Hello, Crossroads Family!
I was startled this morning by two statements Moses made to the Israelites as they were preparing to cross the Jordan River and begin the conquest of Canaan (Deuteronomy 8). There’s a lot of encouragement in those first chapters of Deuteronomy as Moses reviews God’s faithfulness during the Israelites’ journey from Egypt. However, at one point, as he’s looking back, Moses says, “God let you be hungry” (Deut 8:3) ; and at another point he says, “God humbled you” (Deut 8:16).
Imagine that! God let you be hungry. And God humbled you.
To think that part of what God does as He grows us as people is to humble us is … well, humbling. And mysterious. And maybe a bit frustrating. We don’t like to be humbled, even though most of us realize we need — often — to be kept humble.
The idea that He let the Israelites be hungry is also startling. “He let you be hungry, and then He fed you with manna which you did not know” (Deut 8:3). Most of us are not experiencing hunger today, but many of us do have other needs or hungers. We’re not hungry for food, but we’re hungry for other things. Is it possible that sometimes God allows to remain hungry while intending to feed us with something we didn’t know about or weren’t expecting? I hope we won’t be so stubborn that we refuse to see — or accept — the new, previously unknown, way by which He feeds us.
There’s a passage in the book of Isaiah where God talks about leading His people by a previously unknown way: “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known; along unfamiliar paths I will guide them” (Isaiah 42:16).
Food we didn’t know and paths we didn’t know. What an amazing God we serve! What an interesting journey our lives are on when we follow Him.
I’m grateful for the good, grace-filled congregational meeting we had last Sunday. Thanks to all who were present and participated. As we discussed future plans for Crossroads, it caused me to think that the path forward will likely be a new one for us all, no matter what our past experience has been in building or growing a church. I’ve been involved in four church-plants. I would be mistaken if I thought this one was going to look just like one or more of the past efforts. Thank you for your flexibility, enthusiasm, sacrifice, faith, love, and prayers! We are on a journey we haven’t known before and will likely be eating food we haven’t previously tried! Let’s have eyes and minds that are wide open in faith and anticipation!
I hope two Sundays from now to preach a sermon that will follow up on some of our discussion from last Sunday’s meeting — things along these lines :
- What vision for our church ?
- What is a pastor ? Why pay a pastor money ?
- What needs do we have moving forward ?
- What is tithing / giving ? What are God’s expectations in this area ?
That sounds like a lot, but I’m excited that God is opening new ways for us to move forward. Our journey forward will involve all of us and others God will add to our family along the way!
Calendar
Here’s at least a partial list of things going on at Crossroads in May and beyond :
- This Sunday, May 11 : Worship at 10:00. We’ll honor mothers and graduates with some prayer and refreshments at the conclusion of the worship service.
- Thursday, May 15 : Men’s Recharge, 6:30-8:00, at the church building. Let’s turn out, men, for a good time of encouragement and fellowship in studying the Ten Commandments : “The Ten Greatest Struggles of Your Life.”
- Friday, May 16 : Women’s “Bond Fire,” 6:30 pm, at Jessica Baker’s home, 320 N. Olive Street. Bring a lawn chair and a snack to share. S’mores, fellowship, and more!
- Saturday, May 17 : Women’s Breakfast & Fellowship, 8 am, at 54 Cafe. All women invited.
- Thursday, June 12 : Crossroads serves at the Food Stand for Gospel Night on the square in Nevada, approximately 5:30 – 10:00 pm. More information and sign-up times coming.
- Sunday, June 15 : Baptisms following the worship service. Please let me know if you’re interested in being baptized.
- Thursday, June 19 : Men’s Recharge, 6:30 pm
- Friday, June 20 : “Drive-In” movie for the women’s Summer of Sisterhood, at Erin Reedy’s home in Metz.
- June 24-26 : Tom attends EFCA One, the national conference of the Evangelical Free Church of America, in West Des Moines, Iowa.
- Sunday, July 20 : Crossroads cooks and serves dinner for high school campers at Kamp Keirsey, near Miami. More information to come.
There will be other events and opportunities. I hope we can organize some midweek or Sunday evening small group study and fellowship for the summer. Working on that now.
Please take a minute to sign up at the church if you can take a turn cleaning the church. Sign up on one of the Fridays available (although you are free to clean any day, not just Friday). Also, sign up on the calendar in an available Sunday slot if you can bring breakfast food or refreshments some Sunday coming up. Thank you!
Prayers & Praise
Congratulations to Konner Sisseck and Jaci Servos who are engaged! We’re excited for you!
Prayers for Cris and for Forrest as God brings healing and recuperation.
Prayers for elderly parents who need our care, attention, and love.
Prayers for those who grieve at the passing of Wendell Teagarden who devoted so much of his life to ministry to young people at Kamp Keirsey.
Prayers for a motocross friend of Austin Forkner recently paralyzed in an accident. And for Julie’s parents, LJ and Judy, who lost their home in the recent tornado and incurred additional damage from a fire.
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