Blog Post Everyday Missionaries

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bbq-mission

Are you a missionary? I am. I'm not always a faithful missionary. I'm not always an effective missionary. But I am a missionary... and so are you. All who follow Christ are given the mission to make disciples as we go along the road of life. Some are sent overseas. Some are sent to unreached places. Some are freed up to do this vocationally. But we're all sent into the world together as communities of missionaries (John 20:21). We talk about this often with our church. We try to help everyone embrace their identity as a missionary and a vital member of a missionary community (Life Group). For some, this can seem overwhelming, so I want to offer a few practical ideas that can help us approach everyday life as everyday missionaries. Be regulars We've seen people become a part of our community through relationships built at stores, gyms, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, parks, hospitals and grocery stores. These relationships rarely develop through a single encounter. They grow... Continue reading →

Blog Post To Christ The Ransomed Sinners Run – Video

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At our gathering on Sunday, we sang 'To Christ The Ransomed Sinners Run' written by Wesley Randolph Eader. Here are the lyrics: To Christ the ransomed sinners run Their burdens cast aside In grief, the crowned and only Son With glory shed would die What blessed death unique and pure To drain the powers of hell The Spotless Lamb, the perfect cure For Satan's flickerin' spell Great sins I had and shackled pride Unmovable by man Fought by works and sacrifice The law's imperfect plan Though dark the stain upon the soul And countless are it's crimes To Christ the challenge is so small He gives His blood Divine Temptation may it have a way Upon this narrow path Old Adam's hand may still have swayed And haunt the sinner's past But Christ our Brother had no sin Though tempted more than we the guilty freed forever by His guiltless Majesty Heaven is our sinless sphere Eternal source of light Judgement sits upon the throne Where none escape his... Continue reading →

Blog Post Law & Gospel

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If you've ever experienced feelings of accusation/guilt/shame/condemnation, then you've felt the power of the law. It reveals our brokenness, our sin, our bondage... and ultimately, our need. Need for what? It reveals our need for the liberation that we find in the Gospel of God's Grace in Christ. When it comes to our growth as followers of Jesus, I can think of nothing more significant than coming to a practical understanding of the role of the law and the power of the Gospel. Here's a fantastic video with Tullian Tchividjian (Pastor of Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church) and Jonathan Linebaugh (Professor of New Testament at Knox Theological Seminary) discussing the Law and the Gospel--what they are, what they do, and why it matters. HT: Tullian... Continue reading →

Blog Post Why Bother with Lent?

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Ash-Wednesday

Jesus is not a commitment among other commitments, but rather the commitment of our lives. Over the past couple of years I've come to question the purpose of the Lent season. Why do some Christians get ashed up on Wednesday following Mardi Gras? Since Jesus gave up everything for us, why do we continue to give things up during Lent season? Among other questions I believe there is much goodness that can come from a Christian observing Lent. The Gospel Coalition has a recent blog post from Chuck Colson that highlights 5 benefits to observing Lent. I hope it encourages you, causes you to reflect on Jesus and want to share with a neighbor what this whole Lent thing is about. Why Bother With Lent? Typically, evangelicals are shy about Lent. The 40 days prior to Easter—Sundays excepted—are known popularly as a season for giving up chocolate or other extras in order to show God how much we love him. With such impoverished notions, it is no wonder that Lent has fallen on... Continue reading →

Blog Post Discipleship Resources

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In the sermon today, we saw that disciples make disciples. This is supposed to be a given for Christians, it is part of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. For many of us, one of the biggest obstacles is knowing where to begin or how to do it. As Tim Chester and Steve Timmis say in Total Church, "most gospel ministry involves ordinary people doing ordinary things with gospel intentionality." Discipleship happens when we are living life together in community and helping each other to apply the gospel to every area of our lives. This is what we are trying to accomplish with our Life Groups. Our hope is that your Life Group is not merely a weekly meeting but a springboard for deeper relationships and more effective mission. To disciple one another effectively, it can be very helpful to structure in regular times to get together with a smaller group to talk about life, to speak God's Word into each other's lives with love and care, and to pray for one another and encourage one... Continue reading →

Blog Post O Come, Thou Dayspring!

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There is a tension between the merriment of the Christmas season, and the darkness that is so prevalent in our world, in our communities, in our homes, and in our own hearts. The reality of this tension is not something that should be hidden in the closet for a month, only to re-emerge when its reality can no longer be suppressed by distractions and festivities. The tension between joy and sorrow, peace and pain, light and darkness should fuel our worship of the God who entered into the darkness like the dawn breaks into the night! "O Come, Thou Dayspring! Come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here! Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death's dark shadows put to flight!" The profound meaning of this classic Christmas Carol can get lost in its familiarity and its poetic language. The verse seems to allude to Isaiah 9:2-7, where Israel, in the face of coming judgment and tribulation, is encouraged to look forward to the birth of a special Child, a Son. This Son would be a... Continue reading →

Blog Post Kingdom Living – Becoming Family

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By God's grace, The Crossing family has been growing, and our Life Groups have been multiplying. Our Life Groups are more than Bible Studies or weekly meetings. They are growing families, committed to living for Jesus and His mission together. The following video shares a story of what God has been doing in one of our newer Life Groups in Loveland, and how this burgeoning family is being used to shine God's glory to our community. Praise God for His faithful... Continue reading →

Blog Post Apologetics for Everyone

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1 Peter 3:14-16 - But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason (Greek: apologian) for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. a•pol•o•get•ics | əˌpäləˈjetiks | When people think of apologetics, they typically think of some sort of intellectual debate or argument defending the Christian faith against some form of intellectual opposition. Though there are contexts where this type of debating can be helpful, this is not what apologetics was meant to be. 1 Peter 3:15 is the classic text from which the term apologetics comes from. People often take the verse to mean something like, "always be prepared to defend Christianity."... Continue reading →

Blog Post Like a Liver or a Big Toe

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From Porterbrook: Remember that the church is neither an end in itself, nor is it merely a means to an end…Church is a place where Jesus reigns and where people will catch a glimpse of people loving and serving one another. Church is God’s Kingdom with flesh on it. It is a glorious phenomenon. The Crossing is a church plant, and one of the greatest personal benefits that I have received from being part of this church plant has been a greater understanding of what church actually is. That’s not to say that my previous church experience was devoid of this, but this reality has come into sharper focus as I’ve matured alongside this growing body. In so doing, though, it has become rather easy to think of building the church as an end in itself. And when I notice myself thinking in this way, the pendulum swings (as pendulums often do) to the other side, which is isolation. I regularly find myself way too focused on how to gather more people by meeting with them, inviting... Continue reading →

Blog Post A Case for Fiction: East of Eden

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“In reading great literature I become a thousand men and yet remain myself...I see with a myriad of eyes, but it is still I who see.” ― C.S. Lewis Truth is a constant, powerful light. It shines down to us from our Father and illuminates all that it touches. From beyond the dark and hazy present, bright rays break through to remind us of our Heavenly City, and our unveiled encounter that awaits with Truth himself. This is why I love to read great fiction. As the sun’s light reflects differently upon our mountains, so the great story of life is cast in shadow and light across our many tales. Though they can’t be counted upon to portray truth entirely, great stories remind us that God’s grand narrative is ever unfolding. They awaken and inspire our imaginations. In an age of skepticism, stories help us believe that invisible things are real. Many of the minds that remind of these things are themselves blind to the person and work of Christ. Yet, humans made in the... Continue reading →