God created us in His own image to be His friend and to experience the best life possible, one that overflows with His love and peace through all eternity.
Jesus said: “…I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” John 10:10b The Message Bible
“Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.” Romans 5:1 (NLT)
Since God planned for us to have peace with Him and the best possible life right now, why are most people not having this experience?
2—Our Problem: Separation from God
God created us in His own image to have a meaningful life. He did not make us as robots to automatically love and obey Him, but He gave us a will that is free to choose Him.
Each of us chose to disobey God and go our own way a part from Him. We still make this choice today. This results in separation from God.
“For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NLT)
“But there is a problem—your sins have cut you off from God. Because of your sin, he has turned away and will not listen anymore.” Isaiah 59:2 (NLT)
On our own, there is no way we can attain the perfection needed to bridge the gap to restore that relationship with God. Through the ages, individuals have tried many ways…without success.
Being basically a good person and doing good deeds won’t do it. Neither will…religion …money…power…prestige…possessions …etc.
3—God’s Remedy: The Cross
Jesus Christ is the only answer to this problem. He died on the cross and rose from the grave, paying the penalty for our sin and bridging the gap between God and people.
“Christ also suffered when he died for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners that he might bring us safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.” 1 Peter 3:18 (NLT)
“For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.” 1 Tim. 2:5 (NLT)
“But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8 (NLT)
4—Our Response
Believing means acknowledging our sinfulness & trusting in Jesus to bridge that gap by letting Him have control of our life.
A life that is eternal and overflowing with His love is a gift for us to receive.
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23 (NLT)
Jesus says: “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.” John 5:24 (NIV)
Is there any reason why you shouldn’t cross over to God’s side and be certain of eternal life? Read on to discover how.
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How do I accept Christ as Savior?
Admit you have sinned and are in need of Christ to be your Savior.
“For all have sinned; all fall short of God's glorious standard.” Romans 3:23 (NLT)
“There is salvation in no one else! There is no other name *(the name of Jesus) in all of heaven for people to call on to save them.” Acts 4:12 (NLT) *Italics added
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” John 14:6 (NLT)
Believe that Jesus died for you on the cross and rose from the grave.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NLT)
“Yet faith comes from listening to this message of good news—the Good News about Christ.” Romans 10:17 (NLT)
Repent: Be sorry for your sins & change the direction of your life to one of living for God.
Jesus says in the gospel of Luke: “…you will also perish unless you turn from your evil ways and turn to God.” Luke 13:3 (NLT)
“God overlooks it as long as you don't know any better--but that time is past. The unknown is now known, and he's calling for a radical life-change.” Acts 17:30 The Message Bible
Confess Jesus as Lord of your life.
“For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Romans 10:9 (NLT)
Be Baptized in His Name.
“Each of you must turn from your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38 (NLT)
“And now, why delay? Get up and be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on the name of the Lord.” Acts 22:16 (NLT)
“…all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know thatour old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Romans 6:3-7 (NIV)
6. Remain Faithful until death.
“…those who endure to the end will be saved.” Matthew 10:22b (NLT)
“…God is light and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness. We are not living in the truth. But if we are living in the light of God's presence, just as Christ is, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin.” 1 John 1:5b-7 (NLT)
We would love to be your church family! Please call us at 330-336-4NCC if you still have questions, concerns, or need directions to our church location. Return to Top
Why should I be baptized by immersion? Return to Top At Northside Christian Church, our goal is to speak only where the Bible speaks, saying no more and no less than what the Bible says. Because baptisms frequently occur in full view of guests, we are glad to provide the following Scriptures and key points to explain the meaning of Christian baptism:
At Northside, we follow Christ’s command to make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded (Matthew 28:19-20). Baptism is a Biblical response to that command as we surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
As disciples of Christ, we seek to follow His example regarding baptism. In Matthew 3:13-17, we see that Jesus came from Galileeto the to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” It is here that Jesus responded “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.
We believe that sinners are “saved by grace through faith” in Jesus Christ, whose death on the cross makes salvation possible (Romans 5:1-10, Ephesians 2:8-9). Baptism is not a human work by which we earn salvation. It is an act of an obedient faith in submission to the Lordship of Christ.
Many Biblical promises are associated with baptism including:
Being raised up with Christ through faith in the working of God (Colossians 2:12).
A uniting with the death, burial & resurrection of Christ and thus a sharing with His victory over sin & death providing us a new life in Christ. (Romans 6:3-8 & 2 Corinthians 5:17)
In New Testament times, people were baptized immediately when they came to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior (Acts 2:38, 2:41, 8:12, 8:36-38, 10:48, 16:15, 16:33, 18:8, 19:5, 22:16). Therefore, we encourage people to be baptized as soon as possible when they turn to Christ in faith and repentance. In obedience to Scripture, when people come to believe in Jesus, we urge them to “repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38).
Because baptism in the Bible is always preceded by coming to an understanding of 1) who we are…a sinner (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23b) 2) what we need…a Savior; Jesus Christ, the only way to be with God in heaven (Acts 4:12, John 14:6)3) what Jesus becomes…our Lord (Acts 2:36, Romans 10:9), we do not baptize babies or toddlers, although we strongly believe in raising children “in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”
We baptize by immersion in water because…
It fits the Biblical description of a uniting with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:1-4).
It fits the meaning of the Greek word “baptizo” referring to baptism by immersion, literally meaning to dip or to dye.
It fits the Biblical descriptions (“much water,” “going down in the water,” etc.).
It fits the historical practice embraced by Christians since the early days of the Church.
We require those who would be members of Northside to confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, their Lord and Savior, and to be baptized into His name. This is the pattern of the early church in all the Biblical examples we have. We would not be following the Scripture if we allowed less than that.
Baptism is a testimony of your union with Christ and His Body. It says in Galatians 3:26-29 – “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. And in Col. 2:12, it says “...having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”
The Key question: Although early Christians never asked this question in Scripture, people want to know the answer: “Can a person be a Christian and not be baptized?”
To say “yes” is to say more than the Bible says (Mk. 16:16, Acts 2:38, 1 Pe. 3:20-22).
To say “no” is to presume to be more than who we are…we are simply the messengers committed with a charge of the ministry of reconciliation (2 Cor. 5:18-21). It is God alone who is the only righteous Judge (2 Tim. 4:1, 4:12, 1Pe. 4:5-6) knowing the moment of each person’s salvation. Once a person claims Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, he/she yields all rights in favor of Christ’s commands for faith & life. Baptism is one of five gospel commands (of which each is of equal importance to the process as the others) He gives in regards to receiving salvation:
Believe in Jesus as God’s Son (John 3:16; Rom. 10:17)
Repenting of sins…being remorseful of and a change of direction from a sinful life (Luke 13:3; Acts 17:30-31).
Confessing Jesus as Lord (Mat. 10:32;Rom. 10:9).
Being Baptized (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 6:3-8)
Living Faithfully (Mat. 10:22; 1 John 5-9; 2 Peter 1:5-11)
The Bottom Line: We believe God intends for baptism to be a joyful, worshipful, and unifying event, not something that divides us (Ephesians 4:3). Rather than quarreling over the question, “Why must I be baptized?”, it is our goal to humbly and lovingly encourage an attitude of faith and obedience that says, “Look, here is water. Why shouldn’t I be baptized?” (Acts 8:37)
If you’d like to be baptized or explore this topic further, please call our pastoral staff at 330-336-4622. Baptisms can be arranged at different times and places. Give us a call today!
Mere Attendance vs. Membership and the True Family Life within the Body of Christ
Your spiritual growth as a part of the Body of Christ begins by making Northside your church family.As with anyone’s own physical family, this entails a deeper level of commitment, but then a greater reward is received. Church membership is very much like one’s own family. It is about belonging, being connected, growing and serving together. In a word, it’s about relationships.
It is true that when someone comes to Christ, he/she automatically becomes a “member” of the Lord’s Church. Joining a local church does not change your eternity. However, a local church, such as Northside Christian, is a God-ordained place of spiritual growth for the individuals who make up Christ’s church and the center of ministry to advance His Kingdom.
We all become players on a team whose mission is to reach its community as ambassadors for Christ. The success of any team requires commitment from all its players. A Member of the team at Northside commits to the spiritual growth of God’s team as each team member does its part (Ephesians 4:11-16). We invite you to join our team!
The Scriptural Benefits of Membership
Church membership reflects the unity prayer of Jesus for He says in John 17:21 (NLT): “My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father—that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me.” We who are made in His image find the fullness of life as we reflect the unity of the Trinity within the context of church fellowship. The church, therefore, is the earthly counterpart to the divine relationship of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. By placing membership you are saying I am united with God and His church at Northside so that the world might know Him better and bring glory to His Name.
Church membership is logical. The Greek word used for church in the Bible is “Ekklesia,” meaning “The called out ones.” The very word expresses God’s intention to call out His people from the cold dark world into the light of His love and the warmth of His church. If you are being called out of something (the world), then you are being called into something (the church). Joining a church is a natural expression to a logical conclusion.
Church membership breeds enthusiasm within the body of Christ and excitement to the rest of the community. Acts 2:47b says, “The Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” A healthy Christian community attracts people to Christ. The church’s zeal for worship and brotherly love is contagious. It says to the community, “Something is happening here. The Holy Spirit is at work in this place, it’s time to get on board.”
Church membership says, “I care.” Becoming a member of a church is a two-way commitment. The Northside Christian branch of Christ’s body and the individual Christian are both saying to each other “we’re here for you.” The local church is the way to obey the “one another” commands of the Lord in the Bible. Such commands include:
Love one another (John 13:34).
Be devoted to one another (Rom. 12:10).
Serve one another (Gal. 5:13)
Bear one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2).
Honor one another (Rom. 12:10).
Be united with one another ( 15:5).
Accept one another ( 15:7)
Forgive one another (Col. 3:13).
Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21).
Encourage one another (1 Thes. 5:11).
Church membership says, “I’ll serve.” Ephesians 4:11-16 declares that the church members are equipped with the tools necessary to serve, so that the whole church body will reach unity, knowledge & maturity in the faith. The church then produces the most effective ministry possible as each part does its work.
Church membership makes the local church efficient. There are many practical operational matters that the church cannot do very well without committed church membership. God’s desire is that: “all things be done decently and in order” (1 Cor. 14:40). Churches have to call pastors, elect elders and nominate deacons, adopt budgets, and conduct other administrative affairs. These are very important decisions. Without committed members, how then would it be possible to decide these matters “decently and in order.”
Requirements for Membership The most important thing is to become a Christian by following the steps outlined in the New Testament. These steps consist of: belief in Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior of your soul (John 3:16, Rom. 10:17); repentance of sins (Luke 13:3, Acts 17:30-31); confessing Christ as Lord (Rom. 10:9) and baptism by being completely immersed in the water in the same manner practiced by the early church (Acts 2:38 & Rom. 6:3b-7).
If you have already been immersed and you wish to join the Body here with us, then we ask you to reaffirm your faith by repeating your confession of Christ as Lord before your new church family.
A Recommended Course for Maturity in the Body of Christ at Northside
At Northside, we do not want to quickly push a guest into a membership decision that is made lightly or without careful thought and prayer.Instead, we would ask that each guest prayerfully consider and then take the following steps toward complete maturity in the family of Christ here at Northside Christian Church:
Visit the church regularly for several weeks.
Consider carefully the church’s beliefs and invite one of the staff members to visit to answer any of your questions or concerns.
Takepart in a Sunday morning Adult Bible Fellowship or other Small Group.
Get any children/youth in your family involved in youth programs.
Attend a “What We Believe” Adult Bible Study or borrow the video series.
Commit to the Lord first, and the body of Christ at Northside second. Make an educated decision for membership based on true conviction.
Attend a New to Northside class to discover your place of involvement in an ABF/Small group and to help you choose a way to serve within the Body, using your gifts as a ministry.
Share your faith by inviting friends, neighbors, work associates or loved ones to worship with us or attend other church functions.
Commit to supporting the financial needs of Northside Christian as we work together to promote the growth of Christ’s body in our surrounding community and around the world.
The staff is available to visit with you at any time to help you truly make Northside your church family and find maturity within the Body of Christ.
Q: What happens when I give the church a prayer request?
A: The requests are gathered from phone calls, shepherding sheets or emails. Requests are then sent out via email to NCC members who have chosen to participate by praying about each request. The requests are also printed on our weekly prayer sheet available at our worship services.
Q: How many people atttend NCC?
A: In 2006 our average weekly attendance was 1250.
Q: Why do you call your pastors by their first name?
A: Many come from faith communities where you called your pastor "Father" so you may wonder what to call the pastors at NCC. We are comfortable with you calling us by our first name. If you prefer your children do not do this then, Mr. is appropriate.
Q: How do I find out more information about...?
A: If you need more information about anything you can either go to the Welcome Center, check our web site at www.northsideweb.org or you can contact the NCC office at 330.336.4622.
Q: How do I receive the Newsletter?
A: Email Barbara Wells @ barbw@northsideweb.org or you can call the church office and request one. The newsletter is also available on our website.
Q: Are you a denomination?
A: We are a non-denominational church. What that means tis that we have no denominational control or hierarchy. We have no headquarters. We govern ourselves. We are independant of all other churches. We determine how to spend money and where to send our mission money. We have a group of men, called elders, who oversee our church.
While we do not belong to an official denomination, we do belong to a brotherhood of believers who are known for their commitment to the Bible. We have no man-made creed. The Bible is our only authority.
The Christian Churches/Churches of Christ are similar in what we believe and adhere to scripturally, but each chrch determines its ministry philosophy, leadership structure, where it spends its money etc.
If you would like more information on this, please contact Robin Hart @ robinh@northsideweb.org
A: We offer 3 identical worship hours on Sunday mornings. 8:30, 10:00 and 11:30 am. During each of these worship services there are childrens and youth classes available. The Jr. High and High School are encouraged to worship with us during the 1st or 3rd hour.
Q: What eactly is the invitation time?
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