Our Vision is a thriving Biddeford

where each person is inspired

to reach life to the full!

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  • Our Motto

    One at a time!

  • Our Mission

    Our mission is to come alongside our community, providing support, building relationships, and connecting individuals with resources to grow and thrive.

  • Our Strategy

    Our strategy is to intentionally reach:


    THE BROKEN-HEARTED


    “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,” Isaiah 61:1


    We aim to bring freedom and restoration through:

    • Support for those struggling with mental health
    • Offering a Christ-centered recovery support for individuals battling various forms of addiction
    • Grief Support
    • Marriage and Family Support Groups



    THE UNDER-RESOURCED


    “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.” Proverbs 19:17


    We seek to restore dignity and offer practical help through:

    • Assisting individuals experiencing homelessness with next steps and resources.
    • Being a hub of help for connection to those in need.



    THE VULNERABLE


    “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27


    We aim to uplift and empower those at risk through:

    • Offering resources, classes, and support for parents and families.
    • Coming alongside immigrants and vulnerable populations with support
    • Mobilizing support during community crises.
    • Connecting tradespeople and volunteers to assist with small community projects



    THE UNREACHED


    “It is my judgment, therefore, that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God.” Acts 15:19


    We aim to build bridges and foster spiritual growth through:

    • Establishing a sustained outreach in the area surrounding The Reach, building relationships, and serving needs.
    • Providing opportunities for spiritual growth through group studies and discussions.
    • Offering transportation services to connect individuals to resources, church services, and events
  • Our Core Values

    Through The Reach, New Life Church lives out its core values by building a supportive and relational environment that feels like family, making room for God to transform lives, helping individuals discover their potential, and creatively reaching the lost. This alignment strengthens the connection between the church and The Reach, ensuring that both function together as one mission-driven entity.


    1. We are building a church like family


    • The Reach embodies a family-like environment by providing support to individuals in crisis, strengthening parent-child relationships, and fostering a supportive community.
    • The Reach initiatives build ongoing relationships, establishing relational trust and fostering community connections.


    2. We intentionally make space for God to fill


    • The Reach creates opportunities for spiritual growth and invite God’s presence into people’s lives.
    • The Reach volunteers meet people at their point of need, trusting that God’s presence will bring healing and restoration in moments of crisis.


    3. We mine the gold out of people


    • The Reach initiatives empower individuals by helping them discover their full potential and provide the tools for success.
    • The Reach initiatives bring the light of Jesus into dark places, offering freedom and restoration to those in addiction.


    4. We will do anything short of sin to reach those who don’t know Jesus


    • The Reach builds consistent connections with unreached neighbors, finding creative ways to serve and develop relationships over time.
    • The Reach initiatives intentionally foster opportunities for spiritual encounters with Jesus.

Our Journey

Habakkuk 2:2-3 (Message Paraphrase)

And then God answered: “Write this. Write what you see. Write it out in big block letters so that it can be read on the run. This vision-message is a witness pointing to what’s coming. It aches for the coming—it can hardly wait! And it doesn’t lie. If it seems slow in coming, wait. It’s on its way. It will come right on time.


The vision of The Reach has been a faith-filled journey from the very beginning. This is not just a good idea we are asking God to bless—The Reach is something rooted in the heart of God, and He has invited us to join Him in it!


  • 2019: Pastor Justin sensed God leading him to pray into a new idea. New Life Church had already been serving the community of Biddeford through various events, but God was stirring a deeper desire—a call to establish a physical presence in the city’s downtown. This would be more than just an event; it would be a sustained expression of helping people in the name of Jesus for the glory of God.


  • May 2023: A prophetic word from Pastor Vinu Paul confirmed what Pastor Justin had been sensing. He shared: “I see you in front of a large blank canvas, hesitant to paint. But I hear the Lord saying, ‘Son, just start painting. Have fun with it. Paint with all the colors! Make a mess of it, and I will make an art of it.’” This was a confirmation to begin to speak the vision of a hope center in Biddeford out loud.


  • June 2023: Pastor Justin publicly shared the vision for a hope center in downtown Biddeford for the first time. Within just two weeks, over $300,000 was generously given to support this vision.


  • August 2023: A steering team of six was formed to seek God’s guidance for the next steps. They embarked on a “listening tour,” meeting with government officials, ER nurses, teachers, business owners, sober house managers, and many others in the community. The goal was to learn about the greatest needs in Biddeford and explore how the church could help meet them. The key needs that were identified were mental health support, addiction recovery support, and parenting support and education. Through these conversations, the vision of The Reach began to take shape as a place where the church would come alongside the brokenhearted, the under-resourced, and the vulnerable. The church has always been salt and light. Salt is only good when it is poured out of the shaker. Light is only good when it shines in the darkness.The Reach became an opportunity for the church to step out of the building and pastor the city, offering hope to those in need.


  • January 2024: The steering team took a trip to Los Angeles to tour The LA Dream Center and Homeboy Industries. This was a formative trip for them to expand the vision beyond what they could see or imagine.


  • August 2024: After a year of prayer, planning, and preparation, the property at 118 Alfred Street was put under contract. The story of how this has come to be is a miraculous story all its own!



  • November 21, 2024: We officially closed on this building with a cash offer, thanks to the incredible generosity of so many who have given to this vision! Now the work begins!




Neighborhood Block Parties

One way we’re bringing the community together is through pop-up neighborhood block parties. The party is for the neighborhood - not run by the neighborhood. You never know where we might pop up next... Here’s a few photo highlights from our most recent Block Party!