What We Believe
Salvation
“In its most basic sense, salvation is the saving of a life from death or harm. Scripture, particularly the New Testament, extends salvation to include deliverance from the penalty and power of sin (Holman Bible Dictionary)." When pondering the meaning of salvation, most people think about the soul, heaven, and eternity. Questions are often asked, such as “How can I have salvation?”, “How do I get to heaven?”, “Can I really know God?" There are many answers, but not all are correct. A wrong answer to these questions can be devastating and will lead a person down many disappointing and frustrating paths. On the other hand, finding the truth leads to a life of inner peace and lifelong purpose. Let’s look at some of the misconceptions and then look to the Bible for the truth.
COMMON MISCONCEPTION #1
“I’m as good as the next person. I try to live a good life and let others live their lives.”
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THE TRUTH:
You can never be good enough to earn salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.” Grace is the gift of undeserved forgiveness, mercy, and love of God. You and I need this grace. We could never do enough to earn it, or be good enough to deserve it.
In other words, we must Admit that we’ve done wrong and need a savior. Simple? Yes! Easy? No! Our pride fights us every step of the way. Admit that I’ve done wrong? Admit that I need a savior? That’s tough. Yes it is, but we’re all in the same boat. We read these words in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. . .” That’s the bad news.
The good news is found in the very next verse: Romans 3:24, “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” One definition of redemption is “to pay the required price to secure the release of a convicted criminal.” We’ve all done wrong, but Jesus loved us so much he was willing to die on a cross to secure our salvation.
COMMON MISCONCEPTION #2
“We are all trying to get to the same place. There are many paths to God, just pick the one that works for you.”
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THE TRUTH:
All paths do not lead to God. In John 14:6, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Some see this statement as exclusive and intolerant. In reality, God wants to include everyone, yet he allows individuals the freedom to choose. We see this in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Did you notice that “God so loved the world, that whoever believes in him would not perish”? God wants everyone to know his love so he simplified things for us by giving us one path to salvation.
We don’t have to become a student of world religions and then try to discern which ones give us the best shot at God. The Bible is the revealed truth of God, and as such, can be completely trusted to guide us to true salvation. While God wants everyone to be saved, some opt out by refusing to accept his free gift. In order to receive we must Believe. We read in Romans 10:9, “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
COMMON MISCONCEPTION #3
“I was raised in church. My family has always been church people and I go when I can.”
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THE TRUTH:
God desires a personal relationship with you! Many people think that a religious upbringing or church attendance is all that is needed for salvation. However, true salvation is based on a personal relationship with God. In order for this relationship to begin, we must Commit our lives to Christ and receive him as our personal savior. We read in John 1:12, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God . . .”
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God loves us, desires to save us, and has a wonderful plan for our lives, but he will not force his love on us. We must choose. Romans 10:12-13 says, “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” All good relationships are based on trust. When we call on the name of the Lord and commit our lives to him, we are placing our trust in him. We are trusting in his love, grace, forgiveness, righteousness, faithfulness, and gift of salvation.
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Admit, Believe, Commit! We call this the A, B, C’s of salvation. Admit you need a savior. Believe that Jesus sacrificed his life for you on the cross. Commit your life to God by calling on his name and receiving all that comes from being a child of God, most importantly, SALVATION. Here’s a sample prayer: Jesus, I admit I have done wrong and I need forgiveness. I need a savior. I believe you gave your life on an old rugged cross and took the punishment for the wrong things I have done. You must love me so much and I’m thankful. I commit my life to you and ask you to come into my heart and life. With your Spirit and strength, I will live my life for you. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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May God bless you as you grow daily in your relationship with Him!
Baptism
What is Baptism?
As described in the Baptist Faith and Message: Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. It is an act of obedience symbolizing the believer’s faith in a crucified, buried, and risen Savior, the believer’s death to sin, the burial of the old life, and the resurrection to walk in newness of life in Christ Jesus. It is a testimony to a believer’s faith in the final resurrection of the dead. We believe baptism to be a conscious choice of the believer to follow, in obedience, the commands of Christ.
Baptism "Paints a Picture”
Our pastor, Bro. Larry McEwen, describes baptism as, "painting a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.” Baptism is an obedient, symbolic act which ascribes honor to God when fulfilled in accordance to the Holy Scriptures. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward experience. That inward experience is accepting Christ as your Savior. Baptism symbolizes Jesus’ death and burial when the individual for baptism is immersed under the water. It symbolizes Jesus’ resurrection, and our new life, when the individual is raised out of the water.
Who Should be Baptized?
As Baptists, we at Northshore Church practice “Believer’s Baptism.” A “believer” is one who has accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. According to Acts 2:38, only those who had repented of their sins should be baptized. Though infant baptism is predominate in many religions, we do not perform infant baptism.
Why be Baptized?
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To follow the example set by Jesus . . . Mark 1:9
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Because Christ Commands it . . . Matthew 28:19-20
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It demonstrates a belief in the Lord . . . Acts 18:8
Why be Baptized by Immersion?
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Because Jesus was baptized that way . . . Matthew 3:16
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Every baptism in the Bible was by immersion . . . Acts 8:38-39
Additional Biblical References:
Matthew 3:13-17, 26:26-30, 28:19-20; Mark 1:9-11, 14:22-26; Luke 3:21-22, 22:19-20; John 3:23; Acts 2:41, 8:35-39, 16:30-33, 20:7; Romans 6:3-5; 1 Corinthians 10:16, 21; 11:23-29; Colossians 2:12
Understanding Purpose - Our Mission
Northshore Church exists to transform worship, people and the world!
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The Northshore Process
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COME to Worship - Worship is a lifestyle rooted in a relationship with God. Worship can involve singing, praising and prayer, but true worship is a lifestyle that extends beyond corporate worship on Sunday mornings.
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CONNECT to a Community Group - God calls the church a “family” and gives us specific instructions on how we are to love, support and encourage on another. The Bible states that Christians will be known by the way they love one another (John 13:33,34).
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COMMIT to the Mission - Jesus is the perfect example of love, character, attitude, spiritual discipline and service. Therefore, Christians are to strive daily to grow in his likeness as his disciple (follower or student). An outflow of this relationship is our desire to serve others out of our love for God. We accomplish this by communicating the gospel of Jesus in word and deed in our relationships with others through the leading of the Holy Spirit.
Other Frequent Questions
What denomination is NSC?
Northshore Church is a voluntary member of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC). We support the SBC Cooperative Program and are active in our local and state associational levels (more info at www.sbc.net). More importantly, our SBC affiliation gives our church accountability.
What is the Cooperative Program?
The Cooperative Program (CP) is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention in which individuals, churches, state conventions, and SBC entities cooperate to achieve a common goal: The Great Commission. The CP supports a variety of missions: evangelism efforts, children’s homes, volunteer missions, colleges and universities, camps, foreign and home missions, and more. Northshore’s contribution to the Cooperative Program is 10% of the tithes of Covenant Members and gifts of others.
How can I get involved in ministry at NSC?
While you do not have to be Covenant Member to be involved in ministry at Northshore, all Leadership Team Members, lead teachers, and Ministry Team leaders must be Covenant Members. If you feel called to serve, JOIN! Sign up for Northshore Orientation, where you will be given the opportunity to join NSC.
Who makes the decisions at NSC?
God is our ultimate guide. We follow His leadership in order to determine the path set forth by Him for Northshore Church. Decisions are made by the Covenant Membership of Northshore Church. The Covenant Membership is guided by the Staff and a Leadership Team. The Membership empowers the Staff, Leadership Team, and Ministry Teams to make decisions in certain areas.
What kind of missions activities is NSC involved in?
We financially support the Cooperative Program by sending 10% of our tithes every month, and we financially support our Associational Missions by sending 2% of our tithes every month. We also support one new church plant per year. In addition, Northshore Church participates in foreign mission trips to places such as Haiti and Guatemala each year. Locally, we are committed to serving our community in a variety of ways. To view these opportunities, visit our Serve In the Community page.
How are the ministries supported financially at NSC?
Northshore Church operates solely from the tithes and offerings of its Covenant Members as well as gifts received from other individuals. What are tithes and offerings? Why do we give tithes and offerings? A “tithe” is recognized as 10% of an individuals income which is offered to God as an act of gratitude for all that He has given us. An “offering” is anything above and beyond a tithe. We give tithes and offerings in obedience to God’s Word. The Bible teaches that everything we have comes from God. We simply offer part of what God has given us back to Him to be used in His ministry. God doesn’t need or want our money, He simply wants our obedience.
What if I have more questions?
We don’t want to leave any question unanswered, so here are ways that you can learn even more about Northshore Church! Set up a visit with the Pastor or another Staff member by filling out a communication card and placing it in the offering basket or by contacting us via phone or email.