Part 3 of the Financial Series - Wealth Building!

So, I'm watching The Duchess the other night.

Don't gag, guys. Chick flicks are a way to your woman's heart.

And don't worry. I'm not going to spoil the ending for you. But the movie opens with the Duke staring out a window at some children playing. Later in the movie, after much has happened, he's standing in the same place, looking out the same window, watching children play. And after gazing for a few moments, he utters a cry from the heart, a statement something like this:

"Oh, to have the freedom to experience that much joy."

And, with the weight of the world and the consequences of the choices he has made on his shoulders, he slowly turns from the wind

ow, turns his back to the camera, and drags his body and his load down the hall. Rich enough to have everything he wanted; impoverished, having nothing he needed.

Not to be too heavy here, but this is not the life God intends for you.

Is there a way to achieve clarity on what to invest in to prevent a forlorn looking back 10, 15, 20, 30 years down the road? What could life be like if we purposed to be free to experience much joy?

We'll dig into this as we conclude the riveting series on Surviving the Financial Crisis this Sunday at Moland.

See ya at 11:00--and come early for some coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and munchies.

If you want to get a jump on where we're going, check out Matthew 6:19-23.

Surviving the Financial Crisis, Part Deux!

On the sidewalk, Inspector Clouseau is approaching a man walking a dog coming the opposite direction. The man stops to peer in a shop window. Clouseau, intrigued by the dog, stops and asks the man, "Does your dog bite?"

"Why, no, my dog does not bite," is the response.

Clouseau reaches out to pet the dog, retracting it quickly as the dog, snarling, bites his hand.

"I thought you said your dog doesn't bite," puzzles Clouseau.

"That's right, my dog doesn't bite."

"But, I don't understand. The dog just bit me."

"Oh, this isn't my dog."

OUCH. Confusion over ownership. It bit Clouseau.

He's not alone. Getting a grip on how to survive the financial crisis besetting the world right now may come down to understanding who owns what. Turns out the responsibilities are different if you own the stuff or if you are managing it for someone else.

Sunday at 11:00 we'll have Brett Andrews, New Life's senior pastor, with us via video for a chat on getting the proper perspective on ownership. Maybe if we get it, we can avoid having our hand chewed off.

Hang out in Luke 16 for awhile if you want to ponder ahead of time.

Financial Crisis Series Kicks Off

A week ago, it was 10 degrees when I got out of bed. I bundled up best I could to brave the frigid air for the 20 seconds it would take me to retrieve the morning paper. The first seven or eight seconds weren't too bad, I thought. But, by the time I hit the front door on the return trip, the cold seemed to be penetrating my bone marrow.

And then I wondered: "Man, how do the homeless survive on nights like this? Someone should really do something."

But I warmed up quickly and sat down with a cup of joe to read all about the good news. There was this story and that story, but the one that stayed with me was about this photo exhibit of teens in Fairfax County in need of parents. The article didn't have any of the photos, just descriptions of kids in need of parents.

And I wondered: "Man, someone should really do something."

And as I turned these things around in my head, I wondered "What would prevent us from being involved in this stuff?" And it hit me. Yeah, we're the richest nation on earth, and we'd like to help and all, but, sorry, about that. We've already spent it on us. In fact, the statistics show that not only have we spent what we have on us, we've spent what we don't have on us, too. Debt, man, is killing us individually--and now it's killing us as a nation collectively.

Is there a better way?

Is there a more fulfilling way?

Is it possible that God might have given us some understanding of how to do this money thing.

I mean, we've done it our way, and we're basically toast. We've listened to the "experts", the best minds the world has to offer, and what's it gotten us. Here's what: 7 our of 10 families in the US live paycheck to paycheck. No margin for error whatsoever. Maybe we at least need to check out what God has to say about this stuff.

The first of three messages on this financial crisis is this Sunday. Paul Gardiner, a pastor person with street cred on money issues, is introducing us to a different way of thinking.

If you want some place to park yourself in the Bible in preparation, try Malachi 3.

Better sex for $5?

Did you miss the last 3 weeks of church?

That means you missed out on a hot topic... SEX!

But don't worry!

If you were out of town, can't roll out of bed before 11:00am, or just think our chairs are uncomfortable it is not too late to hear the messages that were preached over the past three weeks.

3 CDs with the Sex Sermons, preached by campus pastor, Dwaine Darrah, will be sold for $5!

Interested? Just email us at newlifewestmoreland@gmail.com

Free babysitting for a Valentine's Day Eve date night!

After our December 13 kid-free shopping day's vast success, we have decided to do a similar event to help our parents in the community!

This time - Date Night!

Just in time for Valentine's Day, get a head start with this Valentine's Day Eve date night.

We will have caring volunteers there to entertain your kids from 6:00pm - 9:00pm on Friday February 13, 2009; plus there will be a nursery with care givers and open arms for your babies!

To RSVP or find out additional information and fill out a registration form please email us at newlifewestmoreland@gmail.com.

Wipe That Holy Scowl Off Your Face, Man!!

"No talking in class!" were the words that penetrated his inner ear as the ruler across the back of Brian's hand simultaneously punctured several tiny blood vessels.

He wasn't sure what stung more...
The actual pain carried reflexively to his brain?
The embarrassment of the pummeling in full view of his friends?
The suddenness of the judgment carried out with way too much vim and vinegar.

Maybe it was the that frown of disapproval. It was as if it was from God Himself.

He didn't like it then, when he had to be in school, and Brian was determined he was never going to have feel like that again. So he avoided God, church, nuns, and anything else whose sole existence was to make him feel small and judged.

Now, Brian's making his way in the world today, and it's taking everything he's got.

How different he might feel if he realized that the God he imagined isn't necessarily the God described in the Bible.

Given Brian's experience, it might be hard for him to fathom that God is actually a party animal!

God recommending that His people enjoy themselves, engage in all kinds of festivals, dance, and sing, and, pretty much have a blast!

Not the God you've experienced? We didn't think so.

For a closer look at God's real view of partying, replete with plenty of Bible verses to back this up, Tim Jones will be joining us this Sunday.

To read ahead and get some sense of where this is going, you might check out Leviticus 23 or Deuteronomy 15 and 16.

But, we guarantee you'll hear some things you're not going to expect--because Tim is not only a preacher man, he's a comic genius.

1988 Kirby Road, McLean--11:00 a.m. this Sunday (Feb 8).

See you there.