4Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
Psalm 37:4-5
I will never forget the first time that I saw the speech of Gen. George S. Patton from the movie Patton (censored, of course!). I can still see George Scott playing Patton and standing in front of the American flag telling his men why they are going to go out and fight in that war. For those of you who are too young, maybe it was the time that William Wallace in Braveheart was inspiring the Scots to fight for their freedom. Either way, we know that feeling we get when someone comes out and inspires us with their words. We know that feeling that we get when there is nothing that could stand in the way of our good cause no matter how great the cost. We stand together, shoulder to shoulder, ready to fight, ready to do what we need to do. The only problem is that eventually we forget. We forget the speech and we forget the cause and all we seem to be able to remember is the cost.
How do we take what we’ve received from these forty days of prayer and transfer it into actual action? How do we take what God has been teaching us and moving in us and actually use it to reach the people of Albuquerque, indeed the people of the world? How do we take the inspiration from the training field and bring it to the battle field? It is only when we take action that we make a commitment.
For each person that commitment will be somewhat different. For some it is their role in certain ministries like the Storehouse. For some of the men going through officer training it will be as an elder or deacon. For some it will be giving of their financial resources to serve the church in that way. Whatever role that we take on, and in most cases it is several roles, it is important that we make a commitment and stick to it. We must remember the vision that God has given to us for reaching this city and be prepared to stand shoulder to shoulder in seeing it through.
At many times have we found ourselves at a crossroads which is what makes our name so appropriate. I believe that we are at another such crossroads. This past Spring we have seen growth and new excitement happening at Crossroads, but it is time to take it to the next level and trust in God for what He will do. Will you join with us? Will you join the fight and make the commitment to the future of Crossroads Fellowship?
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
40 Days of Prayer - Ministries
40 Days of Prayer
Ministries
Ephesians 4:11-16
11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
How do you love somebody? And how can someone know that they are loved? In our culture there are lots of ideas on how best to do that and know that. There are songs that tell you that it’s in a kiss. There are movies that indicate that it’s just some nebulous feeling. And there are buddies that tell you that it’s all in the looks. The problem is that kisses, feelings, and looks are all fleeting and will one day be gone. Love is more of an action than it is a feeling. At Crossroads we seek to love people and to love them in real ways no matter their situation or how much it is “deserved.” We do this because we are driven by the gospel and it is the gospel that tells us that it was Jesus that loved us by dying on the cross for us. His love was demonstrated primarily in his actions and not just in his words. How can we love people in our actions?
We love people through our ministries; that is the point of them. It is not a race of trying to have more programs than the “other guys,” but rather finding ways that we can love more and more people in deeper ways. Whether it be teaching our children, handing out a foodbag to a homeless person, giving away a bike to those in need, or gathering in our community groups, each is a way of giving and showing love in real ways.
As I sit here at my kitchen table writing this, I can hear my daughter through the monitor singing in her bed. Many times the song that she chooses to sing is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That’s right, my two year daughter’s favorite song is that classic hymn. How can teaching children old hymns show love? Because it is one way that points them to the only real hope that there is; and that is the hope that Jesus Christ gives us. Why does offering a homeless person a bag of food show real love? Because it opens up opportunities to tell them and others about the only real hope that there is and the perfect demonstration of love ever given.
As we pray and consider the future of Crossroads Fellowship and any potential ministries we must keep in mind the gospel of Jesus Christ because that is what drives us. We are not driven by what other churches are doing. We are not driven by what churches that we attended in the past did and we thought was really great. And we are not driven by some kind of narcissistic church model where everything is about what I get out of the deal. We are driven by the gospel and to show that gospel to those that we come in contact with.
Ministries
Ephesians 4:11-16
11And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
How do you love somebody? And how can someone know that they are loved? In our culture there are lots of ideas on how best to do that and know that. There are songs that tell you that it’s in a kiss. There are movies that indicate that it’s just some nebulous feeling. And there are buddies that tell you that it’s all in the looks. The problem is that kisses, feelings, and looks are all fleeting and will one day be gone. Love is more of an action than it is a feeling. At Crossroads we seek to love people and to love them in real ways no matter their situation or how much it is “deserved.” We do this because we are driven by the gospel and it is the gospel that tells us that it was Jesus that loved us by dying on the cross for us. His love was demonstrated primarily in his actions and not just in his words. How can we love people in our actions?
We love people through our ministries; that is the point of them. It is not a race of trying to have more programs than the “other guys,” but rather finding ways that we can love more and more people in deeper ways. Whether it be teaching our children, handing out a foodbag to a homeless person, giving away a bike to those in need, or gathering in our community groups, each is a way of giving and showing love in real ways.
As I sit here at my kitchen table writing this, I can hear my daughter through the monitor singing in her bed. Many times the song that she chooses to sing is “Holy, Holy, Holy.” That’s right, my two year daughter’s favorite song is that classic hymn. How can teaching children old hymns show love? Because it is one way that points them to the only real hope that there is; and that is the hope that Jesus Christ gives us. Why does offering a homeless person a bag of food show real love? Because it opens up opportunities to tell them and others about the only real hope that there is and the perfect demonstration of love ever given.
As we pray and consider the future of Crossroads Fellowship and any potential ministries we must keep in mind the gospel of Jesus Christ because that is what drives us. We are not driven by what other churches are doing. We are not driven by what churches that we attended in the past did and we thought was really great. And we are not driven by some kind of narcissistic church model where everything is about what I get out of the deal. We are driven by the gospel and to show that gospel to those that we come in contact with.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
40 Days of Prayer - Community/City/Neighborhood
40 Days of Prayer
Community/Neighborhood/City
Revelation 21
5And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."… 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
One day God is going to take and make all things new. He will take all things and return them to the way that they were meant to be, something I call the restoration of shalom. Won’t that day be absolutely wonderful! All Christians should look forward to that day with great delight and anticipation, longing to see it sooner rather than later.
Did you realize that we can begin to see the beginning of the restoration of shalom even today? As Crossroads ministers to the city of Albuquerque, we see the restoration of shalom taking place. One day God will make Albuquerque new, but in the meantime we can do much in seeing things restored by loving our city and the people in it in real and tangible ways. The city is the place where ideas are shaped and created, and Albuquerque is no exception. Let us make a decision to radically love our city and the people in it and pray that God would do amazing things through that love.
How are we to do that? We start with our neighborhood and where we live. We show respect and a desire to care for people in whatever situation of life they may be in or lifestyle they have chosen. When our neighbors are in need, we are the first in line to help out. Next we consider how we can serve the greater city by reaching out to the poor and to those who have been rejected by the rest of society. Third we seek to improve the places of learning that have such a major influence on the philosophy that people live by. Fourth we pray for and encourage other churches and Christians that are faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And fifth we seek ways to interact with the culture of our city rather than running away from it. Each of these gives us ways to tell others the hope that can be found in Jesus Christ that are authentic and meaningful.
This fifth idea can be so controversial for some. Consider the words of Tim Keller from an article that he wrote for Christianity Today:
The relationship of Christians to culture is the singular current crisis point for the church…It will not be enough for Christians to form a culture that runs counter to the values of the broader culture. Christians should be a community radically committed to the good of the city as a whole. We must move out to sacrificially serve the good of the whole human community, especially the poor…So we must neither just denounce the culture nor adopt it. We must sacrificially serve the common good, expecting to be constantly misunderstood and sometimes attacked. We must walk in the steps of the one who laid down his life for his opponents. Tim Keller
The vision that I believe God has given me for Crossroads Fellowship is one that is a powerful and important influence on our city. Our unwritten motto (sorry but I can’t write it down or else it wouldn’t be unwritten – but it has something to do with impacting Albuquerque in such a way that if we were no longer around the city would notice) emphasizes our desire to make that kind of lasting impact that would be felt for years to come. Will you join with the other people of Crossroads in praying for ways to make an impact on this city?
Community/Neighborhood/City
Revelation 21
5And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."… 10And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, 11having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.
One day God is going to take and make all things new. He will take all things and return them to the way that they were meant to be, something I call the restoration of shalom. Won’t that day be absolutely wonderful! All Christians should look forward to that day with great delight and anticipation, longing to see it sooner rather than later.
Did you realize that we can begin to see the beginning of the restoration of shalom even today? As Crossroads ministers to the city of Albuquerque, we see the restoration of shalom taking place. One day God will make Albuquerque new, but in the meantime we can do much in seeing things restored by loving our city and the people in it in real and tangible ways. The city is the place where ideas are shaped and created, and Albuquerque is no exception. Let us make a decision to radically love our city and the people in it and pray that God would do amazing things through that love.
How are we to do that? We start with our neighborhood and where we live. We show respect and a desire to care for people in whatever situation of life they may be in or lifestyle they have chosen. When our neighbors are in need, we are the first in line to help out. Next we consider how we can serve the greater city by reaching out to the poor and to those who have been rejected by the rest of society. Third we seek to improve the places of learning that have such a major influence on the philosophy that people live by. Fourth we pray for and encourage other churches and Christians that are faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And fifth we seek ways to interact with the culture of our city rather than running away from it. Each of these gives us ways to tell others the hope that can be found in Jesus Christ that are authentic and meaningful.
This fifth idea can be so controversial for some. Consider the words of Tim Keller from an article that he wrote for Christianity Today:
The relationship of Christians to culture is the singular current crisis point for the church…It will not be enough for Christians to form a culture that runs counter to the values of the broader culture. Christians should be a community radically committed to the good of the city as a whole. We must move out to sacrificially serve the good of the whole human community, especially the poor…So we must neither just denounce the culture nor adopt it. We must sacrificially serve the common good, expecting to be constantly misunderstood and sometimes attacked. We must walk in the steps of the one who laid down his life for his opponents. Tim Keller
The vision that I believe God has given me for Crossroads Fellowship is one that is a powerful and important influence on our city. Our unwritten motto (sorry but I can’t write it down or else it wouldn’t be unwritten – but it has something to do with impacting Albuquerque in such a way that if we were no longer around the city would notice) emphasizes our desire to make that kind of lasting impact that would be felt for years to come. Will you join with the other people of Crossroads in praying for ways to make an impact on this city?
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