Friday, February 21, 2025
Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you also were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:1-6
A History of Fellowship and Service to the Community
A couple of years ago North Side Baptist Church celebrated 125 years of knowing God and making Him known, not only in our community, but across America and to other countries as well. We are a fellowship on a mission and with a vision for the future. As Weatherford has grown, we have risen to the challenge of meeting the needs of a growing community and we continue to meet those needs. We have a heart to not only provide space for the community to worship, but we want to meet the needs of the people in the community right where they are. We want to minister to their hearts and meet physical needs as well and we strive to be responsible to steward His purpose for us in complete surrender.
As North Side grew, our shared vision became a powerful vision. Unity was more than a word; it was part of our DNA. Being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3 The responsibility is there in those words. As believers, we are to provide a climate of fellowship, an atmosphere of love, hospitality, holiness, and humility.
Climate of Fellowship – Fellowship is so important to us as believers. We need one another to build each other up when we are going through tough times, to encourage one another, to pray together, and to worship together- and to be an example to the community we live in.
Atmosphere of Love – As the love of Christ overflows in our own lives, it flows to those around us. His character, His nature, genuine and never forced. In a church, this kind of love provides a safe place to be vulnerable before the Lord and others as the need is felt. It creates a space for people to feel they can always come to God and be loved and accepted no matter what. When you don’t feel loved, you feel unsafe. You feel fear. Our God is a God of comfort, and He is accessible to all people at all times. As His church, we want to extend this atmosphere of love to everyone, inside and outside our walls.
Hospitality – The church is a sanctuary for all. It is not a place to come and hide from sin, but a place to come bearing the sin and burdens we carry and lay them at His feet. The hospitality of the church is to extend the hands and feet of Jesus to all. To love unconditionally as Jesus does and to serve others in His name.
Holiness – Church can be seen by some as a social club, but a good church provides opportunities for deep spiritual growth. It is also important to provide growth at all stages – for new Christians to mature Christians. Some Christians have a casualness about their relationship with God today. We should always feel like we have access to Him no matter what, but we should never forget His holiness.
Humility – Jesus washed the disciples’ feet to model humility for us in John 13:12-15 - So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. "For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. He wanted us to realize that if He – the King of Kings and Lord of Lords - could wash feet, then we should be ready to do the same for others. Serving in humility will bring us closer to holiness. Realizing the humility Jesus modeled and the sacrifice He made on the cross for us is the beginning of knowing what holiness is. You can do all you can to get right with God – but you still have to humble yourself and let Him wash your feet. It is all about what He does for us, not what we do for ourselves.
The response of people to a church will be greatly determined by the way they "feel" as they worship with the members and how engaged we are with the community and culture around us. North Side Baptist Church has made it a priority to create an atmosphere where guests feel welcomed and accepted and where members can grow and thrive in their relationship with God and in service with the church. Now we are in a new era, moving forward launched off the past 125+ years. We have new core values and new leadership, who are committed to all the great new things that God has in store for us as we move forward. For over a century, our unity of commitment, vision, and fellowship has welcomed the new and cared for the established members of both the community around it and the community inside its walls.
