ABOUT US

What We Believe

From the time of the Apostles to today, Christians have laid out doctrine (beliefs) in brief, definitive statements. As those who know God, we believe it necessary to set forth in a concise fashion the cornerstone truths of our church as guided by Scripture. Our Statement of Faith summarizes essential Christian beliefs, shows unity in Christ, and guards the church from error.

The Five Solas reflect our resolve that the historic teachings of the Reformation provide the necessary framework for God-honoring ministry and are committed to its bedrock principles.

The New Hampshire Confession of Faith of 1833 registers our belief in historic Christianity, evangelical Christianity, and believer’s baptism.

Details on our distinctives

Overview

Recognizing that the Bible is the very word of the Living God to man, and understanding the priority of knowing and obeying its truths, New Life Fellowship Church is totally committed to preaching, teaching, and studying Scripture with diligence and authority.

The focus of each worship service and Bible study is the Christ-centered proclamation of the Scriptures. Scripture Alone is the source of truth concerning the character of God, the nature of man, the way of salvation, and the hope of heaven. Declaring Scripture’s truth is our highest privilege as Christ’s ambassadors. Thus, the central ministry of New Life Fellowship Church is the continuous imparting of Biblical truth to the people of God so we might, “… walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God:”, cf. Colossians 1:10.

We are evangelistic

This means we take seriously the Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” Without compromising the sovereignty of God, we affirm the responsibility of each person to repent and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and our responsibility to extend the Gospel invitation as a call to salvation to everyone who hears its message. We invite all, without distinction, to drink freely of the Water of Life and to live eternally. In this way, we seek to “extend the transforming presence of the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

We are reformed

The word “reformed” can be defined simply in two ways: 1) It is a reference to our historical link to the Reformation of the 16th century and intends to describe us as the heirs of that tradition which comes from Luther, Calvin, Knox, and other reformers. 2) The word “reformed” is used most commonly to refer to certain theological distinctives that have marked reformation believers, particularly those in the Calvinist tradition.

These distinctives can be summarized by our glad affirmation of the responsibility of every person to repent and believe, and that it is God who, by His sovereign electing grace, draws men and women, otherwise dead in sin, to faith in His Son. By this faith alone are God’s people justified. Reformed distinctives include the sovereignty of God in His creation, providence and election of believers apart from any merit of their own; the irresistible grace of God provided for and preceding the faith of the individual; the sufficiency of God’s grace apart from which man is dead in sin and wholly defiled in all his faculties of soul and body; the efficacy of Christ’s death for all those who believe in Him by grace; the safe-guarding of all those for whom Christ died for eternal life. We seek to hold to our reformed convictions humbly, recognizing the sincerity and earnestness of Godly men and women who have other positions.

We are confessional

This means that we have a written confession of faith, which we believe to be a good and accurate summary of the Bible’s teaching. Our confession consists of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith. This document is not without flaw; yet we believe it does contain carefully worded summaries of the Bible’s content. All ruling and teaching elders in New Life Fellowship Church must vow that they hold to these standards and are required to indicate to Church Leadership where they take exceptions. It is important to note that every church has a confession, formal or informal, even though some claim they have “no confession but Christ” or “no creed but the Bible.” Every church summarizes its convictions in some form in order to distinguish its members from those who are not believers or those who do not believe in their church’s distinctives.

We are covenantal

Humankind could never have attained a relationship with God or the reward of life from God except by an act of voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he has been pleased to express by way of a covenant (Isa 40:13-16; Luke 17:5-10).

Moreover, as Adam had brought himself and his posterity under the curse of the law by his fall, it pleased the Lord to make a covenant of grace (Gen 3:15; Heb 7:18-22; 10:12-18; Eph 2:12 with Rom 4:13-17 and Gal 3:18-22; Heb 9:15). In this covenant he freely offers to sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring from them faith in him that they may be saved (Rom 10:6, 9; Gal 3:11), and promising to give his Holy Spirit to all who are elected to eternal life, to make them willing and able to believe (Eze 36:26-27; Jn 6:44-45).

This covenant is revealed through the Gospel; first of all to Adam in the promise of salvation by the seed of the woman, and afterwards step-by-step until the full revelation of it was completed in the New Testament (Rom 16:25-27; Eph 3:5). This salvation rests on that eternal covenant transaction between the Father and the Son, which concerns the redemption of the elect

(Psa 110:4; Eph 1:3-11). It is by the grace of this covenant alone that all the descendants of fallen Adam who have ever been saved have obtained life and blessed immortality. Human beings are now utterly incapable of gaining acceptance with God on those terms by which Adam stood in his state of innocence (Rom 4:1-25; Gal 3:18-22; Heb 11:6,13, 39-40).

Whereas Westminster federalism can be summarized as “one covenant under two administrations,” that of 1689 would be “one covenant revealed progressively and concluded formally under the New Covenant” (Pascal Denault).

*Adapted from the 2nd London Baptist Confession of 1689

We are Kingdom centered

We believe that the Kingdom of God is not only a future hope but is also a present reality. We believe that the ascension of Jesus Christ means that He is presently reigning from Heaven and, therefore, we are called upon to honor and obey Him in every area of our personal lives and to plant the banner of Christ’s Kingdom rule in every area of human endeavor.

Leadership

Louis C. Love, Jr. - Pastor

Louis was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana. He and Jamie were married February 10, 1979. Louis and his family moved to Dallas, Texas where he and Jamie attended the Dallas Bible College. Four years later they returned to South Bend where he pastored two Churches, New Hope Baptist Church and New Life Bible Baptist Church.

Louis and his family moved to Lake County Illinois in 1992 and became members of First Southern Baptist Church in Waukegan under the Pastorate of Mitchell Dowell. In 1997 he planted the New Life Fellowship Church in Vernon Hills, IL, now located in Waukegan, IL.

Louis in his spare time (though limited) can be found reading and discussing theological works from the Puritan era with Jamie, playing with the grandchildren, and weather permitting, grilling for family and friends.

Louis and Jamie have three adult children, Janelle, Louis III (wife Marcy), and Stephen (wife Amanda). They have eleven grandchildren, Jeremiah, Louis IV, Victoria, Nehemiah, Johanan, Lydia, Naomi Faye, Stephen Jr., Elias, Jade Ruth, and Simeon Joseph.

Alton Grant, Jr. - Elder

Alton and Malulee Grant have been members of New Life Fellowship Church since 2000. They have been married since 1967 and have lived in Vernon Hills since 1984. They are blessed to have raised 3 children and are blessed with grandchildren. They always look forward to serving the New Life Fellowship Church community.