reverb

Singing

SINGING. I know, I know...you're thinking, "Why are you talking about singing?" Hear me out on this one. Whenever Jesus enters the scene, there's a reason to sing! Re-read the Christmas story and you'll see that singing and rejoicing surrounded the very first Christmas. (LUKE 2)
 
We sing because we serve a God who makes us joyful and gives us a reason to sing. King David wrote most of the Psalms declaring his joy to God. He sang because he had a song.

God loves it when we sing to Him! There's another reason why we should sing. What's that? Singing changes us. Singing isn't just a declaration of joy...singing has the power to make us joyful! So when should we sing?
 
PHIL.4:4 (NIV) Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
 
Does it seem strange to you that a man in prison would be telling those who are not in prison to keep on rejoicing? Our inner attitudes do not need to reflect our outward circumstances. Let me say it this way...It's a choice to rejoice!
 
"Joy to the world. The Lord is come! Let earth receive her King. Let every heart prepare Him room. Let Heaven and nature sing!"

Because of Jesus, we have reason to sing! Sing because He's given you a song. Sing when you don't feel like it and He'll give you a song. Join us at one of our campuses this weekend with a song in your heart. I'll be there making a joyful noise!

Classics

CLASSICS. Some of you love the holidays, while others of you loathe them. Why? For some of you the holidays are filled with great memories and family traditions. For others of you, it's that time of year when the pain of loneliness and loss is intensified.
 
Whatever direction you tend toward, one place we find common ground is in the music of Christmas. Many of the traditional carols are filled with a message of hope and life. Thus the attraction to and love for the classics. They sing of something that we're all looking for...something our souls long for...joy, peace...a time when all oppression shall cease and we can sleep in heavenly peace!
 
I'm confident that this series is going to meet all of us right where we're living. What's true for you and I is true for your family and friends as well...looking for joy and peace in the midst of the added chaos and stress that accompanies this time of year. Therefore, I want to encourage you to take advantage of this "easy invite" series and invite someone to join you at whatever campus you attend.
 
I'm already praying for them to respond favorably to your invitation. By the way, if you bring a friend, you have permission to peak when the opportunity for response is offered. Both of you will never be the same!

Testify

TESTIFY. I was so inspired today! How's that? I met with a gentleman (dude) who the day before asked if he could have 15 minutes of my time because he had a simple question. When we met, he just had to tell me about an experience he had the night before...he couldn't turn off the tears as he was overcome by God's goodness and the realization of all that God has done just for him!
 
After sharing a list that he had written out, he asked, "Am I crazy?" My reply, "No! You're experiencing what we've been talking about in our current series 'MOVE'...God's Spirit is moving in your life in a powerful way!"

As I was relaying the story to Julie, I said, "We have to capture this on video...it's powerful, compelling and refreshing!"

I know he's not the only one. God is moving in many of your lives. You too need to testify (to testify means to bear witness to, to declare publicly or to make known). Testifying to others what God has done and/or is doing is a by-product of being filled with the Spirit...
 
Acts 1:8 (NIV) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses..."
 
Go for it! Be a witness! Tell somebody. Send me an email. I'll celebrate with you! Not only are others inspired when we testify, but the devil is defeated! Rev 12:11 says that they defeated him (the devil) by the blood of the lamb AND by their testimony!

Vital

VITAL. I'm getting ready for another trip. (This one includes a few days of international travel.) I fly into Chicago this Friday to be in Freeport for the weekend and then leave Sunday evening for Zurich, Switzerland to do a 2 day leadership conference with EQUIP. Due to the quick turnaround, I thought to myself, "I can do this without checking a bag." That rationale led me to consider what's vital for this trip?
 
Shifting gears to that which is significantly more important than contemplating whether one can get by without checking a bag on an international trip...
 
What things do you consider a vital necessity in your life? What can't you live without? That question might have generated some interesting responses, including things as basic as food and water. That may keep you alive physically, but with food and water alone, are you really living? What about love and relationships...specifically your relationship with the Lord?
 
1 CHRON. 22:19a (Amp) Now set your mind and heart to seek (inquire of and require as your vital necessity) the Lord your God.
 
According to Ezra, we can't really live unless our hearts and minds are set on seeking the Lord. You can exist without seeking the Lord, but you and I are called to live an abundant life in Christ!
 
I realize time is an issue...it is for all of us. We all also have control over what we choose to do with our time. I want to encourage you today to choose to set your heart and mind on seeking the Lord as you journey through life. Let some other stuff go. You'll be glad you did. After all, it's vital to life.

More

MORE. (Pt. 2) I was reminded again this morning during my prayer time that God has "more" for us. Years ago I learned the practice of praying back to God, His Word to us...which is a revelation of His will. (By the way...this is a key to answered prayer...1 JOHN 5:14-15)
 
This practice was reinforced for me after reading a great little book written by Dr. Bruce Wilkinson entitled, "The Prayer of Jabez". If you're unfamiliar with Jabez's story, you'll find it in 1 Chronicles 4 buried among some of the most uninteresting reading in the Bible...chapter after chapter of genealogies. The writer is tracing the official Jewish family tree from Adam through thousands of years. In the middle of hundreds of names, one receives special comment...
 
1 CHRON. 4:9-10 (NKJV) Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, "Because I bore him in pain."  And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, "Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!" So God  granted him what he requested.
Here's a guy who started with almost nothing, cried out to God in prayer and ended up being recognized in Scripture as a man of honor. I don't know your story, but bold prayer can move you from where you are to a place of honor. Here's the key...you must be willing to ask for the "more" that God has for you!

I want to encourage you to "boldly approach the throne of grace" this week and ask God to bless you and enlarge your territory. By the way...when the blessing arrives, remember that it’s not just for you...God blesses us to be a blessing! One way to do that is to share your story. As you step into bold faith by asking God for more, expect Him to answer. And when He does, let me hear about it! Post a comment here or send me an email or call your Campus Pastor. Your story just might be the method God uses to begin something more in the life of someone else.
 
May His favor rest upon you!

Genius

GENIUS.
We had an incredible C3 Conference this past weekend. Our overarching theme was "MORE" based upon the understanding that there is so much "more" that God has for all of us personally and as a church body. In our opening session on Friday morning, I stated that receiving the more that God has for us as a church will require missional thinking and living. We then spent the majority of our time talking about how we could do just that. This generated a lot of great discussion and ideas. (I look forward to the fruit that this will produce!)
For years the church has lived by a "come and see" approach to ministry. Missional thinking and living directs us to "go and be". So which is it that we are to embrace and flesh out? This is where ‘genius’ enters the equation.I have found that as long as I insist on an either/or proposition or response, I limit what could happen. The truth is this, not everything is that black and white or cut and dry. Therefore, in order for us to maintain balance and maximize our potential in life we must embrace what is often referred to as the "genius of the and".
This is a principle found all through Scripture. A classic example would be in the arena of faith and works. ROM. 3:27-28 (NLT) Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on our good deeds. It is based on our faith. So we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. JAMES 2:17, 26 (NLT) So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all-it is dead and useless. Just as the body is dead without a spirit, so also faith is dead without good deeds.

Put your faith to work this week..."go and be" and once you're there, invite people to "come and see"!

Missional

MISSIONAL. At first glance, some may think that "missional" is a pretty "churchy" word. Once you understand it's true meaning, you quickly realize that it's not. In fact, it would challenge many churches and believers, precisely because they're not.
Many of you work for a company or corporation that is missional to its core. How's that? It comes back to having a basic understanding of why we exist...whether as a church or a fortune 500 company. The day we live as though we exist for ourselves is the day that we--that church, company or organization--will begin to decline.
Starbucks doesn't just sell coffee...they sell coffee with a purpose. Proceeds are used to help support local and international causes/needs.
The church that exists for itself has a short-sighted, unbiblical vision and in turn, a short life. The church's very nature is to function as God's missionary people. We are created, called, saved and empowered to live on mission with God!
What does that look like? Many of you will have the opportunity to help define that this weekend as part of our C3 Conference. All of you will have the opportunity to hear about it. Don't miss Friday evening from 7:00-8:30 pm in the large auditorium at our Freeport Campus and Sunday evening for an incredible "Night of Worship" from 5:00-7:00 pm at the Jeanette Lloyd Theatre in Freeport. (Freeport Jr. High)

White Pines Building Update 2

Pregnant

PREGNANT. That's right...we're about to give birth! No, not Julie and I. Although we are going to be grandparents before long! Yes, we're excited!

When I said, "we're about to give birth", I was referring to our church family. Crossroads is about to give birth to it's fifth campus outside of our original campus in Freeport, IL. Delivery is scheduled for this Sunday, September 20th at 10:00 am in Morrison, Illinois!

The maternity ward is the one place in a hospital that people want to visit because it's full of life...new life. However, as any of you moms know, a baby doesn't just show up without a "little" effort. There's a reason we call it labor!

So here's a "shout-out" to all of you who have put forth a "little" effort to make this possible.

Thank you for your vision...for seeing what others cannot see...for seeing "it" before "it" is!

Thank you for your faith and generosity...for giving so that others have the opportunity to experience what you have!

Thank you for your labors of love...for praying, giving and serving so that others may find life in Christ.

Thank you for your partnership in the great work of spreading the Good News about Christ. It really is an honor to serve as your lead pastor! The best really is yet to come!

P.S. The baby's not here yet, so please pray for a healthy delivery and birth weight this Sunday!

P90X

P90X. Two weeks ago I jumped into this acclaimed exercise routine with a few friends and I've already learned a great deal. You may have noticed...I have a tendency to view much of life through the lens of my faith and how something (nearly everything) ties into my walk and relationship with Christ. Joining the P90X craze has been no exception. Here are some lessons I've learned in less than two weeks from P90X and how it relates to prayer...

1) CHOOSE THE RIGHT "MODEL". In finance, people listen to Dave Ramsey because he lives what he teaches and he's successful. Jesus' disciples observed the fruitful impact of His life and recognized the direct link to His prayer life. One day they approached Him and said, "Lord, teach us how to pray." (MATT. 6:5-13)

2) JUST SHOW UP. Most often, the best things in life aren't easy. Half the battle is just showing up.

3) PACE YOURSELF. Don't try to do it all at once. Rome wasn't built in a day.

4) IT'S BETTER TOGETHER. There's not only the benefit  of accountability, but if something is worth doing, it's worth involving others. In the realm of prayer, we call it the power of agreement. (MATT. 18:19) If one can put 1,000 to flight, then two can put 10,000 to flight!

5) STICK WITH IT. A diamond is a piece of coal that stayed on the job. It's all about persistence and refusing to quit.

LUKE 18:1 (NLT) One day Jesus told his disciples a story to illustrate their need for constant prayer and to show them that they must never give up.

6) YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW. This is a law of life that holds true in any arena...sow generously, you reap generously...sow energy, you reap energy.

GAL. 6:7, 9 (NLT)  Don't be misled. Remember that you can't ignore God and get away with it. You will always reap what you sow! So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.

Pray daily and keep on praying...the harvest is on it's way!