Hey TNC, can you believe school is back in session for almost all of the Decatur area? Where has the summer gone? But school does means football season is here and GREAT fall weather! (Atleast I hope) What a great message this past Sunday as we continued our "T.R.U.E.N.O.R.T.H." series, by hearing small groups Pastor Jay Knotts speak about "Opportunities to Serve". We were designed to serve, not to be a spectator! At TrueNorth, everyone is a minister in meeting the needs of others. God saves us to serve. He has wired each of us with a passion, style, and gifts to use. Find your place, get involved, and make a difference!
Hey TrueNorth Gang,
We are over half way through the "T.R.U.E.N.O.R.T.H." series, a look at the values of our church. I hope you have not only enjoyed looking at the DNA of TrueNorth, but I hope you are learning how to infuse these values in your own life! God has a great purpose for TrueNorth and YOU are an important part of HIS plan!
This past Sunday, Tommy, Youth Pastor at TNC NA, gave us great insight into being Non-Judgmental! He reminded us that being non-judgmental towards others does not mean to overlook sin, but to look beyond it. In the Body of Christ, there has to be some degree of judgment, but not verdict. As a church, we need to hold each other accountable when we're doing wrong. However, it is not our place to downplay someone's worth, but rather to encourage them to reach their potential. If we let sin go in the Church, there is spiritual indifference, and spiritual indifference is the earmark of a church that is soon to be full of idolatry and decaying souls. If we close ourselves off from judgment, we make our life our idol. Overlooking sin causes the entire Church to beinfected.
Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast–as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:6-7).
August is here and it looks like that means we finally get 90 degree temps! It also means school and football will soon be starting! I hope you're gearing up for a great fall at TNC! Let's keep investing and inviting our fish! We won't keep growing as a church unless we keep personally inviting people to come check out the environment at TrueNorth! It's great to be part of family like TrueNorth!
We continued the "T.R.U.E.N.O.R.T.H." series this past Sunday with E-Excellence! Excellence in God's sight isn't being the best. It's doing your best. Does God only care about where are heart is in the things we do? Yes, and that is why we are to strive for excellence. How we do things is an expression of our hearts. God gave us His best in His son, Jesus, and He deserves our best in return. Salvation is a gift we cannot earn or repay, but excelling is something we should do because of God's amazing grace He has for us.
Whatever you do, work at it with all you heart, as working for the Lord, not for man, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving (Colossians 3:23-24).
Be here this Sunday, as we talk about "Nonjudgemental"! It's going to be a great Sunday!
Have a great week and stay cool! Maybe I'll see you at the Decatur Celebration! Wear your TrueNorth T-shirt!
Love each of you!
Shane
LIFT UP, LOVE IN, LIVE OUT
