New Life Community Church, Atwater, CA

“The Path of Freedom” Philippians 4:6-7

Created in God’s image, we naturally yearn for a closer connection to our Heavenly Father. But we

struggle with distractions and distortions that keep us distant from the life we yearn for. The answer has often been developing spiritual habits  (such as prayer, study, meditation, service, etc.)

to draw us closer. Today we look at the gift of prayer as the path to true freedom from the crush of anxiety in our lives and a primary means to usher in real change.

New Series (4 parts) “Quenching our Soul-Thirst” “Making Room” Psalm 42:1

Created in God’s image, we naturally yearn for a closer connection to our Heavenly Father. But we struggle with distractions and distortions that keep us distant from the life we yearn for. The answer has often been developing spiritual habits (such as prayer, study, meditation, service, etc.) to draw us closer. But in our modern, crazy world, we also need to create space to cut through the clutter of our lives that hinders our ability to hear His voice, to drink deeply of His grace, to grow closer to our walk with Him. Today we look at the pace of our life and how we can break its cycle to restore His peace.

“When Things Don’t make Sense” John 16:33

We live in troubling times. The world seems to have turned upside down and we have a hard time making sense of it all. We don’t know what to believe, we don’t know who to trust, it is all so confusing. Surrounded by such a chaotic world, where can we find refuge and strength to overcome? Jesus invites us to meet him amid the chaos and find what we truly need.

Are You Tired” Psalm 23:1-3

Jesus asked a question, “Are you tired?” Our lives are busy, and we run ourselves to the point of exhaustion. We tend to believe the lies that tiredness causes. We must ask ourselves, what and who are we following. Hiding beneath the surface of tired lies and souls, is a lack of trust in the One who promised us freedom from lack. Our culture rushes like a river of rapids; we must learn to follow the God of the quiet waters. And, learn to trust in the Good Shepherd that is here to guide us; learning to embrace that He makes us lie down and rest.

Take the Plunge (part 7) “Moving through Doubts to Faith” John 20:24-29

If simply believing is the key to the Gospel, why is
believing tricky for so many? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus engages with those who would
struggle with belief. Doubts are a normal part of a
growing faith. They certainly can sidetrack our faith, but they can also be the door through which

we come to believe more completely. Today we look at Thomas, wrestle with his doubts and see
how Jesus confronts them to help Thomas through.

Take the Plunge (part 6) “The Search for Significance” John 6

If simply believing is the key to the Gospel, why is believing tricky for so many? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus engages with those who would struggle with belief. Even the growing crowds gathered looking for answers but missing the point. Many today continue to pursue the idea “there must be something more” only to find these paths are dead-ends. We search for significance in all the wrong places, Jesus invites us to the bread of life.

Take the Plunge (part 5) “Hope for the Disappointed” John 11:17-37

If simply believing is the key to the Gospel, why is believing tricky for so many? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus engages with those who would struggle with belief. Even for those who knew Jesus, painful circumstances could be an impediment to faith. What can we do when we feel God has let us down? Today we’ll step into the deep, where God seeks to meet us.

Take the Plunge (part 4) “Overcoming a Critical Spirit” John 1:43-51

If simply believing is the key to the Gospel, why is believing tricky for so many? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus engages with those who would struggle with belief. Even in the stories of the calling of his disciples, we confront judging/prideful attitude and Jesus inviting him (and us) to overcome that critical spirit.

Take the Plunge (part 3) Nicodemus “Getting Over Ourselves” John 4:1-26

If simply believing is the key to the Gospel, why is believing tricky for so many? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus engages with those who would struggle with belief. Either we feel God is no longer trustworthy or we are no longer deserving. Today we look into an encounter with a woman who struggled with both, and how Jesus invites us to close the gap.

(part 2) Nicodemus “Being a Christian without being Religious” John 3:1-15

If simply believing is the key to the Gospel, why is believing tricky for so many? Throughout the Gospel of John, Jesus engages with those who would struggle with belief. Today we look into an encounter with a very religious man, one actually trapped by his religious piety. What do we miss when we trust in rule following and who gets excluded when such rules are what the church seems to offer?