Grow
God loves each of us where we are, but He loves us too much to leave us there.
Grow
God loves each of us where we are, but He loves us too much to leave us there.
Out with the old.
God wants to change our hearts and fill us with joy, purpose, forgiveness and hope. That's the whole point of our faith journey: allowing God to bring us to our finest or purest state. It's what we call being "refined."
This means allowing God to remove undesirable things from our lives while being challenged by Him to add beneficial things to our lives. This type of meaningful change happens through a series of small steps - and that's why we speak often of our Next Steps.
Next Steps
How is God calling you to be refined? Baptism and living out the five catalysts are two steps that will catapult your faith to new heights. Attending our Introductory Class (FW 101 Class) is a way to become more in sync with and more committed to our church's mission. If you have children, your next step might be Parent Dedication.
Salvation
Jesus Wants a Relationship With You
Salvation
Jesus Wants a Relationship With You
Salvation Is the Start of a Relationship
No matter who you are or what you’ve done, Jesus came to earth for you. He didn’t come to start another religion, to point out our faults, or to belittle us. Jesus came to save us, and that’s good news!
Salvation is about more than what happens when we die. It’s the way to experience a full life with God here and now.
In deciding to follow Jesus, we’re acknowledging that our way isn’t working anymore. That we’re done flying solo, and we’re giving Jesus control. From that moment on, we’re never alone. Jesus is the friend who never leaves us or forsakes us. He gives us His Spirit to guide us and access to God, who loves and cares for us.
Do You Want To Be Saved?
Romans 10:9 says, “if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Confess and believe. That’s all it takes to be saved. You can confess to Jesus in your own words, or pray the following:
Dear Lord Jesus, I admit that I’ve fallen short. I’ve sinned and need your forgiveness. I believe that You lived, died, and rose again so that I could be connected to God. I confess you as my Lord and commit my life to You. I give you my past, present, and future. Take my life and use it. I give it to You. Amen."
Common Questions
How are you saved?
When you put your trust in Jesus’ payment for your sins and commit to following Him, you are saved. Salvation is God’s gift to you. You cannot earn it, and you don’t have to “get right” to receive it.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
Who can be saved?
Everyone! We all need saving — from the person filled with regret to the preacher’s kid who followed every rule. God’s desire is for everyone to have a relationship with His Son.
2 Peter 3:9 says, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”
When is a person saved?
We are saved when we receive and believe the good news that Jesus came, died, and rose again for our sin. You don’t have to remember the exact time or place you made that recognition to be saved.
The important thing is that there’s a turning point when life started to look different because of Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
How do we know we're saved?
Jesus gives every believer the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit gives us a desire to live for God as well as the ability to hear, recognize, and respond to God’s voice.
To love God, to enjoy His presence, to hear His voice, and to feel the conviction of sin and the need for repentance — these are all common experiences of those who are saved (John 10:3-5).
Can we lose our salvation?
You didn’t earn your salvation, so you can’t lose your salvation. If you have put your trust in Jesus, and the Holy Spirit has changed your heart, nothing and no one can separate you from God.
Romans 8:38-39 promises, “...neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
I want to accept jesus into my life.
That’s awesome! We want to celebrate with you and help you take your next steps. Fill out the form below, and we’ll be in touch soon.
Serve
Serve
shoulder to shoulder
Serving is a great way to get connected with other people who attend Freshwater, the community, and God! Here are just a couple of the ways you can serve on Sundays, or in the community.
Sunday Volunteers
Serving on Sundays is one of the best ways to deepen your relationship with God and with others at Freshwater! You'll have the opportunity to work shoulder to shoulder with others, and experience how God blesses those who serve. If you'd like to know more about serving on a Sunday, sign-up online here.
Project: Serve!
Every month, we spend a few hours on a Saturday volunteering in our community. Watch for the next opportunity on social media, or check out our event calendar.
Community Center
Our dream of being a place where lives are changed Monday through Saturday is becoming a reality. Check back for updates soon!
Catalysts
Catalysts
we have the secret sauce.
Many people wonder, How can I grow spiritually? How do I become more like Jesus? Having a clear plan for spiritual traction is essential. Freshwater believes these five catalysts are the "secret sauce" that will help you grow your faith.
1. Practical teaching
Jesus wants us to hear His word, and then put it into practice. At Freshwater, you'll hear teachings from the Bible that point you toward the next step in your faith. Sermons are REAL and relevant to your life -- wherever you may be in your relationship with God. We believe God will point you toward real life action and real life change through these practical teachings. Matthew 7:24-28
Study: Luke 11:27-28, John 2:5, James 1:22, Matthew 21:28-31
2. Private discipline
Without discipline many of life's battles will not be won. The same is true with our spiritual lives. Daily time alone with God in the word and prayer is essential for our growth. God also calls us to disciplines of fasting and giving. In these private disciplines we strengthen our spiritual resolve and form Godly character. At Freshwater we challenge our people to be self-feeders who daily seek God and build spiritual practices of obedience that demonstrate our love and devotion to God.
Study: Matthew 6: 16-21, I Corinthians 16:2, I Corinthians 10:24-27
3. Personal ministry
We all want to make a difference and help those around us. God actually invites each of us to use the gifts and talents He has given us to accomplish that. When we find a personal ministry, God moves with power in and through us and we make an impact in other people’s lives. At Freshwater, we encourage everyone to find their place on the field, both in the church and the community, to see how God will use our spiritual gifts to help and inspire those around us.
Study: 2 Corinthians 3:6
4. Providential relationships
Proverbs 13:20 states this — he who walks with the wise grows wise but a companion of fools suffers harm. Relationships shape us – and we believe God puts people in our live to help us become like Him. Freshwater believes in the power of friendships, mentors, and sharing life with each other for life change.
Study: Proverbs 27:17
5. Pivotal circumstances
Life has been compared to a roller coaster ups and downs — often one right after another. How do we determine if these things are good or bad or what part God plays in these events? Our world view will determine if we beleive that God uses these things to help us learn about life, build character and as a way to grow closer to Him. We build this worldview through practical teachings, providential relationships, and our private disciplines. Knowing God and understanding his purposes will help us to interpret life's ups and downs in a way that will aid our growth.
Study:
Baptism
Baptism
love and obedience.
Baptism is something we believe Jesus calls His followers to do. It is an outward profession of our inward faith and an important next step in our walk with Jesus. And it usually generates a lot of questions. Get answers by downloading this information packet.
Ready for the next step?
If you're ready to take the next step, fill out this form and sign up to participate in our next baptism. If you're wondering what baptism looks like at Freshwater, check out the photo gallery below. See more photos on our Facebook page here.
Partnership
Partnership
hey, partner.
Want to know more about being a partner? Fill out this form and our staff may or may not be dressed up like cowboys. If you have questions, contact the office at (269) 657-6500.
