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DARING TO IMAGINE

One of the greatest gifts that God has given you is the gift of imagination. Everything starts with imagination. Nothing becomes reality unless first somebody imagines it. The term "Imagineering" was copyrighted by the Disney corporation in 1967 to describe the outcome of combining imagination and engineering. Imagination is the ability to create through mental pictures. The Bible uses the phrase "sound mind" which describes an imagination dedicated to God. (2 Timothy 1:6) I believe God allows us to see things through faith that we didn’t think were possible in order to remind us of our potential. When you see Amy Purdy, you see what imagination - seeing with the eyes of faith - can do. Dancing With No Legs…
Bob Jones
February 8, 2016
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A SUNDAY IN THE LIFE OF A PASTOR

A Sunday in the life of a pastor...January 24, 2016. Awake at 5:03am - no alarm - just time to be up. Praying at our kitchen table for what the day could hold. Read the YouVersion’s Bible plan - "Digging Deeper Daily." A see-you-later kiss with Jocelyn before heading out the door on a surprisingly mild January morning. Pulling into an already filling parking lot ninety-five minutes before service time. Handshakes, smiles and hugs with staff and volunteers. Good-natured ribbing on my return from a two-week holiday. High-fives with pre-schoolers in the foyer. Pictures with a family of Patriot football fans decked out in the colors, hours before the AFC Championship game kick-off. Prayer with our ministry team before taking…
Bob Jones
January 27, 2016
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FEARLESS: THE RUTTENS and KOZAKS

Here's what two of North Pointe's missionary families know about being fearless. Brian and Val Rutten have served in Addis Abba, Ethiopia for the past 20 years. "We support Church planters into a very difficult and dangerous area in North Ethiopia where there is severe persecution from the dominant religion of the area. Many times believers have been severely hurt by those hostile to the gospel. The believers there wanted to hold special meetings, "even if it brings persecution," and they invited me to speak. I felt I should honor their wish and stand with them. They set up a small shelter of tarps in the back yard of one believer. Opposition As we entered the town and began the…
Bob Jones
January 8, 2016
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16 KEYS TO LIVING FEARLESSLY

Fear of rejection, heights, looking stupid, not getting the job, or not being good enough - whatever the fear, it can cruelly twist you out of shape. Fear may be good for keeping you safe but it will sideline your life from doing things that matter. I know that to be true because the list above holds some of my fears. I've relied on the following keys to persistently face fear. 16 Keys to Living Fearlessly Key #1 - A fearless life does not mean you fear less, it means you've found a purpose more powerful than your fears that emboldens you to act in spite of your fear. Key #2 - Living fearlessly is not acting foolishly or behaving…
Bob Jones
January 3, 2016
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FREE MOBILE BIBLE READING PLAN FOR 2016

The Bible is worth reading. I've read hundreds of books - fiction and non-fiction - the Bible has the most enduring impact on my life. In 2016 I'll read through the Bible...again. "Pastor, don't you get tired of reading the same verses year after year?" That's one reason I read through the Bible each year - the verses don't get boring because I tend to forget them. The impact of the Bible is how the same verses and familiar stories can speak to me freshly in the moment I am experiencing. They can do the same for you - that's why I hope you'll follow our Reading Plan for 2016. Digging Deeper Daily We've picked out a Bible reading plan…
Bob Jones
December 30, 2015
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THE FORCE AWAKENS

Star Wars is everywhere. The telling point for me was Jeremy Gifford’s video ad for North Pointe’s Christmas Eve service. The out takes were hilarious. He says his parched throat makes him sound like “Chewbacca.” Then he wheezed like a Wookie. I’m not a big Star Wars fan but even I didn’t need to ask, “Chew, who?” https://www.facebook.com/jeremy.c.gifford/videos/10153679898606480/ STAR WARS How big is the Star Wars phenomenon? It’s no Jedi mind trick that makes me know you’ll recognize some if not all of the following terms: “May the Force be with you.” “In a galaxy far, far away.” "Do or do not… there is no try." C3PO R2D2 Ewoks Wookies Skywalker Darth Vader Jedi Lightsabers FANTASY FICTION George Lucas created…
Bob Jones
December 17, 2015
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Kez McCorvey’s Story: Under Control

Big hits, broken bones and torn ligaments are part of the risk every pro football player takes in exchange for the promise of gridiron glory. However, its the hits off the field that can do the most damage to a player. Kez McCorvey knows about torn ligaments, crushed dreams and broken hearts. He won a National Championship in the NCAA and had careers in the NFL and CFL. Listening to McCorvey on North Pointe's 2015 Green and Gold Kick-Off Sunday, was a reminder that life, like football, can be a dangerous sport. A Born Athlete Born January 23, 1972 in Mississippi, McCorvey grew up with three siblings in a poor environment, without a father, and with his mother on welfare.…
Bob Jones
September 13, 2015
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People of the Cross: The 21 Martyrs

There they were, for all the world to see - 21 orange clad men  - kneeling on a beach. Most were Egyptians, working in Libya, trying to make some money and a future, just like the rest of us. They were captured by ISIS, tortured and threatened with death. Their crime? They were "people of the cross." Each one was given the chance to save their life by renouncing Christianity and embracing Islam. They chose to say, "No." Their last words were, "Lord Jesus Christ." People of the Cross 24-year-old Luqa Najati, a newlywed working in Libya to build a life for his family in Egypt. Najati didn’t know his wife was pregnant when he left to search for work.…
Bob Jones
August 21, 2015
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R.A. Dickey: Wherever I Wind Up

Got Blue Jays fever yet? Dickey is a Blue Jays pitcher who's got a good grip on life and a baseball. I was willing to go into extra innings to read, "Wherever I Wind Up," because I didn't want to put it down.. In what is arguably the most popular book on baseball, "Ball Four," Jim Bouton opened the doors 42 years ago to reveal what really goes on in a big league clubhouse (and hotels). R.A. Dickey does something even braver: he opens the door to the darkest moments of his life - from the sexual abuse he suffered at age 8 to his depression and the extramarital affair that almost ended his marriage. His courage in telling his…
Bob Jones
August 12, 2015
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OUR STORIES: WOMEN OF WORTH

The following are stories from the lives of women at North Pointe. Daughters...sisters...moms...wives...grammas...their struggles and their strength. Real, sometimes raw, authentic and inspiring. They are shared with the hope that they will propel you into a closer walk with the Lord. Laurie's Story: Freedom From Addiction Laurie understands what it is to descend into addiction and hopelessness. She used to live there. She also knows what’s it like to find freedom and wholeness. Laurie is a freedom fighter now – sharing her story to help others find freedom. Read more here... Rena’s Story Rena ended up in prison because of a crime committed against her. Her story earned her a place on the team of “The Sycamore Tree Project.” The…
Bob Jones
April 18, 2015