STUFF

Do you ever worry about your stuff? Does money cause friction in your relationships? On Sunday, November 12th Northwest begins a brand new series called STUFF. We will discover what God’s Word has to say about money, possessions, and investments. Rather than cause stress, God wants to use your stuff to bless others and help you experience healthy, life-giving relationships with other people and with Jesus Christ. As you prepare for the worship gathering on Sunday, consider the following questions:

1. What are the greatest needs of your family?
2. What are the greatest needs of a family in your neighborhood?
3. What do you have to give to serve others?

Don't allow stuff to rule your life! Let's put stuff in its place and leverage it for growth. This week be sure to invite someone to join you at Northwest Community Church on Sunday morning at 10am and send them a link to this post so they are prepared too!

Anatomy of a Disciple

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? What is the life of a Christ follower supposed to look like? Does Jesus really change people? This week at Northwest we begin a brand new teaching series designed to discover the anatomy of a disciple. Over the next 6 weeks we are going to dive into the Gospel of Matthew to study the life and leadership of Jesus Christ and the ways He develops people into fully devoted followers who are capable of impacting the world around them.

The Anatomy of a Disciple series will focus on the head, heart, and hands of a follower of Jesus Christ. Together we will see that a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ is simply anyone who:

• Knows and follows Jesus (Head)
• Is transformed by Jesus (Heart)
• Is committed to the mission of Jesus (Hands)  

Make plans right now to join Northwest Community Church on Sunday, January 8th at 10am at Cooper Elementary in Bella Vista in order to start 2017 off by growing in your relationship with Jesus Christ. And be sure to invite friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors to join you! 

Northwest was given the opportunity to lead over 300 people to worship Jesus Christ in a barn on Christmas Eve and we would love to see Cooper Elementary filled with people every Sunday who desire to grow and worship Jesus Christ. Remember...NO PERFECT PEOPLE ALLOWED at Northwest! The bottom line is that we are all imperfect people in need of a perfect Savior who is able to transform us from the inside out.

Take A Risk in 2017

Today and tomorrow we focus on the fresh start of a new year. At the very beginning let me ask you to consider the following question:

What risks are you going to take for Jesus Christ in 2017?

In a thrilling exchange in the middle of a storm out on the water, Jesus tells his disciples in Matthew 14:27 "Don't be afraid. Take courage. I am here!" Just imagine if you lived every single day with those words ringing in your mind...Don't be afraid! Take courage! Jesus is with you! Think about it. How could those truths impact your life in 2017?

Just consider the following examples of "risks" that could completely transform a person's life in 2017:

• I am going to pursue the truth claims of Jesus Christ in the Bible.
• I am going to examine if Jesus Christ is worthy to be my personal Lord and Savior.
• I am going to be obedient in baptism. 
• I am going to join a local church, get connected to a community group, and serve others.
• I am going to lead a community group and share life with others.  
• I am going to grow in generosity and trust God with my finances.
• I am going to become a servant and student of my spouse. 
• I am going to disciple my children and teach them the ways of Jesus.
• I am going to go on my very first mission trip.
• I am going to allow Jesus to break addiction in my life. 
• I am going to serve my friends and neighbors and show them the crazy love of Jesus. 

Remember, God designed you to trust Him. God is honored when we dream big, trust big, and then depend big. He loves it when we take spiritual risks and then ask for His help to follow through with obedience. In 2017, don't allow yourself to play it safe. Talk to God about the risks you are willing to take for Him, ask for His help, and then share those risks with friends and family who will encourage even more risk-taking for Christ in the new year. 

Happy New Year!

A Big THANK YOU!

A big THANK YOU to the entire Northwest family! Your prayerful support, financial investment, and servant leadership are very much valued and needed in the life of Northwest. As your Leadership Team, we are incredibly grateful to God for the privilege of serving alongside you and sharing in this faith journey together. In addition to saying thank you, the Leadership Team would like to share with you the exciting ways God has been working to prepare Northwest for future service and impact.   

Over the past 6 years, God has established a unique and healthy culture at Northwest characterized by high levels of trust, humility, and generosity. Furthermore, God has raised up servant leaders dedicated to the mission of producing and releasing leaders who are fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.  At the close of 2015, the Leadership Team shared with you two strategic goals we believed God was leading Northwest towards over the next 3 years:

1. The support of 4 fully-funded pastors committed to making disciples and releasing leaders.  
2. The Serve the City Center – Our land and building concept designed to partner with other organizations, businesses, and non-profits striving to serve the needs of people in north Benton County in the name of Jesus Christ.  

Through out 2016, God has confirmed these two strategic goals in the hearts of our leaders and given us greater clarity for the future. In addition, God has amazed us with His provision and financial blessings through the generosity of His people. In our current teaching series, James 1:17 has reminded us that every good and perfect gift is given to us by God in order to highlight His goodness. At Northwest we want to use the blessings God has given us to bless others and point people to Jesus Christ. God’s recent provisions for Northwest have emboldened the Leadership Team to take steps towards 4 fully-funded pastors, designate funds for the future Serve the City Center, and explore new partnerships and avenues of service to our community.     

For the remainder of 2016, please join us in asking the Lord to grant Northwest greater levels of spiritual momentum and then consider the specific ways God wants you to invest in the future of Northwest through the use of your time, talents, and treasure. As always, please feel free to reach out to anyone on the Leadership Team if you have questions or comments regarding your past, present or future giving.   

In Christ,

The Leadership Team of Northwest Community Church