Nansemond River Baptist Church

TABLE OF 3 CONTENTS 4 6 WELCOME 8 ABOUT US 12 WHAT WE BELIEVE 14 TEAM LEADERSHIP 16 SMALL GROUPS 18 CORE COMPETENCIES 20 PRAY. SEND. GO. 22 PARTNERING TO SERVE 26 COVENANT MEMBERSHIP 28 MINISTRY & DISCIPLESHIP LAST YEAR BY THE NUMBERS WILL YOU PARTNER WITH US?2

WELCOMENansemond River Baptist Church has played an important role in NorthSuffolk and the surrounding communities for more than 50 years. Rooted indecades of ministry, NRBC is reaching into the future as the local communitycontinues to grow.With ministries for the whole family, NRBC wants to connect every personto God, a faith community, and the mission God has for their life.2015 was a big year in the life of our church. Ryan Brice joined the team asour new lead pastor. With his gifts and leadership we have watched Godcontinue to clarify our vision, expand our impact in the world, and bring newpeople to the church. In 2015 we also launched our “Pray. Send. Go.” initiativeto underwrite our mission partnerships in North America and around theworld.As you learn about NRBC, you will see our heart for God, our love for oneanother, and our desire to take the hope of Jesus to our community andaround the world. Would you prayerfully consider if God is calling you tojoin the work already taking place? 3

ABOUT USWe exist to glorify God and exalt Jesus by reaching up through worship and prayer, reaching inthrough discipleship and fellowship, and reaching out through evangelism and ministry.reach up reach in reach out worship discipleship evangelism & prayer & fellowship & ministryEverything we do is found- The gospel does not just free Since the beginning of cre-ed on the vertical, our re- individuals from the tyranny ation, God has been on alationship with God. God’s of sin and evil, it restores us mission to make Himselfword drives the ends and to God and others. Life isn’t known to humanity. Thoughthe means of our church. meant to be lived alone – we this was ruined by sin,Our services, small groups, need friends and family to through Jesus, we are re-and ministries are grounded partner with us on this jour- stored and empowered toin the good news of Jesus’ ney. God desires that those take part in God’s mission ofsinless life, sacrificial death, who follow Jesus live in reconciliation to the world.and life-giving resurrection. community rather than iso- Therefore, we exist not forBy the power of His Spirit, we lation as they follow Christ. ourselves but for the joy andboldly pray and proclaim the Being a disciple of Christ is good of the people aroundlife, death, and resurrection accomplished in the context us. Our church is on a mis-of Jesus to our community of community. sion to make Jesus known.and the world. nansemondriver.com [email protected] (757) 484-3423 2896 bridge rd, suffolk, va 234354

WE ARE DRIVENBY OUR MISSION TOMAKE DISCIPLESJesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go and makedisciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son and theHoly Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely Iam with you always, to the very end of the age.” 5

WHAT WE BELIEVE Southern Baptist Convention Not all doctrine is created equal. As individual Chris- tians and as local churches we are called to “contend National Partnership for the faith once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). How do you determine which Christian doctrines For almost 170 years, and theological issues are to be given the highest pri- ority in our contemporary culture? We think of our doc- Southern Baptists have trine in three categories which helps us separate the truly important from those issues that we can respect- tried to proclaim the ully disagree. gospel of Jesus to all FIRST LEVEL These are the doctrines that are central to the Christian faith. These doctrines separate the gospel people everywhere.1 from false belief. If you do not hold to these doctrines With more than 45,000 you cannot call yourself a Christian in any meaningful sense of historic, orthodox Christianity. Within this set cooperating churches, of beliefs would include doctrines such as the Trinity (the oneness of God as evidenced in the persons of the SBC fully funds more the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), justification by faith, the authority of Scripture, the birth, death, burial, and than 4,000 international bodily resurrection of Jesus, and more. missionaries as well as SECOND LEVEL These doctrines also fall under the North American church2 “denominational” category because they separate var- ious Christian brothers and sisters from serving in the planters and a nationally same local church. While one’s genuine salvation is not at stake, these doctrines are central to the life of our recognized disaster re- church and would include significant doctrines such as believer’s baptism, leadership structure of the local lief ministry. church, roles of men and women, and more. Southern Baptist THIRD LEVEL These doctrines, convictions, and, Conservatives of Virginia3 sometimes, preferences, allow brothers and sisters in Christ to disagree while still serving in the same local State Partnership congregation. Unfortunately, many Christians elevate these issues to primary status rather than embracing A fellowship of more than convictional diversity in the local congregation. These 600 churches dedicated issues may include specific convictions regarding the to making disciples, the timing of Jesus’ second coming, dress code prefer- SBCV began in 1996 on a ences, taste in musical style, and more. belief in the inerrancy of Scriptures and committ- For a detailed statement of faith, please see ment to church planting the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 which can as a means to reach the be found at nansemondriver.com or sbc.net. world for Christ. 6

CORE BELIEFS CORE VALUESWe believe the Bible is God’s Word. Because the We value expositional preaching in our cor-Bible is God’s Word, it is completely true, wholly porate gatherings, the systematic teachingauthoritative, and must be proclaimed. of God’s Word in small groups, and the per- sonal study and application of Scripture by all believers.We believe there is one, true living God. He is We value worship and prayer and seek toone God in three persons: the Father, the Son, glorify God both corporately and individually.and the Holy Spirit. He is the creator and sustain-er of all creation, perfect in His being and pur-poses, and deserving of all worship and praise.We believe all people are created in the image We value every human life and will demon-of God. God loves all people as the crowning strate God’s love to all people at all timeswork of His creation. However, everyone is born while giving special support to those in needseparated from God by sin. The sin nature that including the unborn, the orphan, and thewe all possess prevents us from doing anything widow.on our own that could restore that relationship.We believe salvation is by grace through faith in We value the gospel and its centrality tothe substitutionary death of Jesus Christ alone. the life and mission of all believers and theSalvation makes sinful man right with God, brings unifying message of our church as we seekus into His family, and continues throughout the to proclaim the life, death, and resurrectionbeliever’s life to make him or her into the likeness of Jesus in our community and around theof Christ. All true believers will persevere to the world.end and will be rewarded with eternal life.We believe the church is both universal and We value a diverse, multi-generational con-local. All believers are placed by the Holy Spirit gregation, led by a plurality of elders andinto the universal church upon coming to faith in served by faithful deacons, which is driven toChrist. The local church is an autonomous, local accomplish the mission of making disciplesexpression of God’s family with a clear mission. together.The local church is led and served by the Biblicaloffices of pastor/elder and deacon. The two ordi-nances of the church are believers baptism andthe Lord’s Supper.We believe God established the family as the We value marriage and family; we will workfoundational institution of human society. Mar- to honor marriages, support families, partnerriage between one man and one woman for life with parents to disciple their children, andis the cornerstone of God’s design for the family. encourage singles in their commitment toChildren are a blessing from the Lord and should Christ.be taught the Word of God in the home by exam-ple and instruction. 7

TEAMLEADERSHIP The Bible sets a clear model of team leadership in the church (Acts 15-16, 20:17; 1 Tim. 3:1-7, 5:17; Titus 1:5-9; 1 Peter 5:1-5). A church must be led under the sole authority of Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:18). Be- neath Jesus’ authority the local church appoints elders to lead the church (sometimes called pastors). These pastors work together to lead, feed, and protect the ‘flock’ (1 Peter 5:1-5). At NRBC some of these pastors are employed by the church (vocational) and carry out much of the day-to-day leadership while other pastors make a liv- ing through other means (non-vocational). They all lead together with equal authority and giftedness. In addition, the church has deacons who help with the tangible needs of the body to allow the pastors to focus on spiritual leadership. Vocational Non-Vocational Pastors Pastors Members of the elder Members of the elder council but are also in council who also maintainthe paid employment ofthe church. They handle employment outside ofmany day-to-day tasks the church. They assistand much of the regular the other pastors in set-teaching and preaching. ting the vision and direc- tion of the church.

Elder-led congregationalism is the biblical model of churchgovernment. Having a plurality of elders (also called pastors)means no one pastor shoulders the leadership load and avoidsdictatorial leadership. The elders have the freedom to exercisebiblical, pastoral authority over the congregation in matters ofteaching and shepherding. No committees or boards are ele-vated to an unhealthy level of authority in the church. All pas-tors are equals, even if, based upon prudence and giftedness,different pastors have different roles within the leadership team.Final earthly authority still rests with the whole congregation asit corporately seeks God’s will under the lordship of Christ. Deacons Covenant Members Servant leaders in the Every member is a fullychurch tasked with caring capable minister of thefor the tangible needs of gospel and uses their gifts, talents, and resourc- the church body. es to accomplish the mission of the church.

LEADERSHIP Ryan Brice Lead Pastor As Lead Pastor, Ryan does most of the preaching and uses his gifts of teaching, leadership, and administration, as well as his passion for discipleship and missions to equip the saints for the work of ministry. He began serving at NRBC in 2015 after 18 years as a Student Pastor in churches across the southeast U.S. He earned a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. He is committed to expositional preaching and a lifestyle that demonstrates personal discipleship and evangelism. A native of Louisiana, he loves cooking and eating all the cajun food he can get his hands on. He has been married to his wife, Cristy, since 2001 and they have two sons, Brody and A.J. Mark Turner Pastor of Family Ministry and Production As Pastor of Family Ministry and Production, Mark oversees all aspects of serving elementary through college-aged students and their parents. He also guides the worship ministry, marketing, and media in addition to various pastoral duties. An alumnus of the College of William and Mary (B.A. History and Religious Studies) and Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div. Advanced Biblical Studies with Biblical Languages), he is currently finishing a Ph.D. in Biblical Theology. He has been married to his wife Whitney since June of 2007 and they have two children, Jackson and Abby. Mark loves to teach the Bible, discuss theology and culture with friends, and watch good movies.10

Non-Vocational PastorsDon ColeyDon and his wife Susan have been members at NRBC since 1980. They havetwo children and five grandchildren (which keep them pretty busy). Doncurrently works as a Property Inspector. He loves all sports (except hockeyand car racing) and currently plays softball, racket ball, and golf. Both heand Susan love the beach and try to visit it often. At NRBC Don has taughta small group for more than 25 years and has served in various capacities(Personnel, Finance, etc.) and has a real passion for worship through music.Barry HobbsBarry has been married to his wife Debbie since 1974. They have two chil-dren and two grandchildren. He has managed a local remodeling company,Addition Associates, since 1980. He was born again at NRBC in 1971 and hasserved in many roles (as a deacon for more than 20 years and as an eldersince 2008). He leads a campus small group on Sunday mornings. His sim-ple desire is that the NRBC church family will walk as a unified body and“press forward to reach the lost world for Christ.”Chris VorwaldChris and his wife Connie were married in 1991 and have two kids: a sonwho is a graduate of JMU and a daughter attending UVA. Chris’ active dutyservice in the USMC and later employment with a consulting, engineering,and inspection company had their family on the move early in their mar-riage. They have lived in North Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia and havefound their home in Suffolk. Chris has been a member of NRBC since 2004.He serves as a small group leader and is actively involved in missions andsports ministries.Steve SmithSteve and Traci have been married since 2005 and have two little girls, Eve-lyn and Sophia. Steve visited church with a friend in high school. God workedin his heart and he was saved and baptized a few years later at the age of22. He currently works as as an administrator with Suffolk Public Schools. AtNRBC he leads a small group and serves in the preschool ministry. Howev-er, his big passion is missions. He has lead many trips to reach out to hikersalong the Appalachian Trail.Dalton CarrawayDalton and Eleanor have been married since 1965 and have two childrenand two grandchildren. He grew up in North Carolina and moved to Virginiato work at the shipyard. More importantly, he was saved in 1973. Since then,he has served in many ministries from children’s church to deacon. He cur-rently leads a small group and is active in the Men’s Ministry. His life verse isTitus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but accord-ing to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewingof the Holy Spirit.” 11

SMALLGROUPS CONNECTING PEOPLE Connection happens face-to-face with shared experiences and meaningful conversations. Small group participation allows members to transition from a large gathering to a more intimate setting. Such a setting allows for deeper relationships. COMMUNICATING TRUTH Each small group is built explicitly on the study of the Bible. By aligning these groups around God’s Word it al- lows the relationship and community formed to be guided by the un- changing truth of Scripture rather than personal feelings, preferences, or pet causes.

THE CHURCH IS THE GOSPEL MADE VISIBLECREATING COMMUNITY Community is deeper than sitting in aworship service or even attending a Bible study. Community existswhen a group becomes unified around something greater. TrueChristian community is built around the gospel of Jesus Christ andgoes beyond a particular day of the week, it extends to every facetof life. Small groups involve even more than the sharing of infor-mation, they result in sharing life together.CULTIVATING CARE We all go through ups and downs in life. Whodo you turn to when you experience a crisis? In the community ofa small group, you will find others who put into action the Biblicalcommand to bear one another’s burdens. The small group is thefocal point for the church to meet your specific spiritual, emotional,and physical needs.

CORE COMPETENCIESI am growing... Core Competencies are a way for members at Nansemond River Baptist Church to evaluate their personal growth. As a church, we exist to glorify God and exalt Jesus by reaching up through worship and prayer, reaching in through discipleship and fellowship, and reaching out through evangelism and ministry. That means as an individual that my life will be marked by faithfulness and growth in these areas. 14

We have worked hard at Nansemond River Baptist Church to strategically and purposely make decisions, promote ministries, build programs, and take on special projects that accomplish the mission and vision of our church. Our mission is to make disciples. Our vision is to accom- plish such a task by reaching up, in, and out. As a result, we prioritize a balanced set of ministries that accomplish these elements through worship, prayer, discipleship, fel- lowship, evangelism, and ministry. One way we measure effectiveness is personal growth. Am I growing in worship, prayer, discipleship, fellowship, evangelism, and ministry?In worship through...• passionate participation in corporate singing.• cheerful and sacrificial giving to support the ministries and mission of the church.• active learning when the Bible is being preached.In prayer through...• consistent intercession for the needs of fellow believers as well as the lost in our community and around the world.• heartfelt praise and thanksgiving to God.In discipleship through...• signifcant engagement in a small group.• learning to read, study, and obey the Bible.• identifying my spiritual gifts and using them to strengthen the church.In fellowship through....• developing meaningful relationships and partnering together to care for and love others within my church.In evangelism through...• growing in compassion for those who do not know Christ.• cultivating relationships with the lost and intentionally seeking opportunities to verbally share the gospel.In ministry through...• caring for and participating in meeting the tangible needs of those in my community and around the world. 15

Our church has three specific mission partnerships send missionaries, and reaching out to communities in West Africa, hikers along communities. “Jesus said the Appalachian Trail, and migrant workers on the Eastern but the laborers are few Shore of Virginia. These partnerships are funded primarily the harvest to SEND out through our Pray. Send. Go. Offering. Every member way; behold, I am sendin is encouraged to pray for these partnerships, give to wolves’” (Luke 10:2-3).16

OUR CHURCH IS SPREADING THE GOSPEL AROUND THE WORLD go to spread the gospel in thesed to them, ‘The harvest is plentifulw. Therefore, PRAY to the Lord oft laborers into his harvest. GO yourng you out as lambs in the midst of 17

PARTNERING TO SERVEFor just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many,are one body, so it is with Christ... For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the footshould say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any lessa part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,”that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be thesense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, Godarranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, wherewould the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body (1 Corinthians 12:12, 14-20).The mission is too great for any of us to Servants are the life blood of ministry.do it alone. We encourage you to serve at Every ministry is able to impact lives be-Nansemond River. Maybe you are gifted in cause of countless servants, just like you,teaching and want to help in a small group. who give of their time and talents to serveMaybe your heart gravitates to reaching the Body of Christ. If you are ready, talk tochildren or young people. We have min- a pastor about getting plugged in!istries that serve seniors in high school allthe way to senior adults. Our church uses We also want you to look beyond the wallssports, outdoor activities, womens specific of our building for ways to engage. Weevents, and more to reach our community. have mission trips in our community, ourConsider your spiritual gifts, your passions, state, our nation, and around the world.and the experiences God has allowed you Whether you have years of missions expe-to have and ask God how these abilities rience or are praying about going on yourcan be used in the Body of Christ. What- very first trip, we have an opportunity forever your passion, there is a place for you! you.18

40.6% of the population is unreached2,760,000,000 PeopleThat means more than 2.76 billion alive today have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ Full Time International New North American4000+Missionaries on the Field 900+Church Plants in 2015By partnering with like-minded churches of the SBC we can do more together. Not onlydoes our church have specific mission partnerships, we participate with other congrega-tions to support missionaries in North America (NAMB) and around the world (IMB). 19

Covenant MembershipChrist has created us by a “solemn promise,” or “pub-covenant to be His people. lic commitment.” When weThe Bible calls the church describe church member-the “bride” and the “body” of ship as a covenant to a lo-Christ. We are not just individ- cal community of believers,uals. We are a people made we are simply saying thatfor God. To fulfill that cove- by becoming a member of anant calling demands that particular church, we are notwe form assemblies called simply entering into rightschurches which in some way and privileges but we aremake a covenant together assuming certain responsi-to be the body of Christ for bilities and obligations. Weeach other, for the world, and are united under a specific,for the glory of God. That’s shared purpose with mutualthe ultimate reason why it promises. We share respon-is fitting for local churches sibility and accountability.to be formed as covenant Covenant membership fos-communities, so believers ters a greater sense of own-can be the church for each ership of the mission of theother. Churches in the Bible local church, it clarifies theare primarily emphasized as roles and responsibilities oflocal, visible congregations. church leaders, and it pro-The term “covenant” simply tects the integrity and repu-means “formal agreement,” tation of the church. BAPTISM IS OBEDIENCE TO CHRIST, PUBLIC PROCLAMATION OF SALVATION, AND IDENTIFICATION WITH THE LOCAL CHURCH20

Every member is encouraged, Because the church strives to ensureequipped, and expected to participate (to the best of her ability) that everyin the life and ministry of the church, member demonstrates legitimateto use their resources and gifts to saving faith and Christian fruit, eachserve others and fulfill the mission of member has an equal voice when thethe church to make disciples church votes on various matters.Every member is responsible to par- The mission and ministries of theticipate in the selection of leaders to church are only accomplished by theguide the church. In choosing such full participation of every one of herleaders, each member is called to members. Genuine care, encourage-pray for, encourage, and submit to the ment, and love can only be accom-leadership of the church. plished if every member takes owner- ship of his or her role.For a full copy of the Constitution, By-laws, and Church Covenant of 21Nansemond River Baptist Church, visit nansemondriver.com/about.

Ministry Snapshot Student Ministry Refuge: Bible Study Echo Groups Sundays 11:00am Wednesdays 6:15pmStudent Ministry seeks to impact one of the most important and at riskpopulations of the church by connecting Middle and High School students toGod through meaningful and engaging worship and Bible study, to a communityof caring students and adults through small group, and to the purpose God hasfor their life. All of this takes place in a safe, supportive, and gospel-centeredenvironment. gospel communitymission Mom to MomThroughout the year, Student ministry hosts various NRBC has been servingspecial events that promote and support an ongoing the Moms of ourdiscipleship plan. For example, every summer the students community throughparticipate in a camp that focuses on worship, Bible study, a Biblically-basedand missions. parenting program which focuses on older women 22 teaching, encouraging, and mentoring younger women. This program seeks to meet the relational, parental, emotional, and spiritual needs of mothers. Mom to Mom meets the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month during the school year. nansemondriver.com/ mom2mom

We want to partner with parents and families in the discipleship of their chil-dren. In every service, we seek to engage our kids with the Gospel in a fun andage-appropriate way. Childrens Ministry Kids Worship Small Groups Equip Kids (1st-4th Grade) (1st-5th Grade) (1st-5th Grade) Sundays Sundays Wednesdays 9:30am 11:00am 6:15pmTeaching young people Building habits of Bible Teaching students toto reach up to God in Study and gospel- understand and own theiran age-appropriate and faith and equipping them centered friendships. foundational way. to live and proclaim it every day. 23

MIDWEEK DISCIPLESHIP Following Jesus is more than a once-a-week proposition,it is a day-by-day adventure. To add a boost of encouragement and equip you inyour walk, we offer midweek discipleship opportunities for everyone, including fullystaffed childcare.MISSION FRIENDS Our pre-K children learn the building wednesdaysblocks of faith and a basic awareness of God’s love for all at 6:15 pmpeople. Even at the earliest stages they are equipped toparticipate in the mission of God.EQUIP KIDS Elementary aged children are equipped withthe truths of God’s word in a fun and age-appropriate en-vironment with caring adults. Using music, Bible stories,videos, games, crafts, small groups, and more, this time ispacked from start to finish.ECHO GROUPS Middle and High School Students meet in Echo Groups with dedi-cated adults and other students of the same age and gender. These groups providea safe environment to study God’s word, share genuine needs, and develop gos-pel-centered friendships.EQUIP CLASSES These elective discipleship classes help people become commit-ted followers of Christ that glorify God and exalt Jesus. Classes vary each semesterand are selected to meet the discipleship needs of the church and community.TO EQUIP THE SAINTS FOR THE WORK OF MINISTRY24

FOR THEWHOLE FAMILYPRESCHOOL AND NURSERY We believe discipleship starts at the very beginning. Our preschool andnursery provide a safe environment for children while parents attend worship and Bible study. All vol-unteers are background-checked, trained, and supervised.ELEMENTARY CHILDREN From Kids Worship on Sunday mornings and Equip Kids on Wednesdaynights to summer activies that include Vacation Bible School and Centri-Kid Camp and all the minis-tries in between, our childrens ministry partners with parents in the discipleship process.STUDENT MINISTRY This vital ministry to Middle and HighSchool Students builds on the foundations of preschool andchildrens ministry to partner with parents in discipling youngmen and women. At this stage, students are taught Scriptureand given opportunities to serve in the life of the church, allwithin the investment of caring adults.SINGLES, YOUNG ADULT, AND COLLEGE Community is atthe heart of reaching these young adults. With a dedicat-ed small group and mentors with years of experience, ourchurch has made an investment in this vital demographic.ADULT With on campus and off campus small groups beingthe first level of discipleship, our church offers all sorts ofministry opportunities for adults of all ages and stages. FromMen’s and Women’s ministries to parenting classes, thereare options for everyone.SENIOR ADULT We value the wisdom of our experiencedmembers. Not only do we provide specific discipleship andfun activities for our senior adults, we put their skills to use inthe many ministries of the church. 25

LAST YEAR BY THE NUMBERS Numbers are not a sign of success, spiritual maturity, or even faithfulness. However, numbers matter because each number represents a person and each person is sig- nificant in God’s eyes. The community surrounding Nansemond River Baptist Church is growing. Thankfully, our church is growing to reach them. Each visitor is an opportunity to spread the gospel. THE HARVEST IS PLENTIFUL BUT THE LABORERS ARE FEW 26

2016 marks the first time in the last decade that Nansemond River is growing at afaster rate than Suffolk and the surrounding community of Hampton Roads.Worship Average 1st Quarter 2016 308 +6.5%Small Group Average 1st Quarter 2016 284 +9.2% ????Family Fun Day Spring 2015 409 21% increase i?n???p? reschoolVacation Bible School Summer 2015 172 a??t?t?endance ????2015 $867,631 Undesignated Receipts and Missions Giving $62,079 International Missions $12,589 North American Missions $77,628 Cooperative Program Giving89% Attend In 2015...Worship and 280 Short Term Small Group Mission Participants 293 First Time Sunday Worship Visitors 3,105 Sermons Streamed Online +20% Social Media Interaction 27

WILL YOU PARTNER WITH US?What do you think? This book has pro- our church can do for you but have youvided a brief overview of who we are and stopped to think what you can do forwhat we do. Are we perfect? Not even Nansemond River Baptist Church? Godclose! But we think we are trying with all has given you specific gifts, passions, andour strength to follow the mission God experiences that our church needs to ful-has given us. We have organized our min- fill her mission.istries to reach up to God through worshipand prayer, in to one another through dis- The church isn’t an address or a building,cipleship and fellowship, and out to our it is a group of people united under God’scommunity and the world through evan- Word, led by God’s Spirit, and focused ongelism and ministry. God’s mission. We sincerely and prayer- fully hope that in reading this, God may beDoes this mission excite you? Maybe God calling you to join His people, His church,is calling you to be part of what He is do- for His glory and the good of the people ining in North Suffolk. It is amazing to think our community and around the world whothat our cozy corner of Virginia has an im- need to hear the life-changing, life-savingpact from Western Branch all the way to message of Jesus Christ.West Africa. God wants to use you to take that mes-Not only can you be a part of this mission, sage to your family, neighborhood, office,we believe God may be calling you for and around the world. Will you join Him?that very purpose. It is easy to ask what28

WHAT IS GOD CALLINGYOU TO DO? 29

nansemondriver.com2896 bridge rd. | suffolk, va | 23435 | 757 484 3423 sunday worship 9:30 am