Archive for October, 2017
This Week at Cross Church | Big Day is Coming
Big Day is November 5 at Cross Church
Big plans are being made for Sunday, November 5 on each campus of Cross Church. Plan NOW to be here. SAVE the date for Sunday, November 5, and prepare to be in worship and a small group on this Sunday from the youngest preschooler to the oldest adult. It is our goal to have all members present or accounted for. Therefore, plan to be here and bring someone with you to Cross Church on November 5.
“Home for the Holidays” Series Begins November 5
A special sermon series on the family begins on Sunday, November 5, and takes us through most of December. It is going to be meaningful, personal, and we believe very helpful for each of us. Don’t miss the start of this series on November 5.
Blessing Always Follows Faithfulness
Whenever we are found faithful in our service and in our giving, God will always follow this up with blessing. Faithfulness in the smallest of things to the greatest of things reaps the blessings of God. Will you be faithful? Blessing always follows faithfulness.
- Be faithful to serve, discover your gifts and serve the Lord with gladness
- Be faithful to give, from the first tenth of all God gives you, even moving into the lane of generosity
Be faithful to serve and be faithful to give weekly. You cannot and will never be able to out give or out serve God in your life.
Special One-on-One Podcast Released This Week
This past Tuesday, I released a special podcast from my heart to yours. I did a one-on-one with my listeners. You might find it interesting and intriguing. It is one that really needs to be passed on to your Christian friends globally. You can listen here.
See You Sunday,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
4 Ways I Have Made it Through Difficult Seasons of Ministry
Disappointment leads to discouragement in ministry. As I have shared with pastors before, you must see these times as seasons, meaning they come and go. Nevertheless, how do you make it through the difficult seasons of ministry?
The best way I can share about this subject is to relate how I personally have made it through difficult seasons of ministry. Let me give you four ways I have made it through these seasons.
1. Do not ever neglect your personal time with God daily.
A consistent, daily time with God will help you make it through the difficult seasons of ministry. When your time is based upon the reading of Scripture, time in specific prayer, and even journaling your walk with God, it helps you make it through these seasons of difficulty.
Try your best not to wait for a perfect time to do this each day. It will not exist. Begin your day, every day, with God. I do my time early each day, but the main thing is doing it the first thing every day.
2. Stay in the Bible when you preach.
Refuse to take your disappointment and discouragement to the pulpit with you unless it is a church-wide issue that must be addressed. This rarely happens, so be careful. Oftentimes, pastors take their feelings to the pulpit and before you know it, you are not preaching the Bible to your people, but sharing about things that probably need to be kept within church leadership or even just with you and Jesus.
Satan will do all he can to get you away from the Word, not only personally, but in your preaching. Stay in the Word when you preach. Years ago, a pastor told me something I have never forgotten: “When you are disappointed, discouraged, or angry with the church, preach on love; when you are full of love, let them have it!” I don’t know about the “let them have it” part, but it is still good counsel every pastor needs to hear. Stay in the Word of God in your preaching!
3. Keep your head down in leading the church.
When a rift happens in the church or when difficulty enters into a season of your ministry, keep your head down in leading the church. Remain focused and refuse to stray away from leading the people to fulfill the missional vision of the church. Do not drift away from the mission.
Seasons of difficulty can really distract the pastor. Do not let them. Great pastors build great churches because they stay focused in leading the church. In the good times and in the bad times… lead!
4. Take time away from the church weekly.
When troubled and difficult times come, we often think that if we work hard enough, they will go away. Unquestionably, we need to work hard, but we also need to walk with wisdom. Take your day off weekly. Do not neglect it.
Do not minimize taking time away from the church weekly. And when vacation time comes, take time away.
Pastor, you can make it. God is with you. I am pulling for you.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.