Welcome to Northgate Community Church. We are a non-denominational, Spirit-filled community church located in Montgomery Village, Maryland, ready to serve you and your family as you join us in the worship of our risen Lord, Jesus Christ.

Come and join us in celebrating the presence and glory of our Lord!

Our Mission is to advance the Kingdom of God by making disciples who are devoted and developing followers of Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Worship is an outpouring of our hearts to God, not only in gratitude for all He has provided for our lives, but for who He is. As we offer up all that we have to Him in praise, He offers all that He has to us in love.

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February 2010

Ram's Horn Feature

The Shepherd’s Corner
By Pastor Dan Switzer, Ed.D

The Seven Pillars of Northgate

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established (Prov. 9:1; 24:3).

What are the core values of local congregational life? As the apostolic pastor at Northgate, I would like to review the seven pillars that have always stood our congregation in good stead, and helped us to offset the many “winds of doctrine” and mere “opinions of man” that prevail in our day and age.

First Pillar: The Perfection of Love: Mutual Acceptance
God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him. Love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day of Judgment because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The man who fears is not made PERFECT IN LOVE (I John 4:15-18).

Redemption is rooted in the love of God. Apart from redemptive love, man is hopeless and utterly helpless to provide peace and security for the future. Healthy congregational life and quality, inter-personal relationships are rooted in the love of God. Love casts out fear and believes the best. The essence of this love is mutual acceptance. As a congregation, we believe that loving ministry to people, and accepting people where they are at, releases personal and spiritual growth in an atmosphere of acceptance. There are three categories of love: (1) Stergos Love: family love; (2) Agape Love: foundational love; (3) Phileo Love: friendship love. The ground at the cross of Christ is level and includes all believing people in Christ regardless of social status, race, color, education or appearance.

Second Pillar: The Whole Counsel of God: Biblical Authority
I have not hesitated to preach anything that would be helpful to you, but have taught you publicly and from house to house. I have not hesitated to proclaim THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD (Acts 20:20, 27).

The Bible is inspired, authoritative and the sole basis for faith and practice. “Bible-oriented” people base ministry on a serious search and understanding of Scripture. Worship patterns, teachings, doctrinal beliefs and inter-personal relationships are rooted in and reflective of Biblical principles. New Testament believers are reluctant to embrace methodologies and doctrines that have no significant biblical basis. They seek biblical justification for their actions and beliefs. Biblical truth is redemptive, restorative, and action-responsive versus passive-acquiescent religion. We evaluate all traditions, opinions, life styles, congregational order, and personal morality in the light of clear biblical teaching.

Third Pillar: The Gospel of Grace: Positional Righteousness
If only I may complete the task of testifying to the GOSPEL OF GOD’S GRACE. Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified (Acts 20:24,32).

The Church of Jesus Christ provides specific and eternal answers to man’s need for God. Humankind is inherently sinful and needs a savior. The church is a redemptive community presenting God’s love, forgiveness, and salvation through the person and work of Christ Jesus. We discover true righteousness, not in one’s self, works, or efforts, but only in Christ. We believe in a passion to reach people, ministering to genuine needs, and leading them into the Kingdom of God. Biblical faith, victory, and overcoming are rooted in the Cross of Christ, and the believer is co-crucified in Christ. God honors the humble and gives grace to the contrite.

Fourth Pillar: A House of Prayer: Priesthood of Believers
My house will be called a HOUSE OF PRAYER, but you have made it a den of robbers. The blind and the lame came to him at the temple and he healed them. The children were shouting in the temple, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’. Jesus said, ‘From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.’ (Matt. 22:13-16; I Pet. 2:5, 6).

Prayer includes worship, praise, thanksgiving, intercession, spiritual gifts, spiritual warfare, and the ministry of reconciliation. Ministry is first to the Lord and then to one another and to self. Congregational worship is enthusiastic, spontaneous, and participatory. Worship flows between times of joyous praise to God, to moments of adoration, to moments of silence and waiting on the Lord, to speaking and receiving words of prophetic edification, exhortation, and comfort. Worship allows for diversity of ministry of spiritual gifts. Northgate’s worship allows for spontaneity and anticipation where the Spirit of God refreshes and renews with a sense of personal ministry. We believe that the energizing power of the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of the prophetic gifts will cause people who come in our midst to bow down and worship God and exclaim, “God is really among you” (I Cor. 14:22-25).

Fifth Pillar: The Imitation of Christ: Christian Discipleship
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children, and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. . . You became IMITATORS OF US AND OF THE LORD (Eph. 5:1,2; I Thess. 1:6). Compare with Matt. 11:11, 12, 25-30.

Discipleship is the central command of the Great Commission, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” The essence of discipleship is making Jesus Christ the Lord of one’s heart and life, seeking to obey his commands faithfully, and witnessing to an ever increasing circle of people about the biblical terms of the Kingdom of God. Christ’s whole life was lived to obey the Father and filled with grace and truth. A Christian disciple seeks to unlearn worldly patterns and to restructure life according to biblical patterns and teaching. New Testament leaders desire to nurture loving, serving husbands, diligent wives who honor their husbands, and obedient children who are pursuing the things of God.

Sixth Pillar: The Bond of Peace: Covenant Fellowship and Caring Nurture
Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the BOND OF PEACE. How good and pleasant it is, when brothers live together in unity . . . for there God commands a blessing. Make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Eph. 4:3; Ps. 133:1; Phil. 2:2-4).

Body life and covenantal fellowship are high priorities. The corporate assembly of saints functions best as a covenant-rooted community of saints building up each other in love. When believers live moment-by-moment in the infilling power of the Holy Spirit, they are able to function warmly and interact comfortably with one another. A pattern of fellowship emerges amidst God’s people seeking the genuine enjoyment of being together, sharing their lives, and caring one for another. The local congregation is a family. We believe it is important that believers be participants in small group relationships for the purposes of fellowship, love, outreach, care, and kingdom life (FLOCK).

Seventh Pillar: The Calling of Servanthood: Humble Ministry
Whoever wants to become great among you MUST BE YOUR SERVANT, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave. The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:26- 28). Each one of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in ts various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ (I Peter 4:10-11).

Servanthood leaders are critical to the life and forward direction of a congregation. Plurality of leadership is an important value. The New Testament pattern demonstrates preaching, teaching, shepherding and governing by a plurality of elders, in the midst of a full-functioning body of believer priests, all willing to lay down their lives unselfishly for others and for the benefit of the congregational mission. The ministries of deacons and lay ministers within congregational life provide opportunities for believers to serve the Lord. Congregants receive equipping and learn to help in one or more of the many serving roles or ministries. We appreciate each and every one of you and thank God for what He is accomplishing at Northgate to the glory of God.

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