Crosswalk Community Church

Men’s Breakfast

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:33:21 +0000

Saturday, May 12th @ 8:30 am

A Tea for the Ladies

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 17:30:14 +0000

Saturday, May 19th @ 10 am – 11:30 am

Special Guest Speaker, Barb Curry “Order My Steps”

Tickets available May 6th & 13th!

Buy 2 for $5 and bring a friend!

Is America Nailing Itself in the Brain?

admin — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:56:58 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

This is a weird story from just last month. Dante Autullo, a 32 year old Chicago man, was building a shed when he thought he cut himself on the head. Being a tough guy, he decided to gut it out without seeking aid. A persistent headache, however, prompted him to go to the hospital the next day. What he thought was a surface wound turned out to be much more serious. Without knowing it, Dante had accidentally shot himself in the head with a nail gun, sending a 3.5 inch nail into his brain. The X-ray reveal that the nail was lodged just millimeters away from the part of the brain that controls the motor functions.

Dante said, “When they brought in the picture, I said to the doctor `Is this a joke? Did you get that out of the doctors joke file?’ The doctor said ‘No man, that’s in your head.”’ In a happy ending, doctors at Advocate Christ Medical Center successfully removed the nail and replaced a piece of his skull with a mesh patch and titanium plate.

It’s amazing the harm we can do to ourselves and be completely unaware of it!

But what is true of individuals is also true of society. In the past week or so there have been some remarkable news stories about the increasing secularization of American culture that is accompanied by hostility to spiritual values and religious liberty. I wish we had the time and space to discuss the Susan G. Komen flap in detail. The issue is simply this: Shouldn’t Americans be allowed to give to a charity to support Breast Cancer research without a portion of their money going to Planned Parenthood, which does not provide mammograms and is America’s number one provider of abortions? Another hot issue is the government’s refusal to grant religious organizations an exemption from purchasing health insurance that covers abortion-inducing drugs, surgical sterilization, and contraception. There was an immediate outcry by many, especially the Catholic bishops who called it an egregious violation of religious liberty.

But I wish to highlight is story out of New York City where city officials ruled that churches could not worship in public facilities (including public schools when not in session), because it is mixing church and state. They have ordered over 60 churches evicted by February 12. Thankfully the New York Senate passed a bill on Monday that would allow churches to rent spaces in public schools for worship services. However, the measure’s fate in the state Assembly and on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk is uncertain.

Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Church in NYC, said this: “It is my conviction that those churches housed in schools are invaluable assets to the neighborhoods that they serve. Churches have long been seen as positive additions to communities. Family stability, resources for those in need, and compassion for the marginalized are all positive influences that neighborhood churches provide.”

In his LifeWay blog, Ed Stetzer gave three reasons why NYC’s plan to evict churches should be reversed:

1. Churches benefit communities

Schools and churches make their communities better and the public knows it. According to a 2011 Barna Research study: Three-quarters of U.S. adults believe the presence of a church is “very” (53%) or “somewhat” positive (25%) for their community. In contrast, only one out of every 20 Americans believes the influence of a church is negative. Most Americans see churches as partners in the community, but the NYC school system sees churches as a threat rather than a benefit.

2. Discriminating on the basis of the speech content is against our values

The NYC municipal government contends religious speech should be banned from public school buildings to avoid confusing our children. (Remember churches use the schools when school is not in session.). To the contrary, it affirms our commitment to religious freedom.

3. Religion-neutral is better than religion-hostile

Any constitutional concerns about church use of public school buildings can be answered by a religion-neutral approach. A government that is religion-neutral we will not discriminate based on the content of speech–even unpopular religious speech. Thus, I stand with my Muslim friends who wish to rent on Friday, my Jewish friends on Saturday, and my Christian friends on Sunday–all paying money to use space that belongs to us all.

My question is this: Is America thinking these issues are minor scrapes, or is it much more serious? Are we shooting ourselves in the head with a nail?

Please pray for the direction of our country and our cultural values. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 -

I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.

Blessings on your week,

Pastor John Christie

THIS SUNDAY AT CROSSWALK!

In our series from Mark’s gospel, the disciples are now sent out to participate in the mission of Jesus. Up till now they have been bystanders, students, and apprentices as they’ve watched our Lord’s ministry of proclaiming the Kingdom of God, opposing evil by casting out demons, and promoting the abundant life by healing diseases. This Sunday we will be challenged to discover how we, as individuals and as a faith community, can participate in the ministry of Jesus. How can we live for more than just our own pleasures? Then we will be given some very practical guidelines for fulfilling our life’s purpose. This will be a great Sunday to be reconnected with God’s will for your life. We will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper!

BE A BLOOD HERO!!

THIS SUNDAY we will be conducting our annual February blood drive! This is a practical way in which you can give of yourself to help others. In fact, this is one of the most “Jesus-like” ways we can be of blessing to others! Normally we have a great participation for this service opportunity, but this year sign-ups are lagging behind our pace. PLEASE sign up HERE to make an appointment.

“THE EPIC LIFE” MEN’S RETREAT AT RCP – March 2-4!

Our Men’s retreat with Jerry Ingalls is filling up fast!! It looks like we now have just 15 slots left! 10 of those spaces are cabins, and 5 are the deluxe accommodations. You can sign up this Sunday! If you need scholarship help, please let us know. We want everyone who wants to go to be a part of what God will do this weekend!

Where Dignity is Conferred

admin — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 23:01:33 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

Greetings from Paraguay! Thank you so much for your prayers, as this week we have had triple digit heat this week while teaching in a decidedly non air conditioned prison. To put in politely, Angel and I were perspiring profusely. In more colloquial terms, we were sweating like stuck pigs! Cameras are no longer allowed in Tacumbu prison, except possibly on Fridays. Hopefully I can get some photos then. Above is a photo of REMAR director Pepe with Angel, and Tacumbu prison is in the background. In addition to two teaching sessions, we also tested the water in the prison and provided two clean water filters. We also had some wonderful meetings with the Christian leadership within the prison. The teaching sessions have all been on Spiritual leadership, Servant leadership, and on Friday we will look at Transforming leadership. Tomorrow we will visit another prison that has opened up to Angel’s ministry.

I promised a second book review in this week’s posting, so here are some nuggets from a book that may be of primary interest to only people like me. The book is Eugene Peterson’s spiritual autobiography entitled The Pastor: A Memoir. Of course I was blessed by his thoughts of what it means to be a pastor, but more pertinent were his thoughts on what it means to be a congregation, a church, a family of God. Here are some quotes from the author’s nearly 30 years of experience pastoring the same church:

Before anything else, church is a place where a person is named and greeted, whether implicitly or explicitly, in Jesus’s name. A place where dignity is conferred… If the life of David that comprised prayer and adultery and murder could be written and told as a gospel story, no one in my congregation would be written off. For me, my congregation would become a work-in-progress – a novel in which everyone and everything is connected in a salvation story in which Jesus has the last word!

Isn’t that a great description of church! It is my prayer that at Crosswalk Church would be a place where dignity is conferred, and where for each of our life stories, Jesus has the last word!

Blessings,

Pastor John

THIS WEEK AT CROSSWALK!
Through the wonders of modern technology, I was able to listen and be blessed by the messages of Pastor Mike Jones and Pastor Ed Taylor. This weekend is Martin Luther King weekend, and we will be honored to have another blessed message by Pastor Ed Taylor. We will be honoring the legacy of Dr. King, a preacher of the gospel and a transformer of culture in our worship services. Please invite someone to come to church with you!

There’s Something to be said for…

admin — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:41:50 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

We just returned to civilization after 3 exhilarating days at a “dude ranch” of sorts in the savannah like interior of Paraguay. This included a 36 plus hour “fast” from the internet and all things electronic (except for my Kindle for book reading!). There is definitely something to be said for taking a break from the electronic gadgets and incessant data from the internet that fills the brain with a lot of this-worldliness. Between horseback ridings, swimming with the grandkids, game playing with adults, I managed to read two books (one that I started before the trip). Again, there’s something to be said for relaxed reading time to feed the mind!

The first is A First Rate Madness: Uncovering the Links Between Leadership and Mental Illness, by psychiatrist Nassir Ghaemi. I am very interested in leadership principles, and this book was a fascinating look at the link between great leaders and mental health struggles, particularly mania and depression. While the author betrays his left leaning bias, he nonetheless presents some very interesting material, mostly of leaders in the past 80 years. Here’s a summary statement:

“The best crisis leaders are either mentally ill or mentally abnormal; the worst crisis leaders are mentally healthy… As we have seen throughout this book, the greatest leaders are often abnormal, even flat out mentally ill. We should accept, even celebrate, this possibility. Being normal is great in a friend and a spouse and in one’s daily life; but leaders of nations and armies and businesses are faced with tasks and crises that no one else faces in normal life. For abnormal challenges, abnormal leaders are needed.”

The four key elements that mentally unhealthy leaders (that is, those who suffer non debilitating bouts of depression and mania) bring to a crisis situation are these: Realism, Resilience, Empathy, and Creativity. To my mind these are excellent qualities in any leader, and the Bible clearly supports this. The Bible’s way of conveying realism is to speak of the truth; of resilience is perseverance; of empathy is compassion; and of creativity is in the promise that followers of Jesus have the mind of Christ and that we are led by God’s (creative) Holy Spirit. To these four qualities of leadership the author surprisingly adds a fifth: humility! He writes: “The Jewish philosopher Maimonides once said that if one can only learn to say, ‘I don’t know,’ he will prosper.” There is something to be said for cultivating these qualities in our Christian life!

Regarding the great yet troubled leaders surveyed in this book, such as Sherman, Lincoln, Churchill, Gandhi, Kennedy, and King, the author concludes:

“Their weakness is, in short, the secret of their strength.“

Of course, the apostle Paul knew this two thousand years ago. Here’s what he writes about God’s response to his plea to take away a weakness in his life:

Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. – 2 Cor 12:9-10 (NLT)
There’s something to be said for trusting the grace of God to work best in our weaknesses, whatever they may be! Next week I’ll share about the second book I read!

Love in Jesus from Paraguay,

Pastor John

THIS WEEK AT CROSSWALK AND IN PARAGUAY!

On Sunday we are honored to have brother Edward Taylor preaching at Crosswalk! As you know, Ed is a gifted proclaimer of God’s word and I hope you will invite someone to come to church with you. He will be preaching on one of the great texts from Mark’s gospel – Jesus calming the storm! WE WILL BE RETURNING TO OUR REGULAR TWO SERVICE SCHEDULE!

In Paraguay I will be preaching at the Presbyterian church in Luque on Sunday, and then all week accompanying Angel Hernandez to prison to teach about Servant Leadership. We will also be installing water purifiers in the prison! Please be in prayer for effective ministry!!

For Whom the Bell Tolls

admin — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 19:10:55 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

This Sunday we will be looking at the foundation of Crosswalk’s vision for the next 3 years, which is Empowering Prayer. In researching the Bible’s teaching on how prayer can empower us to impact our world and become all God wants us to be, I came across some remarkable testimonies about the power of prayer from Church History. One such testimony concerns John Donne. Here are glimpses of some of his more famous works:
No man is an Island, entire of itself;
every man is a piece of the Continent,
a part of the main.

All mankind is of one author, and is one volume;
when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out
of the book, but translated into a better language.

Any man’s death diminishes me, because
I am involved in Mankind; And therefore
never send to know for whom the bell tolls;
it tolls for thee.
The lines “No man is an Island,” and “for whom the bell tolls,” have become an indelible part of English literature.

“Jack” Donne was born in England in 1572, and spent his youth in rebelliousness which found expression in erotic poetry. Secretly married to Anne More, Donne was thrown into prison by his disapproving father in law. Showing he didn’t lose his sense of humor, he wrote: “John Donne, Anne Donne, Un-Done!” Eventually released, Anne bore him 12 children in 16 years of marriage before she died. Turning to Christ in faith, Donne came to see himself as a prodigal son saved only by grace.

In his middle age, Donne’s life was filled with poverty and discouragement, but also by a deepening devotion to Jesus and prayer. During this time he dedicated his poetic skill to the great themes of love, death, and God’s mercy. In 1615 he became an ordained Anglican priest, and 160 of his sermons survive to this day.

In 1623, during a near-fatal illness, the bedridden pastor heard from his window the church bells of London announcing that the Black Plague had taken more victims. Donne was convinced he, too, had the plague and would soon die. This is what is meant by his famous phrase, never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

Much to his surprise, Donne recovered, but as he endured physical suffering and emotional fears, he discovered the gift of Empowering Prayer, and poured out verses reaching out to God. Some of his prayers deal with the toughest of all questions, “In the darkest of days, how can we experience God’s purpose?”

Here is a portion of his Empowering Prayer, with Donne’s 18th Century language updated and clarified by author Philip Yancey:

O eternal and most gracious God, you have reserved your perfect joy and perfect glory for the future when we will possess, forever, all that can in any way conduce to our happiness. Yet here also in this world, you grant us…glimpses of that stored treasure. Just as we see you through a glass darkly, so also do we receive your goodness by reflection…

…I received your blessing, O God, but I bless your name most for this, that I have has my portion not only in the hearing, but in the preaching of your gospel.

O most gracious God, on this sickbed I feel under your correction, and I taste of humiliation, but let me taste of consolation, too. Once this scourge has persuaded us that we are nothing of ourselves, may it also persuade us that you are all things unto us.

In a brief few hours you have shown me I am thrown beyond the help of man… By that same light, let me see that no vehemence of sickness, no temptation of Satan, no guiltiness of sin, no prison of death—not this first, this sickbed, nor the other prison, the close and dark grave—can remove me from the determined and good purpose that you have sealed concerning me.

I can read my affliction as a correction, or as a mercy, and I confess I know not how to read it. How should I understand this illness? I cannot conclude, though death conclude me. If it is a correction indeed, let me translate it and read it as a mercy; for though it may appear to be a correction, I can have no greater proof of your mercy than to die in you and by that death to be united in him who died for me.

…When your Son cried out “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” you reached out your hand not to heal his sad soul, but to receive his holy soul. Neither did he desire to hold it from you, but surrendered it to you.

I see your hand upon me now, O Lord, and…my true healing lies in silent and absolute obedience to your will, even before I know it. Preserve that obedience, O my God, and that will preserve me to you; that, when you have catechized me with affliction here, I may take a greater degree, and serve you in a higher place, in your kingdom of joy and glory. Amen.

This Sunday will be a great day at Crosswalk! Please come with the expectation that God will meet us as we worship together, and that we will experience for ourselves the joy of Empowering Prayer!

Blessings,

Pastor John

Why America May Go to Hell

admin — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:00:54 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

Last Sunday I mentioned the new Memorial in Washington D.C. dedicated to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In an article written by Cornel West, professor at Princeton, it is noted that not long before he was murdered, Dr. King said that his dream for a more democratic America had become “a nightmare.” Why? Because of the continuing presence of “racism, poverty, militarism and materialism” in American life. Here’s something interesting: According to the article, on the Sunday after his assassination, King planned to preach a sermon titled “Why America May Go to Hell.” I always think my sermon titles lack imagination. King’s title is truly provocative! However, as West points out, “King did not think that America ought to go to hell, but rather that it might go to hell owing to its economic injustice, cultural decay and political paralysis.” Cornel West (who has some radical political ideas that I certainly think would be disastrous for America) calls King “a courageous and visionary Christian blues man, fighting with style and love in the face of…catastrophes he identified.” Who can argue with that? The Memorial honoring Dr. King is based on his words “Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

It is certainly a beautiful image and one worth honoring. This is especially true because ultimately hope is found only in Christ, of whom the Scriptures say: “And his name will be the hope of all the world”(Matthew 12:21 NLT).

Whether or not America may to go to hell is an interesting question. Of course, the Bible tells us that salvation is an individual matter. Hebrews 9:27 (ESV) says “…It is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” Interestingly, Jesus speaks of judging the nations (see Matthew 25:31-46), but the bottom line reference must be to all the people of the world. Perhaps America can go to hell figuratively, but in likelihood only if there are a lot of individuals headed that direction as well! The political paralysis, cultural decay, and economic injustice Dr. King spoke of are certainly with us in abundance today, but so is a devastating secularism and departure from a host of biblical values. The answer is always found in people turning or returning to the Lord, and allowing his Holy Spirit to fill and direct their lives in a way that transforms our culture.

This Sunday will be a great day at Crosswalk! It is the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack on America. Personally I think it is a shame to speak only of the “tragic events” of that day. Let’s call it what it is. We will honor those who died on that day and look at some enduring lessons for us. This will be in the context of a fascinating passage from Mark chapter 2 which indicates the type of people who Jesus came to save.

We kicked off our Wednesday Night Dinners and classes last night. The food was good, the company was fantastic, and we celebrated Perry Williams’ 98 birthday with candles and cake and ice cream! If you missed the fun plan on joining us next week! Blessings on all who are committed to being in a small group or class in order to grow your faith!

Hope to see you Sunday,

Pastor John

P.S. See below for some additional awesome spiritual growth and leadership development opportunities.

Leadership for the Church-in-Mission

November 17-18, 2011

Held at Calvary Presbyterian Church, San Francisco

The Newbigin House of Studies Inaugural Conference

The great missionary, pastor and theologian Lesslie Newbigin taught that “the church ismission.” It “exists by mission as a flame exists by burning.” The contemporary church is in desperate need of leaders who are capable of planting new churches or revitalizing churches in decline. According to Newbigin, spiritual renewal will only happen when “local congregations renounce an introverted concern for their own life, and recognize that they exist for the sake of those who are not members, as a sign… of God’s redeeming grace for the whole life of society.”

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

N. T. Wright is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at University of St. Andrews Scotland and is one of the world’s leading Bible scholars. He has been featured onABC News, Dateline NBC, and The Colbert Report. He has taught New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill, and Oxford universities, and has served as a Bishop in the Church in England. He is the author of over fifty books, included the newly released Simply Jesusand The Kingdom New Testament: A Contemporary Translation.

TO REGISTER FOR THIS CONFERENCE, GO TO:

http://newbiginhousestudies.eventbrite.com/

Early bird rate ends Sept 15! I highly recommend this conference!

INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP COMES TO RCP!!

At least one Crosswalker has already registered for this conference!! After ten years of successfully training Christian leaders internationally, ILI’s unique disciple-making and leadership training resources are now available in America. This five-day leadership training experience will be similar to the ILI National Conferences held annually in more than sixty nations around the world.

Where: Redwood Christian Park Conference Center, Boulder Creek, California

When: September 26 – 30, 2011

Cost: $300 Standard Room Registration

$315 Deluxe Room Registration

We are excited to bring these life-changing methodologies to the USA. As part of ILI’s ministry, training resources are provided free of charge; the nominal fee covers accommodations, meals, conference facilities, and registration. Concurrent conferences will be held in English and Spanish, and each will be limited to 30 attendees. You can learn more and register online at http://www.ILITeamUSA.org/NationalConference.

Scariest Story about the Bible?

admin — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 22:55:36 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

In her book Amazing Grace, Kathleen Norris shares what she calls “the scariest story” she’s ever heard about the Bible. Norris and her husband were visiting a man named Arlo, a rugged, self-made man who was facing terminal cancer. Arlo started talking about his grandfather, who was a devout Christian. The grandfather gave Arlo and his bride a wedding present: an expensive genuine leather Bible with their names printed in gold lettering on the front. Arlo’s wife sent a thank you note, as custom and courtesy dictate, but the couple never opened the box nor looked in the Bible. For months afterwards his grandfather kept asking if he liked the Bible. Arlo told Norris, “The wife had written a nice thank-you note, and we’d thanked him in person, but somehow he couldn’t let it lie, he always had to ask about it.”

Finally, out of pure curiosity, Arlo opened the Bible. “The joke was on me,” Arlo said. “I finally took that Bible out of the closet and I found that granddad had placed a twenty-dollar bill at the beginning of the Book of Genesis, and at the beginning of every book … over thirteen hundred dollars in all. And he knew I’d never find it!”

What treasures have you yet to find inthe Bible? In Psalm 19:10-11, we read this about the words of God:
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.

God has given Crosswalk Church a new vision for our future together. You will be hearing a lot about this in the weeks to come. A significant part of that vision is LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. Please do not be discouraged or put off by this title in any way. Everyone is an influencer, and that means everyone in some sense is a leader. God wants us to grow in his grace and become more effective influencers in the world. We will be introducing new ways for you to grow in your faith over next several months.

Here are two ways to grow your faith:

1. INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE is offering a NATIONAL CONFERENCE in our Backyard! For 5 days at the end of September, you can be a part of an incredibly successful training event. We will be looking, in depth, at the 8 Core Values of Christian Leadership. All the information, with a link to register, is featured below. It would be fantastic if we could get some Crosswalkers to attend this training. I will be making a couple of presentations, as will Peter Pereira and Al Vom Steeg, both great friends of Crosswalk. If you can’t make this deepest level of training, we are offering Christian to the Core here at Crosswalk, beginning Weds, Sept 7, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. Linda Jackson and Leanna Christie will be the facilitatiors. This class covers the same 8 Core Values of Leadership!!

2. READING GREAT BOOKS is always a way to grow deeper. I just finished a fine devotional book edited by our own Rev. Edward Taylor. FAITH IN THE FIRE: Wisdom for Life, contains the writings of Gradner C. Taylor, who TIME Mag. calls “the dean of the nation’s black preachers.” There are so many great quotes in this book! Here are a couple:

“There is a language of grace, which we have only learned to stutter in its simplest words. There are vistas and distances we have not begun to reach. We are growing… We are becoming and we are not yet what we should be!”

“Hold on, even when it seems as if nothing is going to happen. So one prayer, one struggle, one effort and then another – nothing happens. But keep praying. Keep hoping, keep serving, one more effort, and one more day like all the rest and we shall waken satisfied and in God’s likeness. Hold on, work on, pray on, believe on, and trust on, and God will make it well. Be patient!”

This is destined to become a devotional classic, and it can be purchased on Amazon at this link: http://www.amazon.com/Faith-Fire-Gardner-C-Taylor/dp/1401929621

THERE ARE TREASURES IN GOD’S WORD FOR EACH OF US! This Sunday we will open the Scriptures again and be blessed by the Holy Spirit. See you in Church!

Growing with you,

Pastor John

INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP COMES TO RCP!!

After ten years of successfully training Christian leaders internationally, ILI’s unique disciple-making and leadership training resources are now available in America. This five-day leadership training experience will be similar to the ILI National Conferences held annually in more than sixty nations around the world. Alumni multiply their training in their own regions through proven and effective strategies.
                                                Where:         Redwood Christian Park Conference Center
                                                                     Boulder Creek, California
                                                When:          September 26 – 30, 2011
                                                Cost:             $300 Standard Room Registration
                                                                     $315 Deluxe Room Registration
We are excited to bring these life-changing methodologies to the USA. As part of ILI’s ministry, training resources are provided free of charge; the nominal fee covers accommodations, meals, conference facilities, and registration. Concurrent conferences will be held in English and Spanish, and each will be limited to 30 attendees. Share this opportunity with others in your Christian community and network. You can learn more and register online at http://www.ILITeamUSA.org/NationalConference.

Healing of the Mind – What Happened to Happiness?

admin — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:48:04 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

Last week, in our sermon series, Simply Jesus, we covered the eye-opening and controversial reality of demonic possession, oppression and influence in today’s world. Several were affected deeply by that message. As part of the message, we saw a powerful video clip of an exorcism. For those who want to see the full program you can watch it online by clicking on this link:http://abc.go.com/watch/primetime-nightline-beyond-belief/SH55131205/VD55136065/battle-with-the-devil

If you missed that message, you can listen to it here: http://crosswalkchurch.com/Multimedia//wp-content/uploads/sermons/How_to_Act_with_Authority_over_Evil.mp3

This Sunday, we will turn our attention to the powerful subject of divine healing. As always, we won’t be able to cover every aspect of this fascinating biblical truth, but as we study through the gospel of Mark we will have other opportunities to revisit this reality. We will have a special time of prayer for healing this Sunday, so please pray for this service, that God will bring healing in our lives in a powerful way.

We will also celebrate baptisms this Sunday, so it will be a GREAT DAY at Crosswalk Church. In fact, although we say this often, this truly will be a perfect time to invite someone to worship with you!

Speaking of healing, there was a tremendous study done recently regarding the level of depression across a span of many nations. In an article dated July 26, 2011, ABC news reports that “The old adage that money can’t buy happiness may be true not only for individuals, but for society as a whole, according to new international research on depression.”

In what is called a “global collaborative study” on depression that featured a whopping 89,000 interviews with people from 18 different countries all across the economic spectrum; the conclusions showed a remarkable similarity among the nations studied as well as a shocking difference that caught many researchers in their unawares (how embarrassing!).

First, the remarkable similarity: The researchers found that depression has the same debilitating effect on people regardless of their economic status. This makes perfect sense to me, because people are people wherever they live. But the researches thought it to be quite remarkable. “One of the things (they) …found most striking however, was the extent to which people from all different nations seemed to respond to depression with similar levels of impairment — that is, depression negatively affected citizens’ ability to work, have meaningful relationships and in general live their lives…” This is one of the many reasons to have a biblical worldview. The Bible teaches that ALL PEOPLE are created in the image and likeness of God, and all people have the same sin nature, regardless of their environment. This is why God’s truth revealed to the ancient agrarian communities in the Bible speak to us so clearly today!

Psalm 42:5-8 (NLT)- Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God! Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember you— …But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.

But now, the shocking difference: “Researchers found that… wealthier nations tend to have a higher incidence of depression among their citizens when compared with middle-income or poorer nations… The United States and France were the leading most-depressed nations, with a prevalence of depression five times what was reported for less wealthy nations like Mexico and China.”

Of course, the researchers were somewhat bewildered by this turn of events, but they did speculate as to why wealthier nations suffered from more depression:

1. “Wealthier nations … are industrialized nations where individuals rely less on family support for everything from childcare to marital advice. There is a well known link between social support being a protective factor against depression,” says Dr. Sudeepta Varma. This makes perfect sense. God created us for community. We are better together! Strong nuclear families and strong church families help us with our mental health!!

2. Dr. Varma also said, “I also believe that poorer nations may look to religious/spiritual beliefs for comfort, also a protective factor.” Of course this is true! The more secular a nations becomes, the less people rely on God, the more debilitating will be the depression. Make no mistake, spiritual people suffer depression as well, but we do have God as our shield, and the spiritual protection he provides!

3. Dr. Gary Kennedy speculated that in wealthier nations, the expectations are so much greater. In other words, we so easily tend to compare ourselves with others, and in wealthier nations there is a great disparity which negatively affects our mental health. Clearly, this is also a factor. The spiritual answer to this is found in the words of Jesus: “Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own…” (Luke 12:15).

The church of Jesus was always meant to be a place of healing and hope! May the Lord richly bless your week!

Love in Jesus,

Pastor John

SPIRIT WEST COAST – YOUTH NEEDS! CAN YOU HELP?

Next week our nine of our youth and three of our youth leaders will head to SPIRIT WEST COAST! This is an awesome time of camping, bonding together, and worshipping and praising the Lord! Here are the camping needs:

2 Tents

2 Tarps

1 Cooler

2 Lanterns

8 Sleeping bags

If you can help, please call or email Peggy Graves - peggygraves@hotmail.com or simply bring the goods to church on Sunday!

Also, please be in prayer for this event!! THANK YOU !!

A $200 million Blessing from Jesus!

admin — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 18:42:13 +0000

Dear Crosswalkers,

There is exciting news in the world of art! A lost painting by famed artist Leonardo da Vinci has been found! It is a 500-year-old painting of Jesus entitled “Salvator Mundi” (or Savior of the World). Art historians estimate the value of the painting to be $200 million! The painting, pictured here, shows Jesus raising two fingers in a traditional form of blessing to the world.

As with many such paintings, there is much symbolism. One artist described the “deeper meaning” of

this painting with these words:

The eight-pointed centre star signifies resurrection and corresponds to the eight lines of the threads found on the stole.The rubyrepresents martyrdom and passion. An unusual vestment tuck seen on the right-hand side of the stole signifies the lance piercing Christ’s side. What we now see as a globe was originally an orb (when surmounted by the cross); it probably recalls the words, “I am the Light of the world.”The stole symbolises the Voice of Immortality.

One issue that is always before us is this: What is of great worth and more intrinsic value, the representation or the reality? The symbol or the reality which is being symbolized? The ritual or the reality that the ritual is designed to celebrate?

For example, wedding rings are nice, but can we agree that the vows they symbolize are more important? In the same way, baptism is a wonderful ritual of the church. A week from Sunday we will have baptisms at Crosswalk. But baptism is a picture of a deeper reality; namely our union with Christ by faith, and our dying and rising with him! Baptism is important, but the reality of being in union with the Lord by faith is of far greater importance. In the same way, a $200 million representation of Jesus blessing the world is no small thing! But even so, and despite the enormous monetary value of the pictorial representation, I hope we can agree that the actual blessing of Jesus is even more valuable! And that blessing is not lost; it is readily available for free!

If you feel like you have lost the blessing of Jesus in your life, Crosswalk Church is dedicated to helping you find it. Our sermon series entitled “Simply Jesus” takes us to a powerful place this Sunday: the authority of Jesus over evil in the world. Here’s the kicker for us: Jesus wants to give us authority over evil as well! This would be a great Sunday to invite someone to come to church with you!

Love in Jesus,

Pastor John

HERNANDEZ VAN! – LAST CALL!

SPECIAL THANKS for your support to this cause! To pay for the $8,000 van for ministry use in Paraguay, the goal is to raise $4,000 by August 1. We have raised $1,650! Thank you! This is a last call to help with this need! Please send a check to Crosswalk or give online through our website at http://crosswalkchurch.com and earmark your gift “PY Mission Support.”