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Joy in Conviction

January 16, 2011 in Bible, Crossroads Church, Personal with 2 Comments

“And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10

The closer we get to God, the clearer we see ourselves. That was the response of the Israelites after Ezra had read to them the Book of the Law. They feel upon their faces in worship and then were utterly grieved by the reality of their sin.

Here’s the catch. Nehemiah and Ezra commanded the people, “Do not mourn or weep.” The instruction was for them to find joy among their conviction. To realize that by focusing on all of their wrong, they were losing sight of God. And after the recent success of re-building the wall of Jerusalem, now was a time for celebration. A time for rejoicing!

Fact: It’s incredibly easy to live in a way that we are overcome by the reality of our sin.

Truth: In that moment, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

It’s beneficial to realize that we DO sin. But, it is burden lifting to realize that there is a redeemer named Jesus who came to set us free.

What about you? How you find joy in the moment of conviction?

Great AND Awesome

December 7, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Personal with 1 Comment

“Remember the Lord who is great and awesome…” Nehemiah 4:14b

If I’m guilty of saying one thing too often it’s, “We have forgotten who are God is.” Well that and, “Are you tracking with me?” But who’s counting?

Fact: We serve a powerful and mighty God.
Fact: That same God loves us passionately and desires to do amazing things, through us, to bring glory to His name.

It’s time for you to stop acting like your life has failed and start remembering who your God is. He isn’t some celestial being disconnected from reality laughing as your life spirals out of control. No. He’s the all-powerful AND all-loving author of your existence. You really can turn to Him, and He really will do awesome things for you. The scripture doesn’t promise us some joyride of lollipops and gumdrops. If that was the case a lot more people would sign up. Life will be filled with disappointment and sorrow. But rest assured, our God is, “great and awesome.”

When life gets frustrating, go ahead and struggle. Wrestle. Cry. But always remember. Always remember who your God is.

How do you actively work on remember the Lord?

Church on the Move

November 9, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Vision with 2 Comments

Moses wasn’t looking for a burning bush. David wasn’t looking for a giant. Paul wasn’t looking to lead the followers of Christ. The scripture is replete with men and women who weren’t searching for an opportunity but God provided one anyway. Such an opportunity has been laid at the feet of Crossroads Church.

In the face of economic downturn, nationwide church decline, and an all around turning away from the truth of Scripture, many churches are plagued with building debt, complacent membership, and exhausted volunteers. It is in this atmosphere that God has presented Crossroads with a unique opportunity, to place our current land on the market and relocate. The funds provided by the sale will be used to pay off current debt, build a new facility for Crossroads Church and the soon coming Crossroads Christian Academy, and have the resources in hand to drastically impact Liberty and Long counties for the Kingdom of God.

You see, we believe that despite the current state of things, the greatest days of the church are still ahead. We believe that we really do serve a risen Savior who is all-loving and all-powerful. We do have the audacity to believe that God wants to accomplish a great and mighty thing in our community. And we are willing to do whatever it takes to see His name glorified.

Do not be mistaken, this is an uncertain time for our church as we step into unfamiliar territory. But, there are two things that we know. First, our surrounding communities are aching for the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is time that our churches make the bold decisions required to reach them. Second, Christ promised that His church would not fail. The only thing left for us to do is take steps of faith, knowing that God will direct our paths.

There are a lot of questions left to be answered. Pastor Danny and the Elders of Crossroads are seeking to answer most of them in our current Sunday morning series, Becoming a City of God. We invite you to come and join us over the coming weeks at 11 AM as we embrace our vision in light of the Scripture found in Nehemiah.

So go ahead, and fell free to leave your thoughts, prayers, and encouragement below!

This Post is for You

October 22, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Personal, Project Awaken with 1 Comment

This one is for the one who is currently suffering.
This one is for the one who is shouting with joy.
For the one who will cry themselves to sleep tonight.
And for the one who will rest in sweet slumber.

This is for the one who has poured out so much and is ready to give up.
This is for the one who knows their labor is not in vain.
For the one who wrestles in their understanding.
And for the one who stands firm upon the unchanging word of God.

To all of you. No matter who, or where you are. It makes no difference rather it is a molehill or a mountain. Or your making of a molehill into a mountain. To those whose faith is shaken. And to those whose belief has never been stronger.

To you…

“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad!
Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and burns up his adversaries all around.
His lightnings light up the world; the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the Lord, before the Lord of all the earth.

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.
All worshipers of images are put to shame, who make their boast in worthless idols; worship him, all you gods!

Zion hears and is glad, and the daughters of Judah rejoice, because of your judgments, O Lord.
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth; you are exalted far above all gods.

O you who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the lives of his saints; he delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
Light is sown for the righteous, and joy for the upright in heart.
Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!”

97th Psalm

All of you remember. Our. God. Reigns.

Lead Me – A Challenge

October 20, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Family, Personal with 0 Comments

This new song by Sanctus Real leads to a lot of conviction and challenge within me.

Here’s the thing, lately the Spirit has pressed into me the reality that there is an overwhelming lack of God-fearing Christian men. I guess, you could really say a lack of God-fearing people. I’m thankful that my life has been one that is surround by men who radiate a godly lifestyle and challenge me in their actions. Several of which call me their pastor when I know that the ways they have lead me is far above anything I have to offer them.

When I look at the husband that I am, the father that I am, and the pastor that I am, I concede that the room for improvement is incalculable. Ironically enough my wife, children, and the people who call themselves Crossroads, deserve so much more than waiting on me to figure it all out. I’m thankful though, that God has surrounded me with men and women who are patient, children who see no wrong, and a Savior who still believes there is something in me worth redeeming.

So go ahead and watch the video. Cry a little. Then say a prayer with me that God would lead us, so that we may lead others and His name would be glorified.

Save me from the Museum

September 1, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Personal, Project Awaken, Vision with 9 Comments

This video messed me up. I’m completely guilty of some of the things address in this video and it causes me to tremble.

I’m going to be straight up honest with you. I’m not a big fan of museum’s. I’ll just go ahead and say that they bore me. I mean, honestly, a museum has one ultimate purpose, at least as far as I can see, is to tell you all about what has happened and northing, or very little, about what is to come.

It’s a horrifying commentary that many of our churches today are becoming glorified museums instead of living breathing extensions of the Kingdom of God. And though we may in our pride think that any of us are immune to museum syndrome, the truth is, even Crossroads can fall prey to become a testament to what has be done. Instead, we have the option to become a beacon of hope and light. A sign of life in a very dead atmosphere.

But ultimately the question is, what are you willing to do to not become a museum?

*This video is by Darrin Patrick, author of Church Planter, a great book even if you aren’t a church planter.

Project Awaken

August 26, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Project Awaken, Vision with 0 Comments

This Sunday begins a journey for the people of Crossroads Church, and prayerfully the people of this community as well.

We are tired of the common place Christian life.

We are tired of our complacency.

We are tired of this so called American version of Christianity that amounts to nothing more than going to church on Sunday morning.

We are calling upon God to stir our hearts and souls in a fresh to way. To light us on fire for His gospel and Kingdom. To fill us with passion for those who are far from Him, and challenge to take bold steps of faith in our relationship with him.

I, for one, am anxious to see God revealed in my life in a way I have never seen Him before.

Will you join us? Check out the Project Awaken website for more information.

Biggest Need…?

July 27, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Project Awaken with 3 Comments

So, August 29th is right around the corner. With it, prayerfully, comes a movement bent on changing the people of God and transforming this community. (more on that to come)

I have one question though…

If you could meet one need in your community, what would it be?

The Beauty of Dysfunction

July 18, 2010 in Church, Crossroads Church, Vision with 4 Comments

“Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common” Acts 4:32

The realities accomplished by the early church were nothing short of miraculous and wonderful. Innumerable people found the life-changing hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that there was not one who was needy among them. This church, was being the church.

When we read the first few chapters of Acts it is so easy for us to get wrapped up in all of the oneness and family. We can get lost in the stories of community and the radical conversions of thousands of people. In fact, I love to read those early chapters and dream of what that would look like for Crossroads Church, for every church.

I think though, that there is sometimes a danger in the looking back. It is easy to over glorify what was happening. Easy to get lost in their past and forget about our present. Acts chapter 5 begins with a solemn word. “But…” In light of all that was happening for that church, this is going to be a turning point. Things were going to change. Now, they were going to have deacons and business meetings! (oh, you know it’s funny)

In looking at and studying this early family- this family of strength and support. This family of love and encouragement. This family of hope and joy. We easily forget that family is often times a messy thing. That family is dysfunctional. That family has times of disagreement.

We forget that the beauty of family is not what they look like when times are good, but how they live together in the times of bad.

Many of you who will read this belong to a church. Many of you may even be struggling with belonging in that church. If I could say one thing to you, I would say this, find the beauty in the dysfunction. Find God in the mess. Don’t give up. Don’t run away. Find the beauty. It’s there. Under all the meetings and drama. Beneath the financial struggles and differences of opinion, the beauty is there. The family is there.

What do you think? What does the family look like?

Embrace Plan B

April 22, 2010 in Crossroads Church, Personal with 6 Comments

Update: Congratulations Kristie on your new book! I’ll get it to you rapidly!

I remember so vividly the day that Crossroads Church called me to be their pastor. I remember the joy. I remember the burden. The first day I stepped into the Pastor’s study and sat down at the desk I was overcome with emotion, anxiety, and a sense of, “OK, God, now what?” In my desire and passion I begin to pray, and to plan the future of our church. I had strategies and ideas. Hopes and dreams. I just knew that this plan was it.

More vivid than that day is the day I realized that my plan wasn’t God’s plan. The day I realized that God’s plan was completely different and so much larger. It was the moment that Crossroads Church went back to the drawing board again. Exhausted and tired from years of trying to execute plans that continuously failed I watch a church body, yet again, surround their leadership, and each other, in a hope of finding God’s plan, and God’s purpose.

During that time I realized, that Plan A, was never God’s intent, and that Plan B was His goal all along.
So we accepted Plan B and now we watch.

We watch God accomplish things we never thought imaginable.
We watch God heal marriages that were broken beyond human repair.
We watch God over come addictions that have destroyed lives.
We watch God change us, and change people.
We watch, and we embrace Plan B.

Pete Wilson has written a book entitled Plan B. The book is amazing. It has helped me to see that there is a life outside of Plan A. There is hope outside of Plan A. There is God outside of Plan A.

Don’t get discouraged. Don’t doubt God’s power. Embrace Plan B.

God is still God in Plan B.

In celebration of trying to learn how to live in Plan B, I’m giving a copy away. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog before April 30th and I will use a number generator to randomly select a winner. If you don’t win or can’t wait, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy over on Amazon.

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