Crossing Community Church

"The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also." This command from Paul to his beloved disciple Timothy extends to you and i as well. God's plan for making disciples is so simple and straightforward -- men and women walking through life together in faith.

This week we paused our current series to consider how we are doing as a church. But to do that we have to determine what is the measuring device or standard we should use to know that. We believe a transformed life is that standard. Are people's lives being changed? A part of today's service includes stories from several of our people whose lives are being changed by Christ.

As part of our service on November 12th, Mark Smith shared the story of how he came to Christ as a teenager, then years later walked away from his family, his relationship with God. Now after more than 25 years in a destructive lifestyle, God is rebuilding his life!

Paul writes that we are stewards or managers for God. This week we explore what it means to manage something for God. What are the things God has given to us to manage and what does it look like to manage something for Him? You might be surprised at some of the things God asks us to manage for His Kingdom.

Twice Paul mentions being an Ambassador of God. What should that look like in our everyday life? This week Pastor Tim shows us how we are citizens of a different Kingdom and gives us two ways to live as His ambassador.

Our lives are supposed to give God glory. To most of us that sounds like an intimidating task! This week, Pastor Tim gives us four ways to help us understand how to better live for God's glory.

Based on Greg Koukl's book, "The Story of Reality", Pastor Tim talked about five words that can help us understand how and why things happen the way they do in our world -- God, Man, Jesus, Cross, Resurrection. Koukl believes these five words "capture the meaning of our humanity and of all human history from beginning to end." We hope you will agree after listening to Pastor Tim's sermon.

Our purpose statement at Crossing is, "To be and make committed followers of Christ." But to do that and know if you are succeeding one needs to know what a committed follower of Jesus looks like. This week Pastor Tim offers 7 suggestions that might help us become 'committed followers of Christ.'

David Nelson, Founder and President of Crossing Cultures International (CCI), provided a great update on the ministry of CCI as they continue to equip and train pastors around the world. This week David uses Philippians 1:27-30 to encourage us to live a life worthy of the Gospel.

When we talk about giving, finances, tithes and stewardship in our churches there are a lot of things that could be said. This week, one of our church Elders, John Ashton, said some great things about this subject! Does God 'need' me to give Him money or does He enjoy working with me when I give to Him like a father does with his son? John gives us some great things to consider in the area of giving our resources back to God. Enjoy!

Ephesians 4 is pretty clear about the expectations of every Christian: to be equipped for the work of service. This week we talk about the necessity of being equipped and it's impact on our daily life.

How do we reconcile the Creator of the universe being sent to serve the creation? Yet that is what Jesus did. As His disciples we too are to follow his example of service. This week we talk about how opportunities to serve others never revolves around our calendars, our preferences or our comfort zone and how service is a huge means of transformation into the image of Christ.

From the earliest chapters of Genesis we see God sending people to facilitate His plans and purposes. Abram, Moses, Gideon, Isaiah --- Jesus! Then in John 20:21 Jesus sends you and I. Being sent is essential to being a disciple of Jesus. NOTE: The scripture reference in the sermon is not correct. It should be Mark 5.

Jarred Cain, our Youth Director here at Crossing, was in the pulpit to preach for the first time this week. He did a great job of challenging us to consider our daily life and sacrifice in light of God's all encompassing glory and greatness!

This week, Michael Breece bring a message about the grace that God freely gives to the believer on a day to day basis. This is a challenge to do more with the grace of God than to just thank Him for our salvation. Listen in as we discuss what we do with grace after we become a child of God.

This week, Todd Domke shares about what it means to be set apart for the work of God. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” To be set apart (or sanctified) is to live as a new creation. As believers, we should act different than we were before we were believers. It’s a process. Each day, we should be growing to become more and more like Christ.

This week we look at 2 Corinthians for our insight on the nature of the local church. Paul begins the letter and closes it with the theme of comfort -- especially how we receive comfort from other Christians. But we can't receive comfort or give it if we are not involved in our local churches. So consider this: we don't come to church just for ourselves. We come to church for others. Others need us to be there. Don't be lax in attendance and participation in your local church!

Many become confused about the standing before God on those days when nothings seems to go right -- when we have wandered from the instruction of the Lord and obedience to Him. At those times what we believe about God's promises to us and our standing before Him is critical. If we don't believe rightly it's so easy to be defeated. This week, Scott Brubaker does an excellent job of clearly pointing to the biblical foundation that all of us must stand on in hard times.

In our second study of grace & eternal security Scott Brubaker does a great review of the biblical basis for our assurance.

This week Scott Brubaker, one of our church Elders, begins a three part study of grace and eternal security. Our eternal security, that assurance that NOTHING can take away our salvation, should be reason for great encouragement in difficult and bitter days. In this study, Scott sets the stage for next week's biblical review and the third week's comparison of salvation and sanctification.