Look What God Did Through Northwest in 2012

Below is a recent letter our Leadership Team sent to all the financial contributors to Northwest Community Church in 2012. We wanted to posted it on our blog so others could celebrate all that God accomplished over the span of the last 12 months.

Dear Northwest Community Church:
The Leadership Team would like to say thank you for your generous giving into the life of Northwest Community Church. We realize generous giving is much more than a financial decision or even simply a tax deduction. In fact, generous giving is the appropriate response for what Jesus Christ has done for us and serves as a genuine act of worship. On behalf of all those who have had their lives changed by Northwest, we are incredibly grateful you have chosen to contribute to the Christ-focused ministry of Northwest Community Church. It is a privilege to partner together in order to produce and release leaders in Northwest Arkansas who are fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.

Below is a list of highlights that helped lead people to experience a new life in Christ in 2012:

• We hosted 53 worship services in Cooper Elementary.
• We hosted 15 Community Groups over the course of 3 semesters.
• We taught 23 children each week on avg. in our children’s ministry.
• We baptized two individuals who gave their lives to Jesus Christ. 
• We dedicated 6 new babies who will be raised in homes centered upon Christ. 
• We have 3 families serving as either adoptive or foster families.
• We hosted 2 movie nights in the park to connect with unchurched families.
• We gave out 50 boxes of brownie mix for our church to get to know their neighbors.
• We served at Cooper Elementary with events, festivals, and movie nights. 

Keep in mind that we now have 4 convenient ways to give generously:

1. Mail a check to P.O. Box 5128 Bella Vista, AR 72714. 
2. Online through our website at www.lifeatnorthwest.org. 
3. Automatic bank draft by submitting the form on our website. 
4. Sunday mornings at our worship services. 

Join us on Sunday, February 24th at 10:00 a.m. as Northwest celebrates our 3rd birthday and gives thanks to God for his continual leadership and provision.

In Christ,
Will, Greg, Rob, and Kevin

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