Discovering Church Membership

Last Saturday, New Venture Christian Fellowship hosted our beloved Discovery I class- Discovering Church Membership.  We had eager church goers who were ready to make a commitment to their church that day.  There were guest speakers, breakfast and lunch served, and plenty of inspiring words.  At the end of the class, the new members received their membership cards and partook in an awesome group photo inside of the worship center. 

The value of Discovery classes at New Venture is quite obvious: Members get to know the staff, they learn about the benefits of church membership, and they discover the importance of getting involved.  Whether it be our Small Groups, Prayer Teams, or greeters, we truly have something for everyone here.  Getting involved in the ministry of New Venture becomes such a rewarding experience for all involved.  There is nothing quite like touching the lives of others- whether it be a simple "hello" and handshake, or becoming heavily involved as a Small Groups Coordinator... the rewards are endless. 

There are some people who attend church whose only interaction with other humans during a seven day period is the one that occurs at their church.  This may sound shocking and hard to believe, but I have actually had people approach me and tell me that personally.  It is our job as followers of Christ to extend our hand out to as many people as possible.  A simple gesture such as a greeting can potentially change lives forever.

I encourage you to get involved in the church.  Our next Discovery class starts soon and I welcome you to invite your friends and neighbors.  You won't regret it!

Going beyond the 4 walls

Spring is in the air!  The beautiful rays in Oceanside are filling up the sky.  It is so great to be in the outdoors these days.

And what better way to seep in the amazing blessings of our Spring weather than to do ministry in the park!  There is so much more to ministry at New Venture that goes far beyond the four walls of the actual New Venture church structure. We have decided to extend our ministry out to actual parks this season! 

On the first Saturday of every month, we will be bringing New Venture church to parks within the community.  There will be live worship music, the message, food, and plenty of kids activities.  This will be a great way to soak up the gorgeous weather while we reach people in a way that is nontraditional to the usual church setting.

We are asking our members that live within the proximity of these parks to invite their own neighbors to these Saturday ministry events in the parks.  Get them excited! Going beyond the walls of the church is a fantastic way to reach the unchurched, or even people who may simply be unfamiliar with New Venture. 

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations..." Matthew 28:19. 

2018 Sunrise on the Shore... a BEAUTIFUL SUCCESS

2018 Sunrise on the Shore has come to a finish, as the staff at NV are catching up on sleep, reflecting on the SOS service, and joyfully sharing stories.  The amount of time that we as a team spent preparing for this day is almost immeasurable.  At the end of that day, we were all exhausted.

But the final product:   It was a beautiful success!  There were THOUSANDS of people that showed up.  Even the bleachers at the very top of the stairs were filled with happy faces. The morning started out quite chilly, but that didn't stop the thousands of attendees from enjoying the service.  

The worship team NAILED IT!  The music was so lively and touching.  There were people that could relate to the praise and worship, and you could clearly see thousands of lives being touched.  Clark the Juggler brought smiles and laughs to people's hearts with his very impressive entertainment.  Bill Driscoll shared war stories from his Top Gun pilot days. But the most touching aspect of the entire service was the HUNDREDS of people who made the decision to give their life to our Lord Jesus Christ that morning.  I saw all of the hands go up- we all did- and that is what this is all about!

We even had four people ask to get baptized that morning!  So off we went into the Pacific Ocean, in the chilled morning water, to touch lives and change hearts forever.  It was truly one of the most memorable Sunrise on the Shore services that I have been privileged to be a part of.  This is why we do what we do... it isn't about the entertainment acts, the food, or the beautiful beach views (although those things are a wonderful feature of the service).  It's about changing lives, touching hearts, and thousands of people coming together for one reason- To hear the message of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  What a beautiful success it was!

Next year will be the 30th anniversary of the SOS and we are already starting our plans!