real quick…
how about the fact that 25 students came and chose baptism this year!? we’re excited about that truth and so thankful and excited for God to continue to speak and move in this generation!!
we thought you should know…
blog
ADVENT CONSPIRACY…a challenge
December 17th, 2009 | Posted in blog | No CommentsHey Parents.
Seasons Greetings. Happy Holidays. Merry Christmas. Jesus has come…and we’re pumped about that truth!
We wanted to update you on a challenge your high school student has been given this season that has enormous implications…that could prove to be life changing. We are taking part in a movement called “Advent Conspiracy.” (you can check out all kinds of information at adventconspiracy.com) This “conspiracy” is one that looks at the Christmas Story and the Christmas Season as not just an opportunity to spend lots and wrap presents and eat lots and get presents…but one that calls people to look at the God behind all this stuff and to be called to worship. It calls people to see God as the One who has given us the Good Gift of Jesus Christ…the Good Gift of hope…new life…freedom… And to respond in complete awe of this God…of this Jesus. The Christmas story of Christ, the Savior, King, Redeemer stepping into time calls us to worship and to action.
Americans spend 450 billion dollars on Christmas gifts. Most are tucked away in some corner of the house. Nothing wrong with giving gifts…we get that it feels good to give…it’s nice to show someone we care… But 450 billion dollars? Wow. Crazy right!? Another crazy stat to throw out there: it’s estimated that it would cost 10 billion dollars to SOLVE/CURE/FIX the worlds water problem.
What is the world’s water problem? (note: America is blessed by sanitation systems, water purification, etc…most of the world is not). Nearly 2 million people die a year due to water born illness. 3,900 children die each day due to lack of clean water.
THE CATCH: The Advent Conspiracy is simple… That by celebrating Christ in a new way this Christmas we (the church) can serve as the leading movement to solving the world’s water problem (see Matthew 25.31-46). SO. We are challenging our students to GIVE AND RECEIVE ONE LESS GIFT…one less material possession…and instead give their time…give their presence (relationships). How many of you would love your high school son or daughter to simply talk to you about their life…what’s important to them…etc. ? And THEN. Taking the money that would have been spent on what they would have given or received and putting that toward CLEAN WATER IN HAITI. Northside Christian Church partners with Northwest Haiti Christian Mission (nwhcm.org) to give hope to the poorest region of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.
Our hope is to not receive some money…but to shift the heart to celebrate Christ through our lifestyles. We should respond to Jesus coming to this earth with worship…awe…celebration…and a change in the things that we treasure. From material possessions…to relationships…from meaningless gifts…to something that is going to make a difference.
We are excited about what Christ has done for the world. We want to continue to share the hope found in Him!
Let us know if you have any questions… There are some very cool stories of middle and high school students who have already asked their parents to not give any presents…but presence…and to take all the money that would have been spend on sweaters and scarves…and put it towards a cause that will bring CLEAN WATER to a place in need…that will support a mission committed to making Christ known in Haiti.
Merry Christmas.
The Rising Staff
BIGSTUF INFO (2010)
November 11th, 2009 | Posted in blog | No CommentsBIGSTUF. info.
CLICK HERE: BigStuf Brochure 2010
When?
July 18-22, 2010
Where?
Panama City Beach, Florida
Boardwalk Beach Resort
Why?
a week on the beach…with friends.
experiencing God through teaching and worship…why not?
Cost?
$50 deposit and forms will hold your spot (non-refundable)
Cost: $ 339
$50 SCHOLARSHIP FOR FIRST 50 SIGN-UPS. HURRY!!!
Remaining balance due by May 13th
How?
Download the bigstuf brochure from risingtolove.com or grab it from the info table
Bring?
Bible
Journal and pen
Beach towel
Sunscreen
Flip flops
One-piece bathing suit
Spending money
Transportation?
we get to Panama City Beach, Florida by way of American Coach Services… professional drivers in plush charter buses who get paid to know how to get there in the safest way possible.
Contact?
Brent Bramer bbramer@mynorthside.com 812.542.4010
Barb Williar bwilliar@mynorthside.com 812.542.4009
our Life Groups…serving.
October 28th, 2009 | Posted in blog | No CommentsMatthew 20.28
“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve…”
Rising Parents Please Read!!!!
It is our desire to grow students through serving and to create an opportunity for life group students to put their faith in action. Starting on November 1st your student’s life group will be serving outside of their life group home once every 5 weeks. We know you see the benefits of this plan, but may have many questions at the same time. We have taken the time to make a video that shows each service location and explains all the details surrounding the life group service plan, and our heart for leading students to become the hands and feet of Christ.
Check out the web link below to see and hear all that you need to know:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPrjXxhpnB4
you can also access this video through a link on our life groups page LIFE GROUPS PAGE
If you aren’t able to check out this link please see the information below:
Where will my student be serving on their Wednesday?
There are 3 different service locations that we’ve lined up for the semester. They are the New Albany Boy’s and Girl’s Club, the Jeffersonville Boy’s and Girl’s Club, and the Haven House feeding center. Your student and their entire small group will be assigned one of these locations and will serve there the rest of the semester. The addresses for each location are:
New Albany Boys and Girls:
1721 Ekin Ave
New Albany, IN 47150-1745
812.944.4343
Jeff Boys and Girls:
1423 Pennsylvania Avenue
Jeffersonville, IN 47130
812.218.9581
Haven House:
1613 E 8th St
Jeffersonville, IN 47130-4749
812.284.3373
How will I know which place my student is supposed to go to?
Your student’s small group leader will inform you and your student of which service location to go to. They will also be sending home a schedule with your student with the dates that they will be serving for the rest of the semester.
What adult supervision will there be at my student’s service location?
Each small group leader will be with the group the day they are serving at each location. Additionally, each location will have trained staff that direct the students and leaders as they serve.
What if I am unable to take them to the service location?
We understand that transportation may become an issue from week to week. Your student’s small group leader will be glad to help with this. (meeting at Northside, your student’s small group home, etc.)
Is this safe?
Absolutely. We’ve personally visited each of the serving locations. We’ve also taken the time to build relationships with the leaders from each of the places listed above and place full confidence in our leaders to serve them
let us know if you need anything!
-the rising
DesiringGod.org
October 8th, 2009 | Posted in blog | 1 CommentA great read to encourage your walk….
Peter watched Jesus make his way toward him, washing the feet of other disciples.
It had already been a confusing Passover. Jesus had been unusually burdened, close to tears all day. The atmosphere during the meal was charged with ominous anticipation.
Peter had grown used to Jesus doing and saying unpredictable things. But what Jesus was doing now was wrong. He was the last person in the room who should be washing feet.
All of Peter’s life he had been taught that feet were dishonorable members of the body. They were usually dirty, frequently smelly, and among the most likely members to come in contact with things that the Law declared unclean.
Outside of immediate family, feet were washed by slaves and servants—ideally non-Jews so as not to subject any of the Covenant People to such humiliation.
And one never insulted an honored person by pointing one’s feet at them.
But here was the Messiah, the most honored Jew to ever walk the earth, stripped like a common slave with a towel around his waist willingly handling the unclean feet of his disciples. This was backwards. If anything, Peter should be down there washing Jesus’ feet.
When Jesus got to Peter he smiled at him and reached for his feet. Peter pulled them back. “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
Jesus loved Peter. The Rock never did anything, right or wrong, without jumping in with—or in this case withholding—both feet. He knew what Peter was thinking. So he replied, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
Unwilling to subject Jesus to such dishonor Peter said, “You shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus’ countenance became dead serious. “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
The shock of this statement stunned Peter for a second. He was trying to preserve his Master’s honor. But Jesus was essentially telling him, unless you let me bear your dishonor, your uncleanness, you can’t be my disciple.
Well, he didn’t understand what this all meant, but Peter would leave no doubt about his trust in and love for Jesus: “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
Joy radiated from Jesus’ eyes and smile. And as he washed Peter’s feet he said, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean.”
Then he paused for a moment and looked into Peter’s eyes. This beloved man was unknowingly about to face the most difficult, grievous, and glorious three days of his life. He would benefit from this reassurance: “And you are clean.”
Then his eyes dropped back to Peter’s feet and he resumed washing. “But not every one of you.”
* * *
Two lessons from this account in John 13:1-11:
First, much of the Christian life is spent trusting Jesus now and understanding him later. Jesus typically does not feel it necessary to explain on the front end why he is doing something the way he is doing it. And, like Peter, when it looks wrong to us, we are tempted to object to the Lord’s will.
God understands and is patient with our confusion and even our deep wrestling or grief. But he wants us to trust him and not grumble. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8). His purposes for bringing or not bringing certain things to pass often extend far beyond us—maybe even generations beyond us.
So during those times we need to remember Jesus’ words to Peter: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
Second, what Jesus is bringing about in the sometimes confusing, sometimes very painful work he is doing in our lives is sanctification. He is washing our feet. He not only bathes us, completely removing the guilt of our sin in his cleansing work on the cross, but in love he keeps forgiving us (1 John 1:9) and disciplines us so that we will share his holiness (Hebrews 12:10-11).
Our understanding his purposes in a particular providence tends to be not as important to God as our trust in his character. So together let’s continue to “trust in the Lord with all [our] heart, and…not lean on [our] own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). Because one day we will understand. And we will, with great joy, proclaim, “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works” (Psalm 145:17).
SEX
September 17th, 2009 | Posted in blog | No CommentsRising Parents,
We would like to bring you up to speed on what’s been happening Sunday nights at the Rising. We are in the middle of a sermon series called The Truth. The series has been an amazing journey. We started with why the truth is important and have moved through topics like, how we know God exists and why there is suffering in the world. This week, and possibly next, the sermon topic will be the Truth about Sex.
We will cover the idea that sex is a gift from God and that it is best understood and enjoyed the way He designed it to be. Each week in this series we have allowed students to text in any questions that they have about the sermon topic. These questions are screened by a high school minister and then discussed in the group setting. We would like you to know we intend to do this for the weekends discussing sex (this weekend and next).
This message, as well as all of our messages, will be available for you to listen to at this web link: http://www.risingtolove.com/?page_id=7
Our motivation this week is to take on a subject that is being abused by culture. Our society is constantly motivating students to abuse sex and use it in ways that God never designed it to be used. You can see some of the alarming statistics that motivate us at:
http://www.familyfirstaid.org/sexually-active-teens.html
http://www.sadd.org/stats.htm#sexualactivity
These statistics drive us to be God’s voice in a misguided culture. If you do not want your student to attend this service we understand, but encourage you to discuss this topic with them. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Brent Bramer: bbramer@mynorthside.com
Matt Allman: mallman@mynorthside.com
Haley Schell: hschell@mynorthside.com
online bible study tool you need to see…
September 3rd, 2009 | Posted in Uncategorized, blog | No CommentsHey Parents and Students.
wanted to pass along something we just discovered. it’s this new website EXAMEN.ME …used as an online bible study/devotional/journal. it’s really easy to use. i want to encourage you to check it out…maybe use it for your personal time with God…and pass it along to your students and friends. here’s a preview of what you will see….
closer retreat (SIGN UP NOW)
August 31st, 2009 | Posted in Uncategorized, blog | No Commentshey parents. encourage your students to sign up for the closer high school retreat! we’re headed up to a place around Seymore, Indiana called Spring Hill Camp. it’s 85 dollars. The retreat is Friday November 6 through Sunday November 8 (we’ll return around 1pm). Activities this year cost a bit extra…its 5 bucks an activity (due to how awesome they are, and they have to have staff workers for each activity). students can choose from paintball, zip-line, solo challenge, horse back riding, archery and tons more.
every year cool things happen…God moves. great worship. great teaching. life change happens. sign ups have begun!
click here for a sign up: closerSIGN-UPform
creation: some young earth/evolution stuff
August 25th, 2009 | Posted in blog | No Commentshere are some interested tidbits that argue for a young earth (between 8,000 – 12,000 years old). remember…that the word for “beginning” in Genesis 1.1 can translate “at some point” from the Hebrew. so the passage might read…in the beginning (at some point) God created the heavens and the earth… this young earth perspective is not a salvation issue, just a topic for debate. God created “at some point”. all science points to a creator…have fun with this: (and if you have any other interesting articles send them our way: bbramer@mynorthside.com)
click here: CREATION: YOUNG EARTH ETC.
LIFE GROUPS KICKOFF AUGUST 26!
August 19th, 2009 | Posted in blog | No Commentshey parents…
REMEMBER wednesday night, august 26 is LIFE GROUPS KICKOFF NIGHT in the centrum of northside christian church from 6-8pm…for stufents and parents. look forward to seeing you there!
