Sunday Worship Times:
11:00 AM: Khmer Service with Pastor Daniel So
1:00 PM: English Service with Pastor Ken Heath
New Life News
You are Invited!
New Life International is a new church in Lowell. We seek to be a church without the "walls" that separate people from God and from one another. We have special interest in bringing the American and Cambodian communities together to discover a new life through Jesus Christ. We invite all Khmer speakers to our Sunday Khmer service at 11am, and all English speakers to our Sunday English service at 1pm. In fact, we welcome the whole international community of Lowell to be a part of a diverse community of faith where we can all find unity and hope in a personal relationship with God. Come this Sunday and find out how!
Who is Jesus?
The Bible describes Jesus with many different, descriptive names that give us a comprehensive view of who He is. But perhaps the most important name to us is the name "Savior". The Bible says that God loves us but we have a problem that separates us from God...our personal sin. This problem is the biggest problem known to mankind because it has eternal consequences. So Jesus came to us to solve this dilemma by dying for our sins on the cross (in our place). And we can take advantage of this incredible act of love by placing our eternal trust and faith in Jesus and His finished work on the cross. Thats how He saves us. Thats why He is the Savior. Read the following to find out more:
Step 1 - God's Love and His plan
God created us in His own image to be His friend and to experience a full life assured of his love, abundant and eternal.
Jesus said, "...I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10b)
"...we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:1)
Since God planned for s to have peace and abundant life right now, why are most people not having this experience?
Step 2 - Our Problem: Separation from God
God created us in His own image to have abundant (meaningful) life. He did not make us robots to automatically love and obey him, but he gave us a will and a freedom of choice.
We chose to disobey God and go our own willful way. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)
"...your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you so that he will not hear." (Isaiah 59:2)
On our own, there's no way we can attain the perfection needed to bridge the gap to God. Through the ages, individuals have tried many ways...without success.
Good works won't do it...or religion...or money...or morality...or philosophy...
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." (Proverbs 14:12)
Step 3 - God's Remedy: The Cross
Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He died on the cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people.
"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God..." (I Peter 3:18)
"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Jesus Christ." (I Timothy 2:5)
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)
Step 4 - Our Response
Believing means trust and commitment - acknowledging our sinfulness, trusting Christ's forgiveness and letting Him control our life. Eternal, abundant life is a gift for us to receive.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)
"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life." (John 5:24)
Is there any reason why you shouldn't cross over to God's side and be certain of eternal life?
How to receive Christ:
1. Admit your need (I am a sinner).
2. Be willing to turn from your sins (repent).
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
4. Through prayer, invite Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit (Receive Him as Lord and Savior of your life).
What to pray:
Dear Lord Jesus,
I know that I am a sinner and need Your forgiveness. I believe that You died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow You as the Lord and Savior of my life. In Your name.
Amen.
God's assurance of eternal life
If you've prayed this prayer and are trusting Christ, then the Bible says that you can be sure you have eternal life.
"...for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:13)
"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)
"He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life." (1 John 5:12-13)
Receiving Christ, we are born into God's family through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit who indwells every believer...this is called regeneration or the "new birth."
What next?
This is just the beginning of a wonderful new life in Christ.
To deepen this relationship you should:
1. Maintain regular intake of the Bible to know Christ better.
2. For more information see the Word Hand illustration.
3. Talk to God in prayer every day.
4. For more information see the Prayer Hand illustration.
5. Tell others about your new faith in Christ.
6. For help doing this, use the same illustration that is presented above. The important thing is that you let others know about your new faith in Christ.
7. Worship, fellowship and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached.
8. As Christ's representative in a needy world, demonstrate your new life by your love and concern for others.
What is a Church Without Walls?
It's a church that removes the walls that separate people from God and from one another. Here are some facts about New Life:
1. We are a community-focused church that aims to follow the example of the New Testament Church as we love God, love neighbor, and make a difference in the Lowell community.
2. We are a Christian Church which means that we are Bible-based, Christ-centered, Mission-focused, Spirit-filled, and People-minded.
3. We are not a Charismatic/Pentecostal Church though we affirm that all the spiritual gifts in the Bible are for today. We prefer not to be labeled in such ways....just a simple church with a heart to love God and love others. We desire our worship to be about God and not us. We don't determine that worship is meaningful because it is vocal, emotional, or has a skilled music team (though these things might exist). The only true measure of biblical worship is that it is genuine and focused on exalting the name and Person of Christ.
4. Jesus said that He came so that our joy might be "full". Therefore we affirm that a joyful church is the kind of church that truly reflects the reality of His presence among us.
5. We are a new church and this means that there are many opportunities to get involved. It also means that there are some things that our church does not yet have. We are offering a "ground-floor opportunity" to be a part of forming a new church, and leaving a legacy that may be around to impact the next generation that follows you. We are offering you an opportunity to make a difference.
6. We are a partner church of the Christian & Missionary Alliance with 2000 churches in North America and 3 million members worldwide in over 60 countries. We believe that churches that work together can accomplish more than those churches that don't.
7. We love people of all shapes and sizes. We love people of all colors and ethnicities. We love crying babies. We love fussy children. We love unpredictable teens. We love adults of all ages. The only people we allow in our church are sinners.
8. We care about the world. We will have mission trips to foreign countries and we'll raise money to meet needs wherever God may lead us. We love America but we are reminded that God loves the world too (John 3:16). We want to get on board with what God is doing, wherever He is doing it.
9. We won't tell you how to vote, but we'll try to solve real life issues. We accept all people but don't condone all lifestyles. Our job is not to judge people, but to grow people.
10. At New Life you won't have to sing, say, sign, or give anything (unless of course, you want to). Just come as you are and discover (or rediscover) a personal relationship with God.
Our Statement of Faith
1. There is one God, who is infinitely perfect, existing eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
2. Jesus Christ is true God and true man. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He died upon the cross, the just for the unjust, as a substitutionary sacrifice, and all who believe in Him are justified on the grounds of His shed blood. He arose from the dead according to the Scriptures. He is now at the right hand of the Majesty on high as our great High Priest. He will come again to establish His kingdom of righteousness and peace.
3. The Holy Spirit is a divine person, sent to indwell, guide, teach, empower the believer, and convince the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgement.
4. The Old and New Testaments, inerrant as originally given, were verbally inspired by God and are a complete revelation of His will for the salvation of men. They constitute the divine and only rule of Christian faith and practice.
5. Man was originally created in the image and likeness of God; he fell through disobedience, incurring thereby both physical and spiritual death. All men are born with a sinful nature, are separated from the life of God, and can be saved only through the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The portion of the impenitent and unbelieving is existence forever in conscious torment; and that of the believer, in everlasting joy and bliss.
6. Salvation has been provided through Jesus Christ for all men; and those who repent and believe in Him are born again of the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of eternal life, and become the children of God.
7. It is the will of God that each believer should be filled with the Holy Spirit and be sanctified wholly, being separated from sin and the world and fully dedicated to the will of God, thereby receiving power for holy living and effective service. This is both a crisis and a progressive experience wrought in the life of the believer subsequent to conversion.
8. Provision is made in the redemptive work of the Lord Jesus Christ for the healing of the mortal body. Prayer for the sick and annointing with oil are taught in the Scriptures and are privileges for the church in this present age.
9. The Church consists of all those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, are redeemed through His blood, and are born again of the Holy Spirit. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, which has been commissioned by Him to go into all the world as a witness, preaching the gospel to all nations. The local church is a body of believers in Christ who are joined together for the worship of God, for edification through the Word of God, for prayer, fellowship, the proclamation of the gospel, and observance of the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper.
10. There shall be a bodily resurrection of the just and of the unjust; for the former, a resurrection unto life; for the latter, a resurrection unto judgment.
11. The second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ is imminent and will be personal, visible, and premillennial. This is the believer's blessed hope and is a vital truth which is an incentive to holy living and faithful service.
Pastor Ken Heath is originally from New York City. He put his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a senior in High School. Ken later felt called to full time Christian ministry and completed his major in Biblical Studies at Houghton College. From there he went to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Hamilton, MA for his master's degree in pastoral counseling, and recently completed his Doctorate degree at Gordon-Conwell in World Missions and Cross-Cultural Studies. Ken is married to his lovely wife, Mariann, and they have two grown children, Joanna and Daniel. Ken has served as the Associate Pastor at the Haverhill Alliance Church (Haverhill, MA) and has started two churches (Hudson NH and Manchester NH) and is now starting a third in Lowell, MA. Ken also serves as the Senior Pastor of New Life Christian Church in Hudson, NH, one of the churches that he originally planted.
Ken is an avid sports fan, and loves to read, walk, and think of new ways to start new churches in New England. Ken also loves to travel and see what God is doing around the world. He's recently been to Israel, Greece, Turkey, Bosnia, Serbia, Italy, Cambodia, and has led mission trips to the Dominican Republic and Haiti since 1995.
Mr. Daniel So is a native of Cambodia. He lived thought the difficult times during the 80’s in a refugee camp before coming to United States. Daniel served as the Pastor of the Alliance Church in Revere MA before coming to New Life International church in Lowell MA. Daniel is now working with Pastor Ken Heath to help bridge the gap with the Cambodia community. He conducts Sunday service at 11:00am in Khmer, the Cambodia native language.
New Life International Church
57 Powell St.
Lowell, MA 01851
Phone: 978-957-9400
Email: kenheath_aol.com
Directions from area towns:
From the north take Rt. 3 south to exit 31 (Rt. 110). From the south take Rt. 3 north to exit 30B (Rt. 110). Head east toward Lowell for a mile and you will come to the intersection with Plain St. (see Walgreens on right). Bear slight left onto Powell St (Mobile 1 building on your right) and proceed to your first stop sign at Shaw St. The church will be on your left. Find on-street parking on Powell or Shaw. Please avoid parking in front of homes where city "no parking" signs are posted. Thanks.
Directions from downtown Lowell:
From downtown Lowell (Merrimack St.) turn left onto Dutton St. and go straight, bearing right onto Rt, 110 (Chelmsford St.). Go straight to the intersection with Plain St. (Walgreens on left) and follow the above directions from there.
Sunday Messages Online
What is a Podcast?
Podcasts are essentially audio or video files available for download over the Internet, and you can listen or watch them on your iPod, portable mp3 player, or computer. Instead of being broadcast over the airwaves and eventually lost, as happens with traditional radio shows, podcasts can be stored and played at the user's convenience.
iPod Not Necessary
Contrary to popular belief you actually don't need an iPod for podcasts. (Hear that? You don't even have to have an iPod!) A podcast is essentially just a subscription to an audio file library. As long as you can play audio on your computer you can receive podcasts!
Get The Software
The first step is to download and install iTunes (if you don't already have it).
There's other software out there but you can't beat the price for iTunes (psst! it's FREE). Once you have iTunes installed, then all you need to do is click on the link below.
Subscribe to the Podcast. The real magic is in the "subscribe" button. Hit that and iTunes will ask if you're sure about subscribing -- which you are. Once you've successfully subscribed, you will see the New Life Christian Church podcast in the Podcast list in iTunes. Now every time you launch iTunes it will check to see if there's a new message available, and download it if there is!
Don't Use iTunes?
Our podcast feed is available without iTunes, too! Just paste this URL into your newsreader or Podcast software subscribe field:
http://nlccnh.podbean.com/feed/
Just download to my computer Now!
Don't want to subscribe to a podcast, and just want to play the audio when you visit the site, then just click on the audio track you want to play and it will stream the audio in your browser real time, NOW! Or maybe you you want the audio file to play later, then click on the link below, and right click on the audio file you want and it will ask you to download the file to your computer.
Get Acquainted at our next Open House!
Every Sunday is open house at New Life. Come to our weekly Sunday worship services at 11am (Khmer language) and 1pm (English language) and then stay for a relaxed time of refreshments and discussion. Ask questions and learn more about the vision of our church. Then in our small groups during the week we will apply the love and truth of God among our families and friends.
New Life is a new church in your community with a new way of doing church. Our aim is to return to the community-driven, group-based church that we read about in the New Testament. To be "group-based" means we meet to learn more about the Bible in order to be what the church is meant to be, and do what the church is meant to do. Church is not about big buildings, and expensive bells and whistles. It's not about cold formalism, or rules and regulations. As someone once said, "a church is not a musuem for saints, it's a hospital for sinners". It's meant to be an experience of joy and fulifllment and growth, not hypocrisy, judgementalism, or prejudice. In fact, church is not meant to be a place at all, but a group of people who simply love God, love one another, and demonstrate that love in tangible ways in a world that needs a Savior. It's a community of friends where children, teens, and adults discover the meaning of life through a personal relationship of faith in God's Son, Jesus.
So we welcome you to our next Worship Service/Open House at New Life, starting this Sunday!
Get Connected in a Life Group!
Life groups are designed to be the "engine" of New Life. As a new church we are forming new small groups now with a desire to see them located throughout Greater Lowell. What is a Life Group?
Jesus began His public ministry with a small group of twelve. Later, small "house churches" began as the first kind of church that the Bible speaks of. In fact, the only kind of churches that you read about in the Bible are House Churches. These were small groups of people of all ages (depending upon the size of the home) that met together for "the Apostle's teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer" (Acts 2:42). Their churches was simple, meaningful, personal, and practical. They helped one another, ate meals together, prayed together, worshiped together, learned together, laughed together, served together, encouraged one another, invited others, and discovered the simple, yet profound meaning of a church: a family of united believers who love God with all their hearts and love their neighbors as themselves, and personally place their faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and follow Him day by day.
Therefore our small groups are patterned after these House Churches and we call them Life Groups because they are meant to help us bring real faith to life. They are a great place to seek out and discover faith among caring friends. Everyone in our are given the opportunity to simply be observers or to participate as you wish. There is no pressure placed on anyone. Just come as you are, relax, bring the kids and discover a return to joyful, homebased Christianity. It's not about following strict agendas and formulas. It's simply about spending time with Christ and one another as we simply focus on L.I.F.E.:
Love....................for God and neighbor
Instruction........... in God's Word
Fellowship........... in God's Church
Evangelism...........in God's World
New Life aims to be a network of these Life Groups, with people of different races, ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds coming together as a "church without walls". Lord willing, we will be one church with many home congregations. Everything that a church does can happen in a Life Group....worship, learning, serving, giving, outreach, caregiving, shepherding, and leadership.
Each group will have it own leadership team and will be under the oversight of our Pastor who will be training church leaders and participating in life groups throughout the year. They will have a goal of impacting lives, growing in number, and giving "birth" to new groups each year.
Tired of being "invisible" in church? Want to be connected in a church where "everyone knows your name". You are invited to begin a new adventure at New Life!
Get Excited About World Mission!
Everyone has a purpose in this world. And while we all have different skills, abilities, gifts, and interests, we all share one common purpose as followers of Christ-- to bring glory to God as we share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world. Therefore we are all on a mission to make an impact in our world, starting with our own neighborhoods. What does mission look like? Mission can take many forms....
Visiting an elderly person in a nursing home
Praying for those who undergoing a crisis
Sharing your faith with a friend
Leading an evangelistic bible study in a local restaurant
Starting a youth group for disadvantaged kids
Handing out bottles of water on a hot day
Praying for the spiritual needs of America and other countries
Inviting people to a Life Group or worship service
Joining a mission team to a foreign country
Helping families recover from a fire
Giving money to sponsor a missionaries overseas
Visiting prisoners in jail
Helping to start a new life group in your neighborhood
There are many ways to make a difference in your world! At New Life we encourage our members to leave a legacy from their lives that will continue to impact the generation that follows us. Jesus said, "What you do to the least of these, you do to me". You have a purpose in life. Get excited about your mission in this world!
New Life International Church copyright 2011
