Category: Life Change

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Simulcast

I have been sitting in the Maximum Impact Simulcast at NewPointe today. I just finished listening to Liz Murray talk about her story of going from being homeless to attending Harvard. What an amazing story of growth. Her parents were both drug addicts and they lived in welfare her entire childhood. She described going days without food, eating ice because it felt like eating food. Splitting a tube of toothpaste with her sister and on.

She talked about making empowering decisions or dis-empowering decisions. Those moments in time when we can go either way. She said that self-pity will always lead us to dis-empowering decisions. After losing her mother to AIDS, she started to realize that she had to change something. She started to make empowering choices, like going to school, working hard, getting up ever morning. She ended up applying for a scholarship and getting it, which allowed her to get into Harvard.

Hearing her story was worth the entire day. You can check out her website to learn more. You can also learn more at this site as well.

Also heard from Linda Kaplan Thaler, John Maxwell, Kevin Carroll, Tony Blair, Al Weiss (Disney CEO), Mark Sanborn, Jack Nicklaus and Bill George. More on some of them later.

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Sunday Rewind



What a great day at NewPointe. Three services, eleven baptism’s, six families dedicating their children to Christ. The entire reason we do what we do is to lead people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Today you got a chance to see people growing in that relationship. If you missed the stories checkout our website for baptism videos, coming soon.

Every month we are hearing stories about how God is moving and working in peoples lives. My prayer is that we stay focused on giving God the glory and making Jesus known in all the communities around us. We are getting some incredible opportunities to share the Good News and reach more and more people with the truth from God’s word.

One lady that was visiting today because of the baptism’s mentioned that someone was talking about NewPointe at a Curves location in Cambridge. We have a group of 70-80 people meeting every other Sunday night in Louisville. There are new small groups forming in Sugarcreek, Dover, Louisville and Strasburg. NewPointe Community Church has “it” right now. We need to make sure we don’t lose “it” by getting distracted and thinking we are better than we really are. As leader’s at NewPointe we need to stay Humble and Persistent; Focusing and Determined; Bold and Compassionate.

I love the idea that people are talking and excited about their church. That is good and I want to encourage everyone that calls NewPointe their home to invest in the people you know and invite them to church. We promise to do everything we can to make it an incredible experience and connect with them in a practical real way.

Introducing people to Jesus and then helping them grow in that relationship is what we are all about. NewPointe is outward focused and on mission to change the world.

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God at Work

Today I had a really cool story happen right in front of my eyes. This past Sunday at church someone stopped me and said he would like to donate a car to a needy family. I told him that I did not have anyone in need of that right now, but that I would let him know if I came across anyone with that need.

Well today it happened. I got a call from a single mom on disability. She was very stressed out, because she had lost her child support, because her daughters father had lost his job. That had put her behind on all her bills. She had bought a cheap car recently, only to find out it needed a new computer. The cost was half of what she paid for the car, and she still owed money on the car.

I told her I may have another option for her. She told me she had been praying a lot lately and had been going to church and trying to do the right thing, but things only seemed to be getting worse. I called my friend and told him the situation and he said that is exactly what he was looking for. He said he would have the car ready in a week.

When I called her back with this, she was blown away. I could hear a difference in her voice. I believe it was a faith building moment for her, a defining moment. I will be working with her on some other issues as well, but I believe that God is already working in her life. My prayer for her is that her personal relationship with Jesus Christ gets more intimate through all of this. This act of compassion and kindness could be what she needed to break out of the problems she has been facing. She still has some work to do, but this helps big time. God is good.

God works through people, what story is He writing through your life?

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NewPointe Story

I met with a friend for breakfast this morning, and he shared a story with me that I had to share. My friend does not come to NewPointe Church, but recently left his church of 20 years and is attending another church. He told me about a couple that were members of his old church for over 30 years. He told me that he can only remember them attending the church a couple of times each year. They were a very nice, well liked couple, but they just rarely went to church and never got involved.

He said he met with them last week. They came into his office and got to talking about church. This couple is now in their 70’s, retired and they have grandchildren. They told my friend that they are attending NewPointe Community Church. My friend was surprised that they would attend a larger church with contemporary music. Their old church did only hymns and had a large pipe organ.

They went on to say how much they love going to church. They enjoy the music and the messages and they are now taking their grandson with them. Their grandson absolutely loves going to church and is upset if they don’t come and get him. Last week they both were not feeling good, but they went and took their grandson to KidStuff, which is between the two services. This couple is excited about Church and God and is growing after 30 years of being a member of a church and going through the motions.

I love hearing stories like that because it let’s me know that NewPointe is reaching a wide variety of people in all stages of life. It let’s me know that we are connecting with people and are helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ.

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Church Growth

I’ve been having some interesting conversations about church growth with some other guys. We have been discussing the reasons that some churches grow and add new people and others stay the same or decline.

One of the guys asked if the church I attend wants to keep growing. I immediately said yes, because there are still unchurched and lost people in Holmes & Tuscarawas Counties.

One of the other guys said that growth is not an option for a church it is a command from Jesus. You see, the church is the plan for reaching the entire world for Jesus Christ. Therefore churches should try to spread the Good News to as many people as possible. It would be easy and safe to sit back and protect our own and feed ourselves and forget about the people that do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Some people decide against going to a growing large church because they think it will be impersonal and cold. They think they will be ignored. Maybe they think its just a cool place to be seen and a status thing. So without ever experiencing it they choose not to go.

The truth is that there is a reason a church is growing and attracting new people. I have heard many stories in my church and other Church’s that the experience has been amazing. I hear over and over again how welcome they felt. How warm and friendly everyone was and how the music and the message really spoke to them. I hear comments all the time about how they could understand what was being taught and how they felt the pastor was speaking directly to them.

If you have never gone to a growing church, I encourage you to try it. It is probably much different from the church you grew up in or have heard about. Church can be fun and exciting. God is not boring or uninteresting. It’s all about changed lives and growing churches have stories of changed lives.

Ever Monday morning at our staff meeting we share stories, and there is never a time we don’t have several stories of lives that have been impacted because of the church. That is why we do what we do!

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Another Story

I love hearing stories about how people first came to NewPointe and what kept them coming back. I try to search out these stories as often as I can. I ask people to share their story with me when I meet with them about membership, baptism or simply when I am welcoming them to the church.

Here is a recent story I want to share. I have heard stories similar to this over and over again. It is exciting to see how God is working through the people at NewPointe to reach our communities. Everyone that serves in any way is helping make a difference every week. Here is the story:

“So once NewPointe opened my wife attended a few services and told me how nice it was. So one Sunday we came as a family and as soon as I walked through the doors and we were greeted by all of the smiling faces I knew that this place was special. During that Sunday morning service Dwight hit on so many things that were affecting us in our daily lives that it seemed like he was speaking directly to me. We have found ourselves wanting to come back every week to hear what God had placed on Dwight’s heart to preach to us about. There has YET to be a Sunday that we haven’t left there feeling like we have grown, even if in some small way in our walk with God. We are now finding ourselves wanting to grow more as a family and as a married couple in our relationship with God. My wife has much more of a Christian back ground than myself. I am sure that she can help me as I learn more about the ways of our God. NewPointe is a place that I am finding very comfortable to let my guard down and learn and grow spiritually. my family is looking forward to everything that NewPointe has to offer for us.”

This past Sunday we had 30 new families visiting. How cool is that! Each one has a unique story and represents a person that God loves. Thank you volunteers and staff for making a difference.

If you would like to share your experience of coming to NewPointe Community Church or how God has transformed your life, please email me at cstutzman@newpointe.org

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Great Story

Two Sunday’s ago I had the privilege of leading three teenage girls to the Lord. Here is the story.

I received three communication cards that said they wanted to be baptized and then underneath that, they hand wrote that they also wanted to be saved.

I called the one teenager and asked a few questions. It turns out that two of them are sisters and one is a friend (age 19, 17 & 16). The one I spoke to said that they all wanted to do this together, so I invited them to meet me in the prayer room the next Sunday at 10:30.

I prayed all week that they would show up and that God would prepare the way. At 10:30 they all three showed up. They were very open to hearing the Gospel and each one wanted to be “saved”. I shared some Scriptures with them and explained what it means to be a Christian.

They listened intently and did not have any questions. I asked them if they were ready to make the commitment to Jesus Christ and they said yes. We prayed together and I gave them each a new Bible. I also talked with them about what baptism is and how that could be a greater next step for them. I was floating after that, there is nothing more fulfilling than leading someone to the Lord.

How exciting it is to see young people like these three girls coming to know Jesus. I am sure many seeds were planted with them along the way and I had the privilege of praying with them. That is why we are doing what we are doing!

We are reaching people and helping them grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Every person that serves here at NewPointe played a small part in this story. Yeah God!

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Life Change

The reason NewPointe Church exits is to lead people every where into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. That is a big vision. In a nut shell we exist for life change, to be the catalyst for people all over the world to grow closer to Jesus Christ.

Yesterday I had the privilege of hearing six different people share their life change stories with me. All six are going to be baptized in October. I sat down with them and listened to them share what God has done and is doing in their lives.

Nothing charges me up more than hearing people talk passionately about their relationship with Jesus. Tears came to their eyes as they talked about how God drew them to himself and how they were able to overcome sin and difficult circumstances because of God’s strength and courage.

These six people have experienced a change. They have experienced God and they don’t want to go back to the old way of life. I can’t wait for their stories to be played on the big screens for everyone to hear. They are going public with their faith. Way to go Angela, Amy, Steve, Jillian, Jason and Christen!

Each one was nervous and unsure about be video taped, but they knew this was a step God wanted them to take. Often times if we can face a fear and do what God calls us to there is a spiritual breakthrough in our lives. For these six people they will never be the same. They are standing tall for Jesus Christ and following Him.

What is holding you back from following Jesus with all your heart, soul and mind? What is your next step in your walk with Him? For some it is baptism, for others maybe getting in a small group, for some it may be leading a small group or serving in an area of ministry. For others it may be taking on a leadership role in ministry or going on a mission trip. For others it may mean getting help for your marriage and reconciling your relationships. For some people it may mean being a better steward of your money. For someone it may be giving a large chunk of your resources to God’s work. I don’t know what your next step is, but God is calling you to it.

Step out in faith and begin living fully for God!