First Place

The Bible says in Proverbs 18:21 (NLT),

     "The tongue can bring death or life;

     those who love to talk will reap the consequences".

This is such an awesome scripture, and a powerful truth.  Some people LOVE to talk.  I am one of them.  There is an important warning in that scripture for people who love to talk.  Our words have power.  And there will be consequences for the words we speak.

Have you noticed how the words you use can affect other people?  I mean, you can cheer someone up with your words, or you can pull the rug right out from underneath them.  There are consequences for the words we speak.

Let's make a quality decision to use words that build other people up, and not tear them down. This is especially important in marital relationships.  What we say to our spouse, and how we say it, can bring life or death to our relationships and bring it quickly.

Be the first in your family to do something this week:  Be the first to apologize, the first to speak words of encouragement, and the first to forgive. 

BLUEPRINT

Good morning.  As you read this Leslie and I are on our way to San Diego for a life-expanding family reunion.  I can't wait to get there!  We'll be back late Thursday night. Make sure you get your young people (and ALL of their friends) to the Annex Thursday night at 7 PM for youth service with Ben Rice.  It will be smashing!

Check out this scripture from Psalm 27:1-2 from the NLT:

     Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted.

     Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.

     It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night,

     anxiously working for food to eat:  for God gives rest to his loved ones.

Many times over the years I have found myself - mistakenly - building my house, my life, my world and all that is in it, in vain.  In other words, I didn't build to God's blueprint for my life. In construction, when you build from the wrong set of plans, the work you built has to be torn down, so it can be built right. 

Are you building your house, your marriage, your life according to your own design?  Your parents design?  The world's design?  Or are you building from the Master Builder's design? God has a blueprint for every person's life. Build to that plan, and you'll see the project come together much quicker, and it will be built to last.

If you've built to your own specifications, let God tear down the work, and let Him begin today, the good work of rebuilding your life, to reflect His design.   

From The Edge

We're traveling the next few days.  I'll keep in touch right here with pre-scheduled Blog posts, and LIVE action on twitter.  Follow me on twitter.com or just check out my regular tweets in the column to your right!  

See you soon!

I Can't HEAR You!

Have a bit of a "Holy Hangover" from Sunday. Got up, got the Podcast posted, did some APG'S, answered emails, met a friend for lunch and I still feel like I got run over by a fire truck.  As I texted to several people this morning, I am STILL buzzing from yesterday's service.  What a privilege to serve God with all of you!

In listening back to the podcast, there's this cute little baby girl commentary running throughout the service.  I just want you to know how awesome I think that is.  It wasn't disruptive to me - hopefully it wasn't to anyone else either. It's like the noise coming from the Filling Station yesterday. (Awesome name for elementary ministry by the way - way to go Matt & Hollie). The noise of children in the lobby, in the nursery and toddler areas, in the Filling Station is proof of LIFE at Crossroads!

Jesus had some great things to say about little children.  In fact, if you look in the Gospels, you'll find that he wanted them to be around him. And he issued stern warnings for those who mistreated them.  

Bottom line:  He's looking for child-like faith from all of us - the kind of attitude that says, "I trust you with my heart and with my life".  May we be found to have just that kind of faith.

Hey, Crossroads kids...is THAT all you got?  Make some NOISE next week!  Ha, ha!

Humbled & Hammered

I don't even know what to write.

I'm just blown away by all that happened at Crossroads this weekend - from the hard work everyone put in through the week and weekend on construction projects, to the all-day marathon of Freedom Fest, to standing in the lobby listening to people say they couldn't find a place to park this morning.  It's happening...  

We had 20% more people today then we've ever had - on the busiest vacation weekend of the summer!  God is all over this deal, folks.  That's just not normal.  

I'm thinking of coming up with a new definition for the word 'normal'.  Whatever that definition winds up being, I think it needs to include phrases like, "never know what's going to happen, but know it will be good", and "always expect the unexpected", and "if God builds it, they will come".  

I don't know how to describe how I feel about all this right now.  It's kind of surreal.  It's like God just took out a big, giant LOVE HAMMER and looked down at Crossroads and went, "THWACK!"  You know, the Bible says that he is LOOKING for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth.  I pray that at Crossroads, He always finds what He's looking for.  

My Ask Pastor Gene in-box is full, just from today.  And I've got a podcast to edit, so I gotta go. But can I just say before I go: You guys ROCK!  That's all there is to it.

The Event

Like all of you who worked so hard today I am exhausted tonight. But I HAD to post immediately tonight to say WHAT AN INCREDIBLE EVENT!!!!!!!!!

Freedom Fest 2008 was such an amazing event on SO MANY levels.  The Roadies who spent their entire day off working, the musicians who played, the banner art, the video, and the PEOPLE we got to meet, WOW!  Top it all of with the best fireworks display I've seen in years, it was an exhilarating experience!

Do you guys realize that our logo, our name and the Crossroads experience was on display for some 10,000 people today?  You cannot buy advertising like that.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your help in making this event a smashing success.  I am totally humbled by your participation.  We made some new friends today. (I think we'll probably see some of them on Sunday, yeah?).

We're launching right on time.

Freedom's Price

We enjoy tremendous freedom at Crossroads.  We are made free by the truth of God's Word.  We can eat donuts and drink coffee and worship in a casual and relaxed atmosphere and know that God loves us.  But we are free to worship that way because other's were willing to pay the price for our freedom.  

It always seems to come down to that, doesn't it?  No one was ever made free without the sacrifice of someone else.  We are free to worship as we choose in this country because of the sacrifice of others.  People who were willing to die so others could be free.  

Jesus said the greatest love that anyone could ever have, is to lay down their life for someone else.  And he provided the ultimate demonstration of that sacrifice through his life-giving, freedom-bringing death on the cross.  

Celebrate today the glorious history of our nation and the sacrifice of our forefathers. Celebrate each day the One who modeled it for them and for us!

BOOM!

Fantastic stuff is brewing this week.  We picked up a pallet of bottled water at Sam's today to go with the T-shirts, balloons, banners and other Crossroads paraphernalia we'll need for Freedom Fest at Fort Rucker on the 4th of July.  It's always a great community event and it's a great opportunity for us to meet thousands of our neighbors...many looking for a place like Crossroads.  Turn out big and let's make some new friends!  

The Annex is under full-blown attack by our awesome construction crew!  Walls are going up, lights are being wired, paint is going on and carpet will be going down in the new hallway, office area, and youth room.  Thanks to Will, Anthony, Mike, James and Matt for all their hard work. Thursday will be a full-on work day as will Saturday, so come down to the annex and help 'em out.  

This weekend is going to be awesome guys!  We're starting a new series called COUNTDOWN as we count down the days until our launch at the College Cinema on August 10th.  We'll be getting ready for the challenge ahead as this Sunday we learn what God says about COURAGE and see the examples of regular people that God turned into heroes.  We are NEVER alone and we can always take COURAGE in the reality that God is making a way for all of us!  

Great community hook-up, new look for the annex, and a new series kick off this July at Crossroads.  Invite someone you know to hang out with us this weekend.  They'll be glad you did!  Have a great Thursday! 

Look...Listen

I am seeing things and I am hearing things.  No it's not paint fumes today.  But I am definitely seeing and hearing things.  Not mystical visions of events yet to come, nor words whispered in secret by disembodied voices.  What I am seeing and hearing is the actual reality of love.  

I am seeing it in the lives of people that I come in contact with at Crossroads.  I am hearing it in the words that they speak.  What a beautiful sight - what awe-inspiring words!  Love, the most powerful force in the universe, is on display in the actions, and contained in the language of people all around us as they experience the life-change that only God can bring.  I'm seeing it, and I'm hearing it. What a privilege.  

What are you seeing and hearing today?  

Next Podcast

Last Sunday we were in between series, taking care of some Crossroads business as we announced our leadership team going forward.  Accordingly, we did not post a new podcast to the Crossroads website.

We will resume regular podcasts of our service next week as we begin our July series, 'COUNTDOWN'.

Thanks for your patience!

P.S. FORTY (40) DAYS TO LAUNCH!  WOO-HOO!!!!!!