Worry.

Do you worry?

What things do you worry about most?

~jame

Illustrations.

I get back from the Drive conference only to find out that my daughter now has a favorite YouTube video my Father introduced to her while we were away.

I gotta tell you, the more we watch it (which is quite a lot) the more I view it as an illustration for so many things. 

Maybe it's just me but when I watch it I think about:

• This is what happened when people came into contact with Jesus.
  
• The early church.
• What will happen when we "Invest and Invite".
• How God want's to use me.
• How God wants to use NorthBridge Church.

Maybe it'll preach someday.  Until then, what does it make you think about?

~jame

Can You Imagine?

I received the email below from Mike Schulz, a regular NorthBridge attendee and volunteer.  Mike's a numbers guy, you need to know that right up front.  In fact, Mike just finished leading our first ever "Financial Peace University" class two weeks ago.  My prayer is that through reading Mike's message you would not only be inspired and challenged, as I was, but that you would also begin to dream BIG dreams and Imagine with us the exciting future God has in store for this church and those who live in the surrounding area.
~jame

I caught myself dreaming the other day after reading the fine print on the back of the Sunday bulletin that shows Northbridge's monthly giving and monthly expenses.  Giving was $27,000 in March across the 150 of us (adults only) that come to worship each Sunday.  How incredible that a church that didn't even exist a year ago is receiving that much money in contributions!  Being a numbers guy, my mind started doing some math.  $27,000 is about $180/person or $360/couple.  What if everyone gave an extra $20 per month (i.e. $5 per week)?  That's $3,000.  All of a sudden Northbridge would be covering our full $30,000/month in expenses for the same price as a #1 combo meal at Chick-fil-a.  Consider doubling that to an extra $10/person each week and Northbridge would cover it's full expenses and have an extra $3,000 leftover each month.  That's $36,000 per year!!  That's not chump change.  How much good could we do for our community if we had $36,000 to spend?  That's a fun question to answer!  Dream with me for a minute... 

• That's enough money to buy all the groceries a family would need for a full year for 10 families.

• or enough to give seven $5,000 cars to people who don't have a car so they could drive themselves to a higher paying job in Pittsburgh.

• or enough to buy 360 bikes for kids of needy families at Christmas.

• or enough to pay 200-300 monthly electric or gas bills for families who don't have enough income to cover their utility bills.

Any of these can be made possible when 150 unrelated people, who choose to worship our incredible God in a local public school, decide to put an extra $10/week into an offering bucket.  Crazy.  We are Northbridge, you & I, and we've been blessed with that power...the power to change lives here in Cranberry (and Zelie and Wexford and...) that may never step foot inside Haine School on Sunday but who would never forget the loving embrace of our Savior.  

Mike