Concord, Massachusetts – Its Roots

Concord, Massachusetts holds a unique and honored place in American history.
On April 19, 1775, ordinary farmers of Concord took up arms against British troops, firing the famous “shot heard ’round the world” and sparking the beginning of America’s War for Independence.

Concord is also celebrated for its role in America’s literary heritage. In the 19th century, as America sought its own voice in literature, Concord stood out. The town nurtured a remarkable generation of authors including Nathaniel Hawthorne, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Louisa May Alcott — offering the world a fresh and distinctly American literary perspective.

What may be less known is Concord’s rich spiritual heritage. Founded in 1635 by twelve families, Concord became the first town in the New World named after a spiritual ideal rather than an Old World location or figure. Unlike nearby towns (such as Boston, Cambridge, and Salem, named after English cities), Concord’s founders chose a name that reflected their deep commitment to live “in concord” — in harmony and agreement.

Their commitment was formalized in The Concord Covenant, a document in which they pledged to “walk as becometh the people of God, according to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Historian Alfred Sereno Hudson writes in Hudson’s History of Concord, The Colonial Period:

“The creed and ministers of the early church in Concord were evangelical… The light that shone in the wilderness was a gospel light, and among the twinkling stars that glittered through their night of solicitude and sorrow, none were as bright to the settler as that which arose and stood over the place where lay the Babe of Bethlehem.
The Christ of that first Christmas was the Christ of the Concord colonist. It was to His word that he looked for guidance, by His sacrifice he believed he would be saved, and upon this rock he built his church.”
(p. 439)

New Life Community Church – Its Beginnings

In the mid-1980s, a small group of local Christians, known as “The Concord Fellowship,” began meeting monthly in homes. Though they worshiped at Christ-centered churches outside Concord, their hearts were burdened to reach their own community.

In 1985, they invited Pastor David MacAdam — then serving as Minister of Evangelism, Discipleship, and Missions at Grace Chapel in Lexington — to speak about reaching Concord for Christ. David had spent ten years as an evangelist, church planter, pastor, and disciple-maker in England.

With his encouragement, the Concord Fellowship studied the early church’s example and realized that the most effective way to reach a community is to build authentic New Testament community within it.

From this vision, twelve family units committed themselves to planting a Christ-centered, Bible-based, Spirit-led, non-denominational church in Concord — dedicated to reaching their town with the life-giving message of the gospel.

In September 1986, New Life Community Church held its first Sunday worship celebration at the Alcott School in Concord.
At the same time, a network of small fellowship groups — called Life Groups — began to grow.
LIFE stands for:

• Loving Relationships

• Involvement in Ministry

• Fellowship in the Word

• Evangelism

It was in these Life Groups that true community life first took root, with members meeting in homes, offices, or even early mornings before work.

In 1987, Sunday worship services moved to the Concord-Carlisle High School, and in the 1990s, to the old Emerson High School (then the Emerson Umbrella for the Arts) at 40 Stow Street.

Worship, the Arts, and Outreach

From the beginning, New Life emphasized both Christ-centered relationships and celebrating Christ’s Lordship over every area of life, including the arts.

In 1987, New Life launched its musical theater ministry with the first of many spiritually uplifting musical productions.
More about this outreach can be found at newlifefinearts.org.

New Life Today

Today, New Life Community Church continues to serve the region, still committed to building “something beautiful for God.”

In 2018, we officially moved into and lovingly restored the old Elks Club building, now known as the New Life Ministry Center. This space serves as the heart of our ministry and provides a home for our growing church family.

Looking ahead, our goal is to complete Phase Two of our vision — to build a sanctuary space for worship, as well as both theater and gallery spaces. These spaces will host gospel-centered outreach events through New Life Community Church and our New Life Fine Arts Ministry, continuing our tradition of using the arts to communicate the message of Christ.

Footnote

The Concord Covenant was discovered among the family papers of Concord’s founder, Peter Bulkeley.