WEEKEND UPDATE

Great weekend at Crossroads as we turn the corner headed for the holiday season. We saw out third-largest crowd Sunday morning with 279 people in attendance! Here's a few quick take-away's from the service:

1. MANY rededicated their lives to Christ on Sunday and several made the decision to go public with their faith through baptism!!
2. The new Children's Annex was a smash hit!! Wish we had done it months ago. Thanks to everyone who worked to make the new annex a success!
3. Highway 68, Crossroads middle school ministry, kicked off Sunday in Cinema 3 with twenty-two middle schoolers!! Great job by Pastor H and all those who serve in middle school ministry!
4. Absolutely AWESOME time of worship with Nic, Janna and the band yesterday!! Nic really connected with everyone in the building, the band sounded great, the new song was killer! Loved Nic's comment about the reason no one could clap in time with him, "Too many white people in here"! GREAT job by our worship band!!
5. Leo Taarea is a movie star! Thanks for the great vid Leo! Thank you for being so honest about how you felt about tithing before you came to Crossroads.
6. OH MY GOODNESS...I went reeeeeeeally long yesterday. Really long. So sorry. I hope no one got too antsy. I really believe that if a person can't say what they have to say in 36-42 minutes...they need to work harder and say LESS! My bad. I went 57 minutes. I apologize to all in children's ministry who had to tap dance while they waited for me to run out of wind! (BTW, don't tell my coach Hal Mayer how long I went, he'll make me run laps!)
7. Thank you Dave and Mickey for allowing me to cheat you at cards!! Great segment! Tons of laughs and lots of fun for everybody!! The most confusing card game EVER. That's the way many of us were taught to give. Disparate rules, mixed in with some sleight-of-hand, some myth, some conjecture, and VOILA! No wonder so many people don't connect with what Jesus said about being "rich toward God".
8. Even though I went long...I heard from many that they never heard much of what we shared in church before, "We give, because Jesus gave".

I could go on here, but I don't want this blog post to be as long as yesterday's message. Have a GREAT week!

"But we've ALWAYS done it this way!"

I am beyond excited about ALL-IN, our new series that starts this Sunday. It's only going to be three weeks, but it will lead right into another three-week series called PAY IT FORWARD. Put simply, ALL-IN is about GIVING, regardless of the hand you've been dealt. PAY IT FORWARD is about SERVING, regardless of who the recipient of your service is.

I have been on this journey of following Christ (and often running down rabbit trails claiming to be following Him) for 20 years. Maybe because I came to faith late in life (at 29), with a great hunger for life-change, I wasted no time, listening intently to what people told me and taught me, read my Bible, and did what I thought I was supposed to do. That can come at some cost, if the listening you are doing outpaces the growth of your understanding.

In other words, if you form OPINIONS about what is TRUE before you have read and studied for yourself and grown in understanding of what is ACTUAL Biblical truth, it is possible for you to spend many years BELIEVING something to be TRUE...that actually has little or no Scriptural foundation. In fact, if we are being honest, much of what you and I believe as followers of Christ (through little fault of our own) is rooted in religious, or church tradition. Not saying all tradition is bad, because it ISN'T, I'm just saying we need to recognize the difference between TRUTH an TRADITION.

Along those lines, I am going to pose a VERY PROVOCATIVE QUESTION Sunday morning, and proffer a principle that may challenge everything you believe about GIVING, and will challenge much of what you and I have been taught about TITHING. To what end? What purpose can possibly be gained from such an examination?? Only this: to GROW in the knowledge of what God truly wants FOR us, and what God truly wants FROM us. It's time for us to push all our chips to the center of the table and boldly declare, "I'm, ALL-IN!"

See you Sunday, it's gonna be one for the books! (And don't forget to set your clocks back, yo!)

"Call me when you have no class!"

Quick informational Blog post to let everyone know about two classes coming up in November. The first is Crossroads membership class called ROADIES 101. Two hours of rollicking good fun (and a bit of important info and inspiration) to take place on Sunday November 8th from 4:30Pm to 6:30PM @ the Annex.

The second class being offered this month (and every month after this) is a class for people new to the faith, or those returning to their faith in Christ. The class is called NEXT STEPS. It is also a two hour class that will be held Sunday November 15th from 4:30PM to 6:30PM.

If you have not taken ROADIES 101, here's your opportunity. If you want to learn more about the basics of what it means to be a follower of Christ, NEXT STEPS is for you. Learning is for LIFE at Crossroads!

To recap:

ROADIES 101 Sunday Nov. 8th 4:30-6:30PM @the Annex

NEXT STEPS Sunday Nov. 15th 4:30-6:30PM @ the Annex

Crossroads Children's Annex

In case you missed Pastor Matt and Hollie's awesome video announcement on Sunday...

This coming Sunday, November 1st, Crossroads new Children's Annex will open in the dance studio right next door to the College Cinema where our Sunday morning services take place. Pastor Matt & Hollie, Jessie Brooks and all of our faithful volunteers are working hard to create a safe and fun environment for your children nursery through kindergarten-age.

As you know, the Peek-A-Boo Nursery and Big Wheels Pre-School met in Cinema 3 since we launched last year. Everyone did a great job working to create a great environment there for our children, but doing nursery/pre-school in a movie theatre presents some challenges that simply can't be overcome. Flat, level floor space has always been the biggest of those challenges.

This Sunday, follow the signs to our new Children's Annex where your nursery through kindergarten-aged child will find a warm, inviting, safe environment with 4000 square feet of flat, level floor-space to love, laugh, learn and play!! Our staff is ready to accommodate the needs of all of our Crossroads kids! As always, there are many volunteer opportunities still available in every area of ministry at Crossroads. If you are interested in serving in our Children's Annex one Sunday a month, see Pastor Matt or Hollie on Sunday, they'll be happy to hook you up!

Thanks to all the parents of our nursery through kindergarten-aged children who entrusted the care of your kids to our great staff, and braved the idea of children's church in a movie theatre. You have patiently waited for us to expand, and we are ready to serve your family at a "whole 'nutha level"!! Thank you. See you Sunday at the new Children's Annex!!!

ROADIE APPRECIATION

Just a quick Blog post separate and apart from the WEEKEND UPDATE, because it deserves special attention of its own. This weekend, you guys blessed me and Leslie and the kids with a financial gift that was way above and beyond. I cannot express to you how humbling that is and how grateful we are.

See, the way we have it figured, WE'RE the ones who are blessed, we're the lucky ones, we're the fortunate ones...not you guys! We should be giving you cards, and pouring out blessings on YOU!

In the 10th Chapter of Mark, there's this great conversation that takes place between Jesus and Peter, on the heels of an amazing exchange between Jesus and a certain rich young ruler. Peter (and I imagine him looking wide-eyed with some trepidation, and a bit of a, "Um...feeling a little sorry for myself here" attitude), says to Jesus, "We have left EVERYTHING to follow you"!

Jesus says to Peter, "I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age". You know, I used to think that scripture was all about money. But it's so much MORE than that! Today, I realize that whatever Leslie and I and our kids have sacrificed for the sake of the gospel, is CONTINUALLY poured back into our lives by God. And the biggest way He does that is by letting us do life with YOU.

Today, our family is privileged to be a part of HUNDREDS of families that we have received at Crossroads! Brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children. We have MORE than we ever imagined!

Thank you for all you do for us. We appreciate YOU!!! I pray that the Holy Spirit would always help us as we endeavor to walk worthy of our calling as your pastors.

Gene & Leslie

WEEKEND UPDATE 102509

Hey guys, fantastic day at Crossroads yesterday as we wrapped up our series The Living Dead. Here's a few quick hits from the weekend starting with Saturday:

1. Saturday was the bomb. Period. A bunch of Roadie Regulars and some new friends hopped on our bikes and did a quick 330-mile ride down to the Auto Museum in Tallahassee and back. Great to ride with Leslie, Dave, Ulli, John, Larry, Jackie, and Steve. Go fast. Make noise.
2. Sunday morning was simply incredible. Great crowd! TONS of first-time attenders. Several people recommitted their lives to Christ, and several made decisions to be baptized!
3. The lobby was just amazing. I think about 5 minutes before the service started, 260 people walked in and went for coffee and muffins at the same time. It was a circus-like atmosphere (all fun - no scary clowns), and it's something i have come to LOVE about Crossroads! We have a late crowd. It's just how we roll.
4. Worship was wonderful on Sunday!! The high point had to be hearing a couple of hundred folks singing "All Over" while the band played quietly. It was an awesome moment of God-connectedness! Reverent and totally right.
5. I have to say that The Living Dead is probably one of my favorite series' since we launched. So much fun! So many laughs, but all with an on-purpose, on-point message. Thanks to all who worked on the creative end to bring this series home!
6. Love how comfortable the congregation was yesterday. It was EASY to share the message. Everyone was so responsive. Great live-action feedback and participation.
7. I got silly several times yesterday as we drew out some illustrations for how to create MARGIN in our lives. (Think chocolate and pizza...) But fortunately, the message was strong enough to hold up under the weight of my silliness and goofing around. Understanding that we expend so much effort and energy fighting (and losing to) sin, rather than taking on temptation is HUGE! Setting personal boundaries way back from the edge of sin is SUPER-HUGE! I got as much out of that as anyone in the building, and I spent the evening thinking about boundaries I can push back.
8. A sizable group of first-time attenders came en masse from a place they have recently been. I want each of you to know how very welcome you are at Crossroads. It's a privilege and an honor to have you in the house. Should God direct you to stay and put down roots at Crossroads, it will be our privilege and our honor to serve with you and worship God together! We want ONLY God's best for YOU!!

Crossroads is continuing to grow at a very fast pace. In order to accommodate that growth, don't forget that THIS COMING SUNDAY we are launching the new Crossroads Children's Annex in the dance studio next door, and Highway 68, Crossroads Middle School Ministry is moving into Cinema 3. Pray for those in leadership, and pray for the resources required for a successful launch!

As you dig into your week, ask God to show you areas of your life where you can (or need to) reset, relocate, push back boundaries in your life to create MARGIN in your life. Don't spend this week butting up against the sin that seems to whoop you on a continual basis. Instead, create margin, by pushing back your boundaries so far from the edge of sin, that overstepping them wouldn't cause you to sin. Fight temptation long before it has a change to turn into sin in your life!

Share your faith with someone today and invite big! Have a GREAT week!!!

Crazy Busy

I remember reading a small book some years ago called Tyranny of the Urgent by Charles Hummel. In it he talks about the fact that we often ignore the IMPORTANT in favor of the URGENT, and he mentions something known as the Parkinson Principle: "Work expands to fill all the available time". In other words, even if we had a 30-hour day, soon we'd still have just as many unfinished tasks, unanswered emails, and (in my case) unwritten blog posts. That's a pretty creative excuse for not being here since Tuesday, huh? Read the book anyway...it's worth it. It's helpful in getting priorities straightened out.

Here's how my weeks gone: Sunday was incredible, baptizing 12 people while more than 100 witnessed the whole experience and hung out together. Monday we dug into our upcoming series at Crossroads "All-In", blogged, edited podcasts, and did the myriad tasks required every Monday. Tuesday was more study and preparation, video shoots, and creative meetings. And then came Wednesday. Ahh...Wednesday. Me and Leslie took our first day off in more than a couple of weeks. Woke up late. Spent the day together. (Next to the baptism, probably the most IMPORTANT thing I did all week). Then, we had our first small group meeting Wednesday night. Thursday was hectic from 7:30AM to 8:30PM culminating in the Wiregrass Hope Group annual banquet. These people do INCREDIBLE work in our community. Crossroads supports them financially, and I encourage you to do so personally. Today, rain, email blasts, more rain, message prep, probably more rain, and catching up from being out Wednesday and being so busy Thursday. Saturday, motorcycle ride with a crazy bunch of ROADIES. All invited. meet at the College Cinema at 8AM. That's my week. Hope yours was slower. I'll bet it wasn't.

Sunday, we're wrapping up The Living Dead. It's been a great series. a lot of fun, but a REAL important message. Paul says, "throw OFF the old sinful nature, put ON your new nature". Easier said than done, right? So Sunday, in our final installment, we're going to talk about an INFINITELY PRACTICAL tool to help us. It's all about RE-SETTING boundaries. In other words, setting the boundaries in our lives so far BACK from the edge of disaster, that to cross those boundaries would not result in immediate carnage in our lives. In practice, it really, REALLY works.

Have a GREAT weekend. ROLL TIDE BEAT TENNESSEE!! See you SUNDAY!!!!

Technical Difficulties...BUT...

Had a small glitch on Sunday that resulted in our not having a podcast of Part 3 of The Living Dead. I will be doing a brief podcast summarizing what the service was about, and I'll notify by twitter and facebook when it's up. Thanks for your patience.

On a brighter note, I am thankful how few and far between our technical glitches have become. Successful execution and performance has become the norm at Crossroads. I am proud of the efforts of our tech staff and media arts team. Today, as media arts pastor Will Lurie was shooting green screen video for our Children's Annex and Middle School ministry launch on November 1st, I was reminded how fortunate we are at Crossroads to have been blessed with such talented, creative, capable and tech-savvy people! Go God!!

WEEKEND UPDATE (101809)

Incredible day at Crossroads on Sunday! Here's a bit of what happened:

1. So MANY volunteers working in so many areas. One first-time attender told me, "I can't believe that this place is transformed from a movie theatre into a church and back again. Does everyone have a job and know what they're doing?" What an awesome perspective on what happens each week at Crossroads. This Sunday was no exception. Crossroads volunteers ROCK!!
2. Lots of First, Second and Third-time attenders this week. So GREAT to see people come back!!
3. New series "SPY CHASE" in the Filling Station ultra cool! Great set pieces by Billy Donegan! Entire Filling Station staff looked like spies ...or, um...NARC's. Ha, ha! Awesome stuff going on in there!!
4. Crossroads was recently blessed with a brand new 40-unit PERSONAL PAGER SYSTEM!!! Huge thanks to the awesome family that made this gift! Nursery, Toddlers, Pre-School used new PAGER SYSTEM for the first time on Sunday! It's a big piece in our November 1st move into the new 4000 square-foot Crossroads Children's Annex right next door!
5. Worship was the BEST I have ever experienced at Crossroads on Sunday. The band was GREAT. The sound was GREAT. Janna (and Emberlin) sang their hearts out. Great job by Sam, too. Great to have Jonathan on keyboards. Missed Nic, but he had the team well prepared! Great job!!
6. So much fun with Part 3 of The Living Dead. The ZED-5000 Zombie Mind Probe and letting the Zombie out at the Booty Station. Thank you Zombie Darryl Darrylson from Flint, Michigan. Glad you enjoyed the service. We had a ball laughing with (at) you!!!
7. My humble apologies to any who may be permanently emotionally scarred from seeing me dance on stage!!
8. Crossroads was the only church in America with a Zombie throwing up in an actual toilet on stage. Not certain if that is a mark of distinction, or a scathing indictment. We'll let God sort that one out. If it helped one person remember that Old Sinful Nature = Old Thoughts = Old Behaviors = Death, then it was WELL WORTH IT.
9. AMAZING time at Lake Tholocco Sunday afternoon for Crossroads' 3rd Beach, BrrrrBQ & Baptism!!! Twelve people were baptized and over 100 enjoyed a great time of fellowship together! Baptizing people is the highlight of my life. It never gets old. So fun to have others involved like Ben, Matt, Hollie and Dave Clark. What a THRILL it is to see people go PUBLIC with their faith in Jesus Christ!!!
10. I was so tired last night after a brutal week, and a HUGE day at Crossroads that every bone in my body hurt. I took a couple of Tylenol PM and laid awake in bed for several hours seeing the parade of hundreds of faces of Crossroads attenders. How I long for - with all my heart - that you would be totally connected to God, to one another and to the world around you! I pray that God would continue to teach me, to equip me, and to help me serve you. I am so blessed, so privileged, so honored to be your pastor. Thank you for your patience.

This week, remember Paul's words: "Put off your old sinful nature and put on your NEW NATURE, created to be like God, truly righteous and holy. Notice he doesn't say "self-righteous and holier-than-thou". So go out into your world, your school, your neighborhood, your workplace as an instrument of God's love, mercy, grace and forgiveness. Have a GREAT week!!

BEACH, BBQ & BAPTISM

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. (Romans 6:4, NLT)

Why be baptized? Baptism paints the truest picture of dying to sin and arising to Christ and new life! Baptism is a public declaration of a new association. Baptism is a decision to GO PUBLIC with your faith, and publicly associate with the name and the teaching of Jesus. Since the time Jesus left this earth, and a person could no longer PHYSICALLY associate with him, BAPTISM is the way a person associates themselves with Christ!

If you have decided to be a follower of Christ, your next step is to be baptized. Don't put it off. This Sunday at 3:00PM on the East Beach of Lake Tholocco on Fort Rucker, Crossroads will be holding our third Beach, BBQ and Baptism celebration! Sign up in the lobby to be baptized or just show up and be baptized. Bring some shorts, a dark t-shirt and a towel. Bring a side dish, some Bubba-burgers, hot dogs, a dessert or whatever! We'll baptize all who wish to be baptized, and then eat, hang out and have a good time.

Last year over 250 people witnessed 45 people get baptized. Don't miss this event. It's one of the most important things that takes place at Crossroads, and in the life of those who have made the decision to be followers of Christ. ALL ARE WELCOME!!!!

See you Sunday.