This past weekend I had the pleasure of meeting a couple who attended Northway for the first time. They mentioned to me that they had given up on the, “church thing,” years ago, but then ran across our TV program on Sunday nights @10:00pm on the CW. They enjoyed our program so much that they decided to give us a visit and check out the whole Northway experience.

Now get this, they drove almost 2 hours! Are you kidding me? All the way from Massachusetts! I shared with them our vision to start a location in The Berkshires. The question is not if we are coming to the Berkshires…but WHEN and WHERE? I then thanked them for making the trek and I’ll never forget the husband’s response….

Pastor Buddy, “It was d- -n well worth it!”

I said, “Excuse me, what did you say?” He said it again, “It was d- -n well worth it!

I laughed pretty hard and told him that was the best compliment we could receive. I then asked his permission to use that as our new slogan.

Northway Church…it’s d- -n well worth it!

God used this guest’s words to remind me WHY Northway Church exists. Northway Church does not exist for us. We exist for the world. Northway is a place where the unchurched, the disenfranchised , and the irreligious can find a place to call home. You remember they were the people that Jesus hung out with. Who knows? It wouldn’t surprise me if one of the fishermen that turned disciple told Jesus.

Following you, Jesus, is d- -n well worth it!

New York Times, John Noble Wilford wrote, “Mr. Aldrin’s problems began almost immediately as he struggled to adjust to life in the limelight. This made him increasingly uncomfortable, which led to erratic behavior and eventually depression and alcoholism. … In any event, he was hospitalized for severe depression.”

In Buzz’s own words he states, “Recovery was not easy. Perhaps the most challenging turnaround was accepting the need for assistance and help. Looking back at it now–with over 22 years of sobriety–this was probably one of my greatest challenges. But it has also been one of the most satisfying because it has given me a sense of comfort and ease with where I am now.”

My own take on Buzz Aldrin is this. He never dreamed his explorations would lead him to become the chairman and spokesperson for the National Association of Mental Health.

Perhaps his new mission has been more significant than his mission to the moon.

Whats your take?

Chilled summer? Not a Chance!

The summer of 2009 is record breaking for Northway Church! I wanted to share with you some of the highlights.

•    Northway Church goes International. Northway’s message goes to 22 countries!

•    86 middle School students go to camp.

•    16 accepted Jesus Christ as Savior!

•    110 High School students go to camp this next week!

•    How many will accept Christ? Please be praying for all of our students and leaders.

•    Do the math, that’s close to 200 students whose lives will never be the same!

•    Thank you for your generosity! Over 15,000 dollars came in camp scholarships!

•    We are in the process of a little extreme makeover in CP. We are making new environments where people can hang out and fellowship.

•    After months of set backs and jumping through hoops, the dreaded and dilapitated house in front of our Colonie location has been demoed!

Not a bad July! What’s next? This weekend will conclude our, “One Prayer” series followed by “Student Weekend.” You don’t want to miss this! This promises to be the most impacting service of the summer. We will be highlighting over 200 students that went to camp. We believe the Next Generation will be the greatest for Jesus Christ and after experiencing this service, you will discover why.

20 years ago I said, “I do.”

I was honored to wear my wedding ring… An outward symbol of an inward commitment of my love for my bride.

What if I told you that I didn’t want to wear my wedding ring? What if I told you that I had an arrangement with Debbie where I would just keep my love for her on the D. L. (down low)? In other words, we would know we are married but no one else would need to know. I would never declare my love for her in public.

How do you think Debbie would roll with that? Obviously, she would kick me to the curb!

In the same way Jesus told His followers to go public in their faith. How? Through baptism.

Baptism is an outward symbol of an inward commitment.

So let me ask you… Have you gone public in your faith? This weekend over 50 people are going public in their faith at Northway! There is nothing BIGGER and BETTER than BAPTISM! There is nothing like stepping out and stepping up in your faith and declaring your love for Jesus. If you haven’t gone public in your faith, let me encourage you that you still can…

Why wouldn’t you?

If you haven’t yet registered, please call 518-899-1200, or send an email to the appropriate email address below by 4:00pm this Thursday. No chance to register? Don’t worry, you will still have a chance to get baptized at the end of the service you plan on attending. We will have extra towels, t-shirts, and shorts for anyone who wants to still get baptized.

In Clifton Park - cliftonpark@northwaychurch.tv

This Easter Weekend you will have an opportunity to do something you can’t do in heaven. Invite people to Jesus! Too often the longer we claim to know Jesus the farther we drift from what He was all about!

Jesus was about PEOPLE.

Jesus was about people that everyone else overlooked. Jesus was about irreligious people, not religious. Jesus was about outsiders, not insiders. Jesus prioritized His life around people far from God and then died for them!

No matter who you are… That’s YOU!

Ironically, what once captured our heart to be a part of something bigger than us….tragically becomes just about us. Let me encourage you…you know what? Let me do more than that…let me admonish YOU. This Easter could be our last before Jesus returns. Don’t think so? Remember no one believed Jesus would rise from the dead…He DID! Most don’t live like He will return.

HE will!

What if this is your last opportunity? How would you live different this week? Who are you praying for this week? Are you praying for our services? Who are you sharing your faith with? Who are you inviting to Northway Church?

Don’t come to Northway Church alone. Bring your friends to one of our 7 services in 3 locations! Every person you meet this week is a divine appointment from God to invite someone to Jesus!

You can’t do this in heaven!

I’ve been quiet this week. I know it may appear I think out loud on my blog but the reality is I’m an internal processor.
I need time and …..

space.

I need IT to hear my soul.

I need IT to listen to Gods voice.

I need IT to rest.

I need IT to process pain.

I need IT to assess the relationships in my life.

I need IT to make sure I don’t lose

IT.

Are you an internal or external processor?

Do you know what IT is that replenishes you?

• Incredible weekend in God’s House!
• God’s house has been packed in Clifton Park and Colonie!
• Colonie had a record weekend in Feb…way to go Brian Howe and Colonie!
• I love this series…Escape!
• God is helping all of us break out and break free to what we were created to be!
• I loved today’s message on Romans 5…I think we could hear this message everyday!
• Grapple with God’s Grace.
• Went old school and invited everyone to write their garbage down and bring it forward and leave it in God’s house…amazing!
• God was honored this weekend.
• Loved celebrating communion.
• Unforgettable experience this weekend!
• Honored to have some friends attend on Saturday night…Pastor Mike Servello Sr, Pastor Gareth, and Pastor Charlie…all great men of God doing an incredible work in Utica, Rome and Albany!
• It’s such a blessing having friends in the ministry.
• God’s leading me to extend our Escape series…never have done that before.
• Did a first today…ran an indoor triathlon at the YMCA and then preached at church.
• I finished…did great…exhausted…God gave me the extra energy to speak.
• Broke our fast today with the best lasagna I have ever had!
• Shout out to Sam Abate for hooking a brother up!
• Sam you need to open up your own restaurant.
• After throwing down on carbs… I went into coma zone.

This weekend we will be incredible in God’s House.We will break thru the ticker tape and complete our Daniel Deal Fast! We’ll be celebrating communion together and have an extended time of worship and music …it’s going to be an awesome weekend in God’s House as we wrap up our Escape Series!

By the way, the last 2 weekends have been an all time HIGH attendance for January. It’s very cool to see how God is starting this year out with His church and growing us together.

Let me encourage you to invite a friend, get their early, and get a seat!

• The kick off of Christmas Illusions was phenomenal!
• Tran Siberian Orchestra has nothing on Northway worship team!
• Off the chain! Off the chain! Off the chain!
• Just once…I wish I could shred a guitar like those guys!
• I guess guitar hero is my only chance?
• Props to staging, lighting, programming, production, .…
• A lot of planning, A lot of late nights and a lot of sweat equity paid off!
• Thanks team!!!!
• Special thanks to Brian, Book, Jordan, Jeremy, Sam, and the infamous Facility Team all going the extra mile ….next level guys!!!
• God was honored in HIS HOUSE!!!
• Largest Saturday night crowd yet in Clifton Park! Crazy!
• Parking was crazy with Northern Lights
• I love seeing the church out bill the hippest concerts!
• Grateful to God to share the goodness of Jesus Christ!!
• Love discovering the secrets of joy in Philippians, and having our church do the Philippians challenge!
• My favorite book in the Bible!
• The most encouraging and positive book you will ever read.
• The Philippians challenge? Read Philippians every day up till Christmas!
• I’ll be blogging about it every day until Christmas!
• I love exclamation points!!!!!!
• Looking forward to having Christian Illusionist BJ Harris in 2 weeks!
• Can’t wait for our 6 Christmas Eve services. 23^rd 6 and 7 in Colonie
• The 24^th in CP, 4, 5, 6 and then back to Colonie for 7:00!
• Heard Colonie was crankin! Cant wait to be there the 23^rd and 24^th
• Cant wait to be in CP…we are growing like crazy!
• Grateful I didn’t cough up a lung…had bronchitis
• Grateful for leveraging technology…didn’t have the pipes to preach.
• Don’t know if you have heard….Eagles beat the Giants!
• I repeat eagles beat the Giants!
• No its not an Illusion
• In fact…. they dominated the Giants…that’s all I’m saying!
• United, Middle school and High School is growing….record attendance!!
• Kevin Murrell is building a great team!!!
• United Christmas this wed…..Dont miss it!l
• Had authentic cheesesteaks from Liberty Bell in Saratoga!
• Debbie and Natalie decorated our tree…they mixed the lights
• Is that legal?
• Eagles beat the Giants!
• Watching one my favorite movies tonight with the fam….wedding singer