Pastor Chris Smothers
Pastor Smothers comes to New Life Church with a rich background of ministry. He came to the lord as a child and felt called into the ministry almost immediately as his committed grandmother, Donna Barnett, played a significant role in his spiritual upbringing.
He went to Indiana Bible College as a young man to receive training and pursue his calling. After his sophomore year, he traveled with friends to New Brunswick, Canada to attend a wedding and hopefully preach at a few churches. Almost immediately, he was asked to serve as the Interim Pastor of the church in Temperance Vale, and he filled that need for the rest of the summer and the beginning of the fall.
Ministry opportunities continued when he returned to Indiana to finish his degree and have continued through today. He was asked to preach services in Chicago, and began to evangelize throughout Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana.
Chris Smothers was introduced to Bro and Sis Sherry, missionaries visiting America from Vanuatu. The missionary was impressed enough to immediately ask Bro. Smothers to come to Vanuatu and take care of the work there while Bro Sherry finished his work in America. He felt the Lord's leading and agreed to go, then tried to find Vanuatu on a map. His landlord immediately freed him from his apartment lease, then the landlord bought all his furniture, and the next church where he preached took a special offering raising a large part of his budget almost immediately. In a matter of weeks, he traveled to Vanuatu and served as an AIM Worker (Associate in Missions) for six months. In that time, he helped the churches there to grow, taught at the Bible College, and started a new church in the country.
Bro. Smothers has since preached throughout the United States and in a number of countries including Norway, India, South Africa, Botswana, Ukraine, The Turks and Cacaos, The Bahamas, Canada, Bophutaswana and Fiji. Bro. Smothers has had a special influence in the Punjab Province of India, preaching revivals and helping to build schools and churches there. He serves as a bishop of the Church of Pentecost of North India and continues to assist the work and ministers there. He has been mentored by Rev. Paul Mooney, Rev. Tom Copple, Rev. Dan Butler, Rev. Bill Nix, Rev. Larry Blake, Rev. Rick Olsen and Rev. Ronald Eskridge.
In the Summer of 2008, Pastor James Roberts invited Bro. Smothers to take the leadership of the church in Garden City, Michigan. Bro Smothers chose the mild winters of Michigan over ministering in Fiji and the Bahamas and has come to be Lead Pastor of our church. Our church continues to grow under his leadership and ministry.
Rev. James and Patti Roberts
In 1989, Rev. James Roberts, his wife, Patti, and their two daughters, Kendra and Katie, came to Westland to establish a new congregation - to be known as the Westland United Pentecostal Church. Along with them, came several supporters - all sent by the Apostolic Faith Church of Ypsilanti to help strengthen this new congregation.
For the first three years the group met in the Friendship Center on Newburgh Rd. and from there moved to 6500 N. Wayne Rd. to share the building owned by Good Shepherd Reformed. About 15 years were spent in this second location where God blessed in many ways. We will always be grateful for the kindness and good will that passed between these two congregations for our extended time of co-existence.
Finally, in 2007, after saving and waiting for the Lord to open the right opportunity, a building was purchased at 33111 Ford Rd. in Garden City from the Garden City Christian Center. No longer in Westland, the church changed its name to New Life Church. Much work was invested after the purchase to update the building into the welcoming and comfortable meeting place that it now is. What a blessing to see what God has done as His people have worked together serving Him!
Soon after the completion of renovations, Rev. Roberts began to feel led by God to invite Rev. Chris Smothers to consider assuming the leadership of the church for the next phase of its life. The congregation and Rev. Smothers agreed, and the transition took place in August of 2008. Rev. and Sis. Roberts continue to serve in New Life Church under the leadership of Pastor Smothers as well as help with other churches in the Michigan District of the United Pentecostal Church.
Our Leadership Team
Our church is blessed with a fantastic team of leaders committed to ministry, personal growth and the kingdom of God. Join us before services for prayer in the sanctuary, and if you are interested in joining this team, contact Pastor Smothers and ask about going through discipleship training. God can do great things through you if you are willing to be used.
