New Lifehouse’s
Spiritual Focus

Teen girls who are struggling are not thinking about their future; instead, they are focused on finding comfort or making the choice that seems easiest in the present. Often, however, the choice that appears most comfortable at the moment causes future pain for themselves and for others. Each individual has a specific purpose to fulfill, and our Creator has given each one a unique set of talents and skills in order to carry out that purpose. This destiny in Christ applies to each one of us, even to the struggling teen whose current behavior is out of line. New Lifehouse Academy helps young women find a relationship with God. Teen Challenge accomplishes that through the curriculum, challenges, and mentoring that takes place while the student is here.

We help girls understand that a relationship with God is theirs to develop. A person comes to know God through Jesus Christ but must work out their own relationship on a personal level from there. The natural result of this is the healing and restoration of the young woman. Because of the personal restoration that takes place, the family is then restored. We believe strongly in the grace of Jesus Christ. God offers us salvation as a free and undeserved gift, not on the basis of any righteous act we have done.

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”
– Ephesians 2:10

The spirit of the New Lifehouse Academy community is one of thankfulness and giving to others, rejoicing in the grace that has been given to us. We encourage our students in their spiritual lives, and we support them in living out their faith through the following:

• Prayer – At New Lifehouse Academy, we strongly believe that prayer provides the covering and shield for our ministry and students of New Lifehouse. We encourage the girls in community prayer, prayer with staff, private prayer, and prayer with each other.

• Bible Study – New Lifehouse Academy believes that the Bible is the complete and authoritative Word of God. Each student will work through the Bible curriculum while in the program. Because of the vital importance of the Bible to our faith and beliefs, Bible study becomes a significant aspect of daily and weekly life at NLH. We want students to discover the answers to their tough questions within the Word of God and to embrace their faith as their own.

• Missions and Outreaches – Mission trips give students opportunities to reach beyond themselves, to see the world through another’s eyes, and to touch lives with the love of God. New Lifehouse Academy has taken teams to Swaziland, New York City, Los Angeles, Haiti, Burundi, and the Dominican Republic. Our current annual trips include Costa Rica and Teen Challenge Rwanda in Kigali, Africa.

• Worship – Worship plays a vital role in student growth at New Lifehouse, both spiritually and emotionally. Worship requires humility, as we place our focus entirely on God and express appreciation and gratitude. Students who enter the program feeling entitled or entirely focused on themselves must begin to move toward emotional maturity and experience personal growth as they learn to engage in worship in choir, church, and community events.

• Integration with Local Youth Groups – As a student progresses through the program and reaches the appropriate level, she begins to attend a local youth group. Through this opportunity, our staff can help the students develop appropriate relationships and discover that relationships with peers can be good without the pressures of society.