Current Series

Sunday, November 28th--The Truth About Mary
Sunday, December 5th--Joseph Wanted Out
Sunday, December 12th--No Vacancy
Sunday, December 19th--Attempted Murder
Friday, December 24th--Christmas Eve Service

New Series

Charge That Mountain

We've been reading through Matthew at the house and we were in Chapter 14 last night. Chapter 14 is the story of John the Baptist being beheaded...that's a good bedtime story. "All right kids, let's read about the time they brought a guy's head out on a platter." My oldest wanted to know if the blood was running all over the plate...I've never really thought about that, but it probably was. I guess it's a fitting story with Halloween around the corner. Anyway, the other two stories in Ch. 14 are the feeding of 5,000 and Peter walking on the water. Let's focus on the latter. The story is pretty simple, Jesus is walking on the water (no biggie for Him) and the disciples freak out because they think it's a ghost. Peter says "if it's you Lord, give the word." "Come." That's all Jesus says, "Come." You may know the rest of the story, Peter climbs out of the boat and walks on water (a biggie for him). The obedience and courage of Peter is pretty remarkable when you think about it. We ask people today, "will you work nursery?" "Can you get to church a little early to greet people as they show up?" "Would you be willing to help serve in a ministry at the church?" Most of the time the response is not quite like Peter's. Maybe we don't see the need, have the energy, possess the drive, I'm not sure. I heard guy say this not long ago, "find a mountain worth dying on and go charge that mountain!" I'll end with that.

Launched!

It's official, the Jonesboro campus has given birth to a campus in Paragould. One Church two locations is now a reality for Crossroads. 10-10-10 was a very successful day! Last weekend we had 146 people at Jonesboro. This weekend we had about 400 total for both locations. 6 people formed a relationship with Christ this Sunday. It took a lot of faith, sacrifice, money, risk...all those words we like to avoid in order for this 2nd campus to become a reality. What if we would've backed out because the cost was too high? What if we said, 'let's just do what we've always done.' What if the battle cry was this...'don't rock the boat.' I can tell you what would've happened. When you always do what you've always done, you always get what you've always gotten. To be the Pastor of a Church that is willing to step out into the unknown and risk everything to reach people is something not every Pastor can say. Thank you Crossroads for being that Church. Can't wait till Sunday!

Current Series

We kicked off a new series this past weekend that will run for the next 6 weeks. Join us each Sunday at @10:30 a.m. as we go through the book of Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a man called by God to help begin the restoration of a broken city. With the Launch (10-10-10-) getting closer each week, we will follow the story of Nehemiah and talk about what it means for us today.

Launch Meeting

We had a good launch meeting (#2) last night at the Paragould site. Here are some shots of the building since the wall has been put in place. Still, a lot of work to do. Don't get left out, now is the time to get involved in making 10-10-10 a HUGE day.

Bogota

Wednesday p.m.

Well, today we spent the entire day painting. We are painting all the rooms for the girls in the Genesis house. Most of us have been painting the bedrooms while Chris has been spray panting the beds. They just found out today they are getting a newly remodeled area...they were pumped. It was pretty neat seeing how excited they were. Hopefully, we will complete all the painting and begin laying carpet tomorrow. It would be nice to get all of that done tomorrow since Friday will be our last official day to work. We fly home Saturday morning. I'll be sure and snap some shots of the completed rooms. Tonight, we had supper at the Exodus house which is where the older boys live. We provided a pizza party for all the children. It was awesome. Some of the kids would hide some of the pizza so they would have some for later...that was sad. The good thing is these kids would be on the streets with nothing to eat if not for Richard and Jeanene...the leaders of Children's Vision. Let me tell you, they are doing a great job here in Bogota...very inspiring. One cool thing tonight was the addition of two new children. Two sisters, 16 months old and 2 months old were brought into the home tonight. Marinda and one of the ladies staying with us at Bethel were asked by Jeanene to come to her room and help bathe them and clean them up. After supper they presented them to the children as their sisters. The mother of these two babies came to Jeanene for help. She was feeding the baby sugar water in a bottle. That was a neat experience for Marinda to get to help clean up a brand new addition to Children's Vision. After that we went to a park and played basketball. Here in Colombia it's all about soccer, but we convinced them to go play some basketball. It was a lot of fun. We are beat so I'm going to bed...we have a lot of work to do tomorrow.

Compassion visit

Monday p.m.

Today we had our visit with Kelly Johanna Caranza Ceballos. She's 8 yrs old and we've been sponsoring her thru compassion for about 2 yrs. We were shuttled to the Compassion office in Bogota and were given a tour of the facility. We got to see the room where our letters are translated. It was really neat seeing all of it firsthand. After that, our translator took us in a cab to Kelly's project in Monterrey. Very cool guy, i'll share more about him when we get back. I cannot imagine how this whole day could've gone any better. We were taken to the village church and we met Kelly and her family. Kelly and some of her classmates performed some authentic Colombian dances for us. We took a tour of her school. We went to her house and gave her and her family some gifts. She lives in a very poor area and her house is on a dirt floor. It was very sad to see the conditions they live in but compassion is doing a great job with this ministry. We took Kelly and her mother to the mall and Kelly experienced some things for the very 1st time. She had never been to the mall. She had never eaten a hamburger at a restaurant. She had never been on an esclator or elevator. We got her some sunglasses, ice cream and took her for a ride in the bumper cars...it was awesome. After that, we spent the rest of the afternoon at the park. Let me say, this was the most amazing day we have ever had as a family...at least to my knowledge. I'll share more about it when we get home, but it was just unbelievable. We were very impressed with compassion and the way they handled the visitation. Thanks for all the prayers. As for the Moix's, they spent the day scraping and painting in the Genesis house. That's what we will probably be doing for most of the week. There's a little Christian bakery down the street from where we stay. We walked down there after we had supper with the boys in the Exodus house. They serve different kinds of breads, hot chocolate, snacks etc. Oh yeah, we had a new girl move in the Bethel house with us today. She is from Peoria, Illinois and has been in Bogota for a little while and now she is doing some work at Children's Vision. It's been a great day! Hope everyone is doing well back home and thanks again for the prayers...see you soon!

More Bogota

Sunday a.m.

We don't have an internet connection at the place we are staying. One of the schools (the Genesis House) has an internet connection upstairs but it's around the corner from where we are. So, i'll try to type down some thoughts when I can and copy and paste them to my blog when we are at the Genesis House. The schools are spread out around the neighborhood. I always thought in my mind they were all together but that's not the case. I guess they just buy property when the opportunity arises and the funds are available. The neighborhood has a lot of thieves/crime so, we have been told not to go out after 8:30 p.m. Moix has his boyscout knife so, he has been given the role of security :-) We are getting ready for church...we will go with Jeanine and the children. I'm not real sure what is on the agenda for the rest of the day but I think we may go to the Exito (like our wal-mart) for supplies. There's not much too eat for breakfast. Let me tell you, these kids are starving for love and attention. It's amazing how we met them for the 1st time and their fingers had to be literally pried from our arms. We don't speak spanish and they don't seem to care one bit. They just want somebody to play with them. I probably need to mention the pictures on the last post are shots from the Bethel Station, where we are staying. I'll try to post some photos when possible. That's all for now.

Sunday p.m.

We are currently at the Genesis house watching a movie with the children. Maddie and Marinda stayed at the Bethel house since maddie wasn't feeling well...pray for her. The Archer's will be leaving at 8 am to meet our compassion sponsored child. We have a suitcase full of gifts for her...that's gonna be awesome. We will give the kids at children's vision the gifts from crossroads on Tuesday. The moix's along with a mother and daughter from Indiana will begin painting in the Genesis tomorrow. The mother and daughter are here as missionaries as well and are staying in the bethel house. We went to church this morning with some of the kids and it was an experience. Hearing some of the songs we do in spanish was interesting and they like to dance...it was cool. Moix and myself got to say a couple words with a translator. We had the afternoon off so we checked out the mall which is about 1 mile from bethel. It's the largest mall in south america. They have a store called Exito (like walmart) and we were able to get some supplies. Keep us in prayer, having a great time.

We made it!

We got to Bogota on time but it took a little while to get through customs. We just crashed when we got to the Bethel House...it was a long day of traveling. Today we spent most of our time as tourists, seeing some of the sights. We are at the Genesis House right now and we just had supper with some of the children. Everyone is doing great. It's been a bit of a culture shock. We are going to church in the morning with the children and probably shopping for groceries after that. Keep us in prayer as the area we are in can be pretty dangerous. God bless!

Paragould Campus

The Paragould Campus is progressing...we have a wall baby! I know the picture is not great but it was sent to me on my phone. We have a wall people...awesome!

Launch Meeting

We had a great launch meeting tonight at the Paragould Campus. A big group showed up and there's excitement brewing in the air. The big thing right now is the wall that needs to be built that separates the worship area from the children's area. We are hoping to see that wall go up this week. Once that happens we will be able to begin work on all the different areas of the church. It's gonna be a busy time around Crossroads for the next few months...but very exciting! After I got home tonight from the meeting I led a guy from Paragould to Christ on Facebook. Pretty crazy, huh? We are planning to baptize him at the Launch service. Get involved...don't miss out on all that God is doing.

Billboard is up!

I just wanted to let everyone know the Launch Billboard is up. It's located on Hwy. 49 in the Brookland area right across the highway from Jordan's Quik Stop and just north of La Cascada. When you're headed to Paragould look to your left when you approach Jordan's. When you're headed to Jonesboro have the person riding shotgun look behind you to the right. Are you driving solo? No tips, I won't be responsible for you running off the road. Be safe!

TobyMac & Tomlin

We went to the Hello Tonight Concert last night in Memphis. The concert was at Hope Church and it was sold out. We bought our tickets about 3 months ago. I must say, it was awesome. I'm a big fan of both Tomlin and Toby...however, they are both very different. Tomlin is more of a worship leader type and Toby is the rapper/singer, tons of action going on on-stage during his time. I guess you could say it was the best of both worlds...Hannah Montana plug not intended. Go see either one of them if you get the chance and tell them Mike sent you. Yeah, do that...tell them I sent you.

Paragould Campus

We have signed the lease and the building in Paragould is officially ours...at least for the next 12 months. The building is located in the Paragould Plaza just south of Sears. We will find out about city codes and have the utilities switched over this week. Once we get that stuff out of the way we can go to work on preparing the building for Church. The launch date is set for 10-10-10 and the service will be at 9:00 a.m. This is gonna be a really cool day for Crossroads Church as we are stepping out on faith and trusting God during this journey. I'll try and keep everyone updated on the progress of the building.

Solomon Says...

Proverbs 31:

The last chapter is here. Perhaps the most famous chapter in all of Proverbs. A passage that describes the type of woman all men should seek. However, most women want to avoid this chapter because it seems so unattainable. I've heard some people ask, "where's the passage for the man?" We hear about the Proverbs 31 woman but where's the challenge for the man? Well, we need to remember that the intended audience is still the young man. This is not some tidbit thrown in at the end to give instruction for young women. This is the type of woman we as men should seek for as a wife. Nothing has changed, he doesn't want men settling for women that will cause them to go astray. Hold your standards very high, as women should also do in looking for a husband. The 1st 9 verses of this chapter don't get much attention, most usually jump to verse 10. The sayings of King Lemuel, like Agur, we don't really know anything about him. The 1st 9 verses are things he learned from his mother. There are 3 basic teachings, do not use your power to indulge in women, stay sober, and use your authority to defend the weak. Verses 6 & 7 seem a little odd, but the meaning is simple. If alcohol has any value it is for people in this position, but don't let yourself get this way. It's not a license to get people in tough situations drunk. He goes on to say in 8 & 9...speak up for them and defend them. 10-31 contain what has been called the Proverbs 31 woman. Again, the intended audience here is the young man. A young person needs to look long and hard at the character of the person he or she considers marrying. Sexy looks, a winning personality, and popularity are not of themselves bad, but they are not the basis for a lifelong commitment. Few things cause as much pain and regret as marrying a person of bad morals or weak character. The book of Proverbs lays out from beginning to end, the choice for the young man. The way of integrity over the way of folly. I think it is very fitting that the book ends by encouraging the young man to find a living, breathing, wise woman to share his life with.

Solomon Says...

Proverbs 30:

This chapter is credited to Agur son of Jakeh. We know absolutely nothing about him. However, I love how he starts this chapter. Verse 2 & 3, 'i am the most ignorant of men; I do not have a man's understanding. I have not learned wisdom, nor have i knowledge of the Holy One.' Agur admits that he doesn't have the answers to some of life's toughest questions. In doing this, he is able to embrace the truth that only God can give. The commandment we talked about Sunday, "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you" goes along with the point of 30:17. Respect for parents is the key to learning respect for all authority. People that can't live with authority will generally live short lives. Those who honor parents can accept limits and will usually enjoy a long, peaceful life. It's what we discussed Sunday, you want to honor your parents? Live wisely.

Solomon Says...

Proverbs 29:

One of my favorite verses is in this chapter. Verse 18 "Where there is no revelation the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law." In other words, 'where there is no vision, people perish.' Think about that verse for a second in every area of your life. When you don't have a vision for your marriage, that relationship might not go the distance. Without a vision in your family, it could self destruct. When you don't have a vision for your life, your jobs will be many, but your fulfillment will be scarce. When there is no vision, it will die. Vision is the ability to see beyond today. It's not living for the moment, but living for what can be. Solomon knew this well. As the King, he would need a strong vision for the country. I think that's one reason Solomon asked God for wisdom. He realized the need for special discernment in governing a nation. God blessed him and because of that, the nation had many peaceful years under the reign of Solomon. Having a vision for each area of your life is one of the most important things we can do. It helps us decide what is important and what is a waste of our time. Knowing what to say 'no' to is one of the advantages of having a vision. When something doesn't lead us toward our vision, we have to be willing to say 'no.' That means saying 'no' to many 'good things' and saying 'yes' to the 'best things.' As Solomon has been preaching in this whole book, there are 2 paths...one leads to death and the other to life. Having a vision helps us follow the path that leads to life.

Solomon Says...

Proverbs 28:

This chapter continues on with wisdom for the future leaders of families and communities. A young man needs a few basic skills as he enters adult life. He must be able to get along with other people, especially the men in his community. Also, he must know how to read their character. And it is very important for a young man to become well equipped to provide for his family. Also, this chapter discusses the wealthy and the poor. People with wealth and privilege have a special obligation to those who have less, but the temptation is for them to abuse their power. However, if they follow the Biblical path, they are less likely to fall into this trap. There are also a few warnings in here for the rich. Verses 19-27 focus on this area. Chasing fantasies, get rich quick schemes, showing favoritism to certain people, being stingy, etc. Solomon covers all the bases.

Solomon Says...

Proverbs 27:

Chapter 27 is loaded with good stuff. Another widely quoted verse is in this chapter...(17) 'as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.' Let's break down this chapter. I think the whole point of the 1st two verses is...don't be too sure about the future or yourself. As a leader, sometimes I feel like I have to know what's going to happen tomorrow. However, it's ridiculous to think that way. We need a plan, we need direction, but tomorrow is out of our hands. Verse 5 shows the importance of open communication in relationships. 'Better is open rebuke than hidden love.' This does not mean that it is always better to rebuke or that there is never a time to be silent. The point is that we should express our love to others, and that takes honesty. The next several verses show that building and maintaining close relationships with family and friends is one of the most important things in the world. The rest of this chapter is clearly an appeal from father to son. How to follow sound business practices, how to have good relationships with men in the community, etc. He even talks about the importance of using wisdom in selecting a wife in verse 15, 16. 'restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand.' In other words, she's out of control. She is quarrelsome, always spending money, making trouble and he can't do anything about it. This type of wife is very different than the one painted in chapter 31. The last 4 or 5 verses of the chapter seem a little strange...talking about grain, flocks, hay, goat's milk. I think the point is simply, take care of your business and your business will take of you. Again, use wisdom in life, be smart and make wise decisions...decisions that won't come back to haunt you, but bless you.