reverb

All Access Arc Conference

This has been an incredible time at the Arc Conference with the team. For those of you that would like to catch some of the teaching here is the link to the live internet feed.

http://www.allaccessconference.com/

Movies

MOVIES. Some of you "go to the movies" all the time and others of you were taught that "going to the movies" was a sin, right along side dancing and playing cards. Me? I’d probably land somewhere in the middle.

Before someone over-reacts, let's get perspective. Movies are amoral in that they are simply a tool or means of communication. Some send a favorable message and some…not so much.

So why a teaching series based on movies? Actually the series is based on knowing God--thus the title, "Reel to Real...Finding God in the Movies"--which I believe is the single most important thing in life! What you believe about God will not only determine your eternal destiny, but directly effect how you live from day to day.

My prayer is that through this series you'll get to now God better and lean how to find Him through the story tellers of our day… film producers. Just as we find God all over the Old Testament story of Esther, even though His name is not mentioned or referenced one time, so I believe we're going to be pleasantly surprised over the next number of weeks as we find God in the movies!

Humbled & Amazed

HUMBLED and AMAZED. If you were able to participate in one of our Easter experiences this past weekend, I probably don't need to say much more! However, I'm obligated to...I have a biblical responsibility to proclaim His greatness and make known what He has done!

Psalm 105:1 (NLT) Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.  Let the whole world know what he has done.

704 kids attended the Kidzlink lock-in at our Freeport campus.

3975 people celebrated the resurrection with us at one of our 5 campuses! (I'm guessing there were 25+ people in the bathroom when the counts took place.)

212 people made a public declaration of their new association through water baptism. Congratulations to all of you who took that radical, spontaneous step of faith in your street clothes...a number of you in your "Sunday best"!  I’m humbled!

I'm sincerely humbled and amazed by the goodness and faithfulness of our great God and King! Don't you just love Him?!

I'm humbled as well by the fact that our great God and King invites us, includes us and involves us in His activity in some small way!

I'm also humbled by the incredible army of people that He has assembled and mobilized as a part of Crossroads. Kudos to all of you who served in some capacity to make Easter 2009 what it was for the 3975 people who celebrated with us. Whether you brought a friend or family member, shared your testimony, set up at one of our four portable campuses, stayed up all night at the lock-in, served in the nursery or on one of our other teams...thank you! I'm humbled by your faith and dedication! May you share in the reward of all that God did this Easter! You really are loved, appreciated and prayed for!

Easter

"EASTER". I have Easter on the brain this week. I realize that's to be expected.

I loved Easter as a kid! My sister, brother and I would get a new "outfit" nearly every year that we'd get to "break in" on Easter Sunday as we all headed to church. I also remember getting a basket filled with "healthy" treats...gotta love those chocolate bunnies.

I still love Easter...but for a few different reasons at this point in my life. Yea, I'm like most pastors in that I love Easter because it's typically the most attended weekend of the year. More importantly, I love Easter because of what it represents and what we celebrate!

Easter is the oldest and most important celebration of the Christian faith. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas too! However, it wasn't Jesus' unconventional entrance into this world that changed lives...but rather, his death, burial and resurrection.

It's at the cross where justice and mercy kissed! It was at the cross where His death defeated death and in His resurrection we are offered new life! Just for the record, new life in Christ is better than any new outfit!

Pray for me to make this great message clear and real this weekend...not for clarity's sake, but for the sake of all our family and friends that need hope and a fresh start!

GROUNDBREAKING

"GROUNDBREAKING". This past Sunday our White Pines Campus had a "groundbreaking" celebration following their morning worship experience. Unfortunately I wasn't able to be there, but understand that a number of important dignitaries were and that the atmosphere was quite energized!

I just want to take a moment to congratulate all of you who are a part of the Crossroads family and those of you at our White Pines Campus in particular! Thank you for trusting in the God of the impossible! Thank you for loving your community and all those around you!

I also want to acknowledge the goodness of God. This really is a "God" story...350 people gathering every week to worship as a "video campus" at an elementary grade school in a rural town of 2000! Call it revolutionary, radical, innovative or cutting edge...it is! It's all that and more by the grace of God!

If you do a quick word study, you'll discover that all of those words are synonyms for "groundbreaking"! As God continues to lead us by His Spirit, may we continue to be innovative, radical and revolutionary as we take and break more ground for His Kingdom!