Memorial Day Weekend 2011

Wonderful Memorial Day weekend, punctuated by a great service at Crossroads on Sunday.  Here's just a few of the many things that stood out to me:

• Worship was excellent!  Love the new songs.
• Having the "Band That No One Respected" live on-stage during the second service was one of the highlights of my week.  Your too, I hope.
• I'm noticing that I am more concerned than ever about justice.  just sayin'.
• Thankfully God was more concerned about MERCY and GRACE than justice when He sent Jesus to die and rise again for all of us!  Just sayin'.
• Pastor Matt in Afghanistan continues to sharing important stuff with everyone.  Read it HERE.
• Had several people ask me Sunday if Crossroads has an iPhone app.  Not yet, but Chris Brooks is making each Sunday's service bulletin and scriptures smart phone and iPad accessible.  Check this out LINK to view the bulletin and scriptures from last Sunday's service.  Look for the current link in each Sunday's bulletin.
• Wonderful sharing some vignettes from the life of Joseph!
• Joseph does what anyone in his circumstances would do...that was CONFIDENT that God was with them.
• What a great lesson for all of us.  A great model for how to respond in ANY circumstance: Do what anyone would do that was CONFIDENT that God was with them! 
• Often times we assume God's PRESENCE (or lack of it) by our CIRCUMSTANCES.  Oops!
• Be sure of THIS.
• Often times we put our faith in God's ACTIVITY, rather than His IDENTITY.

Funny, in looking at the life of joseph, how many times the Bible says, "and the LORD was with him".  When you contract that with how many difficult and challenging circumstances Joseph faced, you begin to see that the LORD being with us doesn't mean that everything goes great all the time.  But we DO have the promise that He will never leave us, or forsake us.  We also have the PROMISE that God will work every situation in our lives for our good.

May you see this week, that God wants to use every circumstance of your life for your good, and for the good of those you influence.  Have a GREAT week!

Last Sunday, Next Sunday and Emergency Food Boxes

Happy Wednesday morning!  Just wanted to touch base with everyone about last Sunday, give a quick rundown on an important item, and a sneak peek of what's coming up this weekend at Crossroads.

This past Sunday was another in a very long line of wonderful experiences that I've had at Crossroads over the past few years.  I hope the same was true for you.  We kicked off our new series 'PLAN B' with a look into a season in the life of David.  David had a dream and a promise from God - to be King of Israel.  Just at the moment that it looked like that dream would come to pass, everything fell apart and David made some decisions that ended very poorly for a whole lot of people.

We talked about the common experience we all have of a dream for our lives not coming to pass, or being interrupted in some way.  A marriage that ends in divorce, a financial plan that unravels, an unexpected illness, an education or career failure - whatever the scenario, we all know what it feels like to have a shattered dream or unmet expectation.  We all know the feeling of abandonment and desperation, wondering if God really even cares...or if He's really even there.  We shared that in those moments the decisions we make are critical to our life's outcomes.  Will we try to wrestle control of the situation, or will we - even in the face of what we consider contrary physical evidence - trust God? 

Sunday morning many, many people - choking back the tears brought on by life's difficulties, challenges and even tragedies - prayed for the courage to give control of our dreams, and our lives, and our will back to our Heavenly Father.  It...was...an amazing experience.  I am in awe of the many ways in which God moves in the lives of so many people I know who attend Crossroads.  It is such a privilege to worship God with you.

This Sunday, we continue 'PLAN B' with a look at the life of Joseph.  Want to get a head start?  Read Genesis, chapters 37-50.  We'll ask ourselves one of the most useful questions I have ever heard, and we will reveal a positively life-changing application.  Please make every effort to be there this weekend.  If you just can't make it, make sure you watch the video podcast next week.

In closing, I want to share with you what a HUGE impact you have made in our community by providing food items for our Emergency Food Boxes.  Through your generosity, Crossroads has given away TONS of food to people who really need it, both inside our church family, and in the neighborhoods surrounding the church.  Emergency Food Boxes are a God-inspired provision for so many who have needs; it's one of the very best things about Crossroads.  WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW.  Our supplies are running dangerously low.  PLEASE take a moment to go over this LIST.  The next time you go to the store, pick up some or all of these items and bring them on Sunday morning to church, or to the church office anytime during the week Monday-Thursday between 9AM and 5PM.  THANK YOU!!

See you Sunday.  Bring some food.  And have a GREAT week!

 

Wow What a Weekend!

This past Sunday at Crossroads we celebrated our 6th Beach, BBQ and Baptism, an event that absolutely positively never gets old.  There is nothing like seeing people go public with their faith through baptism.  It is such an honor to get to share that as a church family, and then to just hang out and eat and talk and relax and get to know people.  Nothing better than that.  Here's a few thinks that really stood out to me yesterday:

• Three people, that I know of, made first time decisions to trust Christ with their lives.  Many made the decision to recommit their lives to God, and fourteen people were baptized!  (That kind of day prompts me to say that I am the luckiest guy on the planet, because I get to be a pastor!)
• I thought worship on Sunday mornings services was great.  Caleb Bannin did a wonderful job leading worship while Pastor Nic and Janna were on vacation.  Well done!
• I really like what Rachel Williams and the Lobby Team have done with the coffee service.  I know it seems like a small thing, but I really like that they pour the coffee for you instead of fending for yourself.  Yes, I'm all grown up and I can get my own coffee, but there's something really special about being served.  Good call!
• Great job by all who serve in Children's Ministry, and special thanks to Jennifer Phillips, Chad Phillips, Kimber Stinner, and Pastor Ben for making Sunday such a special day for all our Crossroads Kids!
• Thanks to all our small group leaders and volunteers who made fantastic food and helped with set-up and clean-up at BB&B, and thanks to Dave Clark for grilling up some juicy burgers and dogs for the 160 people who came to celebrate at Lake Tholocco!

Next Sunday, we kick off a brand new 3-part series called 'Plan B', based, in part, on a book of the same title by Pete Wilson, pastor of Cross Point Church in Nashville.  It's about a nagging question that all of us have some experience with: What do you do when God doesn't do what you thought He was going to do, or when things in your life don't turn out the way you thought they would?  Can't wait!  Plan B.  Gonna be awesome!  Invite Big.

Have a GREAT week!

       

Some Thoughts About Women and the Weekend

Hey guys, what a great weekend we had at Crossroads.  This past Sunday was Mother's Day and what a wonderful day it was!  I thoroughly enjoyed our two-part series Ladies First, and while it was a bit intimidating teaching women about women, I had a tremendous amount of help, and gained a great deal of insight, from my awesome wife Leslie and several fantastic leaders and writers who are women.  I walk away from this series thinking: If men had to do what women are equipped to do, the human race would have stopped with the first man.  No doubt about it.  Men would never do what women do...because they can't.  And I don't just mean physiologically. 

As men, we are wholly imcomplete without the influence of women in our lives.  As we reflect on the reality that we are all created in the image and likeness of God, it's important for us to remember that God is not a man.  The "WE" that are created in His image includes both women AND men.  Our creator possesses all of the attributes that are found in both genders. Thank God for women!  Grandmothers, mothers, wives, sisters, cousins, aunts, nieces, and that most wonderful gift of God...daughters and step-daughters!  And let's not forget those significant and influential women who helped to shape us; those who cannot always be easily catagorized; the teachers, the writers, the care-givers, the nurses, the doctors, the nuturers, the influencers, the babysitters, the co-workers, the ministry partners, and my personal favorite...the pastor's wives!  I know I've left someone out.  Comment and share with us that significant and influential woman, without whose positive influence, you would not be who you are today!

Again, great weekend!  Thanks to all who work so hard serving at Crossroads to make each Sunday experience possible.  Pray for those impacted by recent disasters in the South, and pray for those serving our country in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world.

See you Sunday!  Gonna be a big day.  Two Sunday morning services, What Is Baptism and Why Should I Care?, followed by Crossroads 6th Beach, BBQ & Baptism celebration!  If you haven't signed up to be baptized yet, you can do it by clicking HERE.  Peace.

      

WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW...

Hi all!  Had to make an out of town trip Monday and got back Tuesday afternoon, so I wasn't able to post the regular WEEKEND UPDATE.  Sunday was a fantastic day at Crossroads, though.  I though I'd share a few of the many things that stood out, and give you a heads up on a few other things:

• Started a two-week series called LADIES FIRST.  So GREAT to take time to share with women about women from a Biblical perspective.  Had an amazing amount of positive feedback from women who attended.  Comments ranging from, "What an empowering message", to "encouraging words while my husband is deployed", to "powerful and striking", to one who expressed thanks for "condeming the objectification of women".
• I LOVED sharing the message that God uses ordinary women to do extraordinary things!  If you missed it, WATCH IT HERE.
• Don't believe that objectification of women is a problem in our modern American culture?  Seen a beer commercial lately?  Guys, it's all the same.  Controlling, dominating, using or abusing women is ungodly in any culture.  The distance between Burkas and Budweiser ads may not be as great as you think.  Just sayin'.

• God has a different plan for women, and He is able to take them from unlikely backgrounds and impossible situations and protect them, preserve them and propel them forward to accomplish His plan and purpose for their lives.  Great cues for guys about how to treat the women in our lives - whether wives, mothers, sisters, daughters, aunts, cousins or co-workers.  Our part in the lives of women is to follow God's model: Preserve, protect, propel.  We do as we facilitate their personal and spiritual growth by being encouragers, building them up so they can accomplish ALL that God has for them to accomplish.  What a GREAT assignment for men!

Couple of other important things going on: Don't forget this Sunday is Mother's Day!  For some it's a time of celebration and remembering mom.  I have a great mom, and I've been married for 30 years to a woman who is a wonderful mother.  But I recognize that for others, Mother's Day it's a challenging time of sorting out mixed emotions.  For some, it's a seriously difficult time as they remember challenging or abusive relationships, or even tragic circumstances.  Whatever your personal situation is, I encourage you to attend Sunday's service, as we celebrate the godly examples of motherhood, and work through some of the not-so-great experiences that many have gone through.

Finally, as you continue to determine how you might involve yourself in SERVING those in Alabama who have been devastated by the killer tornado's that swept through much of our State last week, remember also our loved ones and church family members serving our country who are still dealing with recent tragedies at home and abroad.  Check out Pastor Matt's latest blog post from Afghanistan HERE. 

Love and great peace to all!

 

This One's for the Girls (and the Guys who love them)!

For the next two weeks (which includes Mother's Day on May 8th) we're doing a very special series dedicated to women everywhere, as we talk about women God chose to make our lives and our faith possible.  Ladies First isn't just about how guys should hold doors open and pull chairs out and stand up when women walk in the room (but that's all good stuff).  No, much more, Ladies First is about what happens when God choses women to do world-changing, life-changing things.  The interesting thing is, he didn't just chose queens, and princesses, and women in powerful positions.  He chose ordinary women, many with a "past", and did extraordinary things through their lives. Women like Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of Jesus.

Don't miss the next two weeks, and don't forget that May15th is Beach, BBQ and Baptism - one of the most exciting events we do at Crossroads!  Sign up to be baptized by clicking HERE.    

A Letter To Our Awesome Small Group Leaders

Hey Guys!  I want to take a minute to let you all know what I think: Crossroads has FANTASTIC Small Group Leaders!  That's not a suck-up statement.  It is something proven on a regular basis as I hear the amazing life-change stories coming out of your small groups.

So, in order to serve you better as you lead, we will be providing you with some NEW RESOURCES by way of video and email blast.  These resources are designed to help you keep the people in your small groups up to speed on everything going on at Crossroads.  Here's what you'll be receiving:

1. A weekly recap of all the relevant numbers from each Sunday service (from attendance to offerings to decisions) along with and great commentary from Crossroads attenders to encourage you, and keep you and your small group informed;
2. A list of service opportunities within the church so you know exactly where to point your small group members who are ready to serve;
3. A list of service ideas in our community (and across the world) to help you decide how your small group will reach out as a group and serve the world around you.

Additionally, we are working on a new in-house curriculum for a recurring 8-week long small group experience called DRIVE.  DRIVE is a video-based small group study, complete with simple workbooks, that will be the first Small Group stop for people who are new to Crossroads.  Designed to propel people forward in their spiritual journey, DRIVE will be a game-changer for small group leaders and participants alike! 

Look for these new resources, and always remember: your feedback is important and welcomed!  Keep up the GREAT work!

PG

    

Grace Place Leads the Way

I saw something remarkable happen in our community on Easter Sunday.  And it was something God did through The Grace Place in Enterprise.  Now, I've never been to the Grace Place, and I've only met Pastor Donnie Thrasher one time, briefly in the parking lot of Salem Baptist Church after a service.  So it's not like we're "big buddies" and I'm blowing his horn here.  But I am blowing his horn here.  

I used to live near Salem Baptist, and I can recall for years driving by that little church on Sunday mornings on my way to "big" church.  Then one day I saw a sign in front of tiny Salem Baptist Church that said "Grace Place".  And I Sunday after Sunday as I drove by to "big" church I saw them grow and grow and grow.  In the years since, I've only ever heard good things about The Grace Place, and as a pastor of a growing church, I am proud of what God has accomplished through their love for God and the people He has called them to serve.

Fast forward to Easter Sunday:  I had heard that Pastor Donnie and the Grace Place had never been able to have an Easter Sunday service where they had their entire church under one roof at one time.  I heard, in response to that, that they reserved the Enterprise Civic Center to have a big Easter Sunday service.  While that is such an awesome and wonderful thing for them to have the opportunity to do, that's not what I want to brag about.  

Here's what I want to brag about: All over town, in the days leading up to Easter Sunday, yard signs popped up with the simple invitation, "Easter Service - Enterprise Civic Center", with the date and time.  The words Grace Place did not appear anywhere on those yard signs.  That is about the coolest thing I've seen any Pastor or church in this town do for a very long time.

The Grace Place didn't promote themselves, their agenda, their church, their name, their location, their style, their ANYTHING.  There were no cool graphics, or pictures of the Pastor, or pithy tag lines or ANYTHING else.  The Grace Place promoted a risen Savior, and they invited our entire community to meet Him.

What happened?  I heard around 1200 people attended.  I don't know how many were Grace Place regulars, but having done this as long as I have, I would be willing to bet you that they reached dozens and dozens (and probably hundreds) of first-time attenders. People that might never have had the opportunity to hear the Gospel preached, had they been focused on promoting themselves.  I'm blown away by what they did.  

Pastor Donnie, Grace Place, way to lead!  Well done.    

 

WEEKEND UPDATE (Easter Sunday 2011)

What a wonderful day of celebration we had Sunday at Crossroads!  Our biggest crowd by far of the year packed out the college cinema for two awesome services.  Many people made life-changing decisions including many who decided to go public with their faith through baptism.  Here's a few highlights:

• Worship was great!  Loved the song selection!
• Lots of Easter Sunday Launches including our fantastic NEW WEBSITE!  Kudos to Will and Brian G. for making it happen.  Tons of new resources including VIDEO PODCASTS!
• Also launched Crossroads DRINK COFFEE DO GOOD campaign supported by Land of 1000 Hills Coffee, and sold over 10% of what we need to sell in an entire year to support an entire Rwandan village!
• Loved the new "Good News" segment in our service where we take time to celebrate the awesome things God is doing in the lives of Crossroads attenders, in small groups, and in our community through the work of God's people!
• We talked Sunday about how we've all asked the question "Where is God in all of this?" when confronted with difficult circumstances in life.
• It's often hard to see God in the beginning of trouble.  How do we find good news in tragedy?  Or hope in hopeless situations?  Peace in the midst of disaster?
• Even though most of us would readily admit that the most significant and defining moments in our lives were difficulties (and even tragedies), when faced with challenging circumstances we often think, or say, "Does God really even care?
• The BIBLICAL FACT remains that when it comes to faith in God through Jesus Christ "There is more here than meets the eye"!
• Our tendency is to look at our lives through the filter of the circumstances in our lives and in the world around us.
• But like PAUL SHARES, we need to instead look at life's circumstances through the filter of eternity!
• Jesus conquered the world by being raised from the dead!
• So we can take heart, because we have a brand new life!
• Even though difficulties come, we have EVERYTHING to live for!
• We just need to know WHERE to look: To the resurrection!
• And WHO to look to: Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith!
• What's the Good News?  HE IS RISEN!   

Such a great day!  I shared about one time (of many) that I also asked, "Where's God in all this", a story about when we moved from Colorado to Alabama, and everything in my business life and work in the ministry seemed to be caving in on itself.  I wound up in a metal building doing worship for about 30 teens.  The reality of that experience is, without all the difficult move and the challenging circumstances, we likely never would have started Crossroads.  In fact, teens from that very youth group serve at Crossroads today, nearly 15 years later.  You heard from one of them last week...Pastor Ben Rice!


God is SO GOOD!  Have a GREAT week!

Thank You, Pastor Ben!

HUGE thanks to Pastor Ben Rice for sharing for the past two weeks in our series Leverage!  Heard so many great comments, and look forward to having Ben back soon.  Me and Leslie and some of our kids took full advantage this past Sunday as we headed out of town for a few days at a remote cabin in Northeast Alabama.  A GREAT get-away and time to relax and recharge.  Can't wait for this weekend!  Easter Sunday at Crossroads is a FANTASTIC time to invite friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and complete strangers to church.  Invite BIG this week and consider attending the early service at 9:00AM.  I am so excited to be with you again as we share a special Easter message called, GOOD NEWS!