Archive for July, 2013
What God is Doing
I am often asked, “What is God doing in your church?” I want to take an opportunity for fellow Pastors and Christian Leaders, but also for our Cross Church family to talk about what I believe God is doing.
God uses people, yet God alone gets all the glory. Therefore, all I share with you has to do with God’s movement to extend His glory through His people called Cross Church.
God is Getting Us Ready
I believe God is getting us ready for His mightiest move yet through Cross Church. His leadership for us to walk through the book of Acts in 2013 is all a part of getting us ready. He is creating an appetite through this powerful study for us to see Him do great and mighty things.
This coming Sunday, we continue our series on Acts with a mini-series from Acts called, “When Jesus Comes To Church”. This coming Sunday, we will preach our 18th message from Acts since January. As I teach through an extended book like Acts, along the way we lift up a section, categorizing it as a mini-series.
For example, as the “When Jesus Comes To Church” miniseries is communicated, our people will learn this is a basic study on the work of God through the Church at Antioch. While much was done through the Antioch church, for five weeks we will look at the movement of God and what happens through the Antioch church. This will be a study on Acts 11-15, understanding these chapters are not related to Antioch alone.
As God continues to put upon me the need to create and release a new prayer ministry here at Cross Church, this is all part of God getting us ready. God is moving cross-generationally. God is getting us ready for His mightiest work through us in the history of our church.
God’s Movement in These Days is Supernatural
Through a seven-day period of time, we saw 175 people baptized to the glory of God. Part of this movement was day-to-day movement through our church. Part of it was a very supernatural movement of God at our High School Student Camp in Florida, where sixty of these baptisms occurred. This is highly unusual compared to camps before. Additionally, the 101 people baptized at the foot of the Crosses on Sunday night at our “Fireworks At The Crosses” is amazing. Only God could do all of these things.
This means that our church, in the first 45 weeks of our Church Year, has already baptized over 1,095 people. This is only seven people less than our all-time record year of baptisms in 2012. Therefore, if the Lord does not come back before Sunday, Cross Church will see a second consecutive record-breaking year in baptisms, all to the glory of God.
Some would say it is not about numbers. I would agree, except for one thing: each number represents a person, and each person represents a story. You see, each time you hear us mention a number, we are talking about a person; a person who has a story about the power of the Gospel in their life.
One other note which I could never minimize: last week, God called fourteen of our people to full-time ministry and missions! Wow, this is exciting and supernatural. They each had leanings about their future or career, but now everything has changed. God has altered their future to extend His glory globally.
Cross Church is Healthy
Those who know me well realize I have a pretty strong commitment to health and fitness. There are seasons of life where fitness may exceed your emphasis over health, and at times, it is the other way around. As any church or family, Cross Church has gone through the ups and downs of health.
Let me report to you in case you happen to be wondering: Cross Church is healthy. We are not perfect, but we are healthy. The fellowship is strong and unified, and our mission is clear and compelling. The healthier we become, the more we are seeing the movement of God increasing. Pray for Cross Church to be healthy. The healthier we are, the more fruitful we will become.
What is God doing through Cross Church?
One Thing . . . God is extending His glory throughout the world.
One Final Thing
An estimated 10,000 people were at our “Fireworks At The Crosses,” celebrating an amazing country called America. People still love America.
Don’t forget that. They are still moved to tears during the National Anthem and any recognition of our veterans of the armed forces.
Happy 237th Birthday, America! On July 4, we celebrate you!
Father, thank you for America and for letting me live in this great nation.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Resolving Conflict and Living in Peace with One Another
One incredible blessing of knowing Christ is the peace knowing Him brings. The “peace that passes understanding” is real and available to every believer.
It seems, though, that Satan will do almost everything to destroy the peace God’s children are promised. Whether through accusations, harassment, or false guilt, as a roaring lion he still seeks those he might devour.
Conflict Destroys Unity
One thing Satan uses to help break the peace in the lives of Christians is conflict between them. If Satan can entice believers into conflict, especially open conflict, unity in the body is destroyed.
In the Book of Philippians, Paul mentioned two women, Euodia and Syntyche, urging them “to agree in the Lord” (4:2). The source of their disagreement is not mentioned nor is the outcome of his request. The rift was so troublesome Paul asked for someone he calls a “true partner” to “help these women who have contended for the gospel at my side.”
Here were two believers – followers of Christ, laborers in the gospel – separated by conflict. I do not think it an accident that Paul closely follows this plea with a promise of God’s peace. “Don’t worry about anything,” he says, “but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Conflict and Peace Do Not Lightly Co-exist
In those celebrated times when Christmas is celebrated during a war, with both sides observing a cease-fire, each knows conflict is only hours away. More often the “peace” is not peace at all; it is merely a lull in hostilities.
In much the same way, Satan exploits our natural tendency to selfishness. Conflict comes and peace flees. Worry, anxiety and frustration are all fruits of conflict.
But, do you notice anything? Those are not the fruit of the Spirit. Those would be love, joy, longsuffering, faith and peace. Where there is conflict, the fruit of the Spirit is gone because the Spirit has been quenched. We cannot pretend to embrace the “peace of God that passes all understanding” while in conflict.
Turmoil, fighting, conflict, hatred, bitterness and the rest are not signs of the Kingdom.
It is significant that Jesus, in His most well known address, “The Sermon on the Mount,” specifically mentions those who make peace: “The peacemakers are blessed, for they will be called the sons of God” (Matthew 5:9). This means those of us not involved in conflict have a responsibility to assist those who are. In this, we reflect the people for whom the Prince of Peace gave His life and promises His peace.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church Northwest Arkansas General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.