Eric Offstage

3 Things I Wanted My Crossing Peeps to Know About This Weekend

1.  I know I say this all the time, but this weekend is going to be awesome.  Don't miss it!!  I'll give you some inside info.  For the last weekend of our How to Have an Affair series, we have some extra special stuff planned.  You will hear an incredible story of life change from someone in our church.  We will be celebrating communion in a unique and powerful way, and the music is going to be "off the chain." 

 

IF you have a searching friend who needs to know about the mercy and love of Jesus, this is a great weekend for them to come.  (Just planning some of the elements have been a tear-jerker for many of our staff.)  I know some of you think if you're going to miss a week, you should miss the last week of a series, BUT THIS IS NOT THAT WEEKEND!!   DON'T DO IT!!  God wants to speak to you this weekend and show His heart to you.  SO BE THERE!   

 

2.  Also, if at all possible, for the next 3 - 4 months could you please (I am begging you) make a commitment to attend one of our 2 Saturday night services instead of Sunday morning?  We totally upgraded the sound in the gym, and it sounds so much better.  We need the seats for seeking people at the 9 & 10:30 on Sundays, so if you could make a sacrifice and switch to Saturdays for a few months that would be amazing!!  PLEASE!!   

 

3.  I said it already, but bring someone.  If our community could hear the service that's planned for this weekend, Elk River would never be the same.  Remember, you and I are personally responsible to reach the world with the love of God before the return of Jesus Christ.  So lets get to it.  

 

Isaiah 52:7  "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news..."

Elk River should be the hardest place in the world to go to hell from. 

 

See you this weekend, preferably on SATURDAY!! 

My son's new hair cut

Yesterday was wacky hair day at my son Braden's school.  So we got out the clippers, the Elmer's glue and the blue paint and we created a new look for Braden.  What do you all think?  He says I am the coolest dad in the world. 

Kick Butt Quotes from the Creative Church Conference

As many of you know, we had 12 people in Texas last week learning at the Creative Church Conference.  This conference at Fellowship Church is the best place in the world (my opinion) to learn about how to lead a church and point people in the direction of Jesus Christ. 

The best speakers in the world are invited to come and share their heart to like 5000 church leaders each year.  I can't put all my notes online, but I can give you some of the most kick butt quotes from the week.  Here goes for all you that are interested. 

• I am personally responsible for the evangelization of the world before the return of Jesus Christ.  --Christine Caine.  (This is a big job, but I want to own this.)
• Our goal is to make ___________ (Elk River) the hardest city in the world to go to hell from  --Christine Caine.
  
• Mercy is at the very heart of who God is.  The closer you get to God the more merciful you will become.  --Jentzen Franklin
  
• Speak the truth and shame the devil.  --Ed Young Jr.  (What an awesome, awesome perspective on teaching and preaching.)
  
• The majority is usually wrong.  Christianity is a religion of remnants not majorities.  --Ed Young Jr.
• I can't please everyone, but I can please God.  Craig Groshel
• The quickest way to forget about God is to become obsessed with what everyone else thinks of you.  You have an audience of one (Jesus)  Craig Groshel
• Cut the crap!!  Craig Groshel  (The goal is not cool church.  The goal is life change and honoring Christ.  Only do what truly honors Christ and actually speaks to people.)
  
• Everyone wants to reach people till you actually start reaching people.  --Ed Young Jr.  (People are ok with the concepts of reaching the lost, but many church people don't really want broken hurting addicted hung over people in their churches for real.)  We do!  Let's bring them in!!   
  
• Someone has been handed worse cards in life than yours, and THEY ARE WINNING WITH THEM!!  --Bill Cornelius.  HOLY CRAP!! 
  
•  Do you know how many hours I had to study to be this shallow?  --Bill Cornelius.  (The point of teaching is to make the Bible understandable, not to just give people history lessons, big words, and confusion.)
• Spiritual leaders have a laser focus; see potential where others see problems; take faith risks and don't play it safe; have a special anointing from God (they don't just copy others' anointing.)  --Craig Groshel 
  
• Every level brings new devils.  --T. D. Jakes.  (every stage of growth brings new challenges)
• God will only fill up what you have capacity for.  Increase your capacity and God will fill it.  --T.D. Jakes.     
  

The Staff is Kickin' it at C3

For you who don't know, most of our staff is in Texas this week at Fellowship Church for the Creative Church Conference.  It is freakin' amazing!  (Not just the 75 degree weather.)  God is blowing our minds already with what He wants to teach us this week.  Here are a couple of pics. 

Big Annoucement for The Crossing!!

As of this weekend we are accepting applications for a brand new staff position at the Crossing.  The position is Campus Pastor for our newest location in Zimmerman.  On October 25th, 2009,  The Crossing will launch a new worship gathering on Sunday mornings in Zimmerman.

We are looking to hire a "face with the place."  This position is officially titled Campus Pastor, and will be responsible to lead everything for The Crossing at that location.  He/she will be the eyes and ears and mouthpiece for me at that worship venue.  So if you don't like me or the way I roll you won't want  this job.  But if you would like to work very closely with me, teach with me, write talks with me, lead like me, and basically be somewhat of a mini-me in Zimmerman (scary--I know), this role might be right for you.   

The actual responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Recruiting a core team of 50 -75 adults to worship at, serve in, tithe to, and bring their friends to this new location for one year. 
• Working with the worship pastors to plan the weekend service to work in a Zimmerman environment. 
• Training all the volunteers.
• Working with our Kids ministry to re-create that awesome experience there. 
• Finding a location for the service.
• Leading the service itself, welcome, teach some, intro or close out the talk, etc. 
• Pastoring the people attending this new site. 
• Working with our small groups team to get small groups into the Zimmerman & Princeton area. 

This is full-time position starting July 1.  The salary is provided 1/2 by the church 1/2 by raising support (just like a regular church planter.)  At the end of one year the church pays the entire salary, providing the campus is a success. 

We are only taking resumes during the month of February.  If you are interested, email your resume to the office.  office@crossing-church.com 

 

  

My Internet Silence

For the past week several people have asked me why I have not updated this blog much.  So I felt like I needed to explain myself.  So here it is:

This 2-week series on men and women have absolutely worn me out.  I almost didn't make it through the 3rd service this past weekend because I felt so drained. 

Something about speaking about men and women and God's intent and design for the sexes psychologically and spiritually drains me more than most topics.  I think this is because this is the area that Satan has attacked most in recent years in this country. 

If Satan can keep women finding their value in superficial things and he can keep men passive, he wins.  So when Kelly and I stand up and say, "Women, your worth and value comes from Christ," and "Men, be strong men of character, kick butt and never be passive," Satan fights us with everything he has.  And it is very draining. 

Sunday afternoon and Monday, Kelly and I just rested, loved our kids and each other and rested some more.  That is why this blog has been down for a few days.    

Now the battle was well worth the fight.  So many men and women have texted, emailed, facebooked, and called us to say thank you-- that we feel kind of overwhelmed.  Many young men have a vision of manhood they never had before.  Many young women have thier confidence in Christ and are a walking tall because of the words spoken over the past 2 weeks. 

But honestly, these 2 weeks have tired us out, and it will not get any easier this weekend.  This weekend we're dealing with how people end up in affairs and wreck their lives.  We will be charging hell with a bucket of water again. 

Kelly and I are already praying and mentally preparing ourselves and our staff for this HUGE WEEKEND!!  Please be in prayer with us. 

God is going to do awesome things again.  Gotta run, time to jump back into the battle. 

Ephesians 6:12  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms...

Twinkies OR Marathons

(This is a concept that came from Crazy Love by Francis Chan.)

Imagine running a marathon while eating Twinkies.  Would you run the race really well?  No!  Would you eat the Twinkies very well?  No!

But that is what Christians do all the time with the Christian life.  God calls us to run his race and so we run it, but many times we are feeding ourselves all kinds of worldly crap at the same time. 

You can't run God's race while eating stupid Twinkies.  You have to choose.  Either you are hard core all in for God and his race or your indulging your sinful nature and eating Twinkies. 

You can't do both well.  Either follow Jesus and obey him with everything you have.  Or choose not to follow Christ and go eat Twinkies.  But stop trying to follow Jesus and indulge in the crap of this world at the same time. 

Hebrews 12:1 Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us

No more Twinkies. 

 

Black or Gray?

This morning while I was reading my Bible and praying I ran across this verse.  Acts 10:15
"Do not call anything impure that God has made clean."

Many times I think us Christians with good intentions make judgment calls on all kinds of things that God never did.  Now we have to do this for ourselves, but sometimes we call things our friends participate in "impure" when God never never said it was evil.  And we need to be very careful not to call something evil when God never did.    

Same is true for the Christian life.  Christian people need to be very clear on the black & white issues not make bold proclamations about issues that God never pronounced as right or wrong. 

Let me give you some examples. 
BLACK/WHITE ISSUES:
1.  Sex is reserved for marriage.  (He is pretty clear about this.  Deal.) 
2.  God expects you as a Jesus follower to tithe a percentage of your income. Sorry--once again, deal. 
3.  Murder is a sin.  I know this is a surprise to you, but you'll be OK.   
(All of these issues God is pretty clear about.)

But there are a ton of other stuff God never said was evil that we as Christians need to make sure we don't condemn as evil.  (Let me give you some examples of gray issues.)

1.  Drinking alcohol - God never said that alcohol was sin in a bottle so don't go telling people it is.  Be very careful not to call evil something God never said was evil.

2.  Language  -  We need to be very careful that "no unwholesome talk comes out of our mouths."  (Eph. 4:29)  But each of have to decide for ourselves what is unwholesome and what isn't.  In one context a word could be very unwholesome and wrong and the same word in a different context could be perfect for the situation.  Don't call "sin" other peoples language choices.  Who are you to decide what word is black and what word is white?  That is between them and God. 

3.  Entertainment - The other day I had a person be very abrupt with me and hang up the phone on me just because they found out my children read the Harry Potter books.  If you don't like them, don't read them, but don't judge someone else's gray choice when you don't know really know what God thinks about stuff like Harry Potter. 

Bottom line.  You have to make judgments for yourself.  But when you have to make judgments for other people, ALWAYS stay on black and white.  Proclaim things that God clearly states as wrong as wrong.  Be bold.  But stuff He doesn't say is evil, the gray stuff, be very careful not to tell others they are wrong when you don't really know.  Be mature enough to let people think and process their faith for themselves.

My Wife is Amazing!

This weekend my wife spoke at all 3 of our weekend services and she did a phenomenal job.  She was so good I think I now have competition for lead teacher at the Crossing.  She was amazing!  I know that God really spoke through her and used her to encourage women and push guys to love their wives and girlfriends better. 

As a husband I am so proud of her.  It has been cool to see her become the strong wise leader that she is.  I couldn't do this job well without her, and I wouldn't be half the man I am if it wasn't for her.  I can't believe I somehow managed to get her to say "I Do" to me.  I am a truly blessed man.

Kelly I am really proud of you.