The last few years have been an amazing adventure in faith. We have seen God birth a new church in Hernando County with the result being over 257 people surrendering their lives to Jesus Christ. We have seen this church grow from 13 people to over 550 in weekly attendance.  And the best is yet to come!

The growth and life change has been unbelievable. The only explanation is God; God moving in people’s lives and people responding obediently. And as we set forth on a new journey for Crosspoint Church we know it is going to take the Holy Spirit’s leading and the faithfulness of His followers. This fall we are kicking off a three year capital campaign to raise $1 million to purchase land for our future facilities.

In order to raise this money every one of us is going to have to give sacrificially above and beyond our regular tithes and offerings. $1 million sounds like a lot of money and it is, but not to God and not to those who trust and follow Him. God has already begun to bless us financially. Our church is stronger than we have ever been in the area of finances. We are above budget, we have a two-month emergency reserve built up and our per capita giving has increased over the last twelve months!

But more importantly we are reaching more people than ever before. This past month we saw more people come to know Jesus in our Sunday services, than in the last three months combined! We have had more first and second time guests this month than the last two months combined. We are having a greater impact than ever before. And that impact is changed lives! As this continues we will eventually run out of space. We are already keeping a watchful eye and planning to go to three services next year when needed.

We will outgrow Challenger in the next three years and we need to be ready to move to continue effective ministry. So now is the time to plan, prepare and give toward that future. We want to be ready to minister to your friends, family and neighbors; we want to have room for their children. We want to continue to have room for new people.

So will you begin to pray and seek God as to what he would have you and your family give towards our $1 million goal? On October 10^th we are praying for everyone to start off our campaign with a first fruits offering and turning in their pledge cards.

A first fruits offering is an initial gift to launch our campaign with momentum. Our goal is to raise $100,000 in initials gifts, that day. Our second goal on that day is to have everyone turn in a pledge. The pledge card is a commitment to give a certain amount of money over and above your regular tithe each week, month or year for the next three years. Our goal for the pledges is to receive $300,000 a year in commitments for the next three years.

On September 12^th we are going to “Seize the Day” by kicking off our campaign. I look forward to seeing you there.

In God’s Hands

Pastor Paul

I know that sounds serious and it is. We are going to look at 2 Kings 4:1-7 and I believe God wants to come through on a promise for you. As a pastoral staff we have been studying these verses, praying and preparing for this Sunday for over a month. Get here early and get the kids checked into the children’s ministry and come ready for God to show up.

I mean it, do not, I repeat do not miss church this Sunday!

In God’s Hands
Pastor Paul

Pain–Part Three April 8, 2010

My last thought for this week on the subject of pain…
#3 – Pain Can Be God Testing Us
Everyone LOVES to talk about the blessings of God…but there aren’t a lot of people that want to talk about the times of testing that He sends our way.
I caused quite a stir one time at a gathering when I said, “The size of the vision God will give me is directly related to the amount of pain and discomfort that I am willing to endure.”
It’s quite ironic to me that people who claim to follow JESUS believe that He will always lead us away from (and protect us from) pain when the very path that God had for Him led Him to be crucified.
Leaders…its quite simple…if you and I are going to accomplish anything significant for His Kingdom then we’ve GOT to learn to deal with pain…
Moses did…he dealt with being lonely, with feeling overwhelmed, with a “church split,” with his own brother and sister rebelling against him…and yet God used him to lead one of the greatest movements in the history of the world.
Paul did…he was beaten, stoned (the old fashioned kind!), shipwrecked, betrayed and eventually murdered…and yet God used him to lead the greatest church planting movement known to man…and we still read his writings today.
Jesus did…we ALL know what happened to Him, how jealous, self-righteous people had Him beaten and murdered, how everyone in His inner circle abandoned Him in His greatest time of need, how He was betrayed by one of His closest friends…and yet He stayed faithful to the Father and finished the work God had assigned for Him.
Enduring great pain will often lead to tremendous progress.
Unfortunately in today’s Christian world there are too many people who run from pain rather than enduring through it…
Three or four critics arise in a church and the pastor entertains leaving because it is the easy thing to do rather than picking up his staff and fighting the wolves.
God calls a dude to start a church…but he refuses to do so unless he has $250,000 in the bank, five full time staff members, an excellent location and the best sound system that money can buy.
A confrontation needs to take place…which will require a VERY uncomfortable conversation that may place a friendship on the ropes.  Rather than dealing with it a person chooses to avoid the potential of pain and merely pray that God will “get their attention.”
I could go on but I think we all get the point…the calling and anointing of God are very real…but they are given to us NOT so we can necessarily have the easiest life imaginable but rather than so we can KNOW that as WE DO WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY OF THE SHADOW of DEATH that HE IS THE AUTHOR OF LIFE…that He is with us, will never leave us or forsake us…and HE who called us will finish what He started in us (Philippians 1:6).
Sure, we all think we can be considered trustworthy by God to handle any blessings He wants to throw our way…but are we trustworthy enough to handle the pain that may be associated with those blessings?
I’ll say it again…enduring pain will often lead to tremendous progress.  SO…for those who MAY be about to give up because the pain is SO intense…don’t give up on the God who has never given up on you…allow the pain to make you better, not bitter…and hold on because if He can trust you with pain then He can trust you with the provision He is about to bring your way!

I was reading Jeremiah 7, and a few things jumped out at me, especially vs 22-24. Take a second and read them. The first thing that stood out at me was a lack of self-leadership a topic I covered last week. But secondly, I noticed a complete lack of any leadership. No one setting the standard, no one living according to God’s commands, no one calling others to repent. Just the prophet speaking the words of God, which God assures will fall on deaf ears. Don’t let that be you, your church, your family, your city. Live and lead according to God’s commands.

I also read an awesome blog by Perry Noble on Church. What it should be, what it can do, and how if we follow God, He will lead us to make an eternal difference in peoples live. Check it out here.

Then I read a great blog book review of De-Railed by Tim Irwin. The book talks about the failures of leadership and the impact it has. Then the blog list 5 specific failures. Check it out here.

Lastly I read an article on “Breaking the patterns of worry for your team.” It was a really good read, even if things are going well in your organization, it doesn’t mean things are going well with your people. It is also  has a link to a worksheet to help people work through what maybe causing worry. Check it out here.

Just wanted to share those few things with you and hope they are beneficial to you.

First, for our church…

At Crosspoint every  December we take up a special Christmas offering that is above and beyond our regular giving. This offering usually goes to help set up the new year with either funds for new intiatives, events or staffing needs so we can make a big impact. Last year we were able to get some very necessary equipment for expanding our worship space and adding another children’s room.

This year we feel led to use only a small portion for our children’s ministry and to use the other 80% to help set five other ministries national and international up for a big impact in 2010. We are going to build a well in Africa for a village, support a native American ministry to teens on the reservation in Washington state. We are helping a church start in Michigan, and supporting a new church in Ocala, FL. And here in hernando county we are helping out Love Your Neighbor an organization that feeds the needy, clothes the naked and ministers to the homeless in our community.

I am so excited to be able to help those ministries and to help them this December by giving to the Christmas Offering so they can be set up for maximum imp;act in January. For Erin and I, it is an opportunity for us to give our best gift to God this Christmas.

We also focus in very intentional on Christmas Eve. We have found that is one of the greatest days to invite friends, neighbors and family members to church. We make a huge push to connect and serve our community and then invite them to share in our Christmas Eve worship services. It is a chance to share the reason of Christmas with love, grace and compassion and to offer hope to all for a truly divine new life in the new year. Starting this week we are adding 100 more seats to each service and 200 more for our Christmas Eve services. We are making room for people.

So that is what we as a church a doing in December to to fuel a great January.

Secondly, for me personally…

Every January is a big deal for Crosspoint as we kick off a new year, new series, new small group semester and try to connect with people as they are longing for the new year to be better then the last. Because I need to me ready and energized to lead and serve in those areas, it is key that I finish December strong and end 2009 well and then rest.

The best way I have found to be ready for the new year is to make sure I did everything i was called to do this year. So i take sometime to look over my 2009 goals and see where do i need to step it up in order to hit them before years end. I also take some time to reflect on what we have done and how that turned out, it gives me perspective.

Lastly, I spend a few days resting. I need some time off. I can’t burn it at both ends and expect to have what it takes to get me through another year without a few days to recharge mentally, spiritually, emotionally and to focus on my family. I can accomplish a ton of stuff for the Kingdom of God, but I only have one wife and one daughter and they need me too. So, I end each year with a week with them. Resting, Playing, Enjoying what God blessed me with.

So that is is how I focus and work hard in December to fuel a great start in January.

Will you join me this December to set yourself  and Crosspoint up for the best year yet?

It is the hardest part of leadership for me to get right. For me it is easy to lead others, to tell them what to do, to accomplish a task, to achieve something bold. But when it comes to leading myself…well that seems a little more difficult. The reason it is so hard to lead myself is because I am such a tough follower. And to be a good self-leader you must first be a good follower.

In order to lead myself, I must be following some example or guide for personal growth, discipline and hard work. For me, my example is Jesus. So I ask myself before I face the day, “to be a good leader today where do I first need to follow.” I spend some time reading the Bible and in prayer and seeking God. I am not always aware of where I am not being a good self-leader and I need God’s objective eyes to see those areas. This time helps me get a better handle on following and setting me up for self-leadership success.

Another way to think about self-leadership is the term self control. If I am leading my self then I am in control of what I am doing and not doing at all times. At the end of the day the only one responsible for me and how I lived is me.

For all of us who are called, gifted or reluctantly find ourselves leading, make sure you are being a faithful self-leader by being a good follower.

Proverbs 25:28
Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.