baptism day

yesterday could have been one of the most amazing days of my life. we had baptism day at church and it was unbelievable. we baptized 100 people!! it was great to see people responding to the prompt of the Holy Spirit and follow Christ in baptism. it was actually a little overwhelming to see grown men, fathers in their sunday clothes, get up and say in front of their families and everyone else that they wanted to get baptized. it was great. humbling. exhausting. but great. we had about 16 ms students get baptized and it was really cool to see how seriously they took the time. they weren't there for anyone else. they were there for Christ. what a great day!

Sunday Wrap-Up

Theme: Prayer & Forgiveness

Student Attendance: All-time high

Leader Attendance: average

Student Involvement: average

Highlight: Voice-over announcements

Creative Element: lower than average

Lesson Learned: Expect More

not my job

remind you of something someone in your church would do????

Sunday Wrap-Up

Sunday Wrap-Up

Lesson: Surrender- Matthew 20: 29-34

Leader Attendance: Higher than average

Student Attendance: Higher than average

Creativity: Lower than average

Student Involvement: Average

Highlight: Leader Meeting- Gotta Cast That Vision!!

What I Learn From Middle School Students

Today it occured to me as I was listening to my students pray for their friends who were on their way to church that sometimes my prayer life and my idea of how to pray can become jaded. I listened to them pray with such intensity and sincerity for God to move and show up. When they pray, they believe. I am not saying that I don't believe when I pray, but sometimes my belief is down-graded to slight hope. My prayers end up being hopeful cliches that will or will not affect the outcome of what is being prayed. My students really believe what they pray...and when they pray, God shows up. I think there is something to be said about the prayer of a righteous man.

Paul says that God hears the prayers of a righteous man, so I ask,

"What makes us righteous?"

There is nothing that we do besides believe makes us right before God. After all, it was His son that did all the work for our relationship, so what can we then do to become righteous? I don't think being righteous means being perfect. If that were true then when would any of our prayers be heard? I think that what makes us righteous is the same thing that makes us right- our belief. So that being said, it is our belief that makes our prayers heard.

Wednesday Wrap-Up

Attendance: higher than normal

Volunteer Attendance: average

Volunteer involvement: higher than normal

Series: The Gospel According to Bruce

Student Response: higher than normal

Creativity: High

Fav. Element: Worship Celebration

What a Week!!

It has been a great week at Crossroads! The Easter weekend ended with 150 people + recieving Christ. Amazing!

This past Wednesday we had the most MSers ever for a Wednesday night and had 20 people accept Christ and then 14 more pray for repentence.

What a truly humbling experience.

The lesson learned from the past week is that when we pray something...God answers our prayers. We should then be careful how we pray, and how we live.