What kind of church is New Life Presbyterian of the Bayshore Community? Words like extensive, wide ranging, and broad come to mind.
Since January 1980 (when New Life began, as a mission) through to the present, our congregation has been very diversified.
One aspect of that diversity is ethnic. Reflecting the Biblical day of Pentecost when men of all nations were drawn together to hear the apostles of Jesus preach, New Life's membership has included Christians of Chinese, Dutch, Egyptian, Hispanic, Indian, Irish, Italian, Japanese, and Korean descent -- to name a few -- as well as many folks of mixed ethnic origin.
The broadness has been geographic as well. Although we are "of the Bayshore Community" because of our location and primary ministry focus, we currently have members from a wider area in New Jersey -- including towns such as Brick, Freehold, and Perth Amboy. Over the years military chaplains and other service men and women from the U.S. Army's Fort Monmouth, and from Naval Weapons Stations Earle have joined us for worship and fellowship.
Nor would a visitor to New Life find the narrowness, so common in society at large, that originates when people "stick with" others of their own economic bracket. The principle articulated by the apostle James is believed at New Life (please see James 2:2-4).
That Biblical principle is believed because of the very significant way in which New Life Church is NOT broad and all embracing. Many competing and confusing winds of teaching concerning spirituality and morality swirl about these days. In the midst of religious pluralism gone wild, and tolerance twisted into the condoning of moral evil, New Life seeks to remain faithful to what the Bible calls "the faith once for all delivered to the saints."
New Life receives as its supreme authority the inspired, infallible Word of God -- the holy Bible. Therefore the church holds to the historic Christian faith as it has been articulated by the Apostle's Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Westminster Confession, and other historic summaries of Christian belief.
Negatively, this means that NO, we do not believe that there are "many acceptable paths to God." The Lord Jesus Christ said that He is the only way. Accept no substitutes! NO, we do not consider materialistic greed, promiscuity, and perversion as having somehow become acceptable to God in the 21st century. They have not.
Positively, our commitment to the Bible means that through the ministry of this congregation, God's Good News is proclaimed in power. That Good News is an eternal, unfading message which can comfort the mature Christian, build up the novice Christian in his or her faith, and bring a wonderful, new life to those who have not yet known our wonderful Lord Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world.
We are essentially "all about Him."
Is New Life Church of the Bayshore Community for you? We warmly invite you to visit us and find out for yourself!