Baptism BBQ Bash - Part 4

Life change centered on Jesus Christ never gets old. Watching someone encounter the forgiveness and grace of God is amazing. Then to see that person's heart transformed by Jesus Christ is exciting. Finally, being able to encourage someone to get involved in serving others is simply inspiring. Check out what Christ is doing in the life of my good friend, Tim.

Growing up almost entirely unchurched, I’m not entirely sure what led me to seek out religion and God at 40. I went to church for a year or two in late adolescence, but it was for the fun of it and not the message. After not going to church or following God for almost 30 years, I think it may have been me wanting to validate what little beliefs I did have. I believed that there was a “higher power” because this miraculous world didn’t just happen by accident. But I didn’t believe in Christianity or religion at all for that matter. I read books thinking they would reassure me in my beliefs, but the more I read, the more I questioned. So I thought I would test drive a few churches. They were good and the people were nice, but they didn’t speak to my heart. Then I attended my sister and brother-in-law’s church in Iowa, for my niece’s dedication. It was like a breath of fresh air, the whole thing spoke to me, but I still had my doubts. I set out to find a similar church here in Arkansas.

Two different people led me to Northwest and it was more than just a coincidence. First, my massage therapist and friend, Veronica, was gracious enough to let me ask her questions about Christianity during our massage sessions. I told her what kind of Church I was looking for and she mentioned her previous church that met at the Boys and Girls Club. She told me the name, but I couldn’t remember it. I spent a couple of Sunday mornings driving by, looking for signs of a church, but didn’t see any. Then I reached out to my brother-in-law, Justin to ask his advice on finding a church similar to his in Iowa. Out of all of the churches in Northwest Arkansas, he randomly sent me to Northwest’s website. It was the same church that I had just been looking for. Once I visited the church, I knew it would be the place to help me find the answers I was seeking.

Then I met Will and right away he started giving me the answers I needed. He helped me realize that everything I thought I knew about Christianity was wrong. I thought God was a vengeful God from the stories I remembered from the Old Testament. Will explained the grace that God showed by giving His son to die for our sins and imperfections. That we only needed to seek out Christ’s love and try to live the perfect life that He did. He continued to explain that we can never obtain this perfection, but that Christ’s sacrifice would make us whole with God. These were the answers I needed in order to believe and ask Jesus Christ to be my personal Lord and Savior.

I am far from perfect and my life is a mess. I think this is the real reason I started down this path. Not growing up churched, it has been hard for me to be consistent with my faith. When I have rough times I withdrawal inward. I turn away from relationships and that includes my relationship with Christ. Will and others at Northwest have always been there and reach out to me when I’m at my lowest. They remind me that when in tough times is when I need to reach out for Christ’s love and guidance the most and also the love and guidance of the community here at Northwest.

Baptism BBQ Bash - Part 3

God transforms. We obey and celebrate. Read about how God has transformed the life of Kent and how he has responded to the work of Jesus Christ in his life. Baptizing Kent with his son, Cole, was such a thrill. God is Good!

I was raised in a loving, caring Christian home in a town and neighborhood that I pictured as perfect. We attended a United Methodist Church. In my teenage years I had removed myself from church and Jesus, and started my agenda. However, being brought up in a loving and Christian home my conscience would always speak to me. Over the next 25 years or so I lived according to my plan. As a teen and into adulthood, I was either lucky or angels were looking over me. I am so thankful that I did not cause serious harm to others from my lifestyle; I would later receive a clear wakeup call to start a new chapter in my life. I would marry, have two children, work and do what I thought was right. Be a provider, buy a home, cars, boat, and spend money and then divorce, of course still living according to my plan. As I write, I am certain that I did in fact did cause harm to family and friends.

Then I met my lifetime friend, companion, and wife, Cathy, the one who has supported me in my journey. We would have a son Cole, and then receive custody of my older children Evan & Jordan. My life did not change until we decided to make a significant change together, we moved to Castle Rock, CO. Within a few months I had realized I was an irritated, unloving and greedy person one who was not treating my wife or my children proper. We would then find our first regular Church together, CastIe Rock Methodist. We attended regularly, made many friends some of whom remain our best friends today. It was at this church where I quietly asked Jesus to come into my life and become my Lord and Savior.

I am so thankful for the change that Jesus Christ has made since coming into my life. He has healed my relationships with my wife and children, changed me into a more kind and generous person who enjoys helping and is grateful for all that He gave for me. Since our first Sunday at Northwest, it has just felt good. We have felt like we fit here. Everyone at Northwest has been a part of helping us fit by greeting us and sharing life with us. We enjoy the time of worship, the teaching, the community groups, and the opportunities to serve that God has provided our family here at Northwest. 

Baptism BBQ Bash - Part 2

Some exciting things are happening in the life of a 14 year old student named Cole. Check out Cole's story which he recently shared at Northwest just before his baptism. God is at work in this guy's life!  

Before my relationship with Jesus Christ, I was getting called out on my sins and I knew I needed to change. I thought church was the most boring place to be…just one hour of boredom. But, I DID know that God should be an important part of your life. I tried to understand but all I was doing was thinking about myself and my plans instead of the Lord and His plans. One Sunday morning we went to church and one of the pastors talked about baptism and that got my attention. For the first time church wasn’t boring. I paid attention and after church I thought hard about my life and man was that a serious time. And man I needed to make some changes about my life. Once I began to “a hunger for the Lord” as Will says my relationship with God just kept getting stronger and stronger. I became excited about church and eventually I brought my sin to the cross and started anew.

After that many changes happened in my life. My relationship with Christ changed the way I looked at the world and my life was filled with joy, hope, and love.  Here is a little story to prove it. At my school there were four kids. Three of them did not care much about the Lord and one of them had just moved from Africa and had never been introduced to the Lord. Then, three weeks later the kid from Africa and two of the other guys became Christ followers and I was surprised at the difference God made in their lives. Since then I have been telling my dad I want to be baptized to show the world that I am a follower of Jesus too.  One Sunday our pastor made a good point.  Will said that “Baptism is just a symbol. It does not make you go to heaven or make you right with God. Baptism simply shows people that you have accepted Jesus Christ into your heart. Baptism is a lot like a wedding ring. Even if you take a ring off you are still married.” That was the coolest concept I had ever heard. So here I am today telling you that I have accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior and I hope that I can wear this symbol of baptism with pride and show the world my love for the Lord.

Baptism BBQ Bash - Part 1

On Labor Day weekend Northwest celebrated the life change Jesus Christ has been producing in the lives of four men connected with our church. We called it the Baptism BBQ Bash.  It was obvious to us that if a group of people wanted to have a party and celebrate the fact that Jesus Christ has restored our relationship with God and is making us into a new person that some smoked meat should be involved!    

Over the next 4 blog posts, I want to share with you the stories of the 4 men who made recent commitments to Jesus Christ and followed Him in baptism. Their stories testify of God's goodness, mercy, grace, and ability to restore what was once broken and lost.

Jason W. Story...

My parents raised me in what can honestly be described as a dying church. The sermons began to focus too frequently on tithing, so we stopped going. In junior high two positive influences, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Fellowship Bible Church, rekindled my spiritual interests. I invited Christ into my life at a Newsboys concert in the autumn of 9^th grade. At the time I thought I knew exactly what it all meant, but it would be another fourteen years until I understood the full gravity of that decision.

In my later teen years I made a cascade of poor decisions that led to a life of addiction and pursuit of pleasure. Literally everyday started with thoughts and actions that did nothing to exemplify Christ’s ways and focused entirely on myself. Thankfully and perhaps luckily these choices did not lead me to the grave or jail, but looking back now the world I was living in was depressing to say the least.

Fast forward several years, the setting was in a garage working on a old beat up Jeep. A friend named Tyler asked me what my thoughts were on religion and if I saw myself as a Christian. I admitted my questions and doubts I had at that time and truly felt it was God’s way of asking “Where’s your heart at, Jason?”

Jaclynn and I began regularly coming to church and joined a community group shortly after that experience. In a short time here at Northwest, I’ve had many examples of what being a Christ follower genuinely looks like. Will, Greg and Dr. Sanders have been more than generous with their knowledge and time. My co-worker Kam Ghomghani, an Iranian Muslim turned born again Christian, has likewise been a great resource to discuss all things faith related. And Chris Cantwell, an all-around great guy as long as you can get past the fact he’s a Cardinals fan. All have played an integral part in getting my life pointed in the right direction. 

And that’s basically my story, a story of a man who isn’t worthy but in total need God’s grace. I am eternally thankful for Christ’s love and forgiveness and for the opportunity for life change through Christ here at Northwest.