OUTREACH
Here at Northside we have many different outreach programs. Some of these are our community ministries, men’s and women’s ministries, and overseas Missions. Please scroll down to see some of the outreach opportunities at Northside!
CHILDREN
Our children’s ministry provides nursery, Sunday School, Children’s Church, as well as other exciting activities throughout the year.
YOUTH
Our Youth meet on Sunday mornings during our Sunday School hour, as well as monthly events during the School year. Other opportunities for youth include a Youth Evangelism Conference, Summer Missions Trip, and Summer Youth Camp.
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S MINISTRIES
Monthly prayer meetings, trips, and other activities give our men and women opportunity to come together in worship and fellowship with one another.
COMMUNITY MINISTRIES
Our goal is to be a positive influence with the Gospel in the greater Charlottesville / Albemarle area. In order to achieve this goal we participate in various community outreach opportunities including first responder events, social events with a Gospel message, as well as supporting other local ministries.
MISSIONS
About the Faith Promise Offering
Because a Christian lives with one overall purpose in mind — to glorify God, we as Christians, should want to give more and more to advance His kingdom throughout the world. A faith promise offering for missions, then, becomes an expression of obedience to Christ’s command to “make disciples of all people.”
This Faith Promise offering indicates a relationship between you and the Lord. It is a relationship of dependence upon the Lord for a financial provision through you for World Missions. Because it is a relationship between you and the Lord, individuals are not asked by the church for a contribution. Your responsibility will be to pray consistently and then, as God enables you, to give. Our encouragement to you is to pray boldly, think creatively, and then give sacrificially.
MUSIC
What is Worship?
Many believers today associate worship with music, that music is so inseparable from worship that it’s critical what style of music you use. But it’s important for us to realize that music cannot produce worship. In fact, we don’t even need music to worship. Because true worship originates from another place. True worship originates in the soul. It’s internal, not external. It’s spiritual. That’s where it begins. So then, music is not the origin of worship; it’s the product of worship. The woman at the well tried to engage Jesus in a debate over style and form. “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” But Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him.” So you see, worship is never about style and form. True worship is all about spirit and truth.
What does it look like?
In Ephesians 5:18-19 Paul writes, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” We’ve all seen the controlling effects of alcohol. Paul is saying, don’t be controlled by such worldly influences as this. But instead be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Let Him control you. And when you do, the outpouring of that will be worship, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, and always giving thanks to God for everything.” It’s thanksgiving that begins in the heart and is expressed from the heart. And then he says to “address one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” And basically all that means is use a variety of different kinds of music both old and new. So in other words, there isn’t one particular style of music that is more pleasing to the Lord. God is pleased when His people are united together in corporate worship that involves a variety ways of giving thanks to Him. And that’s our heartbeat here at Northside, through our Sanctuary Choir and other vocal and instrumental groups, to facilitate corporate expressions of thanksgiving to God, using a variety of music both old and new. Our prayer is that we might help facilitate the expression of praise that is already in your heart.