I first heard that as I was becoming connected with New Life as the pastor over nine years ago. It was repeated as we made plans for and built the ministry center expansion. It was brought up again as we talked about “New Life Culture” during our 20012 Vision Team. It was emphasized again the following year as we shared “15 Thoughts on 15 Years”. We revisited it as we sent another team to Costa Rica this past summer.
In fact, from what I’m told, Costa Rica is where that phrase originated for New Lifers. On the church’s first mission trip to Costa Rica, the team was watching the local children play and thought “They do more with less and we do less with more.” That led to a conviction for the church to strive "to do more with less so those with less can do more."
I’ve seen so much of that core value put into place over the past week alone:
- Rather than using the Preschool Wheel-A-Thon to buy more things for our school, the preschool chose to use the annual fundraiser to support The St. Baldrick’s Foundation because one of our families lost one of their precious little ones to cancer this past year.
- Rather than go out on the town on last Friday night for dinner and a movie, over 100 people gathered to package 12,000 meals to be sent to help break the cycle of poverty in specifically identified areas!
- Rather than put more stuff in our own grocery carts, collectively you gave 357 pounds of food to help eradicate hunger in our zip code!
- Rather than spend more time doing the things we wanted to do over the course of the weekend, you gave 514 hours of time to serve others!
- Rather than making our Christmas list the weekend after Halloween, you packed 100 gift boxes to be sent to others in the name of Jesus!
These decisions over the past week could have ended in more money and time spent on ourselves, but instead you strove to do more with less so those with less can do more.
To quote the words of Jesus in Matthew 25 when speaking of his followers who feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick and in prison… "Well done!”
I love my church! Through you, great things are being done for God! Lives truly are being transformed through Jesus Christ one life at a time!
Blessings in Christ,
Pastor Mike
