View source for New Life Christian Fellowship

{{Infobox Organization
|name         = New Life Christian Fellowship
|image        = Nclf blacksburg logo.PNG
|image_border = 
|size         = 149px
|caption      = NLCF official website logo
|map          = 
|msize        = 
|mcaption     = 
|motto        = 
|formation    = 1989
|extinction   = 
|type         = 
|headquarters = 
|location     = [[Blacksburg, Virginia]]
|membership   = 800
|language     = 
|leader_title = [[Pastors]]
|leader_name  = Jim Pace, Joe Racek, Mike Swann
|key_people   = 
|num_staff    = 16<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlcf.net/articles/ethos/meet-the-staff/|title=Meet the Staff|accessdate=2007-05-25 |archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20071011220457/http://www.nlcf.net/articles/ethos/meet-the-staff/ <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archivedate = 2007-10-11}}</ref>
|budget       = 
|website      = [http://www.nlcf.net/ nlcf.net]
}}
'''New Life Christian Fellowship''' (NLCF) is an [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] [[Christianity|Christian]] [[Church (building)|church]] in [[Blacksburg, Virginia|Blacksburg]], [[Virginia]] that ministers to the [[Virginia Tech]] and [[New River Valley]] communities. An estimated 800 worshipers attend one of the church's three weekly gatherings, most of whom are college students attending services on the [[Virginia Tech campus]].

==Beliefs and practices==

Regarding the [[Apostles' Creed]] and the [[Nicene Creed]], members of NLCF "stand together with Christians everywhere across the centuries that have embraced these basic statements of faith. These creeds form the core expression of our faith."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlcf.net/articles/ethos/what-we-believe/|title=What We Believe|accessdate=2008-12-28}}</ref> The tripartite mission of NLCF is to
#invest in spiritual growth, 
#invite others to follow Jesus, and
#inspire each other to change the world.

Although NLCF's weekly services draw large crowds, much of the church life takes place in small groups. Members meet on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Thursdays in "homegroups" that attract between 20 to 40 in the same age bracket.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlcf.net/ethos/what-is-a-homegroup/|title=What is a Homegroup|accessdate=2008-12-28}}</ref> Smaller "lifegroups" with 5 to 10 members, typically all male or all female, also meet for more weighty spiritual discussions, Bible study, and prayer.

Because the majority of NLCF's members are college students, the church's staff members must raise support for their own salary. This process typically lasts at least nine months after training.

==History==

[http://www.jrwoodward.net/ JR Woodward] founded in church in 1989 as a part of Great Commission Ministries, a quasi-denominational organization. NLCF leaders have cited the church's "sending capacity" as being more important than its "seating capacity." In 2003, Woodward and other members of NLCF planted a church in [[Los Angeles]] named [http://kairos.la Kairos Los Angeles], and in 2008, NLCF partnered with a church in Maryland to establish another seed church in [[Richmond, Virginia|Richmond]], [[Virginia]].

Closer to home, the church branched off into two congregations in 2007: a "downtown" congregation that serves non-student New River Valley residents and a Virginia Tech congregation that caters to the younger student population.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlcf.net/articles/ethos/what-is-the-downtown-congregation/|title=What is the Downtown Congregation|accessdate=2008-12-28}}</ref> NLCF also purchased the old Red Cross building in Blacksburg to increase its visibility in the local community, although renovations have delayed the new site's opening.

===Virginia Tech tragedy===
Following the [[Virginia Tech massacre]] in 2007, NLCF received widespread media coverage. [[Christianity Today]] reported that two NLCF members died in the shootings and ten others were somehow connected to the church in a feature article on the church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2007/aprilweb-only/117-12.0.html|title=Asking Why|date=2007-04-23|accessdate=2007-08-25|last=Alford|first=Deann|publisher=Christianity Today}}</ref> NLCF pastor Jim Pace was a guest on ''[[Larry King Live]]'' and ''[[Good Morning America]]'', and [[CNN]] created a video<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/video/partners/clickability/index.html?url=/video/us/2007/04/22/keilar.tech.return.cnn|title=Faith and forgiveness|publisher=CNN}}</ref> of the church's memorial service.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nlcf.net/multimedia/videos/our-tribute-video/|title=Full Video of April 22 Service}}</ref>  Several other newspapers, magazines, and radio shows carried quotes from NLCF pastors.  

On the night of the shooting, Pace told a national audience on ''Larry King Live'' that the church was<blockquote>
just trying to focus on giving some people a variety of different ways they can deal with this. We have some larger group things for people that want to process this with lots of people. And then we've got some smaller things for people that want to hole up in their -- in their dorm or in their apartment and just kind of try to sort this out with a few friends.  We're just trying to be as many places as we can. We're helping out with what the university is doing, as well, and just trying to lend our support there.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0704/16/lkl.01.html|title=CNN LARRY KING LIVE - Virginia Tech Massacre|date=2007-04-16|accessdate=2007-08-25}}</ref>
</blockquote>
In response, [[Dr. Phil McGraw]] applauded Jim Pace's comments and efforts on ''Larry King Live'', saying, "God bless Pastor Pace for being on site and stepping up and providing a place for people to go to share their thoughts, share their feelings."{{Attribution needed|date=April 2011}}

The morning after the shooting, Pace responded to a request on ''Good Morning America'' for a single comforting sentence by saying that "any sentence would probably just sound fairly trite."  He also pointed to free will as part of the cause of the incident and encouraged people to draw closer to God.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=3048808&page=1|date=2007-04-17|title=Pastor: Words to Comfort Familes &#91;sic&#93;<!-- PLEASE NOTE that "Familes" is deliberately spelled incorrectly here, reflecting the mistake on the external page. --> Would Be 'Trite'|publisher=ABC News}}</ref>

''[[The Washington Post]]'' reported that Pace said, "We learned evil is real and evil can hurt us, but God's love is real."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/22/AR2007042200969_2.html?hpid=topnews |title=Clergy Speak of Evil and Suffering, Love and Strength|date=2007-04-23|accessdate=2007-08-25|publisher=Washington Post|coauthors=Salmon, Jacqueline and Harris, Hamil}}</ref> Matt Rogers, another NLCF pastor, was interviewed on [[NPR]]'s ''[[Morning Edition]]'', encouraging people to "overcome evil with good".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=9615630|title=One Pastor's Prayer Vigil|date=2007-04-17|accessdate=2007-08-25|publisher=NPR}}</ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.nlcf.net/ New Life Campus Fellowship (official site)]
* [http://www.jrwoodward.net/ JR Woodward]
* [http://www.kairos.la/ Kairos Los Angeles]
* [http://www.richmondcp.org/ Richmond Church Plant]

{{coord missing|Virginia}}

[[Category:Community organizations]]