The Tip of the Iceberg

Leslie and I were talking yesterday about the idea of what a person sees at Crossroads on Sunday morning as being just "the tip of the iceberg".  In other words, there's a whole lot more going on, then someone might realize at first glance.  Let me give you a few examples of what I mean:

• We live in a "training town".  The largest single block of attenders at Crossroads are in WOCS, or flight school, are family members of those in WOCS or flight school, or earn their living supporting the mission at Fort Rucker.  As a result, our congregation (just like the population at Fort Rucker) is constantly rotating in and out.  
• Though the SIZE of Crossroads physical congregation tends to neither diminish nor significantly spike in growth, the FACE of the congregation constantly changes.  Which means that untold numbers of people come through the front door, are impacted by the ministry in some way, and then leave a some point.  In 2011 we'll likely see more than 600 first-time attenders.  
• Crossroads reaches WAY more people than you will ever see on Sunday morning. On an average Sunday morning at Crossroads what you are likely to see is somewhere around 270 people attending church.  What you don't see is the 763 people (as of last Monday) who either attend on Sunday, participate in a small group, listen to our weekly podcast, or stay connected to our church community by taking advantage of one or more on-line resources.

Why is all of that important?  So we can boast of numbers of people greater than those attending on Sunday?  No, no.  It's not about that.  Our life is about influencing people for Christ.  Here's what it's about: those 763 people that are connected at Crossroads are just the ones we know about!  They ARE the "tip of the iceberg".  

While I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect with those 763 people in a meaningful way, we ALL need to be aware of, and deeply concerned about, the HUNDREDS that come through our front door and never fill out a Communication Card, and never join a small group, and never get connected to God's mission, and LEAVE without anyone really knowing they were here.    

Just as there is far more to Crossroads than meets the eye, there is an entire mission field of people God loves living just out of sight, just below the surface of the water.  That is why, as followers of Christ, as representatives of the Gospel, it is incumbent upon every one of us  to pay attention to more than just "tip of the iceberg".

What represents the "tip of the iceberg" for you at Crossroads?  Maybe it's the group of people you gravitate to on Sunday morning.  It's comfortable.  I get it.  You see them, you know them, it works, and those relationships are HUGELY important.  

But what would it be like to say to your comfortable group, "Today at church, let's challenge ourselves to walk across the room and meet and talk to someone we have never met before".  

When is the last time you met someone who is at Crossroads for the very first time?  Look at it this way: you might be the only connection they make that first time.  You could be the reason they come back.  You could be the reason they get in a small group.  You could be the reason they connect their lives with God's mission.  You  could be the reason they get their family in a great church and continue to grow relationally, spiritually and in service to the church and the world when they ultimately LEAVE.  

You could be the very reason that number is 764 next Monday!  Dive in!  There's a whole world of relationships and opportunities to influence others for Christ just below the surface of the water!  

Have a GREAT weekend!