Archive for the 'Pastors' Category
THE TIME IS NOW!
Casual Christianity has become a plague in the church of Jesus Christ. Reaching the world with the life-changing message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ receives a yawn at times, rather than the movement it deserves. The world is yearning and crying for someone to stand up and tell the story of Jesus Christ.
While we can become so blessed by our own work in the world or even through our church, we cannot settle in this moment of time. This is a seasoned moment, a special moment, a one of a kind moment in the scope of history. If you confess Jesus as your Lord and Savior, trusting in Him alone for your salvation, then this is your time in human history. As all of us who have been changed by the power of Jesus Christ report for duty to our Commander-in-Chief, Jesus Christ, we must stand ready.
I Love To Tell The Story
Yesterday morning at our Pinnacle Hills and Springdale Campuses, we sang the old hymn, I Love To Tell The Story. It was an amazing moment as all of God’s people engaged in singing a hymn that many of them learned as a child, but the tune and lyrics grabbed the attention of all. It is an easy song to sing, therefore, masses cried out to the Lord wanting to tell the story of Jesus and His love.
As Evangelical Christians
As evangelical Christians, our missional vision is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations. We believe this is the heart of Jesus Christ. We believe this is His Great Commission. At times, Satan detours us on to some of the side streets of life. Sometimes, it is the things of this world. At times, the distractions of our job or vocation, or even family, lead us down these side streets. Sadly, even some elements of Christianity get us off on side streets. Various matters begin to dominate our thinking from one issue to another and none of them really help us to keep our eyes on our missional vision.
This Week At Cross Church
This week at Cross Church we have a rare opportunity. We have the occasion to get off the side streets of life, or even of our Christianity. We have the opportunity to get back on the main roadway to fulfilling our mission of presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations.
Our Partnership With Southern Baptist Gospel Churches
Cross Church is a part of a vast partnership of 50,000 churches and congregations that comprise the Southern Baptist Convention. This convention of churches has two major mission-sending ministries:
*The North American Mission Board, which is based in Metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia
*The International Mission Board, which is based in Richmond, Virginia
This week at Cross Church, the Board of Trustees of the International Mission Board, and the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention will commission 58 new missionaries who will serve outside of North America. Eighty-five percent of these missionaries will serve in level three countries, which are countries that are hostile to Christianity. These missionaries will leave their families, churches, jobs, and careers to pursue the calling of God to make disciples of all the nations. These 58 new, God-called missionaries will join 4,900 other missionaries who serve in 189 countries of the world through our International Mission Board.
Our Commissioning Service
This Wednesday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m., on our Cross Church Pinnacle Hills Campus, we will join in partnership with other churches and commission these 58 missionaries to their God-called places in the world. It is a one of a kind services, a lifetime opportunity, that none of you want to miss if you are near Northwest Arkansas. Most every one of us can prioritize our schedules and lives to participate in this tremendous moment in time.
Let’s Walk Away From Casual Christianity
It is time to walk away from the casual Christianity that declares “I don’t have time” or “I have an appointment” or “my child is doing this or that.” Developing a true legacy of faith, which is what IMB President Dr. Tom Elliff talked about with our people on Sunday, calls for a specific moment in time when everything changes. A new, definite moment when our direction and heart moved towards God in a new way.
I challenge you as your Pastor and friend, walk away from your normal Wednesday moments and schedules. Then, walk towards God and His heart:
Presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every person in the world and to make disciples of all the nations.
Let’s walk together towards God and His heart this Wednesday night. This is our moment. This is our time.
Yours For The Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Pastors and the Providence of God
Providence is God’s guidance and protection in our lives. Pastor, I know we teach about His providence to God’s people regularly. We counsel people with a deep belief and conviction about God’s guidance and protection through life. Yet, when it comes to our own lives and ministries, do we believe it with the same level of conviction and operate our lives accordingly?
A great lesson I have learned about God’s providence
I have often struggled with understanding many things in my own life and ministry. I have wondered why certain doors have closed when I thought their opening would be the will of God. Conversely, I have often been overwhelmed with God’s gracious blessing of opening doors for me that I know I do not deserve. After all these years it is still hard to write them in confession to you: but I understand that God knows what is best for me, even when I do not know what is best for myself. Yes, He protects me from things I may want or believe, when in reality, they are not best for me.
Trusting God’s sovereign will
The Lord is always working around us. He desires to work through us. People, places, provisions, and experiences are all under His guidance and care. When He desires to intersect them into your life, you will see His sovereign will fulfilled. Therefore, by faith we must be about trusting God’s sovereign will. We want to join Him in all He is doing. As He invites us to join Him, trust Him. He is worthy to be trusted.
Therefore pastor friend, how do we trust the providence of God in ministry?
1: Trust in His providence even when things are not going well.
Ministry is not an easy calling or job. Most pastors I know are under the scrutiny of people continually. They are weary from constant criticism and cutting cynicism. Many wonder if their future is in jeopardy. Often times, they live on the edge from one month to the next, hoping and praying for revival or deliverance!
Pastor, God has not forgotten you. He is with you. He wants to teach you.
I will never forget one of the most challenging times I ever faced in ministry. Through that experience God showed me that He had me in that particular place in life to teach me. He had me there more for me than for the church! This overwhelmed me with conviction from the Spirit of God. I learned through that experience, and many times since, that He guides, protects, and provides even when things are not going well. Trust in God’s sovereign will for your life.
2: Trust in His providence even when you do not want to.
So many times in life, we want to take our life and ministry in our own hands. We want to manipulate the circumstances or spin our own reality. If we want to be honest with one another, there are times when we struggle with anger about what we are experiencing and even with where we may be serving. In the ministry, jealousy can even override our judgment at times because others are receiving recognition that we believe we are more worthy of receiving. In reality, all may line up on our sheet of unfairness.
Yet, we must trust in God’s sovereign will. At times, trusting Him and His will may be far more difficult than trying to take matters into our own hands. Trusting God in ministry involves surrendering our entire life and future to Him! We have to take our hands off of our own future, leaving all of our future in His hands. Pastor, trust in God’s sovereign will for your life.
3: Trust in His providence for your future
Pastor friend, trust in God’s providence for your future in life and ministry. He knows what is best for you even when you do not know what is best for your life. He is more involved with you personally than you even realize. He is moving in the world of today in order to prepare you for the world of tomorrow.
I believe God has big plans for your life and future. No, you may not see it right now, but He is preparing you for them. Do not try to dumb-down God into your perspective of the world. He sees the end from the beginning. He knows every gift in your life that He Himself gifted you with. At the right time, He will raise you up and trust you with your future. Pastor, practice what you teach and preach.
It all begins with you:
*Being available to God without placing any restrictions on your life
*Surrendering yourself and all you are to Him, holding nothing back
*Trusting in God’s sovereign, providential will for your life and ministry
Trust God’s providential guidance and care for your life and ministry,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.