Hello, Crossroads Family,
As we head into what appears to be a wintry weekend, I’m so thankful for the warm family we have at Crossroads Church. It’s a blessing to be growing in an ever-deepening relationship with God and each other.
Thanks to everyone who took part in this week’s 24-Hour Prayer Vigil ! That was a blessed experience and an important part of God’s work among us at Crossroads ! I hope it will prompt us to pray for, and encourage, each other more ! Remember Paul’s message to the Ephesians :
“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people” (Ephesians 6:18).
If you would like to share this Sunday morning a takeaway from your own personal experience as part of the Prayer Vigil, we’ll make time for that during the service.
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Please be aware that if there is a need to cancel our Sunday morning service, the elders will communicate that to you in two or three ways :
— If church is canceled, we’ll post that on the church website and on the Crossroads Facebook page no later than 7 am. Our website address is http://www.nevadacrossroadschurch.org.
— We’ll send out a text message to everyone we can and will call those who don’t use a mobile phone.
— We’ll send out a mass email to those in the church whose email addresses we have.
Be sure to call or text one of us if you’re not sure. Always use your own good judgment as to whether or not you should get out. Thanks for your understanding, patience, and prayers !
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Please find below :
- some calendar information
- some additional news and prayer requests
- a message from our Evangelical Free Church Central District Superintendent, Mike Shields.
Calendar
Below are the best ways currently to “plug in” at Crossroads, and most of these small groups are just getting started again in February. We hope you’ll pick one or more to be a part of !
- 8-13 year-olds Bible Class : The next class is Sunday, February 1, during the sermon. Contact person is Emily Lewis.
- Immerse : Immerse is a weekly Bible reading and small-group discussion program that begins Wednesday, February 11, 7-8:15 pm. Sign up at the church or let Forrest Drury know so he can order an Immerse Bible for you.
- Women’s Breakfast & Bible Study : Saturday mornings of fellowship and study in the book of Luke starting February 14, 8:00-9:15 am, and lasting for eight weeks. Please sign up if you plan to be part of the group. Erin Townsend is the contact person.
- Men’s Recharge : This is monthly fellowship, study, and encouragement for all men. We’ll begin Thursday, February 19, 6:30-8:00 pm. Our theme this semester is “Practice What You Preach.” Cris Rodriguez is the contact person for Recharge.
- Fellowship Dinner : We’ll share a meal together at the church following worship on Sunday, February 22. Bryan Townsend will have a sign-up sheet this Sunday for what you can bring for the meal.
- Baby Bottle Boomerang : Baby bottles and their money are due back to the church on February 22. The money collected goes to bless mothers and babies through Birthright of Nevada. Kim Reedy is our contact person if you have questions.
- Bible Quiz Night : Sign up at the church if you’d like to be on a team of three people taking part in the quiz competition on Saturday, March 28. For questions or information, contact Clayson Lyons. Even if you’re not on a team, plan to come and cheer on the Crossroads teams on 3/28 !
- Easter Cantata : Please let Jessica Baker know if you’d like to sing in an Easter cantata on Easter Sunday. This would be a small choir singing around seven pieces we will prepare prior to Easter. Don’t worry, we’ll find a practice time that will work for everyone ! The cantata we’ve chosen is called “The Hope of the Cross,” and you can listen to a sample of it here.
More information & prayer needs
Beacon Christian School : Beacon Christian School is now accepting applications for the 2026-2027 school year. If you might be interested in sending your student to Beacon, you may find out more information at this link.
Opportunity to help a sister E-Free Church
An Evangelical Free Church pastor in Northeast Arkansas, Phil Pinto, has a 120-acre summer Bible camp which was hit by tornadoes in 2024 and 2025 causing extensive damage. A great deal of clean-up still needs to be done. Our EFCA Central District Crisis Response team is organizing multiple trips to the property to help Phil, his wife, and others who are committed to the camp’s ministry. They’re looking for people who could serve for a week this spring or summer. The work will involve clean-up and some construction. Take a look here, and thanks for praying for brothers and sisters like us in Arkansas !
Prayer Needs at Crossroads
- We praise God for a great 24-hours of prayer this week. May we continue to live a life of prayer and be watching for His responses !
- Austin Forkner needs our prayers after a motocross crash last weekend. Thanks for praying for Austin and for Julie,.
- Tommie Ray’s 91-year-old brother-in-law passed away this past week. Please keep Tommie and his extended family in your prayers. Thank you !
- Sam Vigue asks prayer for a friend from Cuba who has traveled to Dubai in search of work so he can support his family. Thanks for praying for this friend, Jésus.
A Message from Central District Superintendent, Mike Shields
Mike Shields is our E-Free Central District Superintendent. I hope you’ll have a chance to meet Mike sometime, along with others on our Central District staff. The district offices are in Adel, Iowa (just west of Des Moines). The annual district conference will be held this coming April 27-28 at Valley Church in West Des Moines. It would be a great opportunity for some in leadership at Crossroads to be encouraged spiritually and to make some awesome connections ! Let me know if you’re interested.
Please be encouraged by Mike’s message here :
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” James 4:10
Our God loves to answer the simple prayer, “Holy Spirit, I need you.” A humble heart before God is commanded in Scripture and is vital to how God’s servants approach him and serve in his Church.
In ministry we tend to swing from one extreme to another. When things are going well, we are tempted to think, “I’m pretty good at this.” When things aren’t going well, we tend to self loathe, “I can’t do anything right.” Neither of these self-centered approaches captures the essence of humility commanded in Scripture.
Why is humility before God so vitally important in ministry ? Shouldn’t I be confident and self-assured in my leadership ? These questions originate from a faulty perspective. The question must be “What does God require ?” not “What must I do ?” It’s not a question of performance in ministry but one of surrender to Almighty God. In humble surrender we find the peace and confidence to serve the Lord with boldness.
A quick heart check for leaders :
1. Have I prayed about what God wants in this situation ?
2. What does Scripture say about this issue ?
3. Do I think I’m the smartest person in the room ? If so, repentance and a change of heart is necessary.
4. Have I consulted with other godly men and women ?
5. Is there any sinful attitude in my heart regarding this situation ?
6. When someone has sinned against me, am I open to reconciliation when there is repentance ?
7. Can I say that I am leading as I’m called to lead, in the humility of Christ, described in Philippians 2 ?
Our 2026 EFCA Central Leadership Conference theme is “Gospel Humility.” I’m inviting you to join us at Valley Church in West Des Moines IA on April 27-28 to dig deeper into this vital aspect of leadership in the local church. Registration is available now. Bring leaders from your staff and elder team. See you there !
It is a joy serving Jesus with you,
Mike Shields
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