For a number of years, New Life Assembly of God has been known as the church with the fireworks. Our annual Freedom Fest celebration has certainly drawn a crowd. However, at the end of it all, it is not Freedom Fest or our church or anything other than the name of Jesus Christ we want to make known. That is why we live and move and breathe. John 3:30 says, “He must become greater; I must become less.” That prayer resonates in the heart of New Life.
We believe there is no greater symbol of God’s love. John 3:16 reminds us, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” We believe the cross is a reminder that everyone is welcome. We may remember the children’s song: “Red, brown, yellow, black and white; they are all precious in His sight.” John 12:32 says, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” We also believe building the cross is an act of worship meant to bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ.
The purpose of the New Life Cross is to help make Janesville and the surrounding area Christ-conscious. There is no greater symbol of our faith than the cross of Jesus Christ. The cross will remind people 24/7/365 of the love and sacrifice of Jesus 2,000 years ago. His love still exists for them–for you–today, and the cross is a constant reminder of that fact.
Our hope is that people will come to the cross to read their Bible, pray, meditate, to walk and to worship. We honestly pray to see numerous people finding Christ at the cross. You will find inscribed Scriptures at the base of the cross telling of God’s grace and salvation. We wouldn’t be surprised to hear testimonies of individuals being healed at the cross or of marriages being restored at the cross. It is going to be a place of ongoing ministry because the cross represents a living, active and present God.
Our desire is that the cross would be a means of sparking conversations about the cross. Think about it: how can you tell people about the cross without telling them the message of the cross? What better way to lead a child to Jesus than to use the New Life Cross as a symbol of the Lord’s love and sacrifice? Imagine this: many of our children and youth are going to be raised, literally, under the shadow of the cross.
It was on the cross Jesus willingly became our substitute. He became the worst of what we are. Though He, Himself, was sinless, He took our sins as His responsibility and paid the price. And, because He died for us, we are able to have life. John 10:10 reminds us that we can have not only life, but life abundantly through Jesus Christ. Friends, that is the power of the cross.
Simply put, the purpose of the cross is that He might be made known. We want His name lifted higher. We want people drawn to the saving grace found in the cross.