Meet Cherie Wagner of Neue Thing in Mesa

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cherie Wagner.

Cherie, before we jump into specific questions, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I am a Midwest girl who was transplanted to the desert in 2006, shortly after I graduated from Bible college in Chicago, and I had no idea what was in store for me here. Born and raised in the northern suburbs of Chicago, I just assumed that is where my story would play out, but God had a different plan for me.

When I moved to Phoenix, I was shocked at how little I actually knew about the desert here—for example, tumbleweeds are a real thing, the summer temperatures are beyond brutal, and the mountains that frame our skylines are truly breathtaking. As drastic of a shift this move was for me, I quickly began to establish roots here and began what has become the greatest part of my life. I joined the staff of Central Christian Church and immediately began serving the women of our church. It didn’t take long before I realized how passionate I was about fostering community for women. I started teaching Bible studies for women of all ages, and as the class sizes grew, so did the feedback.

The women who were attending these studies started to encourage me to write my own. At the time, it had never occurred to me to pursue writing my own material, let alone seek to publish it, but that is exactly what happened. Through a series of incredible events that connected me to some remarkable people, I founded Neue Thing—a nonprofit Christian ministry that exists to Encourage, Equip, and Empower women with the Word of God. I wrote and self-published my first Bible study in the Fall of 2012, and before I knew it, different churches and women’s groups were asking me to come to their events and teach my new study.

As more doors of opportunity opened for me to teach, I continued to write and publish new studies and books to help women find hope. The response has been overwhelming in the best possible way. In 2016, Neue Thing hosted our first women’s conference called Unify PHX where we gathered together as women from over 40 churches around the state of Arizona to celebrate what unifies us. My most recent book “Hope: Tethered to an Unwavering God” was published in January of 2018, and our fundraising campaign raised enough money to gift over 500 copies of this book to people all over the country—families grieving the loss of a loved one through Hospice Care, women in prison, high school graduates, homeless communities, women’s shelters, and more.

One of my favorite connections from this past year has been partnering up with Ali Gentry who founded Arise PHX, a monthly gathering for women to connect, worship, and grow. Authentic community is everything to me, and it is such a privilege to get to do what I do here in Phoenix and beyond.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Smooth? Not quite, but it’s been good. Anything that is really good has to experience some refining first, right? Initially, the biggest struggle I faced was my own fear of stepping out into the world of writing and publishing. What if no one liked what I wrote? What if my books failed? I’d love to say that I’ve truly conquered those fears, but there’s a bit of that fear that lingers with each newly published work, and I suppose that isn’t so bad.

It serves as a reminder to me of just how important this work is and how much of a labor of love each written work is. Leading and running a nonprofit organization is no small thing either, and there has been much learning for me along the way. Building teams of leaders around me who are proficient in their fields has been vital. This ministry is no one-man show. I simply could not do the work I do without the incredible men and women who champion this ministry, me, and the work that we do together.

We’d love to hear more about your organization.
Neue Thing is a nonprofit Christian ministry that exists to Encourage, Equip, and Empower women with the Word of God. Through the Bible studies that I write and the Bible teaching that I do, I continue to see women’s lives being changed. I have the incredible privilege every year to speak at MOPS groups, women’s conferences and retreats, and women’s events at churches both here in Phoenix and around the country.

Through the Bible study resources that we offer, we seek to engage women in communities where they can grow in their faith and share their faith with others. My highest aim is to point people toward the truth that hope, true and lasting hope, can be had and known in this hard world, and it is found in Jesus. I absolutely love watching hope and faith resurrect in people’s lives, and I get a front-row seat to that in the work that I get to do!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
From the very first day that the dream of Neue Thing existed, I have been surrounded by a phenomenal team of devoted and incredibly talented people who have helped make this ministry what it is today. I remember calling my mentor, Denise, the day we purchased the domain and officially named it Neue Thing. She celebrated with me, prayed with me, and has served on my ministry team ever since. With a Bible degree and a background in ministry, I didn’t necessarily feel equipped to run a business, but once again, God had positioned key people in my life who were proficient and very skilled in every area that I wasn’t.

From CPAs to marketing and communication directors and a lot in between, my team has been the strength behind this ministry to bring it to where it is today—a Phoenix-based ministry that is reaching thousands of women around the country. When we were going through the application process to officially become a nonprofit, one of my very good friends helped me fill out the application and became the first donor by paying the application fee.

Aside from my board and ministry team, my mom and my husband have been my biggest cheerleaders. They have believed in me and the gifts that I have even when I didn’t. They have sacrificed much to support me and Neue Thing. My church and the women I have been privileged to lead alongside of have been a huge blessing to me as well, giving me opportunity after opportunity to grow and develop in these areas of leadership.

Contact Info:

• Website: neuething.org
• Phone: 4803169511
• Email: cherie@neuething.org
• Instagram: @cheriewagnernt @neuethinginc
• Facebook: facebook.com/neuething/
• Twitter: @cheriewagnernt

Image Credit:
Brittany Blevins, Christin Frank, Jeremy Wagner

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