christians celebrate Jesus coming to earth as God in the flesh - a tiny baby born in Bethlehem to a virgin mother. But what events led up to the coming of our Savior? What is the significance of His supernatural birth to us today? In part one of "Questions of Christmas", Pastor Jordan gives an overview of historical events in the Old Testament that reveal...

Being known as a Christian in the workplace can bring some challenges. People may put us in a box as being "religious" or other labels, sometimes even using our faith against us. But when the time comes, some people will actually seek out the "Jesus people" when they have questions or need emotional support. How do we properly navigate being God's representative in our work? In the finale of "Fait...

As disciples of Jesus, we are called to live integrated lives that reflect His character and love as we walk out our faith wherever we go. What does Christian integrity actually look like? What do we do when we face situations in our work that are unfair or challenge our character? In part three of "Faith Goes to Work", Pastor Joe teaches us what integrity is and why it's so important to live like...

Each of us has been given a job to do, whether it be in a physical workplace, at home, or even in retirement. God, in His wisdom, gave each of us specific work to do in the place we are, with the specific people we work with. He is able to use us to show His love and character right where He’s got us! The question is, will we say "yes" to that call? In part two of "Faith Goes to Work", Pastor Joe...

Many people find it easy to "be" a Christian during church on Sunday, but then struggle to continue that way of life once they walk out of the building or disconnect from the livestream. How can all that we do - every single day - be done for God? What does a life of loving service to our Creator look like? In part one of "Faith Goes to Work", Jamie Tichenor teaches us the truth about our identity...

Personal prayer is a key part of growing in our relationship with God. Unfortunately, most Christians report that even if they pray privately at specific times and throughout their day, they do not feel capable of praying out loud with and for others. How can we grow in our confidence so we can bless others with prayer? In the second half of "How To Talk With God", Pastor Joe shares insight on how...

Connecting with God on a personal level is vital for our Christian walk. He wants a deep, loving relationship with us - but many people don't know where to get started when it comes to having two-way conversation with Him. What exactly is prayer and how do we do it? In part one of "How To Talk With God", Pastor Jordan shares seven truths about personal prayer that will guide us at any spiritual st...

Moving through each stage of spiritual growth takes both time and commitment. From infant to spiritual parent, the goal is to not only answer Christ's call to be one of His disciples, but make new disciples who follow Him with all of their heart. What is the final stage of spiritual growth? What comes after disciple-making that ensures future generations continue to walk with Jesus? Find out in th...

Becoming a spiritual adult is an important landmark in our faith journey... but it's not where we're meant to stop. Jesus calls each of us as His followers to not just be good disciples, but to become disciple-makers! How do we grow into the next stage of development as spiritual parents? How do we expand God's kingdom and teach others to be disciples too?

God’s intention for us as disciples is to gradually move out of the spiritual child stage and grow up into all that He has for us as spiritual adults. We cannot separate emotional and spiritual maturity as they are very much tied together and require intentional action steps in order to grow. How do we let go of self-centered thinking and embrace this adult stage, beginning to build up those aroun...

As children we are full of life and energy... but we lack the wisdom that comes from the experience of learning over time. In the same way, when we’re in the childhood stage of Christian growth, we’re young in the faith and growing - but need guidance. Spiritual children are new in Christ, but their world and circle of concern are mainly all about... them. How do we grow out of the child stage of...

Just as physical infants require nurturing and protection, spiritual newborns—new believers in Christ—need guidance and support from their church community to grow in their faith. Both new and long-serving Christians play a role and can actively participate in this process! Discover where YOU are on your spiritual journey and how you can help make your church a place where new believers are cheris...

Ask yourself this, "Am I trying to get to the root of my problem, or am I just managing my symptoms?" We all have challenges in life, and sometimes we struggle because we’re addressing the wrong problems. We end up seeking superficial solutions, neglecting to tackle the spiritual root of the problem. In the "Grow Up" series, explore how to identify and address the real issues in our lives that hin...

Being persecuted by other people for what we believe isn't something the average person would look forward to in life. But Jesus actually tells us that when we're honest in sharing our faith, there are times we may suffer or lose things we care about. How can persecution end up being a blessing? In the finale of #BLESSED, Pastor Derek teaches us the meaning of beatitude number eight - “Blessed are...

"Keeping the peace" is something many people try to do in order to avoid conflict and chaos. But what if Jesus didn't call us to live like that? What if there is far more purpose when we find and offer peace in a different way? In part seven of #BLESSED, Pastor Joe teaches us the meaning of beatitude number seven - "blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God".

Purity is not something the modern world seems to value as much as other characteristics, yet Jesus says it is people with pure hearts who will be blessed. Is it even possible to be pure when it comes to our thoughts, words, and actions? In part six of #BLESSED, Worship Leader Sam Tichenor teaches us the meaning of beatitude number six - "blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God".

It can often be easier to extend mercy to ourselves when we make mistakes than it is to extend it to others. Or, for some of us, we may actually be harder on ourselves than on anyone else! How can we live with integrity when it comes to offering mercy and forgiveness to everyone? Is there a limit to being merciful? In part five of #BLESSED, Pastor Joe teaches us the meaning of beatitude number fiv...

Righteousness isn't a word we use very often in everyday conversation - but it's something Jesus tells us we will be blessed by if we whole-heartedly desire it. What exactly is righteousness, and how can pursuing it impact our lives? Can human beings really be righteous? In part four of #BLESSED, Pastor Jordan teaches us the meaning of beatitude number four - "blessed are those who hunger and thir...

During this special one-part message "Family Baptism", Pastor Joe answers all of the important questions people may have about the act of water baptism: What is it? Who is it for? Why does it matter? He will then invite people who are ready to take this step in their faith journey to be baptized during the service.

Modern culture often tells us we have to be strong-willed and even defensive to survive in this world. So why does Jesus call us to have an attitude of humility and gentleness at all times, even when we face adversity? Could meekness really be a blessing? In part three of #BLESSED, Pastor Brigitte teaches us the meaning of beatitude number three - "blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the e...

Life can bring painful or unexpected circumstances that fill our hearts with grief. We live in a world where sin causes brokenness of all kinds - and sometimes it seems like it's too much to bear. How can we possibly be blessed when our hearts are in despair? In part two of #BLESSED, Pastor Marissa teaches us the meaning of beatitude number two - "blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comf...