Epic. Huge. Awesome. Incredible. Par-tay!

I could go on and on, but I think you get the idea. But you really don’t. Not yet. Not until you come celebrate/worship/party with us on August 1 as we celebrate the one year anniversary of the first-ever meeting of anything called Trinity New Life Church.

On August 3, 2009, 14 people gathered in our home to pray and discuss what it would look like to start a new church. A church where the gospel would not only be proclaimed, but lived out. A church where people looked out for the interests of others, not just their own. A church where people love their city and work to serve it, not just exist in it.

This was the beginning of Trinity New Life Church.

And while there were months of small meetings, trials and errors, preview services, room changes, mistakes and successes before our first weekly service took place on March 14, 2010, we want to take a moment to remember all God’s done, and all he’s going to do to see His kingdom come and His will be done through TNLC. So we’re throwing a beach party on August 1 to celebrate!

Instead of meeting at the YMCA that Sunday morning, we’re going to be heading to shelter 9 at Fred Howard Park (don’t worry, there will be signs!) at 10:30 for a shorter service (childcare still provided!), enjoy a big ‘ol BBQ lunch, and then head down to the beach to celebrate life change through water baptisms!

This is going to be legen…wait for it…DARY!

So mark your calendars, get your bathing suit ready, figure out which side or dessert you’re going to bring (sign up here) and come early and eager to celebrate Jesus!

PS- If you’re interested in getting baptized send me an email to let me know.

Week 3 of At The Movies, the series where we’ll examine the spiritual themes in some of last summer’s biggest movies! This week we try not to cry through the emotional tear-jerker The Blind Side. Don’t miss this one!

At The Movies: The Blind Side

Download the TNLC Podcast!

It’s been a while but we’re back with some leftovers from yesterday’s sermon on The Book of Eli, helping you get into the Word of God and in love with the God of the Word!

Here’s a link to a copy of the True and Better list I read about Jesus

Free Bibles = YouVersion.com!

7 habits of highly effective Bible reading

And finally, your challenge this week: READ THE BOOK OF JAMES! Who’s coming with me?!

At The Movies: The Book of Eli

Download the TNLC Podcast!

At The Movies: Zombieland

Download the TNLC Podcast!

We here at TNLC agree with Sir Hammerstien, so we’re making a small change with the change for a BIG impact!

Starting this Sunday (and every Sunday after) we’ll have a pre-service prayer meeting in the Community Room of the YMCA from 9:45-10:05 a.m. Now, in case you’re wondering if you should come, here’s who can show up:

• TNLC Pastors
• TNLC leaders
• TLNC volunteers
• TNLC attenders
• TNLC first-time guest
• People who’ve never been to a prayer meeting
• People who’ve never prayed out loud
• People who’ve never prayed
• People

So if you’re on that list, COME ON OUT! This is a chance to learn, grow your faith, and build your expectations of what God is going to do in our church.

See you there?!?

The Gills YMCA is partnering with The Katelyn Foundation to offer free swimming lessons to both members and non-members who are on financial assistance as part of the Open Doors program.

Download a flyer and take advantage of this opportunity to help your kids learn to swim and love the water!

I know this is tragic, but it’s hitting me harder than normal. Maybe it’s the fact they’re my age. Maybe it’s the fact one has four young children. It’s certainly the fact that one’s wife is nine months pregnant and just went into labor with their first child. My stomach is sick. I want to throw up. As a friend of mine asked on Twitter, “WTF is wrong with people?”

But now we get to the problem. I know what’s wrong with people. Sin. Sin causes them to shoot the cops. Sin caused their previous crime. Sin caused this whole situation. Sin broke our hearts, our relationship with God, even creation itself. Sin is at the root of this whole massively tragic tale. Sin.

They were white cops and they are black suspects, but this is not a race issue. This is a sin issue. This is an eternity issue. I can only hope these two men knew Jesus, that they loved their God and are now seated with him. I pray this man’s wife feels God, and her husband’s, tangible presence as she delivers their first child. I don’t even know if that’s theologically right, but I want it to be.

But what of the suspects? Many are already calling for them to be gunned down in the same manner, but we must pray justice to be done. I am thankful this takes place in a state with the death penalty . I don’t think it’s a deterrent, but I do think it’s a means of justice. I know not all will share this thought. I don’t know if I will share it hours from now.

Yet what of their sin? I wonder, have they ever heard the call to repent and put faith in Christ? Did anyone reach through their circumstance to share the hope and power of Christ? They are 100% responsible for their sin and its consequences, as we all are, but what if they’d repented, been discipled?

We are not planting a church to play nice. We are not planting a church because I like the sound of my own voice, or because you needed something new and different and cool. We are planting a church because sin is rampant and there is only one solution. Education, law, government, Republicans and Democrats couldn’t have prevented this situation, nor will they prevent it in the future. Only the Gospel of Jesus Christ will transform and renew someone down to their core nature. We must be compelled in every fiber of our being to take this Gospel to those who need it.

Because we never know which side of the gun we may find those we didn’t share the Gospel with.

The Gills YMCA will host a Splash Bash event for members and non-members on July 24, a great opportunity for our church to meet and serve the community we’re called to reach.

Click here to sign up for the 10:30am-12:30pm shift or the 12:30-2pm shift. Take advantage of this great opportunity to SERVE YOUR CITY!!!