Hurricane Ike Effect

It's 5:30 CST in Galveston TX and Ike is slamming. Hard. Flooding. Destroying. Right now. People are dying. Homes are being leveled. Businesses being destroyed. Families being ripped apart.

What effect will Ike have on me?

1. Gas prices will go up. But I'm numb to that now.
2. There'll be even more pleas for financial assistance hit my inbox. Numb there too.
3. I'll think about Katrina and Gulfport MS and I'll feel a little sad for a minute. Numb.

What effect? Nothing really.
Hey, I'm being honest. I don't care.

Yeah, I'll watch the news and make some remarks about Ike in church on Sunday. We'll pray general prayers for the situation. Some of us may even go down there and help out for a week like Tim, Sarah, Mark, David and 1000s of others did in 2005.

'But aren't pastors supposed to care?' you ask. Well, yeah, but I don't.
And neither do you. Do you know why?

It's news.

News Numbness
That is why I don't care. And why you don't either. Nobody REALLY cares about news. It's just data streaming by our faces faster than real life.

We care more about sports than we do news.
We're so full of news that it's lost our interest.
We 'know' more instantaneously, have more data at our fingertips, just MORE. And we're numb. We know so much data that we don't don't anything or care about anything.

I just don't care anymore. And it's killing me.

Is It Killing You?
It's getting so bad that I don't even care what happens across the street or down the hall. I don't care about my neighbor or my friend or my family - because we're all just news.

We're programmed to believe and feel only what we want to feel.
We're numb.

When I stop caring, then that starts killing you. I'm a part of your oppression, your injustice. I become the problem. And if you're like me, you are too.

The worst part?
Jesus' Good News of the Kingdom of God has become just news to me. I treat it the same way I do Ike.

I'm numb to it, indifferent, only consider it insofar as it matters to my daily living. It's an inconvenience like high gas prices. Wow. I suck.

And that is getting to me. Getting me to worry about my own soul, about OUR SOULS. Maybe I'm starting to care. Some.

Lord have mercy on me. Renew a right spirit within me. I need to hear and feel and move according to the GOOD news. Wow. We all do.

I'm drowning in my own indifference. I can't save myself.
Who will save me from this body of death? Thanks be to God for our glorious victory in Christ!

Teaching What the Bible Says about Suffering Seems Like Healing a Heart with a Tire Iron

In light of my previous 9/11 post about I=an , this is shocking, prophetic and awesome audio from John Piper. He reads and comments on the introduction to his book Spectacular Sins.

Piper's prophecy for American Christians about persecution and partnering in suffering is strong, biblical and true...

Having read 4-5 blogs confronting the health, wealth and prosperity false gospel in the American church, it makes me wonder if this is the tonic for what ails us?

When things do not go well for you, will that be a crisis of faith for you?

"Our felt needs are about to change."

"Coddled people will not be good listeners when their world collapses."

"The aim of this book is not to meet felt needs, but to awaken needs that will soon be felt, and then to save your faith and strengthen your courage when evil prevails."

"If we are to endure and bear and believe and hope, we need to see the spectacular sins of history the way God sees them. I hope this book helps."

I'll buy a copy of this book for the first three people who promise to read it with me.

9/11 Remembered: Isla+ic Government Arrests, Tortures Christians

As Americans remember the thousands who died on 9/11 seven years ago, we should not forget the millions around the world who still suffer under the oppression and slavery of Isl+m.

More news is leaking out of I+an. While most of us gripe about our economy and how we suffer, our brothers and sisters in Christ are being violated for their faith in Jesus Christ.

The secret police arrested my friend R 21 days ago. This article from Compass Direct News details his situation and shows a pattern of illegal persecution. It makes me MAD! It is WRONG!

To all the skeptics who think 'all religions are the same' show me how this Isla+ic 'Republic' is the same as Christianity!

The government (NOT the citizens) of I+an is based on Isl*m. No other country bases its government on that religion. It is worse than Nazi Germany in that these ungodly practices have been going on for 30+ years.

The 70+ million people of ancient Persia are enslaved to an unjust religion and an oppressive government!

Pray for justice and mercy!

Most Exciting Name: Barack or Sarah or Jesus?

Barack Obama was the talk of the nation until 11 days ago.

Now the obession is with 'Sarah' or 'My Sarah' or 'Our Sarah' - not Governor Palin or VP candidate Palin. Not even Mrs. Palin. Seriously false intimacy here.

The hero worship boggles my mind. There are Barbie-comparable action figures now. (And Barbie is the loser.)

In our media-driven culture, when you are known only by your first name, you have arrived. Angelina, Britney, LeBron, Barack and now Sarah. Like it or not, she's the current Elvis.

And as John Lennon once stated about the Beatles, I'm afraid both Barack and Sarah are bigger than Jesus.

Even among professing Christians like me. I do get caught up in the political debate.

Here's a quiz:
1. Is that biblical - not the gimmicks - the hero worship?
2. Does Jesus mind playing second or third string on our list of heroes or priorities?
3. Does Jesus want to be an action figure for your kids too?

For answers, see Exodus 20:1-7

(For the other candidates, action figures, Pez (Prez?) dispensers and plush pillows are available too!)


More Seriously
David, one of our elders, asked me why I'm shying away from saying much about politics. Especially in light of this article in the Washington post reporting a challenge to our Federal courts to allow pastors to endorse candidates and political parties from the pulpit.

There's only One politician to promote from the pulpit - and with your life. There's only One Name worth your dedication and loyalty. He's zealous about His Kingdom and the advance of His reign.

He does not need your vote for change.

He has mercifully rescued this sin-wrecked piece of human debris.

What else could capture a heart more?

What else could motivate grateful obedience and humble servant leadership in me?

Do we Christians anticipate the day when Jesus gets the fame due His name? Won't it be an awesome, fearful thing to see the convention hall of our Savior? Sarah and Barack and Elvis and you and me, we'll one day bow our knees and confess the Name That Is Above Every Name - Jesus Lord Most High.

And that will be better than winning a small election in a remote corner of the Universe. The One True God measures the nations like sand on a scale.

Don't set your hope so low! This Sunday and every Sunday, pray you hear the correct endorsement in your church. Set you mind on things above...

...maybe then we would see some real change - on earth as it is in heaven?

I++nian Prisons Don't Stop Gospel Prayer!

This is follow up to my previous post (Aug 22) about my friend being arrested in I+an. He and his family who are leaders of home churches are suffering with chains, but the gospel advances!

This is an edited email of hard news smuggled out (I have to take out names of people and cities.)

Warm greetings in the matchless name of Jesus our Lord,
We want to inform you about R==in, son of martyr Ho***in S**d, who has been asked by the authorities (Islamic intelligent service) in M==d/I+an to report for an interview, and it has been already 2weeks past, but on Tuesday Sept 02.08 intelligent service called R===in`s brother to their organization to talk to him about the situation.

They tolled him that first we will find out what is his guilt then when we find something, he become guilty and he goes to the Islamic court for conviction and after that certainly for the punishment but probably this process take 6 months to 2 years. And they said again very badly to Aria that; you are making people Christian and surely we are trying to find those people that you made them Christian here!

His brother said his wife and mother are worry about him, and want to come and visit him, but unfortunately they said' NO' [ed. possible that he has been beaten and IIS doesn't want it known]

Please continue to pray for R===in S and his Family in I+an and so that the Lord protect and strengthen him. And also pray specific for his mother Mrs. Ma---b and Mi--a, R's wife because they are in bad pressure.
Please share this pray request to your churches or friends.

R is the son of one of I''n's many martyrs. He is being held unjustly until they beat or torture a 'confession' out of him. This is heinous and wrong!

So would you get indignant and angry and do as our suffering brothers are asking? Will you pray? Ask your church to pray? Prayer is what they want and need the most.

Pray especially that R does not feel abandoned, that he will not give up any names of other leaders, that the Holy Spirit strength him to joy like the apostle Paul in jail in Philippi and that his guards would be converted! God has done it before!(Acts 16) To God ALONE be the Glory!

President Savior Superman or Pastor

So who do I think is REALLY going to save me?

I saw an article this week on Yahoo entitled "A President, Not a Savior" by Gene Healy and it got me to thinking. http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20080828/cm_csm/yhealy (need to learn that cool trick to build in the link to a hot word). It's worth the read.

The author's point is that both our presidential candidates (like all others I can remember) overstate and inflate the importance of the office of president and their desire to be a 'healer' or a 'champion of values' or any number of things.

"What moved Barack Obama to seek the presidency was "the basic idea of empathy" and the notion that if "we see somebody down and out ... we care for them." Republican John McCain explained that he was running "to inspire a generation of Americans to serve a cause greater than their self-interest."

Noble sentiments, to be sure, but in the original constitutional scheme, the president was neither Empath-in-Chief nor a national life coach. His role was to faithfully execute the laws, defend the country from attack, and check Congress with the veto power whenever it exceeded its constitutional bounds."

So that is a problem with both Obama and McCain and Barr. A problem with our nation.

And there's a problem here with me too.

I inflate my importance as a pastor too. Now I don't have people lining up around the country to see me or help me become the most powerful man in the world, but it's only an economy of scale, isn't it?

If I think 'it's up to me' to get this church (or city or world) where it should be...
If I think I'm the indispensable agent for salvation or spiritual growth...
Then I'm just as mixed up. No I'm worse. And church is worse off.

I really need to be broken and reminded that I am called here as a pastor solely and utterly because of God's grace, not my abilities. This job is way beyond me. We all need to be pointed to the God-man, Jesus Christ.

Our church - all churches - need a humbled broken man who follows the Pastor of His people. He is the Savior and the God-man.

Help me rememeber that next time I try to run for an office He's already won.

Why Men Hate Church

When this book came out three years ago, I saw it prominently displayed on the front table at Borders near my house. It also got some spark in both 'Christian' and regular mags, papers and even NBC news.

I'm one of those guys who reads books for free in Borders. Took about 45 minutes to get the gist.

I've been meaning to comment on its impact on me as the chief servant in my church. The research and interviews Murrow did for the book helped me clarify simple things to avoid alienating men without meaning to. I want to alienate people for the right reasons, if you know what I mean.

When you scratch plant (start with nobody in a new place) you feel this kind of desperation to keep anybody with a pulse. Any criticism causes a quick reaction. That compulsion/lack of faith led me toward making church more 'woman friendly.' A big one for me was without thinking I was using mostly 'soft' illustrations and stories that got an 'aw' rather than ones that got a grunt and a nod. Another mistake was to assume that if a woman spoke up, it represented what men think too.

A good take away is the observation that if a man doesn't feel like there is opportunity for him to make a difference, he won't stay around. Men want a piece of the action.

So I started connecting with guys directly, started asking them what they thought, talking more directly (bluntly) about life, got a guy to lead us in getting on a Habitat build and started looking for young men to hire as staff.

We aren't a 'church for men' in the sense that I don't dress in camo and ride a motorcycle in the church (like some disturbing videos I've seen), but we are applying some of this insight. And in year five now, we are seeing men very involved in leadership, training and serving. Even seeing some men show up without their wives and bringing them later.

The book is worth the read. Don't agree with all of his solutions. But he notes too many obvious mistakes to avoid.

Murrow's got a website www.churchformen.com. Some good free stuff on there. You can read some of it online at Amazon too.

If you can find it at a Borders, read it for free.

Big Toe Trouble

How important is a toe? I never really started to think about it until mine started to hurt - all the time. So I had surgery on August 1st. It's now (what day is it??) late August and I have only left the house a hand full of times. Because of a toe...

The surgeon removed a worn out knuckle in my right 'Great Toe' as podiatrists like to say. He added a titanium piece called a 'Hemi' (yeah, that's right, I got a Hemi), a $120 screw and what feels like a pound and a half of swelling. I have to keep it elevated. I can't put my right foot on the ground, can't take a shower, walk with crutches, can't get my own food, can't be out for more than an hour or so. Because of a toe...

'How can the hand say to the eye, "I don't need you, I'll get by without you."' Paraphrasing Scripture, it seems to me that the body of Christ, His Church, needs every member and every member healthy and whole.

We really need each other, even if you think you're just a toe. Why is the American church weak and ineffective? Could it be because of a toe?

Latinos: Field White for Harvest

Consider this:





The ministry at Crosspoint that is bearing the most new fruit is hidden from our view on Sunday. Two people in our 'Encuentro' (Encounter) Hispanic Ministry at 2pm each Sunday have come to faith in Christ! Pastor Hector and Cecilia and their girls have had their 3rd meeting and God is bringing in people hungry for the grace of the gospel! Two saved in 3 weeks!

Not many of us know all the ministry the Guzmans are doing:
- They continue to lead worship at our daughter church Emmanuel in Powder Springs Sunday morning 830-12noon
- They also lead worship (and Hector preaches some weeks in Espanol) at Grace Int'l, another church plant in Lawrenceville on Sunday evenings at 5pm
- Each week they volunteer at the Good Samaritan Clinic, a Christian medical/dental clinic for people without insurance.
- And Cecy volunteers in our church office two days a week bringing expertise and help in ways we need.

THE REASON I'M WRITING
The reason I'm sending this out today is that they need our prayers and/or financial support. As of today their next support check for living expenses is about 80% short for September 1. Even though their support has been fine since June, this is an urgent opportunity to help.

Their challenges are many as immigrants to the US, raising two bi-cultural girls in public schools, learning a new language in 2 years and seeking first the Kingdom of God with 3 churches and raising/living on support.

You may not realize it but they are living completely by faith that God will provide and are not permitted to work outside of ministry due to visa restrictions. They are legally only permitted to receive funds through our Hispanic Ministry and although there are under the table jobs available, they are committed to obeying our nations laws.

- If you can send or bring in a check, even a small amount each month, it will help them to pay their bills.
- Also, please email Hector and let him know if you will pray and/or give regularly to this important ministry. hectorguzmanmoreno@gmail.com. Every small regular monthly donation makes a difference for their family.
- If you want to bring a Spanish-speaking friend or could assist with picking up some folks, that would be great too. Many folks they meet don't have a car to get to church at 2pm.

Let's be bold and pray for a VERY affordable apartment in Smyrna for the Guzmans!

Arrested for Your Faith?

I'm distracted to pray for someone today and I can't tell you why, exactly. Not in the normal way we in the West ask for prayer requests. But I'm going to ask you to pray for my friend anyway. This is not a game. It is life and death. You'll have to figure it out.

Do you know what country is shaped like this? Starts with I and ends with N. You hundreds of thousands of brothers and sisters in Christ in this country in the hidden church.

I met some of these brave men and women in that country last year at a clandestine training seminar. I can't say enough how amazing it was and how deeply it struck me - turned upside down my concept of church. I felt like I was with 1st century believers. I can't tell you names because it isn't safe for them to be posted on the Internet.

Why am I distracted? This Wednesday August 20, one of the key leaders of the hidden church was ordered to report to the police. He hasn't been heard from since. He has a wife and two elementary aged children. He is the leader of a network of over 200 underground churches

It's killing me and I hope it isn't killing him. I asked him once, 'Are you prepared to be a martyr?' He looked me right in the eye and said, 'Yes. But I'm not volunteering.'

Pray for the brave men and women in the church in that country.
Then pray for us to be brave and let his chains, like Paul's persuade us to boldly speak the Word of God here (Philippians 1:12ff)

Ed. Aug 28 - News via the underground church is that R called his mother two days after his arrest and told her 'I am fine. Do not worry about me.' and was then disconnected. No word since.
The church in that country and expats are calling for prayer and fasting. I am joining with them.

Where Are All the (Reformed) Black Men?

Xavier Pickett will be joining us this Sunday (August 3rd) to preach God’s Word and stay after the service as a part of our Strategic Perspectives Q&A Luncheon series. Xavier will be commenting on “The Church, Race, and Diversity.” The Q&A time will last approximately 35 minutes. All are welcome!


Xavier Pickett is the co-founder of Reformed Blacks of America http://reformedblacksofamerica.org/, a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary, and a Master of Theology candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary.

Pastor Jim met Xavier through our involvement with Atlanta's New Church Network that seeks to plant hundreds of churches in and around this strategic international city.

This is a great opportunity for our church - that desires to be more diverse - to wrestle with our calling to love one another as Christ loves us and to build bridges of biblical reconcilation over racial barriers.

Which is Better? Prayer for the Sick or for Missions?

Hey all
Ever wondered how praying for 'all those sick people' really mattered? We have been praying for the Caputos and Laurie and Jan Smith and all our missionaries and the new Hispanic ministry so here’s the latest:

[Ed. Note: We had prayed that God would heal Laurie Dixon. Our prayers were answered by Him taking her on home to heaven a few weeks after this posting. We are now praying for healing in the grief as the family adjusts.]

Mission
Robyn Lucas returned from ‘East Asia’ and we’ll be hearing an update from her this Sunday during our Mission Moment!
Troy and Teri Coons have finished the project in South Africa are will be making their way back over the next weeks. Pray for safe travel for them.
Héctor and Cecilia Guzmán have begun their first week of ministry here in Smyrna among Spanish speaking people. We will be hosting a Parenting Seminar with them on Sunday July 20. Pray that many folks will come and that Héctor and Cecy will be encouraged in the work of the gospel here among us!
And pray for your friends that Jesus loves and died for this week. He has come to seek and save those that are lost!

Health
Caputos are in a new place. Mostly moved in. The girls and Laurie each have a room. They have a new phone number but I don’t know it…. So they have a place for Laurie to come home now! Thanks to all 15 or 20 of you who helped move and settle them in. Keep praying for emotional strength and for patience because…
Laurie’s still at the hospital. She has an infection in her leg that they are watching. She’d due for another round of chemo soon. But more than that, she’s ready to go HOME! Pray for healing from this infection and cancer too!
Jan Smith had hip replacement surgery last week and quite an overreaction to her pain medication. I won’t spoil her telling of the story, but she did make it home this week. She’s feeling good and pain free. Pray that she can make it to church. (Also, Ron and Jan’s daughter Angel is going to have her baby any day now. Pray for a safe delivery! Pray for Angel’s salvation too)

If you are still praying or reading, here’s where mission intersects with health. People are noticing how well you are loving each other and serving each other. The stories are spreading word of mouth. Glory to God for HIS indescribable mercy and love that we can pass along to each other!

Hope to see you Sunday at 10am!

Laurie's Fight with Cancer

Hey all,
It has been a while since I blogged on. There has been a huge effort to get Mike and Julie and Laurie's girls into a new house so she can come home from the hospital. Finally they are moved in and should have everything ready tomorrow.

Laurie's condition seems to be the same. The doctors have been great, but they are still vague with her about what is going on. I don't think they have much hope. But I do.

God has reminded me over and over that He can defeat anything, including cancer in Laurie. I'm not in la-la land, but I am putting my hope in Him until He either heals her or heals her completely. Either way, she's good to go!

- So pray for Laurie's healing. Keep asking. Keep seeking, Keep KNOCKING!
- Pray too for our missionaries in North Africa (behind the Muslim Curtain) and in Durban South Africa, in London and back from East Asia.
- Pray for unity in our diverse church.
- Pray for inner-family reconciliation. Several families are just stressed. I wish I could be more specific, but I can't. We ALL need Jesus to heal us deeply and strengthen our faith in His gospel and His Kingdom!

I'm hoping Robyn L will be ready to catch us up after her trip to East Asia. She was in church on Sunday. Good to have her back!

That's it for now.
Love you all and thanks for praying!

Crosspoint Featured at Exponential 08

Hey all of you,
A couple of weeks ago, our church and I (along with Jose Mateo as our church planter) were featured in a 3-minute video about church multiplication at a national church planting conference called Exponential 08. I found out through my friend Jon that there were 2,700 people there, many of whom were young adults considering the call to church plant in the US. I hope it was an encouragement to them.

It encouraged me to rehearse God’s hand in all this over almost 10 years of preparation, calling, failing once and growth. I still need to be more humbled, but, well, it is just pretty cool to look back. We started all this planning when Jake was 8, Erica 6 and Elysia was 3 and Jake’s now 18 and in three weeks he graduates and goes off to university. Amazing.

And I hope it is an encouragement to you all too. There are over 300+ supporters and partners that gave, prayed and worked alongside me to make this exciting church a reality. You all deserve a bunch of credit – especially you Elizabeth, Jake, Erica and Elysia for sticking with me when it was hard. I want you all to know that I thank God for each of you with tears and great joy.

And I hope it clearly gives God the glory for using a knucklehead like me to start a church that will start more churches.
Please keep praying for more churches, more conversions and more ministers to this lost and dying world.
Graced
Jim

Oh, here is the link. http://www.crawfordgroup.tv/preview/exponential/trio_atlanta_V2.mov

I love you all very much….

Life or Death on the Frontlines

Lots of Action on the Front Lines

This has been a full couple of weeks.
- We've had an influx of 20 family units visit. Pray for us as we try to help them feel welcome and start growing.
- Satan is trying to kill people. Two of our youth K and D were present when their friend was shot and killed by police last week near Franklin Rd. Pray for K and D's salvation and safety and jobs!
- One father of 2 attempted to take his life last week. We are helping pick up the pieces of his family now that he has been arrested and lost his job.
- We have been working in the background for over 12 months to hire an Hispanic man to help start a Spanish service. Pray that his visa get approved and for their financial support.

There is alot going on and I appear to be doing well. Pray that I pray well and rest deeply in Christ!
Thanks for praying!

Heaven and the Drained Brain Syndrome

Yesterday I preached about Heaven and what our resurrected bodies will be like in Heaven with God. Wow, it was so good I was taking notes! 8-) (Those that know me well know I'm not really all that good...) But to study and to hear this news about being resurrected to immortality, honor and power! Wow! Check out I Corinthians 15:35-58! We have a Victory in Christ that kicks!

So why Drained Brain Syndrome today?

I don't know. Maybe I'm a wimp. Maybe I put too much pressure on myself. Maybe I'm fighting something. Wait! I am! And if you are a Christian, you're fighitng something too! I'm fighting sin, weakness, death, hell and the devil (may he go to hell) and it is a BATTLE!

Would you pray for me and for your three favorite people to repent from self-reliance, believe the gospel and fight well?
Now pray for a couple more who are struggling.
Now take a minute to just stop.

And think on whatever is good, whatever is excellent, worthy of praise (God Himself).

Make a plan to read some Scripture later today.
Graced
Jim

P.S. I'm stoked about the number of folks who signed up to read the Essential 100 Bible reading passages!

PMS: I am fighting it and I am not the only one

Let me clarify, it's Post-Ministry Syndrome and every pastor has it.
It usually hits on Monday after a Sunday when I preach, teach or have some leadership role in church, so yeah, it's pretty much every week. I also struggle with Pre-Ministry Syndrome on Saturday nights, but that is a different battle.

See, yesterday was a really good day from a ministry and family perspective. Our King Jesus showed His worth and fame to over 100 people in our first week of two services, people worshiped and served God. My family had a really good day together. I really have nothing to complain about, but I feel down anyway. Why? I'm fighting a 3-front battle with what the Scripture outlines as the world, the flesh and the devil.

The world puts big kudos on big churches and popular preachers. Why am I even talking about this? Because in my fleshly heart of hearts, I want to be famous and popular. And the devil knows it (EVERY preacher wants to be famous, don't kid yourself) so he hammers away with temptation after temptation. He puts thoughts in my head like, 'I'll never make a difference.' and 'Who am I kidding? This will never work.' See he wants me to think, and I want to think that ministry and family and health and everything is up to me. It's not.

If you are reading this and you go to my church, I hope you won't fall for the lie that it is up to me either. Who am I kidding? If you are reading this and you go to my church you are probably already more convinced than I am that it's not up to me. You know me!

So to hell with the devil. He is beaten and he isn't taking me with him. My King, The Lord Jesus has rescued me from this power of sin inside and outside me.
And to Christ goes my flesh and the world. He is able to change. Have mercy on me a sinner. Thanks be to God!

Trying Two Services

Two Services - 930 and 1105

It has come to the point where we have filled out 80% of our worship space and we're moving forward with two services starting this Sunday March 16th.

Please pray for us as we seek to welcome and relate well to more people.
Pray for the staff, the musicians, tech people, greeters and preachers as we work a little more, sacrifice a little more and extend a little more.

Pray that the Holy Spirit will work in the hearts of 1000s here in Smyrna!
For His fame and glory,
Jim

Listen In: Audio Interviews about Crosspoint

People ask about Crosspoint all the time. So I asked a friend of mine who’s skeptical about churches in general to record our dialogue about four questions most people have about church. I hope this gives you some insight into Crosspoint and its mission:

• Introduction
• What is Crosspoint like?
• What can someone expect when they come to Crosspoint?
• What can Crosspoint offer me?
• What can I offer to Crosspoint?
• Closing: How did you record this?

When people look at a church, they often notice things like our growing children and youth ministries, our diverse people and music or the welcoming atmosphere. You may connect with our home groups, service teams (like Habitat for Humanity) or men's ministry during the week. But programs are only what you see people doing.

If you were to visit us or our new church plant, I hope you'll notice that really, the driving force for Crosspoint is our passion for what we call 'the gospel' - which means 'good news'. We have simply discovered the good news that God has graced us through Jesus Christ. We aren't better than anyone else. We are sinners and God granted us beautiful, strong purpose for living here and now. We want all the implications of God's grace worked deeply into our souls, and then worked out in our families, our workplaces, our neighborhoods, and our city.

The gospel of Jesus Christ gives us boldness and humility to be who we are and do what we were made to do. We realize we are, at the same time, worse than we thought and more loved than we had ever imagined.

We're One to Win Everyone. We want to be one - forgiven, reconciled, united together - so that everyone experiences the grace of God through Jesus Christ. We want people to believe that is a good summary. We want everyone to experience God's grace and freedom so everyone else experiences it too.

Strong Men Chellenge

The Mark D videos (on the bottom of the page) are strong.
If you watch them and you don't like them or get mad, good. Don't come to our church.

If you watch them and you are a young man who is stirred up and wants to know what to do next, contact me. We are all about making men. Strong broken men who will follow King Jesus into the teeth of the enemy.

If you watch the tour videos too, you'll see what I did from age 20-23 when I wouldn't go to church because I thought it was for girls.

What Will It Take

...for God's Kingdom to come 'on earth (or in Smyrna) as it is in heaven'?

JT, a friend of mine with a PhD in anthropology mentioned an interesting study to me. (Contrary to appearances, I do have an intellect and like to read nerdy things like anthropological studies and dissertations). He said that a few years ago an Eastern European anthropologist came to our beloved US of A to study our culture.

See, we can't really study our own culture too well because we are immersed in it. (Like a fish swims in water without thinking 'Oh, I'm swimming in water, let me analyze what I am doing.' They probably aren't really thinking about water, or thinking at all for that matter.) Painful truth is we can't be very objective inside the culture we live.

Anyway, the study revealed that the number one thing Americans value most is ... self-reliance. Yep, the exact opposite of humility. We are all about faith in me.

So if the Kingdom of Heaven is going to come here, the kingdom of Me and the kingdom of Self-Reliance is going to get overthrown...

I'm going to go ahead and sign up for some more brokenness and humble reliance on Jesus.

Putting Off Prayer

So many things are going on
in this young church, I find myself putting off an ask for prayer. Now we need prayer just as much or more!

Would you pray for our church retreat this weekend? We are going up to the Winshape Center at Berry College for a time to love God and each other. Pray for safety and developing deeper trust as we share life together for the weekend

Would you pray about our stretching to two services beginning on March 16th? We want to make room for another 60-70 people.

Would you pray that Jesus Kicks Satan’s ____ in Smyrna? The pastors group I pray with (sr. pastors from Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal churches) is planning another prayer walk or two for this Spring. Pray that the wind of the Strong Holy Spirit convicts of sin and that Satan wouldn’t snatch the seed of the gospel as we preach it.

And pray that I and the other pastors in the city would preach the gospel of the kingdom of Christ, not a false gospel. I am amazed at how kingdom and gospel minded these men are. It is a work of God!
Thanks for praying!

Broken Pastor Name

Broken Pastor

So I finally gave my blog a name, and some pictures and some videos (at the bottom of the page). Some of those are from my rock and roll days. The one with Mark Driscoll in the cemetery captures a lot of what I think it takes to plant a church. I hope you enjoy!

You All Would Not Believe

You all would not believe

all the opportunities and growth I am seeing and foreseeing. Well maybe you would. Some of you have more faith than I do.

As we enter 2008, I am excited. There is great potential for reaching more and more people with the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Last night after a Ministry Lab coaches meeting, I was talking with Héctor, a committed volunteer who recently moved with his family here from Mexico (he lives in Tucker and leads worship at our daughter church Emmanuel – in Powder Springs!) about the hunger for the grace of God in the Hispanic church.

He said, ‘Pastor, my people never hear about grace from other pastors and churches. There is much potential here for ministry!’ (Hector and family).

Pray for God to raise up workers for the field, resources for ministry and DO WHAT ONLY HE CAN DO! Save, Redeem and Revolutionize this city!

There are great signs that God is doing and going to do a great work here. Please pray for further spiritual work in these areas:

• In the last month Crosspoint people have planned, hosted and shared the gospel at three outreaches in the city – two parties and one car clinic at local apartment complexes. Pray for ongoing friendships and conversions for Chris, Tom and Troy.


• Our ‘Ministry Lab’ starts up it’s 2nd semester next week and we have another 5 people (Sean, Julian, Amanda, David and Jen) signed up to learn skills in evangelism, spiritual growth and Bible study. Pray for more skilled labors to enter the field.


• A couple of volunteer ministers from Crosspoint are hosting Financial Peace University on Sunday nights and there are 15-20 people from outside the church scheduled to attend. Pray for our leaders Powell and Jon as they help folks get out of debt and give more to the kingdom of God.


• Our Smyrna Sr. Pastors Prayer Circle is considering meeting twice a week so more pastors can connect. Pray against the enemy of our souls who seeks to destroy God’s church.
  
  And on a more personal note: We just printed our first ‘funny book’ or picture directory and I am overjoyed that of the 150 or so people pictured who call Crosspoint their home church, there are people of so many backgrounds, races, nationalities, generations, economic and educational diversities. There are business people, artists, internationals, singles, families, empty nesters, musicians, missionaries to the Muslim world.
  
  Diversity is normal around here and yet the thing that is most impressive is the UNITY among the diversity!
  Graced by God because you pray!

Big Thanks to God for His Awesome Courage...

these last many days. You all prayed and God worked in my heart and in our church!

After you all prayed, I was reminded that my doubts and fears are based on my view of human abilities and that the Lord is the One who keeps His promises!!!! This is going to make a Pentecostal out of me yet!

Sunday was a banner day for Crosspoint and the church in Smyrna.

We had a block party/Fall Festival at a nearby apartment complex and it was FABULOUS. Over 40 people from our church served and had a blast meeting residents and playing games. Sarah (and Anthony, but mostly Sarah) Brogan pulled together a motivated team. The result is that the management has given us an open door to ‘do whatever we want’ there – they will send letters, advertise in their monthly newsletter and offer the clubhouse. So we can offer Bible studies, kid’s programs, anything!
Wow! What an open door! Pray for laborers to enter that harvest field!

Also on Sunday a number of us peeled away from all the fun and joined together with about 100 other church folks from 9 or 10 churches and prayer walked throughout the city. Pastors Osbon, Auton, Greene, Goode and more brought out their prayer teams. It was AWESOME praying together in the Village Green before we left, in various parks, neighborhoods and apartment complexes! We heard that the people in the church of this city are hungry to see God MOVE!

So I think we are on the way to praying for revival, an outpouring of God’s Spirit in this city!
Make it so Lord Jesus!!
Graced
Jim

Time for Birth

Time for Birth
Just to clarify, my wife is NOT pregnant.
But our baby church Emmanuel is being born this week in Powder Springs. Their grand opening series will be through October. So we are in a 40-day season of prayer and fasting for the ministry as we seek to expand. There are 3 other churches starting this fall in Atlanta in our network of new churches! God is on the move!

I’m starting to get the picture drilled into my brain that the only thing that sticks in ministry is what God does. And that prayer is the way to ask Him to make it stick. So pray for Pastor José Mateo and his family and Héctor and Cecilia Guzmán and the rest of the launch team at Emmanuel as the open the doors to the public! Pray for our new neighbor church Atlanta Westside Presbyterian Church and Pastor Walter Henegar as they start out too. God IS on the move!

Pray for us as we pray too. Pray that we will be ‘diligent in prayer’ as we are commanded in Roman 13. Pray for all these exciting opportunities:
1. Pray for a special Sunday for Smyrna November 4th. We’re having Crosspoint’s Fall Festival at a neighboring apartment complex from 12-2 and then going on a Prayer Walk with 8-9 other churches in the city. It’s a big day for asking a big God to do big things for His glory!
2. Pray for us as we fast this season. Fasting for spiritual reasons is a new thing for many in our church. Ask the Lord to give us our daily bread in a new way.
3. On November 11th, we’ll have a special day of focused prayer for the Persecuted Church. Now that I actually have met some people who are in the persecuted church, my heart and mind are very focused on their cries for God!
4. Pray for all of us here to befriend people who aren’t believers. Help me pray for Christopher, David, Jerry and their wives. Three neighbors that I’m praying for opportunity to share Christ.

I'd Love to Say Crosspoint is Exploding

I’d love to say that Crosspoint is exploding with 100s accepting Christ every Sunday. But that isn’t true. The biggest unexpected growth in our church is in its pastor! And it’s happening in other pastors in Smyrna too. I think the growth and transformation must happen in us pastors before the Lord will loose His Spirit on the churches. Does that sound biblical?

There are 35 churches in Smyrna and for about a year now, 7-10 of the Sr. Pastors have gathered for 30-45 minutes on Mondays to pray together. Honestly, I didn’t expect it to last. It was a little weird at first. But something is going on.

God has knit our hearts together as we pray for each other and each other’s churches.

We have Methodist, Baptist, Assembly of God, independent Pentecostal and Presbyterian pastors praying for each other’s churches to grow. For the gospel of Christ to expand. For God to be made famous in our city. Every week we pray that God would so pour out His Spirit that every church is packed full three times over. Today one pastor prayed that we would all be desperate to preach the gospel! I want in on that!

And you know what? As we commiserate, we laugh and as we confess our sins, we hold each other up when we struggle and when our people struggle. We trust each other. And there is a very real love. I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking God might be doing a work of revival in our city – and he is starting with us!

Praying Together November 4th
Would you pray for the Church of Smyrna to pray? The only thing we are doing is praying. We have called for a Prayer Walk after church on November 4th for our churches to answer the call to ‘Ask the Lord of the Harvest to send out workers into His harvest’

I long for the day when God pours out His Spirit in such power that men and women are coming to faith HOURLY! Oh God, be glorified! Be famous! We are so proud of YOU!

Would you pray for Richard, Shell, Steve, Jamie, Stuart, Fredrick, Joey and me? Pray for more pastors to pray with us.

I think God just might answer!
Graced
Jim

PS - God is growing this church and His kingdom all over the globe! As you can see from our last blog entry (http://www.crosspointsmyrna.blogspot.com) things are jumping at Crosspoint and in the Near East.
A daughter church in Powder Springs is getting started with public worship, ministries are expanding, we are developing leaders - our own Moon kids maturing. It is all a joy. But that isn’t all that God is doing! Keep praying!

Back from the Near East

I am back safe from the Middle East.
Still a bit jet lagged, but deeply and profoundly encouraged at the work that God is doing in the country we focused on.

I heard story after story after story that ‘everyone’ is sick of the religion there. They have had the law crammed down their throats and they are fed misinformation about Christ. So there are hundreds (maybe thousands) hearing the gospel through satellite programs, the underground church, radio, and even in the few legal churches still permitted. Any source you can imagine, God is using.

I met a taxi driver who hands out New Testaments and Jesus films whenever he senses an opening. People have dreams that point them to the Bible. It’s amazing. Really unbelievable to my modern American ears. One extended family passed around one NT and 14 converted to Christ. The hunger for the grace of the gospel is truly as a desert longs for water. Pray for God’s work in that country!!!

For security concerns, I can’t write much more on the internet. I’m making plans to return. I hope next time I see you that I can give a fuller picture.

Church Prayer:
- Our daughter church – Emmanuel – launches public worship in October! Pastor José reports great excitement about a new multicultural church in the Powder Springs/Paulding County area. They are using a phoning/invitation campaign that will lead up to their launch in a few weeks.
- Another new staff person has raised support to join us here as the music and mercy guy. Jim and Lisa move in this Saturday! Pray for the music team as they welcome a new servant leader.
- There seems to be a real openness right now as people are seeking to connect to smaller communities within Crosspoint. Pray for the group leaders and teachers who are cranking up for a year of ministry – both youth, adult and children! Pray especially for Dan and Drew as they facilitate getting groups up and running.
- Pray too for Julian Swann and all the volunteers as he leads our 13 week Habitat for Humanity house build! This is a great opportunity for you if you’d like to jump in for Saturday too.

Family Prayer:
- We are all well, but it’s a big year. Everyone is in school. Elizabeth starts her 2nd year teaching music part-time at Dominion, Jake is a senior and Erica is a sophomore, Elysia is in 7th grade. We are realizing (with some tears) that Jake is launching soon. He is a godly young man and we are excited for him, but we can’t believe he is so mature. Pray for us to savor our time this year amidst all the exciting action.
- We also opened our home for a semester to Ray Kim, a Korean exchange student at Dominion. He fits right in and we look forward to living and speaking the gospel in front of him these months. We’re having a room finished out in the basement for him, so pray for him as he lives in the rec room!

We are deeply grateful for your prayers. The protection and care God gives us through you is beyond words.
Graced
Jim

No Job No Car - No Car No Job

Will you pray for reliable cars and trucks for our folks who are working? Getting work and getting to work can be the razor’s edge of making it this month for many in our city and some of our members and attenders.

And will you pray for - or donate - a vehicle for a member of our church who has no wheels and is 100% dependent on public transportation. The ideal would be a small pick-up truck or sedan such as a Civic or Corolla valued at $1000 to $3000. It doesn't need to be the prettiest car in town; but it need to be reliable! We will set up an IDA (individual development account) for a ready candidate to earn the car with proceeds from their new job.

Why am I asking?
We are committed to providing both relief for the poor (food, clothes, emergency assistance) and development (job skills, financial training, etc.) so that we break the cycle of poverty.

One of the challenges of helping people out poverty is that relying on public transportation actually keeps them from getting a better job. Over and over one hears in the urban areas ‘I didn’t get the job’ and sometimes it’s not from lack of effort. It’s from an unjust bias with many companies against hiring people who depend on public transportation to get to work! So, you need a car before you can get better jobs! (Something I never thought about until I moved here!)

Anybody ready to donate such a vehicle to the church (it’s tax-deductible)? Know anyone who might? If you are, please call the church office 770.333.1775 or email my associate Anthony Brogan anthony@crosspointsmyrna.org.

Graced
Jim

PS – I am flying out tomorrow for a 10 day mission to meet persecuted former-M’s, who are now Christians. We are meeting in a neutral country for a week of teaching, worship and encouragement. Thanks to all of you who are praying and giving. Pray for me, S, Mark, Jeff and the folks traveling from the difficult zone. For safety and no hassles with their govt. and pray for persecuted Christians world-wide!!! There are so many!

www.crosspointsmyrna.org

Trip to Armenia for Leadership Conference

The Trip in August

Thanks to all of you who are praying and supporting the trip to Armenia for the ILPC. I'm at peace with God's call to send me to help train former-Mus_ms from I__n and the funds are coming in!
Graced
Jim

I've Been Hiding - Again.

Pressure!
I’ve been hiding my needs – again. I realized this morning that I’m living in ‘orphan mode’ instead of the love of an adopted son of God. I’m afraid like I’m a slave in Romans 8:14-15. Afraid I won’t do well leading the church, afraid that people will not come back or leave.
I keep hearing [lies] in my head, ‘Well things are good now, but you just never know what’s going to happen next.’ I really struggle when offerings are low and they have been the last two weeks. And I’m just weaker than I want to admit. So I hide my shame and pretend I’m fine.

Pray that I will trust deeply in the One who has this day - and what happens next - right in the palm of His hand.
Pray that I would see myself in the palm of His hand. Not that He’s going to squeeze me or hurt me, but that He’s my Father who loves me!

Further Prayers and Answers:
- The Outreach month continues to go well – Kindness Ministry, Backyard Bible Clubs, Supper Clubs, Youth Mission Trip
- There are 4 adults that have professed faith in Christ but need to be baptized. Pray that they will step forward and meet with an elder.
- We have a special guest preacher/songwriter Mo Leverett here this Sunday morning during our worship service. I’m really looking forward to his ministry with us.
- The Evangelism seminar I led in Memphis went very well. Thanks for praying!

How can I be so up and down in my faith? Who will deliver me from the body of sin!

Huge Ride in Ministry

What a HUGE ride this is turning out to be! We are getting deeper and higher at the same time!
Will you pray for:
• At least 4 couples are struggling in their marriages and/or with finances. Pray for each of them to find a trusted friend and wise counselor! It’s great that they are honest and not pretending!
• We have 4 adults that have made a profession of faith in the last few months! Pray that they will all be baptized in July.
• It’s Outreach Season. Pray for our people to serve in many ways – Backyard Bible Club in the apartments across S Cobb Drive, in neighborhoods, Kindness ministries on Saturday, helping deliver Kid’s Meals on Wheels. Pray for relationships to start, strengthen and lead people to Christ Jesus!
• A seminar I’m teaching at our General Assembly in Memphis this Wednesday. I’m teaching on evangelism in small churches – but I’m nervous and battling insecurity. Pray that I will believe the gospel and that more people will come to Jesus because of what the Spirit teaches them.
• I’m weak. I get fatigued. I’m not exercising. It’s summer. I’m going to be out of town in a hotel for 3 nights. Pray for me to be faithful and pure!

UPDATES:
Hearing good reports from our missionaries Chad and Sonia on the field in North Africa.
Our church planter José Mateo and Emmanuel Mission are gearing up for launch in the fall. They have Hiram Elementary under contract. Pray for a strong multi-cultural launch team!
New Staff guy Jim Payne is raising support to serve with us. He’s at 42%.
Praying with Smyrna Pastors about a united day of service for our city.

We’re here because you pray!
Graced
Jim

If Our Church Disappeared Would Smyrna Miss Us?

If our church disappeared…would Smyrna miss us? What a good hard question.

Nobody starts out life thinking, “My goal is to do nothing, say nothing and never make a difference.” Everyone wants to live a significant life. Same with this church – we want the Kingdom of God to come here in Smyrna ‘as it is in heaven.’ Would you pray for God to do HIS amazing work through us?

We realize that we aren’t any better than anyone else, but Crosspoint still wants to make a difference in the city. We want to fight sin-sickness. We want to overcome poverty – physical, financial, emotional and spiritual. I hope folks can see a difference in the greater-Smyrna area because we are humbly praying and faithfully working to make this city better.

We want to see individuals and families living dignified, just and righteous lives. We want to see businesses and institutions governing, educating and serving this city with honesty and without bias. We want Christ Jesus’ reputation to shine brightly in the heart of this city. And we want to celebrate the strong work He is accomplishing while we work.

We can’t do any of that without the power of the Holy Spirit. Will you pray for us?
Thanks
Jim

Play in the Reign

Play in the Reign....
Spring makes me want to go out and play! I would except the whole city is covered in nasty yellow pollen dust so thick you can watch it ‘poof’ with every step you take! OH DO WE NEED RAIN!

Would you pray that I will better learn to play in God’s reign?
And if you don’t attend Crosspoint, pray the same thing for your pastor too.

The Church will be a lot healthier if we all recognize that we are far worse off than we realize but far, FAR more loved than we dared imagine! That will lead to a party! And everybody loves a good party!
Graced
Jim

Slack about Asking for Prayer

Hey Prayer team!
Wow, I’m getting slack about sending out requests. My bad. The good news in that is that Crosspoint is beginning to intercede on its own behalf and for others. But we still need your prayers!

Pray for us to labor well in our season of prayer and fasting prior to Easter.
Pray for the lost in our city to come to faith in Christ. God is REALLY moving in Steven my soon-to-be-former-pagan friend.
I’m having lunch with Edward this week. Pray for an open door to tell him how much I need Jesus.
Pray for God to clearly call deacons to serve Crosspoint.
Pray also for wisdom about starting our first mercy ministry for the city. We are praying about starting a Jobs for Life program.
Pray for our daughter church Emmanuel and Pastor José – all the funding to be pledged.

Thanks for praying!
Graced
Jim

All-Church Retreat Highlights

After our church retreat, these words have new meaning:

Giraffe noises
Millennium
Gus and Gladys
'Marital Adjustment Session'
I Like people who like the University of Georgia!
Herd of Deer
Swan Lake
Poetry Reading
Featherbed
Bunk house heaters
Ripping phone books
Great Dalmuti
He-Man and Sweet Blossom
A whale walks into a bar

Makes me want to go back!

Retreat

We had an awesome All-Church retreat and its effect was tremendous in getting our folks connected to one another! All that luxurious time spent learning from Pastor Raymond and Donna Causey, talking, laughing and playing together helped relationships and trust go deep! And all the game playing, interactive learning and ‘No Talent’ show proves this church is a hoot! Thanks be to God!

Would you pray for these concerns:
1 – I have called the church to 40 days of Prayer and Fasting beginning next Wednesday the 28th leading up to Resurrection Sunday. Would you pray that 50% of our people would fast in some fashion and join together for united prayer each Tuesday night for an hour? Pray that we would LISTEN, LEARN, LOVE and LET GO.

2 – Pray that the Holy Spirit will put a holy thirst and hunger for His honor and glory in our hearts and in the hearts of the people of Smyrna. The Lord whispered to me in prayer (in a very biblical way) the other day that ‘Most people in Smyrna don’t see the need for Me or My church, much less a new church.’ How can God’s glory and fame grow if most people don’t feel their need of Him?

3 – Pray for me as I lead. I am slow to believe that God wants to glorify Himself. I think I can out-plan and out-strategize Him. But I really, really need God.

4 – Pray for the Senior Pastors of the Church in Smyrna. Since October, a handful of senior pastors have been praying every Monday morning for revival and the move of God’s Spirit in our city. Pray that we don’t loose heart. Pray that we will be both humbled and emboldened by the gospel! Pray for Pastors Greene, Osbon, Hatchell, Kimmel, Coady, Ekane, Caldwell, and Moon.

Thanks for praying! We couldn’t do this without your support!
Graced
Jim

Now that We are Official

Well, it’s been a few weeks since the big party and particularization and I think I’m glad I don’t have to type or explain that word again. What a great night of celebration though! Thanks for praying and giving and supporting this work.

Now begins a slightly different work of being a church. I’m going to ask you to pray for a few things that are related to that work:
- Pray for me as I lead the elders, staff, home fellowship group leaders, ministry team leaders and coach José and other church planters as they start more churches. It is a joy to train and counsel such great leaders, but I need more wisdom and patience than I realize.
- Pray for love and unity to permeate our church and the church in Smyrna. Since October 5-10 Senior Pastors of churches in Smyrna have been meeting for prayer every Monday. It is getting real and good. We’re below the surface to some tears, some heartbreak for the lost, some frustration with injustice. But we know the enemy, the world and our own sinfulness war against the Bride of Christ and our mission of grace in Christ.
- Pray for us to pray well. I’m sort of starting to believe that God is able and powerful, but I’m weak and not so smart. I’m sort of giving up on cool strategies. But I’m only bright enough to call the church to pray and fast for our city and our nation to repent and call on Christ. We’re going to do that 40 days leading up to Easter.

Maybe if GOD works in our city to bring folks to faith, we can follow Him! Sound like a plan?!
Graced
Jim

For info on Crosspoint www.crosspointsmyrna.org
For info on our daughter church Emmanuel www.emmanuelpca.org

It's Official!

It’s official!
Crosspoint has officially become a self-governing, self-funding, reproducing church! And you all are one of the hotlinks to heaven to make it happen!!!!
Glory to God!!!!

This Sunday we send Pastor Jose and Ana and Hector and Cecilia and a core group of 8 families out to plant our first daughter church 30 minutes west of here in Powder Springs/Paulding County! I am SO excited!

Last Sunday night we had over 200 people from Crosspoint and our regional church together for a special worship service where our 70+ members vowed to be a church, ordained two more elders, Powell Harrison and David Daniell, and elected me senior pastor!
It was a deeply moving time for us all. What a sacred and holy time!

I have some of our sharp tech folks working on some links where you can see pictures, hear audio and read some details about the over 500 people and 8 churches who have assisted in one way or another in making Crosspoint a reality! (Yes, that is right, over 500 people and 8 churches helped make this church happen!)

So PRAISE the LORD with us! We’ll be glowing for a while, basking in the goodness of our King!
Graced,
Jim

Organization as an Official Church

We are now days away from a very important event in the life of our church. Sunday January 14th, at 6pm, we will officially celebrate Crosspoint’s “Organization” as an official church! Since many of you, like me, are unfamiliar with or new to being Presbyterian, you need to know that this is a big deal for the regional Church of Atlanta, for Crosspoint, her new elders, Powell Harrison and David Daniell and for me. So you are officially invited. We expect seating to be limited, so activities will be provided for the younger kids. The service will be at our current rented worship facility at 4061 King Springs Rd in Smyrna.

As you may or may not know, we began the work of church planting in SmyrnaVinings 5 years ago with a dream of starting a new, Gospel-driven, and culturally-relevant church in SmyrnaVinings. We struggled and failed a lot in our first year 2002, but by God’s grace, we re-started with a new core group in our den January 6, 2003, then moved to the conference room at Whitefield Academy for our Grand Opening series March–April 2003.
In the last years, many have come to faith in Christ. Many more have returned to the Church after years away. All of us are being transformed by the grace of Gospel of Jesus Christ, perhaps most of all me.

You all have been the ‘air and ground support’ of this spiritual mission - praying and supporting the work here and I want to invite you to come celebrate our graduation from “Mission” status to official “Particular” church. It is in some ways a technical change, but in many ways it marks the maturity of Crosspoint in several keys ways. We will be self-governing, self-funding and maturing enough to launch a daughter church in Powder Springs in 2007.

So, until now, Crosspoint has been a “Mission” church. I am the “Organizing Pastor” or “Church Planter/Evangelist” and have essentially functioned as the benevolent potentate. While there are dozens of men and women who advise, oversee, lead and serve, the constitutional authority for leading and governing the church has rested with me. A new church has to start this way, but the Biblical mandate is for churches to be governed by Elders, elected by the congregation. Part of my role as Organizing Pastor has been to identify men whom God may be calling to serve in the office of Elder. Over the last 2 years, we have actively trained candidates whom we feel are called, gifted, and qualified to serve in this capacity. These men have been thoroughly examined and approved by our Presbytery to serve Crosspoint in the office of Elder.

On Sunday, January 14th, 2007 at 6:00 in the evening, we will hold our official “Organization” service. At this service, the congregation will vow to be a church, vote to elect and install their first Elders and first Senior Pastor (odds are good that it will be me J). From that point on, our church family will also be formally recognized as a congregation by the Presbyterian Church in America and be received into the fellowship of her sister churches. Many elders from other churches will participate in this service.

I can hardly believe God has brought us this far. Hope to see you at the service! Thanks for praying! (and keep it up!!)

Graced
Jim Moon
Pastor/Church Planter

Crosspoint Presbyterian Church
4061 King Springs Road
Smyrna GA 30082
O-770.333.1775
www.crosspointsmyrna.org
Snail Mail: PO Box 1956Smyrna GA 30081

Professions of Faith

I hope you are having an extremely happy Christmas! We are enjoying our time and our church and all the glory of our Lord’s birth, life, death and resurrection!
Excitement continues to build around Crosspoint as we prepare to ‘particularize’ in a few weeks – elders are elected, the pulpit committee has officially selected me as their candidate for senior pastor and in the midst of it, many of our regular attenders are officially joining the church.

What a joy for me to sit down with each one of them and hear their professions of faith! We have people from such diverse backgrounds and spiritual journeys all uniting to become a church that seeks to grow the Kingdom of God! It is awesome!
My main prayer request is for our lost friends who don’t know the joy of Christmas, especially Steven and Quan. Both are grappling with the good news of the gospel and wrestling with the issue of trusting Christ. Would you pray for their salvation!
Pray too for our church as we seek to build bridges into the lives our unbelieving friends! Pray that dozens would come to faith in 2007.
Graced
Jim

Crosspoint Presbyterian Church4061 King Springs RoadSmyrna GA 30082O-770.333.1775C-404.423.5466www.crosspointsmyrna.orgSnail Mail: PO Box 1956Smyrna GA 30081

Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS Crosspoint Family…

How are your Christmas check lists coming? >>> People to shop for >>> Christmas movies to watch >>> Ads to ignore >>> Family to see >>> Parties to get to

As a family ourselves I want us to pay attention to another list this week and begin talking to our Daddy about these prayer needs.

1- JEFF AND JAMIE FINCHER. Jamie wrote, “I just went for my follow up appointment after my MRI. I have one disc that is severely herniated and 2 others that are slightly bulging. The current plan of treatment is to continue physical therapy exercises and lift as little as possible (since not lifting is impossible with 2 little ones) and be very careful when lifting. If any of my symptoms change for the worse she said they would probably admit me immediately for surgery. Obviously I will be doing everything possible to avoid this so I will be following Drs. orders and get as much help with the kids as possible.”
2- MS. VALERIE. She’s in New Orleans this week due to the death of a family member. For those of you who’ve met Alice, it was her father who passed. Pray for her family in their grief.
3- STEVEN AND QUAN. These are two guys who Jim’s been meeting and talking with ab0ut trusting Jesus. Both of them are wrestling with the gospel and the claims Jesus has made on their lives. Pray they surrender.
4- TRAVELING SAFETY. Obviously, many people will be traveling this holiday season. Pray for God to grant mercy to us all.
5- GRATITUDE. I struggle to be completely thankful for what I have so I too often become bitter when my lust for more stuff isn’t satisfied. Pray that the gospel would be enough for every person at Crosspoint and our families. Pray that we would not get caught up in all that glitters nor satisfied with Christmas-toy joy. May the full, forever joy of Jesus be absolutely ENOUGH.

Merry Christmas,

anthony

Pagan Power and Housekeeping

Pagan power and housekeeping.
I was just combining the two old posts from the 'Prayer Blog' that no one added anything to for months and I just couldn't delete this blog. It is about my pagan friend Steven, who is fighting the power of God the whole way to redemption.

Pagan Power?
How do you show God’s power to a pagan or to a culture that is too busy for God? How can you convince a skeptic that God is real? Can you? I can’t.
This past month God has been hammering my thick skull with this point: ‘Jim, you can’t do My work. No matter how hard you try Jim, you are still a sin-sick, grace-filled PERSON. I am God. You aren’t.’
So I am thrust back into the proper position – I’m asking YOU to pray to God that He would show HIS power:- To Steven, my pagan friend. He has been asking good hard questions and saying, ‘I will NOT compromise my beliefs and experiences.’ But he is still (miraculously) interested in this God (‘your God of the Bible’) who sent a blood sacrifice of His own Son for me. Steven is throwing down the gauntlet to ‘my God’ to prove Himself more powerful than his pagan experiences.
How can I show him God’s power? His own sin? His need for a King and Savior? Only God can do that. Will you ask?

How can I show God's power to a culture that is addicted to self, comfort, sex, instant everything. There is a subtle pressure to preach and live like pastor’s are cultural helpers – just here to make everybody more successful.
Pray that I will and Crosspoint will be honest and winsome as we present the Truth. THEN PRAY that God will open the ears of the deaf, give sight to the spiritually blind and heal the sickness of successful people who don’t even know they are sick!
So pretty much I’m saying either the Holy Spirit shows up and transforms people (like me) or we ought to pack up and go back to the suburbs.Which God is more powerful; the God of Heaven and earth or the God of this world?
Thanks for faithfully praying for us in our mission to ‘Be One to Win Everyone’
Graced
Jim

Tactics and Countermoves

Tactics and Countermoves. Many of you have been praying for Q… as we discuss the gospel over 4 meetings. Well guess what? someone has been trying to derail things, and he is proving to be creative, if not a bit desparate.

Q and I have had 2 really good meetings. He is very hungry. He is reading John and asking good questions. Last Friday, we were supposed to meet at Zucca’s for lunch. He never showed, so I thought he got caught at the sandwich shop and couldn’t make it. Turns out he was catching a ride from a friend from the store to the restaurant and the Smyrna PD pulled his friend over doing a little, as he put it, ‘racial profiling and drug prevention.’ His friend had no liscense on him, and neither Q, so they spent the whole afternoon at the station trying to clear things up…. Can you believe it?

Either way, Q and I are on for lunch this Friday. And he asked me to pick him up this time.

If you have a minute, please pray for Quan again and
- Our baby church - Crosspoint’s first church plant, Emmanuel Church, in East Paulding/Powder Springs is in full fund-raising and prayer support-raising mode. Our Co-Pastor, José Mateo and his launch team will be starting public worship in March 2007 pending pledges for $180k over the next 4 years. Click on the link below for more info or to sign up to pray.
- The working poor – Several of our families and hundreds more in our city are struggling financially. Pray for God’s provision and mercy and warm clothes and meals for all the needy. Pray that God would lead us as we take action!
- Electing first elders – This Sunday December 10th Crosspoint will elect its first elder candidates! It is a monumental day for us as we take more steps to becoming an official church.
- Spiritual growth – We are 6 weeks into a series on Romans and it is very challenging! Pray for all of us to grow in faith and the grace of God’s gospel!

Thanks for praying for us! The Moon’s are doing very well. I hope to catch a good picture for you over Christmas!
Grace and Love,
Jim

Link to Emmanuel Church’s Prayer Email – emmanuelpca@comcast.net
Link to Crosspoint’s Prayer Blog - http://crosspointsmyrna.blogspot.com
Link to Crosspoint’s Website – www.crosspointsmyrna.org

Pray Please

Hey all!
I don’t have a coherent story or illustration that weaves all these requests together, so would you mind praying these random prayers?!

- Pray for Pastor José as he begins raising prayer and financial support for Emmanuel Church, our church plant that will be ready to roll out in 2007. They need 260 more prayer partners! (see below for link)
- Pray for one family that needs reliable transportation. The wife is disabled after 30 years as an LPN, and the husband is way under-employed. They could use a newer car, and a better job for him! And just some encouragement in the trial!
- Sunday ministries are expanding:
- Ask God for English to Spanish translators. We have cool equipment and need more volunteers.
- Our Video is, well, stuck in the 1990s. Pray for upgraded equipment and a skilled volunteer leader.
- Thank God for our 20-25 2nd hour teachers and helpers! This Sunday they have a Training Day. Pray that they are encouraged and see the fruit of their labors with kids and youth.
- Pray for generous donations to local food bank for Thanksgiving and generous donations for ‘Operation Christmas Child’ shoeboxes used for overseas evangelism!
- Pray for me next week when I speak and coach at the PCA Evangelism Convocation in Boca Raton.
- LAST BUT MOST important, pray for POWER in the preaching at Crosspoint. We are starting a series entitled “God’s Gospel Changes Everything” a study through Romans! We need Jesus’ power through His Word!

Thanks for praying! You all are making a difference in me and in this church!
Graced,
Jim

Link to Emmanuel Church Prayer Email – emmanuelpca@comcast.net
Link to Crosspoint’s Prayer Blog - http://crosspointsmyrna.blogspot.com
Link to Crosspoint’s Website – www.crosspointsmyrna.org

Almost 5 Years of Prayer Support

Prayer Team,
It’s been almost 5 years since we first started this prayer email list.

Hundreds of you have prayed for God to establish a church here in SmyrnaVinings. Months of labor, spiritual battles, rejection, conversions, spiritual growth and prayers and God is FAITHFUL. We are making plans to graduate to ‘official church’ status in our denomination. I can’t believe it.

Last night we reached a key mark. David Daniell and Powell Harrison, our two elder candidates, were examined and accepted by the commissioners of our regional church presbytery! This is big news!!
That means January 14th, 2007 6pm, we will have our official Organizing Service and Graduation Party to follow!

So we still need you to pray.
Pray for David and Powell to keep growing into this co-shepherding role with me.
Pray for our Church Planter in Residence, José Mateo, whom we will send out in January to start a new church in Paulding County/Powder Springs area.
Pray for continued growth and protection from attack.
And pray that I will rest well in the strong arms of Jesus!
Graced
Jim

A Peculiar Church?

A Peculiar Church?

Dear Prayer Team
We are reaching a significant mile-marker on our journey to expand God’s kingdom around the world. This month we are requesting permission to organize this mission church as an official church! There are several key examinations yet to be passed, but we are making the plans.

So, does this mean we don’t need a prayer team anymore? HA! NO WAY! I am desperate for prayer! I am the weakest link in this whole church! And the stakes get higher now too. The enemies without (satan and the world) and the enemy within (my own rebellious sin-sick heart) have an even BIGGER target to aim for. Keep praying please!

- Our potential officers will be examined this month. Pray for Powell and Anne Harrison and David and Karen Daniell. Pray for wisdom and protection as they assume the role of elders and elder’s wives. This is a big demanding shepherding task!
- Pray for the teachers and leaders of our new 2nd hour Christian growth ministries for kids, students and adults. These are the KEY new leaders in our young church! We have about 45 adults and 35 kids involved. I’m helping out in the 3-4th grade class and we are teaching 80% of the kids their first ever Bible lessons (like most didn’t know where to find Genesis in the Bible!)
- Pray too for our small groups to be unified, to learn and care well for each other. We have 10 groups including 2 Crown financial groups and a new men’s group on Saturday mornings.

Thanks for praying! It spreads God’s grace to many!
Jim

Cars Gifted to Ministry

Dear Crosspoint Prayer Family,
Remember about 5 weeks ago we asked for prayer for two families that had urgent need for cars?
We had several people generously provide loaners and great price deals and now within one week’s time we have had TWO vehicles gifted to the ministry for both of the families who needed them!

God is so generous and so are his people! And He listens to your prayers!

The single grandmother now has a nice late model mini-van to haul all the kids she is raising, and our assistant pastor Anthony and his wife Sarah have a late model Toyota to replace the car that was totaled!

Thank you for praying!
Really, we wouldn’t be here without you! Keep praying for more conversions and more workers for this harvest field too!
Graced
Jim

Both My Families

Would you pray for both my families?

Crosspoint is moving along toward ‘particularization’ or becoming an official church in our denomination. It is a really big deal, sort of akin to a graduation and a marriage at the same time – we are completing the early part of a story, but we are just starting our life together as a family.

This makes us a bigger target on the enemy’s radar. Pray for unity and love between us!

And my literal Moon family is getting into an exciting time. Elizabeth just started teaching music part-time at DCHS (2 classes a day), so she is being stretched as a first year teacher. Her health is doing well. And we have now 3 teenagers – my own youth group – which is a joy and a challenge. Pray for Jake (Jr. at Dominion Christian High), Erica (Fr. at Dominion) and Elysia (6th at Covenant Christian). They are maturing as people, students and as believers. It is a challenging time for them, even in great Christian schools and a more stable church situation.

But, this makes us a bigger target on the enemy’s radar. Pray for unity and love between us!

So, same prayer – both families! Couldn’t do this without you all!
Graced,
Jim

Slack Asking for Prayer

Hey all you Prayer folks
I have been slack on asking for prayer! Why is it that when things are going well, I don’t ask for prayer? I honestly think (wrongly) that we don’t need it! What a thick skull I have.

We have had some really great ministry happening in and through Crosspoint. Let me tell you just one quick one. We sent 8 folks to First Pres Gulfport MS for a week of Katrina home repair/outreach. I was amazed at what a job our crews did! And wow, did we share the gospel while we worked! The one couple was quite a trip – he is a non-practicing Muslim, she is an semi-agnostic from the Czech Republic! She kept asking out loud, ‘Why do you do this? Give up a week’s vacation to come build my kitchen? I would never do this!’ We told her about Jesus – a lot. Pray for Karim and Eva Amin to come to faith in Jesus!

We are starting a 2nd hour of Christian Ed this month, cranking up another year of small groups, offering two Crown ministries and prepping for our ‘graduation’ to official church. It is great to have more new folks joining us and seeing the full house is encouraging! But we are still at a tender place. Sort a bigger target for the enemy now. Please Pray for Protection and effective ministry within our church and outside it.

But WE ARE STILL IN NEED! We are getting close to selecting elders. The pastor(s) are STILL IN NEED of faith in Jesus! Whereas I have struggled with doubt, now I’m struggling with self-sufficiency and human security! Pray that God would give me and the other leaders a continual sense of dependence and joy in Jesus only.

You all rock! Thanks for praying!
Graced
Jim

Chris Professed Faith in Christ!

Hey Prayer Team!
Great news! The guy Chris who has been praying has com to the DaVinci Code discussions all three weeks – and he has professed his faith in Christ! Isn’t that awesome! So KEEP ON PRAYING FOR Chris and his family and for more CONVERSIONS!

Our outreaches are going well – both Backyard Bible Clubs were well attended (over 20 kids each with lots of parents hanging around), our concert ministry is growing step by step (www.rootshows.com) and the ‘Kindness is Contagious’ Ministry served 192 hot dogs to a baseball league party at Milford Park!

Would you pray for….
- Growth for Chris and his family. Pray that his wife and son trust Christ too. She has more Bible belt baggage to sort through. This is a very tender time for them! And quite a change in Chris!
- Pray for Pastor Anthony’s neighbor Jerry, a former liberal pastor turned atheist. They are in dialogue about the DaVinci Code. Only God can change a heart and make a blind man see, right? PRAY for Jerry!
- Pray for the process of selecting elders and deacons for Crosspoint. In about 6-9 months we should have officers trained and ready. We have a time of prayer and discussion coming up in July.
- Pray for the growth and maturity of our members and regualr attenders. We have many children and many small groups which can be a challenge. Pray that we rest our leaders well this summer and that we make and train disciples well!

Graced
Jim

Pastor/Church Planter
Crosspoint Presbyterian Church
4061 King Springs Rd
Smyrna GA 30082
www.crosspointsmyrna.org
jim@crosspointsmyrna.org
o - 770.333.1775
c - 404.423.5466http://crosspointsmyrna.org/templates/header.tem

If Atlanta Were Different

If Atlanta were different… it would be because Christians do what Doug and Sarah have begun…

I met Doug through an inner-city church planter’s training network we helped start months ago. He is an anglo guy from L.A. (lower Alabama) who played football for the Auburn Tigers. He and his wife moved into a low-income apartment in East Atlanta years ago so they could disciple urban youth for the long haul. They have been there four years I think. It will take a lifetime of sacrifice to see the will of God done there as it is in heaven. But I believe it is going to happen…

I went to their Bible study last night. I was impressed. It wasn’t the facility or the professionalism of the program, but the hunger of those 10 young men learning the Word of God.

I’m sure the spiritual warfare is intense. It isn’t easy to plant a church anywhere, much less where Doug is laboring. But the young men there want the gospel. They welcome it. The fields are full of harvest!

It takes guts and intensity to plant a church in inner city Atlanta. I’m proud to help guys like Doug. I’m doubly proud (in a humble way) that Doug would bring some of those youth to worship with us at Crosspoint any time.

One prayer request: Would you pray for God to call and fund and strengthen and protect Doug and Sarah and 100 more couples like them?
That is a prayer that will transform a city.
That is what it will take for all of Atlanta to be transformed by the Kingdom of God.
That is what I want Crosspoint to be doing now and into the future.

Graced
Jim

Good Sermon Jose!

Good worship yesterday!

Jose preached a really strong sermon. Not your typical evangelical sermon.
And it was GREAT to have Anthony here from Chattanooga leading in prayer.
And the band did a great job leading too!

Other than a crack about my former days as a proud mullet-wearing pastor, I needed to be reminded that sin IS in me and how much Jesus went through to forgive me (and you).

I'd say that is a sermon we all ought to hear over and over again.
If you want a copy on CD, we can mail it to you. Let us know.

Didn't Jose do a spooky good imitation of a TV preacher though?
Graced
Jim

Busyness is Lazyness

Busyness is laziness?

I was just reading a piece by Eugene Peterson (translator of 'The Message') and that thought slapped me. I tend to think I am a hard worker and that hard work and a 'full day' is a sign of success as a pastor/church planter.

Peterson says, 'Busyness is the enemy of spirituality.... It is doing the easy thing instead of the hard thing. It is filling our time with our own actions instead of paying attention to God's actions. It is taking charge.'

I cut that out and taped it to my monitor. I'll have to consider that as I'm a busy pastor of a young exciting church out to change the world!

Jim