“Moving Forward Together” is this church’s motto. This is just what they do. Once entering the church I felt such an amazing grace within the walls. There was an inner peace that came over me, just sitting there listening to the announcements. There is an amazing energy that comes from the pastor of this church. I realized it when he first began to speak. It was like he was channeling the Holy Spirit himself. There have been only a few churches that I have been to, that get me to raise my voice to say “yes” and “amen” while the pastor speaks. Pastor Aaron Whetstone has this calling about him. He speaks to you, he calls to his congregation, and he raises the energy by walking back and forth praising the Jesus’ name.
New Life had just come off the 21 Day Daniel Fast. So the Pastor had made a joke that he could say the word, Chicken followed by a Hallelujah! Being the foodie that I am, I can completely say Amen to this! He is young and full of life, and when I closed my eyes and listened to him I could have sworn I could hear Paul Giamotti speaking with passion about Jesus.
Pastor Aaron Whetstone began speaking after the announcements were made about upcoming events. In this church the offering is also done right in the beginning. What is different than other churches is that we as individuals walked our offering up the plate and placed our offering into it ourselves. I liked this, it seemed so much more appropriate somehow. This way if those didn’t have anything to give they don’t have to make that journey to the altar. Plus, I liked it because before the adults walked up, all the children took their offering up. It sort of puts things into perspective about what types of households are within this community, and how the children are being raised.
Pastor Aaron Whetstone told us of the story of Horratio Spafford, and how he wrote such a beautiful hymn when he lost his four daughters when the family had taken a vacation. Before he could join his wife he was crossing the waters where his daughters were lost to the sea, and he wrote this song, “It is well with my soul.” Pastor Aaron said that one has to have a great relationship with God if in tragedy we can say that all is well with my soul. This touched me, because I see so many losing faith, so many different faiths and this is why I have went on my own personal journey. Not because I am looking for faith, it is because I want to see how people marvel and wonder in their faith, how those sing their songs of prayer, how others pray, and how they communicate with God, their God, their faith. I want to see the connections we all have and the differences that we have that in some strange and miraculous way truly makes us one in the same.
I had heard before stepping into the church that a mother was returning today with her newborn baby. Who doesn’t anticipate new life within their inner circle? The pastor made it a point to welcome the mother back and let her know just how missed she was. That she and everyone else has their own special energy that they bring to the service, to their congregation. It’s a very personalized church, very family oriented and family based.
We sang songs of their faith together. Though I never heard the songs before, they came so naturally. Beautiful uplifting songs of their faith, that for this day I shared with them. The elders of prayer were called up to the altar for anyone within the church that had a need they would go to an elder and the elder would pray with them and for them. The prayer elder would anoint the one asking for guidance and prayer with oil and pray aloud. There must have been 5-7 elders standing in front of the altar. They were all praying at once. I heard speaking in tongues for the first time in my life, and I heard voices carrying their prayers, different prayers for different people yet all the same. I closed my eyes and allowed the sounds to penetrate within me. As the elders prayed and witnessed Pastor Aaron walking back and forth, assisting in raising the energy in the room. With his “Praise Jesus” and “Amen’s” the room was charged full of the spirit within the room. The once slight drafty church was now warm and comfy and homey. Sitting there I felt comfortable, at home here within this church. Listening to the prayers being lifted, watching those be prayed for, feeling the energy all around me. A woman in the back spoke in tongues while another one called out, “I fail not, look unto me and believe.”
Pastor Aaron said allow Jesus to speak to you, allow him to encourage you and allow him to be the source. Again, I say that Pastor Aaron looked to not be reading from notes, but allowing the spirit to flow through him as he spoke the truth from his heart and soul. He is a very energized pastor, with much energy of the spirit within him.
After the children were dismissed the Pastor began speaking on the Book of Act chapter 2. He said that he just wants to speak what he is being guided to speak about. His sermon was a very good one. He talked about the similarities of the movie, A Few Good Men versus the growth of his church. Like the soldiers in the movie Jack Nicholson said, “You can’t handle the truth”, such as Pastor Aaron couldn’t handle the growth of his church happening over night. He said God/Jesus wants it to happen gradually, slowly so as to build a foundation to grow with new members to learn and lay a good foundation within the walls of the congregation. He said the church is for the world. That you can come to church on Sunday and all, but when you are out in the world you have to be the church outside of the church. This led him into the introduction of his sermon, Taste & See.
Just like trying to feed little kids vegetables there is a struggle and us as parents always use the bargaining chip of, “at least taste it and see if you like it, this way you will know.” He said the Book of Acts is like a Holy Ghost party. He said that he was allowing God to come through to talk through him, to share the word and to empower us. That we are but a body of believers, that God hasn’t called us to be cute but to share the word. Pastor Aaron longs to be “Zapped” by God to feel his presence all the time, not just on Sundays. He feels the need to be empowered by the Holy Spirit. We should all allow ourselves to feel the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 2:17 it states talk about the last days where the Holy Spirit will be pouring out, where young men see visions and old men dream dreams. This time is now. He mentioned Corinthians 13:10 that the day of perfecting tongues will cease. That Paul wasn’t writing for the bible when he wrote, he was writing to tell the churches of Jesus and his works. He was writing to spread the word. He encourages us to not only read the bible but to learn it, to gain knowledge from it. Pastor talked about Acts 2:41 in regards to the baptisms that occurred, that were counted 3,000 in one day. Back in that day they didn’t count women and children and that close to 6-8000 were baptized that day. He said that the pattern of baptisms needs to be this way in the modern times. He said that the word of Jesus needs to be shared, to be discovered and acknowledged. This message is being poured out into the people to love one another to have this core in common with one another.
Pastor Aaron says that we don’t want to be the church that shakes and quakes, but the church that breaks bread and shared the word of God, and body of believers with one another, together. Taste and see that the lord is good. When the Bible was rewritten David says to taste and see when Paul refers to it as the fruit. Pastor Aaron says it’s time to get a little fruity. Pastor said of himself that, “Pastor just got a little crazy.” In Galatians 5:22, love joy and peace-against such things there is no law!
Then Pastor asked for some music so that he could land this plane. He has such a wonderful spirit about him, I just loved his energy! Being Pentecostal means to love Jesus, to land on your feet, to have the path lit for you, to love the Holy Spirit. Paul says in the bible to love one another by their fruit. In other words, to love them for their faith, for their sense of community, for how they live together in harmony with others and help one another. The 21 day fast was not about food, but about what it would reveal to them as a community, for themselves individually and to strengthen their faith and strengthen themselves. Their faith is a fellowship that makes others ask, “Where can I get me some of their happiness, their spirit, and their beliefs. Pastor Aaron grabbed some parishioners and brought them together in front of everyone. Showed us how easily it was to make connections with those, and to let go of past hurts and love one another, accept one another and be in unity with one another. It was catchy, and funny and serious all in the same. It was uplifting, to see all of them smiling at one another, and being themselves with one another.
He talked about a surgeon that had to go inside an infected person and how he may have been cut, and how part of that person may have infected him. He asked, “Aren’t we all like that, infecting one another with a part of ourselves.” Truly makes you think that even though we think we are different, so different, that in faith and in community we find that we are one that we have common ground within our faiths, our beliefs.
Pastor Aaron said something that truly touched me. He said, “Moving forward with God, having a vertical relationship with God, and a horizontal relationship with one another.” This truly inspired me and made me think. How many of us go to church, never reach out to one another unless we are told to, and walk away and don’t think about church other than on Sunday. We do need a better vertical relationships with God and better horizontal relationships with one another.
At the end, Pastor Aaron called those up that were dedicating themselves to live like the Book of Acts in 2012. Most of the parish went and stood by one another, holding hands. They prayed it was beautiful to listen to, it was beautiful and moving part of the service. Then Pastor Aaron’s wife led us in prayer for the feast we would share with one another.
I am so happy to have experienced the New Life Community Church of God. It opened my eyes so much more to so many things I was unaware of. I am learning so much about different religions and their ways. This truly is a magical experience for me. I hope you are enjoying it. If you have the time, check out some of the things below that highlight this service. Though my words won’t do this parish justice, you may just have to experience it for yourself. It’s so worth the trip, at least it was for me! Thank you New Life!
Things to reflect on:
Taste & See-1-29-12 podcast
New Life Community Church of God Facebook page
United Pentacostal Chruch International
Pentacostalism
Pentacostal Church of God
“It Is Well With My Soul”-Horratio Spafford
Rooftops-Ben Williams
“Show me Your Glory”-Kathy Frizzell
Here I Am To Worship
The Daniel Fast
Book of Acts Chapter 2
Corinthians 13:10
Galatians 5:22
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