Our Story
New Vision Church was founded in 1992 when five families sensed God’s call and moved to Waukesha, Wisconsin.
They quit their jobs, sold their homes and relocated to Waukesha. None knew much about Waukesha, only that it was God’s location for a brand new church. Its mission: To be an intimate church that follows Jesus to reproduce new churches that follow Jesus.
Under the leadership of Pastor Matt Lewis, New Vision opened with humble beginnings in a daycare facility and then moved to an office building in downtown Waukesha. The congregation grew from 14 to over 125, and by 2000, it spun off 7 families and 5 individuals to daughter a new church plant.
Volunteer-built
The New Vision congregation broke ground in 2002 on its own church facility at I-94 and Hwy SS in the City of Pewaukee. A few contractors, numerous congregation members and sister BIC churches (our family within the Christian Church) from neighboring states and Canada built the church building in old Amish barn-raising style from the ground up from Spring through mid-December. The first service was held Christmas Eve 2002.
Multiplying
New Vision’s mission requires that the congregation stay family-sized (under 200)[1]. It encourages its members to worship God, love one another, follow Jesus wholeheartedly, share the good news of Jesus compassionately, and reproduce churches by sending out its spiritual children to begin new church plants. It’s first daughter-church plant was successfully launched in 2000. A second daughter-church plant was initiated in 2006.
2008 Transition
- After founding pastor Matt Lewis left to head up the Pastors of Excellence Program at Ashland Seminary, the church called a new pastor, John Fickett. John and his family moved here from Pennsylvania in November 2008. The Ficketts leave a legacy of loving their family well, unswerving devotion to Jesus, and the faithful teaching of Scripture.
Pastor Brett & Christina Bever
2017 Transition
In 2017, the church called a new pastor. Pastor Brett Bever, an Iowa native, and his wife Christina met in Kentucky, and spent time in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania before moving to Wisconsin. They came with a love for the legacy of New Vision’s community of friends. Their desire is to equip New Vision as missionaries to post-Christian culture by leading innovative ideas for gathering people around the teachings of Jesus. Brett and Christina love to take camping road trips to the national parks in the summers with their three active sons.
2020 Developments
In 2020, Brett started full-time employment in the trades and Pastor Christina became the lead pastor at New Vision. Christina believes the Holy Spirit is living and active in the Scriptures and she loves to bring the Bible to life with her PhD in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. She and the leaders of New Vision continue to steward New Vision’s mission to bring hope and healing to the neighborhood.
New Vision’s Mission Impact
A unified body of believers — demonstrating our dependence on God — for our neighbors — to find healing from brokenness
We are actively developing a supportive housing ministry and non-profit “collective” at our property. Right now we are calling it “The Rest Stop Hospitality & Meeting House.” Find out more!