Becoming like Jesus involves us receiving God’s love for us. When we understand the implications of this love, it’s expression, and motivation, we are lovingly sent to one another.

One way we want to encourage that at NLCC in an intentional way is through Apprentice Groups.

Check them out on the website!

Becoming apprentices of Jesus is not an instant action. It takes time and intention to input little steps on our part. When those little steps are strung together over time they become habits, and they help align our heart with our heavenly Father's.

Jesus invites us to join the new family of God that he is forming. This "all-inclusive community of loving persons with God at its centre" (Dallas Willard) is both t he goal and the tool of our transformation. Jesus calls us to realign our allegiances in light of this new family.

Apprentices who are formed into the image of Christ are intentional about allowing and cultivating the influence of the Word (the message and person of Jesus) in their lives. There is no true spiritual fruit without the Word, the Truth about Christ becoming our framework for life.

Being led by Jesus, God’s Messiah, means significant change – expressed in the idea of death that leads to life – trusting God’s call to obedience enough that no price is too great to find his kingdom.

Jesus’ invites both those with a “questionable” past and those with an “impeccable” record to understand their debt, receive forgiveness, and enter into his life as his apprentices.

Jesus meets us exactly where we are, from a host of different stories and backgrounds, qualifies us for his “school” of apprenticeship exactly as we are so that we can experience his life and join him in a way of life with an infinitely greater purpose.

Apprenticeship to Jesus is not just an individual journey, but a communal one.

Jesus launched his ministry inviting people into the eternal life of the kingdom by making apprentices.

An apprentice is a person who is loved by Jesus (Come), led by Jesus (Follow Me), to become like Jesus (I Will Make You), so they can lead others to Jesus (Fishers of People).

The ultimate goal of apprenticeship is to love God and to love others.

Riley Dueck joins Pastor Jeff in bringing us our final track in the summer playlist, "Dear World" by EchoSmith.