Brownies, Lunch, and Movies

A significant shift occurs in the life of a Christ follower once we realize God is capable of taking all the mundane stuff in life and giving it eternal significance when we choose to follow Christ in total obedience.  Think about it.  Only God could leverage what is temporary and use it for eternal.  When we make Christ our CEO we are no longer the one who calls the shots.  Rather we are to approach Christ as if we are putting everything up on the table for him to use as He sees fit.  Not just part of our lives (the parts we think are "important"), but ALL of our lives including every last detail.  

  

Over the past few weeks at Northwest, we have been trying to apply these truths to our lives through a teaching series entitled "Filled." The key principle in Filled focused on the idea that God fills Christ followers with the power of the Holy Spirit so that we can be used by Him to point others to Jesus Christ. You see the #1 role of a Christ follower is to make God more famous…to reflect His character everywhere we go.  But let's be honest, this can seem like a daunting task and is too often ignored.  It's tempting to shrug our shoulders and settle for never knowing what it is like to be used by God to make a lasting impact on others.  At Northwest, we refuse to settle for a timid life because we serve and know a God who is able to use simple acts of obedience and service to transform people.  

So, how are we going to do that this week? Here is what our church is doing this week to serve the community while we trust God to do amazing things:

• Brownies - This past Sunday every attender at Northwest was given a box of brownie mix as they came in the door.  During the service the church was challenged to make a pan of brownies this week and take them to a neighbor on their street and simply be open to how God might use that experience to build a bridge.  Our Assimilation Team had packets prepared for the entire church which were filled with information about the church as well as flyers for the upcoming movie night.  
• Lunch - Today Northwest is serving lunch to all the teachers at Cooper Elementary School during their final prep day before school starts next week.  Tonight a group of volunteers from Northwest is also helping out with the school's open house. Cooper is the school facility we lease on Sunday mornings.  We want our impact to be much greater than simply a source of revenue for the school.  We want to serve the faculty and pour into the lives of the families attending the school.  
• Movie Night - On Saturday night, August 18th Northwest is again partnering with the city of Bella Vista to host a free, outdoor, family movie night at Metfield Park.  We will be serving free hotdogs, popcorn, and drinks and showing the movie Adventures of Tin Tin.  These types of events allow us to meet new people, serve the families of Bella Vista, and briefly share the vision of Northwest to the community.        

This week please pray for Northwest as we strive to honor God with brownies, lunch, and movies.   

Game Changer

Have you ever wondered if Jesus makes a difference in the world today? Is Jesus just a historical figure celebrated only at Christmas and Easter? Does Jesus really matter? If you've ever asked these questions, you are not alone.

On Easter Sunday Northwest kicked off a new teaching series entitled Game Changer. Together we are discovering that Jesus Christ is the ultimate game changer. Take the greatest game changing moments in all of sports and multiple those times a million. Jesus not only changed all of human history two thousand years ago when he walked out of the grave, but Jesus continues to change lives, marriages, families, and communities around the world. Don't miss the next 5 weeks at Northwest as we unpack the major areas of life that only Jesus can change:

• Life vs. Death
• Freedom vs. Baggage
• Peace vs. Strife
• Humility vs. Pride
• Selfless vs. Selfish

One of the unique features about the Game Changer series is that each week we will be featuring a different film produced by our very own Brandon Bynum and Zak Heald. Each film will share the unique story of Northwesters whose lives have been changed by Jesus Christ. Invite your family and friends and come experience Game Changer with us on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. at Cooper Elementary and decide for yourself whether or not Jesus Christ is a game changer.

Canoe Trip April 21

Hey Northwest,

I once saw a bumper sticker that read "The family that canoes together stays together" and I've been looking for one for our car ever since. I pretty sure the same truth applies to the church too. In order to promote some healthy community (and mainly because I look for any reason to float the Buffalo River), here are the details on the much anticipated canoe trip on the Buffalo River.

The date is set for Saturday, April 21. We've got some different options set up so that as many people as possible can come along. Stop by the Connection Center on Sunday to get the details.

Keep in mind that I am not going to be anyone's mother. You are responsible for making your own reservations. However I will be happy to assist you in that process and answer any questions you may have. Depending on rainfall, this section of the Buffalo River is the most scenic and enjoyable section to float. It is truly one of the prettiest places in the entire country. If you have never canoed before we will have several experienced paddlers to help guide you down the river. This is designed as a beginner friendly trip. About 1/2 way during the float we will take a side hike to the tallest waterfall between the Appalachians and the Rockies.

Here's a basic schedule for Saturday April 21:

• Check in at Buffalo Outdoor Center in Ponca, AR at 8:00 am
• Put canoes in the water at Steel Creek at 10:00am
• Float down to Kyle's Landing by 4:00pm (8 mile float)

If you are not bringing your own canoe, you need to reserve a canoe by calling the Buffalo Outdoor Center in Ponca, AR at 1-800-221-5514 no later than March 31 and tell them you are with Northwest Community Church. During the spring months the BOC canoe rentals will completely sell out every Saturday. The earlier you call the better. The cost per canoe (2 people per boat) is $60.23. We may need to work out a shuttle system and/or pay the BOC to shuttle a few vehicles for us but we will worry about that later. Camping at Steel Creek is first come first served (no reservations) and is $10 per site. The BOC also has lots of cabins ranging in different sizes if you want to reserve a cabin.

At the Connection Center on Sunday mornings we will have a sign up sheet or you can send me an email so we have an idea of who plans to go. As always, if you've got any questions, don't hesitate to ask. We will send out future emails to cover all the logistics and explain what types of gear or clothing you need to wear. I can almost guarantee that a day on the river together will produce some funny stories.

See you Sunday.

Will

One Of The Many Reasons I Like Greg Luka

Below is a recent email Greg Luka sent our volunteers for this Sunday. It takes about 15-20 servant-minded people working behind the scenes for Northwest to host our worship service and children's ministry at Cooper Elementary each week. As our Groups Pastor, Greg effectively organizes and leads both our community groups and the various ministry teams at Northwest. I am privileged to serve alongside Greg. He's got the kind of Christian character and humility that others want to follow. Be encouraged by this simple and yet truth filled email. If you are currently attending Northwest but you have not gotten involved in serving, talk to Greg about opportunities and give serving a shot. Serving is one of the best ways to establish new friendships and I can guarantee it will spark new levels of growth in your life. -Will

Hey Teams,
Well our two-year anniversary is quickly approaching. Yep the big 2, dos, twa, dua, ok I'm out of ways to say two, you get the point.

I have been praising God this last month as we approach this mile marker of two years old. It is nothing short of a miracle that God has brought this team of people together from all walks of life for one purpose, to lead others to experience the new life in Christ. Life change is occurring my friends, growth is taking place, the community of Bella Vista is being served and it is all being done with excellence. Great job and thank you Jesus!

As we celebrate our 104th Sunday together at NCC, I am both humbled and extremely excited for what God holds in this next year for NCC. Ephesians 3 has been a chapter that I have been reminded of time and time again this year. If we keep our focus on Christ and our lives rooted deep in Him that he will do not just more, but immeasurably more then we ever hoped or imagined. That’s my hope and prayer.

For set up team and worship team please be at Cooper at 8:30, if you can not make it or have arranged for someone else to serve in your place please let me know via planning center response.

Your brother in Christ,
Greg

Northwest Celebrates 2 Years

On Sunday Northwest Community Church will celebrate two years of God's faithfulness since our launch in February of 2010. A lot has happened in the span of the last 24 months and yet our vision remains the same...to lead people to experience a new life in Christ. I am humbled by God's goodness, mercy, and patience with us as we continue to follow Him and allow His plan to unfold. At the same time, I get the sense that we are only scratching the surface for what God wants to do in and through Northwest Community Church.

In order to celebrate Northwest's birthday we've got a special worship service planned that will reflect back on what God has done and look forward to what God could do with our lives when we step up our obedience level and choose to radically follow Him. We will see two key principles from the life of Elisha in 2 Kings that show us how to give our all and yet continue to trust God to do what only He can do. After the worship service we are going to have a big family style lunch in the auditorium/cafeteria of Cooper Elementary. Remember the worship service starts at 10am. DON'T MISS OUT!

The Gospels in 30 Days

Yesterday Northwest started a new journey together. We committed to reading the 4 Gospels of the New Testament together over the next 30 days. Currently we are learning in our Grow series that one of the things God uses to grow big faith in our life is a consistent diet of practical, biblical teaching combined personal readings of the Bible. In an effort to make 2012 a year of growth, we want to get in the habit of daily reading the Bible with a HEAR & DO attitude...HEARING from God through the teaching and reading of the Bible and then DOING what it says. Pretty simple, right?

There are 2 easy ways to follow along and get involved.

1. Download the You Version Bible App and begin The Gospels reading plan.
2. Pick up a copy of the reading plan at the Connection Center on Sundays or download one from our website.

Do not miss out on this opportunity for growth. In addition, don't forget to subscribe to the blog in order to hear stories of what others at Northwest are learning during this 30 day journey.

Should the Church Create Raving Fans?

Last night I read a leadership/business book that has been in print for almost 20 years entitled "Raving Fans" by Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles. It's a short read and contains simple yet profound principles related to customer service. The 3 basic points of the book:

1. Decide what you want...What is your vision for the organization?

2. Discover what the customer wants...Where does your vision and the customers' needs overlap?

3. Deliver the vision plus one percent...Exceed your promise and the customers' expectations.

Another valuable principle from the book included The Rule of One Percent: When dealing with a monumental task, strive to improve your organization/group by one percent each week. No more. No less. This will allow you to overcome the temptations of trying to do too much at once or being immobilized because of the size of the job ahead. Consistency creates credibility.

The bottom line is that Raving Fans puts forth the argument that great companies are built on the foundation of service...not just average, crappy service. Rather the kind of service described is real, care about your needs, I'm here to serve you kind of service. As a Christ follower this type of lifestyle should not be foreign to us. We are called by God to be servants. When people encounter the Church they should be blown away by how much we care about, serve, love, protect, and cherish other people. In fact, I believe that healthy local churches should create raving fans better than the greatest business or organization. My hope and prayer is that when people walk into Northwest Community Church on Sundays, attend one of our community groups, or live next door to a Northwester that they encounter people who are the friendliest, most servant oriented people they have ever met and it causes them to become raving fans of NCC. The stakes are much higher than turning a profit. We are called to create raving fans in order to point people to Jesus Christ...the one who modeled servanthood better than anyone in all of history!