new life ramblings (11/20/09)

Sit back and relax.  I love writing the New Life ramblings.  These are just random thoughts on life, church, my family, God and faith.

• Bring canned food in two days. Let’s fill up the lobby.  We want to provide 500 turkey dinners to families this year.  Working with Maple Valley Food bank.
• We are 18 Sundays from being in new building.  Countdown has begun!
• Tonight our youth are planning on having 400-600 students at Amp’d.  Unbelievable!
• Follow me on twitter.  Keep up with regular updates!
• We begin a new teaching series this week called “Our Father” on Sunday.  My challenge:  Pray the Lord’s Prayer every day from now until end of the year. 
• Did you know last Sunday we had 491 kids and 257 youth on site?  Wow!
• I love our Elders. We meet the third Tuesday of the month.  Great men and woman of God.
• We had 25 people show up to talk with Alan Johnson about the Mission of God last Sunday. 
• Recently we have updated our core values.  Click here to read.
• In 2010 I want to see everyone attend the New Life Orientation.  Plan now to attend New Life Orientation in the next 12 months. The next three are:  December 13, 2009, January 24, 2010 and February 28, 2010.
• Pray for my niece Kara Brown. Her blood counts are very low.  She needs a miracle. 
• Our Big Give offering continues to grow. Currently we are at $650,000 between cash in hand and firm commitments cards.
• Currently we receive communion together 5 times a year as a church family.  We are considering changing this to monthly.  Love to hear your thoughts?? At the Well we receive communion weekly.
• In ancient Rome, it was considered a sign of leadership to be born with a crooked nose.
• We put together some final plans for our Christmas Eve Services this week.  I love this tradition we have at New Life.  Join us Christmas Eve at 5, 6:30 or 10 PM.
• Relentless Compassion:  Demonstrating Christ’s redemptive love to the helpless and hurting in our community and broken world. 
• Click here to see the Tribute to Pastor Tappero, Confessions of a Pastor and Cardboard Testimony videos.
• My prayer-God break my heart for what breaks yours.  Give us a large scale unpredictable spiritual awakening in this community and broken world.
• Read Matthew 6: 5-15.  Part one of “Our Father” called “Stop Rambling”.
• Many people give monthly or even quarterly to support our career missionaries.  Thank you for your giving! Our missionaries couldn’t do what they do without finances.
• Did you enjoy Chris Ness on Skype last weekend?
• Jana and I are pumped about what God is doing at New Life.
• Invest and invite.  Great phrase. We relationally invest into relationships with people far from God.  We invite them on the journey to discover Jesus.  Invite a friend to church with you this weekend.

new life ramblings (11/13/19)

Sit back and relax.  I love writing the New Life ramblings.  These are just random thoughts on life, church, my family, God and faith. We are doing a blood drive at the church today.  Stop by and give blood.  Alan Johnson speaks on Sunday.  I love his passion for people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus. Pray for my niece Kara.  Her blood counts are very low.  She needs a miracle.  We had 470 ladies at our UNITE gathering last week. We are partnering with Maple Valley Food bank to provide 500 dinners to people…pick up a bag on Sunday and fill it up.  Dolphins sleep with one eye open. Our Big Give offering continues to grow. Last Sunday we had a couple of people make $20,000 gifts. This last week someone gave a $100,000 gift.  Amp’d is in one week—attention all Junior High and Senior High—-this will be an amazing night  for you. On Sunday we are trying something for the first time…we will Skype in a missionary and talk to them in our services. God-break our hearts for the marginalized, the poor and the broken of this world. Relentless Compassion:  Demonstrating Christ’s redemptive love to the helpless and hurting in our community and broken world.  We are baptizing people this Sunday.  If you want to get baptized at New Life click here. It is hard to believe that Thanksgiving is a few weeks away. I am still in awe at our Big Give Offering.  Click here to see the Tribute to Pastor Tappero, Confessions of a Pastor and Cardboard Testimony videos. Click here to communicate your Big Give commitment between now and December 31. My prayer- God break my heart for what breaks yours.  Give us a large scale unpredictable spiritual awakening in this community and broken world. In a couple of weeks we begin a series over the Lord’s Prayer called “Our Father”.  We are going to challenge everyone to pray the Lord ’s Prayer everyday for five weeks.  Life changing.  Lord, teach us to pray! This Sunday, November 15th, Missionary Alan Johnson is speaking in the morning.  Then he will be available at 5:00 PM for a question and answer time with a missionary.    The Big Give offering was over 10 times larger than any previous building offering ever received on a given Sunday.

new life ramblings (11/6/09)

 Sit back and relax.  I love writing the New Life ramblings.  These are just random thoughts on life, church, my family, God and faith.

• The ladies event tonight will be incredible.  They have 400 preregistered.  Wow. Yes—you can show up at the door.  Eileen Hunter is the guest speaker.
• This has been one of the most powerful weeks of my life.  To watch New Life stretch their giving muscles. After I left the service on Sunday I felt a supernatural strength words can’t describe.  Just an amazing day.
• Sunday we begin a two week series called “Relentless Compassion”.  I am so pumped about these next two weeks at New Life.  God—break our hearts for the marginalized, the poor and the broken of this world.
• We are doing a blood drive at New Life on Friday, November 13.  Sign up here.
• My favorite moment last Sunday—I had some parents say, “Our kids want to give you the money for our Big Give.”….three kids had saved $100 and wanted to give it directly to me.  I couldn’t help but think about the impact this would have on these kids.
• We will celebrate the “Big Give” offering on Sunday. We received the largest offering in the history of New Life on Sunday.
• In August we announced our Big Give goal of $800,000. As of Sunday we are at $600,000.  (this includes cash, commitment cards and some verbal commitments).  I am confident in the next 8 weeks we will bring in the remaining amount.
• We gave the green light to the general contractor to finish the chapel. Very exciting moment. Some trust in chariots and some in horses…but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God.
• In a couple of weeks we begin a series over the Lord’s Prayer called “Our Father”.  We are going to challenge everyone to pray the Lord ’s Prayer everyday for five weeks.  Life changing.  Lord, teach us to pray!
• Strawberries have more vitamin C than oranges.
• On Sunday, November 15, Missionary Alan Johnson is speaking in the morning.  Then he will be available at 5:00 PM for a question and answer time with a missionary.   
• The chapel will be used for Softer Sundays, The Well, Senior High Axis, Simply Worship, Renton Christian School, Funerals/Weddings, Community events, etc. 
• I love Simply Worship.  Something breathtaking about spending an evening in worship and prayer. The next three Simply Worships are: February 3, 2010, March 3, 2010 and April 7, 2010.  Mark these on your calendars now.  This means we only have two more Simply Worships in this current building. 
• Last weekend we had a church plant in Vancouver, Washington receive an offering for our Big Give.  Their lead pastor Mark Newell is a great friend of mine.  We helped plant their church.  They brought in $1,100 for us. Amazing.
• The Big Give offering was over 10 times larger than any previous building offering ever received on a given Sunday. 
• Someone even gave some jewelry to the Big Give….I am not sure of it’s worth…but amazing.
• Read Luke 6:27-38 to prepare for Sunday.

 

new life ramblings (10/30/09)

…thoughts from Pastor Troy

On Sunday we are doing our Big Give offering.  Put your gift in the offering or giving kiosk marked “Big Give”.  We are trusting God on Sunday for you to respond.  We will have no strong appeal. We are trusting God for an Exodus 36 miracle.  “More than Enough” to come in.  The groundwork has been laid.    This is a special edition of New Life Ramblings:  The Big Give Ramblings!   We are on time and on budget for our new building. Yesterday I gave a couple from our church a personal tour.  I love seeing people’s eyes when they see the possibilities and dreams. If you ever want a personal tour, email me. Either I or one of my pastors would love to walk through the building with you.  Weekdays at 4:30 PM is best time for the construction workers. Countdown begins—-22 Sundays and we move in! This is it. If we don’t receive $500,000 we will have to phase in the chapel.  The chapel will be used for Softer Sundays, The Well, Senior High Axis, Simply Worship, Renton Christian School, Funerals/Weddings, Community events, etc.  Without the chapel significant ministries will be impacted. We have not had ONE change order on this project.  The general contractor says this may be a first for them. We haven’t spent much of our contingency fund either. This is good news. The construction drawing set consists of 131 drawings. There are 49 architectural drawings that took 1300 hours, two bottles of aspirin and too many cups of coffee to count to complete. There is no recession if you are a plumbing contractor! The new building will have 26 water closets, 6 urinals and 22 hand sinks. There is no recession if you are a door supplier! The new building will have 62 door frames with 85 doors. Although the floor of the new building is relatively flat and all areas are accessible, the new building will have 168 steps. We have 8,831,200 lbs of concrete in the new building. Some have asked-can we give this by the end of the year?  Yes. Yes.  Yes. However— We have to communicate to our general contractor if we are going to finish the chapel or not by early November. Some have asked-can we just continue to give monthly even in 2010 and beyond.  Yes. I posted a blog called “Giving Muscles”  I would love to have everyone read this.  Read more HERE. We have already raised over $2 Million for this new building.  This is the biggest fundraiser in our history.   Thank you New Life! Over the last few weeks people have given $500 to $30,000 checks. Even one person committing to $100,000.  Equal sacrifice, not equal giving. We are up 7.5% in our giving from last year at this time.  God is blessing New Life.  Thank you for your generosity.  The best way to support the mission of New Life is to give systematically.    When we move into the new building we will move our kids into our current space.  They desperately need this space.  Last week we almost had 500 kids onsite. When we move out of this current building-our Junior Highers will move into the current Ally room (Upstairs).  They are very excited to have their own space. When we move out of this building—our nursery will have more space. When we move out of this building—we will build RCS a gym. We are making three financial assumptions:  Debt service not to exceed 25% of general income, receive 2.6 million in cash and pay off loan in 15 years. Day Light savings is Sunday-nothing to do with new building-but it does give us all more sleep. “Fall back” Read Luke 5 for Sunday.  Four stories.  One Jesus.  Redemption. You don’t want to miss the last five minutes of our services.  Buildings come and go.  Buildings burn down.  Buildings are a tool.  The church is you and me.  We are the family of God, bride of Christ, light of the World, body of Christ. In the words of late Michael Jackson-this is it! Let’s do it.  We are crossing the finish line.

new life ramblings (10/23/09)

What is on my mind?  What is happening at New Life? What is happening in my personal world?  Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and find out.
 

• Last weekend we changed the oil of 55 single moms at New Life.
• This week they are putting the stadium seating in our new worship center.  Looks great.
• Our big give offering is Sunday, November 1st.  We need another $590,000.  If we don’t receive this amount we will have to phase in the chapel.  The chapel will be used for Softer Sundays, The Well, Senior High Axis, Simply Worship, Funerals/Weddings, RCS chapels, etc. 
• Attention all ladies…Mark Friday night November 6th  at 7pm on your calendar.  Eileen Hunter will be speaking to all ladies on our UNITE Ladies event.   Sign up online for this FREE event.New Life Orientation is Sunday, October 25.  Sign up online. If you new to New Life or been around for a while this environment is a chance for you to hear the vision and heart of our church.  If you want to begin to serve at New Life or have any questions—New Life Orientation is for you.
• People spend around two weeks of their lives at traffic lights.
• I posted a blog this week called “Giving Muscles”.  I would love to have everyone read this.  Check it out HERE. 
• Butterfly Effect:  “It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.”
• One small act changes everything.  During the Butterfly Effect we will discuss how one small prayer, one act of generosity and one conversation with a person far from God leads to large scale and unpredictable spiritual awakening.
• Our mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating environments where people pursue intimacy with God and community with people. 
• Our strategy statement (this is new) is “Plant Seeds. Grow Roots. Bear Fruit”.  We plant seeds in our weekend gatherings, we grow roots in our groups and we bear fruit by serving our church, community and world.
• I met with our Elders this Tuesday night. Amazing leadership at New Life.
• Read Exodus 35:20-36:7 to prepare for Sunday.  I love this story in the Old Testament.

new life ramblings (10/16/09)

What is on my mind?  What is happening at New Life? What is happening in my personal world?  Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and find out.

• Serve Day is Saturday from 10am-2pm.  Bring your trash to the church. Tell your neighbors about this opportunity.  We are doing free oil changes for single moms.  It will be a great day.
• Attention all ladies!!!  Mark Friday night November 6th on your calendar.  Eileen Hunter will be speaking to all ladies at our UNITE Ladies event. You can sign up or get more information HERE.
• New Life Orientation is Sunday, October 25.  Sign up online.  If you are new to New Life or have been around for a while, this environment is a chance for you to hear the vision and heart of our church.  If you want to begin to serve at New Life or have any questions—New Life Orientation is for you.
• I posted a blog this week called “Giving Muscles”.  I would love to have everyone read this.  You can read it HERE. 
• The average person’s left hand does 56% of the typing.
• Did you know we have over 100 kids in Royal Rangers and Missionettes on Wednesday nights? 
• The Big Give is three Sundays away. (Sunday, November 1)
• Read Exodus 17: 8-16 to prepare for Sunday. 
• We plan our teaching series 12 months in advance.  This week I felt a burden to change our next series.  The new series is called “The Butterfly Effect”.  I am pumped.  Invite a friend.
• Butterfly Effect:  “It has been said that something as small as the flutter of a butterfly’s wing can ultimately cause a typhoon halfway around the world.”
• One small act changes everything.  During the Butterfly Effect we will discuss how one small prayer, one act of generosity and one conversation with a person far from God leads to large scale and unpredictable spiritual awakening.
• Spent some time with Gary Moreno this week.  Gary was our worship leader 4 years ago.  Great guy.  He is doing very well. 
• Check out Project Rescue.  We will be supporting with them in 2010.
• Check out Convoy of Hope.  We partner with Convoy of Hope to respond to extreme disasters and hungry people. 
• Check out Vision House and Vine Maple Place.  We partner with both of these ministries to provide homes for homeless moms.
• Our goal was $800,000 by November 1st.  We already have $200,000.  Someone committed $100,000.  We need another $500,000 by November 1st if all possible.  December 31 at the latest.
• Our mission is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ by creating environments where people pursue intimacy with God and community with people. 
• Our strategy statement (this is new) is “Plant Seeds. Grow Roots. Bear Fruit”.  We plant seeds in our weekend gatherings, we grow roots in our groups and we bear fruit by serving our church, community and world.

Your Giving Muscles

Yesterday I had a conversation with our pastors and staff.  I guess I would call it “your giving muscles”

We all have muscles.  If you don’t exercise they get weak and fragile.  Giving is a muscle you have to exercise.  Jana and I learned how to exercise these muscles early in our marriage.  I thank God we did.  I remember the first time we gave $500 to missions.  It hurt.  It stretched us.  It was essential as a young couple to learn to exercise this muscle.

How are you exercising your giving muscles?  If you don’t tithe to the local church—it may seem overwhelming to begin.  I get this. But—start exercising your muscles today.  Start with lifting 10 pounds or anywhere.  I have a deep conviction that our goal should be 10% of tithe to the local church.  But—start somewhere. 

I don’t lift weights. I know I need to. (Jana does.  Does this count for me?)  For now hear my illustration.  If I started to lift weights I couldn’t bench press much.  But—I need to start…with a little. 

Start somewhere in exercising your giving muscles. 

Here is what they say with weight lifting…The important thing to remember when it comes to strength training is that you must give your muscles more weight than they can handle–that’s how muscles grow.

You have to start giving “more than you can handle”.  I don’t mean to be stupid.  But…give more than you’re comfortable with.

Stretch yourself.  If you are a faithful tither, remember tithing is the foundation to your giving, not the ceiling.  Give to missions…give to hurting people…give to people groups who have never heard the name of Jesus.

If you randomly give in the offering just to make yourself feel better—start being systematic.  Decide on a percentage and start.  Have the goal to give 10%.  But start with a few weights. If God has blessed you and gifted you to make a lot of money…don’t just buy another toy. Advance the Kingdom of God with your wealth.  Write that $10,000 or $100,000 check to make a difference.

I had a couple sit down with me and say, “Pastor—we want to give in the Big Give Offering (Offering for our new building, November 1^st).  But we don’t have any money.  We are strapped. What would you do?”  I said, “You need to stretch your muscles.  Do this—both of you pray—ask God—What should you give?  Share it with each other.  Decide on this. “  It was funny they both already had a number in mind.  Then I said, “Sell something.  Do an extra job.  Include your kids.  Do a lemonade stand if you have to (just a joke) Stretch your muscles.  As you give it—make this a spiritual act of obedience.  Make it a declaration—my family won’t live in a selfish way.  My family will be givers.  We are out of shape now…but are going to make a spiritual declaration—God is our provider. God is the owner.  Everything spending decision I make honors him.”

new life ramblings (10/9/09)

What is on my mind?  What is happening at New Life? What is happening in my personal world?  Grab a cup of coffee, sit back and find out. Last weekend we brought in over $8,000 for Convoy of Hope.  Amazing to see New Life respond to the earthquake and tsunami victims.  MarriedLife Live is tonight!  I am looking forward to spending the evening with a bunch of couples from New Life.  Date night! Jana and I spent a couple of days in Southern California meeting with leaders talking about sex slavery and human trafficking across this world. In 2010, New Life is going to partner with an Organization called “Project Rescue”. You can visit their website HERE.  Project Rescue rescues girls sold to sex slavery.  After a victim is rescued she is taken to a Home of Hope — a safe place where she can heal and be nurtured. At Homes of Hope, victims also receive the loving message of Christ, counseling, education, general medical care, basic literacy training, and vocational training leading to financial independence. Hospice care is also provided for women with HIV/AIDS. Serve Day is coming Saturday October 17.  We are doing a free oil change for single moms. The response has been outstanding. We already have 40 women signed up.  Click HERE for more info about the oil change or HERE to volunteer to help. If you sneeze too hard you may fracture a rib. If you suppress a sneeze you may rupture a blood vessel. We’ve launched about 50 new small groups this fall There is a new Beth Moore ladies Bible study starting this Wednesday night led by Judy Thompson, Judy Mullins, & Darla Sherman. The Big Give is three Sundays away. (Sunday, November 1) Read Isaiah 6:1-8 to prepare for Sunday.

new life ramblings (9/25/09)

Every week (or most weeks) I take a moment to share what is on my heart.  Everything from what is happening at New Life, our culture, in my life and just random stuff.  I call this “New Life Ramblings”.  Enjoy! Feel free to respond back!  Give input!  Ask questions!  Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what is going on in my mind. 

• Grouplink is this weekend.  Friday night @ 7 PM for men, women and young adults.  Saturday @ 5 PM for married couples.  All you have to do is show up. 
• Sign up for our 40 day fasting and praying.  I love seeing all the people sign up to pray.  You can sign up HERE.
• Follow me on twitter. 
• MarriedLife Live is Friday, Oct 9.  You don’t want to miss this.  Great date night.  Fun concert. I will be sharing on humor in your marriage…the couple who laughs together,  stays together.   You can get more information HERE.
• This week I have been thinking a lot about how cell phones have taken over our culture.  What is proper cell phone etiquette?  This is a conversation we need to have with our kids, church family, employees, loved ones and ourselves.   Here is one principle—be fully present.  Love the one you’re with.  What are some other etiquette rules for cell phone use?
• I had two people personally hand me checks for our new building last week—one check for $500 and one for $30,000.  Amazing.  Both gifts brought tears to my eyes.
• Mark Sunday Oct 4^th on your calendars.  We will “build an altar” in the new building.  Everyone will be given a stone and help build the altar.
• Sunday, Oct 4 we will be doing a video tribute to Pastor Tappero.  Pastor Tappero and the board bought the property we are on 30 years ago.  It will be a powerful moment.  
• Did you know that a donkey will sink in quicksand but a mule will not?
• Eileen Hunter will be at our UNITE ladies event Friday, November 6^th.  The theme of this evening is “Fight Like a Girl”.
• Read James 1: 21-27 to prepare for Sunday.
• Did you know we have 130 ladies at MOPS on Tuesday morning?  Amazing!
• We did a video on Sunday called “Confessions of a Pastor”.  I want every person who calls New Life home to watch it.    You can watch in on www.newliferenton.com
• We have had many requests for the “Taken” series.  We have this available in one package at the resource center.
• We are planning on seeing around 200 adults connect in a small group this weekend. Amazing!
• In the last couple of weeks 200 students have connected in small group. 
• PSALM 92:12-15 “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree…planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God….They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

new life ramblings (9/18/09)

Every week (or most weeks) I take a moment to share what is on my heart.  Everything from what is happening at New Life, our culture, in my life and just random stuff.  I call this “New Life Ramblings”.  Enjoy! Feel free to respond back!  Give input!  Ask questions!  Grab a cup of coffee and catch up on what is going on in my mind. 

• Small groups are beginning this fall.  Group Link is the best way to get into a small group.  Group Link is Sept 25-26.  Sign up HERE. 
• I meet with the Elders on Tuesday nights.  I thank God for these men and woman. They are full of faith and wisdom.
• Starting Point is an incredible environment for people checking out Jesus or beginning their faith journey.  If this is you—check out Starting Point orientation HERE.
• God has put on my heart six “Growth Essentials” for New Life.  I will be discussing these during the next few weeks.  These growth essentials provide us the blueprint for discipleship at New Life.
• GROWTH—Godly Disciplines, Right Relationships, Obey Scripture, Wise Stewardship, Tangible Ministry and Heartfelt Worship. Our discipleship strategy! 
• What an amazing Sunday last week.  Watching people write on the walls of our new building will be a moment I will never forget.  We will have pictures on Sunday!
• People have asked, “Can I still write on the walls?”  YES!  Sunday, Oct. 4^th we are going to “build an altar” in the new church.  Everyone will be given a rock.  We will place the rock at the altar of the new church. (also give people opportunity to write on walls again)
• We did a video on Sunday called “Confessions of a Pastor”.  Many have asked about it.  You can watch in on www.newliferenton.com We have 60 people doing Financial Peace University.  I love seeing people understand the Biblical mandate to be a Wise Steward. 
• Dr. Suess pronounced “Suess” in such a way that it rhymed with “Rejoice”
• Christmas Choir is open for people to join.  Join choir during this fall season to ministry to people.  
• November 1 is our “Big Give” offering.   
• Still a lot of money to come.  We don’t want to phase in the chapel or even slow down construction. We are in the red zone.  It will take everyone to get across the goal line.
• Karen Quintana is our new “Women’s Connection Director”.  She will do a great job being the champion for ladies at New Life. Karen’s first event will be an event in November. Eileen Hunters is speaking. 
• Plant Seeds. Grow Roots. Bear Fruit.
• Our senior high ministry started their EPIC groups this.  Over 80 high school students and leaders involved with discipleship during the week. I love New Life!
• We have had many requests for the “Taken” series.  We have this available in one package at the resource center.
• Typically on Sundays I deep dive into one passage.  This Sunday we are talking about the “one another’s” in the Bible.  Read Romans 12:10 and Gal 6:2.  These are just two of many Scriptures we will study together.