Archive for the 'This Week at Cross Church' Category
This Week At Cross Church | A special anniversary, our Summer Freedom Celebration, and the Summer Program of Giving
Five years ago, the Lord brought a man to walk beside me who had been an active lay person in our church since my third Sunday here as Pastor. Andy and Becky Wilson joined our fellowship, and raised their daughter, Andrea, in our fellowship. In 2008, Andy came to Cross Church as our Executive Leader of Ministry and Operations after a historic 25-year career with Walmart Stores, Inc. His last 6 years at Walmart, he was the Vice President – People Division, Human Resources, for all domestic store operations. Following his early retirement from Walmart, Andy joined Don Soderquist and served as CEO of the Soderquist Center for Leadership & Ethics.
Andy has been a joy, an encouragement, a prayer warrior, a great brother in Christ to me, and I love he and Becky. Together they have been a wonderful encouragement to Jeana and me. On Sunday, we will thank them for their first five years with us. Please express your gratitude to God for them. In fact, email Andy a word right now: andyw@crosschurch.com
This Sunday at Cross Church
I am eager to return to the pulpit this Sunday and share a message based upon the life of Peter. In Acts 12 we see how God used this ordinary man, Peter, to do some extraordinary things for the Kingdom. In Peter we see a man that ultimately became one of the most influential followers of Christ and faithful men in the entire New Testament church. So, join us Sunday morning as we continue our mini-series on iNFLUENCE.
Summer Freedom Celebration: Fear Not, America!
Be sure to join your Cross Church family and me on Sunday, June 30, for our annual Summer Freedom Celebration. We will honor America, the men and women who currently serve or have served our country, and celebrate the hope we have in Jesus Christ. For this special Sunday, the Cross Church Worship Ministry has prepared a collection of wonderful patriotic songs and Gospel-centered hymns. I am eager to share with you an important message, “Fear Not, America!,” which will, prayerfully, encourage us all to remember that we have hope for our world, our nation, our church, and our lives through Jesus Christ.
Also on Sunday, June 30, our 6th annual Fireworks at the Crosses event is taking place at our Pinnacle Hills location. Bring your family and friends to this evening of spectacular fun. We’ll have live music, outdoor baptisms, and an outstanding display of fireworks at sundown.
Invite, Invite, Invite
Our Sunday morning Summer Freedom Celebration and Sunday evening Fireworks at the Crosses events are ideal opportunities for you to extend an invitation to your friends and family to join you at church. In the next two weeks, please invite people to join you for these special events. People will come — therefore, invite, invite, and invite!
Summer Program of Giving Continues
I’ve already shared with you the importance of maintaining your tithe during the summer months. During the 15-weeks of summer, Cross Church has very specific ministries in the community, camps for students and children, and much more — each funded through our Summer Program of Giving. Our Summer Program of Giving goal is $4,665,000 — an amount that will ensure the financial operation of the campuses and ministries of Cross Church.
Remember that while you and much of the church family will travel at some point over the summer, the ministry of the church continues forward. This summer is a great time to activate automated giving, which is easy to set-up and maintain, or give online from wherever you are around the world.
Already this summer our church ministries have seen God move in mighty ways. I’ve heard phenomenal reports on our middle school camp in Oklahoma and VBX events at our Springdale and Fayetteville campuses. Our high school students head for summer camp next week and our Pinnacle Hills campus is preparing to host their VBX event in early July, let us all pray that these children and young men and women experience Christ while at these special events.
I trust that I will see you this Sunday.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
This Week at Cross Church | Convention Update, Baptism at the Crosses, and Summer Activities
Cross Church family,
What a week it has been! Several members of your Cross Church ministry team joined me in attending the Pastors’ Conference and the Southern Baptist Convention Annual Meeting in Houston, Texas. God moved mightily during the days of the Pastors’ Conference and the Annual Meeting. I left encouraged by the many issues and things that were discussed. God is moving among the churches of America — including Cross Church — and we are so blessed.
My Involvement at the SBC Annual Meeting
On Tuesday, June 11, 2013, I presented a motion to the convention about the issue of ministering to those dealing with mental health challenges. My motion requested that the Executive Committee and the entities of the SBC work in cooperation to assist local churches in finding ways to minister to those suffering from mental health issues.
I feel so strongly about this issue — so many people in our church, community, and region are coping with mental illness. Did you know that 58 million Americans and 450 million people globally suffer with the enormous challenges presented by mental illness? My motion appealed to the SBC to be passionately pro-active about this concern and to start dialoging about ways to minister to those dealing with mental illness in a positive, hopeful manner.
So what happened? The Committee on Order of Business determined to refer my motion to the Executive Committee and the 11 entities of the SBC for consideration. I was asked to speak to the Convention for three minutes about the subject of mental illness, which I did. The good news is that yesterday the SBC messengers overwhelmingly approved a resolution. The approved resolution urges Southern Baptists to “oppose all stigmatization and prejudice” and supports “the wise use of medical intervention for mental health concerns when appropriate.”
As always, God is in control. It is my prayer that entire SBC will stand for and reach out to those struggling with mental illness.
Baptism at the Crosses
On the evening of June 30, all four Cross Church campuses will gather together for our annual “Fireworks at the Crosses” at our Pinnacle Hills campus. During this time you have an opportunity to take part in Believers Baptism in the outdoor baptistry located at the base of our three crosses. Every year I have the pleasure of joyfully baptizing many of my Brothers and Sisters in Christ at this phenomenal event. If you have trusted Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, but have not been baptized, the time is NOW to follow the Lord’s commandment and make your commitment public. Click here for more information.
Summer Activities for Children, Youth, and Students
This week our Springdale and Fayetteville campuses welcomed hundreds of children into their Vacation Bible Xtreme events. Thank you to our staff, summer interns, and army of volunteers that made these Gospel-centered events so special for our children. Parents can still register their children for the Cross Church Pinnacle Hills VBX, July 8-12, click here for registration.
Additionally our Middle School Camp started yesterday. Lets pray that each of our middle school students experience God in a special way while away at summer camp. Please note that Sunday is the last day to sign up for Student Camp, and Kidz Kamp is just around the corner. Summer camp details can be found here.
This Sunday, as a church family we will continue our mini-series on iNFLUENCE. Join us as we study the influence of Peter from Acts 10. I hope you are enjoying our walk through the Book of Acts, I know I enjoy the many powerful lessons and messages that the Book of Acts holds.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.