Located in Lonoke County, 20 miles northeast of Little Rock, Cabot, Arkansas, steeped in history, from the Camp Nelson Confederate Cemetery to the Butterfield Overland Stage route, offers the best in family living and a high quality of life. New Life Church began its history in Cabot in a small home on July 20, 1999 with four people in attendance. Pastor Tim and Stacy Gaddy, their daughter Madison and the homeowner Murva Bennett. Today New Life is a thriving church that is sharing the gospel, growing disciples, and strengthening families.

“We believe you will find New Life Church to be a friendly place,” said Bro. Gaddy.  Guests will enjoy a dynamic time of praise and worship, special songs, and a relevant message from God’s Word for your life. Prayer starts our day on Sundays. The prayer room is open beginning at 8:15 AM.  Multiple classes (age based, discipleship, etc.) start at 9:30 AM and worship service follows at 10:30 AM.  We also have men’s prayer (Gatekeepers) once a month during our Sunday morning prayer time and “Pastor’s Chat,” our newcomers welcome lunch, is offered regularly after the Sunday worship service.”

 

 

Principles of Growth and Revival

 

Bro. Gaddy believes a Growth Culture is essential in setting a revival expectation in a local church.  “A growth culture helps set a continual expectation that God will change lives and add to the church as the Bible gives example,” said Bro. Gaddy.  “We also have committed to help hurting people through recovery ministry, feeding families, etc. These ministries are very important to our church.  We also  encourage people to get connected and involved initially in the life of our church through small groups, life groups (age based) and connect groups (interest based). In a growing church that began as a church plant, I have prioritized differently at each stage of growth. Prayer and the ministry of teaching/preaching to me are core priorities regardless of stage or season.  Other pastoral priorities are loving people, setting up practical processes and ministry structure, assembling necessary staff, and leading leaders. These priorities help develop and maintain a Growth Culture that is essential in growing a church.”

 

 

Methods of Growth

 

New Life Church implements a variety of Ministries and Methods in an effort to reach not only their neighborhood but surrounding communities as well. “We strive to minister with excellence,” states Bro. Gaddy. “We’re finding that people naturally like to invite people to be with them at church events if intentional excellence is in place. We have also set up a process whereby we intentionally get people on the path to discipleship. We welcome newcomers  teach Home Bible Studies, offer Discipleship Classes, and conduct ministry placement based on the person’s level of commitment.”

 

 

ORGANIZATION & MANAGEMENT

 

With a plethora of ministries and departments, connecting with ministry and department leaders is essential to maintaining a great working atmosphere and to keep everything flowing in the right direction. “All ministry leaders have job descriptions so they know and understand what is expected of them,” said Bro. Gaddy. “I also have a scheduled time to meet with department leaders and I meet with our full time staff each Monday for our weekly staff meeting.  We have an annual retreat for the Pastor’s Team [key ministry leaders] and a semi-annual meeting with the Home Team [all volunteers].”

“In our weekly staff meetings, one of our associate pastors, Nate Smith, introduced the “Four Corners” approach and takes us through it each week. The “Four Corners approach consists of, Devotion & Prayer (book review, scripture thought, leadership principle…rotates among staff members) a Sunday Review, our upcoming schedule (usually 1-2 months ahead), and our ministry team needs. We also read books together which we use as talking points in staff meetings and we attend training conferences together.”

 

 

Personal Ministry

 

It’s a long way from Cabot Arkansas to Homewood, Illinois, where Bro. Gaddy was raised and began his ministry. “I was baptized and received the gift of the Holy Ghost at the age of 13.” Said Bro. Gaddy.  “Before I was called into ministry I “preached” a sermonette in youth class as a 12 year old: “What you are to the world and what you are to God.” My voice hadn’t changed yet so it sounded like I was preaching in falsetto.  I first felt a call into the ministry at Conquerors Camp in Illinois District – Thursday, June 16, 1988.”

Bro. Gaddy attended Christian Life College in Stockton, California from 1988-1992. He then traveled as an evangelist before taking the position of Youth Pastor at Word Aflame church in Little Rock, Arkansas, a position he held until 1999 when he and his wife, Stacy and their daughter Madison left to start New Life Church in Cabot, Arkansas. They now, have two children, Madison and Landon, who are actively involved in New Life! Bro. Gaddy currently serves as the Arkansas District Superintendent as well as an Executive Presbyter of the UPCI and has in the past served as District Youth Secretary, Youth Presdient, North American Missions Director and District Secretary.

Ministry is “people” and Bro. Gaddy strives to focus on building relationships. “My principle is to Love people,” said Bro. Gaddy. “I believe we need to be genuinely interested in people. My other goal is to make other leaders better and to personally example being a disciple maker.”

 

 

 

Facilities

 

There have been many miracles at New Life, including several people healed of cancer, but another notable miracle that took place involved the land where they are in the process of building their new church. “In the mid 2000’s we, as a church, gave Missionary James Corbin an offering to build a church building in Bangladesh,” explains Bro. Gaddy.  “ When receiving this offering, Bro. Corbin prophesied that God was going to give our church a future building that  “everyone would know of its location”.  Two years later God allowed us to lease and then purchase a building on the main state highway that runs north and south through Arkansas.  When we explain where our building is to those in Cabot they always say, “Oh, I know right where that is.”  In 2014 we wanted to purchase an adjacent piece of property to extend our parking.  The land owner was asking $50,000 for approximately 1/3 of an acre of land.  He refused our offer of $25,000 and instead put it up for auction.  At the auction, no one wanted to bid against the church.  (Their words). We bought the property for $5000.”

 

New Life’s current facility is an existing structure that was purchased in 2001 and was previously a Flea Market and an Electrical Supply Warehouse. “We built the church from the inside out,” said Bro. Gaddy. “It has a seating capacity of 300 with three classrooms and a youth center. We are currently constructing our new building that will seat 600 with an “always open” prayer room.  The church is growing and we are excited. We water baptized 37 in Jesus’ name in 2019 and have seen 158 water baptized since 2016.  Many have received and been renewed in the Holy Ghost as well”

 

 

Future Plans

New Life Church exists to Share the Gospel, to Grow Believers and to Strengthen Families.  “We value, Doctrine, Team Ministry, Discipleship, Excellence, and Unity,” said Bro. Gaddy. “Going forward we endeavor to send workers into kingdom service while praying, believing and working for the God-promised “last days” harvest!”