Three Services – So Far, So Good

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, these past few Sundays have been some of the most rewarding Sundays in my six years as pastor here at New Life. They have been rewarding most of all because of the way God has been so gracious in answering our pleas for his blessing upon our transition to three services. But it has also been rewarding to watch you, the congregation of New Life, respond to the call to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices” (Rom. 12:1) in your service here on Sunday mornings. So thank you, New Life, for your labors.

My assessment of the change to three services is extremely positive. I’m sure there have been some snags here and there that I don’t know of, but overall, it seems that our Lord has once again exceeded our expectations in causing everything to fall into place so well. Two Sundays ago, our attendance count was about 360, so it would seem that the decision to make this change was judicious and wise. Otherwise, our deacons would have been seating about 80 people in the foyer.

My only suggestion is for those of you who attend third service: I would simply ask that some of you consider whether you might be able to attend the 9:30 am service, because the 11 am service has been pretty full. Be reminded that you can still attend Pastor Brian’s Sunday School class on worship at 11 am if you attend the 9:30 am worship service.

Please continue to pray for our Sunday morning activities – that scheduling conflicts would be avoided, that volunteers would not get burned out, that more volunteers would be raised up, that Jesus would be exalted in all that we do, and that all of us would serve with grateful hearts to God for his abounding grace to us in the Gospel. – Pastor Bob

Bill Mallonee, Critically Acclaimed Musician, to Perform at New Life

In the mid ’90s, I was introduced to a little-known Christian musician from Athens, Georgia, by my friend, Matt Smith. I had grown up in the ’80s attending rock concerts of hair bands (I saw Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and KISS, to name a few) until the grunge movement effectively put an end to all that. As a college student in the early ’90s, I began to listen more and more to artists like U2 and Bob Dylan (I had always liked the folk-style of early Dylan, even as a kid, but it was “muted” by all the metal blasting from my stereo).

I became a Christian in 1992 and was exploring contemporary Christian music when Matt introduced me to the Vigilantes of Love and their front man, Bill Mallonee. It took me about two weeks, but I eventually got hooked. I have since purchased nearly all of the 25 records and eight EPs he has released since the early ’90s, either as the Vigilantes of Love or as a solo artist for the last decade.

Good art moves people: emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually. Good art – whether in the form of painting, sculpture, theatre, cinema,  or music – picks you up and takes you to places you otherwise wouldn’t go; shows you things you otherwise wouldn’t see, at least not as clearly, and leaves you richer for the experience.

I am hard pressed to think of an artist whose work has enriched me personally to the degree that Bill Mallonee’s has. Mallonee’s lyrics are extremely personal, vividly transparent, and brutally honest about the realities of pain, depression, brokenness, fear of failure, and the hope for redemption through the work of Jesus. His words and thoughts have helped me give expression to my own and have worked their way into many of my sermons and lessons.

Though still not well-known, Mallonee’s music is highly regarded by many. The New York Press described him as “…the best folk-rock act nobody’s ever hear of… the intelligence and intensity of Mallonee’s writing has elicited comparisons to Dylan.” He has performed with Emmylou Harris, John Mayer, REM, Derek Webb, and Sufjan Stevens. He was recently listed as one of the Top 100 greatest living songwriters by Paste Magazine.  Mallonee was ranked at #65, ahead of such well-known acts as Lyle Lovett, Fleetwood Mac, and Pink Floyd, and just behind someone as successful and highly regarded as Sting, who was #62.

For this reason, I could not be more delighted to announce to you that Bill Mallonee will be performing here at New Life on Friday evening, Oct. 1. Stylistically, if you like Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, and Johnny Cash, you will likely appreciate Mallonee’s music. But even if his style is not overly appealing to your tastes, his lyrics are quite frankly the best I’ve ever heard. And having seen him perform over half a dozen times, his show promises to be compelling and intimate.

In addition to performing his music, Bill will stick around after the show to offer a Q&A session on “Faith, Art, Cultural Relevancy and the Christian Artist” where he will discuss issues related to the relationship between the church and the arts, and how Christians can and should be engaged in the arts in order to impact the culture around us. The concert begins at 7 pm, the cost is $5 and Vecinos coffee will have a booth setup in the foyer.

Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Brian

Join a Life Group

Mary and I were having lunch one day at a restaurant in St. Louis when we struck up a conversation with our waitress. We learned that she had just returned to St. Louis from New York City, where she had lived for a few years. We asked her why she came back to Missouri, and her answer startled me. It was the last thing I expected to hear from someone who lived in the most populated city in our nation. She said she returned because New York City was lonely. There she was, living and working among millions of people, and yet she was lonely. Her answer caused me to reflect on how easy it is to be among people, but to not be connected to them; to walk side by side, but to rarely look face to face; to live with people without loving them.

As you heard in the sermon last week, one of our core values here at New Life is “Belonging.” We want New Life to be a place where you belong, a place where you connect with others, a place where you are among people and actually get to know them at the same time. That’s what Life groups are all about. We want to be very intentional about creating a strong sense of community at this church.

The most important reason for this is because the Bible sets community before us as an example of how Christians should live. Acts 2:42-47 provides a helpful description of the fellowship that took place among the early Christians. They devoted themselves to teaching, to fellowship, to breaking of bread, and to prayer (v. 42). In short, according to v. 44 – “All the believers were together.”

The other reason we want to establish strong community here is because it is good for us. Author Randy Frazee suggests that about 80 percent of the mental health profession has been “created in the last 25 years as an alternative to what true community provides free of charge.” How many of our problems and hang-ups might be better managed if we just allowed our brothers and sisters to help carry our burdens.

With all of this in mind, we want you to know that it is time to sign up for Life groups. These are small groups of about eight to 18 people who meet on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to hang out, get to know one another, pray, and talk about God’s Word. Each group’s discussion will be guided by questions related to the previous Sunday’s sermon. Groups meet on various nights of the week and at different times. Some groups provide accommodations for children, and one group meets in Upland for those of you connected to Taylor. (See p. 3 of this issue of Lifeline for more details on the groups).

If you haven’t signed up already, I highly encourage you to consider participation. Either complete one of the blue  or yellow forms that was included in the order of worship today, or sign up on one of the sheets in the foyer. A leader will call you soon to give you more details about the group.
My love to you in Christ,
Bob

B Is for Belonging

Sitting in Sunday School two weeks back, I was slightly distracted as I tried to think what the letter B stood for in Pastor Bob’s series on the core values of our church. After discarding an alphabet soup of possibilities, I decided I would simply have to wait until the service. I did a mental head slap when reminded that it stands for belonging. My initial enthusiasm for the topic quickly sank into something more closely resembling depression as Pastor Bob expounded on the importance and benefits of community. The experience was akin to the feeling I used to get watching sitcoms in which all the characters consisted of close friends, so comfortable and confident in their relationships that they wandered in and out of one another’s apartments and ate off one another’s plates without asking permission. I longed to have a posse of my own, people to have standing plans with, to be known by and to know. (This was before I realized that all the friends in the shows were actually really not the kind of people I would want to befriend.)

But back to my point: What, you might ask, is so depressing about the idea of Christian community? There is nothing depressing  about the concept of community, but as Pastor Bob said, many of us live in varying degrees of isolation and loneliness. As a stay-at-home mom and a transplant to Indiana, I often struggle with feeling alone and far from home. The idea that we should be enjoying this heavenly fellowship here on Earth, for me, began to feel like an indictment of my failure to invest and be invested in. This train of thought had very little to do with what Pastor Bob was saying and much to do with my need to find the nearest exit from the joys of the gospel and enter my self-constructed tabernacle of the law. Why would I want to bask in the freedoms of brotherly fellowship when I could convert God’s blessings into tasks to be performed and expectations to be fulfilled?

I left knowing that my feelings were wrong yet unwilling to give them up in obedience or more appropriately, give them over in faith. Then a funny thing happened. I decided that being lonely but at peace surely had to be better than feeling lonely and depressed about feeling lonely; just as I had made peace with the fact that God wanted me, for now, to live north of the Mason-Dixon Line, I decided to make peace with whatever longings I had regarding friendships.

The ironic result of this peacemaking business was that once I stopped feeling sorry for myself, I was reminded of just how un-alone I am; by removing my head from the hole of self pity I had buried myself in, I was able to see all the fellowship I really had. Too often the only reason I, and I suspect others as well, feel alone is because we are too focused on ourselves to see all who are surrounding us; like a tree studying its own bark in the proverbial forest and wondering where the rest of the trees have disappeared to. I was also able to see those around me who needed some fellowship of their own, which in turn made me feel useful and needed. So I have taken my seat back in the house of the Gospel into which all are free to enter, you don’t even have to knock. (Just don’t eat off my plate; that’s not fellowship, it’s just plain rude.)

Submitted by Amy Spiegel

Mercy Ministries at New Life

Listed below are several different mercy ministry organizations that New Life partners with. If you are interested in helping with these ministries or have questions about them, please contact the church office.

Muncie Mission—Muncie Mission is a local ministry that provides shelter and help to homeless men with substance abuse problems. New Life occasionally offers worship services there on Sunday afternoons. On July 4 a fire destroyed some of the Mission’s facilities, so they have been in need of extra help lately. If you are interested in supporting the Mission, contact their office by calling 765-288-9122 or by visiting www.munciemission.org.

Kids Hope—Each week several volunteers from our congregation go to Yorktown schools to meet for one hour with elementary age students who are considered “at risk.” New Life has seen tremendous fruit through this ministry and is always looking for new volunteers.

Elmcroft—On the first Sunday of every month, some people from New Life go to Elmcroft Assisted Living (1601 N. Morrison Rd.) and hold services for the men and women there. Typically the group sings, shares Scripture, and offers encouragement to the residents.

Bread Basket—Each Saturday at the Morning Star Church (2000 S. Hoyt Ave., Muncie ), some people from Westminster and New Life serve hot lunches to people in need. This ministry is often in need of helpers willing to help prepare and serve the meals.

Who Can Take Communion at New Life?

If you have been coming to New Life only recently, you might have noticed that we conduct communion in a way that might be different than you’re used to at other churches. We do something that is called “fencing the table” each time we partake in the sacrament, and I’d like to take some time here to explain this process.

By “fencing the table,” I mean that we put certain restrictions on who is welcome to take communion at New Life. Before the sacrament is served, the pastor will always explain that communion is for Christians, not non-Christians, and that those who know they are persisting in some specific unrepentant sin should confess that sin to God before they come to the Table.

We also make it clear that a person must be baptized in order to partake. This is because baptism is a one-time sacrament that marks the beginning of the Christian life, while communion is a repeated sacrament that empowers believers to continue the Christian life. One can’t continue something that he or she has not yet started. So, if you or your children are not Christians, they should not take communion. If you or your children are Christians, and not yet baptized, then you should be baptized as soon as possible, and should not take communion until then. If you or your children are baptized Christians, and have made a credible profession of faith before this or another Bible-believing church, then you are welcome to join us for communion.

The reason we make these restrictions is not because we’re trying to be strict and rigid. Nor is it because we think some people are good enough to come to the Table, while others are too bad to come to the Table. The fact is that nobody deserves to come to the Lord’s Table. It is not our spiritual goodness or moral performance that allows us to come to feed on the body and blood of Jesus – it is only because of the finished work of Jesus. At the same time, we want to be obedient to the directions God has given us for the Lord’s Supper.

Paul says in I Cor. 11:28-29, “A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself.” While it is true that each individual is personally responsible to God as to whether he or she has taken communion in a worthy manner, it is also true that we as leaders of the church are responsible to make sure you understand what the Bible says about this process. The reason we take this very seriously is because the Bible seems to take communion very seriously. So “fencing the table” is really an act of love – we are seeking to preserve the purity of the Table and to protect you from taking the elements in an unworthy manner.

Not all practices of the Christian life are simple, and this is one that happens to be complex. That’s why, starting this week, we are including a small insert in the order of worship to provide further clarity and assistance on communion Sundays. Thanks for your understanding as we seek to be obedient to the Scriptures, and as we approach the Table with an appropriate measure of humility and reverence. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to see me.

My love to you in Christ,
Bob

New Life Father-Son Camp Out

Boys between the ages of 6-12 and their fathers are invited to a camp out on Fri., Nov. 5 starting at 6pm. We will be roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over a bon-fire, making s’mores, having a devotion, and enjoying some games at a campground near Albany. Plan to bring your tents and spend the night! If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Brian Allred at bjallred@newlife-pc.org FYI: There is currently a “burning ban” restricting open fires like bonfires, but we are hoping it will be lifted before Nov. 5

Muncie Mission Needs Your Help!

Muncie Mission is in need of some people to help sort and fold clothes at their Attic Window store. They need help Monday–Friday during the day. Please contact the church office if you have any questions or if you are available and able to give them a couple of hours.

3rd Annual New Life Talent Show!

It’s time again for the 3rd Annual New Life’s Got Talent! Tune up that old banjo, dust your harmonica, and lace up your clogging shoes and show us what you’ve got during this year’s Country Jamboree Theme! You are all invited to come out on Sept. 25 at 6pm for an entertainment filled evening of fun, fellowship, and food! We have BBQ, baked beans, and coleslaw on the menu. Bring your favorite side dish or desserts and a lawn chair. Please RSVP by signing up in the foyer or responding to the evite if you will attend so we can plan for plenty of vittles!

Whether it’s singing, chain twirling, or your favorite ballet. . . just sign up on the bulletin board in the foyer with your individual or group name, act/ talent (it doesn’t have to be country), and any special equipment requirements such as CD sound or microphones. Shannon Bryan is this year’s talent scout and coordinator.

Our displaced Texans will be raring & ready to strut their stuff! Dress up in your cowboy best attire (prize for best get-up!) Join us for a knee slappin’ great time with your New Life Family. Yee-Haw! Contact if you would like to come or if you have questions.

Men’s Discipleship Group Starting Soon

The men of New Life are invited to a Thursday morning group led by Pastor Brian starting Sept. 16. We will be meeting from 6:30 to 7:30am at the church and will be studying the Ten Commandments using Ed Clowney’s book How Jesus Transforms the Ten Commandments. The aim of the group is to provide mutual encouragement and accountability as well as instruction. Please talk with Pastor Brian if you have questions.

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