A New Era

For the three of you who follow this blog, you may have noticed that I deleted all but one of the prior entries. I don't enjoy clutter, but that is not the real reason for starting over. NorthPointe Christian Church now exists in the state of Rhode Island. Every part of the church has the goal of being intentionally focused on making disciples. It is my goal for this blog to be a part of that effort. Therefore, I am starting over...right here, and I am inviting everyone to join me.

Week three is coming up soon. Many came the first two weeks expressing a desire to begin something new. We talk a lot at NorthPointe about starting points, and that it's okay if we need to start over. We also encourage everyone to consider what their next step might be on their new spiritual journey. We suggest two or three ways that correspond to the message that week. Ultimately, we encourage everyone to listen to God to see where He is leading us.

My starting message series for NorthPointe is a study of Jesus in Mark's Gospel. Mark also begins with the idea of a new beginning. Mark 1.1 says it's the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The message series title is Admit One to fit with the theater setting on Sundays. The idea is that our lives will be different when Jesus becomes the main character. His story is one we don't want to miss, but it's our choice to decide whether or not this is a story we need to see. So far, here are the main ideas:
Week One (NorthPointe Launch): The only fresh start worth having begins with Jesus.
Week Two: We can trust Jesus with our needs, including our greatest need.

Transformation results when we allow our stories to merge into the story of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The vision of NorthPointe is a transformed people led by God to change lives. When Jesus becomes the main character of our lives, we switch roles with him. The stage is his, and our lives find true meaning as we strive to make him famous. When others hear about Jesus through our story then transformation happens all over again. Starting points can happen anytime, anywhere, to anyone.

Final thought for the day...One way God has chosen to be represented in this world is through the church. We've had several of our first time guests fill out a short survey upon our request. I am thankful that our efforts to create a warm and caring atmosphere on Sundays are successful. That takes a lot of organization each week from our staff and volunteers, but it's worth it. I am glad that we are viewed as ready to welcome and receive guests. My thanks to all who have participated in this way. We don't get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Blessings,
Jerry