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Let us know how we can help you grow in your new life with Jesus! Email Pastor Brian for study helps, fellowship groups, and questions you may have: NorthShoreCrossing@Gmail.com

NorthShoreCrossing@Gmail.com Groups forming soooooooon! If you are interested in being part of a small group that meets to pray and study the Bible, go to the "N" page--and drop us an email! Or you can email Pastor Brian directly: NorthShoreCrossing@Gmail.com"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near" (Heb. 10:24-25)

Hang Ten Groups at North Shore I. The ScripturesThe Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God's revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.II. GodThere is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.A. God the FatherGod as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.B. God the SonChrist is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.C. God the Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.III. ManMan is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God's creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.IV. SalvationSalvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.B. Justification is God's gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God's purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person's life.D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed. [to continue: click here)

Baptist Faith and Message (2000) by the SBC I. SCRIPTURESThe Bible is completely trustworthy—a gift from God to us. Since God is truly in control of all things, He has the ability to give us a trustworthy and reliable message that can be read, studied, understood, and discussed. The Scriptures were given by inspiration of God. All Scripture is authoritative, infallible, and without error (inerrant). (Ps. 19:7; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21)II. GODThere is one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself all perfections, being infinite in them all. All creatures owe Him the highest love, reverence and obedience. While God is Spirit, He has chosen to reveal Himself as “Father” to us—a designation that we accept and trust is good (Deut. 6:4; Ps. 145:3; John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; 1 Tim. 1:17).III. TRINITYThe Scriptures reveal that God eternally exists in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person has distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).IV. FALL OF MANGod originally created Man in His own image free from sin in a real Garden of Eden. But Adam and Eve sinned against God and fell from his original holiness. Everyone has inherited a nature that is corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His authority. (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:1-7; Rom. 3:23, 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3)V. GLORY OF GOD OVER EVERYTHINGEverything ultimately serves God's divine purposes. God is never up in Heaven feeling helpless or outwitted. We may not understand why evil is allowed to exist, but God has a good reason for allowing it. The Scriptures teach that no part of God’s creation is outside of His good will and influence. There are two essential doctrines in play here: the doctrine of Providence and Election.With regard to Providence, God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet does so in such a way that He is not the author or approver of sin, nor destroys the decision making capacity of people and responsibility of people (Isa. 46:9-11; Prov. 16:33; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; Jas. 1:13-15).Election teaches that God acts in mercy to draw sinners to Himself—and this is by His design and purposes. When a person comes to faith in Christ it is because the Holy Spirit has been drawing their heart to Him. God does this without violating the volitional agency of humans (decision making capacity). It is essentially God's eternal choice of some persons to everlasting life, not because of foreseen merit or foreseen faith in them, but solely on the basis of His mercy in Christ. (John 6:35-59; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:27-29; Eph. 1:4, 11)VI. JESUS CHRIST THE MEDIATORJesus Christ as the Son of God is fully God and fully man. He is the Mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the Law; suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He continually lives to make intercession for His people. He will return again visibly and bodily. He is the only Savior, Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe (Isa. 53:10-12; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Gal. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:1-3).VII. HOLY SPIRIT God the Holy Spirit brings glory to the Father and the Son. He applies the work of Christ to believers and distributes spiritual gifts to every believer according to His sovereign good pleasure for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. He is the Comforter, the Spirit of Adoption, the Seal of our Salvation, the Sanctifier, and the Guarantor of our inheritance in Christ (John 14:16-17; 16:14; Acts 5:3; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 1:13-14). VIII. REGENERATIONRegeneration is a change of heart, brought about by the Holy Spirit, who gives life to those dead in sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace alone (Eph. 2:1-6; Tit. 3:5; 1 John 5:1).IX. REPENTANCERepentance is a grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in which the Holy Spirit enables a person to see the manifold evil of his sin so that he humbles himself for it, with godly sorrow and hatred of it, and turns from it toward God, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God with the desire to please Him in all things (Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:10-11). X. FAITH IN CHRIST Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is authored by Christ, given by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-5; 4:17-25; 10:14, 17; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8; Jas. 2:14-26).XI. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH This is God's gracious and full pardon of sinners who trust in Christ through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything within them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ alone. His righteousness is counted toward them by faith as they receive and rest on Him alone for their forgiveness (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).XII. SANCTIFICATION Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God's word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the ever present supply of God’s grace, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in joyful obedience to all Christ's commands (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:27-27; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 5:13-24; 2 Pet. 1:3-11).XIII. PERSEVERANCE OF TRUE BELIEVERSTrue followers of Christ will never totally nor finally fall away from God, but shall persevere to the end. They may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, grieving the Spirit, impairing their graces and comforts, bringing reproach on the Church, and temporal discipline upon themselves, but they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (John 6:37-40; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:28-39; 1 Cor. 1:8-9; Phil. 1:6).XIV. LOCAL CHURCHJesus Christ is the head of the Church, which is composed of His true followers, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its rule and order. Christians are to gather in a local church; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are Elders and Deacons (John 10:16; Acts 20:17, 28; Eph. 1:22; 5:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Tit. 1:5-9; Heb. 10:25).XV. BAPTISMBaptism by immersion is an act of obedience for every believer. It is a "picture" of the Gospel-centered life: (1) The old life we used to live is “buried” by the Cross; (2) We are cleansed by the blood of Jesus; (3) We want every part of our lives to be totally “wet” with the Gospel; and (4) A person cannot baptize themselves --we need the local church. While not necessary for salvation, the Scriptures teach that every believer should be baptized as a sign of true belief (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13).XVI. LORD'S SUPPERThe Lord's Supper is an ordinance (special symbolic act) of Jesus Christ using the elements of the bread and the cup. It is to be regularly observed until Christ returns in glory. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of our communion with Him and each other. Each church is free to celebrate this special meal at their own discretion (some weekly, some monthly, some quarterly, and so on) (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-34).XVII. SUNDAY—THE LORD’S DAY The Lord's Day (Sunday) is designed by God to be a day of focus and celebration. We focus on our identity as a community of faith by worshiping together, and we celebrate the Cross of Christ. Each Christian should seek to honor the Lord’s Day in a way that showcases the centrality of the Gospel for his/her life and family in both public and private ways (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:10).XVIII. RESURRECTIONThe bodies of people after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. The bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised in an eternal state—some to eternal life, others to eternal judgment (Hell) (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:12-28; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 1:23).IXX. FINAL JUDGMENT God has appointed a day when He will judge the world by Jesus Christ. The wicked shall go into everlasting and conscious punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life with God forever. There is a literal Hell which lasts forever (Matt. 25:46; John 5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:6-11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 7:13-17; 14:9-11).XX. ECO-STEWARDSHIP God has made the world--as such this is His world, not ours. We are called by Him to exercise a faithful stewardship and dominion that honors His creation. Everything we do with regard the environment should be done in consideration that ultimately this world belongs to God and we will be held accountable to Him. Because of the Gospel, God will one day transform this present earth into a glorious paradise for His people (Genesis 2:15; Romans 8:19-21; Rev. 21:1).

North Shore Crossing Key Beliefs North Shore Crossing is affiliated with the Chicago Metro Baptist Association, the Illinois Baptist Convention, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Therefore we also subscribe the general statement of faith called the "Baptist Faith and Message (2000)". Click "Read More" for its content...

Mark 10:17-31 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth." And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you." Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Sometimes we find ourselves needing to confront another person in love about something. But how do you do it? And how can you help the other person in a spirit of Christlikeness and true encouragement, rather than condemnation? Use these helpful tips from Peacemaker.net:Glorify God:You can glorify God even in the midst of conflict. One of the best ways to keep this uppermost in your mind is to regularly ask yourself this focusing question: "How can I please and honor the Lord in this situation?" "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31)Get the log out of your own eye:Before you confront, ask yourself if you have had a critical, negative, or overly sensitive attitude that has led to unnecessary conflict. You must also deal with any sinful words and actions. An honest friend or advisor can help you evaluate yourself objectively and acknowledge your contribution to a conflict."..First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye" (Matthew 7:5)Gently restore:Pray for humility and wisdomPlan your words carefully--how would you want to be confronted?Choose the right time and place--in person whenever possibleAsk for feedback from the other person, and listen carefullyRecognize your limits--only God can change people"If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." (Romans 12:18)"And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will." (2 Timothy 2:24-26)If an initial conversation doesn't resolve a conflict, don't give up. As a spiritually mature friend for advice on how to approach the other person more effectively. If repeated and careful attempts at a private discussion are not fruitful, and if the matter is still too serious to overlook, you should ask one or two other people to meet with you (see Matthew 18:16-20; 1 Cor. 6:1-8)

Three G's for Confrontation The New Testament reinforces the importance of how we treat one another by giving us more than 60 verses that illustrate how to practice Christian love and care in a small group setting.Be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50)Love one another (John 13:34)Be joined to one another (Romans 12:5)Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10)Honor one another (Romans 12:10)Rejoice with one another (Romans 12:15)Weep with one another (Romans 12:15)Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16)Accept one another (Romans 15:7)Instruct one another (Romans 15:14)Greet one another (Romans 16:16)Agree with one another (1 Cor. 1:10)Wait for one another (1 Cor. 11:33)Show concern for one another (1 Cor. 12:25)Serve one another (Gal. 5:13)Carry one another's burdens (Gal. 6:2)Be kind to one another (Eph. 4:32)Forgive one another (Eph. 4:32)Submit to one another (Eph. 5:21)Bear with one another (Col. 3:13)Teach and admonish one another (Col. 3:16)Encourage one another (1 Thess. 5:11)Build one another up (1 Thess. 5:11)Spur one another on (Heb. 10:24)Offer hospitality to one another (1 Pet. 4:9)Minister gifts to one another (1 Pet. 4:10)Be humble toward one another (1 Pet. 5:5)Confess your sins to one another (James 5:16)Pray for one another (James 5:16)Fellowship with one another (1 John 1:7)

"One Another" Commands in Scripture (a sampling) 10. We believe that one day Jesus Christ will return in sun-blinding glory. Every person will admit that Jesus is Lord, and stand before him in judgment. Some will go to a life of eternal fellowship with God and His people, others will suffer eternal punishment in a real place of fire called Hell.

1. See how the Holy Spirit raises up spiritual leaders who have a heart for certain areas of Chicago2. Prayerfully send these leaders along with a volunteers to an area that needs a Chi-Town Crossing church3. Rejoice when a Core Group from that area is formed!4. Rejoice when that Core Group launches its own Sunday worship services!5. Pray about replicating this model in other cities, both nationally and internationally (Tokyo, Paris, London, Mexico City, Morelia (Mexico), Brasilia, etc.)

Steps to launching Phase III 5. The Bible tells of a love story between God and His creation, especially with regard to His chosen people. He always pursues His people with love and faithfulness. 6. Unfortunately, people have been corrupted internally by sin which leads them to rebel against God's authority. Only the Holy Spirit can soften and draw a person's heart to Christ.7. Upon the Cross, Jesus took the punishment we deserved in our place. By repenting of our sin and believing in his sacrificial death for us, we are "born-again" into new life.8. God invented the local church for His people to gather, be encouraged, and serve one another for His glory. 9. A healthy Christian will seek to love God and others, thus showing the likeness of Christ. This also means actively sharing our faith and helping new Christians to grow.

1. We believe in One God, the supreme Intelligent Designer.2. God is not silent--He speaks to His creation, especially through the sacred Scriptures--what is called the Bible. 3. The Bible reveals God's good character, His ongoing consistency, and constant care.4. Because God's character is all-powerful and good, we can trust the Bible to be reliable, accurate, and in no way misleading.

1. Prayerfully see which future leaders God raises up2. Complete leader training for these identified leaders3. Prayerfully select an area for a new 'mother church' along a different subway line4. Prayerfully send them out with support and encouragement to launch the 'mother church' 5. Replicate this process for other subway lines in the Chicagoland area

Steps to launching Phase II of reaching Chicago Here are the steps to achieving Phase I in Evanston:1. Begin weekly Bible Studies and Discussion Groups2. Build up a Core Group of 25-40 people who share the vision for reaching Chicago and are in doctrinal agreement3. Prayerfully put things in place: Identify a public meeting place like a theater or classroom/auditorium in which to hold public meetings (church services)4. Prayerfully choose a "launch date" for the first publicized worship service (e.g. Easter 2011 is a possible date)5. Plan and prepare for the public launch--then launch!

Steps to Achieve Phase I in Evanston Remember, eternal life in Jesus is based upon fact, not feeling. There will be days you feel "like a Christian"--and then days in which you feel like you're losing ground. Just keep moving forward--keep trusting in Him everyday.Having trusted Christ as your only way to Heaven, here's how to grow in your new relationship with Him:Tell God what's on your mind through prayer (read Philippians 4:6-7)Read the Bible everyday to learn more about Him and to learn from Him (see 2 Timothy 3:16, 17). Start in the Gospel of John, or the small section called "Philippians".Worship God with God's people in a local church--why not consider joining up with the folks from North Shore Crossing? We are working to plant churches all across the Chicago area--so contact us to find one near you. If not, make sure it's a church that believes the Bible and teaches that Jesus is the only way to Heaven.Share what God has done for you with others (Matthew 4:19). Remember, you have a story to tell--and it's your own unique story of how God has rescued you (and continues to rescue you). Other people need to hear it--so they can have hope that God can rescue them also.

What would your life look like if God was really in charge? Would you like to tell God you are trusting in Jesus Christ as your Savior? If you would, why not pray right now and tell Him you are ready for a Divine Rescue.How can you tell Him? That's what prayer is--just talking to God. He already knows of your past--so don't try to make it pretty. Just be honest with Him, and tell Him in your own words how much you need Jesus, need forgiveness, and want to live for Christ from now on.Here's a sample prayer to give you some help (it's not the words that save you--God just wants your honest heart-cry for Him):"Dear God, I know I'm a sinner. I know my sin deserves to be punished. I believe Christ died for me and rose from the grave. I trust Jesus Christ alone as my Savior. Thank You for the forgiveness and new life you are giving me--for now and for all eternity. Help me to follow Jesus everyday. Amen."

What would your life look like if God was really in charge? Just as you trust a chair to hold you through no effort of your own, so you must trust Jesus Christ to get you to Heaven through no effort of your own.But you may say:"I'm religious.""I go to church.""I'm a good person.""I help the poor.""I don't do anything that's really bad."These are all good, but good living, going to church, helping the poor, or any other good thing you might do cannot get you to Heaven. You must trust in Jesus Christ alone, and God will give you eternal life as a free gift. If you have to work at it--then the gift is not free!

What would your life look like if God was really in charge? Suppose you are in a hospital dying of cancer. I come to you and say, "Hey, let's take the cancer cells from your body and put them into my body."If that were possible, what would happen to me? What would happen to you?I would die and you would live.I would die in your place.The Bible says Christ took the penalty that we deserved for sin, placed it upon Himself, and died in our place.Three days later Christ came back to life to prove that sin and death had been conquered and that His claims to be God were true.Jewish friends, please click on this link for more specific information about how Jesus is the promised Messiah that you have been waiting for: www.Messiah.com.esJust as the bad news got worse, the good news gets better!

What would your life look like if God was really in charge? The Bible says that by sinning we have earned death. That means we deserve to die and be separated from God forever.Since there was no way we could come to God, the Bible says that God came to us!Think of it this way: You're in the middle of Lake Michigan, and you're drowning. No one is around. You're not even sure how you got there, but that's where you are!You are exhausted. You cannot even see the shore. And there are no boats in sight. The only hope of a rescue would be a miracle--someone would have to come to you.And that's our situation spiritually--Someone must come to us. We cannot rescue ourselves anymore than the drowning man can pull himself up. We need a miracle--Someone to intervene and rescue us!

What would your life look like if God was really in charge? Suppose you and I tried to throw a rock all the way across Lake Michigan. But of course we couldn't throw it all the way across! You might have thrown farther than I can, but the bottom-line is this: neither one of us would throw it all the way across.When the Bible says "All have sinned and fall short," it means that we have all come short of God's standard of perfection. We all fall short. In thoughts, words, and deeds, we have not been perfect.But the bad news gets worse...

I. SCRIPTURESWe believe the Bible to be completely trustworthy—a gift from the Sovereign Creator to us. In other words, if God is truly in control of all things, then He has the ability to give us a trustworthy and reliable message that can be read, studied, understood, and discussed. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God. This does not mean the different authors of the texts were under some kind of “spell” when they wrote, but that God wrote through them, even using their distinctive personalities and writing styles in a majestic display of diversity while maintaining the same message. Therefore, all Scripture is authoritative, infallible, and without error (inerrant). The Scriptures are the only sufficient rule for faith and practice (Ps. 19:7; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:20-21).II. GODThere is one God, the Maker, Preserver and Ruler of all things, having in and of Himself, all perfections, being infinite in them all. All creatures owe Him the highest love, reverence and obedience. While God is Spirit, He has chosen to reveal Himself as “Father” to us—a designation that we accept and trust is good for us by which to know His love, care, and faithfulness (Deut. 6:4; Ps. 145:3; John 1:3; 1 Cor. 8:4-6; 1 Tim. 1:17).III. TRINITYThe Scriptures reveal that the one God eternally exists in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Each person has distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence or being (Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14).IV. FALL OF MANGod originally created Man in His own image, and free from sin; but, through the temptation of Satan, Adam transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original holiness and righteousness. Consequentially his posterity (i.e. all mankind) inherit a nature that is corrupt and wholly opposed to God and His authority and holy law. As a result all people are under condemnation, and as soon as they are capable of moral action, become actual transgressors or sinners against God by failing to conform to the moral law of God in act, attitude, and nature (Gen. 1:26-27; 3:1-7; Rom. 5:12-19; Eph. 2:1-3). V. GLORY OF GOD OVER EVERYTHINGThe fact that God is all glorious means that He is in charge of everything—and everything ultimately serves His divine purposes. God is never up in Heaven feeling helpless or outwitted by His creation. We may not understand why evil is allowed to exist, but we trust that God has a good reason for allowing it. The Scriptures teach that no part of God’s creation is outside of His good will and influence. In other words, God can never be “check-mated” or put in a “catch-22” like human beings can.There are two essential doctrines that uphold this believe in the glory of God over everything good and everything evil: the doctrine of Providence (deals with things being allowed to happen) and the doctrine of Election (which deals with God’s saving grace towards people).With regard to the doctrine of Providence, we believe that God from eternity decrees or permits all things that come to pass, and perpetually upholds, directs and governs all creatures and all events; yet does so in such a way that He is not the author or approver of sin, nor destroys the decision making capacity of people (the will) and responsibility of intelligent creatures (Isa. 46:9-11; Prov. 16:33; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; Jas. 1:13-15).With regard to the doctrine of Election, we believe that God acts in mercy to draw sinners to Himself—and this action is by His design and purposes. In other words, when a person comes to Christ in saving faith, it is because the Holy Spirit has already been drawing their heart to Him. This leads us to acknowledge that Election, while not violating the volitional agency of humans (decision making capacity), is essentially God's eternal choice of some persons to everlasting life, not because of foreseen merit or foreseen faith in them, but solely on the basis of His mercy in Christ. As a result of God’s deliberate choice the elect are called, justified and glorified (John 6:35-59; Rom. 8:28-30; 1 Cor. 1:27-29; Eph. 1:4, 11).VI. JESUS CHRIST THE MEDIATORSince Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, is fully God and fully man, He is the divinely appointed mediator between God and man. Having taken upon Himself human nature, yet without sin, He perfectly fulfilled the law; suffered and died upon the cross for the salvation of sinners. He was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended to His Father, at whose right hand He continually lives to make intercession for His people. He will return again visibly and bodily. He is the only Savior, Mediator, the Prophet, Priest and King of the Church, and Sovereign of the Universe (Isa. 53:10-12; John 1:1, 14; Acts 1:9-11; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 1 Cor. 15:3-4; Gal. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:5; Heb. 1:1-3).VII. HOLY SPIRIT We believe that God the Holy Spirit brings glory to the Father and the Son. He applies the work of Christ to believers and distributes spiritual gifts to every believer according to His sovereign good pleasure for the purpose of building up the body of Christ. He is the Comforter, the Spirit of Adoption, the Seal of our Salvation, the Sanctifier, and the Guarantor of our inheritance in Christ (John 14:16-17; 16:14; Acts 5:3; Rom. 8:14-17; Eph. 1:13-14). VIII. REGENERATIONRegeneration is a change of heart, brought about by the Holy Spirit, who gives life to those dead in trespasses and sins, enlightening their minds spiritually and savingly to understand the Word of God, and renewing their whole nature, so that they love and practice holiness. It is a work of God's free and special grace alone (Eph. 2:1-6; Tit. 3:5; 1 John 5:1).IX. REPENTANCERepentance is a grace of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in which the Holy Spirit enables a person to see the manifold evil of his sin so that he humbles himself for it, with godly sorrow and hatred of it, and turns from it toward God, with a purpose and endeavor to walk before God with the desire to please Him in all things (Acts 2:37-38; 11:18; 2 Cor. 7:10-11). X. FAITH IN CHRIST Saving faith is the belief, on God's authority, of whatever is revealed in His Word concerning Christ; accepting and resting upon Him alone for justification and eternal life. It is authored by Christ, given by the Holy Spirit, and is accompanied by all other saving graces, and leads to a life of holiness (Rom. 3:27-28; 4:1-5; 4:17-25; 10:14, 17; Phil. 1:29; Eph. 2:8; Jas. 2:14-26).XI. JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH Justification is God's gracious and full pardon of sinners, who believe in Christ, from all sin, through the satisfaction that Christ has made; not for anything within them or done by them; but on account of the obedience and satisfaction of Christ. His righteousness is counted toward them by faith as they receive and rest on Him alone for their forgiveness (Acts 13:38-39; Rom. 3:21-26; 8:34; 10:3-4; 2 Cor. 5:21; Phil. 3:9).XII. SANCTIFICATION Those who have been regenerated are also sanctified by God's word and Spirit dwelling in them. This sanctification is progressive through the ever present supply of God’s grace, which all saints seek to obtain, pressing after a heavenly life in joyful obedience to all Christ's commands (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:27-27; Rom. 8:1-17; Gal. 5:13-24; 2 Pet. 1:3-11).XIII. Perseverance of the SaintsAll those whom God has regenerated will never totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere to the end; and though they may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, grieving the Spirit, impairing their graces and comforts, bringing reproach on the Church, and temporal judgments on themselves, nevertheless they shall be restored to repentance, and be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation (John 6:37-40; 10:28-29; Rom. 8:28-39; 1 Cor. 1:8-9; Phil. 1:6).XIV. LOCAL CHURCHThe Lord Jesus is the head of the Church, which is composed of all His true disciples, and in Him is invested supremely all power for its government. According to His commandment, Christians are to associate themselves into particular churches; and to each of these churches He has given needful authority for administering the order, discipline and worship which He has appointed. The regular officers of a church are Elders and Deacons (John 10:16; Acts 20:17, 28; Eph. 1:22; 5:23; 1 Tim. 3:1-13; 5:17-18; Tit. 1:5-9; Heb. 10:25).XV. BAPTISMBaptism is an ordinance (special symbolic act) called for by Jesus as an essential act of obedience for every believer. The person is immersed in water in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. It serves as a beautiful picture of the Gospel and Christian life in several ways: (1) It represents how the old life we used to live is “buried” by the Cross—and now we have been given resurrection life to live in new fresh way for God as a born-again Christian; (2) It is a picture of how the Gospel cleanses us from our sin, it being washed away spiritually by the blood of Jesus; (3) Just as a person who is baptized gets totally wet—we want every part of our lives to be totally “wet” with the Gospel; and (4) Just as a person cannot baptize themselves, we are reminded that we need the local church and Godly Christian authority to help us live out our faith in Christ. While not necessary for salvation, the Scriptures teach that every believer should be baptized as a sign of true belief (Matt. 28:19; Acts 2:38; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13).XVI. LORD'S SUPPERThe Lord's Supper is an ordinance (special symbolic act) called for by Jesus Christ to be administered with the elements of bread and the cup. It is to be regularly observed by His churches until Christ returns in glory. It is in no sense a sacrifice, but is designed to commemorate His death, to confirm the faith and other graces for Christians, and to be a bond, pledge and renewal of their communion with Him, and of their church fellowship. Each church is free to celebrate this special meal at their own discretion (some do it weekly, some monthly, some quarterly, and so on) (Matt. 26:26-29; 1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-34).XVII. SUNDAY—THE LORD’S DAY The Lord's Day (Sunday) is designed by God to be a day of focus and celebration. We focus on our identity as a community of faith by worshiping together, and we celebrate the Cross of Christ that makes it all possible. Each Christian should seek to honor the Lord’s Day in a way that showcases the centrality of the Gospel for his/her life and family in both public and private ways (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2; Rev. 1:10).XVIII. LIBERTY OF CONSCIENCE God alone is Lord of the conscience; and He has left it free from the doctrines and commandments of men, which are in any way contrary to His word, or not contained in it. Because government authorities are ordained of God, Christians ought to yield themselves in subjection to all lawful things commanded by them, as they would to the Lord, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake (Matt. 15:9; Rom. 13:1-7; 14:4; Acts 5:29; Col. 2:20-23).IXX. RESURRECTIONThe bodies of people after death return to dust, but their spirits return immediately to God—the righteous to rest with Him; the wicked, to be reserved under darkness to the judgment. The bodies of all the dead, both just and unjust, will be raised in an eternal state—some to eternal life, others to eternal judgment (Hell) (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 15:12-28; 2 Cor. 5:1-10; Phil. 1:23).XX. FINAL JUDGMENT God has appointed a day when He will judge the world by Jesus Christ. Everyone shall receive according to his deeds; the wicked shall go into everlasting and conscious punishment; the righteous, into everlasting life with God forever. Of course, good deeds don’t save a person—but the “work” that Christians do is to serve the Lord (Matt. 25:46; John 5:22, 27-29; Acts 17:31; Rom. 2:6-11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Tim. 4:8; Rev. 7:13-17; 14:9-11).XXI. ECO-STEWARDSHIP God has made the world in which His glory is displayed, from the waterfalls to the deep of the oceans where no person can go. This is His world, not ours, and we are called by Him to exercise a faithful stewardship and dominion that honors His creation. Everything we do with regard to natural resources and the environment should be done in consideration that ultimately this world and its resources belong to God, not us, and we will be held accountable to Him for our actions. Ultimately, because of the Gospel, God will transform this present earth into a glorious place of eternal existence for His people (Genesis 2:15; Romans 8:19-21; Rev. 21:1).



Small Group Basics: How to L.O.V.E.L = Listen... O = Open up... V = Validate life's struggles... E = Express care

Need directions? Call 847-864-0329or, email Pastor Brian: NorthShoreCrossing@Gmail.com

Sunday Services: Free Dinner: 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Service: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.1222 Chicago Avenue (Evanston)

Join us on Sunday nights as we take a fresh look at the book in the Bible called "Philippians" and see how it applies to our lives today!

It's easy for American Christians to forget how Jesus said his followers would actually live and what their new lifestyle would be like. He said they would leave behind security, money, convenience, even family for him. They would abandon everything for the gospel. They would take up their crosses daily. BUT WHO IS REALLY DOING THIS?

What would your life look like if God was really in charge? Many religions & worldviews:• Over 400,000 Muslims reside in the Chicago area with new mosques being built annually• Chicago houses one of only seven of the world’s Baha’i temples• Over 2.4 million Catholics live in Cook and Lake counties alone, making Chicago one of the largest Catholic cities in the U.S. (the ten largest churches in Chicago are all Catholic)• Chicago is the fifth largest Jewish city in the U.S.Population: • The greater Chicago area is home to about 9.3 million people• Chicago’s population is greater than the following states combined: Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, Vermont, and Rhode Island• Chicago is a mission field population greater than 2/3rds of our 50 states• Over 5,000,000 of the 6.2 million people living in the Chicago Metro area are still lost without Christ (evangelical churches only claim 5.5% of the population; and Southern Baptist churches only claim 1%)• There is one SBC church for every 31,500 people• To reach a ratio of 1:500 (one church/500 people) in every zip code, Chicago needs 11,212 more churches!

• Chicago has the largest Polish population outside of Poland also making it the second largest Polish city in the world• Chicago is the second largest Serbian city• Chicago is the second largest Lithuanian city• Chicago is the third largest Greek city in the world• Chicago has the greatest number of Swedish-Americans• Chicago has the second largest Mexican population in the U.S.• Chicago has the second largest Puerto Rican population in the U.S.• Chicago has the third largest South Asian population in the U.S.• Over 200 different languages and approximately 2000 people groups

Click Here To Watch A Message From Pastor Brian Evans Click On Different Links Below To Watch VideosA Message From Pastor Brian Evans! Watch NSC Bring The Gospel To Downtown Chicago!!Testimony Of A Member Who Was Wrecked Into Redemption!!!

Phase III:After the subway lines have mother churches and satellite churches along each line, then we hope to "fill in the gaps" by using the bus lines to cover the open spaces in Chicago.

Phase II:In this phase, we replicate what we have been able to do along the Purple Line on the other subway lines (including the Metra). This means a network of churches all throughout Chicagoland.

Phase I:The first phase is to plant a church in Evanston near the L, and establish it as the "mother church" for the Purple Line. The next step is to plant satellite locations along the Purple Line.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED? Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24). Congratulations--you have been rescued for all time!

WHAT'S HOLDING YOU BACK?Is there anything keeping you from trusting in Christ as your Divine Rescuer right now? Think carefully. There is nothing more important than your need to be rescued and trust in Christ.

GOOD NEWS (Part 2): You can be rescued through faith in Christ! The Bible says "For by grace [undeserved favor of God] you have been saved [rescued from sin's penalty] through faith...it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

GoOD NEWS: Jesus Christ died on the cross for you. The Bible says "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). But didn't he die 2000 years ago? How does this relate to you and your life today?

BAD NEWS (Part 2): The penalty for sin is death. The Bible says, "For the wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23). Suppose you worked for me and I paid you $100. That $100 was your wages. That's what you earned. That's what you "had coming"...

BAD NEWS: We are all sinners. The Bible says: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "Sinned" means that we have missed the mark. When we lie, hate, lust, or gossip, we have missed the standard God has set. All of us are guilty.

Has anyone ever taken a Bible and shown you how you can know for sure that you're going to heaven? The Bible contains both bad news and good news. The bad news is something about YOU. The good news is something about GOD. Let's look at the bad news first...

Thanks for contacting us! We'll be in touch soon! northshorecrossing@gmail.com SEND Beliefs matter...if they didn't, then why believe anything? Many religions and worldviews... Chicago: An International Mission Field... North Shore Crossing1247 Judson, Apt. 3Evanston, IL 60202Facebook: www.facebook.com/northshorecrossing

OUR BELIEFS TRANSFORM CHICAGO North Shore Crossing is built upon a strategy that follows the public rail transit system called the “L” and the “Metra.” A mother-church will be planted along each subway line—and then as the Lord directs, smaller satellite congregations will be planted along each of the stops along that particular subway line. Over time, each subway line will have a vibrant network of churches that share resources, pastors, and training. Eventually the areas between the subway lines will be filled with additional churches that follow the bus lines.It is also hoped that the churches along each subway line will share a monthly worship service together to celebrate the sacraments of communion and baptism. Eventually, we hope to see a large network of churches in Chicagoland that are united in faith and practice as we seek to transform our city for Christ.We also look forward to the day when missionaries are being sent out to various countries, helping to replicate this type of church planting vision in other metropolitan areas that have a mass transit system."Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession." Psalm 2:8Question: "How big will each of the churches be?"Answer: Some will be large; some will be small. Some will meet in schools; others will meet in homes. The main thing is that each church will be built upon an intentional discipleship process of growth which will empower the members to share their faith with others.Question: "Will each church be a cookie-cutter of the mother church?"Answer: Absolutely not! While each church will ascribe to the same beliefs, each church is free to practice it's own expression of being Cross-centered, Cross-connected, and Cross-caring.

I NEED GOD HUNGRY FOR MORE • The University of Illinois Medical School is the world’s largest medical school• Columbia College is the world’s largest media arts school• The University of Chicago ranks second only to Cambridge University in producing the greatest number of Nobel Peace Prize recipients• Northwestern University, University of Illinois at Chicago and DePaul University all have many international students from over 100 different countriesInternational Students:• Chicago’s universities have some of the highest populations of international students• Tremendous potential exists to reach the nations of the world through reaching the college students at Chicago’s universities• Nearly 98% of all college students are unengaged by any evangelical presence on their campuses

College capital... CHICAGO NEEDS GOD Many religions & worldviews:• Over 400,000 Muslims reside in the Chicago area • The ten largest churches in Chicago are all Catholic• Chicago is the fifth largest Jewish city in the U.S.

Chicago: An International Mission Field • Chicago has over 500,000 Italian Americans • It has the largest Bulgarian community in the U.S.• It has the largest Polish population outside of Poland

Over 52,000 college students live in Chicago’s down-town (more than any other US City). Over 300,000 students attend a college within it's city limits and 550,000 college students call Chicago home.

Chicago is one of only 10 Alpha Global World Cities. These trend-setting cities are: London, New York City, Paris, Tokyo, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Milan, Singapore, and Chicago.

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WELCOME Photo album Chicago needs God North Shore CrossingEvanston, IL 60202