New Life is a non-denominational Christian church. We currently meet at 11 campuses in and around the city of Chicago (see map). Close to 4000 people worship at one of our 23 weekend worship services each Sunday. We are passionate about helping people reconnect with God and seeing lives transformed. On Sundays we meet for worship and teaching in larger gatherings. During the week we meet in small groups in homes or other meeting places.In 1986, Mark Jobe met with the 18 people of a small church on the South West side of Chicago.

They dreamed of forming a church that could help many people from all walks of life connect with God again. So with new vision and fresh energy they reorganized and called themselves "New Life Community Church". They met in an old Russian Greek Orthodox Church building on the corner of 44th and Paulina in Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Soon that small church was overflowing with people that were spiritually hungry and wanting to change. Word spread quickly that New Life was a place where God was at work and lives were being changed. New Life went to two services, tore down the stage to make room for more seats, added space to the balcony and rented the gym across the street. The overloaded electric fuses kept blowing during service and people were driving around the block multiple times looking for parking.

By 1996, a decade into our journey, New Life was continuing to grow and had moved various times from one rental auditorium to another (Davis School, Currie High School, The Teamsters Hall, The Holiday Inn, Illinois Institute of Technology….). The pastoral team sensed that God was leading the church to a season of fasting and prayer for Chicago and the nation. The pastors and dozens of church members fasted for 40 days. On the final day of the fast Pastor Mark went to a hotel room to spend the last day alone with God. He prayed a prayer that would change the direction of the church. "Lord, let us reach 1% of the city of Chicago", he prayed. In the following days the leadership team talked about what it would take for a church to reach 30,000 people in this city. After prayer and planning they decided that "One church in multiple locations" would be the new direction.

In 1997 New Life launched its second worship campus. In the decade to follow New Life has grown to 14 campuses with 23 worship services on Sunday with 4000 people in attendance (Click to see map). We now serve in communities from the North to the South Side that are diverse socio-economically and culturally. New Life has become one of the fastest growing and influential churches in Chicago. We are still far from seeing our goal completed but every year we see hundreds of people who are connecting with God again and whose lives and families are being transformed.

• 1986- 21 year old Mark Jobe becomes pastor of this small group. He marries his wife Dee six months later.
• 1988- Church adapts the name of New Life Community Church for the first time. John Palmieri joins the work as associate pastor.
• 1991- First three small groups are started led by Bob Jobe & Asa App, John Palmieri and Tony Wasso.
• 1992- New Life sends our first missionaries John and Marsela Hill to the country of Spain.
• 1993- Church moves to Curie High School by Archer and Pulaski needing a larger auditorium..
• 1994- New Life hosts its first 40 days of fasting and prayer as a church. New Life starts using “First Steps” booklets and begins to emphasize mentoring and baptism.
• 1995- New Life starts a Spanish service in the band room of Curie High School through the efforts of Jorge and Sandra Alvarado. Baptizes 153 people compared to 12 people the year before.
• 1996- Our first off site location is started. Nueva Vida Norte is launched in Spanish on the North side of Chicago near the Brickyard Mall.
• 1997- New Life South led by Al and Grace Garcia launches out to begin services in Oak Lawn.  New Life relocates Sunday services to Illinois Institute of Technology on 33^rd and Federal.
• 1998- New Life West led by Tony and Linda Wasso launches out to begin services in the Cicero area west of Chicago. New Life breaks through the 1000 mark in weekly attendance.
• 1999- Nueva Vida moves to Little Village community and becomes Nueva Vida La Villita. We purchase a building on 27^th and Lawndale.
• 2000- First Restart. Galillee Baptist Church is restarted as New Life Lake View on the corner of Damen and Wellington. A core of people from New Life’s main campus rise to the challenge to help start this new location.
• 2001-  New Life Melrose Park led by John and Chris Palmieri is launched in the Melrose Park Community west of Chicago. Nueva Vida Melrose led by Tony and Laura Nunez start a Spanish service.
• 2002- In October New Life Bridgeport celebrates its grand opening in the former Doremus Congregational church. Luke and Melissa Dudenhofer lead this location. New Life Central relocates to Kennedy High School auditorium for Sunday services.
• 2003- New Life purchases an 84,000 square foot building on 51^st and Keeler for 2 million dollars. Midway becomes New Life’s largest campus.
• 2004- On Mother’s day New Life Midway celebrates its grand opening.  New Life breaks through 2000 mark in average attendance.
• 2005- New Life Centers is formed and incorporated to minister to the social needs of the community.
• 2006- New Life Jefferson Park under the leadership of Asa and Elizabeth App  is opened in what was formerly Jefferson Park EV Free Church.  STRAIGHTTALK a daily radio program featuring the teaching of Pastor Mark Jobe is first aired on Moody radio.
• 2007-  In October New Life Mont Clare and New Life Oak Forest both celebrate their grand opening. New Life breaks past the 3000 mark in average Sunday morning attendance.
• 2008- In March New Life Lincoln Park is opened as our oldest restart -125 years old. In October New Life Tri-Taylor led by Danny and Cirene Lopez is opened in partnership with Chicago Hope Academy. New Life Cicero (formerly NL West) celebrated the opening of their new building. Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church donates their building to us in the Humboldt Park community.
• 2009- Three new locations are started back to back. New Life Berwyn led by George and Margie Sosa, Humboldt Park led by Freddy and Lisa Cruz and Danny and Cirene Lopez and Los Parques led by Paco and Sylvia Amador are started in a row. New Life grows past the 4000 mark in weekly attendance.

In 1986, Mark Jobe met with the 18 people of a small church on the South West side of Chicago.

They dreamed of forming a church that could help many people from all walks of life connect with God again. So with new vision and fresh energy they reorganized and called themselves "New Life Community Church". They met in an old Russian Greek Orthodox Church building on the corner of 44th and Paulina in Back of the Yards neighborhood.

Soon that small church was overflowing with people that were spiritually hungry and wanting to change. Word spread quickly that New Life was a place where God was at work and lives were being changed. New Life went to two services, torn down the stage to make room for more seats, added space to the balcony and rented the gym across the street. The overloaded electric fuses kept blowing during service and people were driving around the block multiple times looking for parking.

By 1996, a decade into our journey, New Life was continuing to grow and had moved various times from one rental auditorium to another (Davis School, Currie High School, The Teamsters Hall, The Holiday Inn, Illinois Institute of Technology….). The pastoral team sensed that God was leading the church to a season of fasting and prayer for Chicago and the nation. The pastors and dozens of church members fasted for 40 days. On the final day of the fast Pastor Mark went to a hotel room to spend the last day alone with God. He prayed a prayer that would change the direction of the church. "Lord, let us reach 1% of the city of Chicago", he prayed. In the following days the leadership team talked about what it would take for a church to reach 30,000 people in this city. After prayer and planning they decided that "One church in multiple locations" would be the new direction.

In 1997 New Life launched its second worship campus. In the decade to follow New Life has grown to 11 campuses with 23 worship services on Sunday with 4000 people in attendance (Click to see map). We now serve in communities from the North to the South Side that are diverse socio-economically and culturally. New Life has become one of the fastest growing and influential churches in Chicago. We are still far from seeing our goal completed but every year we see hundreds of people who are connecting with God again and whose lives and families are being transformed.

PURPOSE:
To be a family of love that cooperates with God in making fully
devoted, fruitful followers of Christ.

MISSION:
To reach and teach 30,000 people throughout Chicagoland by planting life-giving communities of faith that serve as transformation centers to the neighborhoods where they are located.

VISION:
God has called us to nurture and build a church that models community, spearheads prayer, leads the way in multi-racial and cross-cultural ministry, is energetic and intentional about making disciples, is a Kingdom bridge-builder, trains and mobilizes people into ministry, has a heart for the poor and needy, and spreads throughout Chicagoland by planting life giving communities of faith and spiritually vibrant small groups.

VALUES:
Because Jesus is the head of this church we expect every leader and staff to uphold these six core values.

1.  We seek to demonstrate a spirit of cooperation not competition in our language and attitudes.

2.  We work at maintaining excellence and quality in all that we do
since we are a reflection of God.

3. We seek to treat all people with respect and dignity regardless of
their position or social status.

4. We value a faith-filled positive outlook that finds solutions and
takes initiative to overcome challenges.

5. We value integrity of character that allows us to accomplish our
mission without compromising our testimony.

6. We value a close walk with Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit
that keeps our soul in line with the heart of God.

In the essentials we need unity, in the non-essentials we need freedom; but in all things we need love. Rupertus Meldenius

Our Faith Statement is intended to lay a foundation for belief and unity. There will always be secondary doctrines that Christians disagree upon, but there core beliefs that are non-negotiable for those that embrace classic Christianity.

ABOUT GOD
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1,26,27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 1 Corinthians 13:14

ABOUT MANKIND
We are all made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. We are the supreme objects of God's creation. Although mankind has tremendous potential for good, we are marred by disobedience toward God called "sin". This state separates us from God.
Genesis 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Romans 3:23; Isaiah 59:1,2

ABOUT ETERNITY
We all were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or in union with God through forgiveness and salvation. The place of eternal separation from God is called Hell. Heaven is the place of eternal union and eternal life with God.
John 3:16; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15 (hell); Matthew 25:41; Revelation 21:27 (heaven)

ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; John 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13

ABOUT SALVATION
Salvation is a gift from God to mankind. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can we be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment we receive Jesus Christ into our life by repentance and faith.
Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8,9; John 14:6; John 1:12; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:26; Romans 5:1

ABOUT ETERNAL SECURITY
Because God gives us eternal life through Jesus Christ, the believer is secure in their salvation for eternity. Salvation is maintained by the grace and power of God, not by the self-effort of the Christian. It is the grace and keeping power of God that gives this security.
John 16:29; 2 Timothy 1:12; Hebrews 7:25; 10:10,14; 1 Peter 1:3-5

ABOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT
The Holy Spirit is equal with the Father and Son as God. He is present in the world to make mankind aware of our need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, guidance in doing what is right, and spiritual gifts.
2 Corinthians 3:17; John 16:7-13; John 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 2:12; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18

ABOUT THE BIBLE
The Bible alone is God's word to all mankind. Its sixty-six books were written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is truth without any mixture of error.
2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20,21; 2 Timothy 1:13; Psalm 119:105, 160; Psalm 12:6;Proverbs 30:5

ABOUT THE CHURCH
All who are truly saved are a part of God's worldwide church, and those who are truly saved are to be joined to a local church - a family of believers. The Bible calls believers to gather together to devote themselves to one another, to the teachings of Scripture, to worship, to prayer, to generous giving to the needs of others, and to celebrating baptism and communion. The church congregation is to respectfully submit, support and follow its God-ordained leaders. Its leaders are to guard, feed and lead the flock, especially in the work of evangelism and discipleship. All this is for the ultimate purpose of glorifying Christ.
Acts 2:42-47; Romans 12:9-13; Ephesians 4:11-16; Hebrews 13:17