Archive for July, 2018
This Week at Cross Church | Summer Updates
Over 2,300 in Vacation Bible Xtreme and Over 200 at Middle School Camp
The Lord is moving at Cross Church this summer! We saw over 2,300 people involved in Vacation Bible Xtreme on all of our campuses and over 200 involved in Middle School Camp. Through VBX, we saw 116 come to faith in Christ and of these, 23 have already been baptized, advancing in their new-found faith walk. Through our Middle School Camp, 19 came to faith in Christ and of these, 10 have been baptized and are also advancing in their new-found faith walk. Follow-up is continuing with all of these new followers of Jesus Christ. Thank you, staff and Dream Teams, for making both of these ministry events last week powerful and life-changing! We are making disciples and teaching them what Jesus says in His Word.
Over 50 New Students are Registered for the Cross Church School of Ministry, Kicking off in August
Our Cross Church School of Ministry prepares leaders for life, ministry, and gospel advancement globally. On Sunday, August 5, we will graduate 21 Ministry Residents from our 2017-18 program and send them out to advance the gospel. When we have a new class of Ministry Residents come into our ministry on August 19, 2018, we will have 52 new full-time staff members who will engage with us for one year as we pour into, teach, and empower them to launch out in ministry advancement globally. Our upcoming sixth class will be our largest ever, and we give God the glory.
The Holy Land was Powerful!
As you know, we just returned from the Holy Land on Saturday evening. The Holy Land trip was powerful! It was so engaging. It is a rapid-fire few days that challenge you to think and call you to a different level spiritually. I could go on and on, but the Lord reminded me of something so needed, that I wrote about it yesterday in an article entitled, Praying for the Needs of Others. I hope you will read it. I think you will be encouraged.
God is Calling Us to Give Weekly to and Through This Great Church!
As you know, I am deeply passionate about the subject of generosity. I call out to God each day for the Lord to bless you financially! I believe as we honor God with the first tenth and more and give it to and through our own local church, the nations will be blessed to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Last week in Israel was a great reminder of how much the world needs Jesus Christ. Therefore, Cross Church, wherever you are across the world, make sure each week you give to and through Cross Church to reach the world with the gospel, beginning right here in Northwest Arkansas. Your giving supports what we have already written about today in children and young teens coming to Jesus and being discipled, as well as the dire need to equip and launch the next generation of spiritual leaders into ministry. You cannot out-give God, so please always remember: Regardless of how much you shovel out to God, His shovel is bigger than yours! You cannot out give Him!
See you Sunday,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Praying for the Needs of Others
Last Saturday evening, Jeana and I returned from Israel, the Holy Land. When we take groups to Israel, we always offer to pray for others in the Garden of Gethsemane.
So, on Tuesday morning, July 10, in rapid fire before the Lord, we called out the personal needs of a few hundred people who sent requests. When we finished this hour in the Garden of Gethsemane, I told Jeana I was absolutely exhausted. Even though it was not even mid-morning, the process of prayer exhausted me. Why? Prayer is hard work, especially when you carry the burdens of so many. Jeana said I was exhausted because I preached my praying that day, calling out to God with such great intensity.
Going through this list reminded me of the dire need to pray for others.
When We Pray for Others, the Walls Begin to Fall Down
Attending and speaking at the 2018 Epicenter Prayer Summit in Jerusalem on July 11 and 12 also reminded me of the powerful need for and the experience of praying for others.
As I listened to and prayed with and for leaders who are Palestinian Christians and Messianic Jews, I heard and witnessed powerful stories of how prayer has torn the walls down between their people and their desire to make a difference in Israel, the Middle East, and beyond. When we pray for the needs of others, including the needs of their churches, the walls of division come down.
This kind of praying takes us beyond ourselves and onto the needs of others. Therefore friend, pray for the needs of others.
Pastors, Church Leaders, and Laypeople, Move Your Church to Pray for the Needs of Others More Effectively
This is something each of us can do better. Not only personally, but in our own church. I have great interest in how my own church can learn to do this more effectively.
Therefore, I am taking this challenge. I am asking my staff team to take this challenge. I am asking our church leaders to take this challenge. I am asking you to take this challenge. Let’s develop intentional and effective ways to pray for the needs of others.
The sole purpose of the Church Prayer Leaders Network, a new ministry of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, is to help churches pray more effectively and help disciple and motivate their people to pray. Check it out at prayerleader.com.
This is what Jesus would do. Let’s be like Jesus today.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.