21 Days to Make a Habit, 21 Days to Break a Habit!

Hi Newport Church Family,

We hope that you are experiencing God’s grace, favor and provision in these first days of 2022!

There is no time like the New Year to refocus, recalibrate and to reset. One of the powerful ways that we have done this as a church over the years is to set aside 21 days to pray and fast at the start of each year.

This gives us time to focus on God and to invite the Holy Spirit to speak to us about the coming year and any adjustments or changes we need to make to the priorities and patterns of our life.

We are already into the eleventh day, but it’s never too late to jump in! 

21 Days to Make a Habit, 21 Days to Break a Habit!   

Here are 5 Spiritual disciplines that we can all participate in daily. As we put each of these into practice, they will help us to establish patterns and habits that will bring new growth and health to us all.

5 is the number of grace in the Bible and we pray that God will give us all  great grace as we prioritize these spiritual disciplines and lay a strong foundation for the new year.

1)  Pray

Set a specific and amount of time to pray each day, without distractions, and make that an intentional part of your day.

Join us during our 30 minutes of prayer each day between 6.30 and 7.00am. Click on the link, to join in even if it’s only for a few minutes. It’s been a powerful and uplifting time and it’s a great way to start the day.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/737541487?pwd=VitqU1lhMVY0MklNeGZzckRRazR2UT09

You can also send us your prayer requests here:

https://newportchurch.com/21-days-of-prayer-fasting

2)  Fast

Choose a fast that is an “appetite-denying discipline to better focus on God” and keep yourself accountable for 21 days.

3)  Read your Bible

Set aside time each day to read your Bible and pray that God will speak to you through His Word.

4)  Worship

Be part of our weekend services, whether its online or in person

5)  Give

Honor God through your giving, trusting that He will honor His promises to open the windows of heaven and multiply the seed we sow. Our giving enables us to continue to be a storehouse for our community and beyond, and releases God’s supernatural provision for our lives.

If you would like to make regular giving or tithing a pattern of your life you can click here and set up a recurring giving cycle, or a onetime gift. 

Let’s believe that as we practice these five spiritual disciplines, not just for the 21 days but for the whole year, God will do extraordinary things in and through us all!

What is your Word for 2022?

Every year we encourage our church to ask God for a Word for the year, and once again we encourage you to find your word for 2022.

If you were to choose a Word for 2022 what would it be?

Pastor Di and I have not only been praying about a word for our year personally but also for a word for our church.

Last year our word as a church was “PRESENCE,” and this year we will be sharing the word for 2022 during Vision Sunday on January 30th.

When prevailing circumstances try to dictate that we live by default, God declares that we should live by the design and declaration of His Word which is more powerful than any circumstance.

As you find your God inspired Word for 2022, we encourage you to declare it and ask God to breathe on it supernaturally bringing it to life, just as God did to the valley of dry bones that Ezekiel prophesied to.

Let’s never forget, our Declaration determines our Destination!

We look forward to seeing you in church this Sunday at 10 am or online.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Fresh Footprints in the Snow

Hi Newport Church Family,

We hope you are having a Happy and blessed New Year so far!

Fresh Footprints in the Snow

I have always loved the new year because each new year gives us an opportunity to reset, re-establish healthy habits and to begin again with fresh vision.

I remember as a boy looking out of the window, on the few occasions that we had a significant snow fall, captured by the beauty of a fresh blanket of snow covering the landscape, unmarked as yet by any footprints or activity.

It was always a special moment when we would go outside and make the first footprints in the freshly fallen snow. 

The New Year reminds me of those moments, when we have the opportunity to create our first footprints of hope and faith.

We pray, as we reset with refreshed kingdom patterns at the start of this year, that we will all see God’s design and hand at work in every area of our lives and church.

21 Days of Prayer and Fasting – January 4th to 25th

One of the great ways to set the tone for our year is through our annual 21 days of Prayer and Fasting.

Jesus said that fasting is "an appetite-denying discipline to better focus on God" Matt 6:14 Message 

Whatever fast you choose, we pray that it will be a spiritually renewing and empowering time for you personally and for us as a church corporately.

We are meeting together for a 30 minute Zoom Prayer meeting from 6.30am to 7am on every one of the 21 days and we would love to have you join us, even if it’s for a part of that time. You have the option of course to jump in and out of the prayer meeting and to mute or turn the video off if you are getting ready for work!

Here is the zoom link to our daily prayer meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/737541487?pwd=VitqU1lhMVY0MklNeGZzckRRazR2UT09

And you can also send us your prayer requests here:

https://newportchurch.com/21-days-of-prayer-fasting

Let’s never forget that God says, “The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.” James 5:16

As we seek God together at the start of 2022 we pray that God will crown our year with His goodness!

Taking the Next Step

The new year is a time when we can all take new steps of faith as we grow in our walk with God.

Let’s make a decision that we are not going to be static but dynamic in our approach to this year, and take our next step of faith, whether it’s in our worship, our serving or the giving our gifts and finances.

There is no better time than now to make the choices and decisions that will create a platform from which we can embark on our year.

Miracles in our Finances

There is no doubt that we would all like to see God work miraculously in our finances this year! The truth is that God is not only willing but able to do so.

God outlines very clearly in His word how we can experience His supernatural provision and multiplication.

 God says:

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

Malachi 3:10 NIV

 Paul writes to the Corinthian church that God gives seed to those who sow, and promises that He Himself will multiply the seed we sow.

 This year let’s believe for financial miracles in our lives and in our church.

 If you have never put God to the test by taking Him up on His challenge to tithe, the beginning of the year is a great time to do so.

 God not only allows us to put him to the test but He challenges us to do so!

 Click on this link to take a look at our “Give God 90 Days” Card, and test God now to see how He will open the windows of heaven for you! 

For those who have already established God’s pattern of tithing, we can continue to take new steps of faith through the giving of our offerings over and above our regular tithes.

 Jesus communicated that our generosity is the key to financial miracles, with  this declaration: 

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Luke 6:38 NLT

A big thank you to all of those who have been faithfully giving. God promises that as we partner with Him, bringing His love and salvation to our world, He will faithfully reward each one of us according to our faithfulness and generosity.

If you would like to give now, you can do so by clicking here.

May God multiply the seed you sow according to His promise!

This Sunday!

 We can’t wait to see you this Sunday, either in person or online. It’s going to be a great morning and it won’t be the same without you!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

The Greatest Gift Of All!

Hi Newport Church Family,

Wishing you a Merry & Blessed Christmas!

We want to wish you all a very blessed Christmas filled with Love, Joy, Peace and Hope.

700 years before the birth of Christ, the prophet Isaiah penned these words about the Advent of Christ.

For unto us a Child is born,
Unto us a Son is given;
And the government will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of His government and peace
There will be no end

Isaiah 9:6-7 NKJV

We pray that you will know the power and reality of these timeless words in the coming days, as you celebrate Christmas with your family and friends.

We want to thank each one of you for the unique part that you have played in this year of rebuilding as we emerge out of an unprecedented season.

We hope you can join us for our Christmas Eve at Home Online Premier Tomorrow at 6pm. The service will be 35 minutes long and we will be gathering online with our families at home, as we celebrate the birth of Jesus together.

Here is the link to the service, which we would love for you to share with your family and friends  https://youtu.be/EvY1Bdggef8

We will not be meeting in person at church this Sunday 26th, as previously announced.

We pray that you will enjoy the time with your family and gather with us the following week, refreshed with open and expectant hearts for all that God has in store for us in 2022.  

The Greatest Gift of All

Christmas is a time when we exchange gifts because we remember the Advent of Jesus, the greatest gift of all!

As a church we can only be a gift to our community because of your generosity, and we want to thank you for the gift that you are and the gift of your giving. You are making a difference!

As we approach the last week of the year, our prayer is that we will enter 2022 from a position of strength as a result of our collective generosity.

For those who would still like to contribute to our Thanksgiving Offering or who would like to give your regular donations or tithe, you can do so by clicking here.

May God multiply the seed you sow according to His promise!

Once again we wish you a Merry and Blessed Christmas!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Mystery of the Advent of Christ

Hi Newport Church Family,

We pray that you are experiencing an abundant measure of God’s presence and grace during this Christmas season.

The Mystery of the Advent of Christ

It’s hard to believe that we are only 7 days away from Christmas!

As we make preparations for Christmas with family and friends, amidst all of the business, celebrations and unremitting challenges of life let’s open our hearts anew to receive a fresh measure of hope, love, joy and peace.

The focus of Advent, the anticipation of Christ’s arrival, is not only on the past, but also on the present and the future.

·      The Past – As we remember the wonder, mystery and glory of the birth of Christ.

·      The Future – As we anticipate the return of Christ in majesty, splendor and power.

·      The Present – As we welcome Jesus into our hearts, the place where He longs to live and rule.

Paul wrote about the mystery of the Advent, past present and future to his son in the faith Timothy.

Without question, this is the great mystery of our faith Christ was revealed in a human body
and vindicated by the Spirit.
He was seen by angels
and announced to the nations.
He was believed in throughout the world
and taken to heaven in glory.

1 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

One of the great mysteries of the Advent is not only the birth of Jesus, but that Christ Himself can dwell in our hearts by faith.

I pray that Christ may live in your hearts by faith.

Eph 3:17 NLV

Let’s take time in this season to ponder the mystery of Jesus’ birth, anticipate the wonder of His second coming, but above all to welcome Him into our hearts so that Christ can live in our hearts by faith.

 As we do this, God promises to fill our hearts with His presence so that we can know:

·      HOPE in the midst of Hopelessness

·      LOVE in the midst of Conflict

·      JOY in the midst of Hardship

·      PEACE in the midst of Turmoil

And because of this, we will be able to bring that same HOPE, LOVE, JOY, and PEACE to our world.

May the Advent of Christ make each one of us a hub of hope and faith this Christmas!

Christmas Eve at Home Online Premier –Friday 24th December 6pm

This year our Christmas eve service will be online premiering at 6pm, and we would love for you to join us with your family in your homes.

 We will have the opportunity to gather, connect and interact live on our Newport Church YouTube channel!

Let’s do all that we can to make room in our schedules for 35 minutes so that we can celebrate this moment together.

Here is the link to the service, which we would love for you to share with your family and friends  https://youtu.be/EvY1Bdggef8

Sunday December 26th 10am Service

Our Sunday service will be at our usual time and we will also be livestreaming for those who will unable to join us in person.

Let’s finish the year strong and set the stage for 2021 with hearts full of faith and expectation!

The Greatest Gift of All

Christmas is a time when we exchange gifts because we remember the Advent of Jesus who is the greatest gift of all!

 As a church we can only be a gift to our community because of your generosity, and we want to thank you for the gift that you are and the gift of your giving. You are making a difference!

As we approach the last week of the year, our prayer is that we will enter 2021 from a position of strength as a result of our collective generosity.

For those who would still like to contribute to our Thanksgiving Offering or who would like to give your regular donations or tithe, you can do so by clicking here.

May God multiply the seed you sow according to His promise!

This Sunday!

 We can’t wait to see you this Sunday, either in person or online. It’s going to be a great morning and it won’t be the same without you!

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

My Christmas Wish

Hi Newport Church Family,

We hope that you are experiencing God’s love, peace and joy in this Christmas Season.

You’re Invited! Church Christmas Party this Tuesday Dec 7th 6.30pm

The month leading up to Christmas is filled with many gatherings, celebrations and parties, and one of the highlights for us as a church community is our all Church Christmas Party and Cheers for Volunteers.

Next Tuesday evening we will be taking time to celebrate the Christmas season together and to acknowledge and honor all those who have contributed to the life of our church over the last year.

We will have food, refreshments and special awards and would love to have you join us for a great evening, which will not be the same without you!

There is no need to RSVP, just come as you are.

My Christmas Wish – Next Saturday December 11th 9am 

Next Saturday we will be hosting “My Christmas Wish” in Santa Ana starting at 9am.

Last year due to COVID restrictions we hosted the event at our church and gave out over 400 toys, more than 10,00 pounds of food to over 175 families helping more than 750 people!

All of this was only possible because of your participation and contribution to what has been a Christmas highlight to the community, for over 14 years!

We would love to have you join us and you can volunteer to be a part of this great day by clicking here.

You can also make a financial donation towards the cost of the event by contributing to our Thanksgiving offering or designating your gift to “My Christmas Wish.”

This year we will also be celebrating Christmas with the community with a time of singing and sharing a Christmas message of faith and hope.

Please pray with us that people will accept Christ as their Savior, and be uplifted by our demonstration of God’s love and grace through all that we do as we serve the community in the true spirit of Christmas.

 Thanksgiving Offering

A big thank you to all who contributed to our Thanksgiving Offering. 

We will be continuing to share how your generosity is making a significant difference, in special updates in our services leading up to Christmas.

If you were not able to contribute to our Thanksgiving Offering yet, you can still do so either in one of our services or by clicking here.

We greatly appreciate all that you do to make our vision, to be a hub of hope and faith, a reality. 

Christmas Services 

This year Christmas falls on a Saturday and on Friday evening at 6pm we will be screening a Special “Christmas Eve at Home” Service on Newport Church YouTube.

Our team are already hard at work preparing what will be a great service, which we can all watch together with our families at home.

Please mark your calendars for what will be a special time of celebrating Christmas together and as much as possible. Let’s try to watch the service live, as we will have the opportunity to interact with each other with Christmas greetings and messages of encouragement.

Our Sunday Service on 26th December will be in person at Church, as well as being live streamed at 10am.

We look forward to a great month together, celebrating the Advent of Christ and the hope, love, joy and peace He brings to our lives and world.

See you in person or online in our 10am service tomorrow!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Advent Begins Tomorrow!

Hi Newport Church Family,

We hope you had a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving with your family and friends!

Thankful for You!

As we reflect on all that we are thankful for, we are so thankful to God for each one of you and for all the life that you bring to our church and community.

Each one of us is an expression of God’s creativity and desire to fill the earth with an embodiment of who He is, bringing His life to our world.

David had a revelation of this and wrote about it in the Psalms:

I will offer You my grateful heart, for I am Your unique creation, filled with wonder and awe. You have approached even the smallest details with excellence; Your works are wonderful; I carry this knowledge deep within my soul.

Psalm 139:14 VOICE

As our focus moves from Thanksgiving to Christmas let’s carry this knowledge deep in our soul, as we express our gratitude to each other for the richness of our relationships and the unique contribution we can all make in seeing God’s kingdom come and will be done on earth as in heaven!

52 Day Challenge Completed!

So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun.

Nehemiah 6:15 NLT

 So on October 2 the wall was finished—just fifty-two days after we had begun. Nehemiah 6:15 NLT

Our 52 Day challenge, Rebuilding Spirit, Soul and Body concluded very fittingly on the day of Thanksgiving with thanksgiving!

Congratulations to all those who participated and completed what we pray was a significant time of rebuilding any structures that may have been damaged or broken down over this last season.

Remember we were not seeking perfection but to reestablish and create new structure and patterns that will fortify us, our families and our church as we continue to build God’s Kingdom.

Let’s not stop at 52 days, but let’s keep applying those same principles and disciplines that will help us to continue building every area of our lives and church for the glory of God!

Advent Begins Tomorrow!

 Advent is the season when we as the church remember the expectation and anticipation of God’s people waiting for a Savior, and it’s a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of Christmas, as well as the return of Christ at the Second Coming.

The word Advent is derived from the Latin word “Adventus” meaning “arrival” or “coming” and it’s Greek equivalent, with the same meaning, is “Parousia,” which is the word used in the Bible for the Second Coming of Christ.

Advent is a spiritual journey that Christians take, through the truths of Scripture that point to the birth of Messiah, reaffirming that, Jesus has come, He is present in the world today and that He will come again in glory!

The tradition of Advent mirrors the journey of faith that we make as followers of Christ.

It mirrors our journey from the first moment of realization and acceptance of who Jesus is, to taking our first steps of faith, walking the road of faith with increasing understanding, while always looking forward to our destination, which is to be in His presence forever!

The four Sundays of Advent, prior to Christmas, focus on the themes of Hope, Love, Joy and Peace.

Our prayer is that you will know each one of these aspects of Advent in your heart, home and world as we journey together.

May we bring hope, love, joy and peace to our world this Advent, as we share our own unique story of the eternal difference Jesus has made to each one of us through His birth and life.

Thanksgiving Offering

A big thank you to all those who contributed to our Thanksgiving Offering last weekend. We are so thankful for your continued generosity and partnership in our vision to make a difference in our world.

If you haven’t had an opportunity to give your offering yet you can still do so either in church this weekend, online or by clicking here.

If you did not see the video we screened last Sunday, highlighting the areas where your giving has made such a difference, you can watch it now by clicking this link.

We hope you will be inspired by what we have been able to do together in a difficult season.

Let’s never forget the sacrifices that previous generations have made so that we could hear about and know the love of Jesus. They paved the way and carried the torch for us, now it’s our turn to do the same for the next generations.

Each one of us is a part of the continuum of generations that have given sacrificially over thousands of years to see God’s Kingdom come to a broken and hurting world.

Let’s do our part and leave a legacy for the next generation, by building a strong healthy church that is a hub of hope to our community and beyond!

This Sunday!

We can’t wait to see you this Sunday either in person or online. It’s going to be a great morning and it won’t be the same without you!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Rebuilding with Future Generations in Mind

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are doing well in spirit, soul and body!

Day 40 of 52 Days of Rebuilding!

Welcome to day 40 of our 52 days of rebuilding! We pray that these have been days filled with favor and progress as we rebuild together spirit, soul and body.

Rebuilding with Future Generations in Mind

Nehemiah rebuilt the walls with future generations in mind. He had a vision not only for his own day but of a time when future generations would find refuge within the walls of the city.

He looked beyond himself and his own his comfort and safety to the welfare of others. He wanted to leave a legacy, to make a difference not just for his generation but for the generations to come.

One day, Jesus would walk through the gates that they had rehung. The walls that they rebuilt would be walls that would encircle the city where Jesus was to come as Savior of the world!

As we rebuild, let’s remember that we are not only rebuilding for our day and generation but also for the generations to come. We are leaving a legacy and building a church where future generations will walk through the doors and their lives will be forever changed as they encounter Jesus.

Thanksgiving Offering – Sunday 21st November

 Next Sunday we will all have the opportunity to bring our Thanksgiving Offering to God’s house, which will be provision for our God-given vison to be a storehouse for the generations.

Each week, in our upcoming services, we will be sharing some of the key areas where your giving is making a difference, enabling us to be a hub of hope and faith to our city and beyond.

Every year as we give our Thanksgiving Offering, we do so out of a spirit of gratitude and thankfulness. We are so thankful for all that God has done, for the sacrificial death of Jesus and for all that previous generations have sacrificed for us.

Please pray with us about the part that you can play, remembering that we are making an eternal investment, as well as an investment here on earth that will live on long after our time.

This special offering is over and above our normal giving, and we know that as each one of us gives sacrificially our giving will not only bring life to many but God will also multiply the seed that we sow supernaturally.

But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 2 Cor 9:6-8 NKJV

Remember it’s not equal giving but equal sacrifice, and as Jesus reminds us, what we give we will keep forever!

Let’s leave a legacy for future generations as others have done for us, and make a way for them through our generosity to find and know Jesus, the gateway to Heaven and Refuge for all.

Thank you! 

Thank you for your faithful giving, without it we would not be able to make the difference that we do, in so many lives, every week.

Last week we showed an inspiring testimony in our service about giving and God’s faithfulness. If you did not see it or would like to see it again you can do so now by clicking here!

If you would like to give your regular donation, tithes or offering now, you can do so here.

Kingdom Builders Breakfast – Saturday November 20th

We are very much looking forward to our Kingdom Builders Breakfast next Saturday. It will be an inspiring and faith building time together. If you are a Kingdom Builder please RSVP to Michael and Polly Ellmann or if you would like to find out more you can do so by emailing them at: more@newportchurch.com

This Sunday 10am - Service Number 6 of 7 in 52 Days of Rebuilding! 

We look forward to you joining us either in person or online this Sunday at 10am. Remember that a central part of our 52 Day challenge is to be in our service for the 7 weekends.

It’s going to be a great morning and we look forward to seeing you then.

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Day 33 of 52 Days of Rebuilding!

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are doing well in spirit, soul and body!

Day 33 of 52 Days of Rebuilding!

Welcome to day 33 of our 52 days of rebuilding! We pray that these have been days filled with progress as we rebuild any area and structure in our lives that are in need of attention and repair.

On our first Tuesday meeting I shared some observations of what took place when Nehemiah reached the half way mark of building, and how these events are highly significant in their application to us at his stage of our 52 day initiative.

Here they are in summary:

The builders had made great progress because they had a mind and a will to build.

So we built the wall, and the entire wall was joined together up to half its height, for the people had a mind to work. Nehemiah 4:6

When we have a mind to work we will make progress…

Let’s have a mind to rebuild, to gather, to connect, to build community, to leave a legacy and to be a part of the greatest cause of all!

When they reached halfway three significant things happened:

1)  They were Openly Attacked by their Enemies

 Now it happened, when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites, and the Ashdodites heard that the walls of Jerusalem were being restored and the gaps were beginning to be closed, that they became very angry, and all of them conspired together to come and attack Jerusalem and create confusion. Nehemiah 4:7-8

2)  They were Overwhelmed and Discouraged by the Quantity of Rubble

 Then Judah said, “The strength of the laborers is failing, and there is so much rubbish that we are not able to build the wall.” Nehemiah 4:10 NKJV

3)  They were Intimidated by Discouraging Reports they Kept Hearing

 And all this time our enemies were saying, “They won’t know what hit them. Before they know it we’ll be at their throats, killing them right and left. That will put a stop to the work!” The Jews who were their neighbors kept reporting, “They have us surrounded; they’re going to attack!” If we heard it once, we heard it ten times. Nehemiah 4:12 MSG                                                                                    

Nehemiah and the builders responded in three significant ways:

1)  They Prayed 

Nevertheless we made our prayer to our God. Nehemiah 4:9 NKJV

Nehemiah was a man of constant prayer as can be seen in the fourteen recorded prayers in the short book of Nehemiah. 

2)   They Stayed in Position and Fought while they Built

Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows. Nehemiah 4:13 NKJV

3)  They Responded to the Financial need of the Community

I also devoted myself to working on the wall and refused to acquire any land. And I required all my servants to spend time working on the wall. I asked for nothing, even though I regularly fed 150 Jewish officials at my table, besides all the visitors from other lands.  Nehemiah 5:16-17

Nehemiah led the way by giving his time, talent and treasure.

And he believed that God would bless him for his personal sacrifice.

Remember, O my God, all that I have done for these people, and bless me for it. Nehemiah 5:19

As we build let’s remember that the enemy is deeply disturbed by what we are doing and he will attack us, try to discourage us, create confusion amongst us and intimidate us.

However, despite all of his attempts we can respond in faith as Nehemiah did knowing that we are building with God on our side!

So like Nehemiah let’s pray, stay in position and fight while we build and meet the needs of our community by building a house of refuge, hope and faith!

Thanksgiving Offering – Sunday 21st November

 Every year we give a special Thanksgiving Offering on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.

 This offering is one that we give as a church, over and above our normal giving, and is an opportunity to express our thankfulness to God for all that He has done in our lives.

 It also gives us an opportunity to make an eternal investment into the church that Jesus established through His sacrificial death, and for us to be benefactors to the next generation by leaving a legacy through our giving.

 Jesus reminded us that this is one investment that will never be affected by the economy or any other natural factors. 

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV 

Jesus is saying that what we give we will keep forever!

 Let’s leave a legacy for future generations as others have done for us, and let’s make a way for them through our generosity to find and know Jesus, the gateway to Heaven.

Thank you!

Thank you for your faithful giving, without it we would not be able to make the difference that we do, in so many lives, every week.

 If you would like to give your regular donation, tithes or offering now, you can do so by Clicking Here

This Sunday 10am - Service Number 5 of 7 in 52 Days of Rebuilding!

 We look forward to you joining us either in person or online this Sunday at 10am. Remember that a central part of our 52 Day challenge is to be in our service for the 7 weekends. 

It’s going to be a great morning and we look forward to seeing you then.

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

52 Days - Natural Principles, Spiritual Truths

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are doing well in spirit, soul and body!

Day 26 of 52 Days of Rebuilding!

 We are exactly half way through our 52 Days of rebuilding!

We hope that these last 25 days have been helpful in putting into place some simple but significant steps in reestablishing structure and authority in any area of our lives, spirit, soul and body, that need attention, repair or rebuilding.

Already, so many have shared great reports of being encouraged, inspired and helped through these simple steps:

·      Read God’s Word for 15 minutes

·      Be in God’s Presence in Prayer for 15 minutes

·      Attend Church each of the 7 Sundays (either in person or online)

·      Pick a Diet of your Choice, drink plenty of water and stick to it!

·      Exercise 20 minutes each day

It’s not too late for anyone to start, we still have 26 days to go and a lot can be built and achieved in that time.

Remember not to be discouraged or give up if you miss a day in any of these areas, our purpose is to reestablish healthy structure and routine in our lives rather than to have a perfect record!

52 Days - Daily Inspirational Posts

Don’t forget to check out the daily posts on our social media and website platforms. Jake and Raquel Damron have been doing an awesome job with inspiring daily updates and short readings from the book of Nehemiah.

When you look at them, please take a moment to like the post or comment, we would love to see and hear your response and contribution.

Also let’s remember that these posts are not only a great encouragement to us personally but also an opportunity to share what we are doing with others in our world.

Using Natural Principles to Communicate Spiritual Truths

So many keys to unlocking spiritual truth are found in principles from our natural world. This is why Jesus so often used natural principles to communicate spiritual truths in parables.

The definition of a parable is, “a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson”, and Jesus was the Master of capturing people’s attention with a story that conveyed a powerful spiritual truth.

The story of Nehemiah rebuilding the city walls of Jerusalem after 140 years of being broken down is a powerful image of a spiritual truth that is highly relevant to the season and day that we are in.

Recently I talked to one of my unchurched sisters in England about the story of Nehemiah, and the way that it illustrates the importance of reestablishing structure, spirit, soul and body. She responded by saying that she thought the story was very relevant to what is happening now all over the world.

When I told her about the 5 building blocks for rebuilding structure in our lives, she immediately said, “I’m going to start to do that myself!” and then added, “of course, you know that I’m not going to read the Bible for 15 minutes every day!”

When I asked her, “Why not?” there was silence for a few moments on the other end of the phone and she replied, ”I don’t know why not!” to which I replied, “well why don’t you try for the rest of the 52 days?” and she answered, “Ok I will!”

What happened in this conversation was that a natural principle made way for a spiritual conversation to take place.

We have an awesome opportunity during these 52 Days to engage our family and friends in a spiritual conversation that begins with the need to bring structure into a natural area of our lives.

Let’s make the most of this opportunity and stay engaged in that conversation with the people in our world, to whom we can be a source of hope and spiritual life.

Conversations Over Coffee

This week we posted Episode 2 of our “Conversations over Coffee.” In this episode William Itzen and I have a conversation about 52 Days of Rebuilding. Our purpose is to have organic, authentic and purposeful conversations that are thought provoking and will inspire other conversations that we can have with family and friends.

If you didn’t get to listen to it on Spotify or watch it on YouTube you can do so by clicking on these links: YOUTUBE or SPOTIFY

Our hope is that these podcasts will be an opportunity for you to be part of the conversation and to share it with others to stimulate thought provoking, purposeful and God centric conversations.

Please let us know the response, we would love to hear!

First Tuesday – This Tuesday November 2nd 7pm

This Tuesday all of our church, leaders, teams, volunteers, and life groups will be gathering for a time of connection, building community and stirring up or faith as we work together in the greatest cause of all.

Please mark your calendars and get the word out, as this is an important evening and we have some significant things that we would like to share with our church family.

Thanksgiving Offering – Sunday 21st November

Every year we give a special Thanksgiving Offering on the Sunday before thanksgiving.

This offering is one that we give as a church, over and above our normal giving, and is an opportunity to express our thankfulness to God for all that He has done in our lives.

It also gives us an opportunity to make an eternal investment into the church that Jesus established through His sacrificial death, and for us to be benefactors to the next generation by leaving a legacy through our giving.

Jesus reminded us that this is one investment that will never be affected by the economy or any other natural factors. 

Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:19-21 NKJV 

Jesus is saying that what we give we will keep forever!

Let’s leave a legacy for future generations as others have done for us, and let’s make a way for them through our generosity to find and know Jesus, the gateway to Heaven.

Thank you!

Thank you for your faithful giving, without it we would not be able to make the difference that we do, in so many lives, every week .

If you would like to give your regular donation, tithes or offering now, you can do by clicking here.

This Sunday 10am- Service Number 4 of 7 in 52 Days of Rebuilding!

We look forward to you joining us either in person or online this Sunday at 10am. Remember part of our 52 Day challenge is to be in our service for the 7 weekends!

It’s going to be a great morning and we look forward to seeing you then.

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

52 Days of Rebuilding

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are doing well in spirit, soul and body!

Day 19 of 52 Days of Rebuilding!

Welcome to day 19 of our 52 days of rebuilding! We hope that this initiative leading up to Thanksgiving has been both inspiring and significant for each one of you.

We have had so many great reports, from people within our church as well as from other parts of the country and the world, who have been both inspired and blessed by these 52 Days of Rebuilding.  

Our goal is to focus on rebuilding any structure that may need repair or restructuring in our lives, spirit, soul and body. If you have not already joined us, you, your family and friends can do so at any time.

Check out our social media and website for daily inspirational thoughts and scripture passages from the book of Nehemiah, so that you can journey with us as we rebuild together. 

52 Day Challenge

Here are 5 things that we are doing together every day to reestablish structure in our lives, spirit, soul and body.

·      Read God’s Word for 15 minutes

·      Be in God’s Presence in Prayer for 15 minutes

·      Attend Church each of the 7 Sundays (either in person or online)

·      Pick a Diet of your Choice, drink plenty of water and stick to it!

·      Exercise 20 minutes each day

Don’t give up if you miss a day in any of these areas, our purpose is to reestablish healthy structure and routine in our lives rather than to have a perfect record!

Nehemiah and his team of builders were able to rebuild 2.49 miles of wall, 40 ft high and 8ft thick along with 10 city gates, in only 52 days because they kept at the work every day, despite any distraction or opposition the enemy brought against them.

Nehemiah Gives us a Pattern for Rebuilding

Over these 52 days we are studying the pattern and model for rebuilding any structure, whether spiritual or natural that Nehemiah gives us.

Here are 7 things that Nehemiah did, that we can do also:

1)   He was moved with compassion when he heard about the ruined walls and gates of Jerusalem

2)   He prayed for his city that was in distress and ruin

3)   He asked God to help him succeed in his mission

4)   He asked God for favor with those in authority over his life

5)   He inspected the damaged walls and gates from every angle at night when he had no distractions

6)   He gave a call to action, to engage everyone in helping him build

7)   Nehemiah and all who responded said, “let us rise up and build,” and they set their hands to begin the work

We pray that just as Nehemiah and those who built with him were able to complete this remarkable achievement in 52 days, we will also be able to make significant progress as we build individually and corporately as a church community.

Let’s rise up and build and may God grant us favor and success!

The Builders received a Share and Claim in the City’s Welfare

Those who rebuilt the city walls and gates received a spiritual and natural share in the prosperity and blessing of the city.

Those who did not build did not receive any claim in the prosperity of the city.

This is what Nehemiah said:

“The God of heaven will help us succeed. We, his servants, will start rebuilding this wall. But you have no share, legal right, or historic claim in Jerusalem.” Nehemiah 2:20 NLT

As we build let’s remember:

·      God sees every individual

·      God sees every deed done in His service

·      The name of everyone who partnered in the rebuilding was recorded in the Bible and in heaven

·      Every one who rebuilt received both an earthly and heavenly reward. 

·      The builders left a legacy, that lived on beyond their day, from generation to generation

Let’s never forget that God sees us, our service, our sacrifice, and everything that we do. God will not only reward us both here on earth and in heaven but every good deed we do is recorded in His book of remembrance.

Those who had respect for the Lord talked with one another. And the Lord heard them. A list of people and what they did was written in a book in front of him. It included the names of those who respected the Lord and honored him.

Malachi 3:16 NIRV

Anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.

Matthew 19:29 MSG

Thank you for your Generosity

Once again a big thank you to all who are partnering with us. Your generosity is making a difference in our community and beyond and without your partnership this would not be possible. Let’s continue to be a hub of hope and faith and a storehouse that meets the natural and spiritual needs of our community.

If you would like to join one of our teams or would like more information on how you can serve in any capacity please click on his link more@newportchurch.com.

And if you would like to contribute through either a donation, tithe or offering you can do so by clicking here.

Never forget that we can be the difference we want to see in our world!

We look forward to seeing you this Sunday either in person or online, it’s going to be a great day as we worship together and continue with our 52 Days of Rebuilding!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Rebuild, Repair and Restore

Hi Newport Church Family,

We pray that you are doing well and are continuing to know God’s grace and favor in every area of your life.

Rebuild, Repair and Restore

Last Sunday I spoke on “Rebuilding the Broken Walls” and principles of rebuilding that we find in the book Nehemiah.

One of the key texts on this subject is what God said through the prophet Isaiah:

“Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” Isaiah 58:12 NIV

The city of Jerusalem had been destroyed by the Babylonians, the walls had been broken down and the city gates had been burned by fire.

But God said, “whatever has been destroyed, you will rebuild, whatever has been broken, you will repair and whatever has been lost you will restore!”

We, the people of God, not only can but will be used by God  to “Rebuild, Repair and Restore” whatever walls have been broken down and whatever gates have been destroyed in any area of our lives or our world.

In the Bible, walls signify structure and protection, and gates speak of authority.

When so much has been damaged, dismantled or destroyed over the last eighteen months, God promises that whatever structures have been broken down, whatever authority has been lost, God’s people will be the ones to rebuild, repair and restore.

 “You’ll be known as those who can fix anything, restore old ruins, rebuild and renovate, make the community livable again” Isaiah 58:12 Message

52 Days to Thanksgiving!

On Tuesday it will be only 52 days to Thanksgiving!

This Sunday we will be sharing an exciting strategy for the next 52 days and how we can “Rebuild” any walls or gates in our lives that have been in any way damaged, dismantled or destroyed.

Whether it’s our spiritual life, our mental or physical health, we all have areas that like walls over time need rebuilding, repairing or restoring.

We would love to have you join us this Sunday in person and online for our 10am service and over the next 7 Sundays and 52 days as we Rebuild together!

First Tuesday October 5th 7pm    

On the first Tuesday of every month we gather as a church for a midweek meeting to connect, inspire, and encourage and one another.

Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

This is a great opportunity for us to sharpen one another and to develop our relationships and gifts in a setting outside of Sunday services.

We will be sharing some more details and insights into our 52 days of Rebuilding and if you would like to join a small group, a team or learn more about the vision and culture of our church, this is a great time and place to do that.

No need to RSVP or register, just come on the night, we would love to see you there!

Thank you for your Generosity

Once again a big thank you for your faithful giving of donations, tithes and offerings. Your generosity continues to enable us to be a Storehouse bringing hope and faith to our community.

Let’s keep reminding God of His promises to open the windows of heaven and multiply the seed that we sow. God is faithful and He will honor His word as we partner with Him through our giving, so that we can see His Kingdom come and His will be done on earth as in heaven.

Can’t wait to see you tomorrow and believing with you for God to do great things in and through us all over these next 52 days.

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

God is Faithful and a Rewarder of Faithfulness…

Hi Newport Church Family,

We hope that you are experiencing Gods faithfulness and presence in this season.

God is Faithful and a Rewarder of Faithfulness…

It’s hard to believe that we are already into the fall season and about to enter the last three months of the year!

A new season of the year gives us an opportunity to reflect on God’s faithfulness in the midst of changing seasons.  

Every morning the sun rises and every evening the sun sets without fail. Every year spring follows winter, summer follows spring, fall follows summer, and all of this because of God’s faithfulness.

God promised Noah at the beginning of a new season for humankind after the flood:

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22 NKJV

God is faithful and as Jesus’ brother James wrote, in God “there is no variation or shadow of turning.” James 1:17

Paul wrote, “God is faithful [He is reliable, trustworthy and ever true to His promise—He can be depended on]” 1 Cor 1:9 Amp

Whatever is happening in our lives, whatever is going on around us, we can know and experience God’s faithfulness. Just as surely as the sun rises every morning, and summer follows spring, so God is ever present to meet each one of us at our point of need.

Jesus said, “Ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.“

As we ask God to fulfil His promises in every area of our lives and church in this coming fall season, let’s take time to thank God for His faithfulness, confident that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him!

God Rewards Faithfulness 

It’s so easy in life to look at what others are doing and to compare ourselves with them; but what God asks of us is to be faithful with what He has entrusted to us, not what He has entrusted to others.

In the parable of the talents Jesus revealed that the reward of the Master was not based on how many talents they had, but on their faithfulness with what they had been given.

Comparison is the thief of joy, and will always rob us of any sense of God given fulfillment that comes from being faithful stewards of what He has entrusted to us.

Let’s never forget, God is a rewarder of faithfulness!

In a season when many in the church across the world have lost their bearings, even lost their way, let’s determine that we are going to be faithful stewards of what God has entrusted to us.

However insignificant our presence or contribution may seem to us, our presence and contribution matters! Whether it’s our time, our gifts or our finance, we make a difference, and our faithfulness will be rewarded by God.

As we are faithful with what God has given to us, may each one of us hear these words as we stand before the Master:

“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” Matt 25:23 NKJV

Thank you for your Generosity

 Last Saturday we were able to host a Marriage Seminar in our building, providing hope and practical tools for many married couples, the majority of whom do not attend our church.

With over 72% of marriages in Orange County ending in divorce, the highest percentage in the nation, we were able to be a hub of hope and faith for all who attended.

This would not have been possible without your generosity and faithfulness in giving your donations, tithes and offerings, so a big thank you to you all for your faithfulness!

Let’s continue to keep growing as a storehouse that can feed our community and beyond with spiritual and natural sustenance.

See you Tomorrow at 10am!

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow in our 10am service either in person or online. It’s going to be a great morning and it won’t be the same with you!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Keys to Spiritual Vitality and Favor

Hi Newport Church Family,

We pray that you are experiencing Gods, grace, favor and provision.

Keys to Spiritual Vitality and Favor

When I visited Italy three years ago I noticed the letters “O P A” engraved into the stone walls of the basilicas and churches. The letter “P” had a horizontal line on the lower part of it’s vertical stem, which had the effect of combining the letter “P” with an upside down cross.  

As I pondered the meaning of this symbol, it occurred to me that the “P”  must have represented Peter, who had confessed that Jesus was the Christ, and to whom Jesus said “on this rock I will build My church.” I surmised that it was upside down because when Peter was executed for his faith, he asked to be crucified upside down, not deeming himself worthy to be crucified in the same way as Jesus, and I discovered that the letters “O P A” are an acronym for the Latin, “Ora Pro Animis” meaning, “Pray for souls.”

 In many churches around the world St Peter’s Cross also includes two keys which symbolize that Jesus said to Peter, “I give to you the keys of the kingdom…”

 Ever since then, Peter has been associated with the keys to the kingdom, which Jesus gives to all those who confess Him as Savior and Lord.

 On the day of Pentecost, Peter who had denied Jesus only a few short weeks earlier, declared to the crowds in the streets of Jerusalem, the key to  salvation, which was faith in the crucified and risen Christ.

 Three thousand souls accepted Christ that day and the church was birthed in explosive power.

 In the ensuing days we read that Peter and the Apostles taught the early church significant principles that were keys to them experiencing the fullness of that salvation, and to navigating their new life as followers of Christ.

 Today we identify not only with their experience, but also with those same keys that unlock the promises and provision that God wants us all to experience.

So what were those keys?

They Devoted Themselves

This is what we read in Acts 2:42-47:

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

“They devoted themselves” was one of the greatest keys to the spiritual life, strength and endurance that carried them through the multitude of changes and forceful opposition they encountered.

This was not something that was done for them, but something that they did for themselves. No one was devoted for them, they devoted themselves! They were not waiting for the Apostles to feed them or to constantly follow them up. They willingly, eagerly and enthusiastically devoted themselves!

As we navigate this season, with all of the challenges that it has brought and continues to bring, the example of the early church devoting themselves to God’s word, breaking of bread, prayer and gathering as a church is one that we can be sure will bring spiritual life, vitality and favor to us all.

This was the key to their vitality and to experiencing the favor of God.

Let’s make a decision devote ourselves, to feed ourselves from God’s word, to stay connected to the body, to stay engaged, involved, active, giving of ourselves, by ourselves, because we have devoted ourselves.

They Gathered Together

One of the great keys to the spiritual health and vitality of the early church was that they met together regularly in the Temple and from house to house in small groups. This was one of the ways that they developed and nurtured a culture of devoting themselves.

As much as we need to devote ourselves by ourselves, we also need each other, we need to encourage one another in our faith and in our journey.

We are better together because we were not created to do life alone!

This is what Oswald Cambers wrote in his book, “Biblical Psychology: Christ-Centered Solutions for Daily Problems”

“Beware of isolation; beware of the idea that you have to develop a holy life alone. It is impossible to develop a holy life alone; you will develop into an oddity and a peculiarism, into something utterly unlike what God wants you to be. The only way to develop spiritually is to go into the society of God’s own children, and you will soon find how God alters your set. God does not contradict our social instincts; He alters them.”

We must devote ourselves but we cannot and must not do that alone!

Every week we have life groups that meet, providing an environment where we can meet and encourage one another in our journey of faith.

If you are not in a small group can we encourage you to become a part of one, whether it’s a bible study or an interest group, it will be a source of great life and strength for you.

They Had a Spirit of Generosity

One of the hallmarks of the early church was their spirit of generosity. They shared what they had to make Jesus known and to help those in need.

Their sacrificial generosity was not only a key to the growth of the church but to the favor they experienced in their own lives and in the community at large.

As we devote ourselves and gather together with a spirit of generosity, we pray that each one of us will experience new strength, vitality and favor in every area of our lives and church.

God has given us the keys to the kingdom! Let’s use them and watch the doors that will open into new spheres of increased favor.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow in our 10am service either in person or online. It won’t be the same with you!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

I Believe...We Remember

Hi Newport Church Family,

We pray that you are in good health and spirit and that you are prospering even as your soul prospers.

We Remember…  

Today is the 20th Anniversary of 9/11, when the world will remember and reflect on a day that changed the world. 

We remember and honor those who lost their lives on that tragic day, innocent victims of hateful and mindless terrorism. We honor those who gave their lives to save others, the first responders and those who ensured that United Airlines Flight 93 did not reach its intended target at the cost of their own lives.

And we pray for those who lost family, friends, colleagues and acquaintances, that they would know God’s continued grace and presence, especially on this day of remembrance. We remember.

I Believe….

This week during our first Tuesday gathering, I was looking at the Apostles Creed which is written on one of the walls in the foyer of our church.

Once again I was captivated by those age old words that so powerfully articulate the essence of our faith and I thought about the power of what we believe.

I love having that great confession of our faith written on the walls of our church, but even more importantly I want those powerful words to be written on my heart and mind.

Our prayer is that they would also be written on the hearts and minds of every person in our church and expressed in every aspect and area of our lives.

In a culture where the absolutes that are declared in the Apostles Creed are being constantly questioned and openly opposed, we as the church must do what the writer of the book of Hebrews exhorted us to do and “hold fast to the confession of our faith.” 

What we believe is the foundation upon which we build our lives and the force that shapes who we become.

Let’s determine that we are going to hold fast to the confession of our faith and not allow the spirit of this world to erode our foundation and fundamental beliefs.

May the Apostles Creed be our Creed, written on our hearts and minds and may it be our daily confession:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth; I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic* Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.

Amen *Universal

Life Groups - Formed by Passion, Fueled by Purpose

Jesus told His disciples to go into all the world and make disciples. Jesus’ last command was to be the disciples first priority.

As followers of Jesus we too are called to be disciples, who make disciples.

Small groups are one of the most powerful ways to do precisely that, and to be in an environment where we grow in our faith. Life groups are a place where we can encourage one another, pray for one another and engage in faith building conversation and interaction.

If you are not already part of a Life Group we encourage you to consider joining one. Both Ps Di and myself are part of a Life Group and it is without doubt one of the highlights of our week.

We are also starting a number of interest groups, formed around an interest, while at the same time being a faith building circle of connection.

Our goal is for all of our small groups to be “Formed by Passion and Fueled by Purpose.”

Whether it’s a Bible Study, or a group that is formed around a common interest such as painting, hiking, cooking or any other kind of activity, we want these to be places where you can connect and your faith can grow.

Most life groups meet on a Tuesday evening, but you can meet at any other time that works for you and your group.

Let us know if you would like to host a group or if you would like to find out more. You can click here or check out our website for more information.

Marriage 365: Building Relationships that Last - Saturday Sept 18th

 Don’t miss the opportunity to join us for our one day Marriage and Relationships Seminar with Casey and Meygan Caston next Saturday!

Whether you’re married, single, dating or none of the above this is going to be an enriching and insightful day of growing in our relationships.

We encourage you not only to come but to invite the people in your world for what will be a great day together.

You can register on our website or by clicking here, we hope to see you there!

Thank You for your Generosity

Last Sunday we highlighted some of the ways that we are helping those in need through our Food with Love Outreach, our partnership with Biju Thampy (Vision Rescue in India), and our gift to Al & Kathy Furey who are missionaries in Peru.

A big thank you to all those who contributed to our monthly Vision Offering, you are making a difference both in our community and on the other side of the world.

If you were not able to give last week and would like to do so now, you can click here. You can also give your regular donations and tithes here too.

Once again thank you!

Without each one of us playing our part we would not be able to be a hub of hope and faith and a storehouse for our community and beyond.

We look forward to you joining us this Sunday either in person or online. We are going to have a faith filled time together.

Let’s never forget, our presence makes a difference!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Sending a Message to the Future

Hi Newport Church Family,

We hope that you are in good health and spirit and experiencing God’s grace and favor.

We pray that you have a blessed Labor Day weekend with your family and friends and we hope to see you this Sunday morning for our service either in person or online!                     

As we enter the new school year we pray that this will be a time of great growth, academically, relationally and spiritually for all students, parents, families and for our church community as a whole.

Conversations over Coffee

On Wednesday September 1st we posted the first of a series of podcasts on Youtube and Spotify entitled “Conversations over Coffee with Jonathan Wilson.”

Our hope is that these podcasts will stimulate other conversations that you can have with those in your world and will also be an opportunity for the unchurched people in your world to listen to conversations that are organic, authentic and purposeful.

If you have not yet had an opportunity to see or hear the podcast you can watch it by clicking this link https://youtu.be/738jt3ULEz0

We hope you enjoy it!

William Itzen did a great job hosting the interview, along with excellent production by Jake and Raquel Damron and the ever present Jan Carlos Quicaño!

Make sure you give them a shout out and show your appreciation for their part in making this happen.

Building Relationships that Last -

We are only two weeks away from our one day “Marriage 365 – Building Relationships that last.” We encourage you to register, whether you’re married, preparing for marriage or single for what is going to be a great day of learning, growing and investing into our relationships.

You can now register now, while the early bird special is still on, by clicking here.

Sending a Message to the Future

It has been said that our generosity sends a message to a future we will not see.

Jesus also said, “Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” Matt 6:20-21

The generations to come will be beneficiaries of the investment we make today and we will also be beneficiaries of the investment we make here on earth when we arrive in heaven!

At the same time we can also see the difference we make here on earth through our generosity.

This Sunday we will be highlighting some of those things in our service, all of which we would not be possible without the contribution you make through the giving of your finance, time and giftings.

Let’s not only continue to make a difference, but increase what we are able to do in this coming year in a world filled with ever growing need for hope, faith and provision.

Let’s never forget that Jesus also said, whatever we give He will return to us with interest!

“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38

If you would like to give your donation, tithe or offering now you can do so by clicking here.

Once again, thank you for your faithfulness and generosity!

First Tuesday – 7pm September 6th

This Tuesday we will be gathering as a church, as we do on the first Tuesday of each month, for a time of connection and vision.

We’ll be taking some time to share our vision for the coming months as well as focusing on the power of small groups.

We have some exciting new interest groups that will be starting soon and we will be highlighting those also.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow in person or online as we gather to worship and encourage one another in faith and hope.

As we sign off, this is our prayer for you and your family:

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Be Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that your are experiencing God’s presence, grace and favor.

This week we have been especially mindful and prayerful as a church for the nation of Afghanistan.

Please pray with us for peace, for protection of all those at risk including our Christian brothers and sisters and for God’s comfort and grace for all those who lost loved ones or were injured in the recent terrorist attack.

Let’s never forget that despite the tragic and chaotic situation God is sovereign and is at work as we pray.

Be Strong in the Lord and in the Power of His Might

In his letter to the Ephesian church, Paul encourages them to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

When Paul wrote his letter the church in Ephesus they were experiencing a season when they were under attack from both those outside the church as well as from different factions within the church.

Paul encouraged the church and highlighted the key to navigating turbulent times by saying, “be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

Paul’s words are as relevant to us today as they were to the church 2,000 years ago.

What Paul is saying is:

We can all be Strong

When Paul says, “Be strong….” he reminds us that we can all be strong and know God’s power and might at work in and through us at all times.

His words are the same words that God repeated to Joshua on several occasions as he led Israel into the promised land. “Be strong, don’t be afraid, go in and possess the land I’m giving to you…”

Those words were a mandate to be strong, and they encouraged Joshua to choose to be strong in the midst of adversity.

When God says, “Be Strong…” His words are both a mandate and a promise.

When we respond in faith as Joshua did regardless of the challenges we are facing, God will give us strength and we will know the power of His might.

We can all Grow Stronger

We become stronger when we use the strength that we have to push through resistance of any kind.

We grow muscle through resistance training, we become mentally stronger when we tackle more difficult problems and we grow spiritually stronger as we exercise our faith.

Faith is active not passive, dynamic not static and we will grow stronger if we exercise the strength that we have, even when we feel inadequate to face the challenges before us.

We can all Renew our Strength
Isaiah wrote that even those that are young will grow weary and tired, but when we wait upon the Lord we will renew our strength, mount up on wings as eagles, run and not be weary walk and not faint.

In Psalm 84 we read that those who set their hearts on pilgrimage will go from strength to strength.

As we consider Paul’s words of encouragement let’s make a decision to be resolute in our faith, in our confession to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, to renew our strength day by day and to go from strength to strength!

Prayer for Students this Sunday

Many students will have already started the new school year or will be starting in the next week or two, so we are going to take a moment to pray for them in our Sunday Service this week.

Let’s believe together that this year will be one of great growth for each one of them, academically, relationally and spiritually.

Marriage 365 - Building Relationships that Last
We are only three weeks away from our one day Marriage and Relationships Seminar and this is a great opportunity for all of us to learn and grow as well as to invite friends and family to this special event that we are hosting.

If you haven’t already registered you can do so by clicking here and you can also forward this to the people in your relational world as an invitation to what will be a very enriching day.

The Generous grow Stronger

God’s word declares that generosity makes us stronger and brings strength to those who need our help.

We are bringing strength and hope to many and that is only possible through your faithful partnership in our vision and mission. God also promises that when we are generous our financial strength will grow.

“The world of the generous gets larger and larger.” Prov 11:24 MSG

Let’s continue to be the difference in our world through the strength of our generosity.

Thank you for your presence and generosity. If you would like to give your donation, tithe or offering now you can do so by clicking here.

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow in person or online as we gather to worship and encourage one another in faith and hope.

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Living with a sense of Divine favor.

Romans 15:13

Let’s never forget, our Presence Matters!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Becoming a Fruitful Vine

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are doing well and in good health and spirit.

What a great Serve Day we had in Santa Ana last weekend! A big thank you to all those who participated and contributed to making it such a great day.

We look forward to showing a video of the highlights in church tomorrow.

Becoming a Fruitful Vine

We have a passion fruit vine in our garden, which I have been growing and tending for almost a decade, and it has grown into a fruitful vine bearing scores of delicious passion fruit every year.

Some years the vine has borne more fruit than others, and at times when the vine has been under more stress the growth has been less vigorous, however year by year it has grown into a more and more fruitful vine.

In order for that to happen it has required constant attention and care. Tending the vine with water, fertilization and support so that the vine does not collapse under the weight of the fruit, has caused the vine to grow so vigorously that it is now growing over the wall between us and our neighbors!

As Jacob declared his final blessing over his sons he prophesied these words over his son Joseph: “Joseph is a fruitful vine whose branches climb over a wall.” Genesis 49:22

Joseph had become so fruitful that not even the walls that enclosed him could contain his fruitfulness.

God’s will for each one of us is to be fruitful and God’s first command to Adam and Eve was, “Be fruitful and multiply!

Each one of us can be a fruitful vine, bearing much fruit and God’s word is full of keys to how that can take place in our lives, our families and our church.

When we apply these principles no containment or restriction will ever be able to prevent our branches from climbing over the wall .

Here are some of those vital keys:

1)  Abide in the Vine

Jesus said, “ I Am the vine, you are the branches, those who abide in Me and I in them will bring forth much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing” Jn 15:5

The key to our fruitfulness is our relationship with Jesus. Jesus said, “Walk with Me, Work with Me, Watch Me and I will not only give you rest but you will be fruitful!”

2)   Stay Planted

Jacob said, “Joseph is a fruitful bough, by a well.”  A fruitful vine must be planted by a well.

A well in Jacob’s day was a place where people gathered to draw water and find life. Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman by Jacob’s well, and the well is a picture of the church where we gather together as a community of faith and find life as we worship God, experience His presence and encourage one another in our faith.

David wrote, “Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God” Psalm 92:13

Stay planted and you’ll be fruitful!

3)  Don’t allow Adversity to Move You

Jesus said, “I chose you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain.” Jn 15:16

We will bear lasting fruit and will not be moved by adversity if we abide in Christ and stay planted in His house.

Jacob said about Joseph:

Archers attacked him savagely;
    they shot at him and harassed him.
But his bow remained taut,
    and his arms were strengthened
by the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob,
    by the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel.

Gen 49:23-2

4)  Don’t Resist the Vinedressers Pruning

Jesus said, “every branch that bears fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit” Jn 15:2

We become a fruitful vine when we allow the Master vinedresser to prune us. He doesn’t prune us to restrict us but to make us more fruitful.

Solomon wrote to his sons, “People who accept discipline are on the pathway to life, but those who ignore correction will go astray.” Prov 10:17

If we are going to become a fruitful vine we must welcome pruning rather than resist it!

5)  Understand the Power of Blessing

Jacob knew the power of blessing, his brother Esau was devastated that he had lost it, and Joseph experienced the power of blessing in becoming a fruitful vine.

Jacob not only knew the power of blessing but the importance of imparting it to his sons.

He blessed Joseph with this blessing:

May the God of your father help you;
    may the Almighty bless you
with the blessings of the heavens above,
    and blessings of the watery depths below,
    and blessings of the breasts and womb.
26 May my fatherly blessings on you
    surpass the blessings of my ancestors,[e]
    reaching to the heights of the eternal hills.
May these blessings rest on the head of Joseph,
    who a prince among his brothers.

Gen 49:25-26

There is and never will be any substitute for living with the blessing of God on our lives.

Jacob went on to say: “Blessings shall be on the head of Joseph,
and on the crown of the head of him who was separate from his brothers.”

Jacob was set apart, different from his brothers and that was the key to his blessing and fruitfulness.

When the world is trying to squeeze us into its mold, let’s be set apart like Joseph, abiding in Christ, planted in God’s house, immovable in adversity, receptive to being pruned and receiving our blessing as sons and daughters of God!

Then we will continue to grow and flourish as fruitful vines with our branches running over the wall.

Special Prayer for all Students on Sunday August 29th

Schools are returning for the start of the new school year and on Sunday August 29th we are going to create a special moment in our Sunday service to pray for all of our students.

The last eighteen months have been especially challenging for students on multiple levels, not least of all, the challenges of distance learning.

We will be praying for each student to experience God’s grace and favor in the coming year academically, relationally and in all sports and social activities.

We hope to see you there. We will be full of faith and expectation as we pray for them all!

Generosity is the Master Key to Blessing and Fruitfulness

The fruit of generosity is fruitfulness!

The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. Prov 11:24 MSG

”One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want.” ESV

God’s word is filled with principles and promises revealing that generosity is the key to God blessing our finances and to fruitfulness and significance.

Let’s keep reading God’s multiple promises and remind Him, as we sow our seed, of all that he has promised to do. 

Thank you to all those who are faithfully and generously partnering with us so that we can be a fruitful vine bringing life and hope to our community.

If you would like to give your donation, tithes or offering now you can do so by clicking here.

True Rest

I will be speaking on the subject of “True Rest” tomorrow and we would love to have you join us in person or online at 10am.

We’re believing for a great morning and for God to do abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine as we gather together in His Presence.

Let’s never forget, our Presence Matters!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

Our Presence Matters

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are in good health and spirit.

Our Presence Matters

Our theme as a church this year is “Presence.” God’s presence and our presence make all the difference in our world.

Jesus said that wherever our heart is, we will be present, and that our presence matters because we were all created to be salt and light in our world!

Summer Serve Day

This morning we are present as a church, serving our community on our Summer Serve Day, as an expression of our heart as a church.

As we give 200 school backpacks and over 6,000 pounds of food to families in need, as they prepare for the start of the new school year, we are demonstrating God’s love and generosity not just in word but also in deed.

Our presence matters and our presence is making a difference!

Our mission as a church is to connect people to Christ, to their God given destiny and to life giving relationships. Our position is to be present in whatever way we can in order to bring hope and faith to all those in our community and world.

“Here for You,” is not just a slogan but an expression of our heart and position as a church.

Thank you for being present, your presence matters and you are making a difference!

Next week we will be sharing some of the highlights of the day in our Sunday morning service, which we know will be both inspiring and faith building for you, your family and friends.

Marriage 365 Seminar – Building Relationships that Last 

On Saturday September 18th we are hosting a one day Marriage and Relationship Seminar with Casey and Meygan Caston, founders of Marriage 365.

With so many marriages and relationship under added pressure over the last eighteen months, this is an awesome opportunity to invest in our marriage, and for those who are not married to learn great principles on how to build relationships that last.

We are hosting this event not only for us as a church but for your friends and for our community at large.

Orange County has one of the highest divorce rates in the nation. About 72 percent of marriages in this county end in divorce, compared with the national average of about 50 percent, so this is a great opportunity to invite people in your world both churched and unchurched.

You can check out all the details by clicking here.

This is going to be an amazing day so let’s make this a great win for our church and for our community!

Special Prayer for our Students on Sunday August 29th

It’s that time again! Schools are returning for the start of the new school year and on Sunday August 29th we are going to pray for all of our students in our 10am service. 

The last eighteen months have been especially challenging for students on multiple levels, not least of all, the challenges of at home distance learning.

We will be praying for each student to experience God’s grace and favor in the coming year academically, relationally and in all sports and extracurricular activities.

 We hope to see you all there. We will be full of faith and expectation for them all!

Baptisms at the Beach coming up again in late September

We had an awesome baptismal service last Saturday at Pirate’s Cove

and we have another one coming up soon!

If you were not able to join us, check out this inspiring video by clicking this link and if you would like to be baptized please let us know by emailing us at more@newportchurch.com

A Storehouse for our Community and Beyond

Our vision has always been to be a Storehouse for our city and beyond. To be a hub of hope and faith where we have provision for people, body, soul and spirit.

Joseph built storehouses during the years of plenty so that he could feed the nation of Egypt and the nations of the world during the years of famine.

There is no doubt that in so many ways we are in a time of famine, and your presence and generosity make it possible for us to be that storehouse for people in need.

Malachi described this when he wrote prophetically, “bring all of your tithes and offerings into my house that there may be food in My house.”

Your giving and generosity is an expression of your presence and makes all the difference by enabling us to have food in our house.

Thank you for your generosity and faithfulness. God has promised that as we respond to His Word He will open the windows of heaven and pour out such blessing that we won’t be able to contain it!

If you would like to give your donation, tithes or offering now you can do so by Clicking Here.

Let’s be that Storehouse as a church, filled with provision for those who are hungry both naturally and spiritually as we all play our part.

Rest and Restoration

I will be bringing Part 2 of my message on Rest tomorrow and we would love to have you join us in person or online at 10am.

We’re believing for a great morning and for God to do abundantly above all that we can ask or imagine as we gather together in His Presence.

Let’s never forget, our Presence Matters!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

The Great Debate

Hi Newport Church Family,

We trust that you are well and in good heart and spirit!

Here are some thoughts that I have been pondering and meditating upon this week. I believe that they are Holy Spirit inspired and I pray that they will resonate in your heart as they have in mine.

The Great Debate 

When Jesus began to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom, to set the captives free, to heal the broken hearted and declare God’s favor, the world of the religious was turned upside down.

Everything that Jesus did was different, unpredictable and for many He often posed more questions than He answered.

It seems that wherever Jesus went a debate would follow, and hard on the heels of the debate would come division.

Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. John 9:16 NLT

 Debate and Division

After Jesus’ resurrection and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit the newly birthed church had to navigate many issues that created significant debate and division.

Two of biggest issues were whether non Jewish believers should be circumcised and whether followers of Christ should observe all of the Old Covenant laws and rituals including the Jewish Sabbath.

These issues created great debate and significant divisions in the church. 

Factions developed between the circumcision party and those who like Paul believed that circumcision of the heart was the seal of the New Covenant.

The debate between those who wanted the Jewish laws and traditions upheld and those who believed these were fulfilled in the finished work of Christ continued to create divisions in the church for many years.

Law and Grace 

The great debate became one between Law and Grace. Those who wanted Jewish religious Law upheld and those who embraced newfound Grace in Jesus.

This debate raged for twenty years until one day, while praying on his roof, Peter had a vision of a sheet being lowered from heaven filled with animals that were unclean according to Jewish law.

God said to Peter, “arise, eat!” and Peter responded, “Lord I have never eaten any unclean food like this,” yet God told him, “what I have cleansed you must not call unclean.”

At the same time two men, sent by Cornelius a Centurion in the Roman army, stood knocking at his door, looking for Peter in order to take him to Cornelius.

Peter went with them to Cornelius’ house, broke his Jewish traditions by entering a non-Jewish household, and preached the gospel to him.

The result was that Cornelius and all his household were saved, filled with the Holy Spirit and the door of salvation to non-Jewish people was flung open.

Vision and Division

Peter’s Vision was the key to breaking down the diving wall of division that had come out of the great debate.

When Peter told the leadership of the church in Jerusalem what had happened, they said, “now we see that God makes no distinction between Jew and non-Jew,” and the question that had created so much debate and division was answered with finality. 

Grace and Unity

 When it came to communicating this new revelation to the church at large, the key themes were Grace and Unity.

It was grace that brought unity where previously there were divisions, and the unity of believers was the Apostles ultimate goal, bringing the church together as one under the Lordship of Christ

Wherever there is debate and wherever there is division, Grace and Unity are the keys that open the door to God’s favor and blessing.

Looking through the Lens of Grace and Unity

As we navigate the issues that have been at the forefront of debate and division in our nation and around the world during the last eighteen months, this story gives us pattern for walking in God’s favor and blessing and clear direction on how to approach every debate with grace and unity.

Being a Christian does not mean that we agree on every issue, but it does mean that we should look at every issue through the lens of Grace and Unity.

Jesus said that the enemy came to kill, steal and destroy, and one of his main strategies is to divide so that he can conquer.

Paul said that as a follower and servant of Christ he was not ignorant of the enemies devices, and we should not be ignorant of them either. 

Division is more deadly than any disease, and disunity more fatal than any disagreement.

Our unity as believers in Christ is more important than our opinions, and grace is the key to navigating life together although when we may not agree on every issue.

Let’s never forget that in His final prayer to His Father before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed:

“Father, I pray that they may be one, even as You and I are one”

We can only be one in Christ when look at every issue through the same lens that Jesus did when He was praying in earnest for each one of us. And that lens is one of  Grace and Unity.

Whether it’s how we respond to the COVID pandemic as a nation, community or church, our position on vaccination, our political views, or our response to the racial issues in our world, its only through the Grace of God and the Unity of His church that Gods Kingdom will come and His will be done.

As St Francis of Assisi wrote:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me bring love.
Where there is offence, let me bring pardon.
Where there is discord, let me bring union.
Where there is error, let me bring truth.
Where there is doubt, let me bring faith.
Where there is despair, let me bring hope.
Where there is darkness, let me bring your light.
Where there is sadness, let me bring joy.
O Master, let me not seek as much
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love,
for it is in giving that one receives,
it is in self-forgetting that one finds,
it is in pardoning that one is pardoned,
it is in dying that one is raised to eternal life.

And let’s take special note of the words of Paul in Ephesians 4:3:

Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.

We may differ in our opinions, we may be on different sides of a debate but let’s be one in our priority and passion to see Gods Kingdom come and His will be done!

Summer Serve Day, Next Saturday August 14th

 We would love to have you join us for our Summer Serve Day as we give food, back packs and school supplies to those in need at Davis Elementary School in Santa Ana.

This has always been a highlight for us as a church and a way that we can make a meaningful contribution to our extended community.

Click this link for more details. We hope to see you there for what will be a great day!

You can also help us prepare for the day putting the gift packs together or by contributing with an offering.

Thank you once again for your faithful giving. Your generosity makes it possible for us to continue to meet the needs of our community in an ever greater way each year.

If you would like to give your donation, tithe or offering now you can do so by Clicking Here.

We are believing for great day in church tomorrow, we can’t wait to see you there, or if you can’t be with us in person to have you join us online!

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors

The Firsts

Hi Newport Church Family,

We are praying that you experience God’s grace, favor and blessing in ever greater ways each new day.

The First Day

Tomorrow is the first day of August and we will be taking communion together as a church. This has always been an important Sunday for us as a church, and it’s not coincidental that we break bread together on the first Sunday of the month!

Jesus rose from the dead on Sunday, the first day of the week. We honor God by worshipping Him, as a community of faith, on the first day of the week as the church has done for the last 2,000 years.

On the first day of Creation God separated light from darkness. On the first day of the first month the waters from the flood began to recede. On the first day of the first month the Tabernacle, where God manifested His Presence was set up so that the people could meet with God.

The First Principle

All that took place on the first day is profoundly significant, not only for it’s own time but also for our time and for our lives. Living in the light rather than darkness, receiving resurrection life and power, experiencing God’s grace instead of judgement and knowing God’s presence are a result of what took place on the first day, and are also a result of what we put first in our lives.

The first principle, which runs through every page of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, reveals that whatever we put first determines the shape of our lives.

What we put first determines our priorities, our practices and our principles.

Whatever is first in our life determines what comes next in life, the quality of our life, the shape and scope of our future and whether we fulfil our God given potential and destiny or not.

The First Fruits

God teaches us in His Word that the first of all that we receive from Him belongs to Him, and that when we honor God with the first of our finance, He will honor His word and bless us.

Solomon wrote:

Honor the Lord with your wealth
And with the first fruits of all your crops (income);
Then your barns will be abundantly filled
And your vats will overflow with new wine.

Proverbs 3:9-10

Solomon’s father David summed up this powerful principle as he and the people of Israel brought their offerings to build the Temple.

Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength.

Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 

1 Chronicle 29:12.14 NLT

Our First Priority 

As we navigate the second half of this year lets’ do all that we can to align our priorities with God’s priorities. Let’s put first what God puts first, and watch how God will bless us and our church as we do!

Jesus said:

Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. 

Matt 6:33 NKJV

Jesus teaches us that His Kingdom priorities add to the quality and blessing of our lives. They never compete with our family, friends or with enjoying the abundant life Jesus promises us. They only add to the blessing because we are living our lives according to the pattern of God’s Word.

Baptisms at the Beach and Summer Serve Day

Next Saturday August 7th we have baptisms at the beach and if you would like to be baptized we would love to connect with you. If you have not been baptized in water yet, this is a very important step in your journey of faith and we encourage you to take this next step.

Jesus was baptized Himself, and as we are immersed in the waters of baptism we follow His example. Just as Jesus was later buried and raised from the dead, so our old sinful life is buried in the waters of baptism so that we can rise up out of the water into newness of life!

You can click this link to let us know of your interest, as well as coming to a special baptism class that I will be teaching tomorrow at 9am before our 10 am Sunday service.

Summer Serve Day Saturday August 14th

 We would love to have you join us for our Summer Serve Day when we will be distributing food, back packs and school supplies to those in need at Davis Elementary School in Santa Ana.

This has always been a highlight for us as a church and a way that we can make a meaningful contribution to our extended community.

 Click this link for more details. We hope to see you there for what will be a great day! You can also help us prepare for the day putting the gift packs together or by contributing with an offering.

Generosity that Opens Doors for Others 

Our generosity opens the door for us to bring hope and faith to people who have yet to experience the love and peace that Jesus has brought to our lives. 

Thank you for your continued partnership with us as a church through the giving of your donations, tithes and offerings.

God is faithful and He promises not only to give us food to eat but seed to sow. He also says that He will give seed to the sower. That means us specifically as we sow our seed in faith!

If you would like to give your donation, tithe or offering now you can do so by clicking here.

Let’s remind God of His promises and believe that we will do what He says he will do!

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow either in person or online. 

Come early for a great cup of coffee and bring your family and friends. 

We are praying that God’s presence and power will touch each one of you in a significant way.

We love and appreciate you all greatly,
Pastor Jonathan & Dianne Wilson
Senior Pastors