developing lifestyle worshipers

Jealousy:

The word stems from the French jalousie, formed from jaloux (jealous), and further from Low Latin zelosus (full of zeal), in turn from the Greek word ζήλος (zēlos), sometimes “jealousy”, but more often in a positive sense “emulation, ardour, zeal” ^[9][10] (with a root connoting “to boil, ferment“; or “yeast”).

The color green is often associated with jealousy and envy, from which the expressions “green with envy”, and “green-eyed monster”^[11] are derived.

The term Green-Eyed Monster, originally coined by Shakespeare, represents the envy that we feel.  The jealousy that consumes us.  The comparison that leads us to sin.  It’s a feeling that leads us to unhealthy habits.

Everyone struggles with envy.  Our culture is obsessed with comparison with the “Joneses.”  We are discontented people.

In our culture, of what are most people jealous?

Ah, Monday.  The day full of tackling projects and trying to make a difference in the world.

Today’s partial agenda: help North Side impact the world when our building’s doors are closed.

Many people see the internet as the Devil’s playground.  In many ways, it is.  While you can waste a lot of time on here and get into all types of awful stuff, there is also a potential like none other to reach people for Christ.  I have this saying: “The Church never sleeps.”  Somewhere in the world, the church is always on the move.  Through the internet, we can reach people faster and cheaper than traditional models.  Someone who works swing shifts can be impacted by the ministry of this church even if they cannot attend the Sunday service.  Someone on the other side of the world could benefit from something we post long before.

So today, I am spending some time brainstorming about how we can impact more using our website.  We have made many dramatic improvements over the years, but we still want to take it further.

Here’s a list of some ideas or possible improvements dancing around my head:

• Sermons on Video
• Whole Services on Video
• Streaming Services Live
• North Side Radio
• Online Seminary (take NSU video courses online at your convenience)
• North Side Social Network (wouldn’t replace Facebook, but a way for members to share needs, prayers, and stay connected but stay secure)
• Secure Prayer Rooms

I want your input! What do you wish we had?  What have you seen somewhere else you wish North Side did on our site?  What do you like or dislike most about the list above?

March has been an incredible month for North Side as we have gone through the series, “Who Are the People in Your Neighborhood?”

Last night in my C-Group, we got real honest about the successes and the failures that we had experienced over the last month reaching out to people who need Jesus.  While we all had things to share that we could have done better, I was so humbled to hear my guys talk about what they had done.  The Holy Spirit prompted, they responded in obedience.  I can’t imagine a greater group of guys to do life with.

We talked at length about how when we enter into spiritual conversations, God has already been at work long before we speak.  Whether it is someone’s praying grandmother, someone who has sown seed before hand, or the Holy Spirit convicting that person concerning sin, we are not starting with no foundation.  God has been on the move in that person’s life.

Great series on evangelism, but our group committed to each other that this would not just be a fad that passes as we move into another series.  We will be checking in with each other regularly concerning to whom we are reaching out.

Hope you learned a ton too!