Posts by Brad Evangelista

Dear Church, I'm looking forward to this Sunday! We'll enjoy being ministered to by our first-ever CrossPointe Christmas Choir! They will lead us in singing with some familiar advent hymns and songs, and then we'll consider one of the mountain peaks of the Bible in Hebrews 10:1925. It may be the high point of the letter as it builds on all the theology up to t...

Dear CrossPointe, On this communion Sunday, we'll be in Hebrews 10:118, a critical passage that helps us understand the relationship and distinction between the law and the gospel and the difference between justification and sanctification. Clarity on these issues guards us from falling into theological ditches on both sides. In justification, we "have been." But in san...

Dear CrossPointe, I hope you're having a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. We have so much to be thankful to God for! I've missed you the last two weeks and am looking forward to preaching on Hebrews 9:2728 this Sunday. It's a punchy little text about death, sin, and the return of Christmassively important topics. See you Sunday, Brad...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week is Hebrews 9:1526. It's a continuation of the author's look into what Jesus has done in the heavenly sanctuary to inaugurate the new covenant by his blood and all that entails for his people. As I've been saying a good bit recently, these are deep theological waters, but they are clear waters if we take the time to swim through them sl...

Dear CrossPointe, We are deep into some of the richest theological waters in the New Testament, and I hope it's been good for your soul! This Sunday, we'll look at Hebrews 9:114 where the author takes us into the Holy of Holies and shows how Jesus, our better High Priest, does something the Old Covenant could not dopurify our consciences from dead works to serve the liv...

Dear Church, We'll look at the second half of Hebrews 8 this Sunday in which the writer argues that Jesus is the mediator of a new and better covenant. So, what is a covenant and why is the new one better than the old one? We're going to dig into it together. Grace and peace, Brad ...

Dear CrossPointe, Last week Tyler preached an excellent message out of James 1. Listen hereif you missed it. This Sunday, we return to Hebrews, specificallyHebrews 8:16. As I've said numerous times, the theology of this letter is rich and deep, and we are about to enter into some of the most profound chapters in all of the Bible in Hebrews 810. The writer is about to ta...

Dear CrossPointe, Some of the richest Christology in the Bible is found in Hebrews. It may not be a stretch to say that we learn more about his person and work in this letter than anywhere else in the Scriptures. Our Sunday text, Hebrews 7:2628, is certainly one of the high points. It's the culmination of the author's argument for the superiority of Jesus' priesthood ov...

Dear CrossPointe, We're deep into our author's argument for the superiority of Jesus' priesthood over theLevitical priesthood as we consider Hebrews 7:1125. It's not complicatedlogic, but you must read it slowly and thoughtfully to get his point. So, we're going to work through it on Sunday and then drop our bucketsinto the glorious gospel well of v.25, "Consequently, h...

Dear CrossPointe, Melchizedek shows up out of nowhere in Genesis 14, Hebrews 7, and Psalm 110and speaking of Psalm 110, it happens to be the most frequently referenced Old Testament passage by the New Testament writers. So, something important must be going on with Melchizedek. Who is he? Why does the author of Hebrews bring him up here? And how does understanding all o...

Dear CrossPointe, We're back in Hebrews this Sunday, finishing up the last section of chapter six. Remember, the first part of the chapter was one of the famous warning passages of Hebrews. The point I made as we looked at those verses was that these warnings are intended by God to keep His elect people secure. In other words, the warnings are for Christians, a means of...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to this Sunday! The children will be with us in the sanctuary for a Family Worship Sunday, and rather than digging into the remainder of Hebrews 6, my plan is to do an individual message on 1 Timothy 2:56. This glorious text in many ways is very connected to the theme of Jesus' priesthood that we are about to dive into in Hebrews 7....

Dear CrossPointe, Last week we did a kind of summary of the various views of the warning passages in Hebrews and as I said, this Sunday we're going to dig into this warning in Hebrews 6. I mentioned that I take these warnings as real warnings for Christians that need to be heeded because they are a means of providing and preserving grace. I could be wrong, but I think t...

Dear CrossPointe, What a joy it was to have our dear friend Gareth Franks with us last week. He preached an important message abouthow we should live in these dark days. I encourage you to go back and listen if you missed it. This week we dive back into the deep end of the pool: Hebrews. We left off a few verses into Hebrews 6 just before summer, and that's where we ...

Dear CrossPointe, What a joy to have our dear friends, Gareth and Keri Franks, with us this weekend. They are no strangers to CrossPointe! We began our ministry partnership with them when they were missionaries in India. Since then, they have moved to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where Gareth is the pastor ofNew Life Church. Gareth will preach this Sunday for ...

Dear CrossPointe,I've been very encouraged by our summer series on Following Jesus. We'll conclude this Sunday by looking at Matthew 6:2534, a well-worn and loved passage from the Sermon on the Mount. In it, Jesus exhorts us not to be anxious but instead, to trust in and seek the Lord. Anxiety and fear have been around much longer than any of us, but these foes seem partic...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm very excited to let you know that my friend Doug Van Meter will be preaching for us this Sunday. Doug is the pastor of Brackenhurst Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, and has been for the past thirty years. This strategic church in this important global city has established a faithful and fruitful presence in their part of the world. ...

Dear CrossPointe, I've really been helped and challenged by our summer series, "Follow Jesus." This Sunday, we continue by looking at one of the most encouraging scenes in all the gospelsthe accountof the man who brings his son to Jesus in Mark 9:1429. Please spend a few minutes before we gather to read this text for yourself. Note all the obstacles this man faced. Note...

Dear CrossPointe, Goodness, what abeautifulword Reuben delivered for us last week to begin our short summer series entitled "Follow Jesus." You can find it hereif you missed it. We continue this Sunday by looking at a glorious text, Matthew 11:2830. Jesus calls the heavy laden to take his yoke and to find rest in him. This well-loved text is a deep well for our souls...

Dear CrossPointe, As I mentioned last week, we are taking a short summer break from our Hebrews series, and the plan is to dive into selected passages from the gospels where we see various peopleencountering Jesus. I trustthese sermons will encourage us. But that starts next week! This week, on the first Sunday of June, we will revisit 1 Corinthians 11:1734 and conside...

Dear CrossPointe, As I mentionedlast Sunday, we will take a briefsummer break from our series in Hebrews. On this Memorial Day weekend, with our children joining us for worship, I will preach from Romans 1:1617 on the gospelas "the power of God for salvation." I hope to clearly articulatethe glorious foundational truth of the gospel in a way that young childrenor mature...

Dear CrossPointe, We are going to pause the Hebrews series as we enter summer, and the plan is to dig into some selected texts for the coming weeks. This Sunday, we'll dive into Psalm 77, a chapter I have been lingering on for several weeks. It is an honest reflection on life's difficulties while also raising our heartsand minds to the centrality of the Cross. Specifica...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week (Hebrews 5:116:3) is a strong exhortationreally a scoldfor believersstuck in spiritual infancy to grow up and mature in Christ. The preacher of Hebrews implores us to press on, to keep moving, and to not stay in the same place we were when we first came to Christ. If we do, we are in danger of falling away (which is what the rest of ...

Dear CrossPointe, J. Gresham Machen was a very important American theologian in the early 1900s. God used him in many ways to stave off theological liberalism. On his deathbed, he famously said these last words, "I'm so thankful for the active obedience of Christ: no hope without it." Our text this Sunday, Hebrews 5:710, is all about Christ's obedience for us. The pr...

Dear CrossPointe, I love Hebrewsits logic and structure are fascinating! This week we'll dig into Hebrews 5:110 which begins the comparison between Jesus and the Old Testament Levitical priesthood. The argument is started here and then picks back up in Hebrews 7. These chapters are some of the more challenging to follow in the letter, so I really encourage you to rea...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we are going to circle back to Hebrews 4:1213 and take a deep dive into this all-important doctrine of Scripture. You might think of this Sunday as a bit of a detour from our regular exposition of the letter and more of a topical, doctrinal message on the Word of God. Why are we doing this? Because the fiercest spiritual battle facing th...

Dear Church, In God's good providence, we find ourselves in Hebrews 4:1416 this Easter Sundaya wonderful text that amplifies the gospel. Surely this is one of the sweetest and most well-known passages, not only in Hebrews but in all of Scripture. Pray with me that the Lord will convert any dead hearts and strengthen those already made alive. See you Sunday! Bra...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm thankful for Tyler's message last week on 1 Peter 1:39. It was a dose of encouragement for the soul! If you missed it, listen to it here. This week we'll dive into Hebrews 4 and something the preacher calls the "rest" of God. The concept of the rest of God in this chapter is fascinating and really important for us to understand. Pray for me to exp...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Sunday, Hebrews 3:719, is a hard one. I say that not because this passage is difficult to understand. Actually, I think it's quite clear. Rather, it's hard because it is a sober and serious warning to watch and guard our hearts against the deceitfulness of sin which would cause us to fall away from God. We need Hebrews 3:719 and its wa...

Dear CrossPointe, What a great time in the Word with Pastor Mwindula Mbewe last week. Listen to it hereif you missed it. You will be challenged and encouraged! We are back in Hebrews this week and will begin chapter three by looking at the first six verses. In Hebrews 3, the preacher argues that Jesus is far superior and worthy of much greater glory than Moses, so we s...

Dear CrossPointe, It's our joy to have Pastor Mwindula Mbewe with us this Sunday. If his last name sounds familiar, that's because we have had the joy to have his father, Pastor Conrad Mbewe, with us twice before. Pastor Mwindula has recently planted a church in Zambia out of his father's church and I'm very much looking forward to hearing this brother open the Word ...

Dear Church, We've been digging into Hebrews 2:1018 for the last two weeks, and I think we've got just a little more juice to squeeze out of this beautiful text, specifically the last verse"For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted." So before moving on to Hebrews 3, we will consider what it means that Jesus is able ...

Dear CrossPointe,We're back in the second half of Hebrews 2 this week. This passage (verses 1018) is foundational to the whole letter and may well be the high point of the preacher's argument that Christ is superior to anything in the Old Covenant. We looked at vv1013 last week, and this week we'll get into vv1418. There's so much there!See you Sunday,Brad...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll dig into Hebrews 2:1018, one of my favorite parts of the letter. The things it says about Jesus are breathtaking. He's the founder of our salvation. He had to be made perfect through suffering. He's not ashamed to call us brothers and sisters! He shares in our flesh and blood. He delivers us from the fear of death and lifelong slavery...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to our passage this Sunday, Hebrews 2:59. Its logic is simply glorious. If I had to summarize it in one phrase, it would be: "Death has been dethroned by death." I think that's the heart of what the preacher is getting at in these verses. Mankind was made to steward God's creation for him, but we lost that right in the Fall and deserv...

Dear CrossPointe, Hebrewsis not so much a letter as it is one long sermon. The preacher is marshaling all this glorious theology to make a pastoral point to his audiencedon't fall away, don't drift from Christ. This Sunday, we come to Hebrews 2:14, the first of several warningpassages in the book. The writer encourages us to pay much closer attention to the message o...

Dear CrossPointe,The point of Hebrews is that Jesus is better. He's better than angels, Moses, the Law, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and whatever else we may be tempted to lean on instead of Him.The opening verses establish the supremacy of the Son in a grand theological sense, and now in Hebrews 1:514, the author puts forward his first exampleJesus is superior to angel...

Dear CrossPointe, Praise God for Logan's messagelast Sunday! I'm so thankful for the Copleys' ministry in Amsterdam at Tyndale Theological Seminary and their time with us over the holidays. Likewise, it was great to visit the Kajubbi family and King Jesus Church with my son Jacob this past week. We had a fruitful and encouraging time of ministry. But now it's good to...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to our first Sunday of the new year. For many, the new year is a time to make resolutions (which is great if that helps you!), but this Sunday, I want us to consider some scriptural confessions about the sovereignty of God as we enter 2023. We'll start off in Proverbs 16 and drill down on verse nine, "The heart of a man plans his...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to this Sunday! On this last Lord's Day before we gather on Christmas morning, I thought I'd go all in and delve into probably the two deepest points of theology in all of Scripturethe mystery of the incarnation and the problem of evil. To do this, we'll start in Galatians 1:35 and attempt to answer two questions: why did God become ...

Dear Church, One of the many reasons we can trust Scripture is because of its honesty. There's no filter for the pictures it takes of life. It's often raw, gritty, and blurry. Such is the case with Psalm 73, our text this Sunday. This is the song of a person who has lost their perspective only to regain it. The wicked prosper, God is seemingly unconcerned, and life i...

Dear CrossPointe, I have mixed emotions about this Sunday. I'm sad because this is our last Sunday in John, and I'll miss studying this beautiful gospel weekly; but I'm so excited about this text, primarily about the restoration of Peter. It's a deep well of gospel encouragement! So, roll up your sleeves and read this last half of John 21 a time or two before Sunda...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Sunday, John 20:2431, is the well-known scene of Jesus' encounter with a skeptical Thomas. It's amazing to me how honest the Scriptures are about the weaknesses of the disciples. These men were not spiritual superheroes but ordinary men who were changed by Jesus. And the fact that the Bible is so honest about their frailties and failures ...

Dear Church, What an absolute joy it was to have the Kajjubi family with us this past week. Pastor Raphael preached a wonderful message that I encourage you to listen to hereif you missed it. What a gift God has given us in this partnership with these dear friends! This week we turn our attention back to John 20:1123. We will consider the implications of the Ascensio...

Dear CrossPointe, It is an understatementto say the Lord has blessed CrossPointe with so many gospel partnerships over the years. At the top of that list is our partnership with King Jesus Church and the Kajubbifamily in Busega, Uganda. In fact, "partnership" isn't an adequate word to describethe relationship between our churches. They've become like family to us. Th...

Dear Church, The Apostle Paul said to the Corinthians that if Christ was not raised, then our preaching is in vain, our faith is futile, we are still in our sins, and we are the most pitiful of all people. In other words, if there is no resurrection, there is no gospel, no salvation, and no hope. So, if Paul puts all his eggs into the one basket of the resurrection, ...

CrossPointe, Our text this week, John 19:3142, is about the burial of Jesus, which we want to be careful not to overlook. Our passage is full of Old Testament connections and shadows that become a reality in Christ. I'm excited to dig into this last part of John 19 with you before we get to the resurrection of Jesus next week. Finally, on this first Sunday of October, ...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Sunday, John 19:16b30, contains some of the most important words in all of Scripture "It is finished." King Jesus proclaims that his mission is accomplished before he breathes his last breath on the cross. Our plan is to consider what this means and why these words are so central to understanding the Bible. I'm looking forward to gathe...

Dear Church, I'm looking forward to being with you on Sunday after two weeks away. We begin John 19 and the griping account of Jesus being delivered up to be crucified. The scene is a poignant picture of human arrogance and confusion. Read John 19:116 before Sunday. Please pray with me that the Lord would meet us in the Word this Sunday. Grace and peace, Brad...

Dear CrossPointe, The arrest of Jesus in John 18:114 is an intense and chaotic scene. And yet, Jesus is in total control, leading the conversation. Even as Peter tries to defend him with a sword, Jesus rebukes him and points to his mission on the crossto drink the cup of God's wrath for the sins of all those that will come to him by faith. This passage gets us to the...

Dear Church, This Sunday we come to the final section of Jesus' high priestly prayer, John 17:2026. In it, Jesus expands his prayer to include all that will believe in him and he prays for their unity. But the ultimate point is not unity itself, but that because of this unity, the world may believe in him. So, in other words, Jesus is praying for the unity of the chu...

CrossPointe, It's really quite amazing to think that Jesus prays for us. It's maybe more natural for us to think about how he saves us, or teaches us, but praying for us too? That's a huge part of what John 17:619, the text we will focus on this week, is aboutJesus' prayer for his disciples and all believers through the ages. I trust you will be encouraged by this te...

Dear CrossPointe, Last week Tyler finished out John 16.It was a really helpful sermon. You can listen to it hereif you missed it. This week, we'll get into one of the mountain peaks of this gospelJesus' high priestly prayer. In John 17, Jesus prays for his disciples and for all those that will believe in him through the ages. As we work through this chapter, consider...

Dear CrossPointe, The Word of God is so precious. I love these words from the hymn "How Firm a Foundation" that we sing often: How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word What more can He say than to you He hath said To you who unto Jesus for refuge have fled Our text this Sunday, John 16:1624, contains a promise fr...

Dear Church, I was encouraged by Tyler's message last Sundayon Jesus as our Vine. This week we'll cover the rest of the chapteras we look at John 15:1827. It's a clarifying text, to say the least. Jesus explains to his disciples why the world hates him and his people. He then reminds themand usthat our Helper, the Spirit, has been given to us so that we might be a witne...

Dear Church, We heard a very solid messagefrom Robert last week on John 14:114. This Sunday we'll cover the rest of John 14 in which Jesus promises to ask the Father to send the Helper, the Spirit of truth to his disciples. Much of John 1416 will focus on the role and purpose of the Holy Spirit in the lives of believers. This is a rich segment of John! Wrestle with t...

Dear CrossPointe, We'll cover a lot of ground this Sunday, John 13:1838. There's much in this second half of the chapterthe beginning of Judas' betrayal, Jesus' new commandment, and the Lord's prediction of Peter's denial. We'll cover it all, but my plan is to dive deep into verses 3135 and Jesus' commandment that his disciples love another as he has loved them. We'l...

Dear CrossPointe, I had a great trip to India, but I'm glad to be back! This week we dive into John 13:117, the famousscene of Jesus washing the disciples' feet. This text is packed full of truths for theChristian life. Here are a few things to note: Notice Jesus' love for his disciples (v1) Notice the devil's work in Judas (v2) Notice what Jesus does (vv3-5) Notice...

Dear Church, This Sunday we dig into John 12:1226. This passage includes Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, which fulfills an Old Testament prophecy from Zechariah 9:911 about the coming of Israel's humble king. John then records some of the most intriguing and important words of Jesus in the gospels. Our Lord says there is a way to love your life that leads to losi...

Dear CrossPointe,We begin John 12 this week and the well-known story of Mary anointing Jesus with oil to prepare him for burial. Judas Iscariot famously objects, acting as if he cares about money that could have been used for the poor, while the scene creates a stir among the people who wanted to see the risen Lazarus. All these events continue to move us toward the inevit...

Dear Church, It was so wonderful to have our friend, Gareth Franks, with us last Sunday and to hear him preach on the finished work of Christ from John 19. You canaccess that message hereif you missed it. It was a wonderful message! This Sunday, our text is John 11:4557. It's remarkable how quickly John moves on from Lazarus' resurrectionhe provides no further detail...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we have the joy of hearing from our good friend, Gareth Franks, pastor of New Life Church in the United Arab Emirates. Gareth has been with us several times before and has become a close ministry partner. He is from South Africa, and he and his wife were commissioned by Brackenhurst Baptist Church (in Johannesburg) to serve as church plante...

Dear CrossPointe, Praise the Lord! In God's good timing, we find ourselves in John 11:1744 this Resurrection Sunday. It's the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the deadone of the great scenes in the New Testament and a wonderful text for Easter. Last week Robert did an excellent job of setting the scene of Jesus' love for Lazarus and his sisters while showing how h...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we dig into John 10:2242 and some of the most famous and beloved words in this fourth gospel. As the conflict with the Jewish leaders continues to mount, Jesus speaks about the oneness he has with the Father and the resulting absolute security of his sheepnothing being able to snatch them out of his and the Father's hand. There's so much in ...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week (John 10:1121) contains some of the most familiar and majestic words in all of John. Jesus calls himself the Good Shepherd and announces his missionhe will voluntarily lay down his life for his sheep only to take it back up again. These are glorious words that lay at the very heart of the good news of the gospel. As you read thr...

Dear CrossPointe, We're going to get back into John this Sunday, specifically John 10:110. This is a glorious chapter full of familiar verses. It's about Jesus the Good Shepherd and how he loves, calls, feeds, and protects his sheep. I'm so eager to work through this chapter together and think deeply about how Jesus leads and loves us. I also want to encour...

Dear CrossPointe, I had a wonderful week in Johannesburg, South Africa at Brackenhurst Baptist Church. They are great folks and a great church! But it's good to be home. This Sunday we'll hit the pause on our John series and take a look at Romans 12. This is one of those chapters in the Bible we need to come back to often to refocus and recalibrate. I hope it will encour...

Dear CrossPointe, I am so looking forward to this weekend and our guests, Ed and Anna Moore. Ed is the pastor ofNorth Shore Baptist Churchin Queens, New York where he and Anna have been serving for thirty years. I met Ed several years ago through a mutual pastoral network, and he has been a consistent source ofencouragement since then. I often pull up his church's website...

Dear Church, John 9 is about much more than a blind man seeing physically for the first time. It's a picture of what happens when the spiritually blind are given spiritual eyes to see and follow Jesus. It's ultimately a pictureof salvation, but it's also full of irony and even a little humor. There is a twist: the ones who are confident that they "see" are actually blin...

Dear Church, What a wonderful weekend we had with Hershael and Tanya York. If you missed last Sunday's message, be sure to catch it here. It was a glorious gospel message. Praise the Lord for His Word and this dear couple's ministry to us. This week we turn our attention back to John as we begin working through chapter nine and the healing of a blind man. T...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm very excited about this weekend! We're hosting Dr. Hershael and Tanya York who will be conducting a marriage conference for approximately seventy-five couples in our church. Dr. York is the pastor ofBuck Run Baptist Churchin Frankfort, Kentucky, and also serves as the Dean of the School of Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Loui...

Dear CrossPointe, What really offended the religious leaders about Jesus was not so much his miracles and teachings but his claims of divinity. We see this in our text this week, John 8:4859, where Jesus uses the same expression to describe himself that God the Father used while speaking to Moses through a burning bush. This enraged the crowd and they even ask him, "Who d...

Dear CrossPointe, I missed you last week but had a wonderful time visiting with Rob and Olivia Golding (former members of CrossPointe) while I was preaching at their church in the Los Angeles area. Rob recently became the pastor ofFirst Artesia Church,and they are doing a great work for the Lord. I am so thankful for them and the fruit the Lord is bringing through their m...

Dear CrossPointe, We're back in John this Sunday after a long break, and I'm really looking forward to our text: John 8:111. It's the famous story of the woman caught in adultery and brought before Jesus by the religious leaders. Can you imagine the intensity of that moment as they sought to discredit Jesus and his ministry by dragging this woman before him and using her ...

Dear CrossPointe,Happy New Year! I can't wait to see you all soon! We'll resume our study of John next week, but this Sunday our text will be Psalm 100. It's a wonderful short passage to dwell on as we start a new year. This song calls us to serve the Lord with gladness and come to him in worship and gratitude. What a needed word for us as a church as we enter 2022.This Su...

Dear CrossPointe,The Incarnation of Christ is at the very heart of our faith. That God the Son became truly man and dwelt among us is a truth we readily confess, but may not as easily connect to our everyday lives. My hope on this last Sunday before Christmas is to help us think deeply about the centrality, necessity, and glory of the Incarnation. We'll start by reading Ma...

Dear CrossPointe,I was so blessed by Joseph Davis' messagelast Sunday from Luke 7 on Jesus healing the centurion's servantso rich and full of truth! I encourage you tolisten to it hereif you missed it, and pray for Joseph and his wife Emily as he pursues pastoralministry.As for this Sunday, we're going to take a breakfrom our series through John until the new year. Our tex...

Dear CrossPointe, I was so encouraged by Reuben's message last Sunday from Ephesians 4:17 on walking worthy of our calling. It was a clear picture of what the Christian life is to look like. If you missed it, be sure to catch it here. On that note, we're going to take a little break from our John series and pick up a little after where Reuben left off with look at Ephesi...

Dear CrossPointe, Before we move on from John 7, I don't want us to skim over some of the most glorious verses in all of John's gospel. The message this Sunday will focus on John 7:3739 and Jesus' invitation to thirsty souls. In the middle of the feast, amongst his detractors and a confused and murmuring crowd, Jesus cuts to the heart with a gospel call that we all need t...

Dear CrossPointe, One of the doctrines we hold dearly is the truth of God's good providence in all things. Though the world is fallen, and often seemingly chaotic, God superintends all of human history and directs it according to his purposes. He does this in such a way that he is never the author of sin and does not "violate the will of the creature," as the historic con...

Dear CrossPointe, I will tell you thatJohn 7 has been a challengingchapter for me thus far in understandingthe text's point and application. On the surface, it is essentially a narrative of the mounting conflict between Jesus and the Jewish leaders. While that's very important for us to know, I've wrestled a bit to apply this chapter to our lives and context. With that c...

Dear CrossPointe,What a joy it was to have Pastor Conrad Mbewe with us again last Sunday. If you missed it, you can listen to his messagehere. It was a feast! You can also watch his talk and QA about missions and church planting from Sunday nighthere.This Sunday we are back in John's Gospel. Specifically, our text is John 7:113, which sets the scene for mounting public opp...

Dear CrossPointe,I've been looking forward to this Sunday! We have the privilegeonce again to welcome Dr. Conrad Mbewe to CrossPointe. He was with us inJune of 2019and, for those that were there, you'll remember he is a powerful preacher of God's Word. His pulpit ministry is well-known around the world in our circles, and I'm very thankful for his friendship with our own R...

Dear Church,This Sunday we'll cover a larger passage of Scripture than usual as we finish out John 6 by looking at verses 4171. In our text, Jesus' claim to be the "bread of life" is misunderstood by the crowd and causes many of themeven some that were called his disciplesto ultimately turn back and follow him no longer. It's a surprising end to a chapter that begins with ...

Dear Church,Our text this week, John 6:3540, is one of the most comforting and cherished passages in all of John. In it, Jesus makes several glorious promises about what he has come to do and the certain future of those who believe in him. I mentioned last week that if we understand what Jesus in saying in this long discourse in John 6, then we are on our way to having a s...

Dear Church,This Sunday we'll dig into John 6:2235, the opening portion of Jesus' discourse on the bread of life which dominates the rest of John 6. What stands out immediately is how earthly-minded the crowd remains even after the miraculous feeding. They insist on working for earthly bread while Jesus exhorts them to look beyond that which perishes. Another striking aspe...

Dear CrossPointe,Life can get dark and the waters choppy. No matter how much experience or maturity we have, the next immediate crisis can throw our world into a tailspin. That's where the disciples find themselves in our text this week, John 6:1621, just hours after witnessing Jesus feed the multitude. In the middle of a dark storm, Jesus comes to themwalking on the waves...

Dear CrossPointe, It's been since June 20 (Father's Day) that I last had the privilege to stand before you and preach God's word. This time away has been so helpful for me and I'm grateful for your love and the care of my fellow elders. Thank you! This Sunday I'm looking forward to getting back in the saddle as we look at John 6:1-15 and the account of Jesus feeding the ...

Dear CrossPointe,I hope your summer is going well. We've had a great week of VBS with many children learning about the goodness of the gospel. A huge thanks to all our VBS volunteers that have made this week possible!As I've mentioned the last couple of weeks, I am taking some time off this summer for rest and renewal. This means that I will be out of the pulpit this...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll finish John 5 before I take some time off this summer. Specifically, we'll cover John 5:3047 in which Jesus defends his authority against the accusations of Jewish leaders by appealing to four "witnesses"John the Baptist, Jesus' miracles, God the Father, and the Scriptures.The logic Jesus uses in this passage is very important, and we'll ...

Dear CrossPointe,The rest of John 5 is thick and it's all about Jesus. In fact, J.C. Ryle, a great English preacher from the 1800s, said it was "one of the deepest things in the Bible."So we'll take the next two weeks to wade through Jesus' words about himself. This week, we'll cover John 5:1629 in which Jesus speaks of hisdivinity, hisunitywith the Father, hissovereignty,...

Dear CrossPointe,We're back in John's Gospel (5:117) this Sunday to consider the healing of a man who'd been disabled for 38 years! The tension is mounting between Jesus and the religious authorities as he heals this man on the Sabbath. We'll get into this tension in more depth as we progress through John, but I want us to focus on Jesus' peculiar question to the man in ve...

Dear CrossPointe,All of us come to God with limited perspectives and mixed motives. Our text this Sunday, John 4:4354, is a poignant story of a royal official who pleads with Jesus to heal his sick son. While we can all understand this father's desperate desire for his son to be healed, what he needed even more was to know and believe in Jesus. It's a short story, but Jesu...

Dear Church,What a wonderful message Reuben preached last Sunday from 1 John 3:1! If you missed it, I encourage you to listen to or watch ithere. It will strengthen your faith.Sunday we are back in John 4 and will finish our look at Jesus' encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well by looking at verses 2742. This amazing encounter ends with a woman who once lived in sh...

CrossPointe,A few weeks ago at our member meeting, I mentioned that this Sunday, May 2, we will begin a gradual return to normal in our worship services. Be sure to watch the video below for more details on what that will look like.It's worth saying here that there is much more to this than just social distancing! As we proceed in the coming days, I want to urge us as a ch...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we continue our look at Jesus' conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well, specifically John 4:1626. In the second half of this interaction, we'll see how tender yet clear Jesus is with this woman as he presses into her sin in order to make her aware of her true need.As you read the passage before Sunday to prepare your heart and mind, t...

Dear CrossPointe,Oh man, I'm looking forward to John 4! What a beautiful chapter! This Sunday we'll start our study of Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well as we look at John 4:115. There's so much in this story that we're going to need to take smaller bites! But read the whole chapter a few times beforehand.Also, what a joy we'll have to baptize two new members. Pr...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll finish John 3 as we look at verses 2236. The central point of this passage is the supremacy of Christ above all things, and once again John the Baptist points his disciples (and us) away from himself and to Christ.As we work through this text on Sunday, and as you read it beforehand, we need to wrestle with what the supremacy of Christ sh...

Dear CrossPointe,It's been two years since we've physically gathered for Resurrection Sunday as a church. That's incredible to think about!In God's good timing, our text this Sunday will be John 3:16, the most well-known verse in the Bible. We'll actually look at John 3:1621, and I'm very much looking forward to reveling in the love of the Father who sent the Son so that w...

Dear CrossPointe,Last Sunday we considered the truth of God's sovereign grace in salvationthat we are completely dependent on God to act first in the new birth, apart from anything in us. From a human perspective, there is an impossibility to what Jesus says to Nicodemus when he says that "you must be born again." In the miracle of regeneration, our faith is the result of ...

CrossPointe,This Sunday we dig into John 3, one of the great mountain peaks of Scripture. Of course, all the Bible is breathed out by God, but a chapter like this one is particularly crucial because it helps us map out and piece together one of the most important doctrines in the Biblethe doctrine of salvation.Our plan this Sunday will be to look at the first part of Jesus...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll be in John 2:1325 and consider the familiar story of Jesus cleansing the temple of people doing the business of religion. It's another scene in John rich with gospel symbolism. We may not be selling pigeons for profit in the foyer of CrossPointe, but weare prone to turning worship into something merely for our gain, too.The good news, tho...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm thoroughly enjoying our study of John and hope you are as well! This Sunday we'll dive into John 2:112 and the well-known story of Jesus turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana of Galilee. This is Jesus' first miracle as recorded by John, and it's notable for how much John doesn't say about it. In fact, the actual miracle is just implied, not expl...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll get into John 1:3551 and the account of Jesus' first interactions with several of his disciples. There's much for us to glean in this passage about what it means to follow Jesus. Like we did last week, my plan is to work through the text verse by verse and conclude with some reflections on how this passage helps us understand discipleship...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we move from John's introduction to the narrative of Jesus' first week of public ministry. Specifically, we'll consider John 1:1934 and the witness of John the Baptist.I'm particularlyexcitedto work through this text with you because it's one of those passages that really helps us see how the whole Bible fits together as one unified story of re...

Dear CrossPointe,Our text this week, John 1:1418, contains one of the most beautiful descriptions of Christ in the Bible"full of grace and truth." Jesus is both the friend of sinners and the judge of all mankind. He is the merciful healer and the one turns over tables in the temple. He is the helpless babe in the manger and the sovereign Creator of all things. Jesus is the...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm looking forward to our text this Sunday, John 1:613. It's full of foundational truth about gospel ministry, the doctrine of salvation, and who Christ is and what he's done. Let's not come in cold this Sunday. Read the text. Pray for God to warm our hearts and instruct our minds. Pray for conversions and significant progress in sanctification.Also, if y...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we begin our series through the gospel according to John. This fourth account of the life and ministry of Jesus is surely a favorite of God's people through the centuries, full of some of the most well-known scenes and passages in the Bible.Much can be said about the particularities of John as compared to the other gospel accounts. I'd encourag...

Beloved,One of my favorite Charles Spurgeon quotes comes from his sermon entitled, "My Times Are In Thy Hand," from Psalm 31:15. He says: Brethren, is it not a delightful thing for us to know that though we are on a stormy voyage, the Lord himself is at the helm? The course we do not know; nor even our present latitude and longitude; but the Pilot knows all about us, and ...

Dear CrossPointe,"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."That's how Psalm 103 begins, and that's how I want to end 2020 and begin 2021. What an unusual year it has been on so many levels for all of us. My prayer is that thechallenges we facedin 2020 would not be wasted, but woul...

Dear CrossPointe, I want to let you into my thought-process a bit when it comes to preaching around Christmas time... I always anticipate that there may be more visitors and unbelievers joining our services around this time, and thus I aim to be particularly clear about the most important news in the universe, the Good News of how sinners can be reconciled to God through...

Dear CrossPointe,One of the more famous sermons in American history was preached by Jonathan Edwards and entitled "The Excellency of Christ." In this message, he expounded on what he called the "conjunction of diverse excellencies" in the person of Christ.His point was that one of the great proofs of the deity of Jesus is how he is at the same time full of infinite glory a...

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to day of eternity. Amen."That's how Peter ends his second letter, with one final exhortation to his readers to grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ.This Sunday, our last in 2 Peter, the plan is to think through these final few verses (vv1418) of chapter three an...

Dear CrossPointe,I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Indeed we have much to be thankful for as a church. Despite all the challenges of this year, he continues to sustain us. Praise the Lord.Our text this Sunday, 2 Peter 3:1013, brings us to the beginning of Peter's final exhortation to his readers. The point of the text is clearlive your lives in light Chr...

Beloved,Our text this Sunday, 2 Peter 3:89, is one of the more well-known passages in 2 Peter. It's a warning but also a window into the merciful, long-suffering, patient heart of God.We need the truths in this text desperately! My plan is to explain this short passage and then apply it to our lives. I hope as a result of our time thinking through these verses together tha...

Dear CrossPointe,We'll get into 2 Peter 3 this Sunday with a look at the first seven verses. The issue at hand is Peter's warning about the scoffers who will come to discourage the church by mocking the certainty of Christ's return and God's care and involvement in the world he created. In response, Peter reminds his readers that God has acted in both creation and the floo...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we conclude the most "terrible and terrifying" chapter in the Bible, according to Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Our text is 2 Peter 2:2022, a stern warning about turning back from the Lord.A few weeks ago at the beginning of chapter two, I mentioned that we would take up this issue of the security of our salvation. In verse 1 we read about the destructio...

Dear CrossPointe,A few weeks ago I noted that Martyn Lloyd-Jones said 2 Peter 2 was the most terrible and terrifying chapter in the Bible. I think he must have been thinking specifically about the verses we'll look at this week, 2 Peter 2:10b20. This part of the chapter is a further elaboration on the characteristics of the false teachers troubling the church. It's vivid, ...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm excited about our text this week, 2 Peter 2:410, because I think it will help us see how the Bible fits together as one grand, cohesive story of redemption. The context of our passage is Peter wanting to remind his readers that the false teachers plaguing the church will surely be judged by the Lord. To do that, he points them back to three scenes from...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we get into 2 Peter 2:13 and the real heart of Peter's concernfalse teachers who were secretly bringing destructive heresies into the church. It was a problem then and it is certainly a problem now. Thus, one of the greatest needs of God's people through the ages is that of discernment. Peter writes this chapter to help the church discern and i...

Dear CrossPointe,It's been wonderful to see more and more of you these past few weeks! Thankful! We'll be back in 2 Peter 1:1621 again this Sunday. Last week our goal was to understand the point of the textthat God has given us his word more fully confirmed through men who spoke as the Holy Spirit led them. This Sunday, our aim is to understand the doctrine of Scripture an...

Beloved,This Sunday we begin what will likely be a few weeks in 2 Peter 1:1621. It's a very important part of the letter and a central passage in the New Testament that helps us understand and formulate our doctrine of Scripture. In this paragraph, Peter speaks of his experience as an eye-witness of Jesus' Transfiguration, while calling the prophetic word more fully confir...

Beloved,I mention often that we all suffer from this dreaded condition of "gospel amnesia." We are prone to forget, prone to wander, prone to leave the God we love. Of course, the Lord knows this about his people, and that's a large part of why he inspired Peter to write his second letterto remind them of things they already know.Our text this week, 2 Peter 1:1215, is quit...

Dear CrossPointe,I don't think I have to convince you that we live in an anxious age. We're insecure peoplenot just worried about the future and the state of our culturebut many believers are racked with worry about God's love for them, about their standing in him, and whether or not he will bring them all the way home.Our text this Sunday, 2 Peter 1:811, is written for th...

Dear CrossPointe,Gospel grace fuels the grit required for godliness.That's Peter's point in our text this Sunday, 2 Peter 1:57. He's just given us the good news of all that God has done for us in verses 34, and now he turns his attention to our responsibility by calling us to "make every effort" to add to our faith.As I read this text, it makes me aware of how prone we are...

Dear Church,Our text this Sunday, 2 Peter 1:34, is one of the main reasons I wanted to preach through this book in this particular cultural moment. In times of stress and anxiety, even redeemed hearts are prone to wonder, prone to leave the God we love and cling to worldly ideologies and philosophies to get us through. But Peter reminds us that God, in his grace to us, has...

Dear CrossPointe,A few years ago we studied 1 Peter, but for reasons I can't recall we chose not to study 2 Peter immediately afterward. I'm glad it fell out that way, because I believe the themes of 2 Peter will prove to be a word in season for us as a church in these days we're experiencing.It's a short book, only three chapters. Interestingly, it's one of the more negle...

Dear Church,This Sunday, we are concluding our study of James with a look at the last two verses. It's an unusual way to end a letter. James doesn't spend any time tying up loose ends or saying goodbye. He simply and directly exhorts them to be on the lookout for anyone in the church who may be wandering or drifting from the Lord. He urges them to care for that person's so...

Dear CrossPointe,We come to our second-to-last message in James and one of the more well-known sections in the letter, James 5:1318. It's a concluding summons to prayer and a way of living together as believers in a local church that runs completely contrary to an individualistic culture. In short, it's a clarion call to be responsible for one another and to help one anoth...

Dear CrossPointe,Patience takes work. Lots of it. Our text this Sunday, James 5:712, is an exhortation to patience in the face of oppression and injustice. It comes on the heels of James' rebuke of the unbelieving rich who oppress people with their indulgence and self-absorption in the precedingverses. Now, he turns his attention to believers who have suffered as a result ...

Dear CrossPointe,Remember way back before the pandemic when we were studying James? Well this Sunday we're finally diving back in as we look at James 5:16. These verses are a fastball high and tight aimed at the greed and selfishness that dominates much of the world. In short, it's an indictment of the selfish, wasteful rich who hoard their wealth and don't use it for the ...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm looking forward to this Sunday. Lord willing, it will be our last stand alone message for a while before we get back into James. And, being Father's Day, I think it is fitting for us to consider what manhood looks like from a biblical perspective. To help us think along these lines, we'll consider this exhortation from 1 Corinthians 16:1314: "Be watchf...

Dear CrossPointe,It was such a joy to see so many of you last week! This Sunday will be the same schedule as lasttwo identical servicesone at 10:30am and another at 5:00pm. If you haven't yet registered for a service this Sunday, please do that today.It's essential as we seek to maintain adequate social distancing.This Sunday our text is Mark 10:3545, and we will consider ...

Dear CrossPointe,I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord!" That is the first verse of our text this Sunday, Psalm 122. It will be our first in-person service since March 8. What a few months it has been and continues to be.This psalm is about what it means to come together and be God's people, the church. Oh how deeply our culture and this worl...

Dear CrossPointe,It's been a long couple of months meeting online only, and, Lord-willing, this will be our last Sunday of exclusively streaming our services. As I hope you're aware, our plan is to re-gather the church on Sunday, June 7.This re-gathering won't be an immediate return to normal, but it's a step in the right direction! Be on the lookout for an informational e...

Dear CrossPointe,During this time of COVID-19, we have been anchoring ourselves to the glorious biblical truth of God's good providence toward his people. We can be sure that he works all things together for our good. This is one of the greatest promises in the Bible for God's people.But I want to make sure we are rooting this comforting truth in the logic of the scripture...

Dear CrossPointe,I hope and trust you are all continuing to lean on the Lord as this pandemic continues. If you're feeling a little fatigued and frayed, know that you are not alone. Keep pressing on and trusting the Lord, dear ones! His promises are true and he is working for the good of his people.This Mother's Day Sunday, I thought it would be helpful to consider the bea...

Dear CrossPointe,I've long loved the letter to the Hebrews. It's rich and beautiful in its Christology and helps us understand how the whole Bible fits together as God's one unified plan of redemption. Someday I hope to preach through this majestic book.But for now, this Sunday we will consider just one verse, Hebrews 4:15, which says, "For we do not have a high priest who...

Dear CrossPointe,I love how Paul prayed for the churches he planted and the people he loved. His prayers are so full of faith in God's goodness and affection for his brothers and sisters. They are saturated in confidence that God will bring about his good work in his people.One thing I hope God will deepen in me and in us is during this pandemic is more of this type of pra...

Dear CrossPointe,In case you missed it, the governor of Georgia announced this week that he is relaxing restrictions on various businesses, allowing them to reopen as early as Friday. What does this mean for churches like CrossPointe?For now, we will continue to live-stream our services and not meet in person.Since the governor's press conference, we have participated in s...

Beloved,Our text this Sunday is Psalm 77, a kind of spiritual manual for dealing with despair. In his notes on this chapter, Charles Spurgeon said that in order to understand this psalm "it is needful to have done business on the great waters, and weathered many an Atlantic gale." In other words, Old Uncle Chuck is saying that to get what this psalm is saying, you need to ...

Dear CrossPointe, Praise the Lord! He is Risen! While we celebrate the work of Christ every Sunday at CrossPointe, I'm particularly looking forward to exalting the life, death, and resurrection of our King this weekend. In the Lord's strange providence, during this time when we can't physically gather together, there's a good possibility that more people, not less, will h...

Dear CrossPointe,I've been thinking a good bit about anxiety and fear the past couple of weeks since our world has come to a standstill. And, I confess, I've been a bit anxious about what the future holds. Will anyone I know and love get the virus? Will my aging parents be okay? Will friends and church members who own small businesses make it through this on their feet? Wi...

Dear CrossPointe,Praise the Lord! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Isolating may be a bit of drag, but it's come to us from the good hand of our Heavenly Father who works all things together for our good! In that we can rejoicein fact, we are commanded to!As I mentioned last Sunday, we are pausing our series in James until we can physically gather together a...

Dear CrossPointe, I returned home yesterday from South Africa after a wonderful week of ministry speaking at the annual missions conference of Brackenhurst Baptist Church in Johannesburg. It was so encouraging to get to know the congregation and see all that they are involved in regarding missions and world outreach. However, it was also a strange feeling being separated...

It's remarkable how easy it can be to forget the gospel and the bigness of God and live like we are the center of the universe and in charge of things. Of course, we know the opposite is truebut how easy it is to forget!In our text this week, James 4:1317, is a reminder that we are small, life is short, and God is in total control. This is such an important word for people...

We will consider just two verses this Sunday (James 4:1112), returning to the theme of the destructive power of our tongues. James exhorts us not to speak evil of one another. When we do, we not only tear down a brother or sister, butmore importantlywe play the role of final authority and thus sit in judgment over the law and ultimately God, the Law-giver. What a terrible ...

I mentioned last week that James 4 is one of the most important chapters in the Bible when it comes to understanding our sanctification and the Christian life. Our text this Sunday, James 4:712, is a clear andsimplebarrage of commands and descriptions about what humility should look like in the life of a believer.In fact, it's so clear and straightforward that we have to b...

I was thoroughly blessed by Tyler's message last Sunday on Jonah. If you missed it, be sure to listen to or watch ithere.This Sunday we pick back up in James 4 with a look at verses 16. The issue at hand is the fractured relationships that result from selfishness and sinful passions. James lowers the boom and tells us the real problem is our spiritual adultery. He warns us...

Our text this Sunday, James 3:1318, can be described as a tale of two cities. One city draws on worldly wisdom that is marked by jealousy, deception, and strife that leads to a life of chaos. The other is built on wisdom from God that is marked by purity, mercy, and good fruit that leads to a life of peace. Which city will we live in? Will we live in the city built by godl...

At the end of chapter one, James briefly mentioned the importance of controlling our tongues. Now here in James 3:112, he goes all in. These verses are packed with vivid illustrations which James uses to impress upon us just how powerful our tongues are. It's a small muscle in our mouths, but it can set a life or a family or a church ablazefor either good or bad. Let's rol...

This Sunday we arrive at James 2:1426 and what is probably the heart of the letter and one of the more debated and discussed passages in the New Testament. The reason this passage is so well known is because on the surface it sounds like James may be contradicting one of the main tenets of gospel doctrinethat we are justified by faith and not works. The doctrine of justi...

I'm really looking forward to digging into James 2:113 with you this week. It's a convicting but sculpting passage. Although the truth in it might sting, it can also shape the life and culture of a local church. That's how the Word worksit breaks us down to build us up. The issue at hand is partiality. James tells us not to fawn over the rich person and brush off the po...

On this first Sunday of 2020, we'll dive back into James and consider the last two verses of chapter one. Remember, James has been exhorting us to not merely hear the word but to actually do it. That's the heart of James' concernthat the authenticity of our salvation be validated by the obedience that flows from our faith. And in James 1:2627, he sketches out a brief summa...

On this last Sunday before Christmas, we'll pause our series in James until January and consider a classic passage about the incarnation of Christ. In Philippians 2:511 we read a beautiful description of how Jesus took on human form in order to secure our redemption and is now highly exalted above the heavens.I'm looking forward to dwelling on these glorious truths togethe...

We come this Sunday to James 1:2225 and what may be the heart of the letter. James exhorts us to not only hear God's word, but to do it, obey it, live it out, and be changed by it. To not do so is as ridiculous as a man who looks at his disheveled face in a mirror and does nothing to change his appearance.This is in large part a synopsis of the whole epistletrue saving fai...

I trust you all had a blessed Thanksgiving! If you were out of town last Sunday, be sure to take some time tolisten to Tyler's excellent message on David and Goliath from 1 Samuel 17. It was superb!This Sunday we pick back up with James 1:1821 and consider the power and ministry of God's Word. These short verses are packed with truth and practical implications for the Chri...

Last week we took a broad look at James 1:1218 and established the important truths that God does not tempt his people but rather is the giver of all good giftsmost notably his Son Jesus. These truths are so important for us to remember as we dive deeper into James 1:1315 this week. In these three verses, James describes the process of temptation, sin, and spiritual death....

This Sunday we begin what will likely be a couple of weeks in James 1:1218. This is such a crucial text for the Christian life and understanding the difference between trials and temptations. In short, trials are things that God uses, in his goodness, to prove and mature his children. Temptations, on the other hand, do not come from God but from our own sinful desires that...

Our text this Sunday, James 1:911, is short and penetrating. It's the first of several times throughout the letter that James will visit the topic of poverty and riches and the effect wealth can have on our hearts. He warns us not to get caught up in worldly pursuits that most certainly will perish like the temporary beauty of a flower. Now, we may be prone to write oursel...

The inevitable trials we meet along the way blur our vision. They make life confusing and threaten to fill us with doubt. The Lord knows this, and that's why he inspired James to exhort us to ask him for wisdom.That's what our text this Sunday, James 1:58, is all about. We lack wisdom, every single one of us. Even the strongest and most intelligent Christians can make ridi...

I'm so eager for this Sunday as we begin our series through the letter of James. It's a magnificent part of the New Testamentso full of practical wisdom and exhortation for the Christian life.While James has been beloved by the laity of the church through the centuries, it has caused much debate among scholars because of a supposed contradiction between the "works" emphasi...

In a couple of weeks our plan is to start a new series on the letter of James, and I'm looking forward to working through this immensely practical book that touches on so much of the Christian life. This week, however, we'll turn our attention to a single message on Lamentations 3. This is one of the more well-known chapters in the Old Testament in which Jeremiah laments t...

This Sunday we conclude our Malachi series with one of the great promises of the Old Testament. It is a promise of the great and awesome day of the Lord when he will come to judge the wicked and heal and save those who fear his name. Clearly, Malachi is pointing God’s people to the coming Messiah who will come first as a Lamb and again as a Lion. This text gives us the o...

What's the difference between the righteous and the wicked? A lot could be said, but our text this Sunday, Malachi 3:1318, boils it all down to one thingthe fear of the Lord. The wicked did not fear him and even went so far as to say it was vain to serve God! But others, the righteous, heard his rebuke and feared and esteemed his name. Then Malachi tells us that the Lord "...

Let's just put it out there:Some Christians have an allergic reaction to sermons about giving. And if you've ever sat through a manipulative building-campaign plea or tuned in to a prosperity preacher, you can understand why!Well, our text this week is kind of about money and giving, but really it's about our hearts. In Malachi 3:612, God rebukes Israel for their stingines...

We all understand the debilitating feelings of disappointment. It drains our energy, saps us of motivation, and skews our perspective. That's the scene in Malachi 2:17, where Israel expresses their disappointment in God. They think he's failed them, and they let him know about it.The promises of anIsrael restored to its former glory have not come to pass and the people put...

Getting straight to the point, our text this Sunday is an important one. Malachi 2:1016 is an indictment against Israel for profaning the covenant of marriage. The problem was twofoldsome of God'speople were marrying pagans who worshiped false gods and others were faithless to their spouses and divorcing them. And then, they had the audacity to weep and whine to God for no...

This Sunday our text is Malachi 2:19, a severe rebuke of the priests of Israel who failed the Lord and his people. The role of the priesthood in the life of Old Testament Israel was vital. They were to be the mediators between God and the people and thus had a great responsibility to represent Israel before God and likewise to instruct and lead the people in the right wors...

Our text this week, Malachi 1:614, is a stinging indictment of the priests and people of Israel for their careless worship. They're offering him "polluted worship"in the form of lame animals and diseased fruit. It's so bad that God says he wishes someone would just shut the doors and pull the plug on the whole deal. In other words, God tells them their services are so bad ...

I'm excited about this Sunday as we begin a short series through the Old Testament book of Malachi. Now Malachi is one of those more obscure Old Testament prophets that might be more unfamiliar to you. It's one of 12 minor prophets (called 'minor' not because the message is less important, but due to its shorter length) that is probably most well-known for being the last b...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we're going to study 2 Corinthians 10:16, an important passage on spiritual warfare that helps us understand living for Christ in a fallen world. It's one of several passages in the New Testament that speak about how our battle is not against the flesh, but against spiritual forces and strongholds that oppose God. I'm looking forward to studyin...

Dear CrossPointe,Thanks to Logan Copley for his convicting message last week from Hebrews! If you missed it, you canfind it here. Also, be sure to pray for Logan and his wife Molly as they prepare to go to Serbia this Fall where they will serve at the Baptist Theological School in Novi Sad, Serbia.Our plan later in August will be to start another series through a biblical ...

Dear CrossPointe,What a wonderful time we had last week with Pastor Conrad Mbewe! He preached twice on Sunday, then did a seminar for local pastors and Bible teachers on Monday. It was a thoroughly encouraging time in God's Word hearing from one of the great preachers of our day. If you missed any of it, you can find the audio and video of both sermons and the seminar sess...

Dear CrossPointe,Well, we finally did it! Last Sunday we wrapped up our long series through the magnificent letter to the Romans. What a letter! What a gospel! What a Savior! I trust this sermon series was an encouragement to you and helped us all understand the gospel in a deeper way. It certainly was to me.Now to this Sunday. I am so excited about our guest preacher, Dr....

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we come to the end of our long journey through Paul's letter to the Romans. I hope you've been blessed, encouraged, exhorted, and strengthened in the gospel as we've worked through this magnificent letter. Our text this week, Romans 16:2527, is a short doxology that will help us reflect on the God-centeredness of Romans. I'm looking forward to ...

Dear CrossPointe,We've got just two more Sundays in Romans! Glory! Then, on the last Sunday of June, we'llhave the privilege of hearing from Conrad Mbewe, pastor of Kabwata Baptist Church in Zambia. Dr. Mbewe is an internationally respected preacher, known for his gospel clarity and wisdom. If you're not familiar with him,here's a short videoto acquaint you. He'll preach t...

Dear CrossPointeAt first glance, Romans 16:116 appears to be just a list of names and greetings and some final words by Paul at the end of this magnificent letter. While certainly this text doesn't carry the theological punch of much of the rest of Romans, there are some important truths for us to consider in this passage. Who is Phoebe and what can we learn from her about...

Dear CrossPointe,These last few chapters of Romans aren't the most well-known parts of the letter, but they are filled with loads of practical wisdom and vitally important truth. In our text this week, Romans 15:1433, Paul focuses specifically on his ministry purpose and partnership with the Roman church. Clearly, the end of Romans is more administrative and logistical and...

Dear CrossPointe,It looks like we've got just a few more weeks in Romans. Although we have two chapters remaining, I suspect we will be able to cover them in four or five Sundays. I hope our journey through this magnificent letter has been an encouragement to you. It certainly has been to me.Our text this Sunday is Romans 15:113. Much of it is a continuation and summary of...

Dear CrossPointe,Our journey through Romans has given us many opportunities to talk about the freedom of the gospel. The Good News frees us from condemnation, the tyranny of sin, the spirit of fear, even death itself. Nothing will be able to separate believers from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Praise God!But he has done even more than free us from these things...

Dear CrossPointe,I've missed you these last two weeks! Jennifer and I had a wonderful trip to the United Arab Emirates and India but we're glad to be home and look forward to gathering with you all this Sunday. Praise God for the Tyler and Robert's messages these last two weeks. I've been encouraged to hear from a number of you how you were helped by the Word preached. Pra...

Dear CrossPointe,On this one Sunday of the year that our culture celebrates the resurrection, it's been my custom to choose a text that is particularly clear about the saving work of Christ. We anticipate that a larger than usual number of unbelievers will join us Sunday, and my hope is to be utterly clear about the Good News. Of course, that's kind of my goal every Sunday...

Dear CrossPointe,If you missed Tyler's message last Sunday on 1 Peter 2, I encourage you to listen to it here. It was an excellent, pastoral, and timely word.This Sunday we pick back up in Romans as we begin chapter 14. The issue at hand in Romans 14 is the difference of opinions between "strong"and "weak"Christians about whether they can eat certain foods or worship on ce...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we come to the end of Romans 13 as we study verses 1114. In this short paragraph, Paul is concluding his exhortation (started in ch. 12) about what the "living sacrifice"of the Christian life should look like. To do this, he points us beyond this age and reminds that this life is really about being ready for the next. Salvation is near. Jesus i...

Dear CP Family,Our text this week is Romans 13:810. It's a short passage, but broad in scope. It's one of those texts that gives us a picture of how the whole Bible fits together, how the Old Testament Law is fulfilled by God'sredeemed people as they love others as Christ has loved them. If we understand it, we're well on our way to understanding the Christian life biblica...

Dear CrossPointe,Hello, Beloved! I missed you last week but had a wonderful time at the Shepherds Conference in Los Angeles. It was a super-encouraging time and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to attend. Speaking of last week, I listened to Robert's message from Luke 13 and it was excellent. In light of the devastating tornado, it was a timely, sensitive, pastoral...

Dear CrossPointe,When I was a child, one of our family dogs was a Chesapeake Bay retriever. They are majestic dogs bred for getting in and out of the water. Our dog could jump in a lake, climb out, shake, and be dry in seconds. It's like he never really got wet!That's picture I get when I read our text this week, Romans 12:1421, in which Paul continues to describe the gosp...

Dear CrossPointe,Romans 12 is a picture of what the Christian life should look like as a result of the glorious gospel of Romans 111. Because of what God has done to save his people through Christ, they are to give themselves wholly to Him. Salvation begins the process of transformation, which is done by the renewal of the mind. So, what type of life should the renewed min...

Dear CrossPointe,Our text last week called us to be living sacrifices, not conformed to this world but transformed by the renewal of minds. And we can't do this alone! God has given us one another, the local church, to be a body together that serves and nourishes itself so that together we become a tangible display of the gospel we confess. That's what our text this week, ...

Dear CrossPointe,Chapter 12 marks a major transition in the letter of Romans. The first 11 chapters have been intensely theological. Paul has explained and clarified the gospel in careful detail, wanting to make sure we understand that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. Now, in Romans 12, the focus shifts from what ...

Dear CrossPointe,Good theology is important! If you've been around CrossPointe for any length of time, I hope you realize that! God gave us his Word and minds to think, and we should strive with all our energy to rightly understand what he has said. But, good theology was never meant to be a cul-de-sac. It's meant to take us somewhereto doxology, the right worship of God. ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at the culmination of Paul'spoint that God is not done with ethnic Israel as we look at Romans 11:2532. There's a lot in this passage, including a few verses we'll need to work through carefully (i.e., What does it mean thatall Israel will be savedin v26?). Butthe overarching point I'm eager for us to see in this text is the truth of...

Dear CrossPointe,The main point of Romans 11 is that God is not done with ethnic Israel even though a majority of Jews have rejected Jesus. Throughout time he's been preserving a small remnant of believing Jews, and he will save a great number of Jews in the futureall to the praise of his glorious name. In our text this week, Romans 11:1124, Paul addresses believing Gentil...

Dear CrossPointe,I hope and trust your new year is off to a grace-filled start! First, I want to say thank you. Thank you, CrossPointe, for allowing me this two-month sabbatical at the end of 2018. Thank you to my fellow elders for their support and leadership. And thank you to the brothers who served us faithfully in the preaching of the Word in my absence. I'm grateful! ...

Dear CrossPointe,This last Sunday before my sabbatical begins, I will be preaching from Colossians 1, specifically focusing on Paul's prayer for the church in verses 914. In this message, my goal is to expound the textand then apply it to our life together as a church. I will also spend a few moments sharing my heart about where we are as a church and my hopes for us in th...

Dear CrossPointe,On these last two Sundays before my sabbatical(Read more about that here.), my plan is to preach two individual sermonsone in the Psalms and another in Colossians. This Sunday we'll be in Psalm 42, a beautiful and raw song about hoping in God in the middle of dry seasons and dark nights. I'm hoping the psalmist's experience will help us practically apply t...

Dear CrossPointe,Last Sunday, one of our elders, Doug Duncan, informed the church about my upcoming sabbatical starting early November through the end of December. The Lord has been so good to us as a church these past thirteen years! However, it has become evident that I need to develop healthier rhythms of rest and renewal from the grind of pastoral ministry that will he...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll finish up Romans 10 as we consider verses 1421. In this passage, Paul further explains the unbelief of Israel and very clearly lays out the steps necessary for a person to come to saving faith in Jesus. This is remarkable in light of the truths about God's sovereignty in salvation that he has been so clear about in Romans 9. And yet, as w...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm looking forward to digging into Romans 10:513 with you and coming to the Lord's Table together on this first Sunday in October. In our text, Paul uses the Old Testament (specifically Leviticus 18:5 and Deuteronomy 30:1114) to show the futility of pursuing righteousness by law-keeping rather than by faith in Christ. We'll also spend some time trying to ...

Dear CrossPointe,We made it through Romans 9! What a chapter! Maybe the deepest in the whole Bible. This Sunday we begin Romans 10 with a look at the first four verses. Verse 4 says that "Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." This summary statement is massively important, and understanding it correctly is crucial to understanding redempt...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sundaywe delve into Romans 9:1923 and what might be the most challenging text in all of the Bible. In this passage, Paul continues to respond to anticipated objections about what he has said regarding God's purpose of election earlier in the chapter. As before, instead of hedging the truth or attempting to soften what might be perceived as hard edges,...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sundaywe continue to wade through the deep waters of Romans 9 as we study verses 1418. In this paragraph, Paul answers an anticipatedobjection about what he hasjust saidregarding God'spurpose in election in the preceding verses. Instead of hedgingabout God'sabsolute sovereignty, he doubles down on it and asserts that God is free to grant mercy to whom...

Dear CrossPointe,We're back in Romans 9 this week with a second look at verses 613. In particular, we'll focus on God's choice of Jacob over Esau while still in their mother's wombbefore they had done anything good or bad. These verses get to the very heart of how and why God saves people and ultimately answers the question of whether God's word and promises have failed. T...

Dear CrossPointe,We continue our deep dive in the world of Romans 9this Sundayas we look at verses 613. As we covered last week, the issue at hand is the unbelief of the vast majority of Israel and whether this casts doubt on God's faithfulness. Paul's answer is a resounding "No!" when he tells his readers that God's word has not failed because there is a difference betwee...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sundaywe pick back up in Romans as we wade into the deep waters of chapter 9. This is an enormously important chapternot just for Romans but also in the landscape of the whole Bible. The issue at hand in Romans 911 is God's plan for the Jews. In the first eight chapters of Romans, Paul has laid out the good news that we are saved by faith alone in Chr...

Dear members of CrossPointe,I've got some numbers to share with you: Every Sunday at CrossPointe we minister to about 250300 children. This requires around 200 regular adult volunteers to serve once every five weeks in children's ministry. The Mid Tree church-plant core-team that launches this summer will decrease our regular volunteer numbers to about 160. That mean...

Dear CrossPointe,As you all know, we are very excited about the plan to start a new church with Will Hawk in 2018. Preparationsare well underway for this effort, which we anticipate will take place in the Summer and early Fall. As part of this plan, we have undertaken a search to fill the eventual void on our pastoral staff after Will transitions to the new church.To that ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sundaywe venture into Romans 6, one of the most important chapters onsanctification and the Christian life in all of the Bible. Up to this point, Paul has been establishing the central truth of justification by faith alone in Christ alone. No amount of good works or Law-following can save us. Rather, we are saved by God's free gift of grace. Of course...

Dear CrossPointe,We'll pause our series on Romans this Sunday and spend some time in Psalm 67, a song about the nations' need for joy in the one true God! Will Hawk will lead us through the text, and then we'll gather around the Lord's Table together for communion.Grace peace,Brad*Church offices will be closed on Monday, Sept. 4, for Labor Day.Men's Lunch (Sept. 5, noon) ...

Dear CrossPointe,Our text this week, Romans 5:1521, is thick with glorious gospel truth. This is definitely a passage you don't want to eat coldon Sunday. In it Paul concludes his tightly woven argument about how all people are either in Adam by sin or in Christ by grace.The logic is clearif death reigned through one man's sin, how much more will grace and righteousness re...

Dear CrossPointe,C.S. Lewis once said that in order to understand the cure of the gospel, we must understand the disease of sin. The great English preacher J.C. Ryle wrote, "Dim or indistinct views of sin are the origin of most of the errors, heresies, and false doctrines of the present day."Our text this week, Romans 5:1214, is one of the most pivotal texts in the whole B...

Dear CrossPointe,If you can run a marathon, how much more easily could you run a mile? If you can do the harder thing, then how much more can you accomplish the lesser? That's Paul's reasoning in our text this week, Romans 5:911. If we can be sure that God has done the seemingly impossible task of reconciling his former enemies to himself, then how much more certain can we...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week, Romans 5:68, contains some of the sweetest words in the entire Bible. While we were still weak sinners, completely powerless and unable to do anything to change our situation, Christ died for usthe ungodly. What wonderful news. Embedded in these few verses is the very heart of the gospel. After our time in the Word, we'll come to the ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we will zero in on Romans 5:5, in which ​Paul explains that the basis of a Christian's assurance is the indwelling Holy Spirit, who has been poured into our hearts. In other words, we can bank on our future as sure and certain because God has given us the down payment of his Spirit in us. The implications for the Christian life are enormous...

Dear CrossPointe, Where is God when life hurts? How does his sovereignty intersect with our suffering? These questions have been around since Genesis 3, and our text this Sunday, Romans 5:35, helps us answer them. My hope is that our time together in this passage will help us build a better theology of suffering so that we can actually rejoice in it when it inevitably com...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we begin Romans 5 which serves as a transition in the Apostle Paul's line of thinking. Up to this point, he's been arguing forcefully that we are made right with God by the gift of faith and not by works. Now, at the beginning of chapter five, he lays out some of the results that truth brings about in the life of a believer. This Sunday we'll...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll finish Romans 4 as we consider verses 2225. It's a short text, but power packed. Verse 25, in particular, is a kind of summary of the gospel in just a few words. It says that Jesus "was delivered up for our transgressions and raised for our justification." Nearly every word is packed with theological significance and has much to do with...

Dear CrossPointe, Up to now, Paul's point in Romans has been that we are saved by faith, not works. As an example of this truth, he zooms in on the patriarch Abraham. If we are made right with God only because we have faith like Abraham, then it's really important for us to understand the nature of Abraham's faith. And that's the point of our text this Sunday, Romans 4:18...

Dear CrossPointe, This week we jump back into Romans 4, specifically vv1315. Paul makes a spectacular statement in verse thirteen when he says the promise to Abraham and his offspring goes far beyond just the physical land of Canaan but rather encompasses the whole world! This may seem like an obscure thought in the middle of Paul's argument about justification by faith, ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday our text is Romans 4:912, in which Paul continues to drill down into the life of Abraham as an example of justification by faith. In particular, he discusses Abraham's circumcision as evidence that right standing with God has always been by grace rather than works. There are some meaty truths for us to chew on this Sunday. Looking forward to ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we're back in Romans as we begin chapter four. In our text, Romans 4:18, Paul continues to establish that we are justified by faith in Christ, not by works of the law. To make sure his audience understands what he is saying, he zeroes in on the life of Abraham to hold him up as an example of this great truth. This would have been massive to h...

"One Another" Member Meeting (May 7, 67:30 p.m.) || Every other month, CrossPointe's members gather to discuss matters pertinent to the life of the church. Non-members are welcome, and childcare is provided!Men's Lunch Moved (May 9, noon) || The men of CrossPointe usually meet on the first Tuesday of the month but will instead gather next week. Join us for lunch ($5 Chick-...

Dear CrossPointe,​ We finish up Romans 3 this week with a look at verses 2731. In this passage, Paul summarizes his argument and reiterates that all people, whether Jew or Gentile, are made right with God through faith apart from works of the law. And yet, the law is not null and void, but rather it continues to instruct the Christian in how to live for God. Take a few ...

CrossPointe, We've been marinating in Romans 3:2126 for the last few weeks, and for good reason, as many consider this paragraph to be the very heart of Romans. This week, we zero in on the last two verses, which give us a glimpse into the God-centeredness of God. This ideathat God's primary motivation is the display of his gloryis not one that we come to naturally. But ...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to celebrating the Resurrection with you all this Sunday! In God's kindness, we find ourselves in one of the clearest and most gospel-saturated texts in the Bible for this Sunday, Romans 3:2224. Our plan is to stare deeply at the glorious truth of how we've been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Je...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we arrive at one of the most concise and clear explanations of the gospel ever writtenRomans 3:2126and it all starts with "But now," two of the sweetest words in the Bible. In this passage, Paul transitions from the problem of sin to the glorious solution of Christ's work for sinners. It will take us a few weeks to get through this paragraph...

Dear CrossPointe, In our text this week, Romans 3:920, Paul wraps up his case against all humanity before a holy God. It's a stunning indictment in which he concludes that all the world stands before God with their mouths shut and no excuses to make. Admittedly, the language of this passage may sound harsh to our ears, but that's likely because we've been weaned more on s...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we have the joy and privilege of having as our guest Pastor Kaushal Kale of Kolhapur Bible Church in Kolhapur, India. I met Kaushal last year when Robert and I traveled to India to speak at a conference hosted by his church. This was all facilitated by Gareth Franks, who you'll remember is the missionary church-planter for whom Logan Copley s...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to this Sunday! Our text, Romans 2:1729, furthers God's case against fallen humanity. In particular, Paul takes aim at Jews who boast in the law and yet fail to live it out themselves. We may be tempted to cry, "Uncle!" and fast forward to chapter three, but there are some important truths for us to dwell on in the second half of Roma...

Dear CrossPointe, Paul's argument in Romans 1 is clearno Gentiles can claim innocence because of ignorance. They are, as Paul says, without excuse, and their sins are obvious, shown by the list that concludes Romans 1. But in chapter 2, Paul now turns his attention to the religious, to those who think they are okay because they're not like those sinful Gentiles. We have ...

Dear CrossPointe, We'll finish Romans 1 this week as Paul continues to explain God's case against sinful humanity. In particular, verses 2632 explain how God gave mankind up to dishonorable passionsnotably homosexuality. Obviously, homosexuality is a huge cultural topic and matter of debate. While this text is not exclusively about the sin of homosexuality, it is one of ...

Dear CrossPointe, One reason we are committed to working expositionally through books of the Bible is because it forces us to deal with difficult passages that we might otherwise be tempted to skip. Our text this Sunday, Romans 1:1825, is one of those passages. In it, Paul moves from the righteousness of God in verses 16 and 17 to the wrath of God in verse 18. He then pro...

Dear CrossPointe, India was a wonderful and fruitful time, but I've missed you! Looking forward to unpacking Romans 1:1617 with you this Sunday. Martin Luther says this was the text that brought him to true faith in and understanding of the gospel. He called it the "sweetest word" and "truly the gate to paradise," so I'm eager to work through it together this Sunday. See...

Dear CrossPointe, The introductions to Paul's letters are so rich, and Romans is no exception! In our text this week, Romans 1:815, we get a glimpse of how Paul views the Christian life. It's a life full of thankfulness to God for other people and their faith. It's a life that is bound together with other Christians whom we serve and who serve us. And it's a life of oblig...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll look at the second half of Paul's introduction, Romans 1:57. It's amazing how much truth Paul could pack into a few sentences. In particular, he says that the purpose of his ministry was "to bring about the obedience of faith." Then, sixteen chapters later, he ends with this same phrase"to bring about the obedience of faith." I think un...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we begin our series through Romans. I can hardly wait! Martin Luther described this letter as "really the chief part of the New Testament" and "truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul." H...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll finish up our brief Advent series in Isaiah with a look at the Anointed Servant in Isaiah 61. This text is a beautiful portrait and explanation of Christ and his mission. In fact, Jesus directly applies this passage to himself in Luke 4:1622. Take some time to read through Isaiah 61 and Luke 4 before Sunday and come ready to lean forwar...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we continue our Advent series, "Seeing Christ in Isaiah," with a look at one of the mountain peaks of the Old Testament, Isaiah 53. In this chapter about a suffering servant, the prophet Isaiah points his people to one who is coming to finally bear their sin and take it away. There is much for us to feast on in this chapter, so take some time...

Dear CrossPointe, Will kicked off our Advent series, "Seeing Christ in Isaiah," last week with an excellent overview of Isaiah and a look at the wonder and importance of the Incarnation and virgin birth of Christ. We've had some technical difficulties but the sermon should be uploaded soon, and I hope you'll listen to it then if you weren't here on Sunday! This week we w...

Dear CrossPointe, Every time we end a series through a book of the Bible I feel like I go through a kind of withdrawal. I'll miss 1 Timothy and hope it has been beneficial to us as a church. On that note, I feel a pastoral burden to share with you some of my reflections from 1 Timothy about our life together as a local church. So, this Sunday will be a bit unique in that ...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week, 1 Timothy 6:1121, brings us to the close of our 1 Timothy sermon series. I hope our journey through this epistle has been an encouragement to us as a local church entrusted with the good news of the gospel. In his closing words to Timothy, Paul exhorts his protg to fight the good fight of the faith. Of course, Paul is not calling on T...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm really looking forward to diving into our text this week, 1 Timothy 6:110. The primary thrust of this passage is contentment in Christ in a culture of consumerism. If that was an issue for Christians in the first century, how much more so for us! Take some time to read the text before Sunday. Be careful not to think about other people who need the t...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Sunday, 1 Timothy 5:1725, contains Paul's instructions to Timothy about honoring leaders while keeping them accountable. There is a beautiful gospel-balance in Paul's words: leaders are to be respected, but they are in no way above anyone else. In fact, they are to be held to a stricter standard in many ways. And, because the mission of the...

Dear CrossPointe, If you missed Dr. Crawford Loritts last Sunday, I highly encourage you to listen to his sermon here. In a our current climate of racial, cultural, and political strife, it was a very helpful message on how the gospel calls Christians to a life of reconciliation. May the Lord help us be a light in this area for our broken world. This Sunday we'll look at...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to this Sunday! Our text this week, 1 Timothy 4:616, is one of those passages that has been life-shaping for me in pastoral ministry. In an age dominated by pragmatism and gimmicks, Paul exhorts Timothy to faithfully plod along, striving and toiling to make much of Jesus and teach all the good doctrine that flows from the gospel. Rea...

Dear CrossPointe, This week we'll be in 1 Timothy 4:15, in which Paul turns his attention again to false teachers who are troubling the church. In this case, some are forbidding marriage and the consumption of certain foods in order to attain a higher form of spirituality, which has led some to depart the faith. In the end, Paul condemns this false teaching as not just wr...

Dear CrossPointe, "Imperfect as it is, it is the dearest place on earth to us." This is how Charles Spurgeon described the church in a sermon preached in 1861. Our text this week, 1 Timothy 3:1416, gives us a glimpse of why the church should be so dear to Christians. Paul describes it as the household of God, where the living God dwells, upon which the truth of the gospel...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week, 1 Timothy 3:813, is a continuation of Paul's qualifications for church leadership, specifically the role of deacons. A deacon is a servant of the church, tasked with caring for the logistical and physical needs of the congregation, which in turn paves the way for the ministry of the Word. While this text addresses the specific office...

Dear CrossPointe, Paul's first letter to Timothy is more than just instructions on how to organize and lead a local church. Beyond the practical instruction is a glimpse into the purpose and plan of God to display his glory to an onlooking world through the church. So, the 'how' and 'who' of church leadership is critically important. That is the issue at hand in our text ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we tackle a controversial text, 1 Timothy 2:815, which deals with the role and comportment of men and women in the life of the local church. To say this text is disputed is an understatement! Much ink has been spilled over this paragraph. But just because something is controversial does not mean we should avoid it. In fact, the truths in thi...

Dear CrossPointe, I can hardly wait to study and unpack 1 Timothy 2:17 with you this week! It's so full of gospel truth, and, when rightly understood, serves as fuel for assurance in the Christian life and motivation for evangelism and missions. Read it several times before Sunday. Invite an unbelieving friend. Pray for God to open blind eyes and put steel in our spine. ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll finish the first chapter of 1 Timothy, in which Paul recounts God's grace to him in his own salvation and call to ministry. In verse 15, we read one of the most succinct and powerful gospel statements in all of Scripture. Paul says, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." This truth is at the cente...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we start our series through 1 Timothy, one of my favorite books in the Bible. This short letter reads like an instruction manual for the local church from the Apostle Paul to his young ministry protege, Timothy. It not only gives us much practical teaching about life together as a body, but it also points us to a deeper understanding of God's...

Dear CrossPointe, I trust you are doing well! As summer winds down and school starts back up I want to give you an idea of where we'll be heading on Sundays this Fall. Will Hawk will preach a stand-alone message this Sunday, after which we'll celebrate the Lord's Supper together. Then, on the following Sunday, we'll begin a series through 1 Timothy. This short letter fro...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll conclude our Daniel series by covering the last two chapters, in which God gives Daniel a comprehensive vision of the futureincluding even the return of Christ! These two chapters are breathtaking in their detail, especially of the rise and fall of worldly rulers, but the point is not to have us guessing what modern-day empire or ruler...

Dear CrossPointe, What a joy it was to have Doug Van Meter, pastor of Brackenhurst Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa, with us last Sunday. He preached an excellent message on the traits of a world-impacting church from Acts 11:1930. If you missed it, I highly encourage you to listen to or watch it here. This Sunday we pick back up with Daniel 10 where we read ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we take a break from our Daniel series to welcome and hear from Doug Van Meter, pastor of Brackenhurst Baptist Church in Johannesburg, South Africa. Brackenhurst is the home church of Gareth Franks, our missionary friend and partner in India. I'm really looking forward to hearing from this dear brother as he shares with us from God's Word an...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week, Daniel 9, contains one of the most debated and complex passages in the Bible. Most of the chapter is a prayer of repentance and lament by Daniel for his people. It is a beautiful example of intercession by Daniel as he pleads to God for mercy on Israel. And then, in verses 2427, the angel Gabriel brings a prophecy about "the seventy ...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week, Daniel 7, is going to be fun! The first half of Daniel (ch. 16) has been for the most part historical narrative and relatively straight-forward. From here on out (ch. 712) the genre changes to what is called apocalyptic literature. The word "apocalyptic" implies revelation, and in the Bible this genre is used to bring hope to God's pe...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week, Daniel 6, is one of the more well-known scenes in the Bible. Daniel, likely in his eighties at this point, is thrown into the lions' den for disobeying the king's decree. But once again, God miraculously preserves Daniel and shuts the lions' mouths. You're likely familiar with this story, but I encourage you to read it with fresh eyes...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday, we're in Daniel 5 in which we'll see another spectacular display of God's sovereignty over all men and nations. A new king is on the throne and he's, well, an arrogant fool. This king throws a party that mocks God and his people, so God decides to put an end to his brazenness. He causes a hand to mysteriously appear and write something on th...

Dear CrossPointe, Some dreams do come true. And as we'll see in Daniel 4 this Sunday, unfortunately that was the case for King Nebuchadnezzar. In this remarkable scene, we see God humbling a proud man and bringing him to his knees. There's much for us to glean from this chapter which includes one of the clearest proclamations of God's power in the Bibleand from a pagan ki...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll be in Daniel 3one of the more well known stories in the Biblein which three Hebrew men are thrown into a fiery furnace. It's an intense story of idolatrous pride, other-worldly confidence, and a miraculous rescue. You may be familiar with the story already, but take some time to read this chapter again a few times before Sunday. Looking...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll be in Daniel 2, in which Daniel interprets the king's dream. It's an incredible and intense scene where God once again miraculously provides for and preserves his people. This time, he works through the prayers and boldness of his people to be the means by which he provides. And then he uses the dream (which he gave to the king in the ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we begin a new series through the Old Testament book of Daniel. When people think of Daniel, they often think of the lions' den or mysterious visions that dominate the second half of the book. As a result, it is tempting to focus on Daniel's heroism or various end-times views. But when we do that we miss the larger point of the book, which is...

Dear CrossPointe, The pastors were greatly blessed by our trip to Louisville and Together for the Gospel. (I think they'll be uploading videos of all the messages online soon. You can find them here!) As much as we enjoyed singing and hearing the Gospel with 10,000 other pastors, we're even more eager to worship with you this Sunday at CrossPointe. Will Hawk will be prea...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll be in Matthew 11:2830, where Jesus invites the heavy-laden to come to Him for rest. My hope is that this text and Jesus' words to us will be a great encouragement for weary souls. Take some time read the text before Sunday and ask the Lord to do wonderful things among us. Also, this upcoming week (April 1115) the pastoral staff will be...

Dear CrossPointe, What a glorious Resurrection Sunday we had last week. The Lord is good! This Sunday I will preach about the importance of what we are doing when we gather together for worship each week. In short, I want to help us have a good theology of worship as a church family. Now, when we use the word 'worship,' we should be careful to say that all of life is wor...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Resurrection Sunday will be Ephesians 2:110, one of the most straightforward and succinct explanations of the gospel in the Bible. I chose this text realizing there will likely be an unusually large number of unbelievers present this Sunday and my heart is that they would hear the Good News clearly. Pray with me that God would use His Word...

Dear CrossPointe, We tend to have a narrow view of history. We think the times we are facing are surely the worst ever. But when we read the Bible, we realize that the world has been in chaos since the fall of mankind in Genesis 3. And yet God has been providentially moving human history toward his good and redemptive purpose. This Sunday we are going to look at Psalm 2,...

Dear CrossPointe, Several months ago we started a journey through the Sermon on the Mount, and this Sunday we'll bring it to an end as we look at Matthew 7:24-29. I hope you've benefitted from this as much as I have. It has been challenging, encouraging, and convicting for me. Jesus ends the sermon by contrasting two types of builders, one wise and one foolish. This illu...

Dear CrossPointe, How I've missed you! Robert and I had a great time ministering alongside some dear brothers and sisters in India, but I'm really looking forward to seeing you all Sunday. We'll pick back up where Will left off (by the way, great work by him last two weeks!) as we look at Matthew 7:1214. The first verse in this text is one of the more familiar ones in th...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll hit the pause button on our series through the Sermon on the Mount to look at the purpose, practice, and importance of communion. To do this, we'll work through 1 Corinthians 11:1734, where Paul instructs the church on how we should approach "the Lord's table." Communion and baptism are pictures of the gospel that the Lord has given to...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we cover one of the more well-known portions of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:2534. In this passage, Jesus exhorts us to not be anxious but to entrust ourselves to God's fatherly care. What a timely text for us as we live in a world full of uncertainty. This is one of those passages that needs a slow bake, so read it several times befor...

Dear CrossPointe, A strong thread running through Matthew 6 is Jesus' exhortation to seek the reward of the Father rather than the reward of this world. This Sunday that thread continues as Jesus instructs us on fasting in Matthew 6:16-18. Fasting is one of those topics that doesn't get discussed that much and is often misunderstood. What is the purpose of fasting? Should...

Dear CrossPointe, If you stop and think about it for a moment, the idea of prayer is staggering. The Almighty Creator of the universe not only allows, but beckons his people to speak to him as Father. This is incredible! And, through Jesus, he has given us instruction on how to pray (and how not to pray). I'm really looking forward to diving into our text this week, Matth...

Dear CrossPointe, On this Sunday before Christmas, we're going to pause The Sermon on the Mount for a look at Matthew 1 and the implications of Christ's incarnation. About the Incarnation, C.S. Lewis says it is the "central miracle" of the Bible. "Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this." That's a strong statement, and I think Lewis i...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we finish up ch. 5 of the Sermon on the Mount as we look at verses 4348. In this well-known text, Jesus pushes us beyond the non-resistance of last week's text to actually love our enemies and pray for them. It's easy to see why John Stott said this is one of the most challenging passages in the entire Bible. Much for us to think about! Read ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll tackle one of the more well-known and yet challenging passages in the Bible, Matthew 5:3842. In this text, Jesus tells his followers to turn the other cheek when they're slapped. Obviously, this is a difficult text to apply and work through. Take some time to read through it a few times and pray for understanding. Pray also that as we g...

Dear CrossPointe, We're back in The Sermon on the Mount this Sunday as we look at what Jesus says about divorce in Matthew 5:3132. To say this is a tough subject is obviously an understatement. John Stott, a very faithful English pastor who never dodged hard topics, said this about Sunday's text and subject: "I confess to a basic reluctance to attempt an exposition of the...

Dear CrossPointe, We're extending our break from The Sermon on the Mount to think about our responsibility as a local church to care for the fatherless. For the past several years in November, CrossPointe has participated in Orphan Sunday. This is a worldwide movement aimed at helping churches consider how they might live out the implications of the gospel by caring for t...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll hit pause on our series through "The Sermon on the Mount" to consider the meaning, significance, and importance of baptism in the life of a Christian and in the local church. I encourage you to read Romans 6:34, which will serve as our primary text. And, after the message, we'll celebrate the gospel as three members of CrossPointe are b...

Dear CrossPointe, In our text this week, Matthew 5:2730, Jesus deals with the weighty topic of lust and sexual sin. I think we all realize that our culture is a cesspool of sexual brokenness. It goes without saying that fighting sexual sin, resisting temptation, and finding the hope that the gospel holds out are massively important for us to consider as a church. Please ...

Dear CrossPointe, In one of the Bible's greatest promises God tells his people that He will take his law (up to that point written on tablets) and write it on their hearts by putting His Spirit in them so they can walk in His ways. Through the work of His Son this becomes a reality. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus declares that the righteousness required in this new co...

Dear CrossPointe, I've been looking forward to our text, Matthew 5:1720, for a while now. In it Jesus announces that he has not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets but to fulfill them. This brings up several very important questions. How exactly does he fulfill them? What, then, is Jesus' relationship with the Old Testament? What is the Christian's relationship with ...

Dear CrossPointe, If you missed last Sunday's message on fighting temptation by Will Hawk I highly encourage you to listen to it here. Very good! This week we'll be back in the Sermon on the Mount and one of the more recognizable passages in the Bible, Matthew 5:1316. In this text, Jesus says Christians should be like salt and light in a world that is decaying and dark. ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll take a break from the Sermon on the Mount as Will Hawk preaches on Matthew 4:111. Understanding the truths in this text about Jesus' temptation in the wilderness are essential to our fight against sin and pursuit of holiness. Read it a few times before Sunday and come ready to lean into God's Word. Also, remember this Wednesday we'll r...

Dear CrossPointe, In light of reports around the world of Christians suffering at the hands of brutal regimes and terrorist groups, and the increasing hostility of our own culture, our text this week, Matthew 5:1012, is timely for us. In this last Beatitude, Jesus says that when his people are mistreated and hated by the world because of him, it is a sign of being blessed...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll zero in on the Beatitudes, specifically Matthew 5:19. As we established last week, the Beatitudes and the rest of the Sermon on the Mount are not ethical laws that we must keep so that God will accept us, but rather they are what the Christian life should look like because God has made us alive in Christ. But beyond just having personal...

Dear CrossPointe If you missed last Sunday's sermon by Robert Ward on Ephesians 5:1521, I encourage you to listen to it here. It was a very timely and helpful message on how Christians should walk wisely amidst evil days. Great message! This Sunday we begin our series through the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 57). This first week will be a sort of introduction into the ov...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we finish up our series through 1 Thessalonians with a look at how and what it means to grow as a Christianthe doctrine of sanctification. In 1 Thess. 5:23, Paul prays that God himself would sanctify his readers completely and keep them blameless until he returns. That is a huge statement! What does it mean and how does that happen? What is G...

Dear CrossPointe, We are winding down our series on 1 Thessalonians this Sunday with a look at 1 Thessalonians 5:1222. As he often does in other epistles, Paul wraps up his letter to the church with a smorgasbord of practical instructions on how Christians should relate to the their leaders, to one another, to God in their gathered worship, and to the world. On the surfa...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Sunday is 1 Thessalonians 5:111, in which Paul continues his teaching about the return of Christ. His purpose in these verses is to encourage the Christians in Thessalonica to be sober-minded, spiritually awake, and ready for the day of the Lord when Jesus returns. In a culture that lulls us to sleep in so many ways, Paul's numerous exhort...

Dear CrossPointe, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:17 that if Christ has not been raised our faith is futile and we are still in our sins. In other words, Paul is pinning every Christian's hopes on the resurrection of Christ. Because Jesus rose, we will rise. Because Jesus got up from the grave and has defeated death and sin, we can be confident that he will return as he p...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this Sunday, 1 Thessalonians 3:613, gives us a glimpse into Paul's warm pastoral heart for the church. The emotion expressed is especially significant in view of the fact that Paul only spent about a month in Thessalonica. I think this text has much to teach us about God's intention for life in the local church, and how we should abound in love ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday our text, 1 Thessalonians 2:173:5, gives us a glimpse into the often difficult doctrine of God's providence and how all things, even Satan, are under his complete control. In a culture that seems to be getting more hostile and evil by the day, I hope the truths in this text will be a great encouragement to us. Take some time to familiarize y...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday our text will be 1 Thessalonians 2:1316, in which Paul gives thanks for how the Thessalonians have received the word of God and how clearly it is at work in them. I think this brief text gives us a very important insight into the power and primacy of the word of God in the life of a Christian and the local church. Our plan will be to unpack h...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm really looking forward to this Sunday. We'll be in 1 Thessalonians 1 again, specifically verses 610. I've been studying this text all week and there are some beautiful truths and connections I want us to see. Specifically, we'll be thinking about what true discipleship looks like, how it is linked to joy, and how it should lead to evangelism and witn...

Dear CrossPointe, This afternoon I will be traveling to Uganda with a team from CrossPointe to partner with the ministry of (un)adopted alongside Pastor Raphael and King Jesus Church. I encourage you to take a moment to watch this short video about the ministry, Pastor Raphael, and his church. Pray for our team's outreach in this community, particularly among these vulner...

Dear CrossPointe, After our long journey through Genesis, it looks like the next book we'll work through is 1 Thessalonians. The plan is to start that mid-June after I return from the Uganda mission trip. Until then, we'll do a few individual messages. This week we are going to look at John 12:4243 and what I believe is one of the greatest obstacles in the Christian life...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm looking forward to returning to Genesis this Sunday with a look at the story of Joseph resisting the advances of Potiphar's wife (Genesis 39). In short, the example Joseph sets for us in this chapter is incredibly important to consider. We live in a world full of counterfeit carnal pleasures that seek to drag us into destruction, and we need to arm o...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday, our study of Genesis begins to focus on Joseph, the favored son of Jacob. Our text will be Genesis 37, and from here until the end of the book we will zero in on how God uses the envy and betrayal of sinful brothers to bring about the rescue of those same brothers. Ultimately, these chapters are not just a morality tale about one particular ...

Remember to "Spring" forward one hour on Saturday night!Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll look at Genesis 34 and consider one of the worst scenes in the Biblethe rape of Jacob's daughter, Dinah, and the vengeance of her brothers. It's a sad and dark chapter, to put it bluntly. Take some time to read through it several times and consider what the Holy Spirit wants to tea...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll jump back into Genesis after a few months away. Specifically, we'll be in Genesis 28, which tells us about Jacob's dream and encounter with Godan incredible scene that has much truth for us to consider! Since it has been awhile since we've been in Genesis, I'd encourage you to watch these two short 5-minute videos that do a great job o...

A summary of Brad's message from Colossians 1:1-14 on December 28, 2014 entitled, "Seven Prayers for CrossPointe for 2015."...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll inch a little further up the summit of the greatest chapter ever written as we look at Romans 8:3132. In these two verses, the Apostle Paul's logic is simple, yet monumentally powerful for the Christian. God did not spare His Son, the greatest treasure in the universe, in order to redeem a people for His glory. If He did this for us wha...

Dear CrossPointe, I've been saying that Romans 8 is the greatest chapter in the Biblemore than thatthe greatest chapter ever written. If we were to think of the Bible as a mountain range, Romans 8 would be the Mount Everest that towers above all others. And if Romans 8 is the Mount Everest, verses 2839 would be the summit. This Sunday we'll begin to scale that summit.The ...

Romans 8:2627, "The Spirit Helps Us Pray" Dear CrossPointe, Last week's text was both encouraging and soberingencouraging because we can be sure that God's suffering children have an incomparably glorious future, but also sobering because we are in the middle of dealing with the reality of suffering in this life. So, our future is certain, but what about now? What help ...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll take a break from Romans 8 to hear from David Baum about the upcoming church plant. David has been part of our team for the past year or so and has been preparing and gathering a core group from CrossPointe to launch another Christ-centered, Bible-believing, gospel-cherishing, mission-oriented church in our city. David has preached sev...

Dear CrossPointe, We continue our journey through the greatest chapter ever written this Sunday with a look at Romans 8:58. In much of Paul's letters and writing we see clear imperatives and instruction, though these verse are more descriptive than prescriptive. It is an explanation of the contrast between the regenerate mind of a Christian, who is led by the Spirit, and ...

Genesis 2324, "A Bride for Isaac" Dear CrossPointe, Super solid message by Wayne last week on Genesis 22. If you missed it, I encourage you to listen to it here as Wayne guided us through one of the most important chapters in Genesis. This week we'll cover a large chunk as we look at Genesis 2324. These two chapters form a transition from Abraham to Isaac. In chapter 23...

"God Fulfills His Promise," Genesis 21:134 It's been a rough few chapters for Abraham, but this week in Genesis 21 we celebrate the fulfillment of God's promise to him years ago. There is much for us to mine from this chapter as this becomes a picture for us of God's faithfulness and his ability to bring his promises to pass. As always, read Genesis 21 a few times. Pray ...

Dear CrossPointe, As always, that was a superb message by Will Hawk last week on Genesis 18. Full of convicting and encouraging truth. If you missed it, be sure to listen to it here. This week we continue with a look at Genesis 19 and the heart-wrenching account of Lot's rescue and Sodom and Gomorrah's destruction. Probably one of the most distorted and misunderstood asp...

Dear CrossPointe, Our text this week is Genesis 16:116 and the story of Abram and Sarai's impatience and attempt to help God fulfill his promise through Hagar. Their compromise inevitably leads to strife, and yet God is merciful to all parties involved. The implications for us are numerous and point us to a God who hears us in our distress, sees us in our pain, and ultima...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll look at Genesis 15:121, one of the mountain peaks of the Old Testament (and, really, all of the Bible for that matter). In this text, we see God counting Abram righteous because of his faith and confirming his covenant with Abram through a striking and vivid sacrifice. Genesis 15 then becomes the basis of Paul's argument in Romans 4 for...

Dear CrossPointe, What an excellent message from David Baum last week on Ephesians 4:1116 and "Six Ways God Gets Glory from the Local Church." If you missed it, watch or listen to it here and continue to pray for the Baums as they prepare to plant a church soon! This week we'll pick back up in Genesis for the balance of the summer. The text this Sunday, Genesis 12:1014:2...

Dear CrossPointe, I enjoyed our month in Titus and hope it was helpful for you. We'll pick back up in Genesis next week for the remainder of the summer, but before we do that David Baum will be preaching this Sunday out of Ephesians 4:1116. As I'm sure you are aware, David Baum and his wife, Marie, are planting a church with CrossPointe's support in the near future. As th...

Dear CrossPointe, I'm really looking forward to this Sunday! Our text will be Romans 3:2126, one of the most important passages in the Bible. One theologian calls it, "the greatest paragraph ever written," because in this short passage Paul unpacks the heart of the gospel and how God is both just and the justifier of those who have faith in Jesus. I encourage you to read ...

Dear CrossPointe, Hope you're having a great spring break! If you missed last week, I encourage you to listen to Wayne's excellent message on God's covenant with Noah from Genesis 9:1-17 (click here). This Sunday we'll tackle a longer than usual text as we look at Genesis 9:1811:26, a passage which shows how God repopulates the earth after the flood through Noah and his ...

SundayDear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll tackle one of the most popularized scenes in the Biblethe flood account in Genesis 6:98:22. It's a longer passage than we usually cover in one sermon, so I really encourage you to read it before we gather on Sunday. The challenge in studying such a familiar passage is that we are prone to sanitize the scene by reducing it to a mor...

Dear CrossPointe, This Sunday we'll look at Genesis 3, maybe the most depressing chapter in the Bible. And yet, even in the midst of the despair that Adam and Eve's rebellion has caused, we see the first glimmer of gospel hope and the beginning of redemption. As I said when we started Genesis, understanding these early chapters is foundational for understanding the Bible...

Dear CrossPointe, While last week was a wide-angle look at God's creation of the universe, this week we'll zoom in on God's special creation of mankind. To do this, we'll start by reaching back into chapter one and looking at Genesis 1:262:25. Once again, the truths in these first few chapters of Genesis are essential for rightly understanding the whole Bible. This week ...

Dear CrossPointe, I hope you were encouraged and challenged by David Baum's message last week on the church. I certainly was. If you missed it, you can listen to it here. Please pray for David and the leadership of CrossPointe as we plan and prepare for the church plant. If you are interested in hearing more from David about this church plant, there will be an information...

Dear CrossPointe, What a fantastic missions conference last weekend! (If you missed any of Dr. Murray's messages you can find them here.) This Sunday we will continue our missions theme as David Baum preaches from Matthew 16 about church-planting. Most of you know that David is planning a church-plant in the Columbus-area, and we at CrossPointe are excited to partner with...

Dear CrossPointe, The Gospel is the good news that God has redeemed a people for himself through Jesus' life, death and resurrection. He then places his redeemed people into a family, a new community called the church. And then he sends this redeemed community into the world to be a witness of his saving grace. So, to be a Christian is not merely to receive but to also be...

Dear CrossPointe, In his book The Screwtape Letters, C.S. Lewis warned that Christians are often prone to extremes when it comes to spiritual warfare: either we think there is a demon behind every tree, or we think too little of Satan and don't really believe he exists. We end our series in 1 Peter this Sunday with a look at 1 Peter 5:6-14 in which the apostle instructs t...

Dear CrossPointe,One consistent thread throughout 1 Peter is the role of suffering in the Christian life. Our text this week, 1 Peter 4:12-19, zooms in on what it means to suffer as a Christian and actually rejoice in the God-glorifying results that come from it.One of the most important things an individual Christian or church community can do is develop a good theology o...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm really looking forward to the text this week, 1 Peter 3:8-22. The main thrust of it is Peter's instruction on how Christians should view suffering that comes along with being a witness for Christ in a hostile culture. Peter is being a good pastor here and showing his readers that when they suffer for Jesus they are in a unique position to display the...

Dear CrossPointe,This is one of the weeks when I'm reminded why we preach through books of the Bible rather than cherry-pick topics and popular passages...because otherwise I might be tempted to skip this one! In 1 Peter 3:1-7 Peter explains the implications of the gospel for the Christian life. Here he zeroes in on marriage.How should wives interact with unbelieving husba...

Dear CrossPointe,What a wonderful message David Wooten preached last week as we observed Orphan Sunday. Convicting, encouraging, and full of gospel truth and application. If you missed it, carve out some time and listen to it here. You will be edified.This week we're looking at 1 Peter 2:13-25, as Peter continues encouraging his readers to remember that in light of God's s...

Dear CrossPointe, For the past several years, our church and many others around the world have celebrated Orphan Sunday. On this day, we consider how we as a church should seek to make the gospel visible, reflecting God's heart for the fatherless through adoption and foster-care.While every Christian may not personally adopt or foster a child, we are all called to defend a...

Dear CrossPointe,Our text this week, 1 Peter 2:1-12, is one of the mountain-peaks of this letter. In these verses, Peter paints a beautiful picture. To be a Christian is to be chosen by God, placed among the people of God, in order to proclaim God.We use the words gospel, community and mission a lot at CrossPointe, and here we find a passage that weaves all three together....

Dear CrossPointe,We'll unpack yet another rich and gospel-packed passage this Sunday in 1 Peter 1:13-25. Peter's logic in these verses is really important for us to see. Essentially he is saying that in light of what God has done for his people in Christ, and in view of their inheritance that lies ahead, they are free to fight sin and be holy with a tenacious hope in grace...

Dear CrossPointe,Our text this week, 1 Peter 1:3-12, is one of the most beautiful passages in the Bible. Packed full of gospel truth and hope, it's actually one long sentence in the original language (Greek). And what a great long sentence it would be to memorize in English! It breaks down into three partsthe hope of our future inheritance (vv3-5), how the guarantee of thi...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll begin our study of First Peter. Why this letter? Four reasons come to mind: The gospel is held up so clearly and beautifully. Major chunks of 1 Peter are simply some of the most beautiful gospel-saturated passages in the Bible. It's as if Peter can't get through a few sentences without getting back to what Jesus has done. We talk a lot...

Dear CrossPointe,I am really excited about this Sunday! Back in July I mentioned that David Baum, a retired chaplain and member of CrossPointe, will be planting a church in the Columbus area hopefully sometime in 2014. David's call to plant a gospel-centered church in our area is an answer to prayer, and one we hope God answers numerous times through the years.This Sunday,...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll zoom in on the crucifixion of Jesus as we study Mark 15:21-47. The center of this passage is verse 34, which some have called the most important and terrible question ever asked, as Jesus cries out, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Up to this point we've seen Jesus forsaken by his friends and foes, but here, we see the Son fors...

Dear CrossPointe,If you missed Will Hawk's excellent message last week on Mark 14:53-72, take a moment to listen to it here. This week in Mark 15:1-20, the trial of Jesus moves from the Jewish Sanhedrin to Roman governor Pilate. What follows is a striking scene of the Judge of all the earth being judged by his creation.These are not easy words to read, and yet, many of us ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday Will Hawk will be preaching on Mark 14:53-72, in which we see Jesus before the council followed by Peter's denial. It is a stark and vivid scene as Jesus endures the false witness of the religious leaders and the desertion of one of his closest friends. Be sure to read the text a few times before Sunday to prepare your heart.We'll spend just fo...

Dear CrossPointe,We live in a fast-paced and information over-loaded world in which skimming has become an art-formthink of all the TV channels, let alone the Internet! Regrettably, our tendency to skim doesn't stop there but even affects our reading of the Bible and willingness to delve into the deep truths of the gospel.Our text this week, Mark 14:32-52, gives us an oppo...

Dear CrossPointe,Sunday's text is Mark 14:12-31, which recounts Jesus' last supper with his disciples. Once again there is much in this text for us to work throughJesus' utter control, Judas' betrayal, a prediction of Peter's betrayal, and, most importantly, the cross that this meal points to.In addition to reading the text before Sunday, you'll be helped by reading Exodus...

Dear CrossPointe,Hope you're all having a great week! This Sunday we'll be in Mark 14:1-11 which recounts the poignant scene of a woman anointing Jesus with a very expensive flask of ointment. Her actions are roundly criticized by the disciples, but Jesus quickly corrects them and calls what she did a "beautiful thing." In a moment of intentional contrast, Mark then notes ...

CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll finish out Jesus' teaching on the last days with a look at Mark 13:24-37. As I mentioned last week, although earnest and sincere Christians have different opinions about eschatology (study of End Times), I don't want us to miss what I think is the larger pointJesus' return and certain victory should produce longing and confidence in the Christ...

Dear CrossPointe,If you missed last Sunday's message on "The Gospel Homosexuality," I really encourage you to download or listen to it here. The message was not just about the specific issue of homosexuality, but really touched on what the Bible says about all sin, who Jesus is and what hope the gospel holds out for sinners. Block out some time if you missed it and share ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll take a break from Mark to look at what is currently one of the most explosive and hotly debated cultural issues--homosexuality. In this message, my aim is help us see clearly what the Bible says about homosexuality, the hope it holds out for those struggling with same-sex attraction, and how we as the church should think about and engage ...

CrossPointe,In Mark 12:18-27, Jesus is questioned by the Sadducees (a Jewish sect) about life after death. Because they don't believe in resurrection themselves, they challenge Jesus' claims with a hypothetical story about a woman with seven (now dead) husbands. They ask, "Whose wife will she be in the resurrection?" hoping to undermine Jesus by making his claims about the...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 12:13-17 and another confrontation between Jesus and some religious leaders. The issue this time is whether or not the Jews should pay taxes to Caesar, the pagan emperor of Rome. Jesus' brief response has many very important implications for us as Christians who live in a broken society governed by a secular government that i...

Dear CrossPointe,I missed you all last week, but I was able to listen to Robert's sermon on Mark 11:1225 and it was excellent! Such a clear and thorough explanation of Jesus cursing the fig tree, cleansing the temple, and what it means to have faith in God. I really encourage you to listen to it here if you missed it.This week we'll look at Mark 11:2712:12. In this passage...

Dear CrossPointe,The next few chapters in Mark (11-15) cover the last week of Jesus' life before his death and resurrection. This week we will look at Mark 11:1-11 where Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem amidst shouts of "Hosanna!"On the surface, this may seem like merely a good text for Palm Sunday and not much else. But it is packed full of connection to the Old Testam...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll study Mark 10:32-52 which contains the high point of Mark's gospel, verse 45, in which Jesus says, "For even the Son of Man came not be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." By his death Jesus purchased our freedom by substituting himself in our place to bear our punishment. John Stott writes, "The concept of su...

Dear CrossPointe,I'm writing this from Louisville, Ky., where I've been at a retreat for a small group of pastors connected with the ministry of 9Marks. It's been a very refreshing and encouraging time to be around these brothers. Thank you for making it possible for me to participate in this gathering!I'm looking forward to being with you all on Sunday as we look at Mark ...

CrossPointe,This week we will look at Mark 10:1-12 where Jesus teaches on marriage and divorce. Much like last week's passage on the seriousness of sin and horror of hell, this is a sensitive and difficult topic. Pray the God would give us humility as we look at the Scriptures and a sensitivity and graciousness toward one another as we consider Jesus' words.Grace and peace...

Dear CrossPointe,The seriousness of sin and the utter torment of an eternity in hellMark 9:42-50 is an example of why we make a habit of preaching through books of the Bible. Otherwise, I'd be prone to skip over difficult passages like this. But the truths we'll think about Sunday are very important if we are going to be biblical Christians.John Piper says, "When the heart...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we resume our journey through Mark as we look at an intense yet tender scene in Mark 9:14-29. In this passage, Jesus, Peter, James and John descend from Christ's transfiguration on the mountain to find the other disciples arguing with the scribes over their inability to heal a boy with an unclean spirit.What follows is a poignant and compassion...

Dear CrossPointe,On this Easter Sunday we'll take a quick break from Mark and look at one of the clearest explanations of the gospel in the Bible from Ephesians 2:1-10. This would be a great Sunday to invite an unbelieving friend as we hear the good news and remember what it means to follow Christ. We'll also celebrate the gospel as we witness the baptisms of three believe...

CrossPointe,This Sunday we arrive at the pivot point of Mark's gospel, 8:279:1. Up to this point Mark has been concerned with demonstrating who Jesus is. And, in this text Peter rightly confesses that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah from heaven. While the disciples show signs of understanding Christ's identity (although not yet fully), Jesus begins to teach them about his...

Dear CrossPointe,We are approaching a turning point in our study of Mark this week as we look at Mark 8:22-26. In this text it seems like Jesus' first attempt to give sight to a blind man doesn't quite get the job done, so he tries again and gets it right the second time. If nothing else, Mark has established that Jesus has all power and authority over sickness, sin, storm...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we'll look at Mark 8:1-21, in which Jesus miraculously feeds a huge crowd (sound familiar?). Yet, shockingly, the disciples seem remarkably dim-witted as they've apparently forgotten about that time just a few chapters ago when Jesus fed five thousand (Mark 6:30-44).The temptation for us is to shake our heads in wonder at how slow the disciples m...

Dear CrossPointe,This week's text, Mark 7:24-37, is quite an interesting one! In back-to-back encounters, Jesus calls a Gentile woman a "dog" and then, in order to heal a deaf man, sticks his fingers into his ears and spits. This hardly seems like the most convincing argument for following Jesus.What is going on in these two encounters? I think this passage shows us a beau...

CrossPointe,If you missed last Sunday's message by Wayne on Mark 7:1-13, I encourage you to listen to it here. It was a very helpful reminder of how prone we are to try and make ourselves clean rather than trusting in Jesus who alone can make us clean.This week we'll look at Mark 7:14-23, which really continues last week's theme of religion vs. the gospel. In this text, Je...

Dear CrossPointe,What a tremendous missions weekend! I encourage you to listen to the Sunday morning sermon if you missed it. (CD copies will be available Sunday morning, though we cannot put the sermon online due to the sensitive nature of their work.)This Sunday, we are back in Mark with a look at one of Jesus' more notable miracles in Mark 6:45-56. In this passage, Jesu...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we'll look at the well-known account of Jesus feeding the five thousand in Mark 6:30-44. The miracle itself is obviously quite a scene: Jesus takes just five loaves and two fish and multiplies it to satisfy the hungry stomachs of thousands.But what makes it all the more striking is that it follows Mark's account of the murderous and lustful banqu...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we tackle a very interesting text in Mark 6:14-29. In this passage, Mark recounts for us the death of John the Baptist at the hands of Herod. It's no coincidence that this story comes after Jesus sends his disciples out on mission. The connection is clearfaithfulness to Jesus will be opposed, and in this case, John was murdered for it.But there...

Happy New Year!In Mark 6:7-13, Jesus remarkably sends out what still seems to be a very unprepared group of twelve on a mission. Earlier in Mark's gospel Jesus called these men so that they might be with him and that he might send them out to proclaim the gospel. Likewise, to be a Christian is to be on mission. Our plan this Sunday is to think deeply about how we are calle...

Dear CrossPointe,I hope and trust you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to the new year! In one sense, I look forward to the fresh start and hope a new year brings, but I also wrestle with regret over my shortcomings in the previous year. I find myself fluctuating between regret and resolve. In January we'll pick back up in our study of Mark, but on t...

Dear CrossPointe,What a tremendous message by Will Hawk last Sunday on Mark 5:21-43! If you missed it, I highly recommend you to listen to it here. You will be very encouraged by it!This Sunday we move on to Mark 6:1-6 and a curious scene in which Jesus returns to his hometown of Nazareth. Initially, the people seem impressed with his teaching and mighty works, but the moo...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday Will Hawk will preach on Mark 5:21-43, in which Jesus shows just how ultimate his authority iseven over death itself. And yet, Mark is careful to note the exact chronology of events. Instead of rushing to save a young girl from death, Jesus stops to heal a woman hemorrhaging blood, and the girl he was asked to save in fact dies. Whenever two st...

The following letter was mailed to CrossPointe's members and friends on Friday, November 30, 2012:Dear CrossPointe, Praise God from whom all blessings flow! The Lord has been abundantly gracious to us as a church family as we were able to secure our physical location for many years to come. The purpose of this letter is to update you on where we stand and the direction we'...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 5:1-20, in which Jesus exercises his authority over a demonic legion by casting the troop of demons out of a shackled man, into a herd of pigs, over a cliff and into the sea.What a scene! But maybe even more striking than the pig slaughter are the various reactions to Jesus' authority by the demons, the townspeople and the po...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 4:35-41 and the very familiar scene of Jesus calming the storm while on a boat with the disciples. This passage has much to teach us about the relationship between "storms" in our own lives and Jesus' power over them and purpose in them for our good. I encourage you to take some time over Thanksgiving to read this text. And, ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 4:21-34, which is connected to Jesus' parable of the sower that we looked at last week. Lest his disciples be discouraged that 3 out of 4 "types of soil" don't bear fruit, Jesus teaches them that the Kingdom, although it starts very small, will most certainly groweven if that growth is too gradual to perceive.There are numero...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we are back in Mark's Gospel, looking at the parable of the sower (Mark 4:1-20). This is likely one of the more familiar passages in Scripture and one that has many implications for us if we are to understand salvation biblically. I encourage you to read the parable slowly several times before Sunday and ask the Lord to give us humility and "ears...

Dear CrossPointe,James 1:27 reads, "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world." We'll focus on the first object of this textorphan carethis week as we participate in Orphan Sunday, and next Sunday as we host a roundtable discussion on adoption and orphan...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we'll pause our Mark series to think biblically about God's sovereign rule over the affairs of the nations, especially ours. I pray that this Sunday will help prepare our hearts for the upcoming presidential election.We are prone to do one of two things when it comes to elections: put too much hope in a political party or cynically disengage from...

Dear CrossPointe,In Mark 3:20-35, Mark sandwiches a story within a (seemingly unrelated) story. Jesus' family thinks he's crazy and wants to seize him; meanwhile, the scribes accuse Jesus of being in league with Satan. The combination of these two scenes shows us how Jesus' enemies and even his own family wanted to subdue or limit Jesus.But, as Jesus himself points out, he...

Dear CrossPointe,In Mark 3:7-19, Jesus begins forming a new community. Up to now we've seen Jesus' power and authority demonstrated, but now Jesus begins gathering disciples, teaching and sending them out to imitate himcalling people to repentance, healing, casting out demons, etc.We see that Jesus' ministry is not just about the individual's salvation and accompanying mir...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we are going to look at two scenes from Mark 2:233:6, which both involve Jesus being criticized by the Pharisees for his actions on the Sabbath, the day of rest. On the surface, it might seem like this dispute is just another example of nitpicking religious leaders, irrelevant to our lives today. But, as I hope we'll see, the issue underneath it ...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we'll look at Mark 2:18-22, in which the people question Jesus about why his disciples don't fast like John's disciples and the Pharisees. In his answer, Jesus completely deconstructs their religious paradigm (which they don't appreciate, as we'll see in the coming weeks).It's always been easy for me to notice the Pharisees' blind-spots when I re...

Dear CrossPointe,Last week we saw that Jesus' grace is ferociously aggressive. This week we'll see how scandalous it is.In Mark 2:13-17, we find Jesus hanging out with people which no good religious Jew would have been caught dead with; yet, these sinners and tax collectorsthe dredges of societyare the among the people Jesus came to save. As you might imagine, this scandal...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 2:1-12, one of my favorite scenes in the Gospels. In this text, four desperate friends bring their paralytic friend to Jesus, and, because of the crowds, they have to dig through the roof and lower him down to Jesus. That doesn't happen everyday!The exchange that follows among Jesus, the paralytic, and the protesting scribes ...

Dear CrossPointe,After the announcement of Jesus' Kingdom in Mark 1:14-15, Mark now sets out to establish the King's authority in Mark 1:21-34. As a teacher, Jesus boldly asserts truth in the synagogue. As the cosmic ruler of all things, he commands evil spirits and rescues human beings from their control.The concept of authority can be difficult for Americans to embrace...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 1:1420 and a concept at the very heart of Jesus' teaching in the Gospels, the kingdom of God. In this short text, Jesus announces that God's kingdom is at hand, and that the only proper human response is to repent and believe the gospel.Understanding the totality of what Jesus is saying is massively important. Jesus is saying...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll look at Mark 1:9-13 and two very important scenes in the life of Jesushis baptism and temptation. If you're at all familiar with these two early events in his life, you probably understand their basic details. But we're often in danger of missing their significance if we merely skim these accounts for "more interesting" parts of the gospe...

Dear CrossPointe,About four years ago I started a series through Mark and made it through a few chapters before we paused to teach on a few pressing issues. Well, one thing lead to another and we never got back to Mark. So, for sometime I've had it in the back of my mind to do so. But instead of picking back up where we left off, I think it would be best if we hit reset. F...

Dear CrossPointe,Thank you for your prayers and encouraging words during my sabbatical. Jennifer, the kids and I had a wonderful month of rest, and I am eager to see everyone this Sunday!I'm so thankful for the many reports of how fantastic all the sermons were during my absence. What an encouragement to be reminded how good God has been to us in giving us faithful pastors...

CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll be in Psalm 103 (one of my favorites). Charles Spurgeon called it a "Bible in itself" because it is such a rich and full account of God's glory in saving his people.It will be especially poignant this Sunday to think about God's saving power as we witness the baptisms of four people. Seeing the Gospel on display in baptism is such a beautiful ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we kick off a summer in the Psalms. This collection of 150 songs was in essence the hymnal for God's people in the Old Testament period. So, although we generally think of Psalms as a book, it was first a collection of songs meant to be sung rather than chapters meant to be read. And it is a collection of songs that covers a wide range of human...

Dear CrossPointe,This week we'll cover Habakkuk 2:620 which is an intense scene of judgment in which God speaks woe over the Chaldeans for their wickedness and idolatry. Scriptures like this don't usually make it on to coffee cups or t-shirts, but they are really important in helping us to understand God's character and glory.To prepare your heart for Sunday, I'd encourage...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we conclude our study of Habakkuk with a look at chapter 3. In these verses, Habakkuk utters a prayer for God to be merciful and then breaks out into a sort of praise song in which he recounts God's history of saving his people by his great might and power. All this leaves Habakkuk humbled and quiet, yet confident that God is worthy of his trus...

CrossPointe, If you missed the beginning of our sermon series through Habakkuk, I encourage you to catch up andlisten to it hereas the first eleven verses really set the stage for the rest of the book. This Sunday we'll look at Habakkuk 1:122:5, the prophet's second complaint and the Lord's answer. In this passage, Habakkuk wonders why God would use a more wicked people ...

Dear CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll begin a series of sermons on Habakkuk, a short book recording the words of the "minor" prophet (so-called not for his relevance but for the brevity of his book!). Naturally, you might wonder what his 2600-year-old message to Israel has to do with us, but this often disregarded Old Testament book relays truths immediately accessible in tod...

CrossPointe,This Sunday we'll wrap up First Corinthians 7, exploring what it means for us as Christians to live on this earth while anticipating eternity with Christ. Our culture beckons us to be satisfied merely with "the here and now," but longing for Jesus is far superior! Here are a few things you can do to prepare for this Sunday: Read 1 Corinthians 7:1740 (sermon...

Tribe, What a great weekend we had with our missions conference. If you missed Paul Tokunaga's talks you can listen to Sunday's sermonhere, butbe sure to check the website for Friday night's message when it's posted, too. The next few Sundays we'll work through First Corinthians 7, which gets into some very sensitive and often heavy subjectsmarriage, divorce, singleness,...

If you missed last Sunday's very important message about sexual sin and glorifying God with our bodies, please listen to ithere(video to be uploaded soon). Of course, it would be foolish to think that one sermon is enough to defeat sexual temptation, which absolutely saturates our culture. Here are some additional resources to help: Accountability Software Filters ...

Dear CrossPointe Tribe, If you missed Wayne Shealy's message last week on Ephesians 3:14-21, you can listen to or watch it here. I was very helped and encouraged by his clear explanation of and practical exhortation to experience God's love as I listened to the podcast. I cannot tell you how thankful I am that the Lord brought Wayne and his family to CrossPointe. He is a ...

Dear Tribe, As I mentioned last week, I'll be out of town the next two Sundays, first officiating the wedding of a soldier who came through CrossPointe while at Fort Benning and then traveling to Haiti with our mission team. Wayne Shealy will preach through Ephesians 3:1421 this Sunday, and I'm excited the church will get to hear from him. Next week, Will Hawk will be in...

Dear Tribe, This Sunday we'll return to Ephesians and look at 3:1-13. Paul's statement there really serves as one big parenthetical statement about the cosmic importance of the church, something he'll elaborate on through the rest of the letter. Go ahead and read the text before Sunday. Also, there's a "One Another" meeting at 6 p.m. on Sunday night. Members are expected...

Dear Tribe, Last week I emphasized that Jesus has reconciled not just man to God but man to man. This week, as we complete Ephesians 2, we will more closely think about how God has reconciled us to each other in Christ. Not only that, but he has called us to live out this reconciliation as a local body of believers. Ephesians 2:19-22 makes a strong case for the value of ...

Tribe, A few quick things: ROBERT "THE INTERN" WARD I recently mentioned that Robert Ward is interning at CrossPointe again this summer. Like last summer's internship, he will be writing articles, developing the website and performing general administrative duties, but I've given him some additional responsibilities for this summer.As my assistant, Robert will help me...

Dear CrossPointe Tribe,This week we'll look at Ephesians 2:11-18, and then next week we'll finish out the remaining three verses of chapter 2. This second half of Ephesians 2 is one of the most important passages about the church and what it means for us to be the body of Christ.If you've been around CrossPointe for awhile you know that there are three words that drive our...

Dear Tribe,The last three sermons from Ephesians have focused on its first 14 verses, a single sentence in the original Greek. Get ready for the next sentence, Ephesians 1:15-23!Here, Paul prays that the Ephesians would see the depth and power of the Lord's work on their behalf. Since all of it is accomplished through Christ, Paul desires that the Ephesians should live in ...

Dear Tribe,After a two week break in which we celebrated the gospel through baptism and adoption, we'll be back in Ephesians this Sunday. Specifically, we'll marvel at the beautiful picture of the Father, Son and Spirit displayed inEphesians 1:1-14.Some may wonder if we really need to think deeply about the doctrine of the Trinity. I think we must! Seeing God as he reveals...

Dear Tribe, This Sunday we'll take another detour from Ephesians to participate in Orphan Sunday, an international movement among Christian churches to consider our responsibility to care for orphans and promote a culture of adoption in our church.This Sunday I will preach about the theology of adoption and why it is so central to the gospel. The Bible is clear that as Ch...

Tribe,Last week's sermon simply wasn't enough to cover all of Ephesians 1:1-14. So this Sunday, get ready to retrace our footsteps, this time looking at the text from another anglethe doctrine of predestination.Undoubtedly this is one of the most complex and controversial but crucial doctrines in the Bible. Let me say two things. First, we must approach this topic with hum...

Tribe,We're set to study Ephesians beginning this Sunday. As we look at Paul'sletter to the Ephesian church, I think you'll find this to be one of therichest and most beautiful books in the Bible.It's filled with deep, monumental truthsevery sentence could be a sermon.(In fact, this Sunday's text really is one sentence in the Greek!) We'llhave to slow down and delve into t...

Dear Tribe, We were going to take a break between the book of Ruth and Paul's letter to the Ephesians. But instead I'm exercising my ability to change my mindEphesians it is! This week, we'll look at the Ephesian church's beginnings, how the Gospel took root in a city along one of Paul's missionary journeys. Acts 19 records this account and is itself a remarkable chapte...

Dear Tribe, After his resurrection, Jesus met two of his disciples on the road to Emmaus. They didn't recognize him at first, but as they walked together Jesus began taking them through the Old Testament, showing the disciples example after example of people, events and words pointing to the Gospel. Jesus helped these men recognize him in the Old Testament Scriptures befo...

Dear Tribe,A desperate mother-in-law's schemes, a young foreign widow's risky boldness, a steamy nighttime scene and a man's righteous restraintall these converge in Ruth 3, a chapter that presents us with an incredible picture of God's unfailing love toward His people.The tagline for our sermon series through Ruth has been "A Story of God's Providence," which points to ...

Dear Tribe, This Sunday we'll be in Ruth 2 in a sermon I'm calling "Refuge Under the Wings of the Lord." Like last week, throughout this chapter we see the continuing refrain of God's providence for his people, his grace towards those he loves even in "bitter" circumstances. In particular, we'll look at a few aspects of God's kindness, mercy and steadfast love this week....

Dear Tribe, This Sunday we begin our study of Ruth, a short but incredibly rich Old Testament story about God's kindness, redemption and providence. I anticipate we'll be studying Ruth for four weeks, covering a chapter each Sunday. I've greatly anticipated this series for several reasons. The book of Ruth paints a beautiful picture of how God works for his people even...

Dear Tribe, Mark Dever, in his very helpful book What Does God Want of Us Anyway, describes the OT as "Promises Made" and the NT as "Promises Kept." I like that description because it helps us to see the connection and continuity between the Old and New Testaments. This week we will examine how the NT fulfills the promises of the OT in the person and work of Jesus. If ...

Below is a very encouraging note below from Carol Henschel of Sound Choices Pregnancy Clinic and a great reminder to pray for this incredibly important ministry. I am writing to say a big thank you. Today started out wrong at my house and I arrived at Sound Choices with less than a heart to see God do much but that changed with a chance...

Dear Tribe, As (I hope) you're aware, CrossPointe is committed to expositional preaching, making the sermon's point the point of the biblical text. We usually do this by working through books of the Bible. For example, we just spent over six months going through First Corinthians, and in a couple of weeks we'll do the same with the book of Ruth. But before we work throu...

Dear Tribe, Last Sunday I was both convicted and encouraged as Reynold walked us through Acts 15 and the transformation of the early followers of Jesus. If you missed it, I highly encourage you to listen to it here. We'll begin our series in the beautiful Old Testament book of Ruth in September. But before we get to that, the next few Sundays will consist of some individ...

Dear CrossPointe, Last Sunday, we looked at First Corinthians 16, but before we move on to some individual messages, I plan to give this letter one more look. It'll be a "big picture" summary of the major themes found in First Corinthians. Pray that it gives more clarity and Gospel-centered vision to our study of this book. Also, I'm looking forward to introducing Wayne ...

Dear CrossPointe, This week we will cover the final chapter in First Corinthians in which Paul unloads a sort of pastoral junk-drawer of advice, instruction and encouragement. My plan is to cover all of 1 Corinthians 16 this week and then wrap up our series the following week with a summary of this beautiful letter. Take some time before Sunday to read the final chapte...

Dear CrossPointe, We are drawing to a close in our study of First Corinthians. Working through this book has convicted, encouraged and instructed me, and I hope it has been fruitful for you as well. This week we finish chapter 15 with a look at our resurrected bodies, the defeat of death itself and the confidence this reality should produce in our lives. Take a moment ...

Dear CrossPointe, As Christians we believe that every word of the Bible is divinely inspired and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training in righteousness. Even still there are portions of Scripture that stand above the rest like a great mountain. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul shows how the whole of the Bible rests on the reality of the resurrection of Chri...

CrossPointe, For the past few weeks we've been unpacking Paul's instruction to the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. This Sunday we'll finish this section of the letter with 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 concerning the place of gifts in the church's gatherings. Here are a few things to do to prepare for Sunday: Listen to last week's message here, if you missed it (or if you ...

Dear CrossPointe, Last Sunday I preached on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 concerning the gifts of prophecy and tongues in particular. Take some time to listen to it (or at least look at the notes) here, if you missed it. As I mentioned at the beginning of the message, it is impossible to answer and engage all the questions that come up about these and the other spiritual gifts i...

CrossPointe, As I've mentioned the past few weeks, Paul devotes 1 Corinthians 1214 to correcting the abuse and misuse of spiritual gifts. This Sunday we'll begin looking at chapter 14, in which Paul looks specifically at prophecy, tongues and order in the church. You really don't want to come to this text cold. This chapter is weighty and even a bit complicated at the ou...

CrossPointe, Individual rights and civil liberties are at the core of American culture, but while these are wonderful priorities for governing society they can be debilitating for Christ-centered community. This Sunday we'll continue our study of the spiritual gifts with a look at 1 Corinthians 12:1231. In this text, Paul encourages the Corinthians to understand the deep...

CrossPointe,Before we look forward to this Sunday, I want to take a moment to say how encouraged I was by Will Hawk's message last Sunday. He preached on "Knowing and Doing the Will of God" from Daniel 1 and 2. It was I think the most helpful and practical sermon I have heard on the topic. If you missed it, I highly encourage you tolisten to it here. It really is a must li...

CrossPointe, I'm taking a rest from preaching this week so that we can hear from Will Hawk this Sunday. If your children have participated in CrossPointe's youth activities (or can't wait until they're old enough!) then you know what a blessing he and his wife, Karan Anne, are to this church. He's an excellent example to our children and younger men in the church especia...

CrossPointe, For centuries Christians have gathered together regularly to remember the most important event in history by eating bread and drinking wine (or grape juice). It's a little peculiar, but somehow this meal is at the very heart of the Gospel. This Sunday we'll look at one of the most important and informative passages regarding communion, 1 Corinthians 11:17-3...

Dear CrossPointe,The Gospel's redefinition of masculinity and femininity is worth two Sundays. This week we'll be back in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 for Manhood, Womanhood the Glory of God: The Redux. Or perhaps a better title is Pastors on Gender Roles: Gluttons for Punishment.Part I (found here) was a view from the air, but this week we'll parachute in and take a closer look...

CrossPointe,While some passages of Scripture are hard to understand or hard to swallow, some are both. Such is the case with this week's text, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16, which examines how men and women should complement rather than compete with each other.I've eagerly anticipated working through this passage for some time now. I say it every week, but this is a text you must ...

CrossPointe, In case you haven't noticed the stockpiles of Peeps, chocolate bunnies, annoying celophane "grass," and pastel-colored "Sale!" signs, Easter is this Sunday. (How did Jesus' resurrection become attached to disgusting marshmallow chickens?) As we celebrate Jesus' resurrection together, we'll jump ahead to 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, where Paul declares Jesus' death...

I've mentioned repeatedly that 1 Corinthians 8-10 comprises Paul's exhortation that "strong" Christians consider their "weak" brothers and sisters by laying down their rights and living for something bigger than their own freedom. In Chapter 10, Paul caps off his argument with a sweeping phrase that in many ways functioned as his life philosophy"Whatever you do, do all to ...

"Idols" aren't just statues or the winners of some singing contest. No, they are the people, things, occurrences, ideas, etc., in which we place our hope. In fact, our culture is full of seductive false gods that draw our hearts away from Christ, often subtly. In his book Counterfeit Gods, Tim Keller calls an idol "anything more important to you than God, anything that abs...

This week we'll finish 1 Corinthians 9. Frankly, the more I stare at this text the more it convicts me. These are a few of the questions I'm wrestling with as I read this text: How important are souls to me? Do I really believe that people need to be saved? Do I actually live like heaven and hell are real? Am I a faithful steward of the gifts Jesus has given me for His mi...

As Americans we are often dominated by a concern for the preservation of individual rights. While this can be good, it can also pave the way for self-centerdness, which obscures Christ and our ability to focus on the Gospel. This Sunday we'll cover the first half of 1 Corinthians 9, in which Paul continues to assault the Corinthians' selfishness by laying down hisownright...

Believe it or not we are going to cover a whole chapter this Sunday in First Corinthians! Don't worry, it's only 13 verses and really one big idea of how stronger Christians should handle their knowledge with humility and care so that they do not become a discouragement or stumbling block to weaker Christians. Here are a few things you can do to prepare for Sunday: Re...

Sunday we'll continue our series on First Corinthians with a very sensitive subjectdivorce and remarriage. My heart has been heavy anticipating this message, because I know divorce has caused deep pain in many of your own lives. This, of course, is all the more reason to work through the Scriptures together with humility and clarity rather than avoiding this difficult to...

Tremendously encouraging words for modern day Christians living in anxious times from the Belgic Confession, a doctrinal statement composed in 1561. Article 13 of the Belgic Confession: The Doctrine of God's Providence We believe that this good God, after he created all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune but leads and governs them according to his holy wil...

Tribe, Below is the note we received from John Bockstanz that I read yesterday in church. Praise Jesus for our military and for the great privilege God has given us to serve them as they come through Ft. Benning. John's note serves as a great reminder for us to pray for all our troops, and to encourage and serve the ones that are with us currently at CrossPointe. Dear ...

As you know we have been praying for David and Amanda Scott. Recently they found out that their baby girl still in the womb has spina bifida. Amanda is at 22 weeks. Today at a check up they learned that their baby is not gaining weight and basically needs to double her weight in the next two weeks or the percentages are heavily against her surviving. She weighs just over...

1. Our first Sunday in our new building was an incredible day. The Lord has been immeasurably good to us. We are a blessed people. 2. How about the incredible wood crosses on the wall and the new pulpit? Absolutely beautiful! Many, many thanks to Daniel Hord and his assistant David Lee Rice for their craftsmanship in constructing them. Also, you might be interested to...

This past Sunday I asked the church to pray for David and Amanda Scott, who are expecting their first baby in late January. Last week they found out that their baby girl has spina bifida, a spinal cord defect. There is also the possibility of some chromosomal issues which they are testing for later this week. Please pray for David and Amanda. It has been a very emotiona...

What is the Bible really about? Jesus, not us. Tim Keller explains. ...

Read this quote today from D.A. Carson. Very convicting. "I would like to buy about three dollars worth of gospel, please. Not too muchjust enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don't want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust. I certainly don't want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and cont...

I read this today on Justin Taylor's blog. I hope every man at CrossPointe will take a moment to read this. I've copied and pasted Justin's entire post below: In 2004 Albert Mohler gave a talk to the male students of Boyce College, entitled "The Seduction of Pornography and the Integrity of Christian Marriage"available inmanuscriptandaudioform. I encourage young guys...

"Let the pastors boldly dare all things by the word of God...Let them constrain all the power, glory, and excellence of the world to give place to and to obey the divine majesty of this word. Let them enjoin everyone by it, from the highest to the lowest. Let them edify the body of Christ. Let them devastate Satan's reign. Let them pasture the sheep, kill the wolves, instr...

"Every good thing we could think or desire is to be found in this same Jesus Christ alone. For he was sold, to buy us back; captive, to deliver us; condemned, to absolve us. He was made a curse for our blessing, sin offering for our righteousness; marred that we may be made fair. He died for our life; so that by him fury is made gentle, wrath appeased, darkness turned int...

I read this very encouraging quote from R.C. Sproul this morning on Josh Harris' blog. Josh is a pastor in Maryland that I respect very much. He has written several books includingI Kissed Dating Goodbye, Stop Dating the Church, and Dug Down Deep. Josh's mother passed away yesterday after a long fight with cancer and he shared this Sproul quote on his blog: "God, in his p...

1. What an excellent message Sunday from Don McKelvey on Luke 7:36-50. Layer after layer of biblical truth. So thankful for his wisdom. Click here to listen to it. 2. Join us the next two Saturdays (6/12 6/19) as we help Highland Community Church with several projects. They are doing a great work and we are privileged to come along side them. We'll work from 8:00a-5:00p ...

Read this great quote from Jonathan Edwards on Ray Ortlund's excellent blog. I've copied it here in its entirety: "Spiritual pride is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christianity. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit, to darken the mind and mislead the judgment. It is the main source ...

Read this great quote from Jonathan Edwards on Ray Ortlund's excellent blog. I've copied it here in its entirety: "Spiritual pride is the main door by which the devil comes into the hearts of those who are zealous for the advancement of Christianity. It is the chief inlet of smoke from the bottomless pit, to darken the mind and mislead the judgment. It is the main source ...

I came across this quote from A.W. Pink in his book The Sovereignty of God. I found these words convicting, humbling, and encouraging: "We readily acknowledge that it is very humbling to the proud heart of the creature to behold all mankind in the hand of God as the clay is in the potter's hand, yet this is precisely how the Scriptures of Truth represent the case. In this...

One of my heroes in the faith is Charles Spurgeon, the great British pastor from the 1800's. I came across this quote from one of Spurgeon's sermons via Randy Alcorn's blog. In 1864, Spurgeon preached a sermon entitled "Laus Deo" which is Latin for "praise be to God." His text was Romans 11:36, "For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory fo...

1. Great day worshiping yesterday with the Tribe. There's just something essential about gathering together to sing to God and listen to and respond to His Word. We are wired to need it. 2. The book I recommended yesterday is "What Does God Want Of Us Anyway?: A Quick Overview of the Whole Bible." It is a very short, very readable and helpful summary of the overarching me...

CrossPointe, Really looking forward to this Sunday. Two quick things: THIS SUNDAY // COLOSSIANS 2:11-15 - "NAILED TO THE CROSS" Confession time. I'm always kind of grumpy around Christmas and Easter. I think it's because of the way our culture (even our church culture) approaches these two "holidays." It seems like we so easily minimize the God-exalting, Jesus-centere...

1. Very excited about Easter Sunday. Suspiciously enough, we are going to talk about Jesus! And it just so happens that the next section in Colossians is a perfect text to speak about what Jesus did on the cross for us (Colossians 2:11-15). Great Sunday to invite friends who are not believers or who think they are but likely aren't. 2. Speaking of Easter, I think it's imp...

1. If you haven't heard, Luke Wolff is headed back to Afghanistan for another three month deployment. Luke is an orthopedic surgeon and volunteered for the reserves after 9/11. He's already served two tours (one to Iraq and one to Afghanistan). This past Sunday was his last before he deploys. Sorry we didn't realize that until after the service, but please keep Luke, Avery...

Came across a great quote by Os Guinness today about how often pragmatism rules the day in church culture. He says: The concern "Will it work?" has long overshadowed "Is it true?" Theology has given way to technique. Knowing-whom has faded before know-how. Serving God has subtly been deformed into servicing the self. At its worst, the result is a shift from faith to the "...

1. So fired up that Daniel Hord and Evan Sussenbach got up and cranked out large chunks of Colossians 1 yesterday. Impressive. Well done! 2. It's a few months away, but mark your calendars for the weekend of August 20-22. We are planning a Missions Weekend with special speaker Paul Tokunaga of Intervarsity. I am really excited about this event and encourage you to plan on...

I just started reading a little book by Thomas Watson called All Things for Good. Watson was a 17th century pastor and author in England. The book is a short and rich exposition of Romans 8:28. He writes in the preface: "To know that nothing hurts the godly, is a matter of comfort; but to be assured that ALL things which fall out shall co-operate for their good, that the...

1. Yesterday's message involved some deep waters. Specifically regarding how God's goodness intersects with His sovereignty and providential control over all things, to include evil and sin. Click here for the notes and audio if you missed it. I mentioned the book Spectacular Sins by John Piper but I forgot to mention another book by Randy Alcorn entitled If God is Good: F...

1. Ran out of time but I wanted to give a brief point of application to the message yesterday. The message was basically about the depth of what Christ has done for us on the Cross. But the question you may have ishow does this translate into my daily life? The answer is that the Gospel should produce utter and pervasive humility in the life of a Christian. And that humili...

The Gospel levels human pride and boasting. Thus, one of the first and necessary fruits of the Gospel is humility. The humility that comes from understanding that we have been saved by grace alone should utterly transform the way we deal with one another. Humility - a fruit of the Gospel from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

"a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench." Matthew 12:20. "After conversion we need bruising so that reeds may know themselves to be reeds, and not oaks. Even reeds need bruising, by reason of the remainder of pride in our nature, and to let us see that we live by mercy. Such bruising may help weaker Christians not to be too much discour...

I recently watched this video of a message by Eric Mason, a very gifted preacher and pastor/church planter in Philadelphia. In it he speaks about the role of suffering in our sanctification. I was very, very helped and encouraged by this message. Eric's theology is rock solid and his message is both biblically deep and very understandable and practical. I highly recommen...

1. If you missed Sunday you can listen to the message about the details of our new location here. Also, click here for a document answering some common questions about the process and building. Click here for pictures and here for a sketch of the floor plan. And one more reminder, we are having an informational meeting tonight, February 2nd, at 6:30p at the Pointe to answe...

1.31.10 - News about future location of CrossPointe from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

(been away from computer a lot this week, so this is a few days late!) Prayer Day 8: SOULS Prayer focus for today on our Daniel fast prayer guide is for souls. One of the things that kills me about church culture is how much effort we seem to put into keeping people who are already Christians happy, comfortable, and appeased. I think we do a great disservice when we allo...

Thoughts on John 8:1-59. (v.9). Interesting that Johns mentions that the older ones left the scene after Jesus challenged them about their judgment of the woman caught in adultery. Life and age has a way of making you more humble than you were in your youth. (v.31-32). The phrase "once saved, always saved" has been incredibly damaging in church culture. I believe t...

Thoughts on John 7:1-52. (v.1-8). Jesus' brothers were trying to persuade him to go more public with his ministry. He resisted. It then says that even his brothers did not believe in him. That's striking. It seems like they did believe in him because they wanted him to go big time with his ministry. But, it seems that it is possible to hang around Jesus and even be invo...

It's Saturday and that means my mind is filled with what I'll be speaking on tomorrow out of Colossians so just a few thoughts on John 6. By the way, this is one of the most jaw dropping chapters in the Bible. Incredible scene. Make it one of those chapters you come back to and chew on now and then. A few thoughts on John 6:1-71 (v.5-6). Jesus tests us. Chew on that fo...

Day 6: OUR NATION MILITARY Paul tells Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-2 that we should give thanks and pray for people in positions of authority. In Romans 13:1-7 he tells the church that God has appointed authorities for our common good and His purposes. Therefore, regardless of our political leanings, we should thank God for our political leaders. And, as we express gratitud...

Day 7: THE PERSECUTED CHURCH WORLDWIDE Our prayer focus on this day seven of the Daniel fast is for the persecuted church worldwide. Our comfort in America obscures the fact that more Christians are being martyred for their faith in our day than in any other in the history of church. Two websites that I would encourage you to visit and bookmark are Voice of the Martyrs a...

It's Saturday and that means my mind is filled with what I'll be speaking on tomorrow out of Colossians so just a few thoughts on John 6. By the way, this is one of the most jaw dropping chapters in the Bible. Incredible scene. Make it one of those chapters you come back to and chew on now and then. A few thoughts on John 6:1-71 (v.5-6). Jesus tests us. Chew on that fo...

Shai Linne with "Spread His Fame." from Grace EV Free on Vimeo. (viaJustin Taylor's blog) Lyrics: All praise to the name of the savior who reigns.He's taken our blame, embraced all our shame,He's raised from the grave so his fame we proclaim.Salvation by grace through faith in his name. All praise to the name of the savior who reigns.He's taken our blame, embraced al...

Here the latest video from Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Churchin Texas. What a great example he is to so many through his preaching, and now in his suffering. Let's continue to pray for Matt. ...

Some brief thoughts on John 5:1-47 (v.6). What a question! Do you want to be healed? Why did Jesus ask him this question? Makes me think about when I stuck in a rut either by sin or some circumstance. Do I really want to get out of it? Or am I just content to sort of lay there and be pitiful and blame others? (v.18). The real issue was that Jesus was calling God hi...

Day 5: OUR CITY SISTER CHURCHES Columbus and the surrounding area is in desperate need of the Gospel. On the exterior it certainly seems like a god-fearing city, and in many ways compared to other cities in our nation it is. But the veil of religion and merely nominal Christianity has a strong grip on our valley. Likewise, many of the churches in the area are declining, ...

I cannot say it any better than this. Here is a post on The Gospel Coalition blog by Chris Tomlinson about Haiti. I have copied and pasted it here in its entirety. ------------ [Editor's Note: This post was written the evening of January 13, 2009] *** Haiti saddens me. It saddens me in part because so many have lost so much. It also saddens me because I care so little....

Reading today is John 4:1-54. Lots in this chapter. Several different scenes, much to chew on. Some brief thoughts on John 4: (v.4). Jesus was tired. Seems like a minor detail, but it is huge. Jesus is fully God, but He is also fully human. Hebrews 2:14-18 tells us how important this truth is. He had to be made like us in every way so that he could be a satisfactory su...

Day 4 of the Daniel fast and the prayer emphasis today is RADICAL GENEROSITY. Here's the deal. We are the most prosperous people in the history of civilization. If you have a checking account and a refrigerator, you are very likely in the top six percent of wealthiest people on the planet. No doubt some of you reading this post are enduring difficult times financially, bu...

John 3 is one of the most beautiful and important chapters in the Bible. Innumerable books have been written about the truth that springs from just this one chapter. Here are just a few simple thoughts. This should be one of those chapters in the Bible that we frequent often. Some thoughts on John 3:1-36: (v.3). We are not born Christians. We are born sinners, and sepa...

Billy Graham said once that America has just enough of Jesus to be inoculated to Him. We live in a religious but mostly lost culture that fools itself into thinking it is right with God simply because we are Americans who may occasionally attend church. My prayer is that we as a Tribe understand the Gospel well, and live out the implications of the Gospel with grace and gr...

Some thoughts on John 2:1-25: (v.3) Mary tells Jesus that they are out of wine. Why? It seems there was this expectation that he could do something about it? Was she wanting him to run down to the corner market and buy some more to bail out the host? Seems like there must be something more to her statementan expectation that Jesus could change the situation. (v.5) ...

Some thoughts on John 2:1-25: (v.3) Mary tells Jesus that they are out of wine. Why? It seems there was this expectation that he could do something about it? Was she wanting him to run down to the corner market and buy some more to bail out the host? Seems like there must be something more to her statementan expectation that Jesus could change the situation. (v.5) ...

Humility and Repentance Father, we confess that we are arrogant, proud, self-sufficient, and impatient people. We've created a culture that caters to our insatiable appetites. If we are hungry, we eat. If we need something, we buy it. If we are bored, we give ourselves to mind numbing entertainment. Lord, as we fast, tune us into the selfish side of our cravings. Remind ...

1. Daniel Fast begins today. For me this means no meats, no sweets, no coffee, and no Kornheiser and Wilbon. 2. We'll be reading through John together through the end of January in conjunction with the fast. 21 chapters. 21 days left in January. 1 chapter a day. I'll be posting daily thoughts on the chapters as we go. Click here for some brief thoughts on John 1. 3. Pray...

Tribe, Day one of the Daniel fast and as I mentioned we'll be reading through the gospel of John through the end of January. There are 21 chapters, and 21 days left in January, so we'll do a chapter a day. My plan is to post some simple thoughts from the corresponding chapter each day. Read along with me and record your own thoughts. A few thoughts on John 1:1-51: (v....

William Cowper was an English poet and hymn writer who lived from 1731-1800. His pastor and close friend was John Newton, who wrote the song "Amazing Grace." Cowper battled with manic depression and his struggles with mental illness were often expressed in his poems. Here is one of his poems I came across recently. So rich in its depth. My favorite line: "Behind a frowning...

Colossians series begins January 10, 2010. Colossians Promo from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

Below is our Daniel Fast Guide booklet with an explanation of why we are fasting, how we are doing it, plus a daily prayer guide and diet suggestions. Take a moment to click on the links below and read through this guide as you prepare for the Daniel Fast January 11-20. Click herefor the Daniel Fast Guide in PDF format. Click herefor the Daniel Fast Guide in Word format....

Here is an excellent quote from J.I. Packer in his book Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. I mention Packer often, and since I always like to put a face with a name, I thought I'd include a picture of him below. He's in his nineties and one of the most respected theologians in the world. He has been a great gift to the church world wide. On evangelistic services and m...

Here are two reading plans that can both be printed and used for bookmarks. ESV Study Bible Discipleship Journal Don't beat yourself up if these plans aren't for you or if they are too much at this stage. The important thing is to develop a habit of regularly coming to the Book. Also, if you are an iTunes podcaster like me, you can subscribe to the free ESV daily podc...

1. It was so good to have Dr.Samuel Thomas of Hopegivers with us yesterday. They are doing a tremendous work around the world caring for orphans and planting churches. Our own John Batastini is the right hand man for this organization and is doing great things. John leaves today for several weeks in Nepal and India. Keep him and Sue and their boys in prayer. 2. Previously...

Idealistic v. Realistic Community I've seen it often. A person visits a church. They like it. There is an initial honeymoon feeling. They can't believe how warm and inviting everybody is. Then, subconsciously, they place unrealistic expectations on their new community and the people that make it up. They grow used to being served and never move from consumer to contributo...

As I mentioned a few days ago, I am reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book Life Together. If you are not aware of Bonhoeffer and his story, I recommend you familiarize yourself with him. He was a German theologian and pastor who left the safety of a teaching position at a seminary in America to return to his native Germany in order to oppose Hitler and the Third Reich. He was ...

I'm re-reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together. Bonhoeffer paints such a rich portrait of Christian community in this short book. This quote from Martin Luther on the first page of the first chapter hit me right between the eyes. As a pastor, I spend most of my time with Christians. Luther's penetrating words remind me that Jesus was always on mission, among broken, ja...

Stunning. This video maps merely what we know of the universe thus far. Hebrews 1:3 - "...and he upholds the universe by the word of his power." Psalm 8:3-4 - "When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?" (via Justin Taylor...

I know, I know, I was a slacker last week. Should have had this verse done by Friday, but better late than never. Memorizing Scripture is one of the best things you can do for your soul. I encourage you to join me each week, whether it is the passage I am doing or something you pick out for yourself. My technique is to block out short segments of time, 5-10 minutes in the...

1. Membership Sundays. I love them. I'm always humbled an encouraged by them. Reminds me how thankful I am that God has me doing life with this little redemptive project we call the CrossPointe. In case you missed it, here's the list of folks who joined Sunday: John Sue Batastini, Jimmy Ann Marie Brooks, Michael Robin Burt, Caleb Leah Carr, Samantha Dawkins, Jill Dodel...

1. Reynold mentioned yesterday that we raised $15,000 for Hopegivers International. I love being part of a generous Tribe! 2. Had a very encouraging conversation yesterday about how God is getting a hold of a family. Good decisions are being made. The Holy Spirit is guiding. The husband is stepping up. The wife is finding security in it. Thank you, Jesus. 3. We had famil...

Romans 8:31-39 (recite) from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

Romans 8:31-39 from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

Titus 3:3-7 (Monday Memorize) from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

1. We had a great picnic at the Hord's place this Saturday. How good it is to just hang out with people and have time to talk (and shoot potato guns!) Big thanks to Daniel and Jenny for their hospitality and generosity! 2. Last night I watched a movie about one of my heroes, Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He was a German pastor and theologian who stood against Hitler and the Third ...

"We must confess that just now we have not the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that we could wish. Many are being converted. I hope that few of us are laboring unsuccessfully; but we are none of us laboring as our hearts could desire. Oh, that I could feel the Spirit of God in me, till I was filled to the brim . . . . We seek not for extraordinary excitements, those spurious...

"There is no inconsistency between believing that God has a special sovereign love before the foundation of the world that is efficacious and brings in all the Body of Christandthat there is too love for all men, and that no man knows to which of those loves he has been brought until he is converted. In other words, it is the love of God in Christ that is proclaimed. And t...

Psalm 46 from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

Psalm 46 from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

1. One of the hardest but sweetest biblical truths to wrap our minds around is God's providence over everything. In reading Nehemiah, I'm struck that God could have hit the fast forward button at any time and put Israel right where he wanted them to be. But he doesn't. Evidently, he has deemed that a muddy, painful, beautiful, yet slower-than-we'd-like process brings Him m...

I've mentioned before that I think Matt Chandler, the pastor of The Village Church outside of Dallas, may be the best preacher of my generation. He's an incredibly gifted orator, but that's not primarily why I respect him so much and why I listen to him. I love listening to him because his theology is absolutely rock solid, and because he has a unique ability to draw a con...

Can a person come to a saving knowledge of God without hearing about or believing in Jesus? It's a common question, and a very important one. Mike Bullmore, a pastor in Wisconsin and member of The Gospel Coalition gives a very good response to the question. Mike's clear and correct answer is no, a person cannot be saved outside of hearing and believing in Jesus. Of cours...

RECOVERING THE GOSPEL Below is a powerful statement by Ray Ortlund, Jr. that he wrote in the afterword of his book A Passion for God. Prayers and Meditations from the Book of Romans. I found it on the First Things blog in a post by Jared Wilson. Ray's words below are powerful and very important. Take a moment to read it. An Earnest Call For Evangelical Leaders To Re...

1. I've never been the sickly type, but I've had a head cold and cough for the past week that hit its peak this weekend. God used this to reveal the pride I've had for years about how I don't get sick that often. I also am impatient with people that cough a lot. I know, snobby. This week I've been that guy. Humility. Jesus worked some into me this week through this. 2. Ar...

I love Shai Linne. His lyrics are rich and biblical and his music is excellent. Search for him on iTunes, especially the Atonement album. ...

1. I'm feeling God is leading us to do a "Daniel fast" together as a church in January. Bottom line, I think God needs to shake us up, and fasting is a beautiful biblical pathway for us to shift our gaze from earthly things to the bread of life, Jesus. A Daniel fast is when you eat just vegetables and fruit for a period of time and it is based on Daniel 1:8-16. Much more t...

Martin Luther, the Great Reformer, lived from 1483 to 1546. He grew up in the German city of Eisleben about 120 miles outside of Berlin. He studied law at an early age and achieved a bachelor's and master's degree by the age of thirteen. At the age of twenty-one, he was nearly struck by lightening while traveling through the countryside during a thunderstorm. Scared out...

A clip from the movie "Luther" staring Joseph Fiennes. Luther nailed his 95 theses to the chapel door at Wittenberg, Germany on All Saints Day, October 31, 1517. Four years later he defended his writings at a special meeting called the Diet of Worms. There he delivered his famous words, "Here I stand, I can do no other." ...

"That God predestines, and that man is responsible, are two things that few can see.They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory; but they are not.It is just the fault of our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other. If, then, I find taught in one place that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find in another place that man ...

I read this today at Ray Ortlund's blog Christ Is Deeper Still. Ray is the pastor of Immanuel Church in the Nashville area. I've copied this directly from his blog, but substituted "Me" where Ray wrote "Nashville." WHAT IF I WENT INTO THERAPY, AND FOUND THAT THE COUNSELOR WAS JESUS? Me: I'm tired. Really tired. Especially tired of failing and then covering it up with a s...

1. I cannot do without the regular, consistent gathering together with a church family to whom I am committed and obligated. It is essential for my soul. As we sang together to Jesus yesterday I was reminded of how much my soul needs to gather with the Tribe. My heart hurts for people that for whatever reason do not prioritize commitment to a local church family. Sometimes...

I believe fervently in the sovereignty of God in all things. I also believe fervently in the necessity of prayer. Some call that a contradiction. I call it biblical. ...

Twenty years ago this fall I was a scared "plebe" (freshman) at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. A few months before through the witness of my older brother I made a public profession of faith in Jesus at a crusade in my hometown. Now, as a scared freshman at an incredibly intimidating place, I was in a very vulnerable place spiritually. And i...

1. Been thinking a lot lately about how addicted we are as a culture to entertainment. Sports and sitcoms and the like dominate our psyche. This certainly dramatically effects our expectations of God, the Bible, and church. We lust for laughter, lightness, and escapism. Most of us know much more about the storyline of our favorite show than we do about the storyline of the...

Came across this great quote from Jim Hamilton, a professor/pastor in Louisville. Read the whole thing here. "Jesus gets glory when nobodies gather and love each other. Jesus gets glory when nobodies gather in moldy buildings in bad parts of town. Jesus gets glory when pastors forsake the wisdom of the world, set aside attempts to show off, open the Bible and preach it."...

Monday Morning Quarterback, October 7, 2009 (Okay, I realize it is Wednesday and not Mondaybut I was busy). 1. What a great weekend with Jennifer in New York City celebrating her birthday. We love our four children dearly, but it is so good to spend time alone together. 2. I'm always struck by the mass of humanity when I go to NYC. So many languages, so many cultures. H...

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Monday Morning Quarterback 09.28.09 1. I'm very thankful to be able to pastor the Tribe. Choosing to be part of a faith family and committing your life to it is essential to real sanctification. I get frustrated like all pastors do I suspect but I could never imagine walking away from this group of people. I truly grieve for people that jump from church to church or who ...

"Distractions are the substance of ministry. The shepherd could get a lot more done without so many sheep." -Doug Wilson I heard this quote today and it convicted me. I'm convicted because I admit that sometimes I think people get in way and slow things down. They don't quite get the idea or the vision or feel the passion or whatever. As a result, they become and inconven...

I very much appreciate Matt Redman's thoughts on this issue. I've thought for some time that too many of the current popular worship songs tend towards femininity. I love femininity, for women. Redman rightly says that the church has been "under-fathered and over-mothered." We need songs that connect with women, and songs that connect with men. And we need masculine men wh...

Nehemiah 3 - "Ordinary People" from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

The validity of Scripture is under attack in our day. Here's a very helpful introduction to the issue of how the Bible came to be the collection of books we know it as today. Click here to download "How Did We Get Our Bible and Has It Been Changed?" by Dr. Matthew Harmon. (HT: Between Two Worlds)...

Tribe, This Friday and Saturday (August 7th 8th) Cecil Cheves will embark on a rather unusual way to celebrate his 60th birthday (to say the least!). He's going to run 60 miles, bike 60 miles, and swim 60 laps! Yes, we thought about staging an intervention, but decided his mind was made up! Seriously though, in addition to doing it as a personal challenge, Cecil is hopin...

Nehemiah: A People On Mission from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

A great resource for fathers. I recommend you download this e-book and set aside an hour or two to read it. Young women, you should read this too so you know what to look for in a young man that may some day be your husband and father to your children. Pastor Dad: Scriptural Insights for Fatherhoodby Mark Driscoll...

Our first stab at a video post on the blog...with a little help from Arabella. Test Video (sorta kinda) from CrossPointe Church on Vimeo....

Tim Keller gives us the best description of the centrality of the Gospel I've read. This article is something we should print out, read slowly, digest, ponder, and read again often. Click here to read it. For more resources from Kellerclick here. ...

Came across this very insightful article today on Tim Challies' blog. I hope every young woman in the Tribe will read this. It's an excellent article about the subtle but dangerous lies the entertainment obsessed culture we live in throws at women. Click here to read it. ...

HT: Desiring God and 1031 Sermon Jams...

Check out our newrecommended reading list for some suggestions on great books that will help you grow in your faith. Our plan is to update and add to this list periodically as we come across helpful books....

This looks like a very helpful booklet for young men considering marriage. A guide for gals is coming out soon. It's just a PDF at this point, but will be published soon. Click here to download the PDF and here for a very well doneonline version. HT: Justin Taylor ...

For full transcript click here....

Funny...and true. (HT: Straight up)...

I'm often very convicted about how the church responds to abortion. We need to have more than a political stance. We need to say more than "abortion should be illegal." Churches should be full of adopted children. But, regardless of the shortcomings of our response as a church, this excerpt from a recent John Piper sermon is very powerful and something we need to hear. T...

John Teeples is crazy. He's a local builder and part of our men's wednesday morning bible study and he is running all the way across the state of Georgia (on foot!) over the Memorial Day weekend to raise money for a great organization called House of Heroes. He's planning on 70 miles a day for four days. That's almost 3 marathons a day, back-to-back-to-back-to-back! Check ...

Here's a very helpful and simple explanation of the heart of the Gospel by Mark Dever. Dever is a pastor in Washington, D.C. and the author of several books. In particular, I recommend his book The Gospel and Personal Evangelism for help with how to share your faith....

Message number two in our Grow series coming up this week. The theme is going to be repentance, and how necessary it is, not only in our salvation, but also our growth. Here's what Martin Luther had to say about repentance in his 95 theses that kicked off this little thing we like to call the Protestant Reformation (in fact, it was #1 on the list!): "When our Lord a...

Recently I read an article in which a leader in a prominent denomination was asked if he would still be a Christian if he were presented with irrefutable evidence that the resurrection of Christ did not happen. He said, yes, he would still be a Christian. He went on to say that the moral virtue of the message is enough for him to believe in Christianity. He could not be mo...

One of the questions I am asked most often is "How can I know God's will for my life?" There's a lot to that question, and just throwing a book recommendation at it won't suffice as a complete answer. But, let me recommend a short and easy to read book to any that might be grappling with that question as part of an answer. It's called Just Do Something: A Liberating Appro...

This is kind of a weird thing for a pastor to say, but I have a hard time looking forward to Easter Sunday. I know, I know. I hear your gasps. Yes, it is the most important day on the Christian calendar. True, it's usually a time when lots of people come to church, which would make you think that I see it as a great opportunity to preach the Gospel. I do. But I guess that'...

Been thinking a lot lately about what discipleship should look like within the context of a local church. How exactly does a church help facilitate the spiritual growth of people, without unwittingly creating a culture of consumerism in which people expect to receive but are never challenged to contribute? Well, we're working on some answers, but I wanted to share a quote ...

A great quote by Martin Luther: "The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs afterme; it has hands, it lays hold of me." ...

Tribe, Get your TIVO's fired up. The ABC program nightline is conducting a debate about the existence of Satan that will air on Thursday, March 26 at 11:35 pm.This should be interesting. Check out link below for more info. Put me down for a "yes"...Satan is real. ABC Nightline - Does Satan exist? ...

Mark Dever is a pastor in Washington, D.C. I don't know him personally but he's been one of my mentors from afar to me these past few years through his books. Here's a short video of him explaining the Gospel. So clear, so powerful. I especially like his last sentence about how the Gospel should be the heart of every church and every individual Christian. ...

Tribe, Turn on the news any given night these past months and all you see is talking heads telling you how bad the economy is. It can get depressing, and worrisome.I recently listened to a message by John Piper about the recession. Piper is the pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, and if you've been around CP for awhile, you know that I have a great apprecia...

Hey Tribe. Fear not, the CP blog is here! A few times a week I hope to post some thoughts about life, theology, church, and whatever other miscellaneous things pertain to doing life together as a church. A neat feature of a blog is the ability to comment and interact with one another. The best way to be keep up to date with new posts is to subscribe via the RSS button on t...