Online services Only

Because of Coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, Sunday services for all New Life Church campuses will be online only until further notice.

Grace, peace and strength to you in the Powerful Name of Jesus.

This Sunday’s message was a great reminder that there is all power and salvation in the Name of Jesus. The beauty of the Name of Jesus is above compare. When we pray and speak the Name of Jesus, we are prophetically releasing the power of His Name against any other name and designation on this planet. When we call on His Name, we are declaring salvation, provision, comfort, hope, healing and deliverance. In His mighty Name we can trust Him to mitigate and eradicate all the effects of the pandemic in our nation and in every nation. We especially pray for those who are sick and those who have lost loved ones during this time.

Psalm 91:14-15 says this, “The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them.”

Philippians 2:9-11 also says, “Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

New Life, He knows us by name and has called us to be part of His glorious Bride, the Church.

With things changing so rapidly, who can possibly predict or know what the world will look like beyond our stages of lockdown. What we do know, in keeping with our vision, is that we are about loving a God who loves us more than we can imagine, and that we too, can continue loving people as ourselves and keep making a difference in a world that desperately needs His love.

This coming Sunday, Lisa and I will be finishing the last of the series together, “Love Letters from Jesus,” ending with communion after the message. To join in, please have your grape juice and bread ready to unite with us as we partake together as a church. As we take communion together, let’s trust Jesus to do something special in our homes, hearts and health.  

KidsLife, Inside Out and New Life Students are doing a phenomenal job in reaching our children and teens with heart, great content and excellence. You are welcome to pop in and see them in action on our website.

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you and your families as we hold fast to the Name of Jesus! 

You are deeply loved, favoured and blessed by the Lord.

There is a powerful hope that comes from the great commitment Jesus made to us, that He is building you and I (His Church) and the gates of hell will not prevail against us. (Matthew 16:18). The deep understanding that Jesus has a plan and purpose for us personally and corporately, helps us face any storm whether physical, emotional or spiritual. Jesus said “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. (Matthew 7:24-25) As we continue to build our spiritual “houses” (our spiritual selves) on the sure foundation of connectedness with Him and with other believers, we will find that our houses will stand in spite of any storm. We are built to stand stronger than any circumstance!

With Spring around the corner we are excited about launching our brand new series “Habits that Heal”. The world is full of hurting people who struggle with a range of issues, such as anxiety, loneliness, depression, relational struggles, professional disappointments and identity issues. Often people have struggled with some of these problems for years. In this series we will discover that there are biblical solutions to help us work through these issues and find healing on the other side.

Parents, an exciting new series for Injabulo Land and the Zone, “God’s Masterpiece” - starts from this coming Sunday. Kids will learn that their identity is found in Christ and that God has created everyone with a unique purpose. The InsideOut tweens will also continue this momentum as they come to understand their identity, mission and purpose in Christ.

Students are launching their brand-new series this month, “Silent Killers”, which speaks directly into several issues we believe are killing this generation. The goal is to see what the Bible says about these things, so that we can shine a light into every dark place in our lives and experience freedom.

Look forward to praying with you this morning at 8am on Facebook Live and worshipping with you on Sunday as we allow the Spirit to encourage and refresh us.

Grace and Peace to you and your families.

It is important that as much as we stand firm on the promises of God, that we can also be real, and being authentic helps us heal and gives us perspective during these difficult times. 1 Corinthians 12:26 : "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honoured, all rejoice together." Therefore, as a body of believers, we encourage one another as we navigate through the deep waters and storms of life. We grieve deeply with Khosi and the family of Moses Mokgapa, precious long-time member, leader and true servant of God who went home to Jesus this weekend. We also grieve with every New Lifer who has been through the loss or illness of a loved one during lockdown, praying that we would all know the comfort of the Holy Spirit, our Helper and Comforter. John 14:16 says, And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you forever, the Spirit of truth”.

A very big thank you to every Connect Group Leader and to those who attended Connect Groups in this past season. Despite some of the challenges of Groups being online, every leader patiently persevered and we had wonderful reports of what the Holy Spirit did through the Wholeness resource, with nearly 400 people joining us online. As a church remaining connected as the Body of Christ is so vital, and we are thankful for mature and committed Connect Group Leaders who give of their time to help people go deeper as they connect relationally with one another. Romans 12:5 “so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another”. We look forward to our next Connect Group season starting in September so keep an eye on the New Life Church website for updates.

This week, please remember to:

• Join us for the 9am and 11am Sunday Services as we continue to journey through the current series from the Book of Revelation, “Love Letters from Jesus”.
• Join us as we continue to pray together live on Facebook from 8am to 8:30am on Wednesdays, interceding for the nation, our church, and each other.
• For the parents, children and students who are on school holidays, the KidsLife and Students ministries are available on demand, as are the Sunday messages.
  
  

We are pleased to announce that the New Life Church Podcast is now available so that you can subscribe and download our audio sermons for offline listening. Podcasting is a great way for us to connect with you and bring messages of faith into your everyday lives.

A huge shoutout of gratitude to everyone who participated in the Mandela Day Servolution Drive-Through this past Saturday! Over 110 cars came to New Life Bryanston representing New Lifers and their families showing overwhelming kindness and generosity! The New Life Staff receiving these gifts of care were moved to tears during the three hours of selfless giving. Through your donations, we have collected 217 clothing bags with toiletries and 130 generous family food parcels of non-perishables. As four local Churches, we are thrilled to be a source of blessing to those who directly need practical help in our communities in these months of lockdown.
 
Since lockdown, the disruptions to everyday life have been far-reaching, leaving many of us with feelings of discouragement, weariness and stress. It is in times like these it is good to know we can spiritually recharge our souls. Psalm 23, a psalm of David, puts it this way, “The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.” In His presence we find fountains of peace and rivers of refreshing for our souls. Rest and reflection lead to a renewed vigour to face the daily demands of life. Today our prayer is that those who are soul-weary will be energized and strengthened as you draw from the wells of the Spirit.
 
We trust you are also finding the current Sunday message series; “Love Letters from Jesus”, a source of this refreshing.
 
This week, we enter the second week of our online Alpha and Financial Hope Courses. We believe that those attending these courses will gain great value for themselves and their families.
 
Thank you to all New Lifers as you continue to faithfully give to the work of the Lord at the four New Life Churches. Your kind giving enables us to continue to spread the good news and fulfil the call of Jesus on our church.
 
With love and gratitude towards God’s people we are privileged to serve and serve with.

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you and your families. 

One thing we can be sure of in challenging times, is the deep love that Christ has for each one of us. It is this great love and passion Jesus has for His Church that anchors us in times when the waiting seems interminably long and the future uncertain. We are reminded of His commitment to us in Romans 8:28 which says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” No matter the situation we find ourselves in today, this is our great assurance, that God is always working for our good.

We thank God that in times like these we are a part of God’s great family, where we grow in our love for one another as Christ loves us. Being an intergenerational church is vitally important as we can learn from those who are older than us and be refreshed and challenged by those younger than us. We need each other now more than ever as we navigate these times as a body of believers. With this in mind we encourage all parents to please promote our lifegiving series on-line to your children and teens:

• Our current series at The Zone and Injabulo Land will teach kids all about the book of Acts, the early church, the apostles and the power of the Holy Spirit and how He helps us make the right choices.
   
  
• InsideOut's current series "Legendary Character", is where our pre-teens learn that God is calling them to something deeper, more meaningful, and much more freeing than being a “good person.” He’s calling us to live a life of godly character, no matter where we are or who we’re with.
  
  
• New Life Students are exploding a lot of myths and false beliefs about the supernatural. Their new series "Supernatural" begins this week and will solidly ground students in a biblical understanding of the spiritual realm and increase their knowledge of their authority in Christ.
  
  

We invite you and your family to our Servolution Drive Through Mandela Day initiative happening this Saturday 18th July from 10am - 1pm at New life Church Bryanston. This can be a fun outing for the whole family as you hand your parcels of good second hand (or new) clothes, non-perishable foodstuffs, and/or toiletries, to one of our friendly pastoral team through the safety of your car window. Let’s all do our bit to help those struggling at this time.

Everyone is welcome to pray with us on Wednesdays from 8:00am to 8:30am on New Life Facebook Live (click here at 8am on Wednesdays) for a half hour of powerful live intercession. You can bring your prayer requests and post them in the comments section as we join in unity as a church to pray for the nation, our families, finances and many other themes.

If you missed Sunday’s online service due to load shedding, or any other reason, you can always catch up on demand during the week.

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you and your families. 

Warm winter weekly greetings! This week marks over 100 days of social distancing and we continue to pray for all affected by the virus on every front.

Scripture tells us in Acts 2:25 “I constantly fixed my eyes upon the Lord, because He is at my right hand in order that I may continue unshaken.” Many of us may feel like we are out on the water in the midst of the storm just like the Apostle Peter. He must have felt very afraid, looking at the huge waves coming towards him. When he kept his focus on the stormy waves, he began to sink. But as he kept his focus on Jesus, he safely walked on the water without sinking. Let’s keep our focus firmly on our Lord and Saviour Jesus, trusting He will be with us all the way to the other side and we will not be moved.

Our weekly Wednesday Prayer Devotionals kicked off last Wednesday at 8am on Facebook Live and was joined by over 100 people!

Our KidsLife kids had a great time beating the cold last Friday night with an epic Praise Party. It was heart-warming to see that so many children engaged in the online Praise Party. Well done to Christelle, parents and KidsLife volunteers for making this a special moment for New Life children to enjoy praising God. (If you missed it on Friday, click here to experience the Praise Party on demand for your age group).

We continue to help feed those in need with our weekly food parcels. We are looking forward to the Drive-Through Madiba Servolution on Saturday 18 July (10am to 1pm) at New Life Church Bryanston when we honour Mandela Day. Please bring non-perishable food, your nearly new or new clothing (all sizes) or toiletries, and our friendly New Life pastoral team will be there, observing social distancing protocols, to receive your kind parcels as you pass by. See you there!

Upcoming events launching on Wed 15 July online, are:

• The Alpha Course is an amazing experience run for those who are new believers or for those who are exploring the Christian faith. This is done in a non-threatening and respectful environment via viewing Course videos online followed by a time of discussion.
   
• The Financial Hope Course will set you on a scriptural path to financial freedom. This course has helped thousands of people to properly handle finances, whilst learning how to budget, get out of debt and see the increase as you manage your money God’s way.

Grace and Peace be multiplied to you and your families.

Weekly Greetings in the Name of Christ from the Pastoral Team, Lisa and myself at New Life Church.

As a body of believers, we continue to pray daily for the Lord’s intervention on behalf of all severely affected by the tragedies brought about by Covid-19, both nationally and internationally.

We are half-way through the year as we together press on to fulfil the vision of New Life Church: Inspiring everyone to love God, love others as ourselves, and impact the world for Christ.

This past Sunday we began a brand-new series, “Love Letters from Jesus”, the message of Christ to His beloved Bride as revealed in the letters to the seven churches in the Book of Revelation. The Apostle John puts it this way in John 3:29, “The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.” Let us invest time with our beloved Bridegroom, Jesus, as we explore the depth, width and height of His great love poured out to us, as revealed in these captivating love letters.

In July, as a local Church, we launch the following exciting initiatives:

• Online Weekly Prayer
  From this Wednesday (1 July), at 8am to 8:30am, all are welcome to join in the new weekly prayer initiative live on the New Life Facebook page. You can put down your prayer requests in the comments section and stand with us as we pray for the nation, our families, finances and more, as the Spirit leads us.
   
• Online Alpha Course
  Alpha, a world-renowned 10 week course exploring the basics of the Christian Faith that has been attended by more than 30 million people worldwide to date, starts online on Wednesday 15 July at 7pm (click here to find out more and register).
   
• Online Financial Hope Course
  Also beginning on Wednesday 15 July at 7pm, this 7 week online course will assist people to create a budget, get out of debt, save for the future, and most importantly, learn God’s Word relating to personal finances (click here to find out more and register).
   
• Drive through “Madiba Servolution” on Saturday 18 July
  In service to the many hungry in our land and in loving memory of Nelson Mandela’s birthday, New Life Church will host a drive through drop off zone, while wearing masks and observing social distancing, for all to bring non-perishable supplies to the Church on Saturday 18 July from 10am to 1pm. For more info watch our Sunday services online or click here.
  
  

 It’s a magnificent privilege to know that the love of Jesus carries us daily as we continually seek His presence.

Ongoing Grace and Peace be multiplied to you and your families.

It is encouraging to know that although we don’t know what lies ahead, Psalm 46:7 says, “The Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our fortress”. The Lord is mighty, able and more powerful than anything we may face. The God of Heaven’s Armies is right there with you.
 
We are super excited to be launching our new series this Sunday (28 June), taken from the Book of Revelation, “Love Letters from Jesus”. There is nothing more personal than a hand-written letter from the one you love. In the beginning of the book of Revelation, Jesus speaks tenderly and directly to His Bride the Church, in seven unique love letters. Jesus knows what we are going through and speaks through the pen of the Apostle John, to reveal a timeless message of His deep love toward us as His church and offer hope and encouragement for our future.
 
This Sunday we also look forward to sharing Communion together as a church. This is an important moment where we celebrate what Jesus has done for us, as He has reminded us to do. Please have your elements of bread and grape juice ready to share this special moment with your family.
 
Next week, we are also launching a mid-week Prayer Devotional where you can tune in on New Life Church Facebook Live at 8am on Wednesdays for a powerful prayer moment led by the pastoral team. Let’s get together in unity and pray for our nation, families, finances and whatever and wherever the Spirit leads us to pray.
 
Wednesday 15 July at 7pm marks the online commencement of two evergreen courses at New Life Church:

The Alpha Course
A renowned 10 week course outlining the basics of the Christian Faith that has been attended by more than 30 million people worldwide to date (click here to find out more and register).
 
Financial Hope Course
This 7 week course has become a very effective ministry tool in assisting people create a budget, get out of debt, save for the future, and most importantly, learn God’s Word relating to personal finances (click here to find out more and register).

God bless you this week as, by the Grace of God, we, as a local Church, continue to extend His Kingdom via the channels available to us.

Greetings to you and your families from the pastoral team, Lisa and myself. Things may not be perfect, but we pray you are well, warm and strengthened as we continue our journey together in lockdown level three.

Sunday’s online message from Professor David Block emphasized a much-loved scripture verse, Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God”. He brought New Life Church a fresh message of hope and today we can know that “Hope is a Rope”, as we remember everything God can do when we listen to His still small voice. We can shut out any voices that cause our thoughts to be troubled and focus our thoughts Heavenward, to a place of peace, hope and trust in the One who holds the Universe in His Hands.

This coming Sunday (21 June), 9am and 11am, we welcome Dr Keith Warrington, Bible scholar and author with over 30 years of experience in ministry, to the online New Life Church pulpit. Dr Keith specialises in New Testament Theology and he and his lovely wife, Judy, now travel the world encouraging people to encounter God through His Word, the Bible. We look forward to experiencing his depth of ministry as we are inspired by the message he brings New Life this Father’s Day.

The following Sunday, 28 June, we launch our new series called “Love Letters from Jesus” which reveal the timeless message of Christ’s deep love toward His Church found in the letters to the seven Churches in Revelation... but more about this in next week’s weekly email!

Thank you for your generous giving as we continue each week to feed families through both our ongoing initiatives, the Wednesday Pick n Pay Douglasdale collections and the Fill-a-Box Servolution drive.

Thank you too for the wonderful response we have received from the Lockdown Survey promoted last week! We received great positive and encouraging feedback. These are some of the results so far:

• 90% of responses have been engaging with our online services
• 88% of online viewers had a fairly good to very good technical/reception experience
  
  

 Please Click here if you would still like to take part in the survey which closes this Friday, 19 June, at 5pm.

We love you and pray that our Father of compassion, the God of all comfort, strengthens you and gives you peace.

We continue to trust our Sovereign God for the healing of our nation and pray for His provision for all who are affected by the virus.

Our thoughts are especially with those who returned to school this week, both learners and educators and we pray for their protection as they engage in their lessons once again.

No matter what we are personally facing, we can take comfort knowing that our God has gone before us into every situation, and we can cast our burdens on Him as He cares for us. 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because He cares for you.

Some brand-new happenings coming up to mark on your calendars:

• This coming Sunday (14 June), we welcome Professor David Block, world renowned astronomer and scientist timeously addressing us on "Our Faith Journey... Lessons from SpaceX". We also have a special youth component for this Sunday in line with June 16 being National Youth Day!
   
• Joining us on Father’s Day, Sunday (21 June), is Dr Keith Warrington online all the way from the UK. Keith has spent over thirty years as a New Testament scholar teaching at Regents Theological College in Worcestershire, England. Enjoy the depth of teaching of this valued friend of New Life Church who now travels the world teaching and preaching New Testament and Pentecostal Theology.
   
• We’re excited about the launch of our new Sunday message series: “Love Letters from Jesus”. This series, starting Sunday 28 June, captures the heart of Jesus who speaks tenderly and directly to His Bride in seven unique love letters found in the Book of Revelation. Through these letters the timeless message of God’s deep love toward His church is revealed, offering hope and encouragement for the future.
  
  

 Thank you for your continued giving to our feeding programs, Fill-A-Box initiative and the Douglasdale Pick n Pay Wednesday collections. Because of your kindness, we have been able to supply food to 280 needy families in our communities this week.

Please can we ask all New Lifers to take 2 minutes to fill in an anonymous survey? We would so appreciate your helpful feedback to enable us to ascertain how effectively the New Life Church online ministry is serving you during these challenging stages of lockdown.

Click here to start the survey

"...it is LOVE that really builds up the church."  1 Corinthians 8:1

Weekly greetings from New Life Church as Lockdown Stage 3 began on Monday heralding more relaxed regulations, with many of us venturing back to our physical places of work or study. May the Lord Himself protect us all as we enter this next stage of Lockdown. As a Church staff, we continue praying for you all.

You may ask, “When is New Life Church going to open?”. While we can meet in groups of less than fifty under strict protocols, we, as New Life Church leadership, have prayerfully considered that this is not the time for us to have gatherings at this stage across all four churches. Love is our guide and we want to protect one another valuing the safety of all. Love is what enables us to protect and serve the people of South Africa, the city, our local church, as well as the communities we live in.

For those who head back to work and school, let's love and protect one another by wearing masks, washing hands and observing the established hygiene regulations.

We encourage us all to continue:

• Praying for our nation and the nations of the world (Unite714 Prayer)
• Meeting online for Sunday Worship services at 9am and 11am (also on demand for the following week by clicking here)
• Encouraging our young people to follow the weekly on demand online resources for their particular age groups
  (KidsLife, InsideOut and New Life Students)
• Meeting midweek for the next 7 weeks through Connect Groups Online
• Serving our communities by providing food parcels for the needy through any reputable channels or by way of New Life Church’s “Fill-A-Box” initiative or our Pick n Pay Douglasdale Wednesday collections
  
  

Our lines are now open for personal prayer ministry on Sundays from 10:00am to 12:30 noon: 011 706 7565.
Please call in and we will be ready to pray with you.

We also trust that the recent series, “Possessing Your Tomorrows”, has been enjoyable, encouraging and faith-building to all.

We look forward to Professor David Block and Dr Keith Warrington who will be joining us to minister this month.

It was wonderful to hear President Ramaphosa stating on national TV last night that South Africans are a people of deep faith. The President announced this coming Sunday 31 May, as a National Day of Prayer and as New Life Church, we greatly look forward to being actively involved in this vital prayer initiative.
 
We have just passed the 60-day mark of lockdown and are now looking forward to changing gears down to Stage 3. We believe this will bring a much-needed boost to our economy as we continue to pray and trust our God for healing and provision for all affected medically and financially by Covid-19 in South Africa.
 
May you be encouraged from God’s Word in Romans 12:10-13. “Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fuelled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality."
The all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving and ever-present God is busy and working on our behalf. The God of the universe can do more than we can think or imagine as we remain cheerfully expectant approaching this Sundays National Day of Prayer.
 
Being a large congregation and the safety of our members being paramount, we cannot gather as a congregation yet, but we are thankful that: 

• We are connected to our God forever.
• We can still meet together on Sundays as we worship online.
  Something new: our services will be live-streamed from our website as well as Facebook Live at 9am and 11am. The services will be available on demand for the rest of the week.
• We can pray for one another.
  Something new: we will be providing a telephonic prayer ministry after each service. For prayer please contact 0117067565 to pray with someone or email us at info@newlifechurch.co.za for any other prayer requests.
• We are able to continue to pray and meet within our Connect Groups online during the week
  (It’s still not too late to join a group click here).
• We can continue to serve as agents of His life and love in our own spheres of influence.
  
  We thank you Newlifers for your big hearts of generosity in the midst of these trying times. May God reward you and bless you abundantly.

 
Let us embrace the reality of this season with courage whilst remaining positive through keeping our eyes on Him. The Book of Ecclesiastes 3:1 puts it this way, “To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” Whatever the season, God is in control and He will complete the good work He has started in us, so let’s remain cheerfully expectant.

Please join us online this Sunday at 9am or 11am as we align ourselves with the President’s call for a National Day of Prayer.

Grace and peace to you and your families, both near and far.

In the busyness of life, it’s good to take a moment to see things in perspective. Psalms 46:10 puts it this way, “Be still, and know that I am God’. Pause, for a moment and be reassured that God is still God. With this knowledge we can choose to live with confidence, courage and peace, knowing our mighty God loves us, is with us and is leading and guiding us.

Sometimes waiting for things to change is the hardest part of living. But as we wait, we as Christ followers wait with the knowledge and trust that all things will work together for our good (Romans 8:28). We can choose to quieten our thoughts and renew our minds by holding on to the promises God gives us in His Word. In our waiting, He is working, and we are strengthened knowing that greater times lie ahead.

This week Wednesday 20 May, 7pm, we begin our new Online Connect Group season. Connect Groups are where you can spend time with like-minded people, whilst growing closer to Jesus. This term we are enjoying a life-giving in-sync resource “The Wholeness Course” authored by Madz Deyzel, Pastoral Counsellor and Trainer. This inspirational 8-week course lays the theological and psychological foundations of what it means to be human, and how God fits into every aspect of our lives. It is vital to stay connected to others in times of physical distancing, so if you would like to be part of a Connect Group and haven’t registered yet, you can sign up here.

While you've been adjusting to your new normal at home, we've made a few exciting updates to serve New Life KidsLife Online, on demand. Our new KidsLife program for the Zone (6-10 yr olds) speaks into the different emotions children may experience during times of social isolation. InsideOut (11-13 yr olds), our tween ministry, is learning all about living a life of worship, and the little ones in Injabulo Land (1-5 yr olds) will also enjoy their fun theme, “Fruit of the Spirit”. These age specific ministries have been designed to captivate and engage your children, leading them into a vibrant and exciting relationship with Jesus.

A big thank you to all our connect group leaders who are opening their hearts and homes online to serve us as a church.

Grace and Peace to you and your families.

It is so reassuring to us as believers and followers of Christ, that Isaiah 40:28 says, “The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary.”

The eternal God is our refuge and strength. We may get tired, but He is never tired. When we are weak, He remains strong. Whatever we may be facing, He is there to strengthen us, to uphold us and to make our way straight, to lift up the valleys and to move the mountains we face. He is the voice in the storm that says “Peace, It is I”.

Our sincere apologies for the technical issues we experienced on Sunday at the 9am service. If you missed the live-stream due to the technical issues, it will be available “on demand” on our website. We are addressing the problem, which will be resolved so that you can look forward to our next part of the current series on Sunday 17 May. See you there at 9am.

We are excited as we continue signing up for Connect Groups Online. As you may have heard, we have a brilliant group resource by Madz Deyzel, Pastoral Counsellor and Trainer, called “The Wholeness Course”. This inspirational 8-week course lays the theological and psychological foundations of what it means to be human, and how God fits into every aspect of our lives. Being in relationship with each other is vital during physical isolation. If you would like to join a Connect Group Online, please have a look at our website for more information regarding registration.

As some of us may be experiencing different emotions in Week 8 of lockdown, let’s remain calm, united and in faith as we pray for each other and our nation. Our God is a living God, a God who hears our prayers, let’s praise Him as we put our trust in Him.

Let’s pray together: Lord, we praise You today that You are a Living God who is leading us as a nation and as a church. Thank you for every Newlifer, that You are our all-sufficiency, Jesus. You are a God who promises to meet every need, physical, emotional and financial. We choose to put our trust in You. Lord we choose to praise You, no matter the storm we may be in. In Jesus Name. Amen

Over the past 6 weeks of national lockdown, whilst we are all getting used to the “new normal”, we are so encouraged to see our church being more than bricks and mortar, but “living stones”, each playing our part so that we can go on “loving Jesus, loving others as ourselves and impacting the world for Christ”. We are grateful and take comfort in the fact that almost all of us can connect with each other in different ways through the various social platforms available to us.

Psalm 133:1 says it so well, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

Great News! Term 2 of Connect Groups for 2020 will be starting online during the week of 18 to 22 May. It is vital for us to keep connected, not only on Sundays, but meeting mid-week in smaller groups both strengthens our relationship with Jesus and with each other, as life-giving friendships are cultivated. Click here for more information or email connect@newlifechurch.co.za

This coming Sunday is Mother’s Day, a special time to honour our New Life Mothers. This scripture puts it so well when we think of all the that our Moms do for us, Proverbs 31:25: "She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future." Moms are often our unsung heroes, so this is a wonderful time to bless them this Sunday as we pray for them and thank God for the part they have played in our lives.

Our current series “Possessing Your Tomorrows” is helping us to look forward to the future, just as Joshua did, as we begin to stir up our faith and journey with boldness into a future paved with the promises of God. This inspirational series is live-streamed every Sunday at 9am for all 4 New Life Churches (and available on demand for the following week). Please join us via our website or Facebook Live.

As local churches in Bryanston, Diepsloot, Cosmo City and Alexandra, we want to remain mindful of those who are truly struggling at this time and help where we can via weekly food parcel handing out (New Life partnering with Pick n Pay Douglasdale) or our Fill-a-Box initiative. A very big thank you to every New Lifer for your generosity.

Weekly lockdown greetings from Chris, Lisa and the Pastoral Team at New Life Church. We continue to pray for wisdom and help for the President and the Cabinet Ministers as they make the needed decisions in these unchartered and very challenging times.

As four New Life Church communities (Bryanston, Diepsloot, Cosmo City and Alexandra), we continue to do Church submitting to the regulations that our Government has implemented. Our weekly online Sunday Services are being viewed by many, many people locally and we have logons from all over the world. We look forward to meeting again online this Sunday (3 May) at 9am as we live-stream the service on our website and on Facebook live.

It is almost time for our 2nd Term of Connect Groups to kick off and we are going to launch our home-based Connect Groups via on-line platforms towards the middle of May! Life is better together! Our next Alpha Course is going online too. Please keep an eye on the website and weekly emails to keep updated with all the latest information regarding online Connect Group opportunities for Term 2 of 2020.

Please also be mindful of opportunities to support others whose lives have been so drastically changed as a result of the economic situation we find ourselves in:

• New Life Church "Fill-A-Box" Servolution initiative
• General ideas and food parcel collections at the Pick n Pay in Douglasdale

If both parents are trying to work from home, remember that you’re on the same team together. Try to set up a schedule that suits everyone. Some of us are taking shifts, where one parent works from 8:30am to 12:00pm, while the other cares for the kids, then switching from 12:30pm to 5:00pm. Make a plan, but leave room to be flexible.

…Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults…
EPHESIANS 4:2

Ask your children to “help” in ways that make sense for their ages. You might help them make a “Time to Work” sign for you, then explain that when you hang it on the door, that means you need to concentrate. Help them make special artwork for your workspace - especially if you’ll be in video meetings. Your kids are more likely to respect boundaries between work time and family time if they feel invested in both.

Imprint these words of mine on your hearts and minds… Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
DEUTERONOMY 11:18-19

 “Productivity” looks different right now than it did three months ago. And, most of the people you work with are likely dealing with issues very similar to yours. Be a living example of the things you hope to receive from others. Give grace to your coworkers, to your children, and to yourself. 

The Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
GALATIANS 5:22-23

As much as you can, enjoy this time you have together. It may be hard to remember right now, but just a few months ago, many of us were trying to find ways to spend more time with our kids. It’s true that our current circumstances come with real challenges. But, it’s also true that we have the power to choose how we respond. We can see them as setbacks that are causing us pain, or as opportunities to draw our families closer than ever.                                  

We are about to enter Week 5 of national Covid-19 lockdown and Lisa and I want to encourage all New Lifers to stand strong in our faith according to the words of our Lord in John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in Me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

A very encouraging report is that we have had up to 1495 devices logged on to our online Sunday Services (including online viewers from other nations - the UK, New Zealand and Slovakia!). We expect each device to represent approximately 2 adults resulting in about 3000 people watching online on Sundays. This number does not include those who watch the Sunday Service on-demand over the course of the following week nor the weekly KidsLife, InsideOut and New Life Student on-demand online material viewing.

We, as a Church staff, continue handing out food parcels to vulnerable families in all 4 of our New Life Church communities with 200 food parcels going out this week.

Here are some things we would love all to consider this week... 

1. Please continue worshipping and feeding our faith together by watching online Sunday Church services at 9am (or watching the same weekly Sunday Service on-demand until the following Saturday evening). “Possessing Your Tomorrows” is the current sermon series. Weekly KidsLife, InsideOut and New Life Students materials are available online on-demand.
    
2. Please continue praying in line with the global #UNITE714 prayer initiative we are tracking with as New Life Church. Also, please keep praying for wisdom and guidance for President Ramaphosa and all the provincial premiers as they make decisions related to Covid-19 going forward.
    
3. Please practically help others by participating in the New Life Church "Fill-A-Box" Servolution initiative which gives us an opportunity to be ready to help others in dire need as soon as current lockdown regulations are eased. Find out more by clicking here.
    
4. Please contribute to food parcel collections at the Pick n Pay in Douglasdale. New Life Church and other charities are partnering with Pick n Pay Douglasdale with daily pick-ups of what has been donated by shoppers. With immediate effect and until further notice, whatever is donated on a Wednesday is given to New Life Church to distribute to the vulnerable at this time.
    
5. Please continue reaching out to those you personally know are in lockdown on their own or you know are in lockdown under challenging circumstances. We encourage all to be mindful of our older family members and other senior citizens we personally relate to.

 New Life Church marches on and the pastoral staff remain available to gladly serve you as best we can in this difficult time of national lockdown.
 
Grace, Peace and Sovereign Protection to you and your families.

Weekly greetings from Lisa, myself and all the pastoral staff at New Life as we enter the fourth week of national lockdown.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

In challenging times, God reminds us today that He is bigger than any circumstances we may be facing, and although our current situation may bring unforeseen changes, He is the God who has gone before us and He makes a way where it seems there is no way. He is the Mountain Mover who melts the mountains before us like wax in His presence. We can surely trust our resurrected Jesus to empower, deliver and strengthen us as we lay hold of His promises.

Lockdown is new for us all and can hold challenging aspects for couples, families and individuals. There are lots of good and helpful ideas in the media about how best to navigate and utilise this time as beneficially as possible. We also respectfully encourage healthy and helpful weekly/daily routines for couples, for families and for New Lifers in lockdown on their own. Daily times for activities like devotions, work, exercise, family interaction, phone calls, meal times, rest and fun are helpful to us all. We encourage you to be prayerful and intentional about working out daily and weekly routines that serve you best in your specific setting.

Coming up soon! We are livestreaming our new series, “Possessing Your Tomorrows” from this Sunday 19 April at 9am. This timeous message will lead us through a study of the Book of Joshua. Whatever has shaped your life up to this moment has no claim on the tomorrow God has planned for you. Whatever has been problematic, intimidating or disappointing need not hamstring your future. You can decide, “Will I live in the shadow of the past? Or will I open to the possibility that the Lord has greater horizons for my life? Will my tomorrows unfold... or will they fold up?” That is the question we all face. Discover the practical pathway to victory and how to move into and possess the tomorrows God has waiting for you.

We want to help your children stay engaged in their relationship with God and excited about church. Follow KidsLife and find a variety of resources and fun things for kids to do.

New Life Students will also enjoy a unique online experience and stay connected with specific weekly Student Ministry resources on demand.

We continue to pray daily as a Church staff for all New Lifers during these times.  

Join us this Easter for an online service as we celebrate God’s love for us! John 3:16 says, “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.” Nothing can stop God’s love for you. His love is bigger than anything you’re facing today or anything that worries you about tomorrow.

We are looking forward to celebrating the hope, peace and victory of Jesus this coming Easter weekend. We will be remembering Jesus as we take communion together at our Good Friday online service at 9am, and our Easter Sunday online service at 9am. For more information on how to celebrate communion in your home with us during the Easter weekend services, click here.

On Mondays, a new weekly prayer schedule for morning and evening prayer is posted on our New Life website as we participate together with churches around the world in the UNITE714 prayer (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Our pastoral team remain available to serve you in prayer and encouragement as we continue to trust Him in these difficult times. We pray that the Spirit of the Risen Christ will fill you and your families with His resurrection power and faith.

Continued Grace and peace to you and your families.

Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But with God everything is possible.” Matthew 19:26

As things change day by day, our prayer is that you know you’re deeply loved and supported by the New Life Church family. When the world seems a little overwhelming, we know we can hold fast to the promises of God and trust Him for a miracle of healing in our nation and the nations of the world.

We are blessed to be able to pray together as a church community. 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. Every week a prayer focus will be on the website, which can be prayed daily (morning and evening), as we pray in unity with churches around the world. Let's Pray

Once again, this Sunday 5 April at 9am, we are thrilled to worship together online as we continue with our series “Worry Less: Practice Rest”. Online Service

Important change for KidsLife and New Life Students from this Sunday! Instead of streaming before and after the main service, our children will enjoy their very own online experience worshipping Jesus and download weekly KidsLife activities on demand. New Life Students will also enjoy a unique online experience and stay connected with specific weekly Student Ministry resources on demand.
KidsLife On-Demand       |       Students On-Demand

We at New Life are unstoppable at serving, so here are three fresh, new ideas to keep you serving our community during lockdown:
If you know someone who needs airtime / data you can buy some for them so that they can keep in touch with their loved ones
Phone or contact someone that you know is staying alone at home during lockdown to encourage them
Write an encouraging note/scripture and give it to the teller or petrol attendant when you next go out for essential shopping

At a time like this it is very real to feel fearful. Here are three ways to help overcome fear, anxiety and insecurity:      

1. Remind ourselves of God's everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3)
2. Bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)
3. Turn our thoughts into prayers (Philippians 4:6) 

We are so thankful to our Almighty God Who never changes. He is forever watching over us and we can trust in Him through every challenging circumstance. However, things are changing by the day with the COVID-19 pandemic, and we’re changing right along with it to help be part of the solution. Psalm 91:4 says, “His massive arms are wrapped around you, protecting you. You can run under his covering of majesty and hide. His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.”

As we all know, on Monday evening, 23 March, the President of the Republic of South Africa implemented a 21 day nation-wide lock-down from 12 midnight on Thurs 26 March, 2020. As Bible believing Christians, we obey the laws of the land as is written in 1 Peter 2:13 (Amplified Version): “Submit yourselves to [the authority of] every human institution for the sake of the Lord [to honour His name], whether it is to a king as one in a position of power...” We honour President Ramaphosa and we submit to and support the government’s swift measures put in place to best minimise the spread of the virus in our nation.

Please remember we (God’s people) are the church, not the building, so in times like these, we encourage all New Lifers to stay connected as a community of believers via the channels that are available to us.

As New Life Church, we will continue to have online Church Services every Sunday at 9am until we are permitted by government to resume social gatherings. Please also see below, our added aspects to the online Sunday experience, to continue ministering weekly to children and students.

As New Life Church pastors and staff, we are always available via telephonic contact, WhatsApp videos and Skype to serve and pray with you.

Psalm 46:1 says, God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

We pray that you would sense God’s peace in the midst of these difficult circumstances, and walk in wisdom as we serve the Lord and our community in a way that demonstrates our trust in God and our love for people. We are grateful that the Bible tells us,
“God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

New Life Church is putting a hold on Sunday Church Services, church-based groups and home-based groups, in line with President Ramaphosa’s rulings regarding public gatherings. This will apply to our 4 Church campuses in Bryanston, Cosmo City, Diepsloot and Alexandra with immediate effect.

Beginning this coming Sunday, 22 March 2020, New Life Church will be providing an online live-feed Church Service at 9am for our four congregations to continue to worship with us even though we are unable to meet in person. Ps Chris will be sharing an inspiring message to encourage us all. Join us online this weekend HERE.

At this time let us remember that the Church is so much more than a building, we can still BE the Church during these uncertain times. We can look to help those in need, call those who may be isolated, and show our community what it means to be a voice of hope.

Please know that our pastoral staff is passionate about continuing to support you in the weeks and months to come.
If you have a need or would like someone to pray with you, our pastors are available, simply call (011) 706-7565.

We will update you via email, SMS, our website, Facebook and Instagram.

We love you and are praying for you and your families’ continued safety and well-being and for all those who have been affected by this virus. We’re also praying for a cure from heaven and for our Government and medical community as they deal with the impact of this crisis.