Posts Tagged ‘Heather Goble-Sorrells’
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
At a recent concert, there were heads bobbing to the rhythmic beat of the bass line, hands raised to the heavens, shouts of praises and ‘amens’ filling the venue. The room was packed and the mood was entirely uplifting.
I too had my head bobbing and hands raised. I didn’t care what the people behind me thought of my probably bad dance moves or the thoughts of the people in front of me on my singing abilities. Having attended non-religious concerts in the past, I can safely say that the energy of the artists and fans are equally comparable. There’s no lack of entertainment just because it’s a Christian concert.
As for the fans sitting closest to us, in front of us sat a ‘Larry the Cable Guy’ look-a-like with a camo baseball hat and cowboy boots. He was sitting next to a man with a flat billed hat cocked to the side and baggy clothes. There was every style represented in the house that night. Some were openly praising like it was just them and God, yet others were self-consciously singing quietly. Ages 4-60 were all worshipping God together in one voice.
The main artist of the concert, Toby Mac, very accurately compared the audience to a gumbo pot and says he likes “to get the black, white, brown, Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic all together and hopefully the fragrance of it is sweet to God.”
My ten-year-old was in awe when looking around the concert hall at all the people and asked, “all these people are Christians!?” I began really looking around in wonderment. Sure, it could be assumed that we were all Christians but I just didn’t know. I hoped so and that was a really overwhelmingly cool thought.
It’s possible the people in the audience are always this focused on praising God. But perhaps, and probably more likely, is that this is the most real these Christians are and the most at peace with their Christianity because this was a safe place to worship. We should strive to cut loose and be on fire for Christ 24/7 like we would at a concert.
Maybe the concert experience is what heaven will be like. No lines drawn. Judgments cast aside. Folks from all different walks of life with all different opinions worshipping together. No fear to be totally in love with the God who saves, the Jesus who walked on water, performed miracles, died and rose for us.
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place [1 Chronicles 16:25-27].
The Friday Spiritual Column is entirely the opinion of this week’s writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Northview Church as a whole.
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
The day after I wrote Obedience (Part I), on my way home from work THERE SHE WAS! The woman I’ve driven by countless times for at least six months. She walks in the rain, shine, snow, extreme high and low temperatures, you name it. All the while, I routinely drove…on…by…
But on this below freezing day with snow-covered roads and my baby in the back seat, I put on my 4-way flashers, pulled over to the right side of the road and did what God told me to do months ago; I asked her if she needed a ride. She said yes and seemed genuinely grateful for the offer.
Secretly I knew where she was going from watching someone else pick her up the day before, but asked anyway and we drove…on…by…the many footsteps it would have taken her to get to the bus stop. Even though I wanted to tell her I had seen her before and apologize for not picking her up, I didn’t because I was too ashamed of my prior selfishness.
In the two minute drive it took from pick up to drop off, I was not harmed, my son was not harmed, it didn’t take much time out of my ‘so importantly busy day’ and she seemed like a warm, friendly lady. I introduced myself and my son to her and learned that she works across the street from where I do and commutes via bus. We shared pleasantries, but nothing more. After all, how deep can you get with someone in the first two minutes of meeting them? Maybe there’s another challenge in and of itself.
I offered for her to stay in my car until the bus arrived but she declined and said thank you. Out she went back into the cold to wait for the bus. I felt an immense sense of satisfaction after doing what God called me to do, maybe more so than she probably appreciated the ride. Through serving, I was served.
After I dropped her off, Jason Gray’s song was playing on KLove:
“Jesus help us carry You
Alive in us, Your light shines through
With every act of love
We bring the Kingdom come.”
Even though this woman and I did not talk about God on this short drive, this simple act of love hopefully has opened a door for she and I to have more conversations in the future. If nothing else, she might have seen the Northview Church sticker on my car when I drove away. God gives us opportunities to love and serve others each day, friends. Will YOU be obedient?
The Tuesday Spiritual Column is entirely the opinion of this week’s writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Northview Church as a whole.
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
Nursing homes can be bleak, stale and filled with residents who feel lonely and forgotten. Northview Church is trying to bring life and light to Sunrise Senior Living in Carmel, Ind. through song and communion. Sunrise provides short-term and long-term assisted living, independent living as well as Alzheimer’s and memory care.
Northview’s partnership with Sunrise began approximately two years ago. “However, it has grown quickly in the last six months,” says Aimie Morris, Northview’s Outreach Ministry Coordinator.
When Northview attendee Aimee Dodd was younger, she would visit a nursing home with her dad, Bruce McMahon; he would play guitar and they would both sing. When Dodd saw the opportunity to serve at Sunrise through Northview’s Good Neighbor website, she talked to McMahon, who attends First United Methodist in Noblesville. They decided to jump right in.
Through this outreach ministry, Northview is able to remind the residents of God’s promise: “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 (NIV)
Dodd sees a lot of the same residents attend their worship. “Several of the residents seem to really enjoy themselves,” she says. “It is usually more of a singalong. We pass out word sheets, sing worship songs, and serve communion.”
Sunrise Senior Living in Carmel, Ind. (photo from sunriseseniorliving.com)
Dodd and McMahon typically serve at Sunrise on the third Saturday morning of the month. They plan on continuing to serve at Sunrise every month. Right now, “It is just me and my dad who go, but I am sure they would welcome others!”
If you would like to get involved with this ministry, please visit the Good Neighbor website at northviewchurch.us/goodneighbor, or contact Aimie Morris at aimie.morris@northviewchurch.us.
“Never get tired of doing little things for others. For sometimes, those little things occupy the biggest part of their heart.” – Ida Azhari
Christmas Compassion at Northview
Posted on: January 4, 2014
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
Christmas shopping, lights, presents and visits to Santa Claus are all underway the last few weeks before Christmas. In all the hustle, bustle and gift-giving madness that consumes us every December, do we ever really stop to think of those who are less fortunate? Or those who are not part of our own family and circle of friends?
Northview’s Christmas Compassion does just that and has caused a shift in the church’s mindset.
Northview’s Christmas Compassion tree (photo by Denise McCool)
This year marked the third annual Christmas Compassion which was born of other Christmas charity drives in prior years–Share the Blessing and Christmas Outside the Box. Through Christmas Compassion, Northview asks church attendees to take a tag from a Christmas tree and buy something listed on the tag. The tags are classified by age group and gender. They list a need, want and family item. Through this drive, Northview was “able to see the thankfulness from each family,” said Shanna Thompson, Northview’s Good Neighbor Coordinator.
These are some of the items families brought back to church to donate: socks, underwear, hats, gloves, clothes, toys, books, board games, diapers, wipes…and a whole host of other items!
The gifts are all going to local families in Hamilton and Marion Counties. Specifically, the gifts go to Life Centers which serve women in crisis pregnancy, Head Start of Hamilton County which provides preschool to underprivileged families, Indianapolis Public School 54, Good Samaritan Network, Brookside Community Church and a few Latino churches in downtown Indianapolis.
“Each of the families receiving the gifts are extremely thankful for each item,” said Thompson.
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
Matching negativity and accusations with kindness is not the natural worldly response. I was tested recently in a texting interaction with a nonbeliever that I had never met face-to-face. In confiding that I trust God and pull my strength from Him, I was verbally backlashed with an allegation that if I believed in God, then why didn’t I give money to help out the sender.
I was floored. Stunned. Speechless. Saddened. My heart rate quickened, my stomach churned.
I thought about reminding the sender of everything I had done for them recently and all the sacrifices I had made to help them. I considered telling them there were a lot of opportunities available, but they chose to not take them. All the negative and spiteful responses came to my head quickly so I didn’t text back right away.
Instead, I read a Psalm and a daily devotion. I polled friends on what my response should be. I sat in disbelief, unable to move on with my day. I was consumed by a type of adversity I wasn’t used to dealing with. Was the sender so lost that she would use a line similar to one Satan used with Jesus when he was being tempted in the desert? If you are the Son of Man, make water. If I was a believer, make a miracle.
Instead of responding at all, I deleted the text message. What better way to avoid the problem altogether, right? It’s not there so it didn’t happen. Crisis averted! Wrong. The sender RESENT THE MESSAGE! What? Baffled by the boldness of the sender and guilt by my initial lack of response, I prayerfully considered my response.
Instead of spouting all accusations of ungratefulness on the sender or even more Biblical trivia (since the sender didn’t seem to care about that either), I said that if I could help, I would and that I hoped to meet the sender someday. Killing her with kindness likely diffused the situation to some extent.
I read over the Psalm again and prayed. Lord, please work in the sender’s life and in all our lives to help us see You and know You more. Help us to not be wrapped up in the ways of this world. Help the sender. I don’t know how to help the sender, but You do. Bring someone into the sender’s life who can change her for Your glory.
The Psalm beat me over the head the second time. How did I miss this? Psalm 7:14 says “Whoever is pregnant with evil conceives trouble and gives birth to disillusionment.” Now I don’t think David was really talking about a pregnant person, but I was texting with a “pregnant” person who I believe is being used by the evil one. The sender is getting into trouble and in turn has disappointment, disenchantment, cynicism, letdown, discouragement – all synonyms of disillusionment. The sender’s life is this way because she doesn’t have Christ in the center of it. None of us have hope without God.
The Psalm goes on to say “Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made. The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads” Psalm 7:15-16. To me, this paints the sender’s picture, who has financial difficulties, feels downtrodden and has dug themselves into a hole emotionally and physically that they can’t seem to see the light at the end of the tunnel. She’s grasping at straws trying to get out of her situation. This is also like the concept that you reap what you sow. If you aren’t doing good with your life and following God’s plan, then you are not going to receive God’s blessings, you’ll be overcome by your own misdeeds.
Sometimes when adversity strikes and ‘killing’ the other person with kindness doesn’t work, pray and keep praying…
The above sentence was supposed to be the last line of this excerpt. But at the end of this writing, the sender reached out to me again. While it wasn’t a positive text per say, it wasn’t her telling me to get lost again. God works in mysterious ways. Perhaps He opened the line of communication between the sender and myself so I could minister to her. Perhaps He opened communication so I could step outside of my comfort zone and face the adversity that those in the mission field in highly combative religious areas of the world face daily. Lord, give me strength and give me Your words.
The Tuesday Spiritual Column is entirely the opinion of this week’s writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Northview Church as a whole.
Northview has a heart
Posted on: November 20, 2013
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
Foster children in desperate need of a family and home have been given a voice that speaks louder than words. The Heart Gallery is a traveling gallery that showcases photos of foster children in Indiana who are in need of adoption. The Gallery was started in 2007 by the Department of Child Services and is managed and coordinated by Transform Consulting Group. Amanda Lopez, President of Transform Consulting Group, says the Gallery enables “incredible children [to] share their stories and hope of joining a family and encourage families to adopt.”
Lopez, whose parents were foster parents for almost 40 years, says, “It’s wonderful to work with the Gallery to raise awareness and explain the need for adoption of foster children in Indiana.” These children are typically older, members of a sibling group, minorities and special needs kids who deserve a forever home and family—not just a temporary foster placement.
Northview Church hosted the Heart Gallery the weekend of Oct. 19/20. On this particular weekend, Lead Pastor Steve Poe spoke in his sermon about all of us being orphans and God adopting us into His family. Lopez said this was “a great opportunity for people to take a next step in helping the orphans in their community.”
![Northview hosted the Heart Gallery during Weekend Services on Oct. 19/20. The Heart Gallery showcases foster children in Indiana who need adopted. [photo by Jennifer Murphy]](https://thenorthviewblog.files.wordpress.com/2013/11/jennifer-murphy-10202013-heart-gallery.jpg)
Northview hosted the Heart Gallery during Weekend Services on Oct. 19/20. The Heart Gallery showcases foster children in Indiana who need adopted. [photo by Jennifer Murphy]
Lopez says the response to the Heart Gallery at Northview was wonderful. Approximately 30 Northview families signed up to receive more information, and others took brochures and individual child photo cards. “We would love to hear that a match was made with a Northview family!” says Lopez.
Each child has their own story, their own history and needs. Their smiling faces may be hiding past hurts, feelings of abandonment, abuse and neglect by their birth family. Lopez hopes the Gallery helps increase adoption, encourages other facilities to host a Gallery and ultimately spreads the word about these children who “dream of finding a family to call their own.”
The pictures say more than the kids themselves might vocalize: love me, help me, encourage me, feed me, support me, clothe me, teach me, want me, don’t forget me and choose me.
For more information on Indiana’s Heart Gallery, please go to www.adoptachild.in.gov. There, you can see the children available for adoption. Each child has a brief biography and most have a video to view. If you have an interest or know the perfect location for a mini-gallery, please contact indianaheartgallery@dcs.in.gov.
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
Imagine yourself walking into church, but it’s been transformed from the weekend service format into a venue for learning, worship or fun. When the event begins, you are suddenly surrounded by thousands of people looking at a stage with bright, colorful lights and big screens showing close-ups of your favorite author, speaker or singer. The amazing acoustics make you feel like you are the only one in the audience, like the show was being put on specifically for you. Now think about all the work that goes into setting up events, all the time invested to prepare, and all the behind-the-scenes things attendees don’t even notice.
Chris Tomlin performed at Northview November 2011 (photo by Kurt Hostetler)
God has gifted Northview’s Carmel campus with the perfect auditorium for hosting conferences and they are approached to host events on a regular basis. Some events have happened at North Beach as well. “Word has gotten out about the incredible facilities, video screen, etc., so there’s a lot of interest,” says Greg Wallace, Northview’s Creative Arts Pastor. On average, Northview hosts one or two conferences a year in addition to other events, which are typically sold out. These events are single day, but “that day is jam packed with an incredible lineup of speakers!” says Wallace.
With the mindset that church comes first, Wallace says they make sure the regular worship services are not hindered by a conference coming to Northview and that it’s a win-win situation for both Northview and the conference.
Northview has hosted numerous events including concerts, children’s events and women’s ministry events. Back in 2010, many families enjoyed the “Sing Yourself Silly” Veggie Tales Live event which was full of kids having a blast. In 2012, Casting Crowns was attended by many who didn’t attend Northview, but thought the auditorium was astounding.
Veggie Tales Live came to Northview November 2010
Northview also hosts events for schools, community organizations and private corporations. “Working with some of the corporate groups and schools is especially rewarding because folks who may have been away from church for years, or may never have been, can come in and see the building—especially our incredible children’s areas—and perhaps be encouraged to visit for a service,” says Wallace.
Northview has a “fantastic staff team who organize and prep events, but it’s our volunteers who make it all happen,” says Wallace. These volunteers help behind the scenes for the weekend services as well as usher, provide security, handle technology and take tickets for events. Wallace says, “Northview is a church of great people who make the great events possible!”
America’s Best Hope corporate workshop will be held at Northview’s Carmel campus on Friday, November 15, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. The purpose of this one-day conference is to build godly leaders. World-class speakers such as Francis Chan, Henry Blackaby and Patrick Lencioni will be featured throughout the day. For tickets, go to itickets.com.
Recently, Northview hosted Stephen Curtis Chapman’s concert, which was a huge hit. Stay tuned to your church bulletin since Northview is going to announce the first 2014 concert very soon!
Steven Curtis Chapman performed at Northview this past October (photo by Shayre Rivotto)
Ultimately, the reason for Northview bringing in conferences? “God has blessed us with so much, so we want to be a blessing,” says Wallace.
BY HEATHER GOBLE-SORRELLS
By choice, my husband and I flew under Northview Church’s radar for the first 3 years we attended, until Alpha, when our life of service really began. Previously, we came to weekend services, shook folks’ hands and sang with the worship band. We didn’t get involved, didn’t meet anyone and felt no real pressure to connect (despite the Northview Mission: Connecting People With God and Connecting People With People). We were seat warmers, boring and stagnant in our walks with Christ.
The incentive to try Alpha really started with the advertisement that there was childcare for our then only-child and they fed us a meal. We had questions and we might have been willing to admit we were finally ready to meet people, but the thought of someone else cooking us a meal was priceless!
When we were on our way to the very first Alpha, we were nervous and unsure of how the night would go. Questions crossed our minds, like: Were we dressed okay? What would we talk about? Were we Christian ‘enough’ to be there?
But when we arrived, we were pleasantly surprised. The guests were dressed in all sorts of styles – some going for comfort, others dressy and no one was judging us in our jeans and t-shirts. That first night we met a couple we instantly connected with, both of whom are still really good friends of ours today.
Ultimately, what we walked away with from that first night of Alpha, which is still true today, is that we were just as ‘Christian’ as the next guest. We are all on various stages of our walks with Christ, some nonbelievers, some long-time believers and others somewhere in between. Regardless, we were all accepted and welcomed into Alpha from the very first night.
The basic set up of Alpha for those who haven’t experienced it – arrive, eat lots of food with other guests, watch a sermon-like talk via video and break into small groups to talk about the video. These small groups are yours for the remainder of Alpha.
Our small group was an eclectic group of misfits, wanna-be’s and know-it-alls (aren’t we all?) who loved Christ and wanted to know more. Before Alpha, a life group sounded horribly uncomfortable and awful, but having experienced a faux life group through Alpha, we were ready. So we signed up for a Life Group at the next Spiritual Growth Campaign.
After our Alpha experience was over, we came back and served food to guests for the next several courses. This was our first real experience with volunteering in life, ever. This was an 8 week commitment that required punctuality, a pleasant attitude and a server’s heart. Some days these serving necessities did not come naturally since life gets in the way with traffic delays, hard days at work, challenging kids, sickness and just being grumpy. Thankfully God helped us through and allowed us to put on our ‘Alpha Face’ when we walked in the door.
Being around the other servers, seeing their smiling faces and giving hearts truly was infectious. We have met so many amazing people just by serving in Alpha which has helped us get connected. It’s helped our mega-church feel much smaller. Our prayer network and support system is larger than it would have ever been had we ignored God’s nudge to begin Alpha in the first place.
For us, Alpha has been the gateway ministry leading us to other ministries which we shied away from before. Alpha brought previous uninvolved, non-servers in and lit a fire of yearning we didn’t know was possible – a desire to get involved and serve regularly.
A wise “Alpha-holic” once said – we serve others because Jesus served us first. If we get out of the way and let Him, God is all about putting us outside of our comfort zones, because inside our nicely protected bubbles of our own life we are not growing spiritually and we are not connecting with His people like He’s called us to. Is God nudging you?
The Friday Spiritual Column is entirely the opinion of this week’s writer and does not necessarily reflect the view of Northview Church as a whole.
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