In 2008, while sitting in the living room of their rental home, Bishop began discussing his vision to plant a church ministry and that he felt the name should be "A New Life". Continuing this same discussion privately during dinner at a local buffet restaurant, the waitress who knew nothing of the conversation approached the table and posed the question, "What I want to know is, when are you guys going to start your own church?" She then proceeded to say how she would be our first member.
Afterward, Bishop and Pastor went to visit Pastor's grandparents (whom we all know and call Grandpa and Grandma) to seek their wisdom and guidance. Bishop informed grandpa that he needed a podium. The next day they received a call from grandpa that he was on his way to their home to deliver the podium he had built for them.
That question posed by the waitress combined with the loving support of grandma and grandpa was confirmation that it was time to start "A New Life"
They begin making and distributing flyers throughout the community and hosting church services and Bible Studies in the upper "orange" room of their rental home. It wasn't long before they began to grow. The relocated to the banquet room of a local hotel, formerly known as the "Microtel". Soon they outgrew the capacity of that small room and relocated to their first store front building. Again, this building became too small and our landlord at the time offered us a little larger building that would allow us to have classrooms and office space as well.
After holding services in this building for a little over a year, Bishop desired to provide food for the community, however, there was no kitchen in the building . They began praying and search for a new building and came across the vacant free-standing building they're currently located in. When they first attempted to rent the building, the city required them to go before the city council to seek permission to rent it. The council informed them that they did not want them to be located in the building because they preferred to have a business that could sell alcohol and had been hoping to put a strip club there. The council voted against them 7 to 1. They didn't give up! They gathered together at the building and walked around it 7x praying. Within a few days they received a phone call to come pick up the keys to the building.
They rented the building for over 6yrs but being in a Military Community with many members relocating they struggled to continue paying the rent. Discouraged, they closed the doors and shared a building with another ministry while trying to find a smaller and cheaper place to rent. After a little over a year, they received a phone call from the owner of the building requesting us to meet with him. He said simply, "you have a building you can use rent free until you got back on our feet, What hinders you?" Needless to say they quickly moved back into the building.
They desired to purchase the building but could never get the financing needed. In December 2019, the owner called them back for another conversation. He told them he was gifting the building to the church as a Christmas present. God has been simply amazing throughout their journey. Through the good and the bad, He always turns it around for the good and for His glory. They are blessed and forever grateful for all He has done and all He will continue to do.
They are excited for what is next!