Paul CastelliLead where you’re gifted, serve where you’re needed.

What a crazy time it has been. On Friday night I had an awesome worship arts team leader meeting. We have the best Worship Arts team on the planet. The leaders at that meeting are committed, gifted and true servant leaders. If you are looking for a place to serve at Crosspoint check out the worship arts team.

On Saturday Erin and I headed to Orlando for a house warming/Christmas party. However the engine in Erin’s car had other plans. We had the car in the shop last month for the same issue and Volkswagen said after 8 days of work it was fixed. So we had to cut our trip short. The car was nursed down to the dealership on Sunday and awaits a miracle. Its not our car, its God’s car and we are merely stewards. So we will see, right now Volkswagen is trying to weseal their way out of fixing it.

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday. What a day. Pastor Wayne taught an awesome message for our current “Reach”. He laid out a great plan for investing in relationships and pouring into to other people. Check it out at www.crosspointlive.com. My lovely wife Erin shared about what is going on in Crosspoint Kids (our children’s minsitry) and God is changing lives and growing disciples in our kids.

Also the Christmas offering is almost at $10,000. Go God. I believe it will reach halfway before Sunday. Our goal is $25,000 if you haven’t given yet you need too, don’t miss out out changes live in this county, nation and world through the ministries we are partnering with through this offering. You can give here.

We had a number of people step up and serve because we were short handed with some volunteer no shows. Way to go Crosspoint servants. You made life-change possible because you were willing to serve. We also had several people step to become volunteers. There is nothing more rewarding then serving.

Here are few other highlights…

*2 people accepted Christ. AWESOME!!!! Bring the total for 2009 to 102 people folloing Christ this year through the ministry of Crosspoint Church.

*2 people recommitted their lives to Christ. That brings the total for 2009 to 208. Wow, God is great.

*Did I mention the Christmas Offering is only $200 away from $10,000. I am so pumped about that. In the worst economic time in our nation people are still obediently tithing and then sacrificially giving abov and beyond. We God’s people are faithful with their finances, God blows the doors off heaven to pour out blessing, no really check it out Malachi 3:10.

* Christmas Eve is only 10 days away, we will have room for 1000 people. Who are you bringing?

Sunday night was our Small Group Leader’s Christmas Party. Pastor Brad assembled a fantastic group of leaders for this past semester and the next semester crop looks ready to lead. I was truly blown away by all God did in our small groups! The stories of life-change were overwhelming.

Let’s Make an Impact this Christmas

Every year we have the privilege to celebrate Christmas. It is a time to be with family, to exchange gifts, to share a meal and prepare to usher in a new year.

But before we do that let me encourage you to do four things to make an impact this Christmas.

• Give a “Christmas Eve Invite Card (5:30pm and 7pm)” to everyone you purchase something from, office friends, neighbors, family members.
• Be apart of the Christmas Gift Wrap on Saturday Dec. 19. It’s a chance to serve our community and let then know the greatest gift this Christmas was free. Sign up in the lobby on Sunday.
• Take a few hours on Dec. 20 to serve dinner to needy families and homeless in Hernando County with Love your Neighbor. Sign up in the lobby on Sunday.
• Give generously to the Christmas Offering. This money will be used for church starts, a clean water for a village, Native American outreach, local outreach and our children’s ministry.

I have come across a few really good Blogs this week regarding leadership and wanted to pass those along. But before I do that let me start with what I read this morning in the Bible.

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.