The 1111 CHALLENGE

The 1111 Challenge is one way that we will fulfill God’s vision for us here at NBCC in having an authentic relationship with God.  The 1111 Challenge is each week to:

Worship 1 Hour

Study 1 Hour

Serve 1 Hour

Evangelize 1 Hour

Do you think you can do that?

Can you challenge yourself to be committed to God in those ways?

WORSHIP 1 HOUR

These days people think “normal” church attendance is 2/4 Sundays. 

In school, was 50% a passing grade?

Would you accept 50% of a paycheck?

Would you be friends with someone who liked you only 50% of the time?

Would your job accept your effort of only coming into work 50% of the time?

Consistent church attendance connects you with other believers on a consistent basis, allows you to regularly hear a prepared message from God’s Word, and enables you to give tithes on a consistent basis.

We have three services you can attend:

800am Inside, 830am Drive-In, 1030am Inside

Consistent worship attendance of 4/4 Sundays is possible and it takes a serious commitment to God. 

STUDY 1 HOUR

 God’s Word is at the center of much of what we do here at NBCC.  An authentic believer in Jesus Christ is someone who regularly reads God’s Word and studies it to learn how to live life.  Period.  If you are not reading God’s Word, you cannot live the Christian life effectively.  It is impossible.

It is important for you to read your Bible when you are at home.  The church should not be the only place your Bible is read.  Church should not be the only place the Bible app on your phone is opened.  You should not leave your Bible in the car so you will have in next Sunday.

 Take stock of your day and figure out when you can read your Bible for yourself.  It takes time to read.  It takes time to pray and ask God to show you what His Word means. 

Carve out 15 minutes before your day starts to read.

OR

Spend some time at lunch reading God’s Word.

OR

Make it a ritual that you read from the Bible before sleeping.

SERVE 1 HOUR

 1 Corinthians 12:11-12

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. 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.

 A basic understanding of church is that it is the Body of Christ.  As the Body of Christ, the church is made up of many parts (people).  Each part (person) has a role to play.  Each person who is part of a local gathering of believers is given a gift to use in the church.

God has brought you to NBCC for a purpose.

God has gifted you in a particular way for the benefit of God’s people who gather in this building.

Are you using your gifts?

Are you using your talents for God?

Are you just taking up space?

Are you excusing yourself from serving?

May you seek out ways to serve your God in our church!

We need you!

EVANGELIZE 1 HOUR

EVANGELISM (eee-van-gel-ism) is the on purpose telling about Jesus Christ from a believer to a person who does not believe. 

A believer can share with words orally. 

A believer can share with words written.

Sometimes Christians get this idea that “evangelism” is how we live our lives.  To be honest, that is actually an excuse of getting out of actual evangelism.  Evangelism (see above) is on purpose talking to someone or writing to someone specific about faith in Jesus Christ. 

Evangelism means a believer shares about God, Jesus Christ, saving faith, or the Christian way of life with someone who is not already a believer in Jesus Christ. 

It must be done on purpose to a specific person.

(yes that means general facebook posts do not count)

It can be done with words orally.

(yes that means you have to actually talk to someone)

It can be done with words written.

(yes that means you have to have the right words)

The Story Chapter 25 / The Greatest Question of All Time

A BBC magazine answered the “101 greatest questions of all time.”[1]  What did they include?  Well, questions like “What is OK short for?”  Answer? “OK comes from ‘oll korrect’, a deliberately misspelled writing of ‘all correct.’ It was popularized in Boston newspapers around the 1840s when it was fashionable to go around spelling things incorrectly for humorous effect.”

The #1 “greatest question” was “Where is the safest place to stand outside in a thunderstorm?”  And, in case you must know the answer, it is “A car or other enclosed metal structure is the safest place to be in a thunderstorm.”

Jesus asked a question that should have been first on the list.  He and the disciples were in Caesarea Philippi.  Call it the shopping mall of religion.  It was located in a region known as Paneon, or the home of the Greek god Pan.  Once it had been a center of Baal worship.  A temple was located there dedicated to the godhead of Caesar.  And other temples of Syrian gods dotted the landscape.

Plenty of gods to choose from in Caesarea Philippi.  So Jesus asks his disciples this question: "Who do you say I am?" (Mark 8:29).   Oh, at first he asked them what others were saying about him.  The answers came back in rapid fire:  “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.” 

But Jesus was more concerned with their answer to his question, so he asked, “Who do you say I am?”  They all looked at this homeless carpenter and thought about that question.  We don’t know how long they thought before Peter replied, “You are the Christ.”

Who do you say he is?  Have you given it much thought?  Some say he was crazy, claiming to be God but just a man.  Some say he was just another liar, that he knew exactly what he was saying but was deviously misleading those around him. 

But there are those who have said, along with Peter, that Jesus is the Christ.  He is “God in the flesh.”  He is the King.  He is the Savior.  You may know where to stand in a thunderstorm.  And you may think your life is OK.  But this week, if you have not answered this question from Jesus, then go to your own Caesarea Philippi, and let him ask you, “Who do you say that I am?” 

Your answer will be the greatest one you will ever give.

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[1] “Greatest 101 questions of all time: 1-20” found at  www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/

4696372/Greatest-101-questions-of-all-time-1-20.html

The Story Chapter 24 / Breaking Free from the Kingdom of Me

Only 14.3 acres in total land mass, it is a small kingdom unto itself.  Located in three separate areas in the United States—part in Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Northern California—you can leave the United States and enter the Republic of Molossia.  It is considered to be a micro-nation . . .  a “nation within” our nation.

Molossia has its own flag, its own signs, and its own boundary markers.  It even has its own tourist attractions.  Kevin Baugh is the president, or Sovereign, over his own little kingdom.  His space program consists of model rockets.  The basic unit of currency in Molossia is the valora. The valora is linked in value to Pillsbury Cookie Dough.  Three valora has equal value to one tube of cookie dough.

There is a railroad—model sized.  The national sport is broom ball.  And although his nation is landlocked, he claims a navy that is merely an inflatable boat. You can visit anytime you like.  But—although it sounds fun—don’t think you can move there.  He says there is not enough room.  Kevin affectionately calls his nation “The Kingdom of Me.”

Don’t laugh too quickly.  We may not have gone to the same extremes as Kevin Baugh, but we mostly live our lives as if we are rulers of our own kingdoms.  What a surprise it is when we discover that we are living in a kingdom but it is not ours.

That’s the message of Jesus.  He came saying, “The time has come.  The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news” (Mark 1:15).  Literally he says the kingdom is “at hand.”  It is that close.  All around us.  Within reach.

His kingdom is not as a nation with armies and weapons but as a farmer who comes with seed and the seed falls on soil (Mark 4:3-9).  Finding his kingdom is like finding a treasure in a field (Matt. 13:44).  And his kingdom is worry-free (Matt. 6:25-34).  Best of all, this kingdom has a king who is in control (Mark 4:35-39).  Jesus said “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. . .” (28:18). Kings say things like that.  Unlike Molassia, if you want to enter and live in this kingdom, there is room for everyone.  That’s not the problem.  There is plenty of room in this kingdom for everyone. 

But you need to know that there is only room enough on the throne of this kingdom for one King.

The Story Chapter 23 / Your Identity is the Most Beautiful Thing There Is

Imagine living your life with a false identity.  That’s what happened to Francisco Madariaga Quintela.[1] Just over 30 years ago his mother Sylvia was kidnapped by Argentine security forces.  Her husband Abel last saw his pregnant wife being pushed into a Ford Falcon by army officers dressed as civilians as she walked to catch a train on January 17, 1977.

Sylvia was placed in one of the most notorious torture centers near Buenos Aires—Campo del Mayo.  Surviving prisoners later revealed that the baby was taken away after birth and Sylvia disappeared in a short time.  The baby was taken by a military intelligence officer and adopted as Alejandro Ramiro Gallo.  The adoptive father was eventually put in prison for murder.  When he was older, Alejandro’s adoptive mother told him the truth about himself. 

In the meantime his real father Abel had joined a group called The Grandmothers of the Plaza del Mayo—a group formed to help return children who had disappeared during the late ‘70’s to their parents.  One day Alejandro went to the group.  After DNA testing a match was found and a meeting with his father—Abel—was arranged. 

Alejandro, after learning his real name was Francisco Madariaga Quintela, said, “For the first time, I know who I was. Who I am. . . . Never again will I use this name. . . . To have your identity is the most beautiful thing there is.”

Maybe you need to know your identity today.  A strong sense of identity can take you through the toughest tests.  It did for Jesus.  Just after his baptism where his lineage was stamped with these words, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased,” Jesus endured tests in the wilderness.  Satan attacked his identity three times with the phrase, “If you are the Son of God . . .” Jesus knew who he was and he changed the world so that you can know who you are and have your world changed by your faith in him. 

During a news conference where Abel Madariaga told his story, we are told “his chest heaved” as he presented his own son to the world.  Like a proud papa, God has presented his one and only Son to the world.  He wants you to believe in him so that he can, with “chest heaving full of joy,” present you as his child too.  When Satan attacks you can stand firm.  And when you need it most, you will feel his hug in a spectacular way and know that you are home.

“To have your identity is the most beautiful thing there is.”

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[1] Argentine stolen at birth, now 32, learns identity by MICHAEL WARREN, Associated Press Writer Michael Warren, Associated Press Writer – Tue Feb 23, 7:34 pm ET at http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/lt_argentina_dirty_war_children

The Story Chapter 22 / When Jesus Comes Knocking

The knock came at the door of the inn.  It was late.  We can imagine the innkeeper had been burning both ends of the candle.  The census crowd had packed Bethlehem and he had finally locked the doors for the night.

Until the knock. 

He shuffled his feet through the dark and made his way to the door.  Opening it with the slightest of cracks he peered out to see a young couple.  Looking more closely he saw a young woman who was about to give birth to a child.  Rooms were full.  It was late.  And they didn’t look very special. 

He had to decide whether he would find room for them or not.

And you will too.  John’s rendition of the birth of Christ comes in a few short words: “The Word  [logos] became flesh and made his dwelling among us” (John 1:14).  Greek hearers understood the word “logos” as the representation of God. The essence of God was found in his Word. 

Hebrew readers perked up to John’s message too.  John writes: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.”  He book ends the first sentence of his book with the phrase “in the beginning.”  They knew it as the words that began the first book of the Old Testament… Genesis. 

John writes about beginnings.  John writes about God’s very representation dwelling among us.  And he writes to tell us that we have the same decision to make as the innkeeper.  Will we find a place for Jesus in our lives or will we send him away? 

Some send him away because he looks too plain.  Nothing special about him.  Don’t make that mistake.  He comes to common places like your home and common places like your heart.

Some send him away because life is crowded.  Many demands and many deadlines.  And you’re not sure if you have room for him.  But he only comes to give you what he has already done.  He desires to give you forgiveness.

And some send him away because they think it’s too late.  They’ve already done too much that can’t be forgiven.  They’ve already gone too far away. 

But it’s never too late.  Not with the one who comes and makes his dwelling among us.  You need only to open the door.

Question About Heaven (3)

In Heaven, can we talk to God one-on-one?

            This is one of those questions we have that is not expressed in Scriptures, but we can make a pretty knowledgeable answer based on the Scriptures we do have.  Revelation 22:4-5 says, “They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.  ⁵ There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”  Add to that 1 Corinthians 13:12 which says we will see God face to face.  The picture we get is YES, we will see God face-to-face and we will be with Him.  Don’t forget that God is omnipresent and can be talking with us face-to-face and on His throne.  In fact, He can be talking to each person who ever lived face-to-face and still be everywhere all at once.  God has always been like this and even Genesis 3:8 describes God interacting with Adam and Eve on a very personal level.

            On one other note, this will be actually face-to-face and one-on-one, not like what Moses experienced.  Deuteronomy 5:4 says about Moses, “The LORD spoke to you face to face out of the fire on the mountain.”  What Moses got was just a glimmer of what Heaven will be like. 

In Heaven, how do rewards work?  Will some people have better “mansions” or “robes” than others?  How does that work?

            This is one of the most difficult questions about Heaven (in my opinion).  The issue is that there seems to be Scriptures on both sides that mentions “reward” singular indicating that everyone will get the same thing and “rewards” which seem to indicate there are levels or different rewards give to different people.

REWARDS ARE ALL EQUAL	REWARDS ARE DIFFERENT
Matthew 20:1-15	Matthew 19:28-39
Matthew 5:11-12	Matthew 6:20
Matthew 6:1-6	Matthew 16:27
Matthew 6:16-18	Matthew 25:14-30
1 Corinthians 9:24-27	Romans 2:5-6
	Proverbs 24:12
	Revelation 4:9-11

There are undoubtedly more passages than this.  These were ones that I came across in my reading.  I can’t help but notice that in my surface reading of the issue, the passages for “rewards are different” outnumber the “rewards are equal.”  BUT, Matthew 20:1-15 does seem to answer this question directly stating that everyone gets the same reward no matter when they came to faith or perhaps even how well they worked.

            I suppose the answer for me is “I don’t know.”  What is the answer for you?

Will we have to worship all day in Heaven?  I like church, but not that much.

            I know where this thought and question comes from and it is a question I have often thought of.  It comes from passages like Revelation 5 which describe constant non-stop never changing praise of God.  Heaven is pictured like never ending praise choruses that we will sing 56x through… and then we start over. 

            First of all, the short answer to this question is I HAVE NO IDEA.  This is one that I could not even guess on because the Scriptures do not address it.  There are passages however, that describe Heaven as a feast or wedding banquet and those are not non-stop singing events… unless Heaven is more like a Disney Musical which has a song every 5 minutes.  Also, Heaven is described as a place where the Earth is totally restored.  Why do all that if all of us will be around the throne singing non-stop… seems like a waste.

            Second of all, there are a couple of issues even with the question which may help us direct our thoughts about heaven and help us when it comes to worship at church.  Worship is something that does not happen only in church.  Worship is “telling God how great He is” (worth-ship) which can happen any time, any place, and many ways.  Romans 12:1-2 tells us our whole lives CAN be worship.  I sorta think that in Heaven, our whole lives WILL be worship.

Troy Borst

Associate Minister

Questions about Heaven (2)

Are there animals in Heaven? Since Jesus will return on a white horse and The Earth is a copy of Heaven, it would seem to me there are.

There are three answers/thoughts when it comes to answering this question and they are all interesting and because there is no “Thus sayest the Lord” on this one, you will have to decide for yourself or decide that it is a question that simply does not have an answer for us on this side of eternity..

The first answer would be YES, there are animals in Heaven.  You are correct, there are horses pictured in Heaven (Revelation 6, Revelation 19), but also other animals in other passages are referenced (Isaiah 11:6, Ezekiel 1) and they don’t seem to be figurative or part of some kind of poetry.  In addition, you are right, Heaven is a redeemed perfect picture of Earth and there are certainly animals here… and in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2-3).  It makes logical sense that if Heaven is a new Eden and all things are made new that animals would be a part of this Heaven.  In fact, many people who answer this question “yes” also believe that specific animals are in Heaven such as pets we have come to know and love.

The second answer would be YES, BUT.  This answer says “yes” there are animals in Heaven, “but” not specific animals.  There will be animals in Heaven, but animals created to be in Heaven for our enjoyment.  

The third answer would be NO, there are not animals in Heaven.  This “no” answer comes from an understanding of Genesis 1:26 which clearly puts human beings alone as created in God’s image (not animals).  People have eternal souls, animals do not.  Animals certainly have a spirit which animates them, but not a soul.  John talked about the differences between soul and spirit in his first sermon this month (8/4).  Based on this fact about the nature of human beings and animals, when animals die, they are gone and cease to exist all together because they do not have an eternal soul which continues as people do.

This is one of those questions where the Bible does not have a definitive answer for us.  I personally am inclined to go with answer #3 (if I must choose) because animals are not created in the image of God.  However, #2 is also quite logical because animals are indeed part of Creation and do bring so much joy!  There are good solid respectable Christian folks who answer this question differently.  I do think that Heaven will be absolutely perfect and if God so chooses to have animals there that His will is done!

Also, does The Bible say anything about what you can talk about? Both John Meisenbach and I like baseball. If we saw Mickey Mantle, would it be okay to ask him about the 1956 World Series? 

As far as I am aware, the Bible does not have any restrictions about what saints in Heaven talk about.  This is not mentioned or even hinted about.  I would assume based on the nature of Heaven’s perfection and our perfection by God on what we do read in Scripture that there is no gossip or dirty jokes and things of that nature, but other than that, no restrictions.  The key to your particular question is if Mickey Mantle was a believer in Jesus Christ.  If he was not, then you would have to settle for another baseball great who was also a Christian.  And besides, everyone knows football is the game in Heaven.