Random Musings

Wow, what a loooooooong day.  I think I have some dain bramage from inhaling oil-based enamel primer paint fumes.  No, I wasn't just sitting in a corner huffing. Today was the day the LIFE3 mural went away.  It took several coats.  Look for cool new lobby stuff supporting July's series COUNTDOWN on Sunday!  

Construction work continues in all areas of the Annex as Leslie and I get ready to move our offices out of our house;  we transform the "dark and spooky hallway of gloom" into the "bright and cheerful passageway to excellence"; we ready the children's area for elementary ministry on Sunday mornings; and as we convert the formerly Barney-colored tile dance studio, into The Garage, our new youth facility, to open on Wednesday August 13th.  When I say "we", I mean me and all the Roadies that are putting in the hours this week.  If you're free Wednesday night, Thursday day, or Saturday come on down to the Annex and grab a paintbrush or a hammer.  (If you're nice I'll let you smell the oil-based enamel primer.  Ha, ha!)

I have a headache. Why does everything smell like paint?  Why are all the lights in my house purple?  Why does my dog look like an iguana?  Whoa, dude...... 

Sorry.  I'm back.  Hey, busy week this week.  Lots of work to do at the Annex, Freedom Fest on Friday, and a new series starting Sunday morning.  I LOVE CROSSROADS!  You guys rock!!

Goodnight everybody.  

Elements

What a wonderful time we had today at the Annex.  Another great crowd - at the height of summer vacation season!  It is so encouraging to see people pour through that front door hungry for friendship with people, and relationship with God.  

My daughter Caitlin had a great idea.  She reminded me of something we say all the time at Crossroads, "God's not mad at you", and she said we need to put in on a billboard.  I think that rocks!  I'd LOVE to see that on a billboard in this town (and every other town)!  

It's true.  God's not mad at us.  He loves us, and He proved it when He sent Jesus to die for us.  We celebrated that death and resurrection today as we looked at where we had come from, where we are today, and where are going in the future as part of the church - the body of Christ.  

We shared communion together at the end of our service and it was pure and it was good.  We have really cool plans going forward for our communion services.  Every other month we will gather in the evening on a Sunday for a special time of communion.  This is such an important part of worship, I really believe that - for us - it needs to be something that stands apart from our other services.  

It was so exciting to announce our new leadership team at Crossroads!  I want to encourage everyone to hook up with our leaders and share your gifts, talents and abilities, and bring them to bear on our vision, as the Word brings life-change to the people of this community.  We have heard so many good reports already; people making decisions to trust Christ, and decisions to recommit their lives to Christ. I begin this week absolutely energized by the calling of God on all of us at Crossroads.  

Go love someone in your world today with the love of God!    

The Funny Papers

Our first print ad was published today in the Army Flier. Very cool. Quarter page. Righteous! Look for more stuff around the community as we prepare to launch...

Top Ten Things I Like About Crossroads

#10 - Free donuts and coffee on Sunday morning.

#9 - The time we get to spend in the lobby before and after service.

#8 - How stoked everyone is about movie theatre church.

#7 - Chris Vincent's attitude (the guy must eat electricity for breakfast).  

#6 - Awesome new Children's Pastors (to be introduced this Sunday!)

#5 - Awesome new Youth Pastors (to be introduced this Sunday!)

#4 - Unbelievably cool graphics everywhere!

#3 - Totally ROCKING worship music done by worship leaders that totally ROCK!

#2 - Casual Environment...Serious Faith

And the #1 Thing I Like About Crossroads is:

FREE DONUTS AND...wait, I already said that.  How about this for number one:

EVERY PERSON THAT WALKS THROUGH THE DOOR (and the ones that haven't yet)!

What's on YOUR list?    

Diggin' Up Bones

Did you ever feel like you suck at life?  You're not alone. The Bible is absolutely full of true stories of people who felt the very same way. Some with overwhelming evidence that proved they did.  For some, their foibles and misfortunes were often self-inflicted.  For others, their affliction was not of their own making.  Time and again God lifted the spirits and the fortunes of both.  

King David wanted to show kindness to anyone still alive from Saul's family.  He asked if there were such a person he could bless for his friend Jonathan's sake.  One of Jonathan's sons was still living. His name was Mephibosheth, which meant literally "to blow away or to dispel shame".  

Crippled when dropped by his nursemaid and paralyzed from the waist down, Mephibosheth - grandson of Saul, the first King of Israel - lived in Lo-Debar.  Lo-Debar was literally a place of "no pasture", a place of total desolation, hopelessness and despair.  

David sent for Mephibosheth.  He was brought before the King, trembling with fear, certain that his miserable life would now come to a violent end. Mephibosheth could not have expected the future the King had planned for him - all for Jonathan's sake.  David bestowed upon this destitute, crippled shadow of a man who described himself literally as a "dead dog", all of the property that belonged to Saul!  

Further, David made a place for Mephibosheth at his own table, where he would eat with the King, and he instructed Saul's former servant, Ziba, along with Ziba's 15 sons and 20 servants, to farm Mephibosheth's new land and produce food for his estate.  And from that day forward, Mephibosheth lived in Jerusalem and ate at the King's table.  

Who says you can't teach a "dead dog" new tricks.  Sit up and bark pooch, God did way more for you and me than David ever did for Mephibosheth!  Woof!  You've been summoned from Lo-Debar to live in Jerusalem and sit at the kings table!  

What?  He hasn't called you yet?  Oh yes, He did. He's calling you even now!  Get up out of that place of desolation and despair.  God has a plan and a purpose for your life!  He has a future for you and it is good!  Come RUNNING to JESUS, the King of ALL Kings!  Because God, for the sake of His Son, has given you eternal life!  

Read  2 Samuel 9 - and SMILE at someone today, okay?

I Know He Will

I've got countdown on the brain.  It seems like everything in our lives involves some sort of deadline. Whether it's getting up to be on-time for work, finishing an important project, or remembering dentist appointments (one I am so bad at, my dentist actually told me to find another dentist, because I missed so many scheduled appointments, Aaack!), our lives seem to revolve around deadlines.  Something that absolutely, positively HAS to happen no later than a specified time.  

Nowhere is that pressure more palpable than in the area of finances, right?  We all have to pay the bills by a certain time, or some broken-nosed guy named Tony Bagggadonuts comes and takes your refrigerator away (no offense to guys named Tony, or people with broken noses).  

Today is June 24th (as if I needed to tell anyone that, you've already got stuff to do today, and I get that).  We launch in 46 Days 1 Hour and 55 Minutes (but who's counting?).  We still need to raise at a minimum $15 thousand in the next week to acquire the rest of the equipment and furnishings we need to get Crossroads off the launch pad on August 10th.  

Your giving to date has been TREMENDOUS.  Humbling, overwhelming and clearly sacrificial. Many have done their part.  Many have done more.  I'm  just reminding you of the deadline, and the current shortfall.  15 grand. 15 large. 15 gazillion bazooties. 15 thoooooousand dolleros.  15 Grover Cleveland's. 15 thousand buck-a-roos.  15 small steps for a big man.  15 opportunities  for God to show off!  

Please DO NOT rob a liquor store to send money to Crossroads.  Please do not take money from someone who needs it more than you.  Please do not send your tithe to Crossroads if it is not your home church.  Please do not take money from your aging grandmother, or your small children.  Anything short of those things I mentioned...probably okay to do.  

Guys, I'm keeping it light 'cause that's just the way I am.  I KNOW the resources are coming in to do this work and I have great peace about all of it.  Sometimes when we feel that way though, we tend not to let other people know what's going on, and then they don't know how they can help.  So now you know.  If you like, use the online giving function at our website:  

www.crossroadsenterprise.org  

Have a groovy day!

The Age of Flip-Flop Enlightenment

I had some new books arrive today, a five-volume set called A History of the Jewish People in the Time of Christ. The books were originally written in 1890 by some German guy I never heard of.  I am amazed at how much time he spent, and how much effort and energy he put into this work.

It's pretty dry reading.  But I'm pretty sure it's important stuff to learn about.  When we learn about what the political and religious climate was, and how people lived and interacted with one another during the time of Jesus, it helps put the words of the New Testament into the context of the culture of the day.

There's also a couple of side benefits that come immediately to mind.  We get insight into the human condition, and the fact that time doesn't change it.  And we also see that nothing is so constant as cultural evolvement.

It would be pretty ridiculous for me to show up at church next Sunday dressed in a flowing robe, blow a rams horn and expect everyone to stand for several hours while I read the Book of the Law of Moses.  Would it not be equally absurd for me to dress like a businessman from 1950, 1970 or 1990, play a cadenza on the organ, and expect everyone to sing songs written in the late 1800's - while I preached sermons referencing commentary written during the last part of the reign of Queen Victoria?

I study books like these, because I want to learn from history.  They say that those who don't learn from history are destined to repeat it.  What do they say about those who just repeat history and call it church?  

As Christians, we hammer evolutionists for basing their understanding of natural selection largely on a book written over 150 years ago (before we knew about DNA).  Should it surprise ANYONE that non-believers hammer Christians for basing our understanding of what church should be like largely on the way it was practiced over 150 years ago (before we knew about flip-flops)?

Relax.  Have a donut and some coffee.  Welcome to Crossroads.

God Is Up To Something Good

Right here. Mind-blowing goodness. Wow.  Not even out of the gate yet, Crossroads is growing by leaps and bounds.  Guys, we haven't even launched yet, and we broke another attendance record this morning! Let's see, when do we launch? August 10th, right?  Did someone forget to tell the Holy Ghost?  

Kidding.  He knows.  What is happening is not a mystery. We're all the same, and we all respond positively to the goodness of God.  Get it?  God is in the house!  

God's goodness in church: the new NORMAL. How 'bout it?

OPEN

Hey guys and gals!  Greetings from Port St. John, Florida!  My mom is still having a bit of a rough go with the pain, so we decided to stay with her just as long as we could before heading back home. We'll be back late Saturday night.  Thanks to all for your prayers and support and for not just holding down the Fort, but continuing to fortify God's vision for Crossroads while we are gone!  

I want to encourage you to really reach in to your circle of influence today and tomorrow and invite people to attend our service on Sunday morning.  I PROMISE that I will honor that invitation by not embarrassing you (unless you find old fat guys in Hawaiian shirts, spraying shaving cream and tying people up with ropes embarrassing), and by giving a positive presentation of the person of Christ.  

Dig this:  It's not possible to have too many people show up when you're only 6 Sundays away from providing a 350-seat venue for the Gospel, yeah?  Don't back off.  Rather press in, and more so with each passing week!  Compel them to come. We are open and they are truly welcome.  

I can't wait to be with you all on Sunday.  God has a great message of faith, hope and love for all of us through His Son Jesus Christ!   

Little Bird

You've heard the expression, "A little bird told me..."?  Well, tonight I had a whole flock of birds calling me and texting me about the Youth Service at the Annex!  

The Band burned it down.  Will, Chris and Natalie helped set the charges.  Ben Rice blew it up!  And people turned out and tuned in to the Gospel! What a trip.  

I can't tell you how COOL it is to be 400 miles away hearing about how awesome things went. Biggest youth crowd ever.  Most first-time attenders ever.  People making first-time decisions to trust Christ, and people recommitting their lives to Christ.  

Almost as if God planned it all, huh?  I'm telling you guys, all we got to do is stay faithful and we'll get to ride the wave.  And you have GOT to SEE, God's got a HUGE wave for us to ride.  

Get your wet suit out and wax your board.  This is going to be insane!  Whoo-hoo!! 

Mommy Dearest

Thanks to all who communicated their concern and love and who took time to pray for my mom. Her surgery went perfectly and she's beginning recovery as expected.  I would like nothing more than for everyone to finally get to see her in person, soon.  I dunno...say, maybe AUGUST 10TH at the COLLEGE CINEMA for our LAUNCH!  

(Talk about a one-track mind...)  We'll be back late Friday.  

BTW - I dunno who's in the picture, but it looks like it hurt!

Odds & Ends

Had a HUGE day. Actually took the morning and afternoon off to recreate. But, had intense electronic conversation throughout the day with a TON of people.  

You guys really came through with some intelligent argument on the previous post.  Wow.  

Went to the College Cinema for a walk-through with Children's Ministry team. PUMPED!  

Check THIS out: Had a pastor friend tell me he was bringing his church to Crossroads launch on August 10th! That is SO first century, unselfish, Kingdom-building Christianity!!  I am STILL completely blown away by that!!!  

Me & Leslie are heading to Florida in the AM.  My mom is having surgery.  We'll be back in town Friday.  Don't forget Youth with Ben Rice on Thursday night at the Annex.  Part Two of his continuing series: 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens.  Work it, Ben!

Satanic Symbol?

Had a question on 'Ask Pastor Gene'.  They wanted to know if our logo was an upside-down cross, and if so...why?  And if not, did it have any significance.

No.  Our logo is not a backdrop for the new Marilyn Manson video.  But it does have significance. It's a crossroads for crying out loud!  You know, like where roads...cross?  Gee whiz!

Is our logo offensive?  Is it only offensive to religious people?  I mean, that's possible, 'cause it's pretty easy to offend them.

I just keep thinking about this:  With people actually dying and going to hell, does it really matter what our logo looks like?  Who has time to think this stuff up?

Sound off, Roadies.  Can't wait to hear what you think.

WOW!!

THE LAUNCH TEAM.  YESTERDAY @ THE ANNEX.

Get A Jump On Your Day!

A lot of people wouldn't consider getting dressed for the morning until they've poured a few cups of coffee down their throat. For me, it's Diet Coke. It's different for everyone, but everyone's got a routine to get their day started.  

What gets you going in the morning?  Whatever it is, I want to encourage you this morning to jump start your day with the Word of God.  

If you have a devotional that you read from, or a planned out time of Bible reading and prayer, great!  But you know, it doesn't HAVE to be some formal thing that you go through.  Just crack open God's Word and allow Him to speak to you BEFORE you hit the road.  Have a cup of coffee, drink a Diet Coke, do what you do in the morning to get yourself moving, but get that JUMP START that'll start your spirit man, too!  You'll find your batteries will stay charged all day long if you do.  

Have a great day and remember to stay connected, and share your HOPE in God with someone today! 

You Did It Again!

Another day of record attendance followed a week of record giving!  You guys are blowing my mind.  You look and sound like people that want to LAUNCH!  

Just want to let you know what an honor it is to serve you, and serve God with you.  

Gene

Takes faith...

The Weekend Is Here!!

The Bible says, "Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have HOPE. (Romans 15:4 NIV)  

Simply put, in the words of Hanz & Franz (pictured), the Word of God will "Pump...you up"!  

Get to the Annex this Sunday morning and invite someone to come with you.  Don't worry about where we'll put them all.  Just invite them to come, have a donut and a cup of coffee, and listen to a message of encouragement and HOPE!  

This Sunday, in our continuing series LIFE to the POWER of THREE:  HOPE!

 

Got Rice?

As a matter of fact, we do.  Ben Rice.  Any service (youth or otherwise) that begins with Linkin Park's Breaking the Habit video has my undivided attention!   Here's some other highlights from Thursday night's Youth Service at the Annex:

Linkin Park - Breaking the Habit video?  Oh YEAH!!     

"Who are you going to allow to influence you?"

"I'm not old...I'm a retired teenager!"

And my personal favorite (and one I will steal for years to come):

"God's point of view is the Point of You!"

Folks, Ben Rice kicked off a new series based on Franklin Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teenagers.  This series started off with a BANG, and will absolutely rock every step of the way. This is GOOD STUFF, and you need to get your teen, your teen's friend, and your teens, friend's friend to the Annex every Thursday Night at 7PM for Youth with Ben Rice!

Way to go Ben.  Good, solid work, Bro!  Ben Rice is in the House w/7 Habits!

Youth TONIGHT!!

"I pity the fool who doesn't come see Ben Rice at the Annex tonight at 7PM".  

You rock, Ben!  Bring it!!

Happy Holidays!

What makes holidays so exciting?  For some, the anticipation of seeing friends and family.  For others the opportunity to relax, unwind and recharge.  For some it's all about the food. And others love the ins and outs of making the preparations, so everyone has a good time.  

That's the way we should approach each and every service at church.  We get to see friends new and old, and be a part of a growing family. We get a chance to relax and unwind from the daily grind of life while we get recharged to face the challenges to come.  Food?  Oh, yeah! Sunday morning in the lobby should be a veritable snack-fest, with a little bit of something for everyone. Hey, some like fruit, some like coffee, some like bran muffins, and some (who are deeply spiritual) like donuts!  And the preparations?  It's all about service.  You know there's nothing that connects people like serving together, and there's nothing like church for an opportunity to serve and connect.  

That settles it.  Let's declare EVERY Sunday a HOLIDAY at Crossroads!  Bring the family! Bring the neighbors!  Bring the co-workers!  Invite.  It's a holiday.    

OUTTA THIS WORLD!

LAUNCH

Hell Hates These Hamburgers!

Had a great time today with the pastor of a church here in town.  He's been pastoring for 8 years and he absolutely rocks!  We met at the Annex and I think we both felt as though we had met a kindred spirit.  You know, it's one thing to be brothers in Christ, it's another thing to be in unity. I think we're going become good friends.

Cool thing #1?  The Annex, the College Cinema, launching, Crossroads vision - he totally gets it. All of it.  I gotta tell you it's a relief to find a pastor in our area that shares our vision for doing church here.  Look for great things from this pastor and his church.  (I'll tell you his name and the name of the church later, when it's right - you ALL know him!).

Cool thing #2?  He's going to be doing church just like we're doing it, right here in this town. That's some of the BEST news we could ever get.  Why?  Because there's not enough like-minded churches in this community to reach all the "unreached" yet.  "But isn't that competition for Crossroads, Pastor Gene?"  It's like this folks: When Burger King, McDonalds and Wendy's open up across the street from each other does it hurt them...or help them?  It helps EVERYONE.  How?  It is a clear signal to all the people in the community that hamburgers are good!

(You want to know something funny?  We went to lunch at New Century Chinese Buffet.  My fortune cookie said: "Don't be afraid of competition". Ha, ha!  I don't need a fortune cookie to tell me that we don't have enough ROCKIN' CHURCHES in this town yet, but thanks anyway Buddha!)  

Cool thing #3? My Pastor buddy told me he used Ozzy's Crazy Train in a recent service!  YEAH, BABY!  Keep it up! This town will be RINGED with cool churches, stomping holes in hell!!!

You want fries with that?  (Maniacal laughter) MUAHAHAHAHA!!!