Real Church 101

Crossroads church had their mini-retreat this past weekend called Real Church 101. We had a great weekend of fellowship and solid biblical teaching from Matt Mitchell, and spirit-directed worship from Jamie on Saturday and Joe on Sunday. I prayed the Lord would enlarge the hearts of His church for the gospel and expand their vision for Jesus' purpose for the local church and the Lord answered my prayers.

Below are some pictures of the church's retreat, Real Church 101:




Matt and Joe getting ready for the group to come.

Joe leading us in our time of corporate worship.

Matt, taught on some great truths of the church. On Saturday he opened up with the need for Crossroads to be cross-centered, 1 Cor.15:1-11. The Real church is purchased by Jesus' blood. The Real Church is Jesus' Worshiping (Holy Spirit empowered) Community Of Gospel-Centered Disciple-makers.

• God wants us to be Cross-centered in our proclamation of the Word.


• God wants us to buid a Cross-centered church by being Cross-centered in our celebration of the ordinances, baptism and the Lord's Supper.

Then Matt asked the question How is Crossroads doing? Is Mark's preaching and teaching cross-centered? Some comments that were made: "Pastor Mark stresses the importance of the gospel every Sunday." "I believe Pastor Mark mentions the Gospel 21 times in one sentence (just a slight exaggeration)." I do not share these comments to brag but to encourage you that your prayers are being answered. The Gospel is of first-importance in our lives here at Crossroads, it has to be in order for Jesus to plant his church.

Below are some comments I collected from a survey I gave the church at the end of our time together. I asked them to share one truth they learned about the biblical church. Very encouraging!

"The Gospel is the power to sanctify as well as to save.

I also learned about the leadership model"

______________

"I like Matt's illustration of local outposts of the kingdom here on earth

and the "calling out" to people in Christ's name."

_____________

"The church is truly and wholly the creation of God

and His desire is to have it grow beyond all measure."

______________

"It was really the first time that I've experienced overt teaching about the

integration of th mission of spreading the gospel and church function...

I mean I "knew it," but I finally "got it."

______________

"It (the church) is the pillar and buttress of the truth (the Gospel)"

______________

"Membership is clearly a biblical construct"

Other topics that Matt focused on were the Joyfully-led church, Heb.13:17; the Search and Rescue church (the importance of church disicipline), Matt.18:12-35. And then he ended our time on Sunday with a call to commitment to the Local Church, 1 Tim.3:14-16 .

I found especially meaningful the message of the Joyfully-led church because Matt gave me an opportunity to express to each congregant my thanks and how my joy tank is filled by each of them. Especially my number one congregant, my wife, Kendra.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. Please be in prayer as we move forward in this awesome work of faith. We will have Jeff Powell our district superintendent come down and lead us through another time of equipping Jesus' church at the end of February. Looking forward to what the Lord will do next.

For His Gospel and His Glory,

Mark