It seems like every few years, maybe less, someone comes along and starts a hypothesis that Jesus is coming back on a certain date. They may write a book, get on radio, send newsletters, and use social media to promote it. Besides the fact that Jesus clearly stated that “no one” knows the day or hour of His return, it is a misalignment of priorities.

When Jesus was getting ready to ascend into heaven to be with His Father, the disciples asked him when He was coming back (Acts 1). Jesus answered them that it was not for them to “know,” but for them to “be” His witnesses. In other words, we get more caught up in knowing than being, and Jesus guides us to flip those.

So, are you more involved in knowing things or being something? It would be better to be a great parent than to know a lot about parenting. It’s better to be a good example to your kids than to know a lot about finances. Do you see what I mean? In an information age that wants to know lots of data, Jesus encourages us to focus more on being and He can lead us to the right knowing.

Whether or not Jesus comes back in the next few days is not as important as you and I being a good witness for Him today.

Hey Crossroads family,

Easter is coming in just a few days (April 16) and I am filled with anticipation over what God is going to do in each of our services. Here’s how I could use your help this Easter:

The message that day is called “An Empty Easter” and will focus on the emptiness of life versus the full life the empty tomb provides. This is a great opportunity to invite people you know as it focuses on who Jesus really is and came to do. In the few minutes it takes to invite someone, you never know what God might have in mind.  Let’s get busy and reach one more for Jesus!

Please use the various tools that are available to invite others to Crossroads. You can use your own Facebook (or social media) account to encourage others to come to one of the Easter services. Be sure to share posts from our Crossroads Facebook Page, this is huge! Hopefully, you also have the small “Invite Cards” we’ve made available each weekend at the Information Desk. These have a map to the church and feature the service times as reference help for those desiring to come. Sometimes people need reminders and helps after you walk away! I would suggest you keep these cards handy in case God opens a new door of opportunity to share.

Finally, as usual, we’re preparing for lots of new guests to be with us for Easter. It would be great if you could…

• Attend the first service – which is usually less crowded.
• Make an extra effort to give a warm welcome to the people you meet.
• Park away from the doors to make room for guests to park close.
• Sit in the middle of a row, so guest don’t have to step over you for a seat.

It’s going to be an awesome Easter at Crossroads, and it’s a privilege to partner with you!  I’m praying for your family and friends to come to Jesus this Sunday!

When you know a friend needs Jesus, how do you respond? There’s a story in Mark 2 about a man who couldn’t walk, so four guys literally carry him to Jesus. The problem is that by the time they get there, they can’t get into the house where Jesus was teaching because of the crowd. Rather than say, “Oh well, dude we tried to get you in.” They refuse to be denied and carry this man up on the roof. Once up there they tear open the roof (probably made of mud, tiles and maybe straw) and lower the man down to Jesus.

The Scripture says that when Jesus saw “their” faith, he responded. In other words, it wasn’t even the man on the mat’s faith; it was those bringing him to Jesus that touched the Master.

Here’s my question: who are you currently carrying to Jesus? Who do you know that needs a touch from God, forgiveness of sins, and a fresh start? Please understand that it is your responsibility to carry them to Jesus. This man got to meet Jesus, be healed, made whole and restored to God because someone cared enough to carry him.

“God so loved the world that He gave His only Son,” and we are most like Him when we love others enough to take action. Friend, it’s too easy to get caught up in our Christian circles and ourselves and forget who Jesus came for. He came to seek and to save that which is lost. If you don’t know any lost people right now, you need to change that. Get out of your bubble and love like God loves.

It impresses Jesus when he sees us bring others to Him. If you want to get Jesus’ attention today, lift someone up and bring them to Jesus. Nothing moves God’s heart more than when we care enough to carry someone to Him.

Not only does this story come from today’s reading in the One Year Bible (that I’m doing again this year), but it is also our text for Sunday. I hope you can be with us as God anoints His Word to our ears. God has a word for you this weekend!

One day some men brought a paralyzed man to Jesus lying on a mat. The Bible (Matthew 9:2) says something interesting, that “when Jesus saw THEIR faith…” He did something. There are several things that speak to me out of this passage from the One Year Bible. One thing is that it’s important to have good friends. You need some friends that will carry you to Jesus if they have to.

Another thing is that Jesus is moved by the faith of people around you and not just you. That means you better how some people of faith around you. Who knows how many of us have been impacted by the prayers of a grandparent, parent or friend?

Then, I see that Jesus is more concerned about the man’s spiritual need than his physical need. Keep in mind that it was the physical need that drew him there, but Jesus wanted to remedy the paralysis in this man’s heart. His greatest need wasn’t his legs, it was his life.

Some lessons for us:

• Be the kind of person that brings others to Jesus.
• Listen for the pain in others that leads to an opportunity to invite them to Jesus.
• Don’t be too busy to carry others burdens in prayer or personally.

The fact that these men got involved in this paralytics life, enabled him to walk away physically and spiritually healed. Who could you get involved with and bring closer to Jesus this week?

We used to sing a song when I was in preschool Sunday School classes that went, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…” My favorite part though, was when it came to the verse that said, “Hide it under a bushel, no…” The reason I liked that portion is because we were allowed to shout the word NO when asking about hiding our light. I must confess, that at the time, I really didn’t even know what I was singing about, but it was fun.

Later on, I came to understand that the meaning of the song came from this week’s reading of the One Year Bible in Matthew 5:14-16. Jesus proclaims that His followers are the “light of the world,” and just like no one hides a light under “a bowl,” likewise, we are not to hide our light.

During this year, my intent is to take a similar passage like this, from the One Year Bible reading, and to make comment on it in this blog. My hope, is that it will not only speak to those of you reading the Bible through this year, and keep you encouraged along the way, but it will also inspire you to let God’s Word speak directly to you. (We are providing 21-day devotionals this weekend to go along with our 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer this weekend, so don’t miss it!)

Getting back to our passage, I would like to suggest that each of us are carriers of the light of Jesus to our world in 2017. As a result, it is imperative that we feel that responsibility to let our light shine as Jesus stated. We cannot expect God to shine for us, we are to shine for Him. We shine when we do our work well, do more than is expected, love our enemies and show Christ’s compassion to all.

Another way to shine this week is by inviting someone into your life with Christ. You might respond to their need for help by offering to pray, or share an inspirational thought from Scripture you’ve been reading. One more way is to simply invite them to be your guest at your church. Statistics say that most people would be glad to attend church with a friend if only they were invited.

Let’s commit to shine our light in the darkness of our world this year so others can find their way to God.

I heard that phrase a long time ago, but it still holds a great truth.  The idea is that regardless of your surroundings and circumstances you can choose to bloom there.

Paul shared this same concept in 2 Corinthians 12 when he asked the Lord to take away a “thorn in the flesh.”  Much speculation exists on whether this was a person, an ailment, a physical challenge in Paul’s life.  It really doesn’t matter what it is, what is important is how Paul dealt with it.

He asked the Lord to remove several times, but He didn’t.  Finally God speaks and shows that it is there to show God’s power in Paul’s weakness.  Isn’t that how God’s power shows up the most?  Otherwise people give credit to the person for accomplishments.

Paul goes onto say that because of this revelation he will boast about his weakness to bring more honor to God.  It could look like this: “I thought you said you didn’t like your job, yet you seem to give it everything you’ve got, what gives?”

When a Christian pushes through difficult challenges and keeps on going, it brings honor to God, which is our ultimate objective.

What weak area of your life could you leverage to bring more honor to God?

*Originally published in Sept 2013

Hey Crossroads family,

Easter is coming in just a few weeks and I couldn’t be more excited about what God is going to do in each of our services.  Let me share a few things I’d love to get your help with this Easter:

That weekend kicks off our new series, LIFE TO THE FULL.  This is a great opportunity to bring along people you know as it focuses on what it means to be Christian.  In the few minutes it takes to invite a friend, you could play a role in changing someone’s eternity.

Use the various tools that are available to invite others to Crossroads.  You can use your Facebook account to encourage others to come to one of the Easter services.  We have small “Invite Cards” available every weekend at the Information in the lobby.  These have a map to the church and feature the service times as a reference help for those desiring to come.  I would suggest you keep these cards handy in case God opens a new door of opportunity to share.

We’re preparing for lots of new guests to be with us for Easter.  It would be great if you could

• Serve for an extra experience (maybe attend 1^st and serve in 2^nd?).
• Attend the first service – which is usually less crowded.
• Make an extra effort to give a warm welcome to the people you meet.
• Park far away from the doors to make room for guests to park close.
• Sit in the middle of a row, so guest don’t have to step over you for a seat.

Thanks for being a part of what God is doing at Crossroads.  It’s a privilege to partner with you!

Craig White, Lead Pastor

P.S.  Don’t forget to invite folks to our 1st Helicopter Easter Egg Drop on April 4 at 10 a.m.!

We finally got the rest of our Christmas decorations down the other day (don’t judge me, we’ve been busy J) and it’s already time for Easter – I can’t believe it!  In just two weeks from this coming Sunday we will be celebrating the greatest event in history, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Here’s what I would like to suggest:  over the next two weeks, let’s do everything we can to bring two people to church with us.  You don’t have to drive them necessarily, though that helps to ensure they show up, but we can invite them.

I saw a recent statistic that said that approximately 20% of people were undecided yet on whether they would attend church on Easter.  Friend, that is one out of every five people you meet.

Just yesterday I was out to lunch with someone and as he was paying the bill, he invited the server to Easter services.  He also informed her that I was the pastor.  Instead of just saying a polite, “Thank you,” she said she was looking for a church to attend on Easter and wanted her child to go.  I spoke up and told her that her kid would love our church.  I pray she follows through and shows up.  What’s interesting is my friend said that if I hadn’t been with him, he probably wouldn’t have spoken up to invite her.

Let’s do what we can to impact two people in two weeks and reach at least one more for Jesus.  If we all do that, imagine how it will move from addition to multiplication.

Before you load up the car and head over to spend time with friends & family eating, watching football, and possibly taking a nap (if you’re lucky), what else might you do to get prepared for Thanksgiving?  For some, it might be psyching yourself up for a new debate over an issue, getting set for another fight over the past, or watching other dysfunctional members remind you of why you don’t overly enjoy these gatherings.

But, as a follower of Christ, knowing there might be family present who aren’t believers, what might we do to prepare?

• Pray, for you to say the right things, for them to be impacted and for the Holy Spirit to fill the house.
• Listen, to all they are saying around the table.  Ask some questions to gain greater understanding and resist the temptation to “set them straight.”  This is true love in action.
• Remember, it is only natural for people who don’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord to act like they don’t.  Don’t allow yourself to be upset about their choices and lifestyles, rather, be sympathetic to their lost state of heart.
• Obey the Holy Spirit’s prompting to share only what He tells you to share. Stay away from debates and focus more on how you have been impacted by God’s love and presence.
• Leave the results of any sharing up to them and the Holy Spirit.  Don’t be discouraged if they don’t put down their pumpkin pie and ask how to be saved.  Sometimes you plant, other times you water and only God can control the harvest.

I hope you and I have an opportunity to be show and tell followers for Jesus this Thanksgiving.  Let’s be ready for more than just turkey, pie and football (and hopefully a nap).  May God show his light through us to our family and friends, giving us another real reason to be thankful.

I’m thankful for you!