WEEKEND UPDATE (022711)

Greetings!  Been two weeks since I last posted here, what with conferences out of town, remodeling projects, and my work schedule, I really slacked off the blog posting thing.  But I'm back, rested and ready!  We had a wonderful weekend at Crossroads!  Here's a few of the many things I noticed:

• Absolutely gorgeous weather and one of our biggest crowds so far this year!
• People made life-changing decisions!
• Really appreciate the hard work of the many dedicated Volunteers who literally make the Crossroads experience possible every week!
• This series (God, Love & Sex) has been incredible!  In three years we have never had as many positive comments about the impact a teaching series is having on the lives of Crossroads attenders!
• We shared Sunday about CONFLICT.  Every marriage has it.  Couples that last learn how to "fight CLEAN", by always pushing towards resolution.
• Saying, "I'm sorry", goes a really long way in any relationship.
• Loved the "I do" promises: To ACT and not REACT, To focus on the GOOD and not the BAD, and To TALK and not WALK.
• Some people walk out of a relationship because they are too proud to admit they might be wrong.
• Don't throw your marriage away because of selfishness or pride.  Work toward resolution.  If BOTH PEOPLE in a marriage will turn their hearts to God, there is NO PROBLEM TO BIG for Him to overcome!  Don't give up!

We made the decision to extend this series for one more week, and let me tell you this next Sunday is going to be a BIG DEAL.  I promise you, you will hear some things that you have never heard before that will help you understand WHY our marriages are supposed to be, "Til Death Do Us Part" forever.  If you have used "the D-word" in your conversation and conflicts, I URGE you to repent of doing that, together.  Just sit down and decide together, "We're not going to allow the word or the idea of divorce to enter into our conversation".  You will find that when divorce is no longer an acceptable option to a couple, the only thing left is to work things out.  God is IN that.  I've SEEN it.  Leslie and I LIVE it, and many others do as well and I'm telling you it will REVOLUTIONIZE your marriage.  Just that one simple step.

Next week is going to be OFF THE CHAIN huge.  It's a great oppotunity to INVITE BIG!  Can't wait to see you there as we close out God, Love & Sex!  Have a GREAT week!

WEEKEND UPDATE (I Totally HEART You Edition - REVISED)

For 30 years now (because my wedding anniversary is February 9th) I have lovingly received a "pass" from Leslie on Valentines Day.  It suited me well as I have always viewed this day as little more than a commercially contrived conspiracy to drive up cost and manufacture demand for greeting cards, chocolates and flower arrangements.  (I know, I know...how could anyone possibly "Bah Humbug" poor little Cupid, right?) But I bring good news for all you gooey-hearted, dreamy-eyed lovers out there.  Something I studied a bit (and actually taught in Youth several years ago) actually changed my opinion of Valentines Day forever.  You can read one of the literally hundreds of stories (and legends) of St. Valentine, Martyr for Christ HERE.  In other fantastic news, Sunday at Crossroads was AWESOME!  Here's just a few of the many reasons why:

• GREAT crowd!  SEVENTEEN first-time attenders! 
• MANY people raised their hands evidencing quality decisions to attend every week of our current series God, Love & Sex; to allow God to change their hearts concerning relationships; to allow God to intervene in their marriages; to renew their relationship with God through Christ; even to trust Christ with their lives for the very first time!  It was a HUGE day of decisions!
• The first service has numerous technical difficulties which were all sorted out by the second service.  We apologize for any inconvenience, but God is so much bigger than all of that, and we really experienced the Holy Spirit moving on people's hearts yesterday, helping them overcome difficulties in their marriages and in the dating lives of singles.  God is SO good!
• Loved the "I Love You THIS Much" segment yesterday.  Surprising answers!
• Our young, single contestant Leo really cracked me up.  He put his top ten list together of what women want for Valentine's Day and it was very nearly opposite of the survey results.  When I asked him if he learned anything, he said (off the mic), "Yeah, whatever I think is the exact opposite of what women think!"  Leo, keep up that thinking you'll go far in your future marriage!
• Having a great marriage isn't as much about FINDING the right person as it is about BECOMING the right person.
• Even in great marriages "Seasons of Winter" are a part of preparing for great blessings to come.  Don't throw in the towel on your marriage just because you're in a season of winter.  Spring is coming!
• Singles: Don't abandon your life for the "perfect" guy or gal.  That's not love.  Love invites this person into the TOTALITY of your life.  You invite them to know your family, your friends, your church.  You INCLUDE them in your life, not ABANDON your life for them.
• Singles: Don't speak prematurely (especially weighty words like "I love you").  Give God time to build a foundation for your relationship before you put too much pressure on it.
• Singles: Be careful to remember that when your HEART moves toward someone, your HANDS naturally want to follow.  Easy does it.  
• When talking about your past (especially your past relationships and especially past sexual relationships, if you've had them) be honest, but spare the details.  The devil seems to use the details to plant seeds of doubt and mistrust.
• Single Guys: She is relying on YOU to "catch the little foxes" of sexually tempting things that could destroy the purity of your relationship.
• Single Gals: If you're in a relationship with a guy who is pressuring you sexually, you are in a relationship with a guy who DOES NOT fear the standard of God.  And if he doesn't fear God's standard BEFORE you are married, what makes you think he'll fear it AFTER you're married.  Think about it.

So many great take-aways from yesterday's service, but the best is surely this: I saw and spoke to MANY people on Sunday who are taking this series and the application it affords SERIOUSLY.  God is working relational MIRACLES in people's lives and it is so AWESOME to see!  Keep coming back.  Don't give up.  Next week: GREAT SEX!  Feel free to invite Grandma...but you might not want to sit next to her!  I'm kidding mostly.  When God's teaching on intimate loving marriages lands where it's supposed to land, no one is embarrassed or uncomfortable.  Invite big!

Have a GREAT week!

30 Years Later

Happy Anniversary, Leslie!  Who would have thought when we skipped out of the History Class movie showing of "Failsafe" that Tuesday Night on May 16th, 1977 and drove out to McClellan Reservoir, that we would be celebrating 30 years of marriage today?  I simply love you.  Your Blog post today was awesome and I couldn't be more proud!  It made me grin from ear to ear...and then cringe a bit on the inside as I realized that now all of your friends know that I actually had a yellow 1980 Pinto Station Wagon.  Funny isn't it, I'm not remotely embarrassed about any of the gooey things you said about our love for each other.  I couldn't have grown up any manlier than to love you with all my heart.  But knowing that I had a yellow 1980 Pinto Station Wagon....in 1980...well, suffice it to say, I'll be turning in my credentials to the Man Card Review Board this afternoon.  I was also notified this morning of a pending hearing with the Association for Good Taste in Automobiles, at which I'm certain I will be censured...for life.

Just in case anyone was wondering what your Burger King uniform looked like...

HAPPY 30th ANNIVERSARY! 

WEEKEND UPDATE (Reeeeeally Late Edition)

Wow...today really got away from me.  Sorry this post is so late in the day.  INCREDIBLE day at Crossroads yesterday, seriously just GREAT!  Here's a few quick take-aways from the weekend:

• Saturday we had a small group leaders luncheon and I can tell you we have an amazing team of small group leaders who are really on the same page.  We have great small groups getting ready to launch our Spring Semester and another weekend left for sign up.  Get thyself to the lobby between first and second service, or after the second service this coming Sunday and get in a small group.  It's one of the BEST ways you can possibly spend your time!
• Sunday's service ROCKED beginning to end!  Back to TWO SERVICES for the first time in 10 weeks.  So GREAT to have the 9AM crowd again!
• Biggest attendance of the year so far.  Way to go Crossroads!
• Children's Center is about 85% complete and looks FANTASTIC!  Great response from everyone serving there and from parents taking their nursery and toddler-age children there.  Getting better every week.
• Great new signage out front: "Love God - Love Others - Serve the World"!
• LOVED seeing all our great lobby team volunteers and ushers wearing the awesome new "iServe" t-shirts and badges!  Didn't they look great?  We have one in YOUR size, too!  Just sign up and show up once a month to serve with our awesome guest services team and you'll be sporting the latest in Crossroads-wear! Thank you ALL for demonstrating such team spirit!
• Week One of GOD, LOVE & SEX was awesome!  Great job by Doug and Rodney (our two unsuspecting victims that dressed up in Romeo garb and read classic poetry) who showed their wives that real men read "How Do I Love Thee"!  Way to go guys!  Hope you enjoy the "free" movie tickets.  You totally earned them!
• Laughed HARD at the Tim Hawkins video!
• Heard from MANY people that they were really comitting to dig in to the teaching this month.  I really believe that as folks do, they will see radically positive changes in their marriages!
• Also heard from many singles and young people that Sundays teaching was a HUGE blessing and a help to them in their pursuit of purity in their relationships!
• Worship band brought it Sunday.  Totally ROCKED!
• Did I mention i LOVED being back to two services?

Guys, I have never been so pumped for a series of teaching as I am for our current series GOD, LOVE & SEX.  This is GREAT stuff whether you are married, in a relationship, or single.  There is something for EVERYONE in this series.  I encourage you to INVITE friends, family, co-workers whoever.  Everybody knows somebody who need real practical answers to the questions we all have in our real relationships.  Cant wait to see you all next Sunday.  Have a GREAT week!

TODAY

I woke up this morning thinking about things that are RARE and PRECIOUS.  I was thinking about it in terms of the abundance of opportunities I have enjoyed from the time I was a kid, right up to this very moment.  How God has blessed me!  I was thinking about it in terms of relationships; caring and nuturing parents, a beautiful and godly wife, loving and tender-hearted children, mentors, friends, and those I've had the privilege of influencing.  How God has blessed me!  I was thinking about it in terms of my work experiences; somehow a door for advancement and promotion always open in every job.  How God has blessed me!  I was thinking about it in terms of my church experiences; without exception, a continual track of growth as I've been led in the paths of righteousness and truth.  How God has blessed me!  I was thinking about it in terms of Crossroads; not just a church, but a way of life literally bursting with meaning and purpose.  How God has blessed me!

As I pondered the sheer number of things - life opportunties, life relationships and life experiences - that each in itself could be looked at as something so RARE and so PRECIOUS that it may only come around a handful of times in an entire life...it occured to me:  the thing that is so rare and precious is TODAY! 

"So teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom..."  (Psalm 90:12)