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Opportunities to Prepare For Marriage or refocus on Your Existing One In our world, investments are often thought of as being strictly monetary. But as believers, we know better. God values relationship - He is one! And the relationship between a husband and wife is the anchor of many lives. So investing in this relationship makes a lot of sense. We invest in relationship when we focus on it, and give it time and attention. So if you are married, or planning to be married, invest in that relationship. Northland offers ongoing opportunities for you to plan toward, focus on, or improve your marriage.
Northland’s Marriage Prep Course
Is a Wedding in Your Very Near Future?
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orthland offers a 13-week class that begins each August and January for couples planning their future together. The course covers such topics as the roles and responsibilities of marriage partners, finances, God’s plan and purpose for marriage, and blended families. This class is required for any couple seeking to be married by a Northland minister or at one of our sites. All couples — engaged, not engaged or married without the benefit of premarital counseling — are invited to join the class on Sundays, beginning August 9, 8:30 to 10:45 a.m. in The Rink of the Student Ministries and Care Center. The cost is $120 per couple. Registration closes on Monday, August 3. The registration application is available online at www.northlandchurch.net. Click on “Get Equipped” on the home page, and follow the link at the bottom for “Marriage Ministries.” Scroll down to “Marriage Preparation Class.” A copy of the application also is included in the Marriage and Wedding Preparation Guide, available at Northland’s bookstore for free. Details: Chris Kingsley (407-9497193)
Discovering God’s Vision for your Marriage Presented by Inverse Ministries, Clint and Penny Bragg
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he reconciliation of Clint and Penny Bragg’s marriage after an 11-year divorce and a 3,000-mile separation was nothing short of a modern-day miracle. Through the work of Inverse Ministries, their nonprofit organization, Clint and Penny serve as marriage missionaries, sharing their testimony with audiences, leading seminars for couples, and equipping ministry leaders across the nation. In January, they released a new book, Marriage on the Mend: Tangible Tools to Restore Your Relationship. For more information on their ministry or their 40-Day Marriage Mission Trips, visit www.inverseministries.org.
This one-day workshop is Monday, July 27, 6:45 to 9 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of the Student Ministries and Care Center. The workshop is for all couples, whether you’ve sailed through marriage or want to get your marriage on the mend. Get hands-on strategies to immediately apply to your lives together. Details and registration: reconcile@inverseministries.org. Child care is available upon request; contact Morgan Perun (407-937-1757 or morgan.perun@ northlandchurch.net)
Sunday Morning Class Opportunities Elder- and Pastor-Led
Looking for a connection that will help you live out your faith with new vigor? Consider joining a Sunday morning class at the Longwood site.
1 Peter Bible Study Sundays, 9 a.m., August 9 through November 29, room 4213 Led by Pastor Dan Lacich
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irst Peter was written to Christians who were struggling with how to live for Jesus in the midst of a culture that considered them to be outcasts. They found themselves to be out of step with a world that was increasingly hostile to the Gospel. Peter gave them encouragement and practical advice on how to be examples of God’s grace and purity in the midst of a society that opposed them and their beliefs. First Peter may be one of the most practical letters in all of the New Testament for Christians living in post-Christian America. No registration is necessary. Just show up. Details: Jamila Millette (jamila. millette@northlandchurch.net or 407-937-1832)
Challenges to Christianity Discussion group now meeting! Sundays, through September 6 11 a.m., rooms 4206-7
Facilitators: Governing elders Peter Katauskas, Ed Wood and Paul Rahill
This week’s challenging question: Doesn’t science make Scripture obsolete? Text: Romans 1:20
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r. Hunter’s sermon series “Challenges to Christianity” has sparked a lot of dialogue for Northlanders. In response, we have the unique opportunity to hear from our governing elders on those topics. This is an opportunity for you to delve deeper into the struggles of faith, and to address questions on these issues in a more personal setting. No registration is necessary. Just show up. Details: Jamila Millette (jamila.millette@northlandchurch.net or 407-937-1832)
RELEVANTREADS
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elow are some resources available in the Northland Bookstore that reflect the focus of this weekend’s worship service:
Jesus Among Other Gods: The Absolute Claims of the Christian Message, by Ravi Zacharias Have you ever heard someone say that all religions lead to the same God? Or that it doesn’t matter what you believe as long as you’re sincere? If you’re not sure how you’d respond if you heard that from a friend, pick up Jesus Among Other Gods. Also available in Youth Edition. But Don’t All Religions Lead to God? Navigating the MultiFaith Maze, by Michael Green Universalism is rampant in our postmodern society. Does it really matter what faith you follow? Yes, says Green, and he shows why. Geared toward nonbelievers, this ideal evangelism tool compares Christianity, Buddhism, Islam and other religions; offers scriptural references; answers difficult questions; and affirms that Jesus is the only pathway to God. So What’s the Difference? A Look at 20 Worldviews, Faiths and Religions and How They Compare to Christianity, by Fritz Ridenour In easy-to-understand chapters, the author explains the basic beliefs of Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, New Age and a dozen other belief systems of the world. It will help you recognize the real differences and make it easier to explain and share your faith with others. Can Evangelicals Learn From World Religions? Jesus, Revelation & Religious Traditions, by Gerald R. McDermott Here is the beginning of an evangelical theology of religions that addresses the problem of truth and revelation, and takes seriously the normative claims of other traditions. Provocative and insightful, this book will open your eyes to the God who has made Himself known among the nations. You will gain an understanding of other religions, and their search for God, and you will understand Christianity better as well. God’s Rivals: Why Has God Allowed Different Religions? Insights From the Bible and the Early Church, by Gerald R. McDermott Has God revealed Himself only to the ancient Hebrews? How did Old Testament writers view the gods of surrounding nations? Can we learn more about God by studying other world religions? What did early church fathers like Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria and Origen believe?