Archive for the 'This Week at Cross Church' Category
This Week at Cross Church | Home from the Holy Land & Marching forward
Praise God for safe travels to and from Israel!
Wednesday morning our group of 41 returned safely from the trip of a lifetime. We are tired and we are happy to be back home in the Razorback Nation, but I assure you this tour group of 41 people, Jeana and I included, will never forget the history and Bible lessons that the Holy Land has to offer.
The Cross Church tour was under the direction of Avi Shemesh, an Israeli tour guide with a deep knowledge of the Bible and the history of the Holy Land — and a man that I call my friend. Avi led our group to sites in the seaport city of Caesarea, on the top of Mount Carmel overlooking the Valley of Armageddon, across the Sea of Galilee, in Jesus’ boyhood town of Nazareth, and finally in Jerusalem.
Walking where He walked, praying where He prayed
While in Jerusalem our group was fortunate to take a day to walk the Palm Sunday Path just as Jesus did so long ago. We descended from the Mount of Olives, stopping to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, then crossed the Kidron Valley, and traveled up through the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem toward the area of the ancient temple. I especially valued our time in the Garden of Gethsemane. Jeana and I prayed for each of you that submitted a prayer request. For over an hour we prayed for you by name, calling on the Lord to work in your lives according to His will. Cross Church family, I love you and it was an honor to pray for you in such a Holy place.
Our tour group was blessed to have five Shiloh Christian students along for this adventure. It was a pleasure to watch these high school students see with their eyes what they have studied and have been faithfully taught for so many years — the bible came alive for these young leaders!
Marching Onward
My fellow travelers and I have absorbed so much in these last 10 days, but we are thrilled to be reunited with our Cross Church family and preparing for the many great days ahead. In the coming weeks we have a special opportunity to spend time together marking the special days between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, an eight-day time we are calling Passion Week. Our ministry team and worship teams are preparing a Christ-honoring series of Passion Week events that you and your family will benefit from.
Cross Church family, be at every Passion Week that your schedule allows for and invite those around you to join you. Find a full schedule of Passion Week events here.
Additionally, many of you received a mailer with an update on our GREATER THINGS giving campaign. If you are new to Cross Church, or just not familiar with GREATER THINGS, this is a three-year program (March finishes year two) that provides resources for great missional and ministry opportunities above and beyond our ministry budget allocated, click here for detailed information on the Gospel impact that your GREATER THINGS giving is making in Northwest Arkansas, America and the Word! I look forward to seeing you this Lord’s Day!
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
This Week at Cross Church | Walking where Jesus walked, Resurrection Sunday & Spring Break
Cross Church family, I write to you today from His Land, the Holy Land in Israel. Jeana and I are pleased to be leading a tour group through this historic and precious country. Most of those here with us are members of our fellowship and all are brand new to the Holy Land—what a thrill! Additionally, some members of our Pastoral Team are here with me. It is a blessing to share this experience with these men, all of them seeing, for the first time the land where Jesus once walked and taught.
Today, we praised Him as we crossed the Sea of Galilee and visited the ancient fishing village of Capernaum where Jesus taught and performed a miracle. We have also witnessed the place of the Beatitudes, then the events of John 21 and Jesus’ pursuit of Peter’s love, and then ended up at the Jordan River administering baptism to some. I am thankful to return to the Holy Land, especially this close to Easter. As I remember the life of Christ from the other side of the world, I encourage you to start to prepare your heart for Easter.
Preparing yourself for Passion Week:
Resurrection Sunday, March 31, is fast approaching. I’ve told you already that the Cross Church Passion Week events will be unlike any week in the history of our church. Every member and element of our ministry teams’ work, at each campus, is focused on preparing these events in an effort to impact Northwest Arkansas through the sharing of the story of His death, His burial, and His resurrection.
Find a full schedule of Passion Week events here
Cross Church family, be at every Passion Week that your schedule allows for and invite those around you to join you. This will be a week not soon forgotten.
Honoring Christ during Spring Break:
Whether we are here or away on spring break, please do these things:
- Pray for your church and our worship services
- Give your financial offerings of the first-tenth and above BEFORE you leave or give online here
- Connect online in worship for our services here
In the coming days, many of our families will be participating in Cross Church missionary journeys as part of Spring Break. Our ministers will be leading Cross Church teams to reach the lost in Haiti, Malawi, New Orleans, and Los Angeles.
Pray that these groups, traveling near and far, will have a Gospel impact and continue our church mission of “Reaching Northwest Arkansas, America, and the world for Jesus Christ.”
To our families remaining in Arkansas during Spring Break, please be faithful with your Sunday morning attendance and support. I challenge you to think how the Lord might use you and your family this year during Spring Break – perhaps you’ll challenge yourself to bring a guest to Sunday service, take the opportunity to serve at the campus you attend or at our Compassion Center.
Sunday we continue through the book of Acts:
This Sunday, Dr. Jeff Crawford will be leading our Springdale and Pinnacle Hills campuses in my absence. Dr. Crawford, along with Dr. Nick Floyd, Dr. Andy Goode and Doug Sarver will be moving each of our campuses onward through the book of Acts. This weekend these men will be unpacking Act 2:41-47, a dynamic selection that we will study for the next two Sundays. What we learn will impact your life and future as a Christ-follower and a member of the Cross Church family.
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.