Pastors Un-Cut: A Conversation About the Future of Ministry Preparation
I recently sat down with Dr. Jeff Crawford, the president of our Cross Church School of Ministry, and Dr. Nick Floyd, teaching pastor at Cross Church Fayetteville. We had a powerful discussion about the Cross Church School of Ministry. What it is? How it’s different? Why it’s needed? etc. I asked our video team to come along because I knew that we would talk about things the larger church community needs to hear. The faithful giving of our Cross Church members make visions like the Cross Church School of Ministry come to fruition. Thank you for your generosity!
And so I want to invite you to join us now and listen in to this important conversation…
This Week at Cross Church: Sunday Kicks Off Passion Week and Easter Weekend is the Climax!
My Cross Church family, this Sunday is BIG! On Sunday we kick off Passion Week, an eight-day experience that will highlight events that took place during the final week of Jesus’ life. I want you to take time to review all I have written below, but before you do it, please know that everything leads to the climax of Passion Week: Easter weekend worship!
By the way, whom are you inviting to one of our Easter Weekend services? Please be intentional in the coming days and invite, invite, invite others! As you prepare to attend one of the services offered at the campus you attend regularly, pray for that service and invite others to join you.
As I said earlier, it all starts Sunday, March 24. So what will take place throughout Passion Week?
Palm Sunday, March 24:
On Palm Sunday, we will study “The Lord’s Supper: Remembering the Gospel of Jesus Christ” from Matthew 26:26-30, then we will observe the Lord’s Supper.
Monday, March 25 – Friday, March 29:
For five days, Monday through Friday, we will provide a noonday experience for our church members and the community. Each Passion Week luncheon will include a meal, a 10-minute worship experience through singing, followed by a 35-minute biblical message.
Over these five days, we will study the following . . .
Monday, March 25: “The Garden of Gethsemane: Jesus Christ Preparing to Die”
Tuesday, March 26: “The Betrayal of Judas and the Kiss of Death”
Wednesday, March 27: “The Denials of Peter and his Deep Regret”
Thursday, March 28: “The Scourging of Jesus Christ and the Final Hours Before His Death”
Friday, March 29: “The Crucifixion and The Death of Jesus Christ”
I encourage you attend as many of these luncheons as your schedule permits. Each day will be powerful and hold a special message. Purchase Passion Week lunch tickets here.
Also, daily shuttles will run from our Springdale and Fayetteville-Wedington Drive campuses to the Passion Week lunches. Free shuttle reservations can be made by calling 751-4523 (Springdale) or 695-5200 (Fayetteville).
Friday evening, March 29:
On Friday evening the Cross Church Worship Ministry will present “Reflecting on the Death and Burial of Jesus Christ” at our Pinnacle Hills campus. This will be a very solemn, dignified, and serious service that will lead us to remembering the death of Jesus Christ. On this evening, we will have a very powerful worship experience with the Cross Church worship choirs, which will be accompanied by the Symphony of Northwest Arkansas. Interweaving in this solemn service, I will lead us to meditate upon the life of Jesus Christ, focusing on the death of Jesus Christ, and then concluding with a talk about the burial of Jesus Christ.
Cross Church, this Friday evening experience will have a very unique climate and feel. We will even request you to not bring applause at any time during the service. We will be there to meditate on the death and burial of Jesus Christ. As we walk out, our hearts will be prepared to worship our Risen King on Easter weekend.
Saturday Night, March 30 and Sunday Morning, March 31:
On Easter weekend, at the 14 worship services across our four campuses, we will study “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ From The Dead” from Matthew 27:62–65; 28:1–15.
Those who walk with us through Passion Week will move from solemnity to celebration. On this coming Easter weekend, our people will have the most dynamic experience they have ever had during the Passion Week. We will see the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ because we have more fully understood the death and burial of Jesus Christ.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie Floyd