The Great Invasion Project

During our Power Along the Way series, Northwest is discovering that God provides His power and strength to us as we put our faith in Him.  We have seen that very seldom does God provide the resources far in advance but He has chosen to bless us and meet our needs as we walk with Him. Regardless of circumstances, our proper response to God's leadership is to trust and obey Him.     

In Genesis 12, God tells Abraham "I am going to bless you and all the families on earth will be blessed through you." Wow! Talk about a bombshell. At first glance, it appears that Abraham has been given a tremendous amount of responsibility. Following that conversation with God, Abraham may have even felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and that the blessings of future generations depended on him.  And yet upon further reflection, we see that all that was required of Abraham was to simply trust and obey God. God was the one with the ultimate responsibility. God was the one providing the blessings to Abraham. God was the one who would be providing future blessings to the nations and generations yet to come.  Abraham was simply to be the conduit of God's blessings.

Four thousand years later, God's instruction to us remains the same. God continues to to tell us "Trust me. Obey me. I will provide my power along the way. I am going to bless you so that you will be a blessing to others." And at Northwest we take these instructions very seriously. We believe God has perfectly positioned Northwest Community Church in Bella Vista, AR in order to be a blessing to Northwest Arkansas and the nations. In order to put these beliefs into action, Northwest is engaging in the Great Invasion Project. 

During The Great Invasion Project, Northwest is reaching out and blessing some of the hurting families from Cooper Elementary and our surrounding area with the love of Jesus Christ.  We are providing Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner, gifts, groceries, clothing, and other items to families in need as we invite them to get plugged in at Northwest Community Church. During the month of December Northwest will also be engaging in The Great Invasion teaching series as we reflect on the way Jesus Christ invaded humanity with His love on that very first Christmas. The Great Invasion Project will culminate on Wednesday evening, December 24th as we host a unique, family-friendly Christmas Eve worship gathering inside an actual barn in Bentonville. To get a sense for what the Great Invasion Project is all about, check out this recent video that tells the story of how God is working through others at Northwest.

This holiday season, do not miss out on all the opportunities God is giving you to be a blessing to other people. If you are not a regular attender at Northwest, but you would like to contribute to the Great Invasion Project, you may do so directly through our website. 

Message from the Leadership Team

Dear Northwest Community Church,

The Leadership Team would like to say THANK YOU for your faithful commitment to the vision of leading people to experience a new life in Christ. We are encouraged by the ways God is working, providing, and leading in the life of Northwest. It is a tremendous privilege to serve alongside you as we follow God’s leadership, share God’s story, and invite others to get involved in God’s mission.

Over the past several months God has been paving the way for Northwest to launch new ministries in the areas of international missions and student ministry. Our desire in each of these initiatives is to see more people transformed by the life-changing message of Jesus Christ. Along the way, God has called Scott and Amilee Sanders to serve as our Pastor of Students and Missions beginning on December 1. In addition, God has already given Northwest opportunities to impact students in our community and has opened the door for us to partner with missionaries in Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Haiti in 2015.

As Northwest grows we have intentionally chosen to view the new challenges and expenses as opportunities rather than obstacles. For example, in 2014 God abundantly blessed Northwest by calling Jared and Adrienne Fincher to serve as our Creative Arts Pastor. In 2015, the Leadership Team is once again trusting God to provide as we seek to accomplish items such as building a house for our missionaries BJ and Jill in Papua New Guinea, funding our growing student and children’s ministries, and providing partial compensation for Jared and Scott who are both willing to make tremendous sacrifices in order to serve and be obedient to the Lord. As a Leadership Team, we see each of these items as opportunities for God to work in mighty ways and to grow Northwest’s ability to give generously and sacrificially.

In January Northwest will be mailing individual charitable giving receipts for 2014 along with a description of the exciting life-change that has taken place as a result of your tithes and offerings.  Please keep in mind that as a 501c3 your contributions to Northwest are fully tax-deductible.  Currently there are 4 convenient ways for you to contribute financially to what God is doing at Northwest:

1. Send a check in the mail to P.O. Box 5128 Bella Vista, AR 72714.
2. On Sunday mornings during our worship gatherings.
3. Online at www.lifeatnorthwest.org. Click on the “Give Back” tab. 
4. Setup an automatic bank draft by filling out the form on our website. 

Finally, we would like to invite you and your family to get involved in The Great Invasion Project at Northwest during the months of November and December as we serve people in our community who are hurting and may be far from God.

In Christ,
Will Blanchard, Greg Luka, Rob Sanders, Jeff Powers, and Jared Fincher

Abiding In Christ

A major theme God continues to teach me in my prayer life involves learning how to abide in Christ. Keep in mind that abiding does not mean we sit quietly, do nothing, and contemplate warm fuzzy thoughts about Jesus. Abiding actually means to obey, observe, follow, keep to, hold to, conform to, adhere to, stick to, and stand by. While abiding in Christ certainly produces fruit and peace in our lives (the aspect of abiding most talked about) there is also an aspect of abiding that calls us into action. Abiding is never passive. Abiding is active and involves a conscious decision on our part as followers of Jesus Christ. 

Right now in the life of Northwest there are plenty of opportunities for us to stop abiding and start acting on our own power and determined will. Needs are everywhere and uncertainty abounds in the form of both blessings and challenges. For instance God is blessing Northwest with new leaders (Scott and Amilee Sanders), new ministries (5th and 6th Grade, Student Ministry, and Missions), and new families. At the same time, we are being hit with new challenges such as students coming from tough family situations, neighbors far from God, and increased financial demands. But here's the deal, our directive does not change. WE ARE TO ABIDE IN CHRIST. If a million blessings come our way, we are to abide in Christ. If a million challenges come our way, we are to abide in Christ. 

One of the most incredible things about Jesus is the fact that the Son of the Living God has invited us to be his friend! We have been invited into a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior...let that sink in for a moment. But wait! The deal gets even sweeter. Christ tells us we do not have to muster up our own strength to follow and obey him. Jesus provides the grace and the strength necessary for us to love Him and serve others if we are willing to abide in Christ. 

Will Blanchard

Following the Call | Sanders Family

Following the Call


Northwest Community Church is excited to announce that Scott and Amilee Sanders and their children Benjamin (5), Nathan (3), and Abigail (1) will soon be joining the Northwest family. Scott will join our team of pastors and will be providing leadership primarily in the areas of students and missions. The Sanders are moving from Macon, GA to Northwest Arkansas and anticipate joining us for our worship gathering on Sunday, December 7th. Scott has received his M.A. in Teaching and B.S. in Mathematics from The University of Arkansas and has completed credits towards his M.A. in Theological Studies from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Previously Scott and Amilee served as short-term missionaries through the IMB in Naples, Italy. Most recently Scott has led a successful and growing ministry as the Pastor to Students at Northway Church in Macon, GA for the past 6 years. Scott and Amilee’s leadership is shaped by two great passions: Seeing students become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ and reaching the nations with the life-changing message of the gospel. Please join us in praying for the Sanders and giving thanks to God for the ways He continues to provide for Northwest.

Since the launch of Northwest Community Church, our vision has been to lead people to experience a new life in Christ. During each step of the journey, God has provided the people and resources necessary for us to pursue this vision and see steady life-change and growth in the overall momentum of the church. This is another example of God's overflowing provision for us as a church.

From the human perspective, this move does not make sense. Scott will be leaving a large church, a steady salary, and a student ministry that is twice the size of our church in order to serve in a role at Northwest that will require Scott to become a bi-vocational pastor for a season. All of these things seem ridiculous, and even foolish in the world's eyes, but in order to be obedient to the call God has placed on their lives to serve at Northwest Community Church, these steps of faith are totally worth it.

As always, we will continue to rely on Christ to provide the necessary resources along this journey. Over the past 6 months, God has not only created new avenues of ministry for Northwest in Bella Vista and around the world but He has also allowed Northwest to double our team of pastors. Our only true response to God's leadership and provision remains humble adoration of God and gratefulness for His mercy on us. Along the way we sincerely believe that God is going to provide His power as we take these next steps of faith. God is on the move at Northwest and we will continue to trust and follow after Him with everything. He is worth it!

The Sanders' Blog

--- GIVE GENEROUSLY ---

Clothed in Humility

"Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience." Colossians 3:12

These are to be some of the defining characteristics of Christ-followers and the Church. We are to literally get dressed in these attributes. When people see Christians they should see the mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience of Jesus being lived out in front of them.  The good news is that the Bible clearly teaches us that we are not to rely on our own ability or self-discipline to live accordingly. Rather, Colossians reminds us once again that it is through faith in Jesus Christ that a person is able to receive forgiveness, experience eternal life, and have the power to live in a way that honors Jesus Christ.  It is the power of Christ living inside of you that is to fuel your effort to clothe yourself with mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.

This past Sunday we continued our fall teaching series Clothe Yourselves by focusing on the humility of Jesus Christ. Don't forget you can listen to this week's talk on our website or by subscribing to the Northwest podcast through iTunes. Our key thought for the morning centered around the truth that when we encounter God and we see the humility of Jesus Christ we can't help by come away clothed in humility. Once we are truly clothed in humility suddenly we are willing to do anything God tells us to do. We are willing to serve anyone. We are willing to go anywhere. And we are willing to give up anything for the sake of Jesus Christ.  Why? Because a person clothed in humility understands that life is not about us. Rather, our life exists to bring focus and attention to the name of Jesus Christ!    

In addition, on Sunday we shared with Northwest some of the ways God is working and increasing our dependency on Him.  We shared with the church how God continues to increase our bandwidth and prepare Northwest for an even greater impact in Bella Vista and around the world. Additionally, we announced the anticipated arrival of Scott and Amilee Sanders and their three children (Benjamin, Nathan, and Abigail) on December 1 to serve as our Pastor of Students and Missions at Northwest.  Under Scott's leadership we believe God is going to provide Northwest with the opportunities to further develop Northwest Students as well as make disciples in countries such as Papua New Guinea, Swaziland, and Haiti.  Furthermore, we acknowledged the tremendous sacrifice and faith required by the Sanders and Northwest to humbly follow God's leadership.

Finally we invite everyone to join us in praying in the following ways:

• Pray for the health and growth of Northwest as we strive to produce and release leaders who are fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
• Pray for the health and future of Northway Church in Macon, GA where Scott has served as the Student Pastor for the past 6+ years. 
• Pray for the transition of the Sanders family and especially the children as they move across the country. 
• Pray for God's provision for the Sanders as they leave the stability of a full-time salary and are willing to become bi-vocational in order to be obedient to God's leadership in their lives.  
• Pray that God would raise up people who will help support the Sanders both prayerfully and financially. 
• Pray that Northwest would give joyfully, generously, and sacrificially to fund the growth of students and missions.

    

Producing and Releasing Future Generations

Since the launch of Northwest Community Church, we have modeled ourselves after the basic blueprint for the church given to us in Acts 2. We believe that the Book of Acts not only describes how the early church got started, but it also prescribes how we are to function and operate today. Acts 2 describes the attitude of the early church as members made great sacrifices to serve each other and meet the needs of a growing church. Likewise, we want to duplicate a similar culture so that every member feels valued, needed, and personally responsible for the health and growth of Northwest for generations to come. As the needs of a growing church fluctuate, we continue to share specific needs with Northwest and then watch as God uses people to meet these needs. Again and again we see that a healthy church is a beautiful thing!

Over the past few months Northwest has been preparing for the opportunity to significantly invest in the younger generations of children and students in our community. At the beginning of September Northwest officially launched Northwest Students in order to equip students 7th - 12th grade with a deep relationship with Jesus Christ, encourage uplifting relationships, and enable life-changing environments through serving others. Jared Fincher, our Creative Arts Pastor, has been providing the direct leadership for Northwest Students by developing the overall vision, strategy, and plans for the fall semester. Currently Northwest Students gather on Sunday nights from 6:00 - 8:00pm at the church office building located at 8250 West McNelly Rd. Bentonville, AR 72712.

In addition, Northwest Kids continues to grow and recently expanded to serve children up through the 4th grade. Each Sunday during our weekly worship gatherings at Cooper Elementary, Northwest Kids shares the love of Jesus Christ with 25 – 30 children. Cassi Luka, our Children’s Director, not only does an outstanding job at organizing Northwest Kids in a portable environment every Sunday but she also equips parents to disciple their children at home during the week.    

So, how can you help invest in Northwest Students and Northwest Kids?

• Pray consistently for our leaders Jared and Cassi.
• Pray for the dozens of volunteers who are currently investing in students and children.
• Pray for the students and children God is raising up as fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
• Prayerfully consider if God wants to use you to invest in future generations through volunteering in either Northwest Kids or Northwest Students.
• Continue to give generously and sacrificially to Northwest Community Church in order to support these growing ministries. 
• Invite unchurched friends and neighbors with children and students to join you at Northwest.

I am excited about the future of Northwest and the opportunities God is giving us to produce and release future generations who are fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

For the Sake of the Call | Living Waters International Trip - El Salvador

Living Waters International is a faith based organization from Houston, Texas. They are currently drilling wells in 26 countries. 

Their mission statement is: 

Living Waters International (LWI) exists to demonstrate the love of God by helping communities acquire desperately needed clean water and experience "living water"- the gospel of Jesus Christ, which alone satisfies the deepest thirst.

LWI strives to create life-changing environments for everyone that comes in contact with them, volunteers, workers, and people in the community. They not only bring the word of God and clean water to the impoverished people in other countries, they renew and strengthen your faith in our Lord. Clean safe drinking water is necessary for life on earth, spreading the word of God is necessary for eternal life - Living Waters International does both.

We left for XNA airport with 2 large suitcases completely stuffed with wonderful donations --Thanks friends from Northwest Community Church! After getting checked in at the airport, Craig, Nichole, and baby Owen sent us off with a prayer. We were so excited to finally be headed to El Salvador!

Once we landed and got to our quarters in El Salvador, we had a briefing and settled in. Each morning we shared a devotion, sang songs, and prayed as a team. We then headed to our village we'd be serving for the week called Mira Mar (about 130 people). We prayed with the villagers before the drillers started, then began the process of searching for water. 

The moms and their children attended Bible and hygiene classes each day. It was amazing to see how excited the kids were to receive coloring books with crayons! Even the essentials like soap, toothpaste, and toothbrushes were like priceless treasures to the people. The kids could not believe that they actually got to keep the soccer balls and footballs we gave them. Everyone was so appreciative and overjoyed with everything they were given. 

We were able to give a Bible to each family. They were so happy and waited patiently as our team leader Norma passed them out. We prayed with everyone each day before we left the village, after a long day of hard work. Each evening back at the quarters we shared supper as a group, along with prayer and stories of our day.

The men in the village pitched in to help the drillers. They always smiled as they worked, just wanting to take some type of ownership in the building of the well. Finally hitting water encouraged them - they laughed when the water spray came out of the ground. Language barriers cannot hide joy, and these people were overflowing with it.

The women of the village cooked the best meals for us. They worked together in a make-shift outdoor kitchen and gave us the best they had. They would peak around the corner to make sure we were enjoying our food. On the last day they were each presented their own bible and a towel/potholder set. You would have thought they won the lottery!! Such joy and gratitude!!

God surprised us with the love that we could share with people that we have never met, and could not even speak the same language! We felt a closeness, a friendship, and in God a kinship. Parting was bittersweet. We left them with clean water and some Bible lessons. They let us go with such gratitude - they had so little but gave us so much. As the van pulled away, an elderly man in the village chased us down the street pounding on the window of our van and handed Gary a single pink hibiscus flower, all he had. A small flower and a smile said it all.

If you ask yourself if going on trips like this are worth it:

---Ask a village that now drinks clean water. 

---Ask two hearts renewed and strengthened in the Lord.  

---Ask the man with the flower.

Christ met physical and spiritual needs during our time in El Salvador. He called us to go, and we followed. The blessing we receive by following Christ's call, is something truly amazing and life-altering. If anyone is interested in more information or hearing more about why we go on trips like this, we are happy to share our experiences and pictures. We plan on going again next year. Thank you all so much for the gifts for the villagers and the prayers. 

Bendiciones (Blessings),

Gary and Becky Jaworski

What Kind of Life Have We Been Called To?

"I don't think Christ came, ministered, and even died for the sake of giving us calm, tranquil, at-ease lives. Jesus came to bring Abundance, Redemption, and Transformation to anyone who would accept his way of living." - Will Blanchard

This can be somewhat of an overwhelming statement to mull over. When it comes to changing the way we live our lives each day, things seem to get a little tense. I know in my own life it is a lot easier for me to lock these types of questions deep inside where they tend to never come back up again. But I think God wants us to evaluate our walk with Him constantly and examine it through the lens of His word.(2 Corinthians 13:5)

To begin with, we need to make sure we know what "His way of living" is.

When we look in God's word we can see a clear picture of the life of Christ. Jesus wants us to walk as He walked. Christ was constantly humbling himself and serving others. He served the ones others hated to serve. He loved those who even his disciples had a hard time loving. Christ's life was about sacrifice, and ultimately the end of his life was the greatest sacrifice in all of history.

How do we as the church live lives that reflect the abundance, redemption, and transformation Christ shares with His children? 

Let's start with abundance. One thing Christ hammered on a lot in his time on earth was the love for our possessions, aka the love of money. Christ came so that we may have life more abundantly it says in John 10:10. I don't necessarily think that statement is talking about financial abundance. Christ is speaking of the abundance that is found solely in a relationship with Him. If you ask any devoted follower of Christ about there conversion, I believe they would tell you how Christ has completely changed their life for the better. Following Christ equals an abundant life filled with purpose and meaning. Without Christ, abundance is impossible.

Then there is our redemption. Oh how I love to talk and sing about this. Redemption is found only in Christ's death on the cross, and his resurrection three days later, and can only be found there. As believers in Jesus, we are covered in that redemption. Living a life that has REDEEMED written all over it looks way different than one that does not. What I mean by that is when we walk through life covered in the redemption of Christ we no longer carry the burden of sin we once did. Paul often talks about the burden of sin literally being slavery that we all are put under before we even come into this world. Without Christ, our lives cry out with things like secret shame, guilt, and even self reliance. However, when our lives reflect the redemption that has been given to Christ followers, we experience things like freedom, joy, and peace beyond understanding.

Stemming off of that last point of redemption, is the act of transformation through the Holy Spirit. Christ told his disciples that it was good for him to go, not only for the redemption of the Church, but also for the transformation of His people.(John 14:12) You see once we take on that abundant life that is drenched in the redemption of Christ, we begin this transformation called "sanctification". A constant changing and disciplining of our hearts to be more and more like Jesus. This process of transformation will continue until we are made perfect in Heaven one day. Transformation is a beautiful thing and a huge part of what makes our walk with the Lord so abundant. Christ doesn't want us to stay the same; in fact, He won't have it. This is why we have been given the Holy Spirit! Without Christ we'd be stuck in our ways and be totally and utterly lost.

When we look at the things Christ has done through the cross- the abundance we now live in, the redemption that covers us, and the transformation that continues in us- what kind of life do you think He wants us to produce from these things? I believe it is a life that no longer looks to our own desires, but a life that looks totally to the heart of God. Christ is clear when it comes to laying our wants and desires at His feet, and getting to the point where we are able to truly say "Your will be done!". If that is our posture before the Lord each and every day, the tranquil at-ease life just doesn't exist, and frankly we don't really want that anymore. Christ has called us to be bold, to take steps of faith constantly, and to scream and shout the things that He has done and is currently doing in us. When you step back and look at the big picture of how we've been perfectly equipped to do that, life looks a little bit different than maybe an "American Dream" would. It looks more like a life surrendered to the call, "come follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." 

I will leave you with this question, when you stand before God one day will you be able to say, "I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do."?(John 17:4) When we live for the work of God, He is glorified.

Jared Fincher

Creative Arts Pastor

0. 
   
   

The Gospel of John Week 2

Northwest Community Church is on an 8 week journey together through the Gospel of John.  Each week our worship gatherings are based on John. Our community groups are studying John. And the entire church is reading each day through John.

As we go through the Gospel of John together keep in mind that John points to the reality that Jesus is the Son of God. Let that truth sink in for a moment…Jesus is the Son of God.  How does that truth alter or affect your life?

Notice how this truth affected the life of John the Baptist in John 3:30-36. "He (Jesus) must become greater and greater, and I (John the Baptist) must become less and less." If Jesus is the Son of God it only makes sense that He should become greater in our lives.

So, how is Jesus becoming greater in your life today?  How is Jesus becoming greater in your career? In your finances? In your marriage? In your hobbies? In your relationships?

Be sure to join Northwest this Sunday as we celebrate Father's Day and discover from John 4:46-54 how the faith of a father has a major impact on the health of the family.  Remember dads, a godly father allows the family to see his faith grow as he becomes a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.  

Exciting Things Happening

The month of June is going be filled with some great opportunities for growth at Northwest. Don't sit on the sidelines. Rather, get involved and grow together with your family. As we mentioned on Sunday this summer could be a season for you to grow deeper in your walk with God and grow wider in terms of the impact you have in your neighborhood. Here a quick preview of the lineup.

Northwest Kids (The Children's Ministry of Northwest Community Church) is hosting a free Adventure Camp at Cooper Elementary June 18 - 20 for kids K - 4 from 9am to 12pm. Our goal is to serve the families in Bella Vista while introducing them to the ways Northwest and Jesus Christ could positively impact their lives. As you sign up, remember to invite your friends and neighbors. For more info and to register go to our website.    

June 18 - 20 at Cooper Elementary in Bella Vista

During the week of our Adventure Camp, Northwest is also excited to host a group of high school students from Willow Point Baptist Church in Shreveport, LA who are coming to help serve alongside us. In the evenings, the leaders from Northwest will have opportunities to invest into the lives of the students and give them a taste of the church planting experience.  In addition, Cassi Luka, our Children's Director at Northwest, is excited to have Sarah Mayer from Louisville, KY serving as an intern with her this summer and working hard to promote the Adventure Camp. What a great testimony of the body of Christ coming together for the sake of sharing the message of Christ with a community.  This one event will have several local church represented.   

We will conclude our Adventure Camp by once again partnering with the city of Bella Vista to host a free outdoor family movie night at Metfield Park on Saturday, June 21 beginning at dark. To volunteer and help serve at either the Adventure Camp or the Movie Night please email Cassi Luka or Greg Luka. 

Finally this Sunday we kicked off our summer teaching series THE GOSPEL OF JOHN along with our summer semester for Community Groups. All of our group options are listed online and it is not too late to sign up. Plus remember to follow along during the series with the weekly Connect Sheets posted online and daily Bible readings posted on the Northwest Facebook page and Twitter by 6am each morning. 

The Gospel of John Begins June 1

This coming Sunday Northwest kicks off our summer teaching series THE GOSPEL OF JOHN. Over the next 8 weeks we will be given a front row seat to the power of the Word of God.  We will also be confronted with the reality that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and all who believe in Him will have eternal life. During our eight week journey through John, we will encourage you to follow Jesus Christ and allow the power of God's Word to transform your life. 

The journey begins Sunday, June 1 at Northwest Community Church

During this series you will have the opportunity to grow and learn from the Gospel of John through:

• Our Sunday morning teaching series during June and July
• Connect Sheets used in our weekly Community Groups
• Daily Bible readings distributed on Sundays and through social media

In order to stay connected and receive the latest resources we encourage you to LIKE us on Facebook, FOLLOW us on Twitter, SUBSCRIBE to our blog, and SUBSCRIBE to our weekly podcast on iTunes. And remember all these links can be accessed directly through our website.    

Religion vs. Relationship

This past Sunday we wrapped up our CLEAN series by studying Isaiah 1:10 - 18 as we discovered God's perspective on religion and relationships. In this passage God reminds Israel (and all of humanity) that He designed human beings for a personal relationship with Him.  God clearly states His total disgust for religious ceremonies, rituals, sacrifices, and offerings designed to make us "clean" by our own efforts. Remember we are made clean by God through the power and resurrection of Jesus Christ.      

So why is it that we often find ourselves reducing our walk with God into a religion? Here are some phrases that indicate a person or a church is headed towards religion:

• I HAVE to go to church. 
• When I go to church I sit, listen, and watch. 
• When the leadership of a church says “The church is an organization we must manage and control.” 
• If I do X then God owes me Y. 
• The church is a business, programs are the products, and I am the consumer.

What does God have to say about religion? He hates religion. 

On the contrary, Here are some phrases that indicate a person or church is walking in a personal relationship with God: 

• I GET to go to church. 
• We gather at church to worship, serve, encourage, pray, and grow together. 
• When the leadership of the church says “The church is the body of Christ where everyone is valued and needed.” 
• I will obey the Lord and trust Him no matter what circumstances I face. 
• The church is the bride of Christ and I will contribute to her health, mission, uniqueness, beauty, and growth. 

What does God have to say about those who follow Him through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ? I will bless you. 

Today choose to never settle for a religion. Instead pursue a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and remember we are made clean by God and for God.

Stories of Life Change

Yesterday was an exciting day at Northwest. We started the day at Cooper Elementary and kicked off the CLEAN series by gathering to worship the God who makes us clean. The worship was authentic, the friendships were genuine, and the stories of life change spoke of the power of Jesus Christ. Afterwards we came back to the Northwest office building for an outdoor bbq lunch and baptisms in Spanker Creek. Wow that water was cold! Be sure to check out the stories below of Gary and Becky Jaworski. Jesus Christ has transformed their lives and we celebrate that at Northwest. God is so good!

Outdoor BBQ Lunch

Becky 

Becky Jaworski
I was raised in a Christian family. My parents set a good example for me. I remember times in my life when I felt really close to God and times when he felt so far away. I remember even being angry at God when my life was in shambles and I felt as if He deserted me. It took me years to learn and accept that the reason for my life being a mess was because the poor choices I made were my fault- not Gods.

I always prayed to God, and never really considered Jesus or the sacrifice that God made for me giving his son to die for me. I knew of Him but thought, why do I need to pray to him? Why not just pray to God since he is the main One. I thought of Jesus as the Messenger, the one who brought the Word. Jesus, to me, was like a prophet and not my Savior. I knew that God loved me, he loves us all.

I was still searching for something and began to church hop. It seemed to me like a lot of people who called themselves Christians were judgmental and teaching fire and brimstone. I still knew God loved me, but I just never committed myself to living the life he wanted me to live. We took our children to church, and attended now and then, but I never really gave myself to God.

In 2013 we were asked by our landscapers to help support a mission trip that they were going on. It was the invitation to their church to see a film of what they did on their trip that finally got me to say, okay, we will go to church and see it. Once I was at this church, I could feel Gods love, I knew I was missing something in my life, and a relationship with God was it. From that point on I felt as if something was changing in me. God started to work in our lives

We moved to Arkansas only a few months after attending Cedarbrook. We prayed that we would find a church like the one we left behind and wanted to continue to grow in our faith. I am still growing as a Christian. I know that Jesus came to earth to die for our sins and my relationship with him is growing each day. I know that God has paid the Ultimate Randsom for me, his Son. He is my personal Lord and Savior. What He wants from me is my heart. It is His.

Gary

Gary Jaworski

Religion and Jesus have been a part of my life since I can remember. Whenever I needed something I would ask God for it and when I did not get what I wanted I would blame God. See Jesus was someone that was always there, but I did not really understand who he was.

I moved to Arkansas from Wisconsin not that long ago. Back home I had everything I needed and more. A brand new house, a perfect yard, new truck, and a prefect job. I thought I deserved these things because I had worked hard for them. And yet there was something missing in my life. I started going back to church not really understanding if it would be the answer to this hole that was in my life. Like I said Jesus was always around in my life but I did not know who he really was. Have you ever known someone as a friend but did not know all the things they have accomplished? This is how it was between Jesus and me.

The more I found out about Jesus I was amazed at all the things he did in his short time on earth. I needed to know more. I have also seen amazing things that Jesus has done with ordinary people and the lives that have been changed in his name. How unselfish people like BJ and Jill changed my outlook on life. Those THINGS I thought I deserved; they are not happiness but learning to give back to God for all his blessings that is happiness.

I have been learning to build a friendship with Jesus and continue to be amazed that he would love me in spite of my faults. How many friends do I have that would lay down their life for me I not sure but I know Jesus did. I would like to share with you that I have accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior and I would like to offer my life to our Lord and allow him to take control for I know our God can do a lot better job at it then I can. Thanks Northwest for making me feel so welcomed. I want to thank Will and Greg for believing in me too.

Thanks to our Lord and Savior for His patience in waiting for me to be saved.

Towels and Hugs

Check out the video clip of Gary's baptism in Spanker Creek.  

Clean

Northwest kicks off a new series entitled Clean this Sunday, May 18th. We will spend two weeks looking at how we are made clean by God for God. The incredible reality is that God promises to clean, restore, and forgive all who put their hope and trust in Jesus Christ. We are made clean by God in order to do good in a world filled with hurting people.          

This Sunday we will also have the opportunity to hear life change stories and celebrate the baptisms of new followers of Jesus Christ at Northwest. Immediately following the worship gathering on Sunday, we will head over to the Northwest office for an outdoor bbq lunch and baptisms.  Come join us!

Northwest office is located at 8250 W McNelly Rd Bentonville, AR 72712 just two miles from Cooper Elementary in Bella Vista.  

Team Blanchard

It's been an exciting two weeks in the life of the Blanchards. On Saturday, May 3 we welcomed Allison Lee Blanchard into our family. Sarah was amazing and the delivery and recovery process has gone smoothly. Allison weighed in at 7 pounds 11 ounces and of course we immediately fell in love with her.  We continue to give thanks to God for blessing our home with another baby girl and consider all the adjustments and sleepless nights completely worth it. Now all we have to do is raise Allison to love Jesus and become a responsible, thoughtful, generous contributor to society!  

 

All Things New

Easter Sunday is just a few days away and I am pumped about the worship gathering we've got planned at Northwest Community Church. We are going to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ and begin a new series entitled All Things New. The resurrection of Jesus Christ changes EVERYTHING! It is a new day and we are going to see that the resurrection provides total forgiveness of the past, ultimate freedom for today, and hope for the future. If you're like me and would like to read ahead, then check out Matthew 28:1-6, Revelation 21:5, and Romans 10:9.

For those of you who already attend Northwest listen up. Use Easter as an opportunity to invite people to church. Take a risk and don’t be shy. Easter is the most likely weekend people will attend church all year. There are people literally waiting for someone to invite them. As you invite new friends to Northwest this Easter go out of your way to serve them, introduce them to people, give them a Bible, answer their questions, and continue to pursue them on behalf of Jesus.  

If you are new to Northwest we want you to know that we are a place where you and your entire family can grow. We are simply a group of imperfect people who have encountered the forgiveness of Jesus Christ.  Our worship gatherings are casual, friendly, and contemporary. As you enter Cooper Elementary in Bella Vista on Sunday mornings you will have the opportunity to grab a cup of coffee and check in your children (ages newborn - 8 years old) at Northwest Kids. For students we have a community group that meets at 9:30am on Sunday mornings. We would love for you to come join us! Cooper Elementary 2 Blowing Springs Rd Bella Vista, AR 72714 on Sundays at 10am.

Pacing Lessons Learned at Prairie Spirit 100

Typically this blog focuses on the life of Northwest Community Church. Occasionally, however, I enjoy posting about cool experiences I have had which further fuel my desire to lead and teach.  I cannot fully explain it but for some strange reason endurance events have a way of recharging my batteries and inspiring other ares of my life. Somehow getting exhausted actually allows me to enjoy life and leadership even more.    

This past weekend I had the opportunity to crew and pace my good friend Chris Cantwell in the Prairie Spirit 100 mile run. This was his first 100 mile race and he performed beautifully. Below is a description of pacing lessons I learned during the run.  Janet paced Chris from miles 50 to 75 and I paced him from 75 to 100 between 11pm to 6am.

Think of your runner as a rubber band. 
Your job as a pacer is to get the absolute best out of your runner. To push them past their perceived limits and get them from point A to point B as fast as possible. Monitor the pace at all times. Walk when necessary and stay just a few steps ahead of your runner. Keep in mind that another key objective of a pacer is to keep your runner alive. Dead runners do not move very fast. The rubber band needs to be stretched but not broken.

Inward compassion. Outward toughness. 
You need to have a certain level of compassion for the runner you are pacing. When your runner is struggling and going through high levels of pain you should hurt with them…but only inwardly. Do not show your runner any pity or a sense of "I feel sorry of you." A sense of pity could cause your runner to go into a downward spiral and open the door for thoughts of quitting. Anyone attempting to run a 100 miles knows how to suffer. Be a good listener to your runner's words, body language, and physical condition but maintain a focused, outward toughness committed to relentless forward progress.

Agree with everything your runner says (except for "I want to quit").
The go-to sentence of a pacer should be "Yes, but let's keep moving this way." Your runner needs to know you are hearing and affirming them…even if it is a false sense of affirmation. Keep things positive and offer a steady stream of encouragement. Some examples include the following conversations which can often occur in the later stages of a 100 mile run.

Runner: "I think I need to throw up."
Pacer: "Yes, but let's keep moving this way."

Runner: "I am so cold."
Pacer: "Yes, but let's keep moving this way. I will get you a dry, warm shirt at the next aid station."

Runner: "My quads feel like they are going to explode."
Pacer: "Yes, but let's keep moving this way."

Runner: "I can't eat anything."
Pacer: "Yes, but let's keep moving this way. And how about just putting this potato in your mouth, chew it up, and see what happens."

Runner: "I do not think we are going to make it in under 24 hours."
Pacer: "Yes, but let's keep moving this way."

Runner: Moaning filled with shallow breathing and dry-heaving
Pacer: "Yes, but let's keep moving this way."  

At the start of the race Chris had three goals in his first 100 mile run:

1. Finish the race
2. Finish the race without crying
3. Finish the race sub 24 hours

Chris accomplished all 3 in an impressive finishing time of 23 hours and 46 minutes.  The closing miles of the run were some of the most inspiring moments I have ever experienced as a runner as we clipped along at a 12:20 pace at 5:30am in the morning. Congratulations Christ Cantwell!  

Finish Line Photo at Prairie Spirit 100

        

Release and Resupply

God amplifies the things in our life that bring Him glory. As Christ followers our greatest privilege in life is to bring glory to God. To point people to God's goodness and grace. To allow our lives to be like mini billboards for God's glory and fame.  At Northwest as God shows us the things He amplifies, blesses, and at times even multiplies we strive to repeat those actions over and over and over again. 

So far during the Amplify series we have seen how God amplifies our obedience and our trust in Him.  If you missed the first two talks in this series be sure to listen to them online or download directly from iTunes.  

This past Sunday, we unpacked week 3 of the Amplify series as we discovered how God amplifies our resources to bring glory to His name. The text we studied was John 6:1-15. I received a lot of positive feedback from this week's lesson with several people asking when it would be available to download. Unfortunately we had a computer glitch on Sunday which prevented us from recording the message…Ah the life of a portable church!  So, I wanted to recap the talk and encourage you to carve out some quiet time this week to read, reflect, talk with God, and learn to listen from Him about your resources.  Remember your resources are not limited to money. Resources entrusted to us by God include relationships, time, talent, possessions, and finances.   

Read
First off, reread John 6:1-15 and study the passage through the eyes of the young boy involved in this incredible event. Keep in mind that the young boy had to release his meal so that Jesus could resupply it in a way that ended up feeding thousands of people with 12 baskets of leftovers!  The key principle we discovered was that resources need to be released so that God is able to resupply them.  Remember it is in the resupplying that God's glory gets amplified.  

Reflect
Next spend some time reflecting on these two principles: 

• Resources need to be released so that God can resupply.  
• It’s in the resupplying process that God’s glory gets amplified.

Pray

• God, what are some of my most valuable relationships?

• God, what are some of the talents you have given me?

• God, how can I use my time to serve you more?

• God, are stuff and finances truly more important to me than you?

• God, how do you want to use my relationships, time, talent, and finances to amplify your glory?  

If we will truly allow God to use ALL of our resources we had better buckle up. When we live a released lifestyle and put it all on the table for God to use, His Word promises us that He will resupply all that we need.  Getting into a rhythm of release and resupply is a beautiful thing. As God resupplies we are given more opportunities to release so that God can resupply even more. The end result is that God's glory and fame gets amplified over and over again.   

Another Big Step for Northwest

Since the launch of Northwest Community Church, our vision has been to lead people to experience a new life in Christ. During each step of the journey, God has provided the people and resources necessary for us to pursue this vision and see steady life-change and growth in the overall momentum of the church.  As we thank God for what he has done, the Leadership Team of Northwest continues to pray Ephesians 3:20 as it reminds us that “God is able to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

Over the past several months the Leadership Team has been praying specifically that God would provide a pastor of creative arts and worship for Northwest so that we could more effectively help people connect with God during our Sunday worship gatherings.  In a way that parallels the truth of Ephesians 3:20, God has answered our prayer!  On Sunday, May 4 Jared and Adrienne Fincher from Macon, GA will be joining Northwest to serve as our Pastor of Creative Arts.

Jared holds a bachelor’s degree in Worship Leadership from the University of Mobile and has been serving as a worship pastor since 2010. He has a passion for music and writing and his heart belongs to Jesus. Jared became a follower of Christ at the age of 8 years old and has been on the journey of following God ever since. Jared is passionate about Christ-centered discipleship that involves living life with people outside of the Sunday morning worship gatherings. Jared and Adrienne love the local church and desire to bring glory and honor to God through their leadership.

From the human perspective, this move does not make sense. Jared will be leaving a large church with multiple worship services, a steady salary, and a talented team of artists and leaders in order to serve in a role at Northwest that does not currently provide a full-time salary. If necessary Jared and Adrienne are both willing to find secular jobs in order to be obedient to the call God has placed on their lives to serve at Northwest Community Church.  

The Leadership Team, however, has begun to prayerfully ask God to provide the funds necessary to fully cover the Fincher’s moving expenses, health insurance, and a salary that would allow Jared to be a full-time pastor at Northwest.  We are also trusting that God is going to provide the resources necessary for us to expand our worship and arts ministry. 

Recently, we have asked people connected to Northwest to prayerfully consider making contributions so that we would be able to launch a new level of ministry at Northwest Community Church. We have also asked people to be in prayer for the Finchers as they make a big transition in ministry, grow in their trust of God, and move over 800 miles across the country. As always we hope these recent faith stories at Northwest bring attention and fame directly to Jesus Christ.  What God is doing at Northwest is not about us. Rather the story of Northwest is about Jesus Christ and His ability to save and transform imperfect people for His glory.