Insights From Our Pastors

• Jun8Thu

  Fishers of Men and Women!06.08.17

  June 8, 2017 Pastor Carlene

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  Pastor Carlene's Posts

  When God first called me to the position of senior pastor at New Vision, my husband Ted and I had a vacation planned and spent a week camping in the unique canyons at The Cove Palisades in Central Oregon.  During that vacation, God unfolded before me a plan that he had to breathe new life into New Vision. It was an ACTION plan, with the...

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• Feb6Mon

  Transformation, growth, recalibration, transition, change…

  February 6, 2017 Pastor Carlene

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  Transformation, growth, recalibration, transition, change…
  
  Each of these words can conjure up different connotations in our mind, some positive and exciting and others more negative and intimidating. However, without constant development in our lives we will grow stagnant, dissatisfied, and wonder what is missing from life. In John 10:10, Jesus says that he brings us life that is full and satisfying! We stay full by constantly taking in more – more and more of what God has to give us – which leads to a satisfying life.
  
  

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• Nov7Mon

  Being the Church

  November 7, 2016 Pastor Carlene

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  At New Vision, we have a value of transparency.  Therefore, I shared with the congregation about the urgency for this church body to examine ourselves and make sure that the fruit we are bearing is pure... WE ARE THE CHURCH!  It has absolutely nothing to do with a building.  When one of our family members was in distress, it didn’t even matter in that moment that Satan was working overtime to try to get at our core. When it really matters we move in unity and we are the church of Jesus Christ!  We love, we respond quickly, and we rally because we are all in process together as we grow into the church that Jesus has been very faithfully crafting.

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• Aug4Thu

  Grasping God's Word

  August 4, 2016

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  Pastor Carlene's Posts, Our Story

  In talking with our service planning team at New Vision about where to head in our teaching for the summer, it made great sense to put together a series that taught people how to study the Bible.  The how-to is often skipped in church with an assumption that somehow it becomes an innate trait when one is a Christian believer. Recognizing this to be a falsehood, we organized a 13-week series on "How to Grasp God's Word." Most pastors, churches, and planning teams approach the summer as a downtime, with the idea that we bring in the stuff that requires work, thought, and some stretching out of our comfort zones when we launch something new in the fall. Well, at New Vision, we don't take the approach of most churches. In fact, God could not be any clearer to us in his directive that we must, without hesitation, follow wherever he leads us - and that is exactly what we do...

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• Jul8Fri

  Unconditional Love and Forgiveness

  July 8, 2016

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  Pastor Carlene's Posts

  At New Vision, God has given us a church body with a strong core group of believers on which he will continue to build his church.  He has given us the ability to understand what it really means to be family.  And, he has given us the ability for our paths to cross with others in need. There are myriad opportunities that God will continue to give us to show love to those who are in need, and we will be tested.  Can God, who has blessed us with much, continue to trust us to show love to those who have need? 

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• May29Sun

  Part 2: She - Women in Ministry

  May 29, 2016

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  Pastor Douglas's Posts

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  Part 2: She - Women in Ministry
  
  

  When was the last time you saw a mother living out her maternal drive?

  How has your experience with your mother shaped your perception of God?

  Throughout the Bible, God (YHWH) is described as compassionate. In Hebrew, the original language of the Scriptures, it’s the word ‘raham.’ It’s also the word for ‘womb.’ So God is compassionate, does this means God is womb-like?

  The gentleman piped up saying, “Wait! God doesn't have a womb!”

  I said, “Please, fully listen to me and I will explain.”

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• May28Sat

  Part 1: She - Women in Ministry

  May 28, 2016

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  She – Women in Ministry
  
  One of the challenging subjects still in circulation throughout several branches of Christianity is the issue of women in ministry. It seems every generation must revisit this issue. Some hold on doggedly to the complementarian ideology that men are the only ones who are permitted to be Apostle, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, and or Teachers. Their argument for the position is supposedly supported by Paul, the Apostle and the writer of much of the New Testament contained within the Bible. The first thing I do not want to do is rehash the same old argument from Paul’s letter to Timothy. It is well known or at least enough articles are circulating about this case. I could do it for you, but the mood just doesn’t strike me at this time. Instead, what I would rather do is recount the narrative of a recent encounter I had with a wonderful Christian couple who are or were complementarian. They hold the position women should not be ministers such as pastor over a congregation or have authority over men...
  
  

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• May26Thu

  It's Not Really About Me

  May 26, 2016

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  Pastor Carlene's Posts

  I had the opportunity to be the main speaker at the Amazing Grace Conference this month. This event is a weekend-long retreat that brings together women from all around the State of Oregon, primarily from Free Methodist churches, but also from various other churches. I got to write and deliver four sermons over 3 days!...

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• Apr14Thu

  Why We Worship

  April 14, 2016

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  Pastor Carlene's Posts, Our Story

  As a church body, we recently participated in a survey that measures quality characteristics that are used by God to build His church.  A main area of focus in this survey was to assess whether we are providing an “inspiring worship service.”  As I’ve examined the idea of “inspiring worship” more closely, I’ve had to ask myself this question: “Who is to be inspired by our worship?”  After giving this some thought and spending time in study, I am able to answer this question.  The one who is to be inspired by our worship is God.

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• Mar17Thu

  Christianity and Culture Sift: Part 1

  March 17, 2016

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  Pastor Douglas's Posts

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  In the current climate of the surrounding culture, we live in a Western society (America and Europe), many would characterize the environment is now post-Christian. The church,Christians of all denominations, traditions, and backgrounds are in the midst of an ongoing cultural paradigm shift and a great struggle identity and relevance. The current president, Barack Obama, in June of 2006 emphasized the pluralist formulation of the culture, he said, “Whatever we once were, we are no longer a Christian nation - at least, not just. We are also a Jewish nation, a Muslim nation, a Buddhist nation, and a Hindu nation, and a nation of nonbelievers.” Many have jumped onto the notion he is attempting to dilute the Christian heritage of America.Maybe this is true or maybe not. At best it is a matter of opinion. Either way, I am neither defending nor opposing his statement here. What his statement does do for this dialogue gives it a call towards reflection about Christianity’s relationship with and in American Society and the World.

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