“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
Future Home of New Life Methodist Church
CASE STATEMENT | AUGUST 2026
Summary
God has faithfully guided and blessed New Life Methodist Church from a small gathering of Believers into a vibrant, debt-free, multigenerational congregation in Salado, Texas grounded in Biblical principles and a concern for our community. Today, God is opening a remarkable opportunity to prepare a permanent church home for New Life Methodist Church where future generations will encounter Jesus Christ, grow in His Word, and become lifelong disciples. A generous church member has presented us with a $500,000 Building God’s Legacy Challenge Grant toward our permanent church building.
Together, our congregation and community can match this gift by raising $500,000 by December 31, 2026, to secure an additional $500,000 in January 2027 from the donor, yielding a total impact of $1.5 Million for ministry and expansion. Every member of our church family has the opportunity to join God in building a legacy of faith that will transform lives in Salado, across Texas, and to the ends of the earth for generations to come.
Who We Are: A Loving, Multigenerational Family
At our core, New Life Methodist Church is a Bible-based, prayer-driven, multigenerational congregation of the Global Methodist Church. If you ask our newest members why they chose to make New Life their church home, they will tell you something simple yet profound: they felt genuinely welcomed, and they saw how deeply we love and care for their families.
We strive to be the most loving congregation you have ever experienced. We do not just call ourselves a “church family”. We live like one. We walk through life together, anchored by a dedicated team of prayer warriors who lift up our church, our community, our nation, and our world every single day
Our Journey: A Story of God’s Grace
Our story is a testament to God’s continuous grace and provision:
- The Beginning: We began as a small group of Believers in 2022, gathering in living rooms under faithful lay leadership committed to God’s Word and the historic Christian faith. New Life Methodist Church soon became a growing church family, leading us through two temporary meeting locations as God continued to add to our number.
- Pastoral Leadership: With our growing congregation and expanding ministry, in 2023, we joyfully welcomed Pastor Tom Lathen as our full-time pastor and Kathy Lathen to lead worship music.
- Land & Debt-Free Growth: In 2024, we took a bold step of faith by purchasing a prime five-acre property in one of the fastest-growing areas of Salado, Texas. Through God’s extraordinary grace and faithful stewardship of members of the New Life Methodist congregation, we paid off the land entirely in 2026!
Today, in the fall of 2026, we worship, learn, and gather in our debt-free portable buildings and under the covered Judy Lazarus pavilion. Rooted in faith, God has faithfully provided for every season of New Life’s journey. Today, He is inviting us to build a lasting legacy through a permanent church home that will bless Salado and surrounding communities for generations to come.
Why We Exist: Making Disciples & Loving Our Neighbors
New Life Methodist Church exists to make disciples of Jesus Christ and spread His Good News locally and globally. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are multiplying disciples throughout our region who flourish in scriptural holiness as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly.
Our faith is expressed through active hands-on outreach. In just the past two years, our congregation has supported 11 distinct missions and organizations, including:
- Local Health & Family Support: Body of Christ Community Clinic, Hope Pregnancy Center, and VFW Post activities.
- Food & Community Relief: Heart and Hands Ministries and Jarrell Food Bank.
- Disaster Relief: Direct assistance for Texas flood victims in both 2025 and 2026.
- Global Missions: Global Methodist mission initiatives in Bulgaria and Nigeria.
The Opportunity: The $500,000 Matching Building God’s Legacy Challenge Grant
In recognition of what God is doing at New Life Methodist Church, a transformational $500,000 Building God’s Legacy Challenge Grant has been offered to help fund our permanent campus building.
The terms of this challenge are simple, powerful, and urgent:
- The Match: The donor has challenged our church family to match his $500,000 gift by December 31, 2026.
- The Reward: If we meet this challenge by year-end, the donor will give an additional $500,000 in January 2027.
- The Impact: Every dollar given in 2026 toward this match multiplies, unlocking $1,000,000 in donor funds and providing $1,500,000 total toward our new facility.
Our Response & Call to Action
Rooted in faith and united in purpose, we invite our congregation, friends, and community to join God in building a lasting legacy through New Life Methodist Church. As scripture reminds us:
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV
How You Can Participate:
- Pray with Gratitude: Thank God for this amazing gift and opportunity. Pray for wisdom, unity, and God’s continued provision as we take this step of faith.
- Give With Joy: This invitation is an above-and-beyond gift, not intended to replace your regular tithes, general offerings, or existing commitments.
- Build God’s Legacy: For those who have faithfully given to our building fund previously, every dollar has brought us to this moment. Today, we ask every member and family to prayerfully consider how they can participate. Our prayer is for 100% participation as, together, we build a legacy of faith for future generations. Every gift, regardless of size, directly helps unlock the match.
God has blessed New Life Methodist Church over and over again. Let us step forward together in joy and gratitude to seize this moment for His kingdom!
Rooted in Faith | Building God’s Legacy
2022
With just a handful of members, New Life Methodist Church began worshiping on the Herrick’s back porch. Even in those earliest days, the small congregation was actively praying and planning for a permanent place to plant roots and serve the surrounding community.
2023
As the church grew, New Life Methodist Church called a pastor, made plans for a permanent home, and taking the next step in its mission to serve the Salado community.
2024
As New Life Methodist Church continued to grow and prepare for its future, the congregation moved to Salado Middle School to be closer to the site of its permanent church home on Williams Road.
2025
New Life Methodist Church paid off its $900,000 land, marking a significant milestone in the church’s journey, voted on a permanent church design, and constructed the Judy Lazarus Pavilion and a pastor’s office on the Williams Road property.
2026
New Life Methodist Church began worshiping at the Judy Lazarus Pavilion and constructed a temporary worship and classroom facility on the property, taking another significant step toward establishing its permanent church campus.
2027 & Beyond
Building on God’s faithfulness and trusting in His continued provision, New Life Methodist Church is preparing a place where lives are transformed and the gospel is proclaimed in Salado, throughout Texas, and to the ends of the earth for generations to come.
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. — 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NIV)
Since its founding in 2022, God has been faithful to New Life Methodist Church. Our congregation has grown over 400%, with 11% of our church family made up of children and youth. Every life changed is a testimony to God’s work among us and a reminder that we are all part of building God’s legacy.
Frequently Asked Quetions
God has faithfully provided every step of the way. In just three years, New Life Methodist Church paid off nearly $1 million in land and development costs, allowing us to enter this next season debt-free on our property. We are doing infrastructure projects such as the Judy Lazarus Pavilion, bringing water and electricity to the property, and grading/ paving projects.
Our goal is to be faithful stewards of God’s resources by raising enough before construction begins so that, when the congregation votes to move forward, we can support both the mortgage and the ministries that allow us to worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. The Building the Legacy Challenge Grant is about preparing for the future with both faith and wisdom.
When Jesus fed the five thousand, the disciples simply brought the five loaves and two fish they had, and Jesus multiplied them. Today, God has already provided a remarkable opportunity for multiplication through the Building the Legacy Challenge Grant. In His timing, He has prepared our church for this moment. He has provided the way already! All we have to do is accept the opportunity to take a step of faith and join God in building a legacy of faith in Salado.
We don’t know all of God’s plans. We only know that He calls us to serve Him faithfully and seek His direction. Since New Life Methodist Church was founded, God has been faithful every step of the way. He provided our congregation, our pastor, our land, the resources to become debt-free, and now this remarkable Building the Legacy Challenge Grant. We will continue to pray, faithfully steward what He has entrusted to us, and follow His leading.
Regardless of the outcome, our mission remains the same: to worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly. If God calls us to move forward, He will continue to make His timing clear, just as He has throughout our journey.
Absolutely. In Acts 11:29, the early church responded to a need by giving “as each one was able.” God has never asked every Believer to give the same amount, but He does invite every Believer to participate. Every gift, whether large or small, is an act of faith that moves us closer to the goal. Together, our faithful generosity allows us to join God in what He is already doing through New Life Methodist Church.
No. The regular tithe supports ministries at the church. The Building the Legacy Matching Grant is an above-and-beyond opportunity to invest in the future of New Life Methodist Church and is not intended to replace regular tithes or offerings.
Our Story – God has been faithful every step of the way as we have been faithful to His Word. We have grown because God has brought people to New Life. Every milestone has prepared us for this moment.
Why Now? – Salado is growing. God is bringing new families to our community. We have an opportunity to prepare for the future rather than react to it.
The Building – We are not simply building a church. We are building a legacy. We are preparing a place where lives are transformed and where generations will encounter Jesus Christ.
The Match – Every gift matters and every dollar move us closer to the goal. Together we can turn $500,000 into $1.5 million for ministry.
Participation – This is not about equal gifts. It is about equal faithfulness. We hope every member will participate in some way through prayer, serving on campus projects as opportunities arise, and, as God leads, through a financial gift to the Building the Legacy Challenge Grant.
Vision – We worship passionately. We love extravagantly. We witness boldly. We are building for generations we may never meet.