Terry Ledbetter

His Hands and Feet....

2011-12-20T14:17:00.000-06:00

Merry Christmas!!!

Our five Christmas worship experiences were incredible. The services were awesome as we heard and saw so vividly the importance of what it means to "Come Home". It is our prayer this Christmas season that God would wrap His arms of love, goodness, mercy, forgiveness and grace around your life. Jump into the arms of His love today. This year may have brought changes, celebrations, disappointments, trials, blessings, encouragement or challenges. As this year draws to an end, take a moment to reflect on His love for you. No doubt He has blessed you in more ways than you could possible count. One thing we could do this season is to be a blessing to others. Make a special effort over the next few days to share Christ love with others.

Christ Has No Body

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

Teresa of Avila (1515–1582)

Why I am excited about "Come Home" December 17-18, 2011

2011-12-06T12:50:00.000-06:00

I am really excited about Christmas Weekend this year @nschurch. Here are just a few of the reasons why:

1. I am excited because this is such a huge weekend historically for our church. Christmas time traditionally is a time people are willing or open to go to a church service.

2. I am excited because I know the time, prayer, planning, excellence and creativity that are being poured into this weekend.

3. I am excited about the theme of this weekend. The theme of these services is “Come Home”. There are many who simply need to come home to Him this Christmas.

4. I am excited because we are adding an additional service to our schedule. We are having five services this year which gives more people the opportunity to attend.

5. I am excited because of all the volunteers who are so willing to serve during these services.

6. I am excited because we have a prayer team praying, as well as many others, for this important weekend.

7. I am excited because I believe God is going to touch a lot of lives during these services.

8. I am excited because you are inviting people to attend.

9. I am excited because God is in control of this weekend and not our enemy the devil.

The ONE Thing I Believe About YOU!

2011-10-27T11:34:00.000-05:00

I borrowed this from Perry Noble. It is so good I wanted to share with you.
The ONE Thing I Believe About YOU!
The One Thing I Believe About You Is – God Loves You, Has An Amazing Plan For Your Life and God’s not through with you!
People may be through with you, heck, the church may have even told you they are through with you…

GOD’S NOT THROUGH WITH YOU!

If you still have air in your lungs, if your heart is still pushing blood through your body then God’s not done!!!

God wants greater things for your life than you could ever imagine! (See Ephesians 3:20 and Matthew 7:9-11)

AND, no matter what you have gone through HE IS ABLE to bless your life MORE from this point forward than you have EVER experienced! (Job 42:12)

DO NOT, DO NOT, DO NOT throw in the towel!

You are not too young to be used by God (look at Samuel in I Samuel 3!!)

You are not too old to be used by God (look at Noah and Moses!!!)

You have not been to sinful to be used by God (just look at the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1, whew, there are some pretty shady characters mentioned in that list…and yet God STILL used them!)

You ARE NOT USELESS! God created you ON PURPOSE, WITH A PURPOSE and FOR A PURPOSE (Ephesians 2:10!)

Too many times I see people throw away their lives because they believe that God does not care, does not have a plan for them and/or they have done too many bad things for their lives to EVER count for anything significant.

But God DOES have a plan…and IT IS the most amazing thing in our lives that we could ever experience (see how His will is described at the end of Romans 12:2!)

God’s NOT THROUGH WITH YOU!!!

I borrowed this from Perry Nobl. It was so good I wanted to share it with you.

Be Ready

2011-10-24T15:05:00.002-05:00

It should never come as a surprise for the enemy to rise up against us. Knowledge of the fact it could happen is good but spiritual preparedness is crucial. The New Testament writer said: "Keep a cool head. Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up. You're not the only ones plunged into these hard times. It's the same with Christians all over the world. So keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won't last forever. It won't be long before this generous God who has great plans for us in Christ—eternal and glorious plans they are!—will have you put together and on your feet for good. He gets the last word; yes, he does. 1 Peter 5:8-11 (MSG)

Peter reminds us and it is comforting to know we are not alone. Believers like you all over the world are facing the same enemy. It never fails. When a believer begins to seek God’s rule for their life, the enemy is threatened. He does not want us to reform much less allow the living Savior to guide our feelings, decisions, and actions. He does not want us to win, even though the bible tells us we are winners in Christ. What happens, too often, is when a believer faces a trial, challenge or temptation they grow doubtful, tired, and discouraged. Sometimes rebellion and bitterness begin to cloud what we know is right. Through the years, I have seen God begin a good work in someone and just as they begin walking in the right direction, someone or something comes along and becomes a roadblock in their situation. Too often they yield to this distraction and begin going a different direction than God intended. We must trust the one who has great plans for us. He reminds us they are not just good plans but great plans. I close with the words of Paul who said: Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. Phil 1:6 (NIV)

#thisnevergetsold

2011-10-17T16:46:00.000-05:00

17 more baptized Sunday!!! Just a quick note to say how humbled I am at what God is doing @nschurch. We really didn't want to drain the pools last night. I guess that was the last baptism outside until the spring. However, we have more to baptize in the trough later this month. :)

Follow

2011-10-11T15:37:00.001-05:00

I shared with those attending Sunday; "God had this date on your calendar before you were even born." This past Sunday was one of those days! Planned and prayed for weeks in advance, God did the spectacular. Sunday morning 5:30 A.M. the first person arrived. The next to arrive was at 6:00 A.M. From there, the Follow team of 50 began arriving for the much awaited day. Over 200 volunteers worked this past Sunday believing God to touch hearts and lives. Our attendance was 1072 and I can’t even begin to share all the stories still pouring in relating to the events of this past Sunday. The reports at the end of the day indicated that we baptized 36 and had seven in our NS Kids accept Christ. God is moving at NorthStar and for this we are thankful. We will never forget this day as we look forward to what God is going to do next. We have been praying the “Sun Stand Still” prayer asking God to do the unimaginable in our lives and in our church. He definitely moved among us this past week.

Two Sundays

2011-09-15T09:30:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest things you can do to see lives changed in the church is to invite people to attend with you. The majority of the people coming to our church were personally invited by those already attending. I can’t tell you the numbers of people who have told us they are here because a friend or acquaintance invited them to NorthStar. While every Sunday is important, there are two Sundays we are challenging people to both attend and bring someone with them. Sunday, October 2 and Sunday, October 9. These two Sundays are going to be two of the most important Sundays in the life and history of our church. October 2, is going to be our dedication Sunday. We are going to celebrate and dedicate. We are going to celebrate the fact that God led us to this new campus and we are going to dedicate this place to the Lord. On October 9, we are going to have the biggest baptism celebration in our history and possibly in our region. We are calling this event “Follow” This is going to be a game changing event. Please pray about both of these Sundays. Pray for you to have no distractions or delays. Pray God would bring change even before these days. Pray, asking God to direct you to the ones to invite and that He would make their heart receptive to the initiation. Please pray for all the staff and teams in our church to be ready with anticipation. God is going to do the unimaginable on these two weekends. I believe it!

NorthStar Is...

2011-08-25T15:11:00.000-05:00

NorthStar is a relevant church where real people connect to a growing relationship with Christ and others to fulfill their life purpose. If this were a perfect place, it wouldn’t be called NSC but rather Heaven. We have problems, issues, concerns, challenges, and imperfections like everyone else. However, we have the true Living God who meets us where we are, taking us where we need to go. What do you do when you are not who you used to be, but you are not who you should be? This church is a place where the hurting are comforted, the fallen are lifted up, the discouraged find hope, the abandoned find a home, the out of touch find mercy, the misplaced are directed, the sinner finds forgiveness, the unchangeable find change, the unloved find love, the broken are mended, the neglected find compassion, the anxious find rest, and the lifeless find life.

This Sunday is going to be a day where all the above happens again and again.

Amazing... Before Our Very Eyes

2011-08-15T15:37:00.001-05:00

Amazing....Words can’t describe what we experienced on our first Sunday at our new campus. I arrived 3 ½ hours early,(don’t know why, that’s just how I do it) anticipating a record crowd. We had more yesterday than our record attendance this past Easter. In fact, we had more in attendance Sunday in three services than we did Easter in four services. Total for the day was 1147 attendees and 30 + people who trusted Christ as Savior.

I am so thankful the countless volunteers God used to make opening day such a success. Thousands of hours, blood, sweat and tears have been poured into this project. It is all good! It is all worth the sacrifices made. We know it is only successful because God led, directed, provided, empowered, and was present with us. He is the reason we do what we do. He is the author and the finisher. He is the power, source, and the fuel for what we do. All the man hours put into this building would be for naught if He were not the reason we are doing what we do.

I know the next years in this building are going to produce amazing things. We saw Sunday how things have gone to a HNL. We must always remember we are doing what we do for the glory of God and not men. We want to be used by Him and honor Him in all we do. I have a dream that the next years in this building are going to be even greater than we could ever imagine. We are trusting Him "to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.” He is doing that before our very eyes.

Almost There!

2011-08-04T09:44:00.000-05:00

We only have one more Sunday at our current campus. In just a few days we will be calling the new building our current building. Out with the old, in with the new. I keep reminding everyone, in the words of my Filipino pastor friend, “Buildings don’t go to Heaven, people do.” Though much of our time has been on the construction of the new building and the finishing touches, our focus must continue to be on the souls that will be reached and the lives changed because we followed God on this journey. I know many are tired, stressed, anxious and exhausted. However, this is simply a season that will soon be past. It is all worth it as we move to a new campus and see God once again do the incredible. Be encouraged for your work is not in vain. Lives are being changed even before we enter the building.

"Whatever you do, do it wholeheartedly as though you were working for your real master and not merely for humans." Colossians 3:23 (GW)

13 weeks

2011-05-23T09:29:00.000-05:00

In thirteen weeks we will be entering our new place of worship. Pumped, oh yea! It has been an incredible journey as we have seen hundreds of volunteers work tirelessly on this project. It has been estimated that we, along with hundreds of volunteers outside our church, have saved the church over a half a million dollars by doing the work ourselves. I stand in awe of so many who are so willing. Every nail driven, mud spread, paint applied, insulation installed, tile laid, grid placed, floor swept, room cleaned, wire run, light installed, pipe jointed, door hung, jam leveled, unit installed, wall sanded, supplies picked up, truck unloaded, carpet laid, wall sprayed, job completed has been for the glory of God. Lives will be changed in this building. All the glory goes to the One who called us to do the work. The people heard, obeyed, followed, gave and trusted.

There is still more work to do but with His help, we will make it and it will be great. We must remember that it is not about a building but a Savior. As my friend Lemuel said: "Buildings don't go to Heaven, People do." The reason we have worked for almost a year and a half is for His purpose and His Glory. It won’t be long now!!!!

3 Services Rocked The House!

2011-05-10T17:13:00.000-05:00

I know God is doing the work here because we can't do this ourselves. Just a couple of weeks ago we celebrated our 5th anniversary at NSC. It seems like just yesterday we began with one morning service. (April 16, 2006) It was awesome with 356 in attendance. On May 8, 2011, we launched our 3rd morning service with 735 in attendance. We were ecstatic. I will have to be honest, I was on pins and needles just like on our first Sunday. It wasn't because I did not think it would work or that it was not a God thing. I knew God led us to this step and that He was going to do something great. It was because I could not wait to see how God was going to work on that launch day. I was so pumped and excited. It was awesome! I am so thankful for all our volunteers who work so tirelessly each weekend to do the ministry He has called them to do. I am also so thankful for the countless numbers of people inviting others to attend our weekend services. They are awesome. I better go for now, I am about to work at our new building with more great volunteers.

Easter 2011

2011-04-24T17:30:00.000-05:00

I am so excited, as I write this blog, knowing what God has done in our services this weekend. It began weeks ago as people were praying for a great outpouring of God in our church. He had already been doing some pretty Radical things in and through the people at NorthStar. The final count is around 65 people who gave their hearts to Christ. These not only raised their hands indicating they prayed to receive Christ but they also gave us their names so we could follow up with them. We praise God for still saving the hearts of men. Every aspect of our services rocked for Christ during these four services. From the parking lot to the seats, from the babies to the teens, from the café to the compass center, from the stage to the door, the presence of God was inevitable. I am so thankful for the 100 plus volunteers who serve so faithfully at the Star. You guys rock!!

Radical

2011-03-30T09:16:00.000-05:00

Someone asked me a few days ago, "What are you all doing to see such success at NorthStar?" My answer is, "I don't know." All I know to say is that God is moving and building His church here. It has been and continues to be an incredible ride. Everyone here works hard and we strive for excellence, but we fully realize it is not us that is making a difference. We know the difference is being made by God. He is doing things we could not possibly do. The lives that are being changed are being changed by Him. We know it is by His grace that change comes. Our attendance has been incredible and the weekend services are extraordinary. I see how God, these last few weeks, is challenging His people to be radical. It is exciting to see His people take Him up on His challenge. Radical things are happening at NSC and I am so thankful to be a part. I can’t wait to see what God is going to do this week!

I Love My Church

2011-02-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

I Love My Church Series was awesome as we looked at what the Bible says about the church. The church is the called who come out publicly. I am so thankful for my church and how God is at work here. I see firsthand, not from a distance, God touching the lives of people here and bringing eternal change to their lives. I am so thankful for my church because it is a place where sin, repentance, love, forgiveness, restoration, change, maturity, service, ministry, devotion, commitment, missions, mission, evangelism, fellowship, sacrifice, vision, worship, and eternity are talked about openly. I am thankful for my church because it is here that worshipers come from all over each Sunday to experience authentic worship. I am thankful for visionaries that lead this church. I am thankful for faithful servants who give sacrificially, love unconditionally, and serve tirelessly. I am thankful for God’s guidance and direction for His church. I Love My Church!!

2010,The Building....

2010-12-30T12:47:00.000-06:00

2010 has possibly been the busiest year of my life. We began work on our new building January 22, 2010 and have worked diligently ever since. I do not think I have worked less than 60 hours per week this year and sometimes 70-80. I am not complaining because I signed up for this. I will say however, I sure will be glad when we are in this building. I am so encouraged as we have so many people willing to give their time and efforts. Just this week we have had around sixty different people working. The work is going really well and in just a few months we will occupy the building. In fact, we will be moving our offices to the new location next week. All of this is for a purpose. We are here to make His name known. "But those who trust in the LORD for help will find their strength renewed. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not get weary; they will walk and not grow weak." Isaiah 40:31 (GNT)

"Buildings Don't Go To Heaven, People Do."

2010-11-29T08:55:00.000-06:00

It seems like yesterday we were about to close the deal on the building. In fact, it was one year ago this week that we received the news that we were approved for the purchase of the new building. One year ago this coming Friday was when I received the call from the bank that we had been approved and we could close before the end of the year. I remember well because I was on the way to Memphis to run in the St. Jude Half Marathon when I got the call. We ended up closing on the building later in December.

A lot has transpired since that time. We took possession of the building and late January we had our first work day. We have worked steadily since that time. We have had six teams from outside our church that have come in and assisted us in the process. In addition to those six teams, our friend Danny Smith has been our general contractor throughout the process. Countless numbers of people from NorthStar have worked tirelessly moving us forward to the point we are today. For all of this we are grateful. We are especially grateful for the way God has worked so mightily among us preparing us to enter the building.

I am reminded of what Lemuel Penelver, a pastor friend of ours from the Philippines, said to us about church buildings: "Buildings don't go to Heaven, People do." This puts it in prospective when it comes to our task. Our job is to share the good news with others. In the end, the buildings we use are just a tool to assist us in making His name known to all the world. Having said this, I am thankful that the people at NSC have the vision to reach people for Christ and our building is secondary.

It is all about priority and focus. While we work hard trying to get in our new building, we must always keep our focus on the reason we are spending the time constructing. It is so that we can spread the base and reach more for Christ. With this in mind, we must continue to work to get in the building so that we can fulfill the purpose in which we were created. The work is going great and we are in the final stages of being ready to prime the walls for painting. I am so excited about the day we will be able to enter the building but I am more excited about the lives that are going to be changes because so many worked so hard bringing it to completion.

Busy Days...

2010-11-02T14:29:00.001-05:00

Wow! These have been busy days here at NSC. Last month we saw over 1400 attend our Fall Fest. Baptism never gets old, as we saw 6 more take the step of baptism in October. We saw over 20 motorcycles hit the road to raise money for the Philippine Mission Trip. It was last month that we announced our new partnership with a brand new church plant in Huntsville, Alabama called Ignite City Church. Tons of work was accomplished at our new building both from our own people and from the Workers For Christ group from Alabama and Georgia. Numerous lives were changed, as people surrendered their lives to Jesus Christ. I could literally go on and on. Isn't God great?! I am so glad to be a part of this church and to have a front row seat as we see the Creator of the Universe work in and through His people here. I thank God every day for NorthStar Church. I am so excited the direction our church is heading and cant wait for the next step He leads us to take.

19 Baptized at the Lake

2010-09-30T11:51:00.001-05:00

What an awesome event as we saw 19 take the step of baptism this past Sunday at the Lake. This was definitely a time I will never forget. Seeing people take the plunge never gets old. I am so thankful to God that He is still changing lives at NSC. Sunday at the lake reminded me again why we are here. We are here to make His name known!! Keep it up NSC!!

1421

2010-09-22T09:51:00.000-05:00

As soon as the service was over September 12, Marla and I hopped on my bike and headed for the mountains in North Carolina. All I packed was two tee shirts and just a couple other necessities. When we turned off the interstate at the South Carolina state line, we began maneuvering the Appalachian Mountains. After hundreds of 20 MPH curves and steep inclines, we approached our destination around 11:00 P.M. It's all good. We were tired but glad to be there. Just to let you know where we were, we were an hour away from the nearest Wal-Mart. A common way to describe where you are is how far it is to the nearest Wal-Mart. I was really looking forward to riding the mountains and especially the most popular motorcycle rides in North Carolina and Tennessee. We got up Monday morning and found that there were coffee filters in the room but no coffee. Emergency # 1: I needed to go and buy coffee. Emergency #2: When I went outside, I saw that most of my transmission fluid was on the pavement under my bike. I wasn't too disturbed over this because I found myself praising God nothing bad had happened the night before climbing the mountains. This was a little setback but nothing He could not handle. It wasn't but just a few minutes that I began to see the purpose in our trouble.

The maintenance man at our resort needed to talk. It was obvious things were not up to par in his life and we spent the next 45 minutes talking. In fact, while I waited on the tow truck to come, he took me to town to buy some groceries. Objective number one: buy coffee. When we arrived back at the resort the tow truck showed up and took me to Anderson, South Carolina. The driver proceeded to tell me he had been on every drug known to man but had given His life to Christ. It was a good 45 minutes before he asked me what I did for a living. "I'm a pastor" I thought he was going to jump out of his skin. The truck swereved. I said "my bike." He began telling me how he had prayed that morning that God would send him a positive witness in his pickups for the day. Me, I just want to ride the curves but God had other plans for the day. We had a great time talking about the things of God. It was obvious to me this was another divine appointment.

We arrived at the Harley dealership and the owner met us at the truck and unloaded the bike. He took a look and said: "We will get you fixed up pretty soon." He in turn called Perry Noble at NewSpring Church in Anderson and asked him to come down to meet me. Unfortunately Perry was sick but we had a great time hanging out while getting my bike fixed. This was another divine appointment. While waiting, another man was getting tires put on his bike and we struck up a conversation. I'm still thinking: Lord get me back to Marla so we can ride. God said okay but you are going to ride back with the guy you are talking to. We began to talk about God and what God was doing. Yes, and we rode back across the mountain together. Finally, I arrived back at our resort around 7:00 P.M.

I had not planned on spending the day with these four people but God had other plans. I am thankful for the way God puts people in our way to speak to us and through us. Often times the delays in life are for a purpose. This day was just another way God showed me He has awesome plans for our lives and how He is even concerned about the smallest details. When I got back I thanked God for the opportunities He had given me that day to share His love with others. I thanked Him for protecting us on Sunday as we rode through the mountains with a busted transmission seal.

The story goes on. We rode over 700 miles in the mountains before deciding to spend our last day at the Leadership Conference at NewSpring Church in Anderson. Hearing guys like Francis Chan, Perry Noble, Mark Driscoll, and Judah Smith was just another reminder God wanted us in the mountains. When we arrived at NewSpring, they took us to the registration counter and asked who we were and what church we were from. The guys smiled and said: Welcome to NewSpring, you are our guest today." Wow, that saved us the same amount of money that it took to fix my bike. Go figure! 1421 miles later we got back to Tupelo. God is good.

Questacular

2010-09-07T09:51:00.000-05:00

Don't be surprised. This is not the first time i have coined a new word. At NorthStar, we are on a quest to fulfill the purpose of God for our church and it is a spectacular, awesome journey. A couple of weeks ago when we had a record in house attendance of 731, (other than Easter Sunday) and baptized 9, it was questacular! In fact, the stuff God is doing here is indescribable. Each Sunday, as I prepare to go on stage, my heart beats fast because I know God is doing some pretty incredible things in our church. I am asked by those outside our church, "What do you contribute the success to? Is it your worship band? Oh, it is your speaking right? (just kidding) Is it your children's ministry?" My answer is, "It is a Work of God" This is not some spiritual answer I know to give, rather it is the truth. The reality is that no man, band, or plan could do what is being done here.
God has a divine purpose for His church to reach those outside the church. When God's people catch the vision of fulfilling His purpose for their lives, things begin to happen. We have a passion for the lost and we want to do something about it. One of the things we have purposed to do and be a part of is starting new churches with the same passion. We have had some part in three different church starts over the past four and a half years. From commissioning members to go, to pre-launch groups checking us out, we have been blessed to have some part in what God is doing in other areas around our region. We have even seen churches start in the Philippines as a result of our work there. As I announced Sunday, we are embarking on a brand new partnership with a brand new church start in Huntsville Alabama. The Ignite City Church will launch early spring in Huntsville and we are pumped about working with them.
God is at work here and for this we are thankful. It is Questacular!!!!

Where Are You?

2010-08-26T13:47:00.000-05:00

You will never discover God's best for your life until you take a serious look at where you are in life. God's desire for your life is greater than you could ever imagine. God has greater dreams for us than we are living. Jesus told us that He desires to bring us life to the full. We talked about this past Sunday three zones that we could find ourselves. The Dream Zone, is where God wants us to live. It is in this zone where we have a strong passion for God. The Drained Zone is that place where 70-80% of Christ followers find themselves. It is here that we feel frustrated, tired, overwhelmed, discouraged and overworked. We try to hang on by keeping the plates spinning and we feel there is no way out. What happens when we are in this zone is usually we are ineffective at what we do and vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. The Danger Zone is where things really start to unravel. Usually there is unconfessed sin in our lives. If you find yourself in the danger zone, it is time to confess, repent and refocus on Christ. If you find yourself in the drained zone, it is time to put your eyes on the vision, prioritize and hear from God. If you are in the dream zone, keep your eye on Christ, walk closely with Him and allow Him to renew you, speak to you and take you where He wants you to be.

What Is Important Is Not Who Is In The White House, But Who Is In The Church House

2010-08-17T12:32:00.000-05:00

I said this past Sunday, as we kicked off our brand new series "In Rhythm", "What is important is not who is in the White House, but who is in the Church House." For too long our church culture has been yelling at the non-christians in the world telling them how they are living like non-chiristians. What we need to do is take a hard look inside the church to make sure we are right with God. We then need to take the cross to the world and let them know there is room at the cross for them. It is then that they will listen to us. I am pumped about this series. We are looking at how we, the church, can walk in sync with our Creator. It is when we get in rhythm with Him that we can be what He wants us to be. I believe our church is about to go to a HNL. God wants us to take it to a new level. I believe He is going to use NorthStar Church to be a major difference maker in our city, county and region. We must never forget it is God that is making it happen. We just need to be in step with Him.

What Am I Doing And Why Am I Doing It?

2010-08-17T12:16:00.000-05:00

God is the only one that can bring true meaning to life. It is in Him we find identity, significance and purpose. However, sometimes we tend to forget how important it is to give Him all of our lives. Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'Matthew 22:37 (NIV)
There are some dangers we face as we try to live in the zone with God. We often live our lives seeking the approval of others. We do this to the point that we spend a lot of our time doing things that will make them happy rather than asking ourselves "what do we need to do to please God?". Another danger is being busy but not necessarily doing the best things. We get so busy doing so many important things that sometimes we fail to do the best things God has for us. I know in my life I find myself really busy doing a lot of things. I need to consistently make an evaluation of my life. I need to evaluate my motive and my actions. I need to make sure I am trying to please God and if I am spending my time wisely. Am I following God's vision, purpose and priorities for my life?

Waiting On The World To Change?

2010-08-02T07:51:00.000-05:00

God wants us to be His agents of change. It is easy to look around and see all the things that need to change in our lives, churches, and culture and be overwhelmed at thinking there is no way I could make a difference. John Meyer’s song entitled, Waiting On The World To Change states: “That's why we're waiting, Waiting on the world to change, We keep on waiting, Waiting on the world to change.” Sometimes waiting is the very thing that perpetuates the problem. Sometimes we are waiting on someone else to step up to feed the hungry, minister to the needy, share the love of Christ, and do acts of kindness. The truth is however, we can make a difference. God has called us to be salt and light to the world. Agents of Change! Jesus said: "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”( Matthew 5:13-16 NIV) When it comes to making a difference, the waiting is over. Let's be agents of change and see what God will do through us and in us.

2010-07-22T08:35:00.000-05:00

The journey of NSC continues to be incredible. God continues to change lives at NorthStar and His Grace continues to be manifested among His people. The building project is progressing really well. Sometimes it seems like it is taking a long time to progress but in reality, we have done a tremendous amount it just seven months. We entered the empty building to do an initial clean up on January 23 and the rest is history. In just six months we are just weeks away from painting. God has really blessed us with outside work teams and for this we are grateful. However, the five work teams from our church(made up of over two hundred people) have been irreplaceable. These teams have been faithful in doing the work and moving us closer to completion. NSC Work Teams, You Rock. Speaking of rock, we still have some sheet rock to hang :) Just thought I would mention that.

While all the building stuff has been progressing life at NSC still continues. We had fourteen go through our membership class this past week and we are seeing many come to Christ in our weekend services. God is so awesome and i love to talk about the things He is doing! In fact, I will be speaking down south in a few weeks to 60 churches on the importance of church planting and what God is doing at NSC. I cant wait to tell them the story of NorthStar.We are real people at a relevant church who connect people to a growing relationship with Christ and each other to fulfill their life purpose.

NorthStar Church, an awesome place to serve.
On the Journey,
T

Give It Up, Pass It On, and Bring It Home

2010-07-01T11:45:00.000-05:00

This year has been a whirlwind, but it’s all good. I would not exchange what is happening in my life and in the life of our church for anything. NorthStar is an indescribable place. God is doing some pretty incredible things here at The Star.

I had just run the St. Jude Half Marathon in December and with a hurt knee I decided to lay off running until I found the time for surgery. Yeah, right. I ran New Years Day but not a day since. I am hoping to get back in the swing pretty soon as I hope to run the whole Marathon in December. I went to the first work day at our new building on January 22 and wow did the work begin. Not because I was there of course but because God’s people showed up in force ready to work. After my trip to the Philippines, I hopped back on the work schedule and the rest is history. It is hard to believe it is July already. Things are progressing really well and we are excited about getting in the building for our first service. (Date still undetermined)

We have been blessed to have had four work teams from churches out of state/area that have come in and assisted us with the work. Our people at NSC have given sacrificially of their time to work tirelessly in order to move the project on to completion. We have 5 work teams within the church that are really going after it. They are great! It is going to happen! "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen`~Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) God is doing the work through us.

I decided that it was about time I updated my blog. Here goes! One of the statements we use at NorthStar is: Give It Up, Pass It On, and Bring It Home. We have different ways of saying what we are about at NSC. We believe we are to give it up to God in worship. We were created to bring pleasure to God and one way He is pleased is when we worship Him. I am constantly amazed at the creative and authentic worship that takes place at NorthStar. Both personal and public worship is needed. Pass it on is what we, the body of Christ should be doing in relation to ministry and evangelism. Every believer is a minister and ever believer must pass on the good news of Christ to others. God put us here to love each other and to share His love with others both at home and abroad. Bring it home. We are most effective when we are maturing as His disciples. The early church in the New Testament matured in the faith and fellowshipped together. We have got to do the same.

This blog is probably as scattered in thought as I am sometimes but here is what I am saying. NorthStar is a place where real people in a relevant church connect to Christ and each other in order to fulfill their life purpose. I am thankful for what God is doing here and look forward to what He is going to do next. Give it up! Pass it on! Bring it home!

>> Keeping It Real...

2009-02-24T16:40:00.002-06:00

Okay here I go … I am taking a moment to kind of catch my breath after the fast and furious first few weeks of 2009. I thought I would catch up on a few things such as updating my blog! There is no way to really catch up on all the months that I have missed since my last blog, but I am going to at least mention a few things that are going on now. If you cant tell, I am stoked about these last weeks. The first eight weeks of 2009 at NSC have been incredible. We have seen 19 baptized, 25 added in membership, six people go on mission with God to the Philippines, and have averaged 611 each week in our services.
If you are new to NSC or if you are not as familiar with NorthStar, we are almost three years old. We launched Easter Sunday 2006. It seems like we have been here for a long time but really it has been less than 36 months. God has truly done a supernatural work here and He is the one to receive all the praise.
I am blessed, as is the church, to have such an awesome Leadership Team. They are visionary, passionate, and committed. They are willing to do almost anything and trust me, they have done a lot of stuff with such willing hearts. I appreciate them more than they would ever know. There are 9 people on our Leadership Team. They rock! Speaking of service, we have a couple hundred people who are actively serving in areas of service at NSC. It takes 124 people for a average weekend to happen at NSC. What a blessing to see so many people ready to do whatever it takes to be used of God to make the weekend exciting, creative, compelling and relevant. No matter how many people we might have doing “the stuff”, it would not be happening without the mighty, awesome presence of God. It is all about Him.
It is our desire at NSC to have authentic worship that creatively shares the compelling Word of God. It is our desire to become more like Christ and help others to know him and mature in Him as well. It is our desire to love each other and to share His love with our community and world. NorthStar is an awesome place. A few years ago I prayed asking God for a hospital, He gave me NorthStar.

>>November Two Years Later...

2007-11-27T16:47:00.000-06:00

It is hard to believe it has been two years this month since a group of people started meeting in preparation to launch the NorthStar Church. On a personal note, has been a wonderful two years of my life. I am so thankful for all the ones the Lord has used to bring about NorthStar Church. So many people have given and continue to give so much of their time and resources in order that NorthStar becomes the church God wants her to become. We give God the glory and the praise for what He has done. It is incredible how God continues changing lives and adding to His church. We have so many reasons to give thanks this season but to mention one, I am thankful for NorthStar.

>>The Right Focus

2007-10-15T08:17:00.000-05:00

Focusing with the right perspective. That sounds easy enough but sometimes it is not as easy as it sounds. Keeping our eyes on Christ is where fulfillment truly lies but how do we find ourselves looking to other things instead? There is a pull on our lives toward the busy schedules, responsibilities and challenges this life offers. This does not necessarily mean that these are evil things. In fact, hopefully they are important things in our lives rather than burdens. You may add to this list as you wish. All of the things that pull us or compete for our time must be synced with the necessary relationship with God. No schedule, ambition, or desire should take the place of our walk with Christ. Often the things that take our time are good things. The question is, “are they the best things?”. It is when we keep our relationship with God in check that we can function properly and focus with the proper perspective.
Speaking of focusing with the right perspective, one of the things that we are focusing on here at NSC is people. We want to love the things that God loves and God loves people. It is our focus and desire at NSC to show God’s love to people. We want to show His love in such a way that people exchange ordinary living for the extraordinary through the power of Jesus Christ. As you read this, think of someone who needs His love. As you face the challenges and demands of a busy week, be sure to keep Christ in His rightful place in your life and share His love with others. He has what we need and He has what others need.

>>Sweet

2007-09-03T13:28:00.000-05:00

I keep telling people who ask about NSC, a subject I love to talk about, God is making a difference in the lives of the people who attend NorthStar. I am quick to tell them we are not taking ANY credit for the good stuff that is happening here. It is all about Him. It is all about what God is doing. Those of us leading, attending, watching, serving, and worshiping are just a by-product of the supernatural work God is performing in this place. I am humbled by the way God continues to add to His kingdom, change lives for His glory, give hope to the hopeless, encouragement to the discouraged, future to the future-less, joy to the joyless, and salvation to the lost. NorthStar is a place where we seek to express God's love in such a way that people will exchange ordinary living for the extraordinary by the power of Jesus Christ. We are Real People at a relevant church who connect people to a growing relationship with Christ and others to fulfill their life purpose. Just checking us out? Come on and see what it is about. Been coming for a while? Plunge on in and get involved. Though we are far from perfect, it is encouraging to hear from one of our attenders who simply said: " Sweet !"

>>Upside Down

2007-08-03T09:06:00.000-05:00

What difference can one or two people make in changing the world for the better? Have you ever said: “I am just one person. What I do will not really make that much difference.”? When considering an election, we usually hear people say, “Every vote counts.” In church, we often say how important every person is in the body. The real deal is we can make a difference. In the early days of Christianity, we see some of the believers being accused and abused for doing what was right before God. They were persecuted for telling people about Christ. Their message of hope and forgiveness somehow threatened the religious leaders of the day. One place, in the Bible, they were making such a difference in the way people thought and lived, they the were branded as ones who were turning the world upside down. Notice what the Bible says about these guys.

5 But the Jews became jealous, and when they had brought together some scoundrels from the marketplace and formed a mob, they set the city in an uproar. Attacking Jason's house, they searched for them to bring them out to the public assembly. 6 When they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city officials, shouting, "These men who have turned the world upside down have come here too, Acts 17:5-6 (HCSB)

Wow! How awesome is that? Wouldn't it be something if that could be said about us here at NSC? In many ways ,we are making a difference in our community and region. I see so many willing people stepping up to the plate saying, “ I am willing to do whatever it takes to share the good news of Jesus Christ with the world.” With our words, attitude, willingness, activity, prayer, worship, fellowship, maturity, ministry, and missions, we share the love of Christ with the world. When it is all said and done, we want the world to know that we loved them with the love of Christ and we want Christ to say to us, “well done.”

23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" Matthew 25:23 (NIV)

Keep on turning the world upside down!

>>Our Passion

2007-06-26T13:51:00.000-05:00

Doing whatever it takes to please and honor God should be our life goal. God created us for His pleasure. He created us because He loves us. Sometimes we are so busy trying to please everyone else, we forget we are to please God. It is so rewarding to find that when we please God, other relationships begin to fall into place. In other words, when we get our relationship with God where it needs to be, our relationships with others take on new shape and meaning. We certainly want to please Him. Hopefully, on this journey called life, we learn to love what God loves. God loves people. Isn't it interesting, everywhere Jesus went, He was loving people. Sometimes He would reprove them and at other times He would admonish them, but He always loved them with unconditional love. It is easy to get so busy doing good things that we fail to do the best things. We can serve on teams, lead others, and even actively attend church and still forget to reach out to those who do not have a personal relationship with God. I have been guilty of this very problem. As a pastor, I must make sure I keep my focus on the reason I am doing what I am doing. He has called all of us, as believers, to carry out the work of the ministry. Weare to love what Jesus loves, and Jesus loves the church. I love NorthStar Church. I love doing His work and sharing the good news. I am thankful for all those who have come beside me to share in the work. I am thankful for a loving church family who truly has a vision to reach people for Christ. My challenge for today is to make a difference with your life.

>>Into The Light

2007-05-31T16:02:00.000-05:00

As believers, we have been called out of the darkness and the shadows to walk in the light. This happens when a person becomes a Christ follower. It is the moment a person says yes to the offer of God to follow Him. Peter wrote: "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." (I Peter 2:9-10 NIV) For over a year now, we have seen people coming out of the shadows and into the light. One of the most exciting things that I experience in ministry is seeing people make this decision to follow Christ. This past Sunday we saw adults, students, and children who have made the decision to follow Christ and take the next step of baptism. Awesome! This one word is almost inadequate to describe what we witnessed as these who had already followed Christ took the next step of obedience. Yes, in a cattle trough they were baptized. Want to share this excitement? Continue to share Christ's love with others and witness, before your very eyes, others coming into the light.

>>Appreciative, Humbled, Excited

2007-05-02T11:35:00.000-05:00

Those are just three of the many words to describe the awesome move of God at NorthStar Church. This is a move of God, not man. Man could not make this happen. You see why I keep saying: “I am just trying to stay out of the way." It is evident that He is at work here and lives are being changed. Of course staying out of the way does not mean lack of involvement. While we must allow God to show the way, give the directions, and lead us, we must be busy doing the work He is calling us to do. I have seen so many over the past year get plugged in to the awesome work that God has called us to do. In fact, as we move to 2 weekend services on May 13, there will be almost one hundred volunteers doing the work. This is not to mention all the people of NSC constantly inviting people to NSC. I am appreciative for all the servants who often work tirelessly, giving of their time and talents to the Lord. I am humbled by the fact that God chose us to do this work, and I am excited about the direction the church is headed. I envision hundreds and even thousands coming to a place called NorthStar Church to worship, connect, serve, grow, and tell the Good News of Jesus Christ. It has happened before and it will happen again. Thank God, He is still in the life changing business.

>> What A Day

2007-04-01T21:28:00.003-05:00

Here is a typical Sunday in my life. April 1, 2007, I woke up somewhere around 5:15 and 5:30 thinking it was actually later than it really was. Do you ever do wake up thinking you are late? (Whew! I had a couple more minutes to snooze.) My phone, which is also my alarm clock, has some problem because of the day light savings time thing. It is weird, on Saturday night it begins thinking that it is on the old time or something. ( the phone company my have been playing a April fools joke on me or something) I usually wake up before it sounds the alarm, so I got up and began getting ready for the day. I am talking, moving very SLOW! After quietly saying good bye to my wife and thinking I will see my family in a few hours, I hop in the car and maneuver around the used car lot of a driveway. (I do not have a used car lot even though I am thinking about selling off some of the cars that seem to find themselves parked there each weekend. (Not really on selling them... but really on having to maneuver around them)

Where was I? Oh yeah...I begin heading out of the driveway while it is still dark, and I make my way to the NSC building. I know we will move one day and have lots of acreage to park cars and a really nice place to worship, but I really like this place. This has been our home for one year! I like it because God put us there. It is quiet as I turn on to the gravel parking lot and ease up to the door. I park near the door until it is time to unlock the gate of the parking lot next door. I go inside with a million things on my mind, and my heart is palpitating at the anticipation of being able to speak to hundreds and thousands of people in just a few hours. (Hundreds for now.)

After making seven pots of coffee, (not all for me) I think about the things I will be sharing in just a few hours. It is really quiet, and I spend some time alone with the Creator of the universe. It’s Awesome. After about an hour and a half, I take my car next door and drive to the end of the parking lot, which is in the next county I’m sure. Then some of the NSC Praise band begins to show up. Some of them actually park their cars near the county line. “There is life out there,” I murmur to myself. Ha.

Things begin to get cranked up as the band begins one last hour of prep. I simply meditate and think about the message I am about to bring. Then I walk around the G.P.S. (worship center) praying for those who will be attending worship. I pray, "Lord bring them in. Help them to wake up, get up, suit up, crank up, and drive up to NSC today to worship you."

At nine o’clock the students show up for Bible study, and somewhere between 9:00 and 9:15 workers and staff start coming around doing the various and needed tasks to get ready for the day. Around ten o’clock people start arriving for worship. They make their way to the coffee and stuff, and some detour at the Compass Center (NSC books and gifts).

Did I mention that God meets me there first thing in the morning? With out Him all we do would be futile. In fact, I can't do it without Him.

The countdown starts, cars continue to pour in, children continue to get checked in, the countdown to worship time goes to 0:00, and then it is time. Here we are to worship the only one who is worthy, Jesus Christ. When He shows up, things really begin to happen. The worship is great, the message is from Him, and lives are changed. The service has concluded, but people are still hanging around. Some are at a meeting. Some are telling us they just had a life changing experience, some are just happy to be around people who are on the same journey they are on. Everyone is hungry! It is 12:30, and people are still hanging around (which is great). There are a few bewildered looking kids hoping to eat at least one more meal. (they are wondering when that will be.) How many were here today and how many met Christ? Just a few of the questions I ask. (I also want to know how many cars were parked here today) Well it is time to head out. Man, I will miss this place, till the next time we get to come together and do it again. WHAT A DAY.

>>Navigating Life's Journey

2007-03-09T07:45:00.000-06:00

On March 16, we will have reached the eleven month old stage in the history of NSC. It is hard to believe we are only eleven months old. The best we can track, we have over six hundred people who are attending sometimes. We work constantly to see this number increase and encourage the attendees to come on a more consistent basis. We have approximately two hundred people who have gone through our membership class, and we are averaging over 325 on a regular basis each Sunday. This past Sunday we had 384 people present, and Christmas weekend we had over 500 people attend. Many first time people are attending our services each Sunday, and the Lord continues to add to the church each month at our Discovering NorthStar 101 class and each week as they give their heart to Christ. Terry, you are doing a lot of counting aren't you? Yes! We count people because people count to us. We have just added two staff members on a part time salary basis. While we have four being paid on our staff, we have a total of eight on the leadership staff. We have countless volunteers that ensure that we can do what God has called us to do, and for this we are grateful. The Journey of NorthStar has been and continues to be incredible. Someone asked if we were shooting for a certain number of people. Our passion is people. Our passion is to reach the unreached, disciple them in the faith, plug them into ministry, help them connect with other believers, lead them to authentic worship, and repeat the process. Many months ago, when God placed on my heart the planting of this church, I knew that it was going to be an incredible journey. As others began to join me on this journey, I realized in an even greater way this journey was going to be special. Some have been around since the early days, while others have only been here for a few weeks. There may even be those who are reading this that have yet to attend. We are thankful for every person. Everyone is important to the plan God has for NorthStar. We are navigating this journey together with God as the head. It takes all of us praying, giving, attending, dreaming, implementing, working, cleaning, building, moving, changing, trusting, sacrificing, teaching, believing, reaching, sharing, ministering, fellowshipping, evangelizing, worshiping, and protecting the unity to become the church we need to become. I am glad to be on this journey with you and look forward to each day that God gives us to build and work for His glory. Keep on keeping on, for He has great plans for us. Please remember though we are on this journey together, He is the one that makes it happen.

>>Isn't God Great?

2007-02-12T15:24:00.000-06:00

Navigating Life's Journey is awesome. Each week that passes is exciting and fulfilling as we travel this journey of faith together at NorthStar. Isn't it something how each week God ministers to us just at our point of need? Where are you in your walk with Him? How’s the journey? Are you struggling? Are you hanging in there? Are you having a good time? I am thankful for the way God helps me go down this journey called the spiritual life. Someone said ( I think Tony Evans) : “He has us where we are, taking us where He wants us to be. If we are faithful where we are, He is free to take us where He wants us to be.” Each week someone shares with me either in person, by phone, or email how God is moving in their hearts at NorthStar. I am so thankful for NorthStar and the way God is at work. I am thankful for the way God is at work in my own life. Our present is a blessing, and our future is bright as we continue seeking His will and purpose for our lives. We must remember what successes and blessings we receive come from God. I praise God for NorthStar Church. I am so encouraged by the way church growth occurs at NorthStar. When people, excited about what God is doing, begin inviting family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors to worship, the results are immeasurable. This church truly has a passion to reach others for Christ. I am thankful for each person who is a member of NorthStar and for those attending NorthStar. I am thankful for those who have come to Christ and for those who will come to Him. Remember as we Navigate Life’s Journey together, we must do so with God at the controls of our lives.

>>It Makes My Heart Smile

2007-01-03T08:39:00.000-06:00

It is really unbelievable how fast the year passed by for us here at NSC. When God enabled us to take the monumental step of launching the first service on April 16, we knew the rest of the year was going to be fast- paced. What an honor to be a part of such a fresh move of God. I have had some incredible years of ministry and have seen some pretty incredible things happen in God's work. However, there is nothing in all my years of ministry that compares to the experience of this work. It is so fulfilling to see God at work and moving in the hearts and lives of people. It makes my heart smile to see people each week pull onto the gravel parking lot of what used to be a trailer manufacturing facility, to attend worship. It makes my heart smile each time a person steps into the (cattle watering trough) baptismal pool to follow Christ in baptism. It makes my heart smile to see how people have such a willingness to be a part of what God is doing. It makes my heart smile as the different ministries are developing at NSC. It makes my heart smile to know that there is a freedom to worship, serve, share, dream, mature, and fellowship together. It makes my heart smile as we envision the next step. It makes my heart smile to see people interested and involved in missions. It makes my heart smile to actually begin to know some of the names of the people attending. It makes my heart smile to see new people each week. It makes my heart smile to have a leadership team committed to the vision God has given us. It makes my heart smile to see so many willing volunteers give so much of themselves to the cause of Christ. It makes my heart smile to know that even though we are not perfect, people are willing to come and feel a part. God has given us a challenge and task to make a difference in this community, county, and region. Our heart smiles because of all the ways God blesses us, and for all these things I am thankful. More than our own satisfaction, I pray that we please God in all that we do this coming year. I am looking forward to what God has in store for us this year, and I feel honored to share this time with those who are a part of NorthStar Church.

>>He Was Born Under A Christmas Star

2006-12-03T14:33:00.000-06:00

Can you believe it is Christmas time already? Me either! It seems like just yesterday we were going to the parties, attending the programs, and exchanging gifts. I have often said everyday is Christmas for the believer. We should celebrate Christ's birth each and every day. While I enjoy this season and all the extra things that we do, I must never lose sight of the real reason we have Christmas. Have you read the story lately? The Christmas story is incredible!After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." 3 When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 When he had called together all the people's chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. 5 "In Bethlehem in Judea," they replied, "for this is what the prophet has written: 6 "'But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.'" 7 Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. 8 He sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and make a careful search for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him." 9 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. 11 On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. 12 And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. Matthew 2:1-12 (NIV)I told you it was incredible!As we prepare for all the things that we will be doing this Christmas let us be sure to celebrate the real reason for Christmas.

>>Six Months Later...

2006-10-24T08:02:00.000-05:00

I have a vision! I have a dream! Not the kind of vision some might think where you hear voices, levitate, walk through space, move through time surrounded by fog or smoke. In fact, I have never had one of those and when I do, call me crazy, but I will have lost it totally! The kind of vision and dream I have is seeing beyond the horizon to the heart of God. Through prayer, study, seeking the will of God, worship, and spiritual intuitiveness
I have envisioned what God wants to happen in and through NorthStar. This vision began developing a few years ago and began to grow stronger and clearer just over a year ago. I see God's hand in my life over the past several years preparing me for the vision He was giving me. He used people , His Word, my studies, and life experiences to shape this vision. Okay, Okay already! What is your vision?My vision is for there to be a church that functions much like the church in the New Testament. The N.T. church had a passion to come together to worship in a way that was relevant to their culture. I doubt seriously they had a pipe organ or an electric guitar. They just came with a strong sense of urgency to worship the creator of the universe. Some say as they came to church there would be over twenty thousand worshipers in the 10:30 (not sure what time) morning service at the temple courts (worship center). They would then break up into small groups, go to individual homes, eat, fellowship, study, serve, worship, and reach out to others together. Incredible! This is what we are doing at NorthStar!My vision goes beyond the warehouse that we are using as a church building.
I envision that in the years to come, God is going to provide us with property where we can take root and grow to an even greater level doing even greater things for the Lord.
I envision while we are still in our current building, expanding to additional services to accommodate the numbers of people that will be coming. As I teach in Discovering NorthStar 101, we can not let the shoe tell the foot how big it can get.
I envision the people of NSC inviting their friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers to be a part of what God is doing here.I envision multitudes of people plugging into small groups that will meet literally around the region. Small groups are where people can grow deeper with God while growing closer with one another. There is no way for everyone to know everybody, especially in a church the size of NorthStar. Therefore, it is important to get into a small group to experience the kind of fellowship God created us to enjoy.
I envision people driving on to our campus and actually sensing the presence of God through the smiles of the parking lot team, greeters, and leadership.
I envision people meeting Christ and connecting in the body of Christ. I envision people following Christ in obedience and connecting with His plan for their lives.
I envision NSC being a world mission strategy center with people going out at different times of the year to do home and foreign missions.
I envision NSC being a ministry focused church and actually being the hands and feet of Christ in our community, city, and county.
I envision NSC being a church planting resource center, and I envision NSC planting her first church by the end of our third year.
I envision students growing and reaching their friends for Christ.
I envision college and career ministry reaching people on campus and in the work place.I envision a children’s ministry that is cutting edge and life-changing, causing parents to say "I want my child a part of this ministry."
I envision worship that uses creativity and relevance to reach not only this generation but the ones to come. These things are not just wishful thinking or dreams that are beyond reality. In fact, we are already seeing these things come to pass in all of these areas. With the commitment to excellence, we are already seeing lives changed and people added to the kingdom. Often people ask me, "Would you have dreamed a year ago there would be so many people coming to NSC, etc?" Some are surprised by my answer. I did dream this! I believe the next six months are going to be even greater than the first. I am so glad you are a part of this vision, and I am thankful for the way God is using you to grow the kingdom for His glory.

>>His Love Is Indescribable

2006-09-11T12:57:00.000-05:00

His Love Is Indescribable
Wow! These past weeks have been indescribable as we have seen new people present each Sunday and as God has done an incredible work among us. I am so thankful to be part of such a move of God in our area. Someone asked me the other day: "Could you have imagined this happening nine months ago?" The answer is: I have not only imagined what is happening now but even beyond. That is why I feel so amazed and blessed at seeing these things of God unfold. In reality, it is even greater than I imagined, and the days to come are going to be awesome as God continues to do His work in and through His people. It is one thing to envision there being a church like NorthStar, but it is another thing to actually see in come to fruition. Rick Warren said: "Dream big dreams." I have a dream of God using NorthStar Church as a regional center of worship, evangelism, missions, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and church planting.
Adding To Our Building
The 3600 square feet addition to our building is going well. We are adding a new children's worship room almost twice the size of our existing one. Along with this we are adding two smaller rooms adjoining this room that will be used for small group time. In addition to these rooms we are adding two preschool rooms for our growing needs. This past week we were blessed to add our kitchenette and wash area for our baby room. Please pray for God to supply our needs as we prepare to buy the tables and chairs needed for these rooms.
Lives Are Being Changed!
We are seeing homes mended, souls saved, commitments deepened, hurts healed, excitement restored, lives yielded, maturity increased, ministries begun, evangelism implemented, worship flourishing, and fellowship among His people. Wow! Isn't God great! We baptized five in August and will be baptizing later this month. Someone said to me the other day: “You guys are doing a great job." The reality is that God is moving and working. This is all about Him, and we are simply trying to be willing for Him to use us in any possible way. No, we are not perfect, but we serve someone who is perfect and we are trying to be sensitive to His will and way. To God be the glory. Paul said: "to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:21 (NIV)
Small Groups Have Launched.
With great enthusiasm our small group launch was super. Already our small groups are growing, and people are joining each week. I really feel that small groups are going to take our church to another level. In each of our small groups, we are emphasizing and living out the five purposes of our church. These purposes are: Worship, Fellowship, Discipleship, Ministry, and Evangelism. It is going to be astonishing as we see the impact our small groups will have in the days to come. It is in the small group setting we grow closer to one another and we are able to minister to the needs of one another better. If you have not joined a small group, there is one just for you.
In Closing.
Please take a moment today to remember the families of those who lost loved ones during the great national tragedy of September 11 , 2001. Please pray for peace and pray that the love of Jesus Christ could be seen daily through your life. Please pray that we could make a difference in this world through our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Thank You
I want to thank you for the part you are playing in seeing the Kingdom of God expand in and through NorthStar Church. Thank you for giving your time, resources, ideas, money, willingness, prayer support ,and encouragement as God grows this church. Thank you.

>>Dive On In

2006-07-13T09:07:00.000-05:00

Awesome...just one of many words to describe what God is doing at NorthStar. Each week I am amazed at how God reveals Himself to the people at NSC.
“Dive On In”
We have children in every nook and cranny of our building. The NSC children's ministry is so exciting, I would kind of like to attend and get in on what's going on. We are steadily seeing our student ministry grow and reach students from all around our area. Our Career and College ministry called The Refuge had a record high of 31 people a couple of weeks ago. Since the last blog, many have given time and resources to do work in and around our facilities. (Cleaning, yard work, setting up chairs, weekly preparation, improvements, etc.) There are so many who have been involved in the various ministry projects at NSC. World Changers, Fourth of July at Ballard Park (Diaper Changing Station and Lost and Found), and manning the booth at the Winds of Worship Concert are just a few of the ways people have been involved. The NSC praise band, Three Days Journey, has both the privilege and blessing of opening the Jeremy Camp Concert Sunday night, July 16 at the BancorpSouth Center.
“Dive On In”
We have one college student working at a Christian camp in Central Mississippi and two others working at Super Summer. We have one young adult lady who spent two weeks on the foreign mission field and is currently in New York with the North American Mission Board on a four week trip. Later in July, NSC has a team of four going on a mission trip to the Philippines for two weeks. These really are exciting days for NSC.
“Dive On In”
The Wednesday night services have been great as we have been doing the study, Your Church Experiencing God Together. The small group time at the conclusion of these studies has been great. Our small groups will launch the week of August 20 and we have already had a small group leader training.
“Dive On In”
We are about to expand. The owner of our building is about to add about 3000 square feet of space that will be used in our student and children’s ministry.
“Dive On In”
God really moves in our services each week, and for all these things we give Him the praise. If you have not attended NorthStar Church, now would be a great time to “Dive On In” and experience what God is doing. If you are an attender, we are glad you are here, and we are glad you took the dive!

>>Our First Six Weeks

2006-05-21T14:24:00.000-05:00

It seems like only yesterday that we had our first service at NorthStar, and now we are six weeks into the journey. These have been some incredible days in my life and in the lives of others at NSC. We have seen people each week give their lives to Christ and countless others whose lives have been changed. I stand in awe of the way God has put everything together and how He has made the way for what He has called us to do. For those who have been working and leading, these have been really intense days. So many have done so much in order that the building is ready each week while construction has been underway. There have not been any dull moments in anything or in any way. We have celebrated baptism twice and have had some incredible times of worship. Our children's ministry is overflowing with music, work, fun, and of course, children. God has been so faithful to provide us with chairs to sit in, though they are borrowed. We are thankful for each one of them. Both our College & Career and Student ministry has kicked off in a strong way. Ministry teams have been formed and are beginning to function. The list goes on and on. I want to thank God for making all of this possible. I want to thank all the workers who have worked tirelessly for His glory. I want to thank those who have given so much of themselves. I want to thank each person who has attended for the impact of their presence in the services. We truly have so much to be thankful for as God has multiplied His blessing immeasurably. I know the weeks to come are going to be as incredible as the previous ones. If you are new to this journey, come expecting to be blessed, used of God, and a part of something greater than ourselves.

In Him,
T

>> Launch Sunday and Beyond

2006-04-17T22:49:00.000-05:00

The day finally came and the church officially launched. Busy doing the last minute task that had to be done before opening Sunday, the launch team worked tirelessly. The dream of this church launching Easter Sunday was about to become a reality. Easter Sunday, over 350 people gathered from the four corners of the county to worship the risen Christ. Forty nine children filed into the children's area which had been designed with children in mind. The stage was set, the lights were burning, as people gathered with the purpose of worshiping and hearing from God. The greatest thing was that God was in their midst.

NorthStar Church... a reality! NorthStar- Real people at a relevant church who connect people to a growing relationship with Christ and others to fulfill their life's purpose. It is NorthStar's desire to show God's love in such a way that people exchange ordinary living for an extraordinary life through the power of Jesus Christ. Now that the church has launched, many are asking: What now? Can I still get in on the excitement? Has the momentum died down? CanI be involved? Certainly! We've only just begun! Will you come and be a part of this community? There is room for you! Ready for a fresh start? Come join us!

>>The Word of God Will Last Forever

2006-03-16T07:49:00.000-06:00

Wednesday night a group from NorthStar went to our new property to sign the walls of the Worship Center and Children's areas with scripture. What an experience, as we literally covered the framing with the Word of God.

Matthew 4:4 Jesus answered, "It is written: `Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (NIV)

Psalm 56:10 In God, whose word I praise, in the LORD, whose word I praise -- (NIV)

Proverbs 30:5 "Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. (NIV)

Isaiah 2:3 Many peoples will come and say, "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths." The law will go out from Zion, the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. (NIV)

Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever." (NIV)

John 1:1-5,14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. 14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (NIV)

It is incredible to know that every part of the framing of this building is covered with the Word. This church is built on the Word of God, and while some of our methods are different and innovative, the preaching of the unchanging Word remains true. May God Bless NorthStar as she reaches out to the community and world with the life changing power of the Word.

>>Prayer Walking

2006-02-18T12:42:00.000-06:00

Thursday Evening:
As we prayerwalked in our potential building and around the property Thursday night, my heart was warmed by watching those walking around the different areas of the building. The parking lot, nursery, preschool, children's, welcome center and worship center were just a few of the areas where people prayed. It made my heart smile as I heard the audible prayers of those praying. "Lord, save people and change lives here", "Lord, bring the people to yourself", "Lord, use us to reach the unreached and unchurched.", "Lord, bless the children, the homes, the lives..." We will certainly be doing this again as we lead up to the launch and after the launch. We need to be people of prayer. Read the following words written by Sherri Ingram.

Prayerwalking is just what it sounds like — simply walking and talking to God. My church’s missions minister says if you can walk and chew gum, you can prayerwalk. You don’t have to even be especially coordinated — you just need to be able to pray. Prayerwalkers don’t make a big production about what they’re doing. In fact, you may have seen prayerwalkers in action. If you did, you probably thought they were just out walking and talking to each other.

I’ve been actively prayerwalking for over a year. My prayerwalking partner and I prayerwalk our missions sites weekly. God even sent us to Asia to prayerwalk for 10 days.
Preparation for Ministry
As we walk around a subdivision, we voice specific prayers for what we see — or don’t see. We pray for people involved in violence, for those we hear arguing, for drug dealers, and for school children. Sometimes we pray for particular people we see in the area. They don’t know us or that we are praying for them, but God does. He knows the needs in their lives better than we do.
We not only pray about the bad things we see, we praise and thank God for the good things also. We thank Him for decreased trash in a neighborhood, for better-kept homes, and especially for what He’s doing in our church’s apartment ministries.
I like to think we’re like John the Baptist. We prepare the way for ministry teams. We go into an apartment complex or a neighborhood and pray for workers and residents — usually before a ministry is ever begun in the area. Then our ministry teams come in to work in the neighborhood and find hearts already softened and ready for the gospel.
Preparation for Evangelism
Prayerwalking can lead to evangelistic opportunities. As my prayer partner and I walk, we smile or say hello to the people we pass. Sometimes God gives us the opportunity to stop and talk to someone. We explain why we are in the neighborhood. We ask them if we can pray for specific things in their lives or in their neighborhoods. Often people allow us to pray with them; if they don’t, we pray for them as we continue walking.
God does awesome things when we are obedient. At one potential mission location, my partner and I strongly felt God’s presence the first time we walked the site. We sensed that when ministry started at that apartment complex, the work would progress quickly.
Our church started a tutoring ministry there in September. By the following January, we had a church service at that complex. Within a short period of time, seven people made professions of faith in Christ. Am I saying prayerwalking did that? No! But I do believe the quick results indicate that God honored our obedient and persistent prayer.
Preparation to Be Used by God
Now you may be wondering, Why should I leave my comfortable home and sweat in the sun over mission sites I can pray for from the comfort of my living room? Prayerwalking allows God to use our eyes, ears, feet, and mouths. When we make all of our senses available to God, He uses us in ways we couldn’t imagine otherwise.
Recently while my prayer partner and I were walking, we heard an ambulance. We started praying for the ambulance driver, for traffic, and for whoever was in need of help.
The ambulance got closer and closer. We prayed harder. Soon the ambulance was on the street where we were. We continued to pray. When we looked up, the ambulance was across the street from us. We didn’t want to intrude, so we continued to walk. When we reached the end of the street, we looked back to see the ambulance leaving.
We noted the address and mentioned it to our missions minister, who suggested a visit to the home. She and I went to visit about two weeks after we had seen the ambulance. We found a teenage mother with a new baby. We were able to share the gospel and pray with the teenager and her stepfather.
We would have missed this opportunity if we had been praying from the comfort of our own homes. By allowing God to use our eyes, ears, feet, and mouths, we were able to present the gospel to this family as well as to others.
God can use anyone in the ministry of prayerwalking. Those who can walk and pray should walk and pray. Those who can’t walk for health reasons can go to a site and pray for those walking and for the people who live and work in the area.
God calls us all to intercede. I get so much more than I give when I allow God to use me. I hope you will choose to let God use you and bless you through the ministry of prayerwalking.
Sherri Ingram is a member of Florida Boulevard Baptist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
This article is courtesy of HomeLife magazine

>>Shine Like Stars . . . .

2006-02-05T09:47:00.000-06:00

Paul wrote in the Bible that we are to be Shining Stars. Read the following verses as they tell the story: 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe. Philippians 2:15 (NIV) I am reminded how important it is to know Him, serve Him, and shine for Him. Jesus went where no one else would go and did what others would not do. He spent time with those in need and hurting. Almost every time you see Jesus in scripture, He was associating with people of the world, which at that time was most everybody. He spent time with people like the lepers, blind, outcast, tax collectors and common people. Every where Jesus went, He made a difference in the lives of the people He associated with. He went about teaching, loving, healing, changing, shaping, showing compassion, and saving. We too need to model our lives and ministry after that of the Lord Jesus. He ministered to the hurting, listened to those in despair, reached out to the lonely, cared for the disenfranchised, healed the sick, cared for the dying, and proclaimed the Truth of God. We can learn a lot about ministry and service from the life of Christ.

Should we not also be going about ministering to the lost and unchurched? Should we show our love for God by doing what the very Son of God did in the world? I believe, as God continues to build NorthStar Church, we should do the same. NorthStar is a place of refuge for those in need, searching for truth, and needing a touch from the Savior. The story of Zacchaeus is one that teaches us the importance of sharing the Good News with the world. Read the story of how Jesus touched a life in such a way that it changed a man forever. 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a `sinner.'" 8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." 9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." Luke 19:1-10 (NIV)

My prayer is that we would be such a people that touches the lives of those around us with the message of Christ's love. In scripture we see Jesus taking the time to share with Levi, and we see the difference made in his life. 14 As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. 15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with tax collectors and `sinners'?" 17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." Mark 2:14-17 (NIV) This week let us reach out to those who need the changing, saving, healing message of Jesus. Shine Like Stars For His Glory.

>> We Are The Body . . . The Body Of Christ

2006-01-30T08:36:00.000-06:00

Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians12:27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV) As Casting Crowns communicates in one of their songs, "If we are the body why are His arms not reaching, His hands not healing, His words not teaching, His feet not going, His love not showing...." Read these words about what the body of Christ is to be doing:
1 Corinthians 12:12-27 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body -- whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free -- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. 14 Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. 15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, 24 while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, 25 so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. 26 If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. (NIV)
As we are a part of God building His church through NorthStar, let us be sure that we are functioning as His body: Arms Reaching, Hands Healing, Words Teaching, Feet Going, and Love Showing. God is blessing us as we follow in obedience His direction for NorthStar. We praise Him that we are growing and that He is already ministering to us and through us. Lord, we love and adore you. Please continue to build Your church for Your glory!

>>His Heart-Our Heart-One Heart- That All Peoples May Know Him

2006-01-23T14:01:00.000-06:00

Each day as I move along the journey God has called me to, I am reminded I am not alone as I travel. I know that there are others who are taking this journey with me. Most of all I am comforted by the fact that God is walking with us as we avail and humble ourselves to Him to be used in the planting of His church. We yield ourselves to His will as He builds a unique church to shine His light to those who might otherwise not be reached. It is a matter of obedience. We are doing His work, going His direction, in His power, led by His Spirit. We must remember, it is not about oursleves but about Him and His glory.

I love to read from the book of Acts of how the New Testament church was formed and functioned. I find encouragement in the way God helped the early Christians and early church as they navigated through history. We are reminded in Peter's sermon how they functioned as believers. Read the following verses carefully and notice several significant truths. Notice how they preached the Word of God, responded to the message, gathered together in one place, studied the Word and fellowshipped together. We have consistently been saying our methods are different but our message is the same. This concept is not new, for Jesus was keen to the methods needed but never changed His message. The early church did the same yet were devoted to the truths of the Word of God. Listen to the Words as you read them and imagine yourself in the same place with them.

37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off -- for all whom the Lord our God will call." 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, "Save yourselves from this corrupt generation." 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. 42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. (NIV) Acts 2:37-47

I love seeing the five purposes lived out in scripture. Please pray as we develop as a church and live out those purposes even now.

>>Fresh Anointing

2006-01-16T14:41:00.000-06:00

As we gathered last night for our sixth "core building" meeting, we sensed a fresh anointing of God on the meeting. We had a total of just over sixty people with us as we met to worship and continue to catch the vision of where God is leading. I felt God's presence before the meeting even began. I stand amazed at what God is doing. I am humbled at the fact that He is allowing me to be a part of something so exciting and great as NorthStar. I am thank for all those whom God is raising up to join us in this great journey. We are so blessed by what He continues to do each time we come together. If you have not begun this journey with us we hope to see you soon.

>>He Is Able

2006-01-16T13:23:00.000-06:00

Listen to the direction God was leading His people. Numbers 13:1-3, 21-30 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders." 3 So at the LORD's command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.
21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. 24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land. 26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan." 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

The report of the ten was: "we can not so ..." but the report of Joshua and Caleb was "we can...."
This is a passage I used at our last time of worship to describe what God is doing and where God is leading. We must be sensitive to His leading and respond with obedience. There are movers and shakers and there are moaners and quakers. I want to always be on the cutting edge with a heart of obedience. What do we ask and how big do we dream? He can and will do even more than we ask or dream. I am being told by church planters and visionaries not to dream to small. I am believing God to do an incredible work in and through NSC. Someone asked the question: "Who is behind all of this?" We serve a great God and He is the one behind all of this. Without Him we would certainly fail, fall, go astray and to put it frankly, mess it all up. We have got to put our trust in Him, follow Him completely and constantly be sensitive to His leading. I humble myself before Him, seek to be filled with His Spirit, seek the mind of Christ, and follow His voice. He is able!

>> What Is God Doing?

2006-01-12T20:36:00.000-06:00

God is moving and we are joining Him. The Bible describes it this way: 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, Ephesians 3:20 (NIV) God is raising up a church to reach a generation of people with the solid, unchanging message of the love of God. There are so many unchurched and lost people in our area. It is going to take all our existing churches and more to reach them. Our passion is to reach the 22,000 in our county who do not know Him. Our involvement in this task is going to require us to be faithful, diligent, sensitive, holy, devoted, willing, sacrificial, loving, giving, committed, and prayer warriors. What is God doing? He is at work! We are joining Him.
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>> A Star Is Coming, NorthStar Church

2006-01-12T15:06:00.000-06:00

I am so excited about NorthStar Church. This is certainly an exciting time as we are on a very unique Kingdom Journey of seeing the birth of a new church. Church planting has been around for quite some time. Actually for a couple of thousand years. I am intrigued by how the early church took care of business. They met, prayed, studied, fellowshiped, worshiped, ministered and went out to share together. When I began this journey, led by His Spirit, I knew God would have to guide and provide. I realized from the very beginning that this was something that I could not do in my own strength and would have to totally rely on Him. The Lord told me to trust and follow. So, that is what I am doing. The scriptures teach us that it is in our weakness that His strength is made known. He sure is being made known these days. My dream for NorthStar is that it will be incredible tool in the hand of God to reach the un-reached, lost, un-churched and a perfect fit for those who share this vision. I envision this church not only reaching the lost but discipling the saved. I envision NorthStar being a regional church drawing people to Christ from all over our region. Are we competing? Yes, we are competing with the devil. He does not like what we are doing so we must be on guard against "the wiles of the devil." He is our enemy yet the scriptures teach us that; " greater is He that is within us than he that is in the world." As we live in these days we must stand strong on God's Word, walk close to the Lord, be filled with His Spirit, live a life of holiness, minister to the body of Christ, share Christ in the dark places of the world, share with our city, county,state, learn from the Master, pray without ceasing and worship Him genuinely. As you join us in person or in prayer, journey with us as we strive to do what He created us to do.
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