Many thanks your prayers regarding Pastor Oseme, who was kidnapped in Haiti and was threatened with death unless a ransom was paid within 24 hours.  Great News!  Pastor Oseme was released earlier today!  I don’t have any details to share at the present time, but I want you to know that prayer works, and let’s praise God for sparing [...]]]> Dear Friends, 

Many thanks your prayers regarding Pastor Oseme, who was kidnapped in Haiti and was threatened with death unless a ransom was paid within 24 hours.  Great News!  Pastor Oseme was released earlier today!  I don’t have any details to share at the present time, but I want you to know that prayer works, and let’s praise God for sparing this pastor’s life.   

Haitian theologian Dieumeme Noelliste, currently professor of theological ethics at Denver Seminary and president of the Caribbean Evangelical Theological Association, was recently interviewed.  This is a portion of what he said:
“One story that hasn’t been told in the secular media is the number of Haitian pastors who died in the earthquake, leaving their parishioners without any shepherd. The American church should know about this and think about what can be done to help. Haiti was already struck with a paucity of pastors before the earthquake; many trained pastors have left for Canada, the U.S., and other places…  On the theodicy question: I don’t believe people will turn from God. I don’t think there is the kind of approach to life in Haiti that would lead people to think this is proof that God doesn’t exist or think God is against us. If anything, believers in voodoo will think the voodoo god is angry or that things weren’t done to appease the voodoo god. They will be searching their souls for what it is that they didn’t do. As far as Christians are concerned, this is not the first time that disaster has come to us. This may be the most brutal, but two years ago we had four devastating hurricanes and even then the people didn’t turn against God. They’ve suffered many things at the hands of fellow Haitians and remained fast to God… I see the church continuing to grow. In these situations people tend to turn to God. This is their only hope.”  

One of our missionaries, Christian psychologist Wilson Phang, has been invited to Haiti to provide counseling and support for the medical personnel there who are overwhelmed with the stress of dealing with so much death, devastation and destruction.  Lord willing, Wilson will be leaving for Haiti on Feb 1.  Please keep him in your prayers!    You can still give to the relief efforts in Haiti through Crosswalk Church, either on Sunday morning or through our website.   

Many Blessings, and I hope to see you Sunday,  

Pastor John

Dear Crosswalkers,

We are saddened, of course, by the earthquake disaster in Haiti.  As followers of Jesus, we share his compassion for those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy.  Many are injured, and there has been much property damage.  Crosswalk Church is a part of a Region which [...]]]>

Dear Crosswalkers,

We are saddened, of course, by the earthquake disaster in Haiti.  As followers of Jesus, we share his compassion for those who have lost loved ones in this tragedy.  Many are injured, and there has been much property damage.  Crosswalk Church is a part of a Region which has a connection to Haiti through the “One Great Hour of Sharing” benevolence fund.  If you wish to contribute to those hurting in Haiti, you can write a check to Crosswalk Church or give online and earmark your gift:  HAITI.  Rest assured that 100% of your gift will be given to meet the glaring needs in Haiti in the name of Jesus.  Other good organizations are World Vision and Compassion International, each of which has a presence already in Haiti and is accepting donations through their websites to help in the crisis.

A terrible event such as this is always troubling for some.  They wonder, “How can God allow such things to happen?”  Of course, there is a great mystery surrounding the presence and power and purpose of evil in the world.  There is much we can say in response to this question, but ultimately, the most important thing we can to is to respond with the compassion of Jesus.  People are generally won to faith in Jesus by demonstrations of his love, not by answers that satisfy our curiosity.  However, remembering that we live in a world of darkness; a world that crucified our Savior, it always comforts me that Jesus saw through the years and predicted a time of earthquakes and trouble and disasters prior to his Second Coming.  I read the headlines and think, “Yes, it is just as Jesus said it would be.”  And now he wants us to respond as he would. 

Here are some updates for you:
·         Please keep our Children’s Pastor, Peggy Graves in your prayers.  She has a blood clot (which is not life threatening) and such a severe problem with her hip that it will in all likelihood need replacement.  I visited with Peggy today in the hospital and she sends her love.  Many thanks to James English and our dedicated Children’s Ministry staff who have stepped up to be a rich blessing to our kids during Peggy’s absence!
·         This Saturday will be another awesome Men’s Breakfast, with our Leader Erik Aldana speaking on the subject, “You will feel better if you throw up.”  It will make you sick if you miss this message!  Frankly, I can’t wait!

We praise God for the great kickoff last Sunday to our series, “Core Values for a Life That Really Matters.”  Core Value #1 is INTIMACY WITH GOD, and as a reminder, here are three ways to pray that will draw us closer to God:  PRAY “Let Me Know Your Ways”, “Let Me Experience You in My Life”, and “Show Me Your Glorious Presence”  This Sunday we’ll look at Core Value #2.  You won’t want to miss it.

In her book Traveling Mercies, Anne Lamott shares a story about one of her pastors:  When she was about seven, her best friend got lost one day. The little girl ran up and down the streets of the big town where they lived, but she couldn’t find a single landmark, and became very frightened. Finally a policeman stopped to help her. He put her in the passenger seat of his car, and they drove around until she finally saw something she recognized, her church. She pointed it out to the policeman, and then she told him firmly, “You could let me out now. This is my church, and I can always find my way home from here.”

Then Annie Lamott writes:  “And that is why I have stayed so close to [my church family]—because no matter how bad I am feeling, how lost or lonely or frightened, when I see the faces of the people at my church, and hear their tawny voices, I can always find my way home.”

What does God desire for his church?  To be a community where we can always find our way home!  Of course, our real home is in heaven.  In the meantime, the church is God’s family, a community of people where I can discover God’s purpose for my life, and where I can always be reminded of where true home really is.  Tragedies will come and go, but our home is eternal for us! 

Love in Jesus,
Pastor John