ABOUT US

New Life Christian Fellowship 120 Bishop Street (Corner of Milford Rd & Clyde Rd) Highland, MI 48357  Click for Map

Some Definitions

SPIRIT-FILLED- To have received the in-filling of the Holy Spirit as demonstrated on the day of Pentecost. “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4)

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT – Another term for the in-filling of the Holy Spirit as evidenced by speaking in tongues. “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how He said. ‘John indeed baptized with water: but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit’ ”(Acts 11:16)

FULL-GOSPEL-Those who believe that all the power and gifts of the Spirit which were available to the early church are still available to each and every believer.  

KINGDOM OF GOD-The government, rule and authority of God in the earth and the universe.  The reality of God’s sovereignty, soon to be manifest in the earth, is now in practice in His Saints.  (Rev. 11:15; Rom. 14:17; Matt. 13)

SONSHIP-The mature, fully developed or perfected believer.  This is the desire of God for our lives.  (Gal. 4:1-7, Rom. 8; Eph. 4:8-16)

THE BODY OF CHRIST/THE CHRIST-Christ Jesus is the head of a corporate expression: THE CHRIST/ THE ONE NEW MAN /THE MANCHILD: which is soon to be manifest in the earth.  The development of this body is within THE CHURCH /THE WOMAN, which is the fellowship of all believers.   (Col. 1:18,2:19; Rev. 12, 14; Eph. 2:16)  

BAPTISM IN HIS NAME: Immersion in the water having the name of Jesus Christ invoked upon you.  This act is accompanied by the remission of sins, circumcision of the heart and the gift of the Holy Spirit in the believer. (Acts 2:38; Rom. 6; Col. 2)  

EDIFY-To build up or encourage. “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”     (I Corinthians 14:12)

TESTIMONY-Bearing witness or sharing of a Christian experience that one has had in order to give praise to God and encourage other believers.   (I John 4:14; I John 1:2)    

Some “Whys”    

WHY DO WE CLAP OUR HANDS? The act of clapping our hands is a form of praise which is mentioned frequently in the scriptures: ”O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph”(Ps. 47:1) “For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” (Isaiah 55:12)

WHY DO WE LIFT OUR HANDS? The act of lifting our hands is a form of praising the Lord.  More than fifty times in the Psalms the word Towday or Yadah is translated “praise” where in actuality the word means to extend the hands in praise.  Some other scriptures that mention praise are: “Thus will I bless thee while I live, I will lift up my hands in Thy Name.”(Ps. 63:4) “I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”               (I Timothy 2:8)

WHY DO WE PRAISE THE LORD OUT LOUD? “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Serve the Lord with gladness, come before Him with joyful songs.” (Psalms 100:1-2) N.I.V. “And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in the heavens saying, ‘Hallelujah!  Salvation, and glory, and honor, and power unto the Lord our God’… And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude… and as the voice of mighty thundering saying, ‘Hallelujah!  For the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth.”  (Revelation 19:1,6)

WHY DO WE SING AND PRAY IN TONGUES AND IN ENGLISH? “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.  What is it then?  I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also.” (I Cor. 14: 14-15) “I would that ye all spoke with tongues…”   (I Cor. 14:5)

WHY DO WE SING AS WE DO? “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,” (Ephesians 5: 18-19) “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”  (Colossians 3:16)

WHY DON’T WE HAVE A PRINTED ORDER OF WORSHIP? “The hour cometh, and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.  God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.”(John 4:23-24) “For we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” (Philippians 3:3)

WHAT IS PROPHECY AND HOW IS IT USED? Prophecy is a supernatural utterance from God in an understood or known tongue. “But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.”  (I Corinthians 14:3) N.I.V.  “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.”   (I Corinthians 14:1) N.I.V. “Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy…”   (I Corinthians 4:39)

WHY DO WE HAVE SPEAKING WITH TONGUES AND INTERPRETATIONS OF THOSE TONGUES IN THE CHURCH? Various kinds of tongues are a supernatural utterance by the Holy Spirit in a language that was neither learned by the speaker nor is it understood by the speaker.  The interpretation of tongues is a divinely inspired translation of an utterance in other tongues. “But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal… to another diverse kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” (I Corinthians 12: 7 & 10) “Wherefore, brethren… forbid not the speaking in tongues.” (I Corinthians 14:39) “I would like everyone of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.  He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.” (I Corinthians 14:5) N.I.V. “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at most three-should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret.” (I Corinthians 14:27) N.I.V.

WHY ARE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS A PART OF THE WORSHIP SERVICE? “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet… praise Him with the timbrel and dance; praise Him with the stringed instruments and organs.  Praise Him upon the loud cymbals; praise Him upon the high-sounding cymbals.” (Psalms 150:3-5) “And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of great thunder; and I heard a voice of harpers harping with their harps:” (Revelation 14:2)

WHY DOES THE WHOLE CHURCH PRAY AT ONCE FOR SPECIFIC NEEDS? “And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, ‘Lord, Thou art God, which has made heaven and earth…’ ”       (Acts 4:24) “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19) N.I.V.

WHY DO WE PRAY FOR THE SICK AND ANOINT WITH OIL? “Is any of you sick?  He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord.  And prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well: the Lord will raise him up.  If he has sinned he will be forgiven.” (James 5:14-15) N.I.V.

WHY DO WE PRACTICE LAYING ON OF HANDS? “And these signs shall follow those who believe, In My Name…They shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover.”(Mark 16:17-18) “Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases, brought them unto Him; and He laid His hands on every one of them, and healed them.” (Luke 4:40) “And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:6)

WHY DO SOME EVEN DANCE BEFORE THE LORD? “Then David danced before the Lord with all his might…” (2 Samuel 6:14) “Let them praise His name with the dance: let them sing praises unto Him with the timbrel and harp.” (Psalms 149:3)                 

Some Scriptural Terminology

THE ANOINTING-The presence and the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life. “But the anointing which you have received of Him abideth in you.” (I John 2:27)

TO MINISTER- to serve or help another by the anointing of the Holy Spirit. “…But our sufficiency is of God…Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament.”   (2 Corinthians 3:5-6)

REVELATION- The manifestation of God’s will and truth to man. “Wherefore I also…making mention of you in my prayers; that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:” (Ephesians 1:15-17)