Worship
Join us every Sunday to worship God and hear an inspired message from the Bible by Marvin Bryant (Minister of the Word). Sometimes Casey Lankford (Young Adult Minister), Brandyn Treat (Youth Minister) or someone else may be filling in. We have two services on Sunday, 8:30am and 11:00am. The message notes, podcast and bulletin for each Sunday are available here as well.We are an independent, non-denominational congregation who follow Jesus, we listen to the guidance of the Bible and we actively serve God in the world. We are not perfect, but we are united in our belief that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that He is at work in our city, through our church and in your life, too. We hope that you will be our guest and worship God with us this Sunday at NorthWest. Our door is open to you, and we hope you will feel welcome. We'd love for you to make this your church home.
Sun, Sep 15th
Mind Matters#1, Losing Our Minds
Our minds have an extremely important role in our relationship with God. Unless we deliberately cooperate with God, however, our minds will be spiritually unhealthy and hinder us in many ways. What is the mind, according to the Bible? And how does it get to be such a problem for us?
Sun, Sep 8th
Where Ministry Happens
Life is harder than I thought it was. We all face multiple difficulties everyday. Sometimes we are surprised by the difficulties we experience related to our faith and church. And sometimes we allow the difficulties to keep us from serving.
Sun, Sep 1st
Wisdom for Work
Work is something most all people have in common at some point in their lives. Needless to say, work can be difficult and challenging. There are many benefits and opportunities in our jobs, but there are also many ways we can go astray.
Sun, Aug 25th
Walking Alongside
Welcome to our Back to School Blessing Sunday where we pray over all the students and teachers in our church family! We are so thankful for the impact that teachers have on our kids and for the opportunity for each of us to learn through our younger generations. We'll be learning about what these truest forms of teaching are this morning together.
Sun, Aug 18th
We Must Obey God Rather than Human Beings
Our society has rules, both written and unwritten, about when and how we can talk about Christianity. Sometimes we go along with these rules and also shape the Christian message in ways that we hope will make it more acceptable to them. Doing these things may decrease the offense somewhat, but may also entail offending God! How do we navigate a good path between what people want and expect and what God has told us to do?
Sun, Aug 11th
You Have a Friend In Me
God created the concept of friendship in this world and left us with plenty of guidance throughout scripture on the matter. Today we will explore how we can become better friends in the way He intended us to be.
Sun, Aug 4th
Christianity is a Matter of ...
First Question: What does it mean to be a Christian? What does it mean to be ruled by God? Once you've come up with a summary, then a second question follows: What did you think, feel, say or do as a Christian last week? And finally, How do your answers to these two questions match up?
Sun, Jul 28th
Remembering What Matters Most
It's easy for us to get our priorities out of order. Even when we make Christianity the most important thing in our lives, we still sometimes focus on smaller aspects of it instead of the things that matter most. What matters most about Christianity is...
Sun, Jul 21st
Seven Unifying Realities
God is seeking to create one new humanity in Christ. Jesus prayed that his followers would be one as he and his father are one, so that the world would know the father sent him. Unity is really important to God and Jesus, but we struggle mightily to get along with others, even our brothers and sisters in Christ. The solution....
Sun, Jul 14th
Cross-based Unity
The key to unity is not for us all to agree on everything. Yes, we do agree on Jesus being our Lord and that he died for our sins and was raised from the dead. There are some other central truths that we all believe and that help hold us together as well. But once all that is settled, the next step toward unity is not to systematically discuss and decide the correct view on every possible issue. Rather......
Sun, Jul 7th
Dependence Day
Forget Brexit! What about Amerixit? We Americans exited Great Britain centuries ago. We had a holiday for that just last week. And I know you well enough to know how you celebrated it: You...
Sun, Jun 30th
Live The Name
Eric Davenport, our missionary from Rwanda, Africa will be bringing us the message from Exodus 34:6-8 entitled Live The Name.
Sun, Jun 23rd
Our Basic Outlook on Others
The world is complex and complicated. Sometimes our attempt to live like Christ seems complicated as well. In such times, some of the basics of following Jesus usually get overlooked, but reminding ourselves of those basics can be clarifying and helpful. What is our basic outlook on others?
Sun, Jun 16th
Worthy of Respect
Have you ever noticed in the Bible, that one of the characteristics of a society marked by rampant sin is children disobeying their parents (Romans 1:30; 2 Timothy 3:2)? How would you say the United States is doing in this regard? Where does the problem lie? Is there anything we can do about it?
Sun, Jun 9th
What We Most Need
Are you satisfied with your life? Your family? Your church? If not, what are you doing to improve matters? Are you addressing primary matters or secondary? Or even peripheral? What do we most need?
Sun, Jun 2nd
It's About Time
How does our faith in Jesus shape the way we view our time on this earth?
Sun, May 26th
The Most Important Kind of Vision
Would you rather look good or see good? And if the latter, would you rather see well physically or spiritually? And if the latter, what do you most need in order to see well spiritually? In short, what is the most important kind of vision?
Sun, May 19th
Christian Cataracts
As we age, we become more susceptible to developing cataracts. The word cataract refers to a clouding of the lenses of our eyes that makes our vision foggy and can even cause blindness. As Christians age spiritually, we can develop spiritual cataracts. How well are you seeing?
Sun, May 12th
Dear Mother
This sermon is a special tribute to the women who have led us in faith in life from the time that we were young to the present day. They are one of God's gifts to us as we walk through life together. Whether we are actually related to these women or not, we call them mom and today we will be grateful for them all.
Sun, May 5th
The Message of Mark
Sometimes we see the trees but not the forest. We focus on details but miss the big picture. Over the last four and a half years, we've seen more important details in Mark. It is imperative, however, that we also see the big picture. Do you know what it is?
Sun, Apr 28th
How the Gospel of Mark Ends
In the old days movies always turned out well. Today they often end more realistically. The story of Jesus as told by Mark may not end like you think it should. And you may be really surprised at who writes the ending.
Sun, Apr 21st
He has risen! He is not here
When is the last time you thought that someone who was convicted and executed was actually a prophet of God? Even getting arrested tends to taint a person's reputation. Jesus' humiliating death made it look like he was a fraud. But then God raised him from the dead!
Sun, Apr 14th
The Crucifixion of Christ
The crucifixion of Christ is the first half of the most significant event of all time, with His resurrection being the other half. Mark and the other Gospel writers narrate the event in a straightforward and restrained way. What does it all mean for you and me?
Sun, Apr 7th
Putting Jesus on Trial
Do people ever make false accusations against you? Do you ever catch yourself making such accusations against others? Jesus knows all about this and gives us helpful guidance about it.
Sun, Mar 31st
Freefall
This lesson covers where scripture begins to truly become dark in regards to what is happening to Jesus. Everything that Jesus has been warning His followers about is coming into play. The primary focus of the sermon will be looking at the responses of Jesus and Peter to this chain of events. It was only a few days before this event that Jesus and His disciples came into Jerusalem to the sounds of people shouting praises. Now their Messiah is being betrayed by their friend and arrested by their enemies. Peter panics while Jesus remains calm allowing these horrible events to begin to unfold.
Sun, Mar 17th
The Way of the Cross Yet Again
Two out of three in this passage "get it" and walk the way of the cross. The others don't, and Jesus rebukes them. If you were to put yourself into the account of the woman anointing Jesus in this passage, who would you be?
Sun, Mar 10th
Keep Watch!
How do you spend your time at an airport layover? Some airports certainly offer better options than others. Whatever you do, you need to make sure you're ready when your flight departs. The airport is not you final destination.
Sun, Mar 3rd
Distorted Christianity
Many societies have had the practice of a person entrusting something valuable to someone else to use or protect, then calling them to give an account of how well they did so, followed by positive or negative consequences. Do you realize God has done this with us?
Sun, Feb 24th
Unassuming Heroes
Where do you go to find out what it means to be a Christian? The Bible describes what it means, but where do you go to see one in flesh and blood? Where could you look to find someone who truly exemplifies the way of Christ? The answer may surprise you.
Sun, Feb 17th
You have to Give it to Get it
"After all is said and done, a whole lot more is said than done." Never was this more true than when churches meet to talk about a vision statement. Will our new vision at NorthWest make any real difference in what we do and how we live our lives?
Sun, Feb 10th
Developing as a Disciple at Northwest
There's something special about gathering around a campfire, especially when the weather is brisk and darkness falls. People seem to be instinctively drawn to the fire. Similarly, we need the warmth and light of God in a cold, dark world. We need to gather together in His presence to be blessed by Him and drawn together with others.
Sun, Feb 3rd
Devoted to Jesus
This Sunday is the "American professional football championship game" (wink, wink). Many of us are strongly devoted to our sports team, but unfortunately they rarely make it to the big game. We have many other devotions in our hearts and lives as well. Do you think you devoted to the right things?
Sun, Jan 27th
Deciding About Jesus
When I was young, I thought the only two real decisions I would have to make in my life were who to marry and what job to have. My, was I wrong! Some decisions do stand out, of course. The most momentous of them all is the decision we make about Jesus.
Sun, Jan 20th
Discovering Jesus
The first phase in the journey of discipleship is discovering Jesus. Do you know Him? Do you want to know Him? As Jesus himself put it, Come and see! (John 1:35-39).
Sun, Jan 13th
The Journey to Discipleship
Too often we have thought we just need to check certain boxes and then we will be right with God. Actually the goal is to become like God. And you don't get there overnight. (Luke 6:40)
Sun, Jan 6th
Developing Disciples
Most of us want to be a part of a church that is healthy, but we don't always realize we play a part in determining how healthy our church will be. If we want our church to be healthy, one of the most important things we can do is make the most important thing the most important thing. But first we have to know what the most important thing is (Matthew 28:18-20).
Sun, Dec 23rd
Peace on Earth
We all want peace on earth and to enjoy tender feelings of peace personally. Instead, we frequently see and experience conflict and fighting. How can we find peace?
Sun, Dec 16th
You're Welcome
If you have ever felt like you are the wrong age or gender or color or size or personality or anything else, I have good news: You're welcome. God welcomes people who may not be welcomed at many places in the world.
Sun, Dec 9th
Insidious is Stifling His Plan
Thousands of people around us don't know God. As a result, they are suffering personally, inflicting suffering on others, and stand to suffer terribly at the end of time. Jesus tells us what is needed.
Sun, Nov 25th
Cold Turkey
The Sunday after Thanksgiving seems like an appropriate time to think about whether we can and whether we should stop bad behaviors "cold turkey" style.
Sun, Nov 18th
Be Exalted, O God
Thanksgiving is great when things are good, but what about when they are not? Can we still give thanks? Should we? And if so, how do we do it? Psalm 57 teaches us.
Sun, Nov 11th
What does it Mean to Seek God?
Recently, Gail and I and a gazillion other people visited Israel. In some sense we were all seeking God. What did we find? And what does it even mean to seek God?
Sun, Oct 28th
Rahab-Trophy of Grace (Chris Miller)
Even the prostitute Rahab was not beyond the reach of God's grace.
Sun, Oct 21st
Who is the Messiah?
Maybe you believe Jesus is the Messiah, but what does that mean? There may be more to Messiah than you have ever thought.
Sun, Oct 14th
Not all Commands are Created Equal
Do you ever get confused about what it means to be a Christian? Jesus gives us clarity in one of the most helpful passages in the whole Bible.
Sun, Oct 7th
You Could Be Wrong
What? Did I read that right? I know others can be wrong, but me?
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Sun, Sep 30th
Giving to God what is God's (Casey Lankford)
What exactly are we giving to God?