Praying for Matt Chandler

Recently I asked that you pray for Matt Chandler, the Lead Pastor of the Village Church near Dallas. He was found to have a brain tumor on the right front of his brain. Surgery was performed over a week ago and yesterday the pathology report was shared with Matt and his wife. Today they posted a blog about Matt's tumor. You can read the blog by going to this site: http://fm.thevillagechurch.net/blog/pastors/ Please continue to pray for Matt's healing and for strength for his wife and family and the Village Church.

Immortal, Invisible - “Something Greater”

The following is a blog from a very good friend of mine, Laura Story. You may know her from the popular worship song, Indescribable. She wrote that a few years ago and Chris Tomlin made it famous.


“In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle. Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under his wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.”

Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives forever and ever.

They lay their crowns before the throne and say: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
- Revelations 4: 6-11 (NIV)

There is something mysterious about worship. Even as I child, I remember singing songs like, “‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” and “I Surrender All,” and feeling all warm inside. Whether it’s the thunderous voice of a hundred-person choir or “Amazing Grace” being played by a single violin, there is a tenderness that cannot be explained with words. It’s the feeling of being part of something greater than myself. And in the book of Revelation, John gives us a hint of what that “something greater” might be. There are many theories suggesting how the book of Revelation should be interpreted. Some think that John, the self-professed author, is speaking strictly about the end times. Others view the book as a panorama of historical events throughout the life of the church. But either way you slice it, God gave John a vision and what he saw was magnificent. It was so magnificent that John was in too much shock to even stand! The Lord spoke with a voice like a trumpet, and there were angels and other creatures consumed with worshipping the One who sat on the throne. They were bowing low in awe of their Radiant King, singing “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power…”

Though this may not sound like normal worship services at your church or mine, we still may see small glimpses. Here on earth, we will only experience a taste of this splendor. But it is enough; it’s enough to remind us that this life is about something greater than ourselves. When we sing praises to our Lord, we join in the chorus that creation has been singing from the beginning of time. And it is the same anthem that we as believers will be singing for all eternity.

God, may I savor each moment in your presence as a glimpse of the glory that is to come. May I never grow weary of singing Your praise.

Prayer for a Pastor

Well, it has been a few weeks since I last left a post on my blog. Sometimes life gets in the way! But today I wanted to post a special prayer request for a pastor whom I've never met, but have followed for sometime because of his great passion and skills as a communicator. His name is Matt Chandler and he is Lead Pastor of The Village Church in Denton, TX. He is 35 and his church has grown from a few hundred to several thousand in a few short years. His church blog says that he suffered a seizure earlier in the week and it was found that he has a tumor on the front of his brain. He will undergo surgery this Friday morning to remove it! So pray for Matt, his family, the Village Church, the surgeons and all touched by his ministry. We know that God is sovereign and is with Matt. So we trust Him. The body of Christ is an army of saints who prays for each other, whether we know each other or not! So let's join together to pray for Matt during this very difficult time! Grace and Peace!

Spiritual Growth

I often wonder if we get things confused sometimes about who really is at work when it comes to growing as a follower of Christ. I think we often have the idea that if we do something, then God will do something. In other words, because we read our Bibles, we'll grow or if we pray, we'll grow. But is it really left to us to grow spiritually on our own? Philippians 2:12 says "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling," as if it's left to us to somehow grow and mature spiritually. It is true that we need to be people of the Book, God's Word, and seek to let it permeate our hearts and minds. And we need to talk daily with God through prayer. He uses those things as a means to grow us and to reveal more of himself to us. But the next verse in Philippians 2:13 also says, "for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."
In other words, apart from God working in us and moving in us and shaping our lives, we wouldn't even have the desire for maturity, much less a spiritual hunger for the things of God. God does his work in us to create the desire to want to know him. He initiates and then we follow. He does his work so that we that we can then work. He works and we work, in that order. So today, thank God that he is so gracious to work in you and me so that we can grow in him to be the person he wants us to be! It's really all about him! And then, as a good soldier, discipline yourself for battle. As an athlete trains to be the best, train yourself to be all that God wants you to be. Work hard, sweat, be disciplined, stay at it and watch as God works in you to make you conformed to the image of His Son.

Happenings!

I'm very excited about some happenings going on within our Crosspoint community these days!! We have a couple of new small groups with some great leaders that have just formed and many new people in these groups! Small groups are where it's at! Secondly, we're having a Tailgate Party Sunday, October 11 that is going to be awesome! We'll have a shortened version of our worship gathering and then we're moving outside to the courtyard parking area in front of Ardrey Kell and tailgating complete with bouncies for the kids, cornhole games, football and frisbee throwing, grilling and the company of lots of people as we sit out around the back of our cars and have a great time together! This is a first for us and maybe for a church in Charlotte on a Sunday morning, but it should be fun! I've never had a hotdog at 10:30 in the morning but I'm sure it will be just as good as one eaten at noon! Can't wait to see how well everyone decorates their cars and trucks like a real game, too. Also, our Kids ministry is going to rock this October as they prepare 100 boxes to be sent to Operation Christmas Child. They'll be spending the entire service on October 25th to put the goodies in the shoeboxes that will be sent to kids all over the world! Very cool. Lastly, we're planning our first ever overseas missions trip to Kenya for next Summer. Over twenty people showed up at our Info Meeting or expressed an interest in going! We'll probably be partnering with another church in the area which will draw two churches together for a global outreach that is going to be awesome! It's exciting to be a part of Crosspoint these days as we seek to love God, love others and serve our world!

Small Group

Tonight our small group or Life Community, as we call it at Crosspoint, reconvened after taking most of the summer off! And it was like we had never missed a week. Some things just fit like an old glove. I think that's a good description? Yes, it is. When you can share openly and honestly with the group you've come to know and pray with and laugh with and even cry with, you know it fits well! Tonight we shared stories of our summer vacations! Each went to a different place and had a different experience but each was similar in so many ways because they were about family and memories and rest. But the one link we keep coming back to in our group are our teens. We all have kids in their teens and we share that one bond that unites us in so many ways! It's powerful, encouraging and freeing. We know what each is facing and feeling and we are together in this. That's the power of a small group! It's where we share life together! If you're not in a small group, get in one today! Learn what it's like to be cared for by others. Find out what it means to truly carry one another's burdens. You'll be so glad you did!

People

We like to think that we do church well. I think we do for the most part. We have a welcoming entrance and a up and coming Kids Program and awesome volunteers and quality musicians who lead us in worship each week and hopefully there are engaging messages on life and what it means to follow Christ. But we can have the best show in town and still miss out on what the church is about. It's about people. It's about relentlessly pursuing people who walk through our door each week. It's about getting up close and personal with these people by learning their names and finding out where they're from and what issues are going on in their lives and why they came to our church. It's about loving them, no matter how messy it may be. It's about staying after them and challenging them to not only want to pursue Christ themselves, but to push them to see the church as a healthy functioning community that needs each other. That's why church attendance is so important because it spurs us on and encourages us and reminds us that no one is in this race alone. That's why it's so necessary to find small groups called life communities for everyone because we believe they are so vital in giving us a place to be safe and belong, to laugh and cry together, to share the load that comes with living life. So sure, we strive each week to do church really well from the front and every area that requires planning and execution. But if we fail to be about the one thing that gives a church its life, the relentless pursuing of people as we relentlessly pursue God, then we are nothing better than a big show each week. God help us to never lose sight of why we open the doors each week!

Movies in the Park @ Ballantyne

This coming Friday night is our last Movies in the Park @ Ballantyne for the summer. There's something about this event that is so refreshing and fun and rewarding! It always draws people out each month that we've never seen before. It seems like it's a new crowd each time. The whole idea of doing a free movie for the community is a blast to me. I think it's great that we as a church can provide the event and the popcorn and the drinks, if only for the purpose of meeting new people and letting them know we care. Over the past couple of years a few folks who attended the movie decided to give Crosspoint a try and a few of them have stayed. Now that's really cool! I think the people who attend are truly appreciative of our efforts and what we're trying to do for the community! So, if you're in the area of Ballantyne and south Charlotte and are looking for a family event, then come on out by dark this Friday night and take in Madagascar Two with the kiddos and have a great night together! We look forward to seeing you there!

Conversion

All of us who are in ministry and really, everyone who knows Christ by faith in his finished work on the cross, long for everyone else to know the truth we have come to believe. That is, that Jesus is indeed the promised Messiah and Savior of the world. What is fascinating to me at least, is that I have come to understand that salvation is a process for most and an event for some. Let me explain. I came to understand and believe that Christ is who he says he is at the age of twelve sitting in a church service in 1971. I can see it like it was yesterday. It was a very vivid moment for me. Although I had been hearing the gospel for about six months prior to that I didn't respond to it til later. So it was both a process and an event. Now, that doesn't mean I knew everything there was to know about Christ and his work, but I knew enough to know that I needed a Savior from my sins. Some will tell you that they don't know exactly when they came to believe in Christ. It was as if they had known him for a long time and they just learned to trust Him and believe. There is no date to remember or a special church service or event. It's more about a process of the gospel working in their lives over time to bring them to a place of belief. Scot McKnight in his book The Jesus Creed argues this same point using the Apostle Peter as an example. He writes, "For some, conversion is like a birth certificate, while for others it is like a driver's license. For the first, the ultimate question is "What do I need to get to Heaven?" For the second, the question is "How do I love God?" For the first, the concern is a moment; for the the second, the concern is a life." Explaining in more detail he says, "If conversion is likened to a birth certificate, we produce babies who need to be pushed around in strollers. If it's like a driver's license, we produce adults who can operate on life's pathways." He then goes on to ask, "when was Peter converted?" Was it when he was first introduced to Jesus and agreed to follow him? Or was it when he confessed he was a sinner? Or what about when asked by Jesus who he said he was and he answered that "he was the Christ, the Son of the living God?" Or could it possibly have been after he denied Christ and was then asked three times by Jesus if he loved him and he said three times that he did? No one knows for sure but it appears that salvation for Peter was more of a process than an event but no one denies that Peter knew Christ as Savior. McKnight says, "Peter's conversion was a gradual growth of what he understood about Jesus." On the other hand, one could argue that the apostle Paul's conversion was an event. Either way, salvation comes to each person in a different way through different means. The gospel hasn't changed and the requirements of belief and repentance are still the same, but what we must understand is that God's work of salvation can be a lifelong process. We leave the results to him.

Encounter

We've begun a new series at Crosspoint called Encounter. It's a look at five different people who had one-on-one encounters with Jesus and whose lives changed forever. This past week we looked at John 3 and the story of Nicodemus. We learned that even though Nicodemus was a good Jew in every sense of the word and sought to live an upright life by trying to keep the law, Jesus told him that he needed one thing and that was being born from above. It must have rocked his world to hear such direct language from Jesus, but Jesus wanted Nicodemus to know the truth. And Nicodemus was willing to hear what Jesus had to say. I'm so glad for this story for I know there are many who have come to believe today that because they are good Catholics or good Baptists or religious or were baptized as a baby or attend church every week that that's good enough to get them to Heaven. But Jesus stated unequivocally that those things are not good enough. It's not what we do or have done, but what Jesus has done for us. His death on the cross for our sins was the price paid to bring us into relationship with the Father. All we must do is believe in this and repent and accept this free gift of grace. Nicodemus came to believe this for at the end of the gospel of John we see Nicodemus step forward to bury the body of Jesus. May all of us come to encounter this same Jesus in all his glory.

Deeper

I long to go deeper! Have you ever said that as a Christ-follower? I have many times. Just what does it mean to go deeper? Well, for one I know it's a hunger to know Christ more fully in every way possible. By that I mean that nothing else matters but Him. His glory, his will, his joy, his love, his view of life is all that you desire. Now this is hard because I don't always live here and it doesn't come naturally. I have to desire it and I have to let go of me and be filled by Him. But I do want him so more and more to be my life. I believe this starts with a hunger and a thirst and desire and that if we're willing, God will fill us up with himself. And there has to be the disciplines of waiting on God in prayer and study of His Word. And I have to learn to sit in his presence more fully, waiting and listening and reflecting. That takes time! I have to free myself of distractions which is so hard but so necessary! Paul said, "I want to know him..and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death." (Philippians 3:10) That's hunger. That's wanting to go deeper! That's not just Sunday religion but an everyday pursuit! God, I long to go deeper with you, to know you more fully. Help me to hunger for that and to pursue it and may you fill me up with yourself. May that be enough!

Vacation

Wow, vacation at long last came for me and my family last week! It was wonderful! I can't explain it any other way. Yes, we were at a resort in the Bahamas with the coolest waterpark anywhere and yes it had beautiful clear blue water and all that goes with being in the Caribbean. But beyond all these things my family laughed together and just had fun! Whether it was riding on the plane down to Nassau or catching the current on the rapid river or the winding tubes in the waterpark, we had the best time laughing and playing and just being together! Sometimes we forget about the laughter of our families because as kids grow and hang out with their friends, they're more inclined to laugh with their friends than with mom and dad! But not this week! For five days we had each other and it was great! We laughed out loud as we rode the rapids for the first time and the tenth time and we were nervous together as we dared take the plunge on the Leap of Faith! We took in the beauty of the island as we walked the beach and we enjoyed the differences of the culture of downtown Nassau. All this to say that I'm so glad for the moments we get to be together and the memories we make when are freed from the busyness of life! This will be a vacation we will long remember and I'm so glad we dared to venture somewhere else this summer!

Watershed and NoDa

My good pals, Matt O'Neil and Scott Hofert, co-pastors over at Watershed, a local church community that meets near uptown and is part of the same network of churches as Crosspoint has just announced that they are moving to the NoDa area of town this coming August. The move is huge for them but what's even more incredible is the new space they have secured for their weekly gatherings. It's called Center Stage, an existing building in the area and is just an awesome space. It's in a perfect location, has the urban look and feel that is Watershed and will be a great facility to grow out of and reach the community. I am so thrilled for Matt and Scott and can't wait to see what God does through their ever-expanding ministry! It makes me long for the day we have our own space in the Indian Land area so that we can feel like a permanent part of the landscape and reach more folks in our community! Take a look at the video they put together to get a feel for what they're moving into. And as you look, thank God that He is alive and well in this city and moving the kingdom to every corner of Charlotte! Go to my blog list in the left column of my blog page to see the video from Matt.

Caution

Shawn Lovejoy over at Mountain Lake Church in Forsyth County, GA near Atlanta wrote the following caution for pastors in his blog as it relates to sexual temptation. But I think it applies to all of us, whether we're pastors or not. It's always worth it to make sure we're guarding our hearts. So, I share his words here.

"Pastors have a HUGE spiritual bulls-eye on our backsides! We are targets of the enemy. Strike the shepherd. Scatter the sheep. That’s the enemy’s strategy.

That’s why, more than ever before, I’m convinced that to protect ourselves as Pastors, we must NUTURE VITALITY. It’s the #1 Best Practice we talk about in our churchplanters.com ministry and coaching network. To NURTURE, means to care for; pay attention to; attend to; feed…our VITALITY: our spiritual, emotional, spiritual, and relational strength!

Below is just a simple list of practical ways to keep ourselves from being picked off by the enemy as Pastors. These are simple. But easier to KNOW and PREACH; than DO. Here are a few (OK, more than a few):

* Read your Bible daily, and read portions of Scripture that have NOTHING to do with this week’s message.
* Take your off day Religiously. Burnout leads to spiritual failure and dropout.
* If you don’t rest, you will burn out. Period. You are not exempt.
* Tell you congregation you will NOT be out more than 2-3 nights a week.
* Keep office hours. Go home at 5 or 5:30 PM. People have to see their doctor, their dentist, their lawyer, and their counselor from 8-5. Spiritual counsel should be no different. You MUST have a life at night with your family.
* Don’t open your laptop after you get home.
* Don’t answer your cell phone after you get home.
* When you walk in the house after work, don’t be on the cell phone.
* Spend less time on Twitter and facebook. Spend more time communicating with your family.
* Get secure in your own skin. The desire for attention or pleasing people is a flag that will get you in trouble.
* Confess your temptations or addictions to a trusted friend NOT in your church.
* Schedule a date night with you spouse AT LEAST once a month. If you don’t have the money, ask the church to pay for it. (my church doesn’t, BTW) Your church will, though, if you ask them.
* Tell your congregation that the best gift you have to offer them is NOT a close relationship with every one of them, but a close relationship with God and a close relationship with your spouse.
* Don’t just talk about ministry with your spouse. Start a hobby TOGETHER!
* Exercise! Flabby body=flabby mind=flabby spirit.
* Take walks with God early in the morning when you can talk out loud to Him and share your hurts, pains, struggles, and dreams.
* Get your spouse out of that ministry they feel tied to because no one else will do it. You’re burning them out.
* Have a family night regularly where you allow your kids to set the agenda.
* Have a hobby you enjoy by yourself.
* Tell your spouse you love them EVERY DAY!
* Speak positively of your spouse from the stage.
* Listen to friends that raise flags about your behavior.
* Don’t ever be in the car, or your office, or ANY PLACE alone with opposite sex with the door shut. NEVER. NEVER. NEVER.
* Make the above policy for every Pastor on your Team.
* Don’t flirt, including online, or in emails! If you’re flirted with (and you will be), don’t respond, and immediately tell your spouse.
* Think about the consequences of your sin if carried out and found out. Who and how many will get hurt?
* Remember, pride goes before a fall, and you can not stand too close to a fire and not get burned.
* Make Nurturing Vitality the most important part of your job description."

Father's Day

This Sunday is Father's Day. Dad's will get goofy cards telling them how great they are. Some will receive neck ties, although I'm not sure why when so few men wear them today. Others may receive grill utensils or a sleeve of golf balls. All of these things are good and well meaning. But what if this year you wrote your dad a letter telling him how much you love him and what he has meant to you? Why not tell him how grateful you are for the sacrifices he made for you to work long hours or to provide the things you enjoy or enjoyed when you were younger? I think most dads have this need to know that what they do matters and that they are respected for who they are. I know I do. It's part of being male. Dad's have enough insecurities worrying about their failures and mistakes. And believe you me, most dads know when they've blown it. At least internally. And for those of you whose dad made some major mistakes, don't write him off completely. Yes, he may have failed to be there for you and he may have been hard to live with. And maybe he wasn't the best husband to your mom. Those may all be true and you probably have every reason in the world to be angry at him. But don't let it control you. Allow yourself to extend forgiveness to him even as Christ has forgiven you for your mistakes. So, this Father's Day, take some time to write a letter to your dad. Let him know you still love him. Tell him you are so glad that he is your dad. Go ahead and make his day! I would love to be able to tell my dad what I feel, but I can't since he passed away over five years ago. So, tell him while you still have him. It's the least you can do this Father's Day!

Graduation

Well, today my daughter graduated from eighth grade. Now that might not seem like such a big deal to some of you, but to me, it's HUGE! My only girl is no longer in middle school. She is now a high school student. And you know what that means! Yes!! It also means she is growing just a little more independent and a little less in need of mom and dad. At least until she wants money or clothes or a car. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for growing up and becoming independent. That's what we raise our kids to be, independent. But it's just another reminder to this old dad that the minutes I have with "my little girl" at home are fleeting and the way of life as we've known it becomes a little less common with every single day that passes. But that's okay! The reason it's okay is that God is growing this "little girl" into the woman he wants her to be. He has stamped his love on her heart and he is not finished with her yet. Hopefully we have modeled for her a love for God, imperfect though it is, that will carry her through all of her life. It will be okay. I know that, but I just like the way things are now with my little girl, a slight dependence on mom and dad, the innocence of being a young teen, the lack of a serious boyfriend, the cute little girl who curls up on the sofa watching TV with dad and the constant sounds of "I love you dad" ringing down the hall. Some of those things will continue, but not all. So, today I take in and savor every minute. And I pray like crazy that "daddy's girl" never really grows up, at least not now and I trust God that he will see her through! Congrats Tay!

Burden

I have such a burden for my church and for my community. I want our church to know the joy of following Christ as a way of lfe. I want them to know what it means to radically submit their lives to Him in complete abandon and surrender. I want them to realize that our church is a body that isn't complete unless everyone finds their place of service on Sunday mornings throughout every ministry. I want them to long for Sundays and not dare miss our worship gatherings because they know Christ is there. I want our church to see the vision of filling every seat in Ardrey Kell, not because we want to be big but because we want to make a dent in the vast seventy-five percent of people who don't attend church. I want them to feel the burden that Jesus has for our community and see it through his eyes and sense the lostness and hopelessness that pervades much of our city! I want our church to find ways to tell their friends to "come and see" because they know they won't be ashamed to bring them to Crosspoint! I want them to see themselves as Christ's hands and feet in this community and give of themselves because they have so much to give and they can share of the world's goods because they know they have more than they need. I want our church to love this community, not because it offers them so much but because we can offer it so much! I want our church to love the unloveable, to touch the untouchable, to give to the ungrateful, to forgive the unforgiveable, to do whatever Jesus would do no matter who it is! I dream of this, I long for this, I pray for this, I believe in this. May God make it so!

Vision

Tonight our staff and spouses and one member of our band attended the first session of the Drive Conference here at North Point Church in Alpharetta, GA. To say that it was incredible is an understatement! There are over 2000 pastors and staff members from all over the world here. After experiencing engaging worship that rocked the house, Andy Stanley spoke on how uncertain times are the best times to minister to people and when God does his best work. I think that is so true. If you look at the scriptures, that's what the stories are all about. God working in uncertain times and using people in uncertain times to do his work! That's especially true for church planters in young churches like ours. We don't know all the answers about where we're going and what it will look like when we get there, but we know that we're called to lead our churches with the vision God has given us. Our vision is and has been since we started two years ago to create a culture where people live out the values of Jesus. And within that vision to help people follow Jesus by learning to Love God, love others and serve the world. It's that simple. So, we are determined to keep it simple and live by this vison. If we do anything else, we'll be doing the wrong thing! And even though there will be those who will try to deter us from our vision with other well-intentioned ideas and opinions, we're sticking to what we were called to do in our neck of the woods! So, I may not know all of the answers to the who, what and where questions. But one thing I do know is that God called us to lead this church plant to reach our community and so we'll continue to go forward with this vision! Hope you'll join us!

Beach Retreats!

I just dropped off my fourteen year old daughter at Ardrey Kell with the other students headed to the beach for their first ever retreat with Crosspoint. I must say it's a little surreal. She was going on the kind of retreat that I led every year for sixteen years. You know the routine. Parents drop off students, luggage is loaded in the vans, parents wave good-bye and youth leaders head off with teens in-tow for a time of fun and sun and bible study. The cool thing about this retreat is that I left my daughter with our volunteer team and one happens to be a former student of mine from back in the day. Her name is Lauren and she was one of our finest students. She loved God passionately then and she does today. She had a heart for her friends, constantly bringing them to our youth gatherings, and she does the same today, bringing friends to our church with her husband Chris. I tell you all of this because I'm moved that my daughter is now part of youth ministry being led by a former student who has taken up the mantle of ministry. Another generation leads another generation! That's the beauty of discipleship and giving your life away to something that has so many returns! God calls and adds new leaders to fill the shoes of others all of the time. So today, as my daughter drove away to the beach, I was awed that God has chosen to use every generation to reach the next generation. It's all the same. People loving students so that they will carry the same mantle that Jesus first gave to his disciples. And it never ends!

Good Friday?

It's commonly called Good Friday. I always wondered why the day the Lord died would be called "Good Friday." After all, it was a day of scourging and crucifixion. How would it be a good day? But of course, we all know as followers of Christ that because of his death it would surely be a good day for all who would come to understand what his death meant for those who believe. It would be a day of the just dying for the unjust, a day of God bringing man to himself. It would be a day of beginnings as Jesus would invite all to leave behind a life of self and give their lives to him so that all would know what it really means to live. It was truly a dark day in history but it was only Friday. Sunday was coming. And just as he predicted his death, he predicted something even greater that was about to happen. So, this day, focus on what his death means. And as you reflect, remember, it's only Friday and Sunday's coming! Peace!

"No Evolution, No Cussing, No Baggy Pants"

More times than not, my wife shares her wisdom and sage advice on life and faith. Today was one of those times, as she felt compelled to write her thoughts on Facebook. I thought I'd post them here.

By Patty Wade

Driving through the countryside of rural Waxhaw, NC, I came upon a small marquee of a church that usually has one of those pithy sayings. Most of the sayings that I remember have "creepy crawled" to the countryside appearing as if some new revelation has been revealed. Remember “Church is a hospital for sinners...Not a museum for saints”; or “If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything?” Well the marquee that I saw last weekend was one that I had never read before. It simply said “No Evolution, No Cussing, No Baggy Pants.” At first glance, we might smile and somewhat agree especially if our religious roots go deep into the ground. These three phrases have been rolling around in my mind all week sort of like a cow chewing on its cud which is regurgitated at least three times before finally digested. I just can’t digest these phrases. Although probably unintended, my translation of these “rules,” are:
1) No Evolution – If you don’t believe the same as us, then keep on going.
2) No Cussing – If you don’t talk the way we do, then keep on going.
3) No Baggy Pants – If you don’t dress the way we do, then keep on going.
My translation could also include no thinking, no discussing, and no disagreeing and by the way, no entering without proper attire. And, if our religious roots go deeper, we might translate this not only to the front door of our churches but it could be written on our heart’s front door as we move through the week and encounter people. We may find ourselves contained within our “holy huddles” at church and throughout the week, “safe and pure” obeying the rules. Christ had a lot to say about “holy huddles” that obeyed rules and regulations and looked down on others. So now I have a new mantra as I encounter people this week in my neighborhood, workplace, fun places and also at our church:
1) If you don’t believe the same as me, welcome. I’d love to listen.
2) If you don’t talk the way I do, welcome. I’d love to converse.
3)If you don’t dress the way I do, welcome. I’d love to learn why.
The commandment “Love your neighbor” doesn’t come with conditions that the neighbor needs to meet prior to receiving my love and acceptance. It makes me wonder what other criteria that I may mentally use to unfairly judge others and cause them to keep on going without stopping.

2nd Birthday for Crosspoint!

Sunday was special! It was our church's second birthday and we got to celebrate what God is doing in us and through us! Throughout the worship gathering we had interwoven video stories from people who have seen God do something in their lives because of coming to our church! We also watched a slide show of all the things we participated in as a church this past year! I'm amazed at all that we've been doing. Not only did we have a great crowd Sunday, but over 160 people stayed around to enjoy a catered meal from Moe's Southwest Grille and a smorgasbord of desserts brought by our own members. To say that it was just another Sunday at Crosspoint would be an understatement. God is at work and we're just hanging on for the ride! Now that we're entering our third year, I pray that God continues to use our church community to be the church He so longs for us to be!

Two Years Ago Today-Crosspoint's Launch!

So, here we are on March 18 and we're two years old as a church community. How is that possible? Has it really been two years? Well, as I look back over these past two years, here's a few things I've learned along the way as a church planter hoping to engage the unchurched and formerly churched in our community.

1. When you go past surface stuff with people, life can be messy
2. Everyone (no matter who they are) has some issues they deal with that gnaw at them and cause unrest
3. We are right on target with our vision and mission and that will continue to propel us for the future
4. People are looking for something that’s real and that calls them to something bigger than themselves (greater purpose and fulfillment)
5. Church is less about what happens on the stage than what happens in the seats
6. Some people need to belong before they believe
7. Not everyone believes our message but they sure do respond to whole-hearted acceptance
8. Small groups aren’t perfect but they are the best chance to go deeper with others and find a place of connection
9. Announcements from the front help raise an issue, but the best way to get involvement is one on one!
10. Church is a team sport! (we have an awesome team of volunteers)
11. Don’t ever tire of preaching the message-it does find its way into hearts
12. God has led us every step of the way and one day I'll write a book about it!
13. God changes lives in the trenches and sometimes we don't even realize it
14. God delights in people coming with all their messes and allowing him to change them
15. This has been the single most exciting thing I have ever done in my life! (apart from my family life)

Mark Driscoll on St. Patrick

Vintage Saints: Saint Patrick

Mark Driscoll

“I am a servant of Christ to a foreign nation for the unspeakable glory of life everlasting which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” – Patrick

My family name was originally O’Driscoll until it was changed a few generations ago by relatives hoping to more fully assimilate into American culture after immigrating from Ireland. Though I was raised Irish Catholic, I knew virtually nothing about Saint Patrick other than the green beer, parades, shamrocks, leprechauns, and drunken Red Sox fans that celebrated in his honor every March 17th.

Technically, Saint Patrick is not even a saint, as he was never canonized by the Roman Catholic Church. Additionally, Patrick was not even Irish. Rather, he was an Englishman who was a Roman citizen that spoke Latin and a bit of Welsh.

Patrick was born around 390 A.D. When he was roughly 16 years of age he was captured by pirates and taken to Ireland on a ship where he was sold into slavery. He spent the next six years alone in the wilderness as a shepherd for his masters’ cattle and sheep.

Isolation

Patrick was a rebellious non-Christian teenager who had come from a Christian family. His grandfather was a pastor, and his father was a deacon. However, during his extended periods of isolation without any human contact, Patrick began praying and was eventually born again into a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Patrick endured the years of isolation in rain and snow by praying up to 100 prayers each day and another 100 each night.

In his early twenties God spoke to Patrick in a dream, telling him to flee from his master for a ship that was waiting for him. Amazingly, Patrick made the 200-mile walk without being caught or harmed to find a ship setting sail for his home, just as God had promised. The sailors were out of food for the journey, and after Patrick prayed a herd of pigs miraculously ran toward the ship, providing a bountiful feast for the long voyage home.

God Speaks to Patrick

Upon returning home, Patrick enrolled in seminary and was eventually commissioned as a pastor. Some years later God spoke to Patrick in a dream, commanding him to return to Ireland to preach the gospel and plant churches for the pagans who lived there.

The Roman Catholic Church had given up on converting such “barbarians” deemed beyond hope. The Celtic peoples, of which the Irish were part, were an illiterate bunch of drunken, fighting, perverted pagans who basically had sex with anyone and worshipped anything. They were such a violent and lawless people, numbering anywhere from 200,000 to 500,000, that they had no city centers or national government and were spread out among some 150 warring clans. Their enemies were terrified of them because they were known to show up for battles and partake in wild orgies before running into battle naked and drunk while screaming as if they were demon-possessed. One clan was so debased that it was customary for each of their new kings to copulate with a white mare as part of his inauguration.

Unique Missionary Strategy

In faith, the forty-something year-old Patrick sold all of his possessions, including the land he had inherited from his father, to fund his missionary journey to Ireland. He worked as an itinerant preacher and paid large sums of money to various tribal chiefs to ensure he could travel safely through their lands and preach the gospel. His strategy was completely unique, and he functioned like a missionary trying to relate to the Irish people and communicate the gospel in their culture by using such things as three-leaf clovers to explain the gospel. Upon entering a pagan clan, Patrick would seek to first convert the tribal leaders and other people of influence. He would then pray for the sick, cast demons out of the possessed, preach the Bible, and use both musical and visual arts to compel people to put their faith in Jesus. If enough converts were present he would build a simple church that did not resemble ornate Roman architecture, baptize the converts, and hand over the church to a convert he had trained to be the pastor so that he could move on to repeat the process with another clan.

Patrick gave his life to the people who had enslaved him until he died at 77 years of age. He had seen untold thousands of people convert as between 30-40 of the 150 tribes had become substantially Christian. He had trained 1000 pastors, planted 700 churches, and was the first noted person in history to take a strong public stand against slavery.

Roman Opposition

Curiously, Patrick’s unorthodox ministry methods, which had brought so much fruit among the Irish, also brought much opposition from the Roman Catholic Church. Because Patrick was so far removed from Roman civilization and church polity he was seen by some as an instigator of unwelcome changes. This lead to great conflicts between the Roman and Celtic Christians. The Celtic Christians had their own calendar and celebrated Easter a week earlier than their Roman counterparts. Additionally, the Roman monks shaved only the hair on the top of their head, whereas the Celtic monks shaved all of their hair except their long locks which began around the bottom of their head as a funky monk mullet. The Romans considered these and other variations by the Celtic Christian leaders to be acts of insubordination.

In the end, the Roman Church should have learned from Patrick, who is one of the greatest missionaries who has ever lived. Though Patrick’s pastors and churches looked different in method, they were very orthodox in their theology and radically committed to such things as Scripture and the Trinity. Additionally, they were some of the most gifted Christian artists the world has ever known, and their prayers and songs endure to this day around the world, including at Mars Hill where we occasionally sing the “Prayer of Saint Patrick” and the Celtic hymn “Be Thou My Vision.”

For Further Study:

• At www.ccel.org there is a free copy available of Patrick’s book Confessions.
• Steve Rabey’s book In the House of Memory is a good introduction to Patrick and Celtic Christianity.
• Thomas Cahill’s book How the Irish Saved Civilization is a fascinating historical look at Patrick and the implications of Celtic Christianity on western history.
• www.ChristianityToday.com/history is the site for Christian History and Biography magazine, which is a wonderful resource that includes an entire issue on Patrick and Celtic Christianity.

Neglect

Have you ever neglected something only to see that something fall into disrepair? It may have been your yard. It only takes a few weeks for a yard to turn into weeds if left to itself. What about a car? If you neglect to change the oil, rotate the tires, and give it a wash every so often, a car can turn into a piece of junk. Or what about something closer to home, your teeth? Go without brushing for awhile or stop making visits to the dentist and watch what happens. Plaque builds up and teeth yellow and before long you have cavities. And then you're in for long hours in the dentist's chair. Isn't it amazing how the smallest things, no matter how insignificant can turn into broken down pains in the rear if not tended to. Well, if those things need our attention, how much more so our hearts? I'm not talking about the muscle beating within your body. I'm talking about the real you. The place where you live on the inside. That inner most part of you that dreams and believes and loves and yearns and wishes and hopes and cares and is consumed with anything that catches it's attention. It's more than just your mind. You can't see it but you know it's there. It's the place where desire can run wild. The writer of Proverbs said to "guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life." What happens if we don't? Well, it can become hard and full of junk that distracts it from what is real and true. Of all the things that need tending to, the heart is surely the one we cannot affort to neglect! Had a heart check up lately?

Weekend

• It was one of the rainiest days I can remember in a long time yesterday. But we still had a decent crowd for the worship gathering.
• Loved the snow last night but hated that it melted so fast!
• I'm so grateful for all of our volunteers! They serve so faithfully and consistently!
• We have two female vocalists that rock each Sunday! What a difference they've made in our worship times!
• It's so amazing that God has given us a Children's director now in Rachel Sawhook. I just know our Kid's program is going to rock as we unveil the new direction in the coming months!
• It was a tough weekend knowing that one of our church attender's was slowly losing her dad to illness. Having talked with him on Thursday night and Friday morning, it was tough to hear that he passed away Saturday night. Part of the ministry that is never easy!
• James has turned into a fun series. Not that I didn't think it would, but it has been cool to hear the responses on the truth of the messages each week!
  
• I always look forward to Mondays after Sunday! It's my day off and I love to do almost nothing sometimes after a busy weekend!
• Another week and more opportunities! Looking forward to it! Amen!
  

Scripture and Preaching

I'm presently teaching through the book of James each Sunday to our church community at Crosspoint here in Charlotte. This is really the first series we've done where we've actually walked through the entire book a passage at a time. For the first 19 months, we've primarily done topical messages or themes that have dealt with specific issues relevant to the audience we are reaching. I've heard from many church planters that they've resisted preaching through an entire book of the Bible because it's either too systematic and long or it's either not very relevant to where people are today. In other words, to preach through a passage as it comes up each week may force a subject upon you that's not really relevant to the context you find yourself in. Well, I have to say that this series for our church has been the most eye opening and relevant thing we've done. Our people who've never ever read the Bible didn't know that the Bible is so relevant or that it even dealt with some of the issues they've been hearing. You see, I believe that we can preach whatever text comes up in a given week and then make the necessary jump from "that world" to "our world" and connect the scripture to everyday life. That's the job of a good communicator. To bring the story of God from thousands of years ago and help our people find themselves in the story and continue to live out what was first given to a people in a different context and a different day and make it ours today. I will admit it's not always easy, but the study and preparation is well worth it when you find the newest Christ follower saying they never knew the Bible said what it says. So I say, "preach the word in season and out of season!"

Church Hoppers

We've all seen them. You can hear them coming. They have the same m.o. You know who I'm talking about right? Church hoppers. Those folks that move from church to church because the grass is always greener on the other side. The ones who are a small fish in a big pond in one church, so they move to a smaller church so they can be a big fish in a small pond. You know why they hop around right? The music is too loud there, or the preaching's not deep enough over there, or the kids program is not cool enough for their kids here, or they need more programs to entertain their whole family, or... I think you get the picture. They're in every city and in every church. The first line is always the same. "We're looking for a church that's a fit for us!" What? A fit for you? As if church was meant to work for you? Sounds like a country club or a fitness center where you get serviced instead of saying, "how can we serve Christ here?" These folks, God bless them, think that the church exists for them instead of them existing for Christ and his Church. What we need is good people who understand God's vision for his church, where true Christ followers engage in the church so that they can find ways to serve their fellow brothers adn sisters and look for ways to take the church beyond the walls on Sunday to impact their community for Christ. Until we find followers of Christ who are willing to take on that kind of missional attitude, our churches will be full of nothing but overfed, critical christians who are neither healthy spiritually nor a joy to be around!

Schedules

I often wonder how other pastors spend their days each week. For many, I assume, it's very structured and ordered. For others, I imagine there is flexibility and less structure. But one thing is sure, we all need time alone to study and prepare messages. I'm the type that needs lots of time to perculate. From time to time, I'm asked how I spend my week. The joke of course, is that people say we have banker's hours. They may or may not be true. You can be the judge of that I suppose, but let me give you a glimpse into a typical week for me.

Monday
This is my day off. I usually do nothing church related, or at least I try, but sometimes I'll meet someone for lunch if necessary. It's a day for doing nothing, running errands, playing golf, working in the yard or just about anything I like to do. Monday night is home with family. The second Monday night of the month I meet with the Lead Team and Scott Spruill for dinner. I watch 24 every Monday night if possible.

Tuesday
I meet with Scott each Tuesday at 9:30 at Starbucks. We'll meet for two hours to talk about life and family or just about anything. Then we shift gears and talk through the previous Sunday and then plan for the upcoming Sunday. I usually meet someone from church for lunch. After lunch, I head to McAlisters or back to Starbucks and study for a few hours for Sunday's message. I then work out for an hour. Tuesday nights our small group comes over to our home from 7:00-9:00.

Wednesday
I work at the YMCA from 8:45-12:45. I work out after work, then grab a quick lunch and then off to McAlisters to study til 5:00. We have dinner at home with family. Some nights we'll meet with someone over coffee for counseling. I usually catch the Tarheels on TV Wednesday nights during basketball season.

Thursday
I study at home in my office til noon and then head off to lunch with someone from church. I head back home and study more for Sunday. Would love to prepare two or more weeks out but I just haven't gotten that good yet. Thursday we're home. I watch ER every Thursday night.

Friday
More study time for Sunday. I leave usually meet someone for lunch. Afterwards I put out about 12 Crosspoint signs around the area near the school where we meet. Friday afternoon I'll try to get a few more hours in on my message and then workout. Most Friday nights we're either out with friends, have someone over for dinner or take in a movie.

Saturday
I tweak my message Saturday. Get final copy on paper from the computer. I may run an occasional errand. Send any scriptures to Scott for powerpoint. Try to relax Saturday night for a couple of hours. Always in bed by 10:30 or 10:45.

Sunday
I'm up by 6:00. I study one last time, load up and head to Ardrey Kell High School by 8:00 to join the set up team in prayer and then I head to the back and pray and get alone. Our worship gathering is from 10:-00-11:20. Afterwards we go to lunch with the band and tech team or with someone new from our church. After lunch I pick up the Crosspoint signs and then home by 2:30. We either crash and watch TV or we may have a leadership team meeting in our home every other month around 5:00 through dinner.

Memory Lane

This month I'm speaking every Wednesday night at the church where I first met Christ. I'm there at the requst of a friend as they search for a new pastor. It's Northside Baptist off I-85. It's the place where I cut my teeth on the gospel, where I learned who Jesus was, where a youth pastor named Marty taught me how to follow Jesus and made such an impact on my life that I would grow up and be a youth pastor myself one day for sixteen years. It's the place that laid the foundation for my spiritual journey and made me what I am today. As I spoke last Wednesday night to about 150 people, most of whom were there when I was there over 30 years ago, I had a huge sense of gratitude for the place Northside has in my heart. God used it to shape me, to teach me, to give me a heart for ministry and I'll always have a special place in my heart for this church, it's founding pastor, Dr. Jack Hudson, and the many friends there who invested so much in my life! It's always good to go back to our roots! For its there we remember from whence we've come! Thanks God for the special places in our lives that remimd us from where we''ve come! I'm forever grateful for a church called Northside!