Northway Christian Community Church

Today we worshiped at Northway Christian Community Church, 12121 Perry Highway, Wexford, PA 15090, 724.935.6800, www.northway.org, Kent Chevalier, Wexford Campus Pastor.

Scripture –

Philippians 1:7, NLT –

So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News.

1 Peter 3:15-16, ESV –

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame.

Isaiah 8:13, ESV –

But the Lord of hosts, him you shall honor as holy. Let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

Matthew 10:32-33, ESV –

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.

Proverbs 15:1, ESV –

A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Bob’s thoughts:

We wanted to attend an early service today and it had been quite a while since we worshiped here. We were welcomed at the door by the usher.

I couldn’t find a cross, but one may have been hidden by the Christmas decorations.

The bass was well beyond my earplugs but I could retreat to the atrium and watch on the screens. With my hearing problems, when the volume is loud I have trouble understanding the words.

There is a lot to this campus and I had to ask how to get back into the worship area after the music ended.

The message was a Christ-inspired personal testimony of medical trials and God’s miraculous healing. I wonder how often we witness God’s intervention and fail to proclaim it loudly to all. This message was a reminder that we have a responsibility to tell what God has done. Are we living as people of hope?

It was a wake-up call from Christ for me to go back to telling what God has done in my life.

Jan’s thoughts:

It was something of a challenge to find an early worship service this first day of the new year as a number of churches were not holding a service and/or had done so Saturday evening instead. But we arrived here early enough to enjoy a cup of coffee in the café before the service began.

The message, “A New Year’s Wish – Choose Passion,” was presented by a guest, Dr. Jim Platt. He said he had planned to preach on a different topic but felt compelled to speak instead about deliverance in the face of a recent health crisis. He provided sufficient detail for those listening to recognize that he was only still present because God intervened, and stated “When God shows up, we have a responsibility to talk about it.”

After reading through 1 Peter 3:15-16, he stated that everyone in whom the Holy Spirit lives needs to be able to articulate the reasons for their faith with gentleness and kindness and without defensiveness or anger. He urged everyone to choose passion and be ready to share their story.

Our prayer for this church:

Lord, we pray this church continues to loudly proclaim Your goodness. Amen.