SUNDAY WRAP UP (072411)

Fabulous day at Crossroads Sunday!  Biggest crowd in several weeks as we closed out our original series SUPER! Our second week in Cinema Three, people coming back from vacation, and I'm really sensing the momentum that accompanies the kind of rapid growth we've seen before heading into the Fall of the year.  Too exciting!!  Here's a few quick hits from Sunday:

• Atmosphere and energy in our new auditorium is off the charts!  It's like a brand new church.  Lots of fun!
• Working through technical issues.  We had 3 years to work out technical bugs in Cinema One, only a couple of weeks in Cinema 2.  There's a buzz in the sound system.  We all know there's a buzz.  Thank you for your comments on your Connection Cards about the buzz.  We're working on it.  Our electrician will be in this week to run clean power into the auditorium.  That'll fix it.  Had to do the same thing next door.
• Several people commented that it was louder than Cinema One.  I agree.  Gonna take a few services to get it all dialed in.  Thanks for your patience...and don't forget that we provide ear plugs where you get your Worship Guides.
• THANK YOU FOR BEING "DOWN IN FRONT"!  Can't tell you how much energy you bring to the room and to the message when you engage by getting closer to the action.  And you leave room in the back for first-timers or those who haven't decided yet.  THANK YOU SO MUCH for joining me and Nic DOWN IN FRONT!  You guys totally rock!
• Loved sharing the message 'SUPER-BOLD'!  If you didn't get a Worship Guide, get the notes and the Scriptures by clicking HERE.
• Speaking of totally rockin' out: How 'bout Caleb Bannin and the band doing 'Eye of the Tiger'?  That was AWESOME!!!  Worship rocked my face off.  Loved it all.  And Caleb got the room going with Survivor's big hit!
• Next time someone challenges you, or tries to run you down the road, or wants you to do things you know you shouldn't...what do you do?  You look them in the eye, raise your fist 80's rocker style, and you go, "Dunt...Dunt-Dunt-Dunt...Dunt-Dunt-Dunt...Dunt-Dunt-Duuuuuuuun!"  Be Bold!
• Gave away every last copy of 'Be Bold' on Sunday.  Yup!  Read it.  Use it.  Live it!  If you didn't get one, I'll get a link up to a downloadable PDF.  Let me know if you want it.

So excited for the next two weekends.  It's a brand new original series from Crossroads called 'DIRTY JOBS'.  Don't miss a week.  See you Sunday!

"Down In Front"

Just a quick note to all the faithful Crossroads attenders out there.  You know our vibe, we place a high value on people walking through the front door the very first time.  With our move into Cinema Three last week, I noticed that because the entrance to the auditorium is on the side, and the back seating area has a flat floor, and because so many folks like sitting in the back (I totally get that), the auditorium LOOKS like it's full when people come in after the music has started.

So here's what happens: people JAM the back of the room because (and you know what this is like) they feel uncomfortable coming "down in front", especially if they are first-time, or relatively new attenders.  We had a ROCKIN' crowd last Sunday, but I noticed there were four to five rows front and center that were virtually empty.

So here's what I'm asking you to do: move "down in front" into the center section when you come into the auditorium.  Three totally awesome things will happen when you do this:

1. You'll leave room for new folks who want to check out Crossroads without "getting too close".  (We always want to leave room in the back for people who haven't decided yet).
2. You'll be more connected than ever to the music and the message, while leading and inspiring others to do the same!
3. You'll give me confidence that I don't smell funny, causing the first four center rows to be empty.

This Sunday, as we close out our continuing series SUPER, come join me "down in front" and LEAD BIG as you show others how great it is to dive even deeper into the music and the message.  Don't forget, ear plugs are always available at the table when you come in if the music's a little hot.  (Just take them out before I start talking).  See you Sunday!

SUPER SUNDAY - TAKE TWO

I got a call late Saturday from the owner of the College Cinema, where Crossroads holds Sunday morning services.  He told me that all the rain we had finally began leaking around the front A/C unit in Cinema One where we meet.  He said the fire department came and blocked off a portion of the seating down in front in case the ceiling fell in.  My first thought was, "no problem, no one ever sits down front".  My second thought was, "This is ironic, considering we had originally slated moving our services into Cinema Three for the 3rd of July".

I called Will Lurie, our Media Arts Pastor, to let him know what I knew.  By yesterday morning at 7:15AM, I'd heard from Rachel Williams our Guest Services director, and David Myers our soundman, that it was now raining in Cinema One..front and back.  We made the call to move to Cinema Three and the race was on.  We cancelled the early service and had two and a half hours to move stage, sound, lights, projector, to another cinema, and re-set the lobby to accomodate a new traffice flow.

Standing with the staff in wet. soggy. smelly Cinema One I asked, "Do you hear that?  That's the sound of God laughing at us for not moving to Cinema Three two weeks ago."  Under my leadership, we had allowed the date to slip, and opted for a re-launch on September 18th.  Apparently...God wasn't confused when he led us to make the move.  I'm pretty sure He knows when it's going to rain.

So we moved.  And something amazing happened.  Staff, leaders, volunteers dug in to the task at hand with and energy and passion I remember from the very first Crossroads service.  The Lobby looked great, the hallway and traffic flow worked, and Cinema Three was absolutely electric!  It looked better, it sounded better, it smelled better, it WAS better!  Why didn't we do this years ago?  It felt like we had moved...to a new church!  (In fact, I remarked from the platform that I felt like I was cheating on my old church.)  

God orchestrated a fresh start for Crossroads at exactly the right minute...when we least expected it.  And I couldn't be more grateful to Him, or more appreciative of the hard work and fantastic attitudes with which EVERYONE approached the challenge of moving. 

More people made first-time decisions to trust Christ and decisions to renew their commitment to Christ in one service than at any time in the last year.  God is so good!  He knows exactly what we need, when we need it.  And often He lets us know about it in advance...we just have to be obedient.  I'm grateful that our Heavenly Father is so patient with us, and not concerned about "paying us back".  If He were, I'd have been standing on the stage of Cinema One when a hundred or so gallons of rainwater, and a half dozen ceiling tiles, came down with a resounding "Sploosh!".  

"God, thank you for not embarrassing us like that, but for giving us the very best opportunity to worship You, to serve You and others, and tell people about You and Your Son Jesus!"  See you all next week for two services in Cinema Three.  Let it rain!  We're good now.

      

OUR BILLBOARDS

A few weeks ago, Crossroads launched a new billboard campaign on our electronic digital billboard at Hwy 84 and Boll Weevil Circle.  There are five slides in rotation that say:

• On behalf of Christians we apologize for HATING GAYS.
• On behalf of Christians we apologize for BEING RACIST.
• On behalf of Christians we apologize for BEING HYPOCRITES.
• On behalf of Christians we apologize for IGNORING THE POOR.
• On behalf of Christians we apologize for THINKING WE'RE BETTER THAN YOU.

It has come to my attention that there are more than a few Christians who are offended by the billboards.  I totally understand.  They're absolutely correct.  First off, there should be a comma between the word 'Christians' and the word 'we'.  Clearly, a glaring grammatical error.  Secondly, we should apologize for being 'RACISTS', not 'RACIST'.  If it's a 'we' we're talking about, then the word should be plural.  Grammer has never been my strong suit.  I promise that on Monday we will discontinue this billboard series so we can make the appropriate corrections.  (Just keeping it light, guys.  I recognize there is more, but I admit I am somewhat flummoxed by the reaction from Christians.)

There is a concern that some have expressed (I should say, not to me personally), that our billboard series "casts Christians in a bad light", or "gives people who are poor, or gay, or racist a reason to dislike Christians".  Here's where I fall on that: People who do not attend church don't really need a reason to dislike Christians.  We've already given them plenty of them.  In our ministry we hear about those reasons all the time.  And that's just kind of the whole ever-lovin' point of the billboards.   

The church (WHICH INCLUDES ME - BECAUSE I'M THE WORST OFFENDER), in my opinion, has consistenly dropped the ball - and excluded many as a result - through our failure to be intellectually honest.  We claim to love God, and often hate other people.  Maybe you don't personally.  Good for you and those you have influenced.  But there's is way more to the body of Christ than your experience alone.  Taken in context of how the church has treated people that aren't just like them over the years, we have a lot of work to do.  I think not acknowledging that is a prime reason so many shy away from church.

Those billboard apologies, and the website they are linked to, are not directed at those God-fearing Christ-followers determined to love other people no matter what the cost to personal reputations.  This is not about you.  They are directed at those who have been hurt by the church, who have been ignored by the church, who have been passed over by the church, who have been left out by the church, who have not been loved by the church.  And there are MANY of them...yes, even right here our community.

People aren't disposable.  Everyone, regardless of their status in life, the color of their skin, their political affliation, OR their SIN deserves an opportunity to hear the Gospel message of Christ.  If you or your church are not into all that, fine.  But one day, just like you, I'm going to have to stand before God and give an account for what I did with the skills, abilities, gifts, and resources that He gave me while I was on this earth.  And I'm not going to face that day without doing EVERYTHING in my ability (empowered by the Holy Spirit) to reach the UN-churched and DE-churched in our community with the truth of God's Word and His message of grace for ALL who will come to Him.

Someone needs to do it.  Don't hate on us.  Pray for us.  We're reaching people and providing an environment where the ignored, ambivilent, disinterested, and disposed of can experience the kind of life-change that is only possible when their life intersects with the power and the love of God.  And I thank God every day that there are intelligent, deeply motivated, committed, mature Christians willing to stand alongside us and help us do the work.  

That may not be what your church is called to do.  But it IS our assignment at Crossroads.  We're not trying to steal people away from anyone.  We never have.  We're not trying to be bigger than anyone else.  We don't care.  And it's important that you know that we are grateful that you are following God, and making disciples while you make a home for those you are called to serve.  Why would you want anything less for us?  Why would the church, the family of God, Christ-followers disparage our work? 

Paul instructs us on the danger of criticism HERE.  Don't fall into the trap of gossiping about other churches, or their congregation, or their methodology or (most importantly) their calling.  I love that people have choices in our community.  It's important, because we are all so different in so many ways.  At Crossroads, we have shared the truth of the Gospel with those in our community for more than three years now.  And we haven't done it in a vaccuum.  Every message that we have shared from the platform is available HERE.  We preach and teach the truth of God's Word.  Our doctrinal beliefs are posted on our website and lived out in our church family every day.

Our styles may be different, our target may be different, but we are fighting the same enemy, and it isn't one another.  Remember Paul's admonition, "Above all you must live as citizens of heaven conducting yourself in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ.  Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose,  fighting together for the faith which is the Good News".  (Phil 1:27, NLT)

The peace of God be with you all.

                 

READ MY MAIL

This hit the nail on the head for me.  Can't do any better this week, than this blog post from Perry Noble.  Take a look.  See you Sunday for Week 3 of SUPER.  This week: Kryptonite.

PERRY NOBLE

SUPER Sunday Update

Great 4th of July weekend at Crossroads!  Here's a few quick take-away's:

• People made high quality life-changing decisions Sunday to trust Christ for the first time, and to renew their relationship with God!  Nothing better than that!!
• Amazed at size of crowd for the 4th of July weekend!  Way to show up big!
• The energy in the Lobby and in the Auditorium was AWESOME Sunday!  People were amped to be serving and attending Crossroads and it showed!
• Kicked off brand new original series called "SUPER" on Sunday!
• Worship band rocked!  Great worship set and then..."Perfect" by PINK?!?!  Are you kidding me?  that was FANTASTIC!!  Clean version BTW, fit the message PERFECT-ly.  I hear Nic, Janna and the band have something like that each week for the SUPER series!  Can't wait.
• We talked about Moses Sunday (watch the message by clicking HERE), and we talked about how many of us view him as a "Bible Superhero".  But looking into parts of Moses' life, and his interaction with God, helps us see that God isn't looking for our skills and ability when He calls us into action - He's looking for us to SHOW UP and trust Him.

On Sunday, we ended the service with this idea: FOUND people FIND people.  We shared Jesus instructions from ACTS 1:8, and Paul's encouragement to recognize our responsibility from 2 COR 5.  And we provided in your worship guide a place to write down the names of the THREE PEOPLE you were going to invite to Crossroads next week.  If you weren't with us Sunday, I encourage you to watch the video of the message, write those names down, and invite BIG.  This is not about "putting butts in seats".  This is about you having something worth sharing.  The #1 reason people attend church is become someone invited them.  Think about the person that invited you.  Now...go be that person in the life of someone else.

Have a GREAT week, and I'll see you (and your friend, family member, co-worker, neighbor, classmate, mailman, cashier, UPS driver, and the rest of those you invite to Crossroads) next Sunday!!

Don't Forget to Feed the Dog

As we enter the long July 4th weekend, I want to send out a quick reminder to the faithful at Crossroads to remain faithful in your generosity and commitment to support the work of the ministry.  Each Summer, as families head for well-deserved vacations, making plans to ensure that things at home are paid up and provisions are made for pets, pools and property, churches accross America feel the pinch.  It's a simple fact that church attendance drops off by an average of 45% during the Summer.  What's often overlooked is that the average church's fixed costs are 95% of their budget.  In other words, the bills are the same in the Summer as they are the rest of the year.

As you make plans to be out of town during the Summer, please make every effort to use On-Line Giving by clicking HERE, or mail your regular offering to:

Crossroads Church

P.O. Box 311567

Enterprise, AL 36331

Have a GREAT time on your Summer vacations!  But make sure you don't forget to feed the dog...or your church.  You want both of them healthy and doing well when you get back.  We'll be right here.  Woof!