Senior Pastor, Nate Nelson.
As a young boy, the Lord marked on Nate’s heart a burning desire to see people who don’t yet know Jesus, to come to know Him. In 1997 Nate was an active participant in helping start the Northwoods Vineyard Church. Shortly after getting married in 2000, Nate and Shelley embarked together on an awesome adventure of surrendering their lives fully to the advancement of God’s Kingdom. In 2000-2003, while going through VLI (Vineyard Leadership Institute-The Vineyard Church’s seminary level theological and pastoral training), Nate and Shelley both experienced the Lord’s call to church plant. They were ready to depart to wherever the Lord was directing them but, to their surprise He had them remain in their hometown of Tomahawk! Nate’s call to pastor wasn’t actualized until 2008. In that time in between 2003-2008, the Lord was allowing Nate to fall in love with Tomahawk and recaptured his heart for those who need Jesus right here in this neck of the woods! In 2016, Nate was ordained through the Vineyard Church and in 2017 he was called to be the senior pastor of the Northwoods Vineyard Church. Nate is committed to seeing Northwoods Vineyard Church make disciples, who make disciples and to plant more Vineyard churches in Northern Wisconsin; or wherever else the Lord is directing.
Nate enjoys: dates with his wife, dancing and singing with his daughters, playing legos and wrestling with his boys, a good movie, campfires, playing the drums, deer hunting, time in the woods, watching football and reading to his family.
To Nate, it is a gift to call Tomahawk “home,” not only because of its natural beauty but, more importantly, to him because of the people he gets to do life with. He loves and is called to this city! It’s a privilege to serve this community with the love of Jesus as your neighbor, friend and senior pastor of the Northwoods Vineyard Church.
We are creating communities of disciples who are committed to Christ, His Church and His Cause.
We see the Lord empowering us to make disciples who make disciples and plant churches that plant churches.
We see a disciple as one who is committed to a life of being made more and more into the likeness of Jesus and who is reproducing this likeness in others. We allow these values to define how we are to be constantly growing and reproducing: 8W’s
Love and WORSHIP the Lord Jesus Christ
We exist to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ for who He is, what He has done and what He will do. Our desire is to magnify Him in whatever we do, so that our lives can be an expression of His Presence.
Learn and live His WORD
We exist to become more like the Lord Jesus Christ. This occurs primarily through the study and application of His Word. We see this as a lifelong process of allowing the Word of God to reveal His grace and truth, which empowers us to mature.
Lead people to Him through WINSOME WITNESS
We exist to lead people to experience a real, personal and saving relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Our desire is to work with a sense of urgency and to be intentional in reaching out to those who are lost eternally without Jesus Christ. This is so important to our Lord that He actually gave five great commissions: Matthew 28:19-20; Mark 16:15;
Luke 24:47-49; John 20:21 and Acts 1:8. Suffice it to say, we are on a mission from God!
Live relationally in our WALK with Him and others
We exist to walk out our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ in loving relationships with each other. Jesus always places a high value on relationships. Jesus said we would be known as His disciples by our love for one another. Our desire is to foster an environment for growth, which encourages an open sharing of our lives with each other. This occurs most effectively in the context of small groups. It is the Lord’s will for us as members of His family to have a genuine sense of belonging, where we can truly be known and know others.
Legitimize His presence through His WORKS
We exist to minister our Lord’s power and mercy. We trust Him to work through us to bring His Kingdom’s power to heal and restore hurting and broken lives. Our desire is to treat people as Jesus does, to accept them where they are (which requires mercy and grace) but to love them enough not to leave them there (which requires truth). We see healing both as a process to be walked out in the context of safe relationships with people trained to minister, as well as experiencing the Lord’s Presence through powerful encounters with Him.
Liberally respond to our Lord’s love through WISE INVESTING into His kingdom
We exist to manage all of our God-given resources in such a manner that would bring the greatest glory to our Lord Jesus Christ in the advancement of His kingdom.
Lifelong pursuit of WHOLENESS through Jesus. We exist to embrace the rule and reign of God in being transformed toward wholeness – physical, emotional, spiritual and relational. Jesus came to heal the whole person and to restore all of humanity to fullness of life, just as it was at creation. As we encounter Jesus and embrace his grace and truth, He heals our brokenness, gives us a new identity and purpose for our lives that is found only in Him. Our healing is directed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. We trust Him to reveal what needs healing, and we surrender those areas of our lives to Him to change as He sees fit. We see this healing take place through powerful encounters with Jesus and walked out in Christ-centered community. We are then invited to share our stories of transformation with others!
Looking to be influential – Becoming WORLD CHANGERS
We exist to answer the call of Jesus to be disciple-making disciples. We are committed to being influential today in every arena of responsibility that God has placed us in for the advancement of His kingdom. As disciples of Jesus, we are called to be multipliers as we develop a lifestyle of investing what God gives us into others and teaching them to go and do the same. This is the mission of God – to change the world through generations of disciples who are envisioned, impassioned and empowered by the Holy Spirit!
Leaning in for the ways of the Kingdom as we WATCH and pray – WATCHFULNESS. We exist to focus our lives on Jesus by developing a watchful eye and listening ear through prayer. As we remain vigilant and active in prayer, our heavenly Father releases His perspective and the discernment we need to effectively engage the world with His wisdom, heart and life-changing presence.
