Category: From Pastor

This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Let Easter Change you: Godly Community!  (WATCH HERE)

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For a while in America and around the world every church was empty.  The fear of spreading or catching a virus led to mandates that locked the doors of Christian churches around the world.  Perhaps one day individuals will look back to the spring of 2020 and lock it in as a day when people stopped not just going to church, but thinking that church was important.  They continued to perhaps get content online, and even more content than they were getting as some shared they were watching two or three services on a Sunday morning and taking in the content of that pastor and the teaching he provided.

Then the question came, “Why do I have to GO to church when I can WATCH church online?”  Good question.  When I can watch a sermon online and read my Bible at home, what is left to grow in my faith that I can’t do on my own?

So how would you answer this question to someone who asks, or if you are someone watching online, how would you answer this question or statement?  (To be clear, the technology to bring God’s Word into people’s homes when there is not an option to get out is a TRUE blessing and opportunity for spiritual growth.)

There are two distinct growth opportunities that don’t come when a person is isolated on their own and watching online without any connection to the church they are watching.

First, God designed his church to have overseers and pastors and teachers.  These individuals are asked to be an undershepherd of the Good Shepherd.  Like the Good Shepherd, they are to know their sheep and their sheep to know them.  They are to care for them, watch over them, lead them and feed them in a spiritual way.  If one is disconnected from a church, there is no direct connection to a spiritual shepherd who has a direct connection to them.  Why does it matter?  A Christian church is led by a Christian pastor who is tasked with watching over you spiritually to make sure you grow in the grace of God and are guarded from the threats to your faith.

Acts 20:28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.

If one is not active in a local church, they miss this blessing to their growth in faith.

Ephesians 4:11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Being active members in a local, God-willing, gives one access to intentional training and equipping one receives to put their faith into practice and work together for the common growth of God’s church. 

Second, God allows interpersonal interactions within the church to be a training and practice ground to put what we learn into practice.  The church is intended to be a place where you can make mistakes and be forgiven.  The church is a place where you get to exercise your faith to exhibit in more abundance the fruit of faith in Galatians 5:22-23.  People around us create the environment where we can move our faith from the academic to the applicable.  How do you show kindness on your own? Or does God provide needs within his church for us to be able to practice kindness? You might struggle with patience and understanding.  The people of a church are opportunities to practice these two Christian characteristics.  You can think about it on your own…only can you practice it in person.

Yes, you can read your Bible on your own…PLEASE do! You can get spiritual content on the internet. Use it!  But you can’t get a real live shepherd and a group of people willing to let us practice our faith in a safe setting without belonging to a local, visible, Christian church. So recommit to your church or consider committing for the first time to a local church (Can I invite you to crosspointgtx.com?).

 

Apply: What role has your pastor played in your spiritual growth?  What interpersonal situations at a church have allowed your faith to grow because you had to interact face-to-face with that person.

Prayer: Lord thank you for the gift of your church with undershepherds to watch over me. AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Let Easter Change you: Godly Community!  (WATCH HERE)

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On the way to our pastors’ conference yesterday morning I was listening to a podcast by Carey Nieuoff who was a pastor in Canada and now does leadership and ministry development podcast and materials.  He was interviewing Jon Tyson, the pastor of the City Church in New York City.  There were many great points that were made about Gen Z and the secularization of America and how do we as Christians respond to it.

Two comments caught my attention in regard to today’s focus on Connection.  I paraphrase both.  First, people are lonelier than ever with many connections that are shallow, but few if any connections that are deep and authentic.  People are going through life alone.

For those of us that grew up in a “no screen” era and “no social media” era, we can relate with the reality of what digital devices have done to relationships and conversation.  I am not here to slam them, just recognize that we aren’t developing deep, meaningful relationships with people through the digital platform.

The second comment was with men.  He observed after going through a four day retreat with his son that there is a lack of safe places where men can be authentic and open up about their thoughts, feelings, worries and concerns.

Enter into this reality in our culture, one of the blessings of the godly community of the church.  The church is part of God’s design where relationships are not shallow, but can grow deep spiritually and emotionally.  It’s a place where care, love and concern for one another is to be genuine and real.

To be sure, we all have experienced the opposite and unfortunately selfishness, pettiness, politicalness, and more can creep into the church and put a barrier in the way of forming relationships that are meaningful.  But again, to write off the church because of such an experience is to miss the blessing that God intended.  Again, as a church leader, let me apologize for the misrepresentation of the church and recommit to being a catalyst to foster an environment where connections are superficial but meaningful and real, a place where we are supported and we are part of offering support. 

Just consider the many passages that speak about how we are to care for one another in the church and ask, “Is this a place that true connections and relationships can be found?”

Here’s a list from https://www.mmlearn.org/hubfs/docs/OneAnotherPassages.pdf

• Love one another (John 13:34 – This command occurs at least 16 times) 
• Be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10) 
• Honor one another above yourselves (Romans 12:10) 
• Live in harmony with one another (Romans 12:16) 
• Build up one another (Romans 14:19; 1 Thessalonians 5:11) 
• Be likeminded towards one another (Romans 15:5) 
• Accept one another (Romans 15:7) 
• Admonish one another (Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16) 
• Greet one another (Romans 16:16) 
• Care for one another (1 Corinthians 12:25) 
• Serve one another (Galatians 5:13) 
• Bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) 
• Forgive one another (Ephesians 4:2, 32; Colossians 3:13) 
• Be patient with one another (Ephesians 4:2; Colossians 3:13) 
• Speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15, 25) 
• Be kind and compassionate to one another (Ephesians 4:32) 
• Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19) 
• Submit to one another (Ephesians 5:21, 1 Peter 5:5) 
• Consider others better than yourselves (Philippians 2:3) 
• Look to the interests of one another (Philippians 2:4) 
• Bear with one another (Colossians 3:13) 
• Teach one another (Colossians 3:16) 
• Comfort one another (1 Thessalonians 4:18) 
• Encourage one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11) 
• Exhort one another (Hebrews 3:13) 
• Stir up [provoke, stimulate] one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24) 
• Show hospitality to one another (1 Peter 4:9) 
• Employ the gifts that God has given us for the benefit of one another (1 Peter 4:10) 
• Clothe yourselves with humility towards one another (1 Peter 5:5) 
• Pray for one another (James 5:16) 

This is quite the list and quite the blessing God gives as we connect in relationships and exhibit these qualities toward one another!

 

Apply: How can you take one of these attributes and foster it in your relationships at your church?  If you are looking for a church, which of these attributes would mean the most to you right now?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the blessing of your church and the relationships that you encourage and nurture in it.  We are blessed by them.  Make us a blessing to others!  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Let Easter Change you: Godly Community!  (WATCH HERE)

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A poll taken in 2022 indicated that only 20% (1 in 5) individuals in our country attend church on a weekly basis.  Over 50% in the same poll do not attend at all or very regularly.  Over the last 20 plus years church membership has been on the decline and the number of practicing Christians is now just over 60%.

So the question is becoming more common, “Why should I attend church, let alone belong to a church?”

Good question.  One could make arguments that one doesn’t have to go to church to be a Christian.  Or some might leverage that there are hypocrites in the church and that turns them off.  Some would cite examples of impropriety in church leaders that led to a distrust of the church.  Some might balk against the authority and institutionalism of the church.

All real reasons.  All worthy of a conversation.

So why be part of a church?  Why have a godly community (notice I didn’t say “perfect” community…that will be in heaven!) around you?  What blessings come from being part of a local church that you wouldn’t receive elsewhere?  This week is the opportunity to reflect on these questions and the value of godly community in the church.

Let’s start with a fundamental reality: The Church is God’s doing and design.

When we are connected to Christ, he connects us to his Church.

Ephesians 2:19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.

These truths are important to remember, even when we are talking about a visible, Christian church.  The gathering of God’s people is the work of God.  

Why is this important to remember?

We all have had some bad experiences with a visible church.  Let me apologize on behalf of the church that gave you a bad experience.  Every visible church is made up of sinful human beings, including the pastors.  So every church has the opportunity to sin against you or in some way to present something that is not godly.  That is not indicative of the church, it is indicative of sin that lurks in the heart of church goers.

So, let’s not be disillusioned to think that every visible church is perfect.  It’s not.

However, that leads us to this reality.  Everything that God creates is for the blessing of his people.  So God has created the church for you and made you for his church.  So, when we are kept away from the church, that is often Satan working to keep us disconnected from a place where God desires us to be blessed and us to be a blessing to others.

We must remember what makes up God’s church and should be the reality for every visible manifestation of it:

1. Christ Jesus is the cornerstone.  Everything and everyone is to be aligned to him.
2. The foundation is the Scripture.  Everything the Apostles and Prophets taught forms the teaching of the church.  The Bible is the authority, nothing more, nothing less.
3. The bricks of the church are the people God has saved by his grace and brought together as his church.  The gathering of the church is God’s doing, not man’s.

So why be active in a visible church?  We will explore four reasons this week…but to begin with simply this compelling reason.  God made the church for you and made you for the church…and when God does something for you, he desires for you to be blessed by it.

 

Apply: What has been your perspective of the church?  Good? Bad? In between?  What changes when I begin with the premise that God designed and gathers the church to be a blessing to all in the church?

Prayer: Lord, thank you for doing all to be a blessing to me…including giving me a visible church that is centered on Christ, founded on the Scriptures, and gathering with others who also believe in Jesus as Savior. AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Let Easter Change you: Godly Habits!  (WATCH HERE)

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Acts 2:42 “They devoted themselves…to prayer”

 

Communication is key in any relationship.

I recently started rereading a leadership book by John Maxwell called, “Everyone communicates, few connect.” The premise of the book is that one can use words to communicate ideas and thoughts, but if they do not take an interest in the person, there is no connection and thus the communication is ineffective.  Ideally one does both – communicate AND connect.

I was musing on this thought in regard to my prayer life and perhaps what it meant that the early Christians were devoted to the habit of prayer. 

One can find numerous examples in the book of Acts of the early Christians praying about people, praying for the advancement of the Gospel, praying for the safety of the Apostles, praying for God to open doors and more.  Their devotion to prayer makes it evident that prayer was habitual and a first resort when dealing with challenges in life, but especially the challenges that came as a result of being a follower of Christ.

But one also senses that the prayer life of the first century Christian was not just a “Hey, we better pray about it” but rather a habit based on a deep connection to the One to whom they prayed.  It was only natural in the context of that relationship and connection to pray, to communicate to the One who had a deep and sincere connection with them and they with him.

Habitual prayer is good, but perhaps dangerous when it turns into empty words without any or little awareness of the relationship with the one to whom we pray.

Jesus taught: Matthew 6:7 And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. 8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, 10 your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. 11 Give us today our daily bread. 12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. 13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

Many prayers and many words do not make a connection in prayer.  Words that come from a heart of love and trust in the Father who hears our prayer because we are his children are the prayers that are heard.

So what does this habit look like?  It’s interesting that it’s last in this brief list, but the first items foster the connection with the Lord (devoted to the Apostles’ teaching and the breaking of bread) and the relationship with God’s people (devoted to the fellowship).  With these meaningful relationships in place, the habit of prayer flows from these connections.  We want to pray to the God who reveals himself in the pages of Scripture and his work of grace.  We want to pray for the people of God with whom we share life and ministry with.  We want to pray for ourselves and share the joys and concerns in our heart.

Why? Because we have a connection with the One to whom we communicate.

 

Apply: Evaluate: Does your connection in prayer or your communication in prayer need nurture to develop a deeper habit of prayer?  If it’s connection, devote yourself to the Scriptures and let prayer flow from what you read.  If it’s communication, devote yourself to time in your day which is spent in prayer.

Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, thank you for establishing a connection with us through the faith you have given and the relationship you have nurtured.  Lead me to never lose the joy and privilege of prayer you have given and encouraged to strengthen our connection and allow me to communicate with you.  AMEN.

This week’s devotions are based on this week’s message: Let Easter Change you: Godly Habits!  (WATCH HERE)

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“They devoted themselves to the…breaking of bread…”

Perhaps at face value, devotion to “breaking of bread” seems like something insignificant and perhaps puzzling.  Why would the early believers be devoted to the breaking of bread?  Were they interested in the first potlucks and eating together?  Did they not want to miss a meal?  Perhaps.  In fact just a few verses later in Acts 2:46 it says, “They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,…” This seems to be the potlucks and second Sunday lunches.

So what about in verse 42?  What is meant by the breaking of bread?  Perhaps this quote from a blog article is helpful:

The phrase “breaking bread” is a figure of speech called a synecdoche where a “part stands for the whole.” In other words, the phrase “breaking bread” includes both the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine. It is simply a reference to the “Lord’s Supper” (1 Corinthians 11:20), the “Lord’s table” (1 Corinthians 10:21), the “communion” (1 Corinthians 10:16), and “to break bread” (Acts 20:7). (https://www.thegospelofchrist.com/knowledge-base/tgoc-kb–skckd)

In the context of the devotion of the early believers to the Apostles’ teaching, the fellowship and prayer, it makes complete sense that there was a regular habit of celebrating the Lord’s Supper.

Should the same devotion exist today?

Absolutely!

Is it?  Maybe?

Devotion to the Lord’s Supper wanes when we think, “Hmm, going to be a long service today…we have the Lord’s Supper.”  We perhaps need to examine our hearts a bit deeper when we stay away from worship on a regular basis and thus the Lord’s Supper as well.

The early believers were devoted to celebrating the Lord’s Supper. But why?

They needed the forgiveness Jesus gave in his supper.

They wanted the presence of Jesus in their lives.

They were eager to proclaim boldly the death and resurrection of Jesus.

They desired to express a unity of belief and purpose as they communed with the Lord and each other.

The same is true today.  Make it a habit to ensure you are in worship when the Lord’s Supper is celebrated (At Crosspoint it is the first and third Sunday of the month.) Why?

It’s what our souls need for the assurance of forgiveness.

It’s what our faith needs to commune personally with the real presence of our Savior Jesus.

It’s what our witness needs to boldly and clearly profess faith in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

It’s what our relationships need as we express a close and intimate unity with the others who commune (This practice of close communion, i.e. communing only with those of the same faith, is the way this close communion is expressed and preserved.).

The “Breaking of Bread,” the Lord’s Supper, is what devoted Christians do.  It’s a regular part of our spiritual rhythms to ensure we commune regularly with the Lord at his table.

1 Corinthians 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

A habit that reinforces our devotion to communing with the Lord keeps our souls at peace and our hearts at one with our Savior and our community of believers.

Apply: What is your attitude toward the Lord’s Supper?  What changes when you agree to be devoted to the breaking of bread?
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for giving of yourself in your Holy Supper.  Lead me to treasure it and be devoted to it so I receive the regular blessing from it!  AMEN