530 and Counting!!

The Student Ministry of CrossPoint is literally soaring to new heights. Last night, a record-setting crowd of 530 students were in Sublime.

Make sure you note that number—530!

That is unprecedented.

This growth spurt has been building for some time. Jason informed me back at the beginning of the summer he could see this coming. Boy was he right.

Jason Motte and his team of leaders are making a huge impact for the kingdom of God in our area. What makes this record-setting night so special is not so much the number, although that is exceedingly great. What makes this night so important is how much the truth of God’s Word is being communicated to these students.

Many of you heard Jason preach for me last July while I was on vacation. Thus you know how solid he is in his preaching and his theology. When Jason speaks, he speaks from God’s Word. Jason is a fun guy and he enjoys laughing and cutting up with students. However, when it comes time to preach Jason preaches the truth. He does not water down his message with cute little stories. Neither does he weaken the truth with high-powered emotionalism. Jason, in many respects, is a theologian who knows how to relate the truth of God’s Word to the life of a teenager.

I am in awe with what God is doing in our student ministry and within our church. We expect to open the second building of Phase II in a very short period of time. The Student Worship Center, which has an estimated capacity of 450 is already too small. This makes me wonder if the rest of the building we think is so big is also getting smaller.

That’s a good problem to have, isn’t it?

Please pray for Jason Motte, his team of leaders and the students in our community who are being exposed to the good news of Jesus Christ.

Lessons from my Son (and Daughter)

Wednesday was a significant day for Vonda and me. It was our son’s first day of college. Although he has not moved out of the house and into a dorm, yet, we were still melancholy this morning. (We think the dorm thing will come next spring or fall. He has to show us more maturity before we give him that much freedom. I will write more on that later, much later).

I know you have heard or read something like this before, but it seems just like yesterday we were at Forest General Hospital in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, celebrating his arrival. Taylor was born on a Tuesday at 3:22 PM. He was 21 inches long, and he weighed eight pounds and five ounces.

That was an incredible day for me. What his arrival did was set into motion a new and unexpected journey for me. You see, prior to his birth I had never before been a father. Sure, I knew something about being a brother, and a few things about being a son and a grandson. I also knew what it meant to be a friend. And, I had picked up a few insights into being a husband, yet prior to August 22, 1989, I knew nothing about being a father.

Since that day, my knowledge in parenting has increased exponentially. And what have I learned? Here are just a few lessons Taylor (and Kelsey) have taught me:

• Don’t sweat the small stuff, and there is plenty of small stuff. Don’t sweat it when the kids marched through the house with mud on their shoes, or when they spill their drink or when they tear their new shorts or when they draw on the wall or when they… Most stuff is small stuff, so don’t sweat it.
• Learn what makes your child tick. Trent and Smalley call this their “love language”. Taylor’s love language is TIME. He needs time with me and with his mother. That is why we took him to lunch today after his first full day of classes. We knew he would want time with us. I could always tell when I was not spending enough time with Taylor because he would become irritable, rude or disobedient. It was at those moments Vonda would suggest, “Why don’t you spend some time with Taylor.” And when I did his attitude and behavior would improve.
• Let your child know who is in charge. Children love to test authority. I think they test authority for two reasons. One, because they are born reprobates with a sinful behavior. The second reason is less forceful. Two, because they want someone to be in charge and they act out to see who it is. Taylor never really had a problem with me being in charge. Sure, he’d pitch a fit every now and then, but for the most part Taylor was and is a compliant child.
• Have fun. I enjoyed a fun childhood filled with many great memories. I wanted my kids to do the same. When he was about two or three, Taylor and I started a tradition called “Daddy Day.” He thought it was a day designed just for him, and in many ways it was. What he doesn’t know was that it actually served as a day for his mother, so she could get some things done around the house. I am so glad we started those “Daddy Days.” He is not too fond of them now because he is so busy, but I think some day he will return to those days perhaps when I need him to care for me.
• Always admit when you are wrong. There have been some times in my parenting when I was wrong. Thank goodness a friend taught me to admit to my children when I was wrong. That is not easy, but by doing so you model for your children how they should admit their faults or mistakes. In the last few years I have been amazed at how much Taylor confesses to his mother and me when he has made a mistake.
• Pray they get caught in every sin they commit. Years ago a friend of ours saw Taylor doing something that was wrong. He was totally surprised we knew about it. When he asked how we found out, we told him we started praying he would get caught in every sin he committed. That is a great prayer to pray for your kids. It is called accountability.

Do what you can with what you have. There are times I have failed miserably as a father, and there are times I have succeeded. All I have tried to do with both my children is the best I could do with what was available to me at the time.

Some day my children will be parents. And when they are, I trust they look back on their childhood days with fond memories and practice some of what they taught me to do.

The Ceremony of the Jersey

I have been focusing on the subject of football lately. I guess it has to do with the fact that college football kicks off in less than two weeks.

Vonda dreads this time of year because I literally get consumed with watching football five nights a week—Thursday thru Monday! Ah, what bliss.

Speaking of football, a very good friend alerted me to the following illustration from Notre Dame’s storied tradition. I am NOT a big fan of Notre Dame. However, I am a big fan of tradition like the one you are about to read. Enjoy.

For generations the Notre Dame name has been synonymous with college football success. The Fighting Irish have stockpiled more national championships, more Heisman Trophies, and more all-Americans than any other school in America. It’s the Fort Knox of college sports. The school’s legendary past is a story Hollywood loves to tell. Only at Notre Dame could Knute Rockne become famous by coaxing his team to “win one for the Gipper.” And through the years they’ve won. But with all that success came high expectations too.

To reinforce those expectations, each spring the Notre Dame coaches gather the team together for The Ceremony of the Jersey. It’s an annual event where each new recruit is presented with the football jersey he’ll be wearing in the upcoming season. At any other school this may have little meaning but at Notre Dame it’s like a visit to a museum. As each player is brought forward, he’s presented with his new jersey as a scroll is read naming each of the legends who’ve worn that number before - their names, achievements, and degrees. The final name on the scroll belongs to the new recruit who’ll be wearing it. The implication is obvious; wear the jersey with distinction, carry on the proud tradition, be worthy of the honor.

In many ways, you and I have been handed a jersey as well. It may not have a number, but it has some blood stains. People like Paul and Timothy, maybe a mom or a dad, maybe a youth pastor or a maybe college friend have worn that jersey. As those who have received God’s grace and are being strengthened by it, our calling today is to pass that jersey on to the next generation.

The jersey of faith that was handed to me has been worn by some incredible individuals. Many of those heroes I only know of by photos or stories shared with me by family. Many others have gone on to the heaven to receive their reward in heaven. Still others serve the Lord here with me on earth.

The blood stained jersey of grace I received includes my grandparents, Charlie and Alice Henley; my parents, Bob Whitley and Alice Rickerson; my brothers, Rhett and Chuck, and my sister, Mona. That list also includes my father and mother-in-law, Wayne and Doris Goodwin, and my wife, Vonda. More members of this elite group include my mentors Bob Barnes and Harry Lucenay; many seminary professors like Joe Cothen, Chuck Kelley, Macklyn Hubbell, Lewis Drummond, Jim Minton, John Harris, and Calvin Miller. There is a list of coaches and teachers who passed on their jersey of faith to me. Then there are my dear friends Buddy Gray, Jimmy Stewart, John Thweatt, & Ron Ethridge. Wow, the list goes on and on and on.

Take a moment to think of those who passed on their jerseys of faith and grace to you. Give thanks for their witness and example. If you would, like take a minute to share the name of one or two people who passed their blood-soaked jersey of faith to you for you to experience.

Now that’s a REAL Coach

Someone called me last week to say that my blog about Coach Bob Finley had been downloaded to the www.hooverforum.com blog. I am not sure who posted it, but apparently they felt like others needed to read my remarks.

While surfing the Hoover Forum blog I discovered Joe Erhman’s webpage, www.buildingmen.org. For those of you who do not know, Joe Erhman is the coach Jeffrey Marx wrote about in the book Season of Life: A Football Story, a Boy, a Journey to Manhood.

Many of you will recognize this book as a Father’s Day gift suggestion I made two or three years ago.

For those of you interested, take a look at this video clip and compare Joe Erhman to what is coming out of some of out area high schools, and then you tell me who you would want coaching your son:

(click here for video)

Now that is a real coach.

There is no question in my mind who I would want my son play for. Joe Erhman is a special man, and I am confident the boys he coaching will become successful men in life.

JUST ONE MORE at a Funeral

I had something especially memorable happen Thursday at a funeral I was leading.

Peggy Branham’s mother, Thelma Dougherty, went home to be with the Lord last Monday. Peggy & Bob asked me to conduct the funeral, and, of course, I honored their request.
As I have in so many times past, I presented the Gospel during the funeral service. I personally believe the best news people can hear at a funeral is that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and that they can be saved through Him. That is why I present the Gospel at nearly every funeral.
Yesterday’s presentation was significant, in that an individual received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. What made the decision even more meaningful was that it was an employee of Bob and Peggy’s at East Lake Electric.

The employee came to express his condolences. Bob and Peggy asked him to stay for the service because they knew I would present the Good News of Jesus Christ. He decided to stay, and God placed His “effective call” on the young man and he was born again.

As I concluded the gospel presentation I asked anyone in the crowd who had received Christ to let Peggy know before they left the funeral home. Within minutes after the service, the young man confided in Bob and Peggy of his decision. As you would expect, Bob and Peggy’s family was so excited. They were crying when I entered the room. When I asked what happened, Peggy said, “Just as one dies today another one is born into the family of God.” Then as CrossPointers have a tendency to do, we all pointed one finger to heaven and said in unison, “Just one more!”

Wow, what a story.
There is another part of the story worth sharing.

Teri Lee, Peggy’s daughter called me early Sunday morning to say her grandmother had suffered a severe stroke, and they were wondering if I could come and pray with them. I arrived at St. Vincent’s hospital soon thereafter.
Since I knew Thelma, I walked in the room and leaned over her bed to speak with her. I said, “Thelma, this is Ryan. I don’t know if you can hear me or not.” To that she nodded her head yes.

This is where the story gets really good.

“Thelma,” I said, “Are you ready to go to heaven?” She smiled and shook her head in the affirmative once again.

Well, it’s all over but the shouting at that part.

Then I said, “Well, Thelma, since you can hear all our voices, just start listening for the voice of Jesus above all others. He is going to call your name; and when He does, go running toward Him. We are all okay. We do not want you to hang on for us. It is time for you to go to Jesus”

That is when Thelma whispered to all of us in the room, “I love you!”
Thelma remained stable another 24 hours. Bryan Haskins, our worship leader, visited her Monday morning. Before leaving he sang “Amazing Grace” for her. Two hours later, Thelma heard the voice of Jesus and left this world to spend the rest of eternity in His presence.

It was a glorious experience for all us involved.

Now can you see why her funeral was so memorable? Her death gave birth to another soul for Jesus Christ. We, at CrossPoint, call that JUST ONE MORE!

Why Pray?

While working through the Sermon on the Mount, we spent a few moments a few Sundays ago wrestling with this sentence:

"And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6:7-8

The first reading of that sentence would cause some to ask: “If God already knows what I need, then why pray?”

I can think of three basic answers to that question.

First, we should pray because Jesus prayed.

The Bible is replete with example of Jesus praying. The greatest example, perhaps, is when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane, on the night of his arrest, and He prayed:

And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."
Matthew 26:39

There are many other examples of Jesus praying in the New Testament. Another favorite of mine is found in Mark’s gospel, where Mark records:

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Mark 1:35

Thus, the first answer to the “why pray” question is because Jesus prayed.

The second answer to the “why pray” question is because apparently Jesus thinks we should pray.

Go back and look at the first four words of Matthew 6:7. Jesus says, “And when you pray…”

Obviously Jesus thinks we should pray, because He instructs us to pray.

So, there are the first two answers to the question as to why to pray even though our Father knows what we need before we ask Him.

There is a third answer to that question. This answer comes less from empirical evidence of the Word of God, and more from experience. Another reason to pray, even though our Father knows what we need before we ask Him, is to know God better. I think we should pray because prayer teaches us more about God.

Andrew Murray worded the third point this way:

“Some people pray just to pray and some people pray to know God.”

Oswald Chambers nails the third point with this quote:

“Our ordinary views of prayer are not found in the New Testament. We look upon prayer as a means for getting something for ourselves; the Bible’s idea of prayer is that we may get to know God Himself.”

So what is the bottom line? Or, as I often ask myself when I am preparing a message for you, “So, what is the big deal?” The bottom line or the big deal is this: prayer draws me into deeper intimacy with God Almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth; the Father of all who call Him Lord and the Sustainer of all who trust in Him as Savior.

In summary, I pray because Jesus prayed. I pray because apparently Jesus expects us to pray. I pray because I need God, because I want more intimacy with Him, and because I cannot live without Him.

So, why do you pray?

JUST ONE MORE SUNDAY!

Yesterday’s post from Scott Hanberry in Couer d’Alene, Idaho, caused me to do some deep thinking.

(I know the idea of me involved in deep thinking scares many of you, so I will be brief.)

In summary, yesterday’s blog says we should measure our church growth by the number of people the members of the church bring with them each weekend. Thus, instead of asking how many we had in Bible study or worship, we should ask how many guests were present in Bible study or worship.

So here is my idea.

In a matter of weeks we will open the second building of our Phase II building project. The second building is enormous. I walked through the complex Monday evening and I was blown away by its size. Instead of getting smaller with the addition of paint, walls and fixtures, the building is getting bigger. It is actually growing.

A staff member escorted one of his cousins through the building Monday also, and during the tour the cousin asked a great question. He queried, “Where will you put all the people that will come to this church as a result of using this building for ministry?”

I do not know if you have considered it or not, but CrossPoint as we know it today will change dramatically and immediately the moment we open the doors to the new gymnasium. We will never be the same. And that is a good thing.
And now for my idea I have been considering.

What if we were to require every CrossPointer to bring JUST ONE MORE with them the Sunday we have ONE BIG WORSHIP in the new building? Would that be over the top or what? That would mean we would have approximately 2400 people on our campus at one time.
For those of you wondering, if the Lord is willing, we plan to celebrate the grand opening of Phase II with two big events. The first big event will be a ONE BIG WORSHIP experience a few weeks after the building is opened for operation. The other big event will be an open house for the entire community in January, 2008 when we celebrate our third birthday.

So, what do you think of my JUST ONE MORE DAY idea?

I like it. I like it, a lot. Actually, when you think about our vision and all that God is doing to make the vision a reality, every Sunday is a JUST ONE MORE SUNDAY for CrossPoint.

JUST ONE MORE Illustrated

One of my heroes of the faith is Scott Hanberry, pastor of NorthStar Church in Couer d’ Alene, Idaho. Click here to learn more about NorthStar.

Many of you will remember Scott from last June when he was a guest speaker during WOW while I was away on the Construction Mission Trip in Pilot Knob, Kentucky. So many of you told me how good a job he did that night, I have invited him back to CrossPoint to be our guest as our World Missions Offering speaker on December 2.

I admire Scott for many reasons. Scott is a godly man. He is also a family man. My highest admiration for him, however, is that Scott is a risk-taker for the kingdom of God. It requires great faith for Scott to do what he is doing. Yet he knows that the greater the risk, the greater the reward.

I received an email from Scott on Monday. The email contained a word of encouragement for his people in Coure d’Alene. The story he related to their work caused me to think of CrossPoint’s vision of JUST ONE MORE. Read what he sent provided below, and then you tell me if this is not another way of expressing the power and simplicity of CrossPoint’s vision.

A question heard often by pastors in America is: “How big is your church?” The answer most pastors want to give is “bigger than yours!” An appropriate answer would be “big enough to keep me busy 24/7!”

Truthfully, most pastors and church leaders are quick to state the most recent and largest worship attendance figure in memory. Does this honor God?

In a recent conversation, I was told that there are only two attendance figures which really count…..Sunday school and baptism. The wisdom is clear but a third category is gaining momentum in my mind. The third and possibly only attendance category that really matters for all of eternity is found in the following.

Question: “How many did you have last Sunday?”

Answer: “TWO! That’s how many guests I brought with me.”

The only attendance figure that the Lord cares about is the number YOU and I brought to Him last week! How would it change the Christian culture in America today if we only reported our guests and if an individual only stated the number of guests that he brought?

“THERE WILL BE MORE JOY IN HEAVEN OVER ONE SINNER WHO REPENTS THAN OVER NINETY-NINE RIGHTEOUS PERSONS WHO NEED NO REPENTENCE.”

Luke 15:7

Okay, so what do you think? Do you think that story illustrates the vision of CrossPoint? I do. So, tell me, who are you bringing with you to worship next weekend? Imagine what would happen if each CrossPoint decided to bring JUST ONE MORE to worship.

Winning, Coaching & Character

Almost every week The Birmingham News posts an article about the Hoover School System and their storied athletic program. Much of the dark cloud of accusation is on their infamous football coach, Rush Propst.

I do not know Rush Propst personally. However, I did watch enough of his television debut on MTV – “Two-A-Days” – to learn that he would not be coaching my son.

The stories are replete. The rumors are many. Sure, Propst has won several state championships. Yes, his team is a perennial powerhouse in high school football; but at what cost.

I know winning is important. I know championships make champions. But is it necessary for a coach to compromise his character to win games?

For those of you who do not know, I am a 1980 graduate of W. A. Berry High School. Berry High is now Hoover High.

While at Berry I played for one of the finest coaches to ever coach—Bob Finley. Coach Finley was the only head football coach in Berry High School history. He was loved by athletes and students alike. He was respected by his peers. He was a man among men, a coach among coaches, and a winner among winners.

Recently I was cleaning out a corner of my study when I came across a printed copy of the “Game Maxims” Coach Finley would repeat before each football game. For those who played football, you will recognize some of the lingo. Provided below are his maxims.

Game Maxims

If at first the breaks go against us, don’t slow down or panic, put on steam.

If somebody makes a mistake, don’t criticize him,

pat him on the back, he will do better next time.

Never have a breakdown in four major categories of sound defense:

1. Contain

2. Explosion and release

3. Pursuit and agility

4. Tackling, “gangstyle”

Offensively, the key is execution:

1. Know the formation, play called, the snap count.

2. Make your block six seconds, then get up and block someone else.

During the course of this game

the lead may change hands.

If we fall behind, we don’t give up.

When we get ahead, we don’t let up.

Make the big play; make something happen:

1. Block a punt.

2. “Bingo” a pass.

3. Cause or recover a fumble.

Carry the fight to your opponent 48 minutes, overtime when necessary.

Protect our passer, protect our punter, protect our lead

And in the end, protect our ballgame.

The previous words may not sound like much to you, but they still ring true in my ears all these years later. I can recall hearing coach Finley, in his quiet-monotone voice, running through each line. He repeated the maxims week after week.

There are many other things Coach Finley did that made a huge impression on me and so many others. I will never forget the time he called timeout in the middle of the summer scrimmage for all of us to take a knee and refresh ourselves with water. Knowing I was struggling with heat and exhaustion, he calmly walked over, patted the side of my helmet and then handed me a towel to wipe my face. It was Coach Finley’s way of saying, “I am counting on you.”

Coach Finley’s mark on us was so great, that a handful of years ago many former players contributed to the Bob Finely Character Award, which is awarded each year to four deserving Hoover football players. The award is so big today the senior who wins the award receives a full paid tuition scholarship to college.

Bob Finley was a great man, yet he was not perfect. Coach Finley readily admitted his flaws to his players, and often shared the gospel on the practice field or in the weight room. All of the traits I admired in the man, the one that stands out the greatest was that he never allowed anyone to cuss on the practice or game field. And if a player or coach ever did cuss, well, let’s just say it would be something they would regret for a long, long time.

Coach Finley died on the afternoon of July 31, 1994, while cutting the grass at the practice field of Hoover High School. My oldest brother, Chuck, who at the time was Hoover’s Athletic Director, found him lying in the grass. He and several other men tried to resuscitate Coach Finley, but to no avail. On that day, Berry High School (a.k.a. Hoover High) lost a great man.

It is a shame that coach Finley is not alive today. For if he were alive today, Rush Propst could learn a thing or two from him with regard to winning, character and coaching. I think the first thing Rush would learn is that a man’s name, his character, and his conduct, is more important than his winning and losing record. I think he would also learn that cussing never wins championships. Perhaps the greatest lesson Rush could learn from Coach Finley would be to walk humbly before the Lord, the players, the other coaches, the parents and the fans. Coach Finley walked humbly, but his walk also created a big wake for others to follow.

The Fellowship of the Unashamed

For those of you who have never seen this, you will be blessed by reading it:

I am part of the "Fellowship of the Unashamed."
The die has been cast.
I have stepped over the line.
The decision has been made.
I am a disciple of Jesus Christ.
I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure.
I am finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, chintzy giving, and dwarfed goals.

I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity.
I now live by presence, lean by faith, love by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My pace is set, my gait is fast, my goal is Heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few, my Guide reliable, my mission clear.
I cannot be bought, compromised, deterred, lured away, turned back, diluted, or delayed.

I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of adversity, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.

I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I must go until Heaven returns, give until I drop, preach until all know, and work until He comes. And when He comes to get His own, He will have no problem recognizing me. My colors will be clear.

I am not ashamed of the gospel . . . Romans 1:16

by Dr. Bob Moorehead

God is Perfect. Explain.

I am huge fan of Ravi Zacharias. For those of who do not know him, click here (www.rzim.org).

In a 2004 message on Creation and Post-Modernism, Zacharias shared with his audience a question presented on his doctoral examination. The first question, on a five-page questionnaire stated, “God is perfect. Explain.”

Zacharias commented to his wife that he was glad the professor allowed only enough space for a one paragraph answer. “That tiny space allowed me less room for doctrinal error,” he told her.

Zacharias’ answer was one sentence in length. He responded:

God is the only entity in existence, the reason for whose existence is in Himself; all other entities or quantities exist by virtue of something else and in that sense He alone is perfect, uncaused, infinite and an independent being in essence.

Before you give that statement only cursory attention, return and read it again.

Last night during WOW – Worship on Wednesday – at CrossPoint we studied Psalm 46, in particular Psalm 46:10, which reads, “Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.”

During the message I presented two fundamental truths from the text:

Truth #1: God wants us to be still.

Truth #2: God wants us to know Him.

In discussing what it means to know God I said, “The biggest problem most of have with knowing God is that we do not know God.”

Do you know who God is? I am not talking about the God of your parents or the God of your own making. Neither am I talking about a white, middle class, Southern Baptist God who speaks English. Nor I am particularly referring to the God you learned about in Vacation Bible School or at summer camp. When I ask do you know who God is, I am talking about the God of the Bible, the God of the universe, the God who “alone is perfect, uncaused, infinite and an independent being in essence.”

Sometime today do what God wants all of us to do—be still (cease striving, cease hurrying) and know that He is God.

Faster World

This morning a Sprint radio commercial wanted to sell me a new phone plan. The advertiser asked, “Would you like to make your world a little bit faster.”

How does that sales pitch strike you?

When I heard the by-line I chuckled, out loud. “Faster world,” I responded, “I don’t need a faster world.”

(For those of you who do not know, I often talk back to my television and/or radio. And there is no need to tell me the people on the radio or television airwaves do not hear me. My family tells me that weekly. Responding verbally is a cathartic release for me. Now back to my blog.)

“I don’t need a faster world,” I thought out loud.

It was at that moment I turned off the radio and decided to return to my fast from the media. I only broke the fast this morning to hear if Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron’s homerun record. (That is different blog for another day).

After powering off my radio I started thinking if I don’t need a faster world, then what is it I really need.

Here are a few things I think I need instead of more speed in my life.

I need more CONSISTENCY.

I work on my consistency every day. Even though I never want to get in a rut, a consistent routine is good for me. I begin and end my days the same way. When I do that, what I live in between the beginning and the end is more consistent. I have found beginning my day with God and ending my day with God helps me live my day for the Lord.

I need more FAITH.

The one sentence about faith in the Bible I most identify with is the one the father of the demon-possessed boy made when he said to Jesus, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”

When I say I need more faith, it is not that I do not already have faith. Sure, I believe. I just need more faith for the things that nag at me most.

I need to be more LOVING.

I like to think I am a loving individual. I trust my wife and kids know that I love them. I hope my family of faith knows that I love them. Yet sometimes, I do not act in a very loving way. I need to be more loving toward others.

I need more TIME.

Time is my greatest commodity. If I can find an extra hour here and a few minutes later in my day, I can get many more things accomplished. I have found by watching less television, I have more time. I crave more time. More time, I have noticed, helps me have more consistency, more faith, and to be more loving.

I would be curious to hear what you need MORE of. Let me know.

True Treasures

In my message Sunday morning we defined a “treasure” as anything that means everything to you. Thus, a treasure could be a collection of albums, a house, your income, a relationship, an automobile, a memory, a vacation, and so on.

Today I want you to continue to wrestle with what you treasure. In doing so, I want you to consider, once again, the five questions I posed toward the end of my message.

Ask yourself these questions, and I think you will know what you treasure most:

1. What occupies your thoughts when we have nothing else to do?
2. What is that you fret most?
3. Apart from your family and loved ones, what or whom do you dread most losing?
4. What are the things that you measure others by?
5. What is that you know you cannot be happy without?

When you finally get a grip on what really matters in life, you soon learn that the things on earth that matter most are not things.

Learning to Pray

I have been increasing my faithfulness to prayer lately. I attribute this increase in communication with my Father to several things.

First, preaching through the Sermon on the Mount challenges me to take the “righteous acts” of giving, praying and fasting more seriously.

Also, I have been reading much about prayer during my summer reading schedule. Hopefully this weekend I will conclude Philip Yancey’s new book Prayer: Does It Really Make a Difference (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 2006). I strongly recommend the book for anyone wanting to learn more about prayer.

Additionally, I have been praying more because more of you are asking me to pray for you. I do not know why, but many more of you email me your concerns or mention them to me in the hallway on Sunday, asking me to pray for you. As a result, I spend more time in prayer each day than I have in a long time.

Another reason I find myself devoted more to prayer is simply because the more I pray, the more I want to pray or the more I realize I need to pray. When you pray long enough, you learn you cannot pray enough.

The Bible is replete with examples of people praying. A singular statement in Mark’s gospel helps me understand the importance of spending more time in prayer. Mark records,

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he (Jesus) departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Mark 1:35-36

If Jesus made prayer a priority as the Son of the Living God and Savior of the World, then how much more should I make prayer a priority?

Perhaps the greatest reason why my prayer life has increased in time and intensity is due to my commitment to pray for the entire CrossPoint family a little each day of the week.

I made a commitment to pray for each of you by name last May. Sure, I have always prayed for CrossPoint in general terms, and only in specific terms when it felt necessary. However, after reading Mark Dever’s book The Deliberate Church (Wheaton, Illinois: CrossWay Books, 2005), I was convicted to pray for each of you by name.

The first week I prayed for you was wildly exhilarating. I was so charged by the experience I challenged our staff to do the same. By the fourth or fifth week, my prayer for you became a burden. For several weeks I struggled. The more I prayed for you, the bigger the burden would grow. At times the burden was debilitating. After realizing the burden was self-inflicted, I returned to amazing moments of intercession.

For those of you wondering how or what I pray, let me explain my last three or four prayer cycles. A prayer cycle is when I pray through the entire roll of names before I start back over, usually in the opposite direction.

As you know, I have an alphabetical listing of every CrossPoint member in my daily prayer journal. It usually takes me an average of 15 days to work through the 47-page list. That typically translates into praying for 25 – 30 people per day.

When I pray for you, I work on a particular theme throughout the cycle.

One of my favorite themes is to quietly call out your name before the Lord. I usually do not have a particular request. Sometimes when I do this the Lord will impress me with what to pray and sometimes He will not. Whichever the case I audibly call out your name, wait a moment, and if nothing comes to mind I move on.

Another theme I have recently worked through is what I call my “repent and believe” prayer. This is where I ask the Lord to call each CrossPointer I name to live a life marked by repentance and faith. I like that prayer because I see it being answered in such a dramatic way each week.

Another way I pray for you is by noting the needs I am aware by your name. Some of you are awaiting a new job. Others are awaiting the arrival of a new baby. Some are praying for the opportunity to have a new baby. Some are depressed. Others are going off to school. A few are battling a terminal disease. Whatever your need, I usually list it beside your name and ask the Lord to meet that specific need.

This week I am building my prayer for you based on a simple passage in Proverbs 15:33, which reads,

The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

All the rest of this week and the next, I will pray that passage over every CrossPointer who calls CrossPoint home. Can you imagine what will happen to a church when the people adhere to that simple sentence? Imagine what would happen if only the pastor would practice that kind of humility?

We might have revival. I think we are already having revival, what about you?

In closing I wanted you to let me know how I can pray for you. I consider it an honor to love this congregation and to shepherd it in faith and prayer.

Indoor Baptisms

I am so stoked about the baptism video provided below. The video last approximately 13 minutes, but if you are like me, you will watch every second with anticipation. This video epitomizes the existence of CrossPoint. We exist to bring glory to God by reaching JUST ONE MORE to become a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ. The baptisms in this video represent a small portion of what God is doing through us.



Video courtesy of Ron NeSmith

Spread the word. God is doing great things through CrossPoint!

Humility Comes Before Honor

How many of you read this article (or one similar to it) surrounding Ruth Graham’s death? If not, this is an awesome story everyone should read:

NEW ORLEANS - Shortly before he died, convicted murderer Richard Liggett was asked to make two of the simple plywood coffins he meticulously crafted for fellow prisoners. Except the caskets would be for Billy and Ruth Graham.

"Humbled? He was honored, he was honored," said Burl Cain, warden of the Louisiana State Penitentiary. "He told me, of everything that ever happened in his life, the most profound thing was to build this coffin for Billy Graham and his family."

Graham's son Franklin made the request after seeing the coffins on a visit to the Angola prison and being struck by their simplicity, according to a statement from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Ruth Graham was to be buried in one Sunday at a private ceremony at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C. She died Thursday at age 87 after a lengthy illness.

"I wish you could look in that casket because she's so beautiful," Billy Graham told mourners who gathered Saturday to remember his beloved wife. "She was a wonderful woman."

Sold for $215 each

The coffins are made of birch plywood and lined with a foam mattress pad covered with fabric. Brass handles are on the sides, while a cross adorns the top. The price: $215 each.

Liggett, who was serving a life sentence for second-degree murder, led a team of prisoners who built the coffins for the Graham family. He had found God in prison, Cain said.

"You would never think he'd be a prisoner. He wasn't all marked up," Cain said. "He just did a terrible thing, one time in New Orleans."

The prison has a Bible college and chapel near death row funded largely by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse.

Cain said many of its 5,108 prisoners are Christian and were spending the weekend "preaching and praying and remembering the Graham family."

But Liggett won't be among them: He died of cancer in March, nearly 31 years into his sentence. He was buried in one of the last coffins he built, Cain said.

While reading this story I was reminded of Proverbs 15:33, which says, “The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.”

Ruth Graham was truly a humble woman. Billy Graham is equally humble himself. The church would be in much better shape today, if more pastors and parishioners took on the Graham mantle of humility.

Wouldn’t you like to know how many requests have been made to Angola Prison for similar caskets? I would love to be buried in something that simple, wouldn’t you?

Wow, what a story! Wow, what a woman (and man) of God!

CrossPointers Getting in Shape!

While on vacation I heard through my grapevine that members of Nathan Poe‘s Bible Study class—Real Life, Real Marriage—were planning to compete in the Trak Shak Retro 5K Run on Saturday, July 28. My sources also informed me the competitors wanted me to run in the race with them. Since I always look for an opportunity to run with people I love, I told them I would be there.

Ten CrossPointers competed in the race last Saturday evening. This is what we looked like before the gun sounded.

(Pictured left to right are: Shane St. John, Eric Hays, Lee Hooie, Les Smith, John Wiles, Nathan Poe, Ryan Whitley, Jessica Welch, Christy Harper, Brian Updike).

I am so proud of this group. I am particularly proud of Nathan Poe, the class leader. As of this week Nathan has lost 87 pounds in one year. He is 13 pounds away from his goal of 100! Can you believe that?

How did Nathan do it? He says it is a matter of eating the right foods, exercising and deciding in advance you are going to get in shape. That sounds like a good plan to me. I have asked Nathan to share his story with us after he reaches his goal.

Nathan’s group has a class goal that I really like. Real Life, Real Marriage wants to run one 5K a month for the remainder of the year. I like that goal. I also like it that other CrossPointers are beginning to catch the vision that physical training is of some value.

I have blogged about running numerous times. Many of you know my passion for running.

I am not a fast runner. For those of you who have run with me, you will readily testify that I run more like a rhinoceros than a gazelle. Yet I plod away, and each step I take is another step toward being in peak physical condition. I will never compete for the winner’s trophy in any race. However, I do not race against others. I always compete against myself.

For instance, this morning I competed against myself by running 5 miles with negative splits. Negative splits are when you run each succeeding mile faster than the previous one. Today I set out to run each mile 15 seconds faster than the last. When I hit mile five this morning, I beat my expected time by 6 seconds. Thus, I won!

I look at running two ways.

First, I see running as a MEANS TO AN END. The end for me is to stay in shape and physically fit. I like the result of running. I sleep better. I feel better. I have more energy. I am more effective when I am in shape because I feel like I am in a healthier position for the Lord to use me whenever, wherever or however He desires.

I also see running as AN END TO A MEANS. The process of running is just as good as the result of running. Many mornings I begin with the same mantra: Enjoy thyself! I enjoy running in the early morning hours. I get pleasure from being outside. Just the other day I decided to count the number of squirrels I encountered along the way. (By the way, Trussville may be on the brink of a squirrel pandemic. I counted 27 squirrels in less than an hour!).

In just a few months CrossPoint will host her sixth annual 5K and 1 mile Fun Run. Last year we had a breakout crowd participate. Additionally, through that run we raised enough money for the CrossPoint Foundation to donate a refrigerated truck to a homeless feeding ministry in the inner city of Birmingham. This year we expect another better-than-ever crowd as well as a record-setting money raising effort for our foundation.

On Saturday, October 27, I want to see YOU competing. I do not want you to compete against each other (unless you are one of the more competitive runners I know of) but against yourself for a new personal best. Who knows, one of you may be the next Nathan Poe and let this challenge make a dramatic difference in your life with regard to weight loss and better physical fitness.

We are thirteen weeks away from race day. Right now is the best time to start training. Watch in the weeks to come for a Walker’s Training Guide and a Runner’s Training Guide to this year’s event. We will post both on the home webpage, in my blog and in the worship guide.

In closing, here is a photo of the CrossPoint running team after the race. If you ask me, I think we all look rather refreshed considering how hot it was in Homewood last Saturday evening.