Archive for April, 2014
Big Weekend Here and Beyond
This past weekend was big here in Northwest Arkansas and beyond! We are truly grateful to God for all He did last week and this past Easter weekend.
Passion Week and Easter Weekend
I must express my deep gratitude to each of our volunteers for all you did last week at Cross Church. You are amazing! You know who you are, so please know I am grateful.
Additionally, our staff team served valiantly! From Easter in the Community, to Passion Week luncheons, Friday night’s extraordinary performance by our Worship Ministry, and our 15 Easter weekend services, God demonstrated Himself strong among us. I am thankful to God for His work and for each of our staff team members.
Easter Weekend News from Our Church Plants
The Lord moved through our church plants across North America in a great way. Your investment in the gospel has paid great dividends. Thank you, Cross Church!
For example, at Cross Church Maine, located in Portland, they had their highest attendance since their January launch. There were 210 people present, with over 100 guests. Several people came to Christ! This is extraordinary in this highly secular environment. We are so grateful to God for Dr. Aaron and Kathy Werner.
Another example is what God did this past weekend through Pastor Doug Hixson and his wife, Dana. He is the Pastor of the Connection Church in Spearfish, South Dakota. This is still a fairly new church plant. Listen to what your investment did for the gospel in South Dakota. Pastor Hixson writes:
We had 300+ in Spearfish. We think maybe 315, but it is hard to count in our new space. Belle Fourche had 140 and Sioux Falls had 43. That is right at 500 between the three. Four years ago when we launched Spearfish we had 50, so we saw God expand our territory 10 fold in four years.
Praise God for all He is doing! What a miracle!
Where Do We Go From Here?
Most importantly, we move forward to this coming Sunday, expecting God to meet with us powerfully. We are very excited about our new series on HOPE. This coming week, our message will be “Hope Through Judgment.” I sure hope you do not miss it. This series will provide some great moments! Join us!
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Pastors Praying With Other Pastors
There is nothing like seeing pastors praying with other pastors. I just returned from Little Rock, Arkansas, where I led a prayer gathering for 304 Arkansas pastors, church staff members, and ministry leaders. In light of this, I am reminded again of the value of praying with other pastors.
Prayer between pastors is needed
Every Christian needs someone to pray with from time to time. This experience is valuable, especially if you pray with someone who takes prayer seriously. Pastors have a unique need to pray with other pastors.
We need prayer. We believe in prayer. We need people to pray for us and with us.
Prayer binds pastors with other pastors
No one understands pastors like another pastor. The size of a church is really not a big deal to a pastor who walks before God humbly. Whether we preach to 25, 2,500, or 25,000 people a week, we all face challenges, criticism, and discouragement.
Prayer with another pastor binds us together. I have seen hundreds of pastors praying with other pastors, and I promise you, they form a strong bond between them.
Prayer with another pastor creates vision
When a man of God prays for me, my vision is enlarged. Why? Because pastors impart vision through their prayer. They help us to believe again that God can do anything, any time, anywhere.
Personally, I love to pray with and for other pastors. When I have the opportunity, I do my best to pray for their vision. Pastors get discouraged. Nothing moves a pastor out of discouragement more quickly than visionary, believing prayer.
Prayer with another pastor will empower your ministry
The Holy Spirit uses prayer with another pastor to empower our ministry. Rarely do pastors ask other pastors to pray with them. There is something about pastors that we try to make it alone for as long as possible. Yet, this is not God’s desire for any of us.
Be willing to acknowledge your need for other pastors to pray for you. Do not be ashamed, but embrace the power of prayer by asking other pastors to pray for you.
I am a big believer in men of God praying for other men of God. I need it. You need it. We need it. Why? It will empower your ministry like nothing else!
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.