or because it looked nice. You get on a bus because it’s going to where you need to go. This is like finding a church. If you want to become part of a church, make sure it’s the one God told you to join and/or make sure its going to the right place.
At the very heart of our vision is the desire to see people saved, healed and restored to a place of abundance through a relationship with God the Father, where they too can bring others to Christ.
In Matthew 28:18-19, Jesus gives us the Great Commission, inviting us to reach peoples, tribes, languages, and entire nations with the good news of salvation.
We have taken the model and vision that Pastor Cesar Castellanos from Colombia established. The G12 vision has gone into many different nations now and thousands are being saved. Northwest is covered by a church in Peru which implemented this vision, and in 7 years grew from 3,000 to 100,000. Now that's growth!
The small groups allow us to share the Gospel and minister to others on a more personal level. Each group has no more than 12 people in it, just as Jesus had 12 that he loved, mentored and sent. Each person in that group then has the opportunity to grow a small group of 12 whom they love, mentor and send.
God wants every believer to know His power through His Spirit, and He freely gives it! This power is the power of salvation, of blessing, of growth, of healing and of restored relationships in every believer’s life. He wants us to use this power to win people—even entire nations—to Christ. We are called to spiritual warfare (Joel 3:9-10), to pray and to be instrumental in pulling down the devil's strongholds over people so they can live an abundantly free life in Jesus.
We are allowing God's power to be established through everything we do at Northwest. It’s really exciting….doors are being opened, and people are experiencing the revelation of the cross and God’s purpose in their lives. This is the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
I. WHAT WE BELIEVE
1 Tim. 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.
Romans 14:1, 4,12,22 "Accept him whose faith is weak, without passing judgment on disputable matters...Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls...So then each of us will give an account of himself to God...So whatever you believe about these things keep between yourself and God."
1 Cor. 13:2(Ph) ...If I hold in my mind not only all human knowledge but also the very secrets of God, and if I have the faith that can move mountains - but have no love, I amount to nothing at all.
II. THE ESSENTIALS WE BELIEVE
God is the Creator and Ruler of the universe. He has eternally existed in three personalities: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three are co-equal and are one God.
Genesis 1:1,26,27; 3:22; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Cor. 13:14
Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all people by dying on a cross. He rose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heaven's glory and will return again someday to earth to reign as King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.
Matthew 1:22,23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5, 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14,15; 1 Cor. 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Tim. 6:14,15; Titus 2:13.
The Holy Spirit is co-equal with the Father and the Son of God. He is present in the world to make men aware of their need for Jesus Christ. He also lives in every Christian from the moment of salvation. He provides the Christian with power for living, understanding of spiritual truth, and guidance in doing what is right. He gives every believer a spiritual gift when they are saved. As Christians we seek to live under His control daily.
2 Cor. 3:17; John 16:7-13, 14:16,17; Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:12, 3:16; Eph. 1:13; Gal. 5:25; Eph. 5:18
The Bible is God's Word to us. It was written by human authors, under the supernatural guidance of the Holy Spirit. It is the supreme source of truth for Christian beliefs and living. Because it is inspired by God, it is the truth without any mixture of error.
People are made in the spiritual image of God, to be like Him in character. People are the supreme object of God's creation. Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called "sin". This attitude separates people from God and causes many problems in life.
Gen. 1:27; Psalm 8:3-6; Isaiah 53:6a; Rom. 3:23; Isaiah 59:1,2
Salvation is God's free gift to us and we must accept it. We can never make up for our sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can anyone be saved from sin's penalty. When we turn from our self-ruled life and turn to Jesus in faith we are saved. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.
Rom. 6:23; Eph. 2:8,9; John 14:6, 1:12; Titus 3:5; Gal. 3:26; Rom. 5:1
People were created to exist forever. We will either exist eternally separated from God by sin, or eternally with God through forgiveness and salvation. To be eternally separated from God is Hell. To be eternally in union with Him is eternal life. Heaven and Hell are real places of eternal existence.
John 3:16; 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:11-13; Rom. 6:23; Rev. 20:15
Founders and pastors of Northwest Community Church, they are natives of Orlando, Florida and have 4 children: Crystal, Sarah, Aslinn and Jared.
Peter serves as the associate pastor and leads the music department at Northwest. He moved to Orlando from Scotland in 1996. Crystal is daughter to Mark & Crystal Evans. Children: Cael.
Northwest started out as a small church called Directions Fellowship in Orlando, Florida. Pastors Mark & Crystal based the church on the small-group concept believing that real church community, spiritual and physical, is found in large family-sized groups. Since then, this concept remains foundational to Northwest's strengths as it has branched into diverse ministries, missions, arts and music.
WHAT WE PRACTICE
2 Tim. 3:15 "The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and make us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps us to do what is right."
Since God's Word is the only completely reliable and truthful authority, we accept the Bible as our manual for living.
Col. 1:18 (GN) "Christ is the head of his Body, the church. He is the source of the Body's life...
Rev. 1:6 (GN) "Christ loves us, and by his death he has freed us from our sins and made us a kingdom of priests to serve God..."
1 Peter 2:9 (GN) "You are... the King's priests ...God’s own people, chosen to proclaim the wonderful acts of God."
Lev. 26:30 "A tithe of everything you produce belongs to the Lord; it is holy to the Lord."
Col. 2:12 (GN) For when you were baptized, you were buried with Christ, and in baptism you were also raised with Christ..."
John 15:5 (Jesus said) "I am the Vine, you are the branches. If you abide in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; but apart from me you can do nothing."
We believe the only way possible to live the Christian life is by God's power within us. So we seek to practice a daily dependence on God's Spirit to enable us to do what is right. (Phil. 2:13, Eph. 5:18)
1 Peter 3:15 "Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have."
