Archive for October, 2017
This Week at Cross Church | Reaching the Nations from NWA
First Baptist Church Siloam Springs Determines to Remain as They Are
On Sunday evening, the First Baptist Church of Siloam Springs voted to remain as they are presently. Therefore, they will not become a campus of Cross Church. We receive their decision and bless them in their future as a fellowship. I am grateful to our team for doing all we could to assist First Baptist Church of Siloam Springs during this time. They remain our brothers and sisters in Christ, and we are all working together for the glory of God. The community of Siloam Springs is growing and the opportunity is great. May they seize the day to reach their community for Christ.
Reaching the Nations
From ministry here, throughout America, and the world, Cross Church is committed to reaching the nations. Reaching the people groups of the world begins right here by reaching the people groups in our own region. This takes intentionality and a relentless commitment by our church. In reality, it begins with each of us as we live life throughout this region. Reaching the nations occurs when our church gives weekly. Through the monies given to our church, our church will give $1.2 million over the next fiscal year (now through next September) through the Cooperative Program of the Southern Baptist Convention. We are a church committed to reaching the nations.
New Fayetteville Campus is Advancing
On the southeast side of Wedington Drive at Interstate 49, our new Fayetteville Campus is advancing toward completion. Its presence on the interstate is a powerful testimony of God’s work in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas. Cross Church Fayetteville will open this new campus in the early part of 2018, with a present projection of February. Plans are now being made to launch this campus into its greatest days since its birth almost seven years ago. We will move from parking in six different parking lots on Sundays to one. This reality illustrates the enormous challenges that have been overcome while advancing this campus for the past six years. Pray for this incredible upcoming opportunity.
Faithful Stewardship is Occurring
We are so thankful for the faithful stewardship of our church. Many of our families are deeply committed to honoring the Lord with the first tenth and more. This is important to the lives of each of these families, but also for our church. When we are faithful to follow Scripture, the Lord is always more than faithful to meet our needs. As we grow in our stewardship personally, the church will advance the mission more strategically. Reaching Northwest Arkansas, America and the world is what we are all about here at Cross Church.
Jesus Number One
Our Colossians series continues this Sunday with the second message in our four-part series. Last Sunday, we kicked the series off by teaching through Colossians 1 using the theme Consumed With Jesus. Encourage others to join you this Sunday at Cross Church.
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.