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Be Led. Go Lead.

We are currently accepting applications for our 2013-2014 class of NCC Proteges. The Protege Program was launched 5 years ago to develop the next generation of leaders in the character they need to sustain their calling and in the gifts God has given them to fulfill their calling.

As a protégé, you will choose a ministry department to focus your efforts throughout the year. You will be assigned a mentor within your department that will work alongside of you throughout the year. If you love kids- we’ve got them, and we want you to help us create environments for them and teach truth to them! If you are passionate about seeing the marketplace and the church collide, we would love for you to experience the management behind Ebenezers coffeehouse. If you love creating environments where community is built and transformational growth happens, our discipleship team would love to take your passion even further! Love creating videos? Our media team wants to invest in your talent to tell the story of God through moving pictures. If you are a worship leader, we would love to pair you up with other talented and anointed worship leaders that want to take your gifts to the next level!

Additionally, Proteges meet in huddles once a week for ongoing discipleship training and leadership development in a small group environment that focuses on topics such as Leading Yourself Well, Character Killers, Dreaming God-sized Dreams, and Leadership Rhythms.

Apply today here.

May 2nd, 2013 [ Tags: ] Leave a comment

Why Now?

When it comes to baptism, the question is often not “Why Now?” but “Why Not?”

We are preparing for our upcoming Easter Baptism, and every year I have numerous conversations with people about whether or not it is the “right time” to get baptized. My perspective: The moment you make the decision to follow Jesus Christ is the right time to get baptized. It’s about obedience. If we want to follow him, that’s the first step we take.

Many times, we make baptism about us. When is the right time? When is the right environment? When will I feel good about it? There’s often a desire to “get my act together” before getting baptized. Or a hope that we can “make this whole Jesus thing stick” before we get baptized. I think that’s backwards.

Baptism is not about us doing something for God. It’s about recognizing what God has already done for us. Baptism is not an opportunity for us to get wet to prove to God that we love him. It’s a picture of new life God has raised us to in Christ. We don’t wait until we get our act together to make sure the Jesus thing sticks or that we are in a place where we are right with God. We follow immediately– it’s an act of obedience and surrender to and identification with Christ.

In Acts 8, the Ethiopian man was captivated by Isaiah and the fulfillment of its promise in Jesus Christ. His response: “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?”

If you’ve made the decision to follow Christ, the time is now. Why not?

March 8th, 2013 [ Tags: ] Leave a comment

God’s Classroom

It has been said that a tourist passes through the land, while a pilgrim lets the land pass through himself. There’s a big difference between merely exploring these lands and allowing this physical space to transform one’s heart and mind.

We spent today in the archaeological site of Biblical Beersheva and the Wilderness of Zin. One of our guides mentioned that the wilderness often became God’s classroom with three primary lessons.

In the desert, one learned humility. There are no lone rangers there; it requires living in community and humility towards one another. Scripture states that Moses was the most humble man who lived. It’s notable that he spent 40 years in the desert before the Exodus. And a considerable amount of time there afterwards, as well.

The desert also becomes a place of hospitality. Even modern Bedouins are known for the hospitality they display to guests. For instance, a Bedouin may serve a guest up to three days without expectation of even learning their guest’s name. In Genesis 18, Abraham extended hospitality to three guests in the desert, and he received the presence and blessing of God as a result.

Finally, the desert is a place to learn patience.  Moses waited forty years. Abraham waited decades. Jesus endured temptation. We can afford to trust God’s timing, and we often learn that lesson with some time in the desert.

February 25th, 2013 [ Tags: , , , , , , ] 2 Comments