Archive for May, 2018
The Power of Love is Needed Right Now in the American Church
This past Saturday, the world watched Britain’s Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, an American actress, unite in marriage in their captivating royal wedding.
Michael Bruce Curry, an Episcopalian Bishop from the United States, delivered the message at the wedding. He quoted the powerful words of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who once said, “We must discover the power of love, the redemptive power of love. And when we discover that, we will be able to make of this old world a new world. Love is the only way.”
On This Side of the Pond
While the royal wedding was happening, on this side of the pond, our hearts were breaking from another evil shooting in one of America’s schools, resulting in ten people killed and an additional ten wounded. This time, the shooting occurred on Friday, May 18, in the Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas.
From South Florida to Southeast Texas, this evil knows no boundaries.
What is the answer?
Love Can Help and Heal When Nothing Else Can
As Bishop Curry stated in the royal wedding on Saturday, “There’s power in love. Do not underestimate it.” After quoting from I John 4, reminding everyone to love one another, he later spoke these powerful words, “Love can help and heal when nothing else can.”
It is love like this that will not just hold a marriage together, but it is love like this that has the power to mend over time the broken hearts and lives from the devastation of a school shooting.
While the World is Breaking, the Church in America Needs to Rise Together in This Kind of Love
Since the power of God’s love can help and heal the brokenhearted, the Church in America needs to become so immersed in this love, individually and collectively, that we rise to offer this kind of love in the world today.
The Church in America is facing challenges at every level. At times social media amplifies them before the world. I fully realize these challenges cannot be ignored or minimized. I have never been timid or fearful in dealing with any of them, and I certainly am not now.
Yet, there is a right way to deal with these problems, and it is through the power of love.
The power of love has seen us through problems before and the power of love will see us through again.
Love leads to unity, not division. Love keeps everyone in mind, not just ourselves. Love respects and honors all people.
While this world is breaking before our eyes and making promises it cannot keep, the entire Church in America needs to rise together in love in order to give this world the only thing we can give them that will last forever… the love of Jesus Christ.
When we present this love, it must be real within us individually, but it also must be experienced between us as a family dynamically. This kind of love changes everything.
Let Love Be Our Way Forward
Our world cannot afford for us to be sidelined because of our attitudes. Our world needs us, but more than us, it needs the gospel of Jesus Christ that we are called to advance to every corner of this universe.
Therefore, let love be your way forward. Never let anyone outside of your circle of love.
As Christ followers, we do not just believe in the sanctity of human life, but also in the dignity of human life; that is treating each other in the right way while we are on this earth.
Jesus prayed for us to be one, “so that the world may believe you sent me.” John 17:21
Therefore, let love be our way forward. Through our issues and through our problems, let love prevail through them all.
God’s way is the always the right way. God’s way is always through love.
Regardless of differences, love is still the way forward. We do need to rediscover the way of love, the redemptive power of love. Let love be our way forward.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
President, National Day of Prayer
‘The Power of Love’: address by U.S. bishop at Harry and Meghan’s wedding from Reuters
*******
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, President of the National Day of Prayer, and founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry.
To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.
Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
This Week at Cross Church | Summer at Cross Church
$6 Million Budget Goal for Summer
From Sunday, May 27, through Sunday, September 2, our 15-week summer budget goal is $6 million. This includes up to $200,000 in scholarships for all camps. Our individual focus needs to be kept on:
- Personal weekly giving, regardless of vacations or travel this summer
- Honoring God with the first tenth and more of all He gives to us weekly
If each of us will do these two things, with the thousands that attend and connect with us weekly at Cross Church, we will more than reach this $6 million goal. It comes down to our own personal stewardship before the Lord weekly. Outrageous generosity is our goal!
Jeana and I, along with hundreds of other church members, give weekly through recurring giving. You can adjust it anytime you desire, and it simplifies your life, especially in the summer. You can learn about it here.
Two-Hour, Full HD Version of the National Observance of the National Day of Prayer
This week, we released the full two-hour HD version of the National Observance of the National Day of Prayer. As I led this dynamic gathering, we heard outstanding biblical teachers and communicators like Priscilla Shirer, Sammy Rodriguez, and H. B. Charles Jr. We also heard powerful worship songs led by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Singers, engaging, interactive prayer times and powerful, individual prayers led by Bishop Harry Jackson and Negeil Bigpond. This will encourage you, your Bible Study, small group, friends, and families. Please watch and share it with friends and family all over the world. You can read some of my own reflections here.
It was a Special Mother’s Day at Cross Church
Sunday was a special day at Cross Church—Mother’s Day! Here are a few pictures of some of our moms from all of our campuses:
Sign Up Your Children for One of Our Summer Camps and VBX
Summer is just around the corner, and that means our Kidz Camp, Student Camps, and VBX are not far away. Do not miss these opportunities for your students. Go to the camps page to sign up for all camps, and sign up here for VBX on your campus.
- June 11-14– Kidz Camp: Camp Siloam, Siloam Springs, Arkansas. For children who have completed grades 2-5
- June 24-29– Beach Camp: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For students who have completed grades 8–12
- July 9-12– Middle School Camp: Sky Ranch, Oklahoma. For students who have completed grades 6-7
- July 9-12 – VBX 2018 – grades K-5
See You Sunday,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.