Starting the year off right ... at New Venture!

I am super encouraged by things going on in 2019 already around New Venture. Ebo Elder was with us last Sunday and WOW!!! His topic of "In Need of a Comeback" was so stirring that I am still thinking about it! He called it his "3 keys to YOUR comeback": Perseverance, Perspective, and Power... they are all important aspects of creating your comeback!
If you missed him- No worries, He will be back with us several times in 2019! Lots going on. If you are in the area, join us and make it your BEST year yet. We are. Would love for you to be a part of it.

2018 was the greatest- but 2019 will be the BEST EVER!

What was so great about 2018? There are way too many blessings from 2018 to even count!  We had a BEAUTIFUL 30th Annual Sunrise on the Shore Easter service at the Oceanside Amphitheater.  Thousands attended and the feedback that New Venture received was incredible! We also showed our love and support for our military with our newly added Military Lounge. Food, fun, and fellowship was abundant as we opened up our Connections Cafe to show our gratitude to our servicemen each Sunday after service. During the warmer months, we shared the word of God at our community parks- Barbecue food, music, water activities.... New Venture brought the juice to our friends and neighbors!

Our campus has also been the hub for the biggest Christian concerts in North San Diego. We have been blessed with headline bands and musicians that have allowed our Worship Center to fill up with THOUSANDS of Christian music lovers.

The 2018 Thanksgiving Sunday Supper as well as our Ring & Run were beautifully executed and thousands of souls were touched. What an honor to be able to collectively bless the hurting, as a Church Family.

2019 is going to really be the greatest year at New Venture! Beginning February 5, every Tuesday at 6:30pm I will be teaching "Biblical Leadership Development". Here, we will go deeper with God.
This 14 week course will be something you will be really glad you looked into!
Our Small Groups kick off again on January 20- you REALLY don't want to miss that! Get connected now!
Our Winter Series- FIX YOUR FOCUS- starts January 20 as well. Watch what happens when you fully immerse yourself in God!

I can't WAIT to share what 2019 has in store with all of the New Venture Church Family!

Your friend,
Shawn Mitchell

Make a child's Christmas this year!

2018 has been a year of blessings to me personally and to the New Venture Church Family. For every need we have expressed, we have in one way or another been blessed. One of our current needs is for people to participate in Ring & Run this year.

Our 30th Annual Ring & Run event is currently underway, and I am overwhelmed at the response we have gotten so far. We obtained lists of children who are less fortunate, with their desired Christmas presents. We have over FIFTY children that we will be purchasing Christmas presents for and hand delivering to on December 22.

I cannot even BEGIN to describe the unimagined joy that both giver and receiver will experience when less fortunate children are blessed for this years annual Ring & Run. There is nothing quite like giving to others!

Be sure to stop by the church and take a name off of the Christmas tree. You can either drop the wrapped present off with our Church Office and we will deliver for you- OR you can join us on December 22 at 9 am where we will congregate as a team, review the delivery routes, and deliver these gifts to the wonderful children within the community.

This is one event that you don't want to miss out on! Come be a part of this incredible experience.

Questions? Call Stacey (760) 688-6898

God bless.
Pastor Shawn Mitchell

Be a part of our Thanksgiving miracle!

On Sunday, November 18, from 11- 2pm, New Venture will be hosting our 30th annual Thanksgiving Sunday Supper. We are estimating nearly 1,000 people will be fed, given haircuts, clothing, toys.... the list goes on and on!  It is truly a miraculous event as we watch people come in from all different parts of North County. There is no greater honor or blessing than to be able to serve others.  And we definitely serve that day!

All of the turkeys, sides, clothing, and toys are obtained through donations of residents within the community and our own beloved Church Family.  It is truly AMAZING to see everyone come together with donations and the desire to serve on this day. It takes nearly a whole army to make that day happen.

We as a staff have been planning this for months already- and we still have a long way to go!  The picture below was taken yesterday during one of our planning meetings. Just look at all of the notes all over the place!

We rely on over 100 partners to help serve food, set up, assist in the clothing boutique, etc. I could not be more proud of all of the wonderful people that come together on this day!  If you are feeling led by our Lord to donate food, clothing, toys, or to serve that day, I personally invite you to reach out to our Church Offices to see where you would be of greatest assistance.  It truly is one of our most fruitful, heartwarming events that we do here at New Venture, and I would love to share that joy WITH you.

~ Pastor Shawn Mitchell

The New Venture Family is back!

As you recall from last week's writing, the New Venture Leadership staff spent the past week in Ohio on a Rest and Relaxation retreat. Relaxing is not all that we did... we also spent plenty of time diving into ideas of what the Lord has for New Venture's future!

While it was a FANTASTIC trip, enlightening, spirit-filled... it was sure wonderful to get back to the home Campus. There is nothing quite like being back with ALL of our New Venture family. As you can see below, our staff is already back at work, knee- deep in ministry! We are all so excited for what the future holds for our beloved Church!

Below you will see Xavier- our student ministry leader

Lauren- our receptionist, who is always happy to help you!

Pastor David- our Pastor of Operations- always hard at work, streamlining things for the church.

Charles- Our videographer... filing my next Small Groups video!

The New Venture staff Rest and Relaxation ministry trip

I don't often write about what goes on behind the scenes of New Venture, but this particular week has been action-packed for New Venture Staff.  We have so much ministry going on at the church these days with the upcoming holidays:  Thanksgiving Sunday Supper, Christmas concerts, Ring n' Run... so many ministry events to plan!

This week, the Leadership staff of New Venture took some time to fly to Ohio to visit and stay with one of our beloved Board Member's- Tony Foglio. (Check out the NV staff photo from the airplane!)

Pastor Tony Foglio has been with New Venture for decades now!  The idea behind this trip was to get all of our Ministry Leaders together for some much needed rest and relaxation.  A few days were set aside for the staff to relax together- but it is also a time where we have been able to press the 'reset' button and really come together to discuss the upcoming vision/s of New Venture as the holidays approach.

Working in ministry can be very tiring. Not many people realize the amount of time and work that each staff member puts into their respective ministries. The importance of resetting and not getting burnt out is crucial in order to be successful at doing the Lord's work. That's exactly what this trip has been for NV staff! While we have been pow-wowing for several hours a day- discussing, planning, sharing ideas... we have been able to reset, clear our heads, and pray about the exciting, upcoming days at New Venture.

Remembering the little things that are most important

Today I had the honor of officiating a 'Celebration of Life' service for a dear member of New Venture.  Although I have been doing these types of services for decades, I am still touched by each individual service that I am blessed to be a part of.  The service today stuck out to me for a few particular reasons.

The woman who passed away left behind many family members and friends who all said the same thing: She taught them all how to enjoy the smaller things in life and how to see the beauty of all things.  She was an artist, a creative personality. To see the beauty in a sunset or a night sky is not always easy for us to do as we are all so busy with 'bigger' things in life.

She also was a career hairstylist and therefore spoke to many people every single day. She left a huge impact on all of her clients because she was personable. Taking the time to talk to people has such a remarkable outcome.  Even a simple 'how is the family?' can leave a tremendous impact on someone's day.

Lastly, and most importantly, she was a VERY proud mother. She spent a significant amount of time with her only child and was extremely proud of her. She bragged about her daughter's artistic abilities to everyone. She was positive and would constantly praise her. Everyone that remembered our dear friend said the same thing: that she was a proud mother and a fantastic role model. While we assume, as parents, that we are simply doing our job by having a good relationship with our children- we are leaving much more of a footprint in the world and in lives than we even realize.

Are we hypocrites?

If you ask most people who aren't Christian, what is the one thing that they don't like about Christians, they will probably use words like "hypocrisy", "duplicity", or "lip service". 

As a proselytizing Christian, we are constantly trying to bring others to God.  We talk a lot. We want to bring others to Him. We want to share the good news!!! Therefore, we are oftentimes held to a higher standard in life- morally and ethically.  We are expected to be perfect, seemingly.

And for the most part, it is not that any of us are actual hypocrites or paying lip service... it is simply that we are all sinners and cannot possibly live perfect lives. So when we fall short of perfection, we are sometimes criticized as we live under tight scrutiny by non- Christians.

Romans 3:23, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"

What does this mean for us?  It means that we are NOT perfect and CANNOT be perfect.  We all sin. We are, however, freed by His grace.  That is a concept that should provide reassurance to us.

While we can certainly strive to live a wholesome life, and we can work daily to try to be the best person we can be, we can sleep better knowing that the pressures of life can be given up to God. He does not expect perfection!

The utility of worry... and turning worry into prayer!

Every day, we as humans are worried about something.  Whether it be something 'simple', such as being on time to work, or something more 'complicated', such as realizing that our monthly budget will not get us through to the end of the month. 

One thing we should ask ourselves is this: Does it make sense to worry about the things we worry about?  At the time of concern of a 'simple' worry, we are probably thinking to ourselves, "If I am late to work, I will get a lecture from my boss". While that may be true, you should also ask yourself, "Is this useful to worry about?".

There is a certain amount of worry that makes sense, and then there is also a level of useless rumination. 

According to the Bible, we should always turn to prayer when the anxiety starts. "Don't worry about anything... Instead, pray about everything. Let your requests be known to God. " Phil 4:6

There is a practical approach to worry, and it is the Biblical approach. We have to accept what we cannot change, and we need to be willing to accept as much or as little as God gives us in the present moment. We also have to give to God what we cannot change. In the Bible, Peter encourages us to put our worry into the powerful hands of God. His advice goes completely against what our own instincts are: to control it all, to try and think/act through our problems. We need to remember that we were not made for ourselves. We have to bring our problems to the Lord... and then leave them with him.

Body by Bible

Your body is a temple of the Lord.  We have all heard this quote so many times, but I can bet we never spend too much time actually taking this verse into consideration- and I am as guilty as anyone else!
If we really break  it down... our body is not actually ours.  It is simply an extension of us.  The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit lives in our body.  What does this actually translate to when it comes to how we should live our life and how we should treat our physical self?  Keep it healthy!  Our diets are inevitably one of the biggest ways that we can treat our bodies in the holiest of manners. One way of breaking it down... "Is this something I would want to put into Jesus' body?!"

If the answer is no- skip it! You can apply this any habit or action: Regularly exercising, taking care of your mental and emotional health, choosing to wear your seat-belt in the car (or any other common sense safety measure), etc.

Your body ultimately belongs to Christ.  Treat it accordingly!

Love conquers all!

It is not often that the news puts out any type of happy story... especially one like this!  I found this particular story to be incredibly heartwarming.  

A man from Rochester, New York, Luther Younger, shows how deeply devoted he is to his beloved wife, Waverlee.  This man goes way above and beyond what anyone would expect from an elderly husband.

Luther makes a six mile round-trip every day, regardless of the weather that day, to visit Waverlee in the hospital.  Waverlee is currently suffering with a brain tumor that she was diagnosed with nearly a decade ago. His wife is often hospitalized for weeks on end.  Sometimes Luther even sleeps on the hospital floor next to her bed!

Luther's love for Waverlee begins decades ago.  She helped him raise his children from a previous marriage.  She was strong.  She was his "cup of tea", as he describes. Waverlee's daughter tells news reporters of the strong, unconditional love that Luther has for her mother. Everyone sees it. 

Most people would CRINGE at the idea of making a six mile round trip, on foot, every single day.  But when you've walked through life with someone, what's another six miles? 

What can we learn from Luther?  That love is unconditional. And although Luther's love for Waverlee seems to be unmatched, it is nothing in comparison to God's love for us.  Can you even believe that?!

1 John 3:16

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. "

When life has you shaken up... don't get stirred up!

We all know what it feels like to be shaken up by the daily annoyances in life.  Sometimes they are small things, like someone cutting you off on the road, being late to work, etc... and sometimes the annoyances are overwhelming- your boss is being extra hard on you, family drama, children getting into trouble. All of our problems are taken seriously by God! 

Give up all your problems to God and don't get stirred by them.  It's one thing to be shaken- (ie, irritated, annoyed, etc), but it is another to be stirred (loss of sleep, extra stress, worry, etc), which can have what may be possible long- term effects on your life.

1 Peter 5:7
Cast all your worries on Him, because He cares for you.

When we are a society of such that lives for the moment with instant gratification at our fingertips, we often times lose sight of the bigger picture in life, and therefore can be stirred up quite easily.  If we remember that God is the ultimate receiver of all of our worries, we will be able to manage being shaken much more easily.  Remember: The ultimate goal for ALL of us should be to disciple to others and let God handle the rest.  Be a good person. Do good for others. God will take care of the rest.

Make disciples of all nations!

It is a Christian's obligation to spread the gospel. As Christians, we know this.  It is not enough to simply believe- but it is also our job as Christians is to bring others to Christ.  New Venture is coming up on "Plus 1 Weekend" on September 16 where we encourage our members to bring a friend... or 5!  We feed everyone, take them on a tour, and see what areas of ministry everyone is interested in.  It really is a wonderful time!

MATTHEW 28:19

I encourage all of you to show up on September 16 with your "plus 1".  It really is a great opportunity to fellowship and to grow the body of Christ. You never know what you may learn about yourself that day!  Everyone has special gifts that they have to offer... and for all you know, your spiritual gifts COULD start a chain reaction.  You could be getting more souls in Heaven! 

Overcoming the enemy's attempts to undermine your objectives

Have you ever been knee-deep in ministry and your plans seem to get foiled? It's not always easy to see- but the enemy is always hard at work, trying to cause difficulty in our lives. Just when it appears that we have succeeded in our ministry efforts... the enemy rears his ugly head and reminds us that we as Christians are constantly under attack.

One important thing to do is recognize that it was not God that stopped you but the enemy. 

The reason you need to decipher the source of the interference  is that knowing the enemy is trying to stop you will help you keep on track. It will keep you from giving up and from blaming yourself. 

Another important thing to do is to realize that this difficulty is fleeting. Just know that the enemy's assault will end, and you will move forward. 

Keep looking for  a way to achieve God's objectives. The enemy LOVES trying to interfere and frustrate us, especially those of us that work in a ministry. He just LOVES to try to thwart God's plans... don't let him!  And never give up!

Blessed are the peacemakers.

It is a tough topic to discuss: Children and parents are being separated at US borders due to President Trump's zero tolerance policy on immigration.  The subject of this matter is extremely controversial. Whether you are a Democrat, a Republican, or somewhere in the middle... the bottom line is this: These poor families are SUFFERING.  Often times it is the unknown and 'what if's' that are the most frightening to any of us.  Seeing the reunification pictures of some of these families is a very humbling experience. This is such a bittersweet photo: The joy of the reunification combined with the relief from the lingering fear and unknown.  God only knows what the child went though and what the parents went through during the separation. 

The Bible commands Christians to help the poor, to recognize the importance of family, and to love thy neighbors just as we would ourselves.  Regardless of who you vote for or what your stance is on immigration, we must all realize that we are ALL children of God and should treat each  other accordingly. At the very least, we can respect ALL people and realize that everyone on this planet is an equal in God's eyes.

At the end of the day, we are called to be loving Christians to all people in the world... and not only loving, but we are instructed to be peacemakers.  Don't be fooled by the world news which will often times rile us up and make us angry toward the "other" side of whatever it is we are in favor of.  Break things down to the very simple concept of this: Be nice, be kind, be loving, be empathetic. This is what we have been instructed to do.  When we do these things and behave accordingly, not only does it feel good but the blessings we are given start to become so much more apparent.



Matthew 5:9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God".

In God We Trust!

This past week, the state of Florida passed a bill that became a law that specifically states each school district is required to display the state motto (IN GOD WE TRUST) in all of the schools in the district and in each building used by the district school board.  A caveat to this is that the motto must be display conspicuously on school grounds.  Christian state representative,  Kimberly Daniels, stated that the motto is inscribed on the state capitol as well as on our currency, and therefore needs to be displayed in schools.

 This new law and the implications of it are MONUMENTAL.  So many Americans have been praying for this for years, to only receive resistance from the non-theology based leaders.  This is truly something that needs to be celebrated! 

The power of prayer is a very real concept that has very real outcomes, such as the new Florida legislature. When thousands of people are in prayer for the same outcome, there WILL be results.  

Last night at New Venture was a night to remember as we had a Great 1 Hour of Prayer evening.  Hundreds of people came, to include our Spanish ministry and members.  There was powerful worship, many prayer requests, and even tears were shed.  Everyone there came for one common denomination: They needed prayer or they needed to pray over someone else.  The 1 Hour of Prayer is always a tremendously powerful experience.  It is unlike any other function at New Venture.  The Sanctuary is FILLED with the Spirit.  Anyone who attends these will tell you the same thing... there is just something truly miraculous about prayer in groups.

Similar to the new Florida school law, which is largely due to the power of prayer, New Venture witnessed souls being saved last night- non-believers feeling the power of prayer, at the very least.  There is absolutely a connection between large groups of people praying together and SEEING RESULTS!

Longing to belong

It is human nature: We ALL long to belong.  Whether it be in relationship with a significant other, being accepted in the workplace, or having a diverse circle of friends... there is something about BELONGING that makes us have high self esteem, feel comfort, and feel 'normal'. 

That's why New Venture is putting such a huge emphasis on the launching of our Small Groups this upcoming season with our newest series "Quest to be the Best"

We have a vast array of Small Groups and which have something to offer to EVERYONE.

Types of Small Groups 

The following small groups are currently functioning at New Venture Christian Fellowship. These models are utilized at NVCF. 

Small Groups (Sermon-based, Home) 

Utilize discussion questions from the church program. 

Service Groups 

For those who are serving together in the same ministry, (i.e. Frontlines, media, youth, worship, etc.) 

Affinity Groups 

Groups formed around common age, interest and/or experiences. 

Whether you want to go bowling, surfing, are in recovery, or just want to read the Word together- we surely have a group that you BELONG in. I can promise you this... you will not regret getting involved in one of our Small Groups!  Jesus modeled the importance of relationships by spending three years with twelve men (the disciples)... and they changed the world!

We live in a very fast paced world in this day and age.  We are so concerned about out own first-world problems, while hurrying to the nearest Starbucks, that we forget that many people have much greater struggles than we do.  I was at a coffee shop yesterday and I started up a casual conversation with the barista.  He informed me that he was very tired because he had two full time jobs and had an 18 hour work shift ahead of him.  I took the time to listen and then went on with my day after a "God bless you" to him.  On the drive home, something hit me about that conversation.  This gentleman was working two full time jobs to keep a roof over his head for his young family.  Me?  I was on my way to my next errand and then would head home at a reasonable time to work on my message and be with my own family.  The gentleman at the coffee shop was not complaining at all- he was simply telling me about his life because I gave the impression that I would listen.

But do we really listen to strangers?  Do we really show that we care by our actions?  

Matthew 25: 35-40

The greatest threat to Satan...

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you,". JAMES 4:7

Every single day, we are surrounded by the devil. Every time I turn on the news... every time I log on to my social media... everywhere I go, I am constantly reminded that Satan is very real and makes serious attempts to poison people, especially Christians.

But the Bible makes it very clear that there is one absolute way to disarm Satan... STICK WITH GOD. The power of God and His constant presence can knock Satan to his knees anytime.  

The temptations in our daily lives seem to increase as the access to information- (social media, news, etc) gets easier and easier.  It makes me wonder if this is the main reason that the family structure in America is crumbling right before our eyes. 

Please take a moment to read the verse below.  There is very little that needs to be said after reading these clear instructions, with regards to Satan. Putting on the armor of God is the biggest weapon we will ever have!

" Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 

 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. T

herefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 

and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 

 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one,". EPHESIANS 6: 11-16

The testing of your faith!

Stress is something that all of us experience on  very regular basis.  While there are different degrees of stress, everyone's stress is very real to them.  The effects that stress has on the body is monumental: insomnia, anxiety, weight gain, being more susceptible to mental health illnesses, digestive issues... the list goes on.

So often we are inundated with stress that we forget to count our blessings. We forget to take deep breaths.  We forget that although it seems like we are currently drowning, there are so many things to 
be grateful for.  And most importantly... we CAN do this!  

James 1: 2-4- 

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 

Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

We can get through anything with the Lord by our side the entire time.  When it seems like things cannot get any worse... believe me.... THEY CAN!  And we need to take stress in grace and remember what is most important in life. God has our back.  He will not give us anything that we cannot handle.  And in the meantime- we need to take care of our bodies and our minds so that stress does not get the best of us!