Eric Offstage

Another Great Weekend

Once again Crossing, we had a thousand people in church for the weekend.  God is so good.  The services went great, and so many people have told me how extremely helpful the talk was for their personal finances. 

• I know people who are selling tons of stuff and doing the 90 day tighten your belt thing.(Hopefully they still buy deodorant.)
• I know a ton of people who actually made a budget and some goals, and are going to try to live by them. 
• And several couples have told me how they are starting to get free from the chains of debt. 

God is so good, and I am glad that we were able to help so many people with this super practical series. Next week is going to be our final week of the series, and it is going to be OFF THE CHAIN.  You do not want to miss it. 

Also, I went to the first set up of the Zimtown campus on Sunday night and HOLY COW THAT CAMPUS IS GOING TO BE SO AWESOME!!  It was incredible.  Our Zimmerman team is on their game, and in 3 weeks we are going to launch an amazing new Crossing adventure.   

I know God is going to do great things with that group in Zimmerman. 

Way to go, church!  What a honor it is to serve alongside such hard working, passionate Jesus people. 

Yeah God!

Stories... Thank You... Keep moving forward church...

We promised you we would write you some cool stuff about the last weekend, and I really want to do that, but first I need to say thank you to the staff and volunteers who put on a great great worship experience for people this past weekend. 

The entire weekend was exactly what we dream for church to be at the Crossing every week, and I want you all to know how proud I am of all of you.  I can't believe I get to be the pastor of such an amazing church. 

Now on to some of the dirt from the weekend:

-  We had 1,496 people show up for church.  That is a record for the Crossing.  That means we got to influence like 1500 lives for the kingdom of heaven!  Nicely done church, that is what it is all about. If you invited people invite them back for week # 2.  Buck Naked is going to be a good talk. 

-  We know of tons of skeptics and seekers that came for the first time and were so excited they have agreed to come for the rest of the series at least and keep "kicking the tires." 

-  I know of several hard core atheists who were so intrigued they are coming for the rest of the series. 

-  We had over 300 first time guest cards! That is record for the Crossing, and as we've called them, almost of them were so excited to find a church like ours. 

-  Tons of people got help by taking money out of the offering.  One of our services almost all the cash was completely gone.  Yeah God. 

-  About 150-200 people (I am guessing here based on those who looked up at me at the end of the services) made some sort of commitment to either give God the leadership of their lives or began to take steps to seek Him.  That is what it is all about.  (That is de-populating hell.)  Thanks for getting them to Jesus. 

-  I know of at least one homeless dude who gave his life to Jesus and got help from us this weekend.

-  I know of a skeptic girl who hated church and the whole God thing who begged the person who brought her to let her come back with them next week.

-  I know of two people who came to church by being waved into the lot by our parking team.  (Go PIT CREW!)

-  I heard tons of comments on how awesome the music and the First Impressions Team (greeters) are. WELL DONE.

-  I know of several new families that put kids in our new kids programing, and they loved it so much they couldn't get them to leave when the service was over.

-  I heard of a pastor at another church that has been inviting people to come to our church because theirs isn't "seeker and skeptic" friendly.  And they showed up!!  

-  I got kicked in the shins for Jesus by a really nice Goth dude.  That was a new experience for me, and I was so excited to take a little abuse for the name of my Savior.

-  And lastly, Sunday night I went to a meeting with about 70 adults to begin to plan the launch of our Zimmerman campus.  Holy Cow!  That group is going to rock face off in Zimtown.  I walked away from that meeting so pumped by what God is going to do in that city.  Practice church starts the first weekend in October.  Grand opening to the public is October 25 @ 10:30.  

So yes God showed up in some pretty amazing ways this weekend.  He thrilled and moved seekers and believers exactly like we prayed He would.

But now I have to throw in a word of caution.  DON'T CHILL OUT, CHURCH!  We run a marathon not a sprint.  Many of you will be tempted to go, "Well we did it.  We had the Grand Freaking Opening.  Time to relax."  NO!!  Hell is real and Satan never sleeps.  We have so much more work to do.  So don't let up. 

-  This weekend is going to be amazing.  (Jesus will be there.)  SHOW UP!! 

-  Invite your friends back for part # 2.  They need life change and hope.   

-  Invite your friends and family who didn't come this past week to give this weekend a shot.  Jesus still wants to meet them. 

-  Pray that God meets people and changes them in the coming weeks as well.

-  Worship your guts out when you are here.

-  Lean in and listen for God to teach you something. 

-  Send our creative videos from last weekend viral.  Email 'em, put 'em on Facebook, etc.

But whatever you do, don't chill out and take a break now.  The grand opening service was not the goal, it was just the first step of a very long marathon in Elk River and the northwest suburbs.  It is not how we start the race that counts but how we run it and how we finish it that really matters.   

So pray like no one is praying... and work like no one is working, and God will use us to change the world. 

I love you all.  See you this weekend.

Questions and Answers...

So this past week I have had a ton of questions about the talk that I gave last weekend on being "off the chain ticket master agents" for Jesus.

The questions are pretty much all around the statement:  "Church for people who don't do church."

Many people have told me I explained that statement about as clear as mud so let me give you the three biggest questions I have heard, and I will try to answer them for you.  If you have more questions send me a comment about it.  

The questions I have received are as follows:

1. What about my friends that go to church but don't get anything out of it?  Should I invite them?
2. What about my friends that only go on Christmas and Easter and that is pretty much it?  Should I invite them?
3. Who do I invite if everyone I know says they are Christians already?  Total strangers?

Let me address all of these questions as best I can. 
1.  What about my friends that go to church but don't get anything out of it?

If you have friends that just go to another church out of habit or because that is where their family went but they don't really get anything from it, then by all means invite them to our place. 

I did not mean to imply that we should not help people who aren't learning and growing find a place to grow and learn. 

All I was trying to say that if your friends have a great church they love and are attending regularly don't invite them to switch to ours because the music is louder or the style is hip. 

Let them stay and help their church reach people who are far from God.  We need tons of churches to change the world.  I don't want to be a church that grows mostly by stealing sheep from other churches.  Too many churches grow through transfer growth because they are the cool place in town.  I don't want to be that church. 

I want us to reach people who have not been reached yet.  I don't want to, in the words of Rick Warren, be "rearranging the chairs on the Titanic while the ship is going down." 

We need to keep our mission focused on reaching people who are lost and hurting and far from God, so we don't invite people who love their church and try to get them to switch just because ours is cooler. 

There are tons of great churches.  But if you friend is not growing or learning at his own church then by all means invite them to ours.  We can help them get thrilled with an awesome God .

2.  What about my friends that only go on Christmas and Easter, and that is pretty much it?  Should I invite them?

HECK YES!!  If they only go to church a few times a year they are not really committed to the whole Jesus thing, and we would love them to come to our place and meet a God that wants to do life with them every week--not just twice a year. 

We want to reach people who don't regularly go to church.  That is a great invite. 

3.  Who do I invite if everyone I know says they are a Christian already?  Total strangers?
Just because someone says they are a Jesus follower doesn't mean they are. 

When I invite someone I always ask them where they attend church.  Usually they will say I am Lutheran or Catholic or Baptist or whatever, so I follow my question up by asking again, not what denomination are you, but where do you actually go to church every weekend?  

Most of the time they answer by saying they rarely attend (80% of Americans don't go regularly) so I invite them to meet Jesus at our place. 

Many people say they are Christian and believe.  But only a small percent of people actually go to church and worship Christ consistently.   

So if they are not regular attenders... INVITE THEM TO OUR PLACE.

But if you find our they have a church they love to attend and serve and learn in, then let them stay there.  We need tons of good churches to reach the world, and they all don't have to look like the Crossing. 

I hope this helps clarify what I said this weekend.  Many of you have friends who are far from God and claim to be Christian, but if they don't actually attend a church then invite them to ours. 

Jesus might just change them.  (Remember He changed the man the four dudes brought.)

Atheists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Drunks, Gays & Biker Bars

I love our church.  Let me share with you some of the highlights of just the past weekend of ministry.  (I love my job.)

1.  I had an atheist email me to say how much she loves our church.  She has not become a Christian yet but has been attending for like 6 months now and is kicking the tires of faith.  She just wanted to say thank you for not talking down to her and for making her feel accepted.   

2.  I met a guy who used to be a practicing Jehovah's Witness.  He had been a teacher/leader guy in that cult and since coming to the Crossing has given Jesus the leadership of his life.  (How cool is that.)

3.  I know of several people that drank all night and were totally hungover but they came to give Jesus a shot Sunday morning, and He totally talked to them.   

4.  I know of several men and women who attend the Crossing each week that are working through tough issues like homosexuality and sexual addiction.  I love that that they are welcomed and treated with respect and love each and every week.         

5.  I got an awesome email from a woman who just wanted to tell our whole staff thank you for all the hard work and the bluntness of our services.  She walked away from God a long time ago but because of the Crossing and our ability to make her laugh and give her hard truth, she has given Jesus the leadership of her life again.

6.  I got to go to a biker bar in Becker and look at it, as a potential Crossing campus in 2010.  It was awesome!!   How amazing would it be to put The Crossing in a biker bar!  I think this one is a no-brainer.  (Hey, Becker community - Jesus is coming to a Biker Bar near you!! )    

That was just my last few days ministry highlights.  Jesus is so awesome.  I can't believe I get to pastor a church full of atheists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Drunks, Gays and regular people who think so outside the box that we could put a church in a biker bar. 

What an amazing God I serve. 

Unbelievable Crowds, Fighting the Demonic & The Hand of God

UNBELIEVABLE CROWDS!!
The Crossing just had the most amazing weekend in the history of our church's short life.  This weekend for our four Easter services we a combined total attendance of 1,275 PEOPLE!!  HOLY COW!!  JESUS CHRIST BLEW OUR MINDS!  WE PRAYED FOR 900, and He gave us 1,275!!

God is so amazing!!  To all of you that brought friends and family: THANK YOU!!  WAY TO BE THE CHURCH AND NOT JUST GO TO CHURCH!! 

• I know of people that are checking themselves into treatment after this weekend.  
• I know tons of people who were desperadoes that came back to God this weekend. 
• I know Christians who were encouraged and empowered and excited to follow a Jesus that isn't a wiener, but is STRONG AND WILD!! 

FIGHTING THE DEMONIC
This weekend was also the worst case of spiritual warfare I have ever seen in a set of weekend services.  I am now more than ever convinced that hell is real, and that Satan is fighting us with everything he has. 

Let me explain: 

1. At 2:00 Saturday Dave's computer died with all the production stuff for the weekend service (video, PowerPoint, Weekend Update, music etc.)  This computer usually runs perfectly.  It coincidentally crashes a few hours before the biggest service of our lives?  I think not.
2. The main speakers of our sound system quit in the middle of the first song of the 5:30 service on Saturday night.  It totally quit.  Our awesome system we had put in the ceiling just stopped working and the only sound was the floor monitors the band uses to hear themselves.  THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE!!  The band thought quickly and turned the floor monitors to face the crowd, but we had to do the whole first service jammed with almost 400 people with a very very crappy sound mix.
3. My PowerPoint for the talk got messed up in the file transfer, and many of the slides were missing parts, which got me confused on stage about where I was in the talk, and what was going on. That never happens. 
4. Some of the production/staff radios died partway through Saturday night, so our teams could not communicate with each other . 
5. The curtain drop at the front of the service was held up with a big steel bar.  The couplings weren't fitting properly.  In practice, that bar fell down about 25 feet, narrowly missing several people.  It could have killed someone. We had to rework the curtain element to about 1/4 of the original size.

There were other things that went wrong as well, and Satan fought us harder than he has ever fought us, to see Christ's message defeated and ignored.  I know hell is real after this weekend.

The Hand of God:  HERE IS THE COOL THING
When you have the hand of God on your life and in your church, you don't need a perfect sound system, or great acoustics, or awesome special effects because the hand of God is there.  And when He is present, He kicks Satan's ass every time. 

And that is what He did this weekend.  In spite of all those issues, GOD SHOWED UP AND WON THE DAY!!  Tons of people told me that that was the most powerful Easter worship service they had ever been in.  Many desperate, hurting people got help and hope and surrendered to God's leadership.

WE WON WITH THE POWER OF CHRIST AND HELPED TO DEPOPULATE HELL THIS WEEKEND!! 

People think our church grows because we do fun things and have great bands and effects.  This is not the case.  WE GROW BECAUSE GOD SHOWS UP, AND HE CHANGES LIVES.  We don't need all that junk for Jesus to win.  All we need is Jesus. 

I am so thankful the hand of Christ is on our church.  I pray it always is.  Let's keep it up, Church!  We are depopulating hell!! 

WAY TO GOD!  YEAH GOD!!  THE CHURCH IS THE ONLY HOPE IN ALL THE WORLD.  JESUS SHOWED UP, AND HE IS STRONG AND WILD!!