TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Nevada MO
Dear Church Family,
I’m looking forward to this Sunday’s sermon and worship! We’ll continue to look at the beginning chapters of Genesis. It’s Mother’s Day, and we’ll take a closer look at the first marriage, the first family, and, sadly, the first murder (Genesis 4:1-10).
What are principles for a happy home? Solid, happy home life is a great need in our world today and, as simple as it may sound, the church is really meant to be modeled after the life of the family. In other words, the church is a family to us. So there’s a lot for us this Sunday! I trust that, through our worship and study of the Word, God will change us and grow us! I hope to see you at the Y at 10:00. If you’re unable to be with us, please take time to watch the sermon on the Crossroads Facebook page, or on my YouTube channel. It should be posted there by Saturday evening!
Going On at Crossroads
This Sunday, May 9 — Mothers Day
Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers! Thank you to all the women at Crossroads for who you are and for what you do!
Next Sunday, May 16 — Reception for Our Graduates
We’ll recognize two Crossroads graduates with a short reception after the worship service. Jaci Servos is graduating from Nevada High School, and Forrest Drury is receiving his Masters degree from the University of Arkansas. Congratulations to Jaci and to Forrest!
Sunday, May 16 — Senior Sermon at NHS
I’ll be preaching the Senior Sermon at Nevada High School Sunday night, May 16, at 6 pm. Would appreciate your prayers for that!
Wednesday, May 26 — Youth Group Scavenger Hunt
A Scavenger Hunt is being planned for Crossroads young people and your friends on Wednesday, the 26th. Meet at the Rodriguez’s home at 6:30. Food and fun for everyone!
Sunday, June 6 — Baptism
We’ll have a baptism in the pool at the Y at the end of the worship service on June 6. Are you interested in being baptized ? Please speak with me if you are ! We would love to include you in the baptism! Thank you!
Sunday, June 6 — Crossroads Connection & Cookout
We’ll have a hot dog / hamburger cookout at the Y following worship on June 6. Time for fellowship, and a chance to bring everyone up to speed on what’s going on at Crossroads. Ministry team meetings for those teams needing to meet! More details coming about what food you can bring!
Momentum Bible Study
We’re going to re-run the Momentum video study this spring/summer for those interested. More details coming soon!
Monday Night Bible Study
Monday Night Bible Study was a fun and easy way to connect last summer. I’m planning to do a short series of studies again this summer live on Facebook, or you can feel free to join a few others at my house for the study. Our theme this summer will be “Christian Urban Legends.” What are some popular ideas Christians believe which might not be entirely true? Things like … (1) Everything happens for a reason. … (2) Christians shouldn’t judge. … (3) God helps those who help themselves. … (4) Dead people go to a better place. … (5) Forgiving means forgetting … and more. We’ll start Monday, June 7, at 7 pm. Hope you can join us or be with us on Facebook!
Prayer Needed
Please be in prayer as we navigate through some potential changes in operations at the Y. As was mentioned last Sunday, the Y is currently considering going to a 24-hour operation which means the building would be open for fitness activities on Sunday mornings. They are also increasing the number of weekend tournaments (pickleball, volleyball, basketball) for this summer and fall. All of this could be pointing to Crossroads needing a new home. The elders are working through this and would appreciate your input and prayers. One possibility that has come up is a church building in Deerfield that might possibly be available for our use. That would mean a short drive (8 miles) for some of us but also a “home” for our family and others. Please pray. We are seeking to follow God’s leading and to make wise choices for the needs and future of our life together.
Crossroads – The Church I Know
For my birthday last week one of you got me the new Billy Graham biography, Billy Graham – The Man I Knew, by Greg Laurie. It made me think how interesting it would be if each of us wrote the story of “Crossroads — The Church I Know.” Here’s my own feeble attempt:
This summer will mark six years that I and my family have been part of Crossroads Church in Nevada. We came to a church that was needing renewal and growth. And, as it turns out, renewal and growth are, in my opinion, the themes of what has happened in many lives over the course of six years.
Christian discipleship and personal spiritual growth excite me, so it has been a blessing for me to see this happen among a small group of people. One of my favorite Bible verses is John 10:10 where Jesus says, “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.” I dislike just “doing church,” so it’s a joy to be with people whose desire is not, first of all, to “do church” but to know the Lord and to experience life with Him !
Bill Bright wrote, “Many people believe Christianity must be patiently endured in anticipation of heaven. But our Lord did not intend it to be this way. He meant for your Christian life to be joyful, fruitful, and exciting. To know Jesus Christ personally as Savior and Lord is the greatest privilege and adventure we can ever experience. … He alone can give you unshakeable peace in a world of turmoil, and inexhaustible power for daily living.”
Crossroads is a unique mix of families and single people who are on this discipleship journey/adventure. Crossroads is not a busy church in the sense of having many regular activities going on during the week (most of us wouldn’t have room to put more activity in our schedule anyway), but it is a church where people use what God is giving them through His Word and through worship in order to serve and reach the world in which they live, work, and play.
It’s a church that has engaged in punctual, joyful acts of service in the community. It’s a church with a heart for students who pass through Nevada, whether it be at Cottey College, Crowder College, or the Missouri Welding Institute. In fact, let’s pray that God would renew our contact with these populations of people now that pandemic concerns seem to be coming to an end.
God has added to our numbers and has solidified our finances during the recent years. Those are two significant happenings. He has put in place a system of ministry teams. He has given us a functioning Elder Board (and we’ll need to elect a new elder this fall).
In order to fully plant a church, some additional pieces are needed, however.
- We’ll need to keep our finances strong through prayerful, sacrificial giving.
- We’ll need to take more concrete steps to reach out to those around us. Who do you know that needs a relationship with God? Who do you know who needs a good church experience and family? Will you invite them to connect with us?
- We’ll need to establish small groups that will include a maximum number of people in the congregation. Small-group fellowship — the relationships, the caring, and the ministry that are part of them — are critical if the church is going to stay vibrant and offer something to newcomers.
- We’ll need to be committed to prayer. Monday nights this summer will be a good time for some to gather to pray (following the MNBS).
- We’ll need training so that more of us become leaders and teachers of others … and so more of us are confident in sharing the Good News of Christ!
Would you join me in praying specifically that this summer God would add two more families and two or three more singles to the Crossroads family? Just a handful of people like that would move us to a new stage of actual and potential ministry. To bring two new families and two or three new singles to Crossroads is a pretty small thing for God! Please pray with me! I would especially love for the Lord to add more children to our family. A viable future for a church depends very much on the presence of children and young people.
“Crossroads — the church I know.” Much more exciting than this is “Crossroads — the church God knows”!
I hope to see you this Sunday at 10:00 at the Y !
— Tom
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