Help Haiti
We want to continue to give you ways that you can support different organizations that are in the trenches right now helping the people of Haiti. Here are a few things that you can do to contribute.
- PRAY: Pray that the Haitians would encounter true, whole gospel relief and attention. Whole gospel relief would include spiritual, emotional, psychological, social, and physical relief. Pray for that for those who are suffering, for those serving, for families, new orphans, and widows. We need to pray, “Lord, have mercy on the Haitians,” and “Lord, bring your Kingdom peace and healing upon them.”
- GIVE: There are many great organizations you can give to during this crisis. Whatever amount you have in your head, what if you upped it by 25%?
- Compassion International Disaster Relief Fund -https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/disasterrelief.htm?referer=105910
- Living Water International - You can read about the need for fresh water in Haiti and how the earthquake affects it by clicking on the link. http://www.water.cc/initiatives/haiti/
- Get a HELP HAITI t-shirt. All proceeds go to Haiti. http://www.aaronivey.portmerch.com/stores/product.php?productid=17149&cat=0&page=1&featured or http://www.threadnwater.com
- Churches helping Churches – adresses the immediate and longterm needs when disaster befalls a country, region, city or people. http://www.churcheshelpingchurches.com
Let us respond to Haiti as Gospel-centered people. Let us pray, cry, give, and help if we can.
Notes from Chuck
Dear Crossbridge Priests,
You read the above right. We talked Sunday about how we are a “royal priesthood” because of Him and for Him. What if one of your daily prayers became, “Father, show me how to live out the priesthood that Jesus came to give me?” I wonder what our wild and wonderful God might do with a community of people who do that. He might just shake a city alive with love and wonder!
I need to let you in on an important change coming up. Most of our Community Groups meet the first three weeks of the month and take the fourth week off. We are going to move our monthly Prayer Service to the fourth week of the month so that it will coincide with the week our groups are off. We hope this will encourage more of you to attend this important gathering of Crossbridge to pray for on-going spiritual renewal in our midst and in our city. So the next, or, I guess, the first “Fourth Tuesday Prayer Service” is Tuesday, February 23, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the auditorium.
In two weeks we will begin something epic in the life of Crossbridge Church. We will begin a new teaching series called “Mark’s Gospel: Discovering the Real Jesus” in which we will go verse by verse through the gospel of Mark. My prayer is that the title of the series would be what happens to us. That by His grace we would discover or rediscover the real Jesus. That over the next several months people would discover Him for the first time and that believers would rediscover His majesty and grace. This will be a strengthening time for us, Crossbridge. I hope you’ll continue to invite friends to join us during this series.
God is doing something in our midst. He is creating a community of Gospel-driven priests who live their ordinary lives with Gospel intentionality.
Can’t wait to see what’s next!
Chuck
Preparation for Sunday, 1/31/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Greater than we can Imagine: Psalm 145:2-3, Revelation 15:3-4; Sing Alleluia: Psalm 135:1-2; Sweetly Broken: Luke 9:23-25; Made us Alive: Galations 2:20.
Songs:
We will also say this reading together:
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
As a father has compassion for his children,
so the LORD has compassion for those who fear him.
For he knows how we were made;
he remembers that we are dust.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from
everlasting to everlasting
on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children’s children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
- Psalm 103:8, 13-14, 17-18
I really believe this reading gives us a strong assurance in Christ! Meditate on these words before we meet on Sunday.
Ben
Notes from Chuck
- The first is our Crossbridge Kids ministry on Sundays. Did you know about 1/3 of our church is 12 or under! There is so much fun and life-change happening in our Crossbridge Kids Ministry. Why don’t you pray right now about serving in this awesome ministry? You can do everything from teaching a Bible lesson to just rocking babies. Contact Tisha Rich, our Children’s Minister, at tisha@crossbridge.cc to get more information.
- Next, as our 11:15 service grows, we should do everything in our power to help people feel welcomed. When we welcome new people we are demonstrating the gospel; as the Father opened His heart to us, we should open our community up to new people. God is bringing us new people every week! A great way to help create a welcoming, life-giving community is to serve as a greeter on Sunday. Will you pray about being a part of creating a welcoming culture by serving as a greeter on Sundays? If you are willing to do this, will you e-mail jennifer@crossbridge.cc?
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“Do I know God?” by Tullian Tchividjian
-
“Finally Alive” by John Piper
Preparation for Sunday, 1/24/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Refuge: Psalm 34:8; Psalm 36:7; Psalm 62:8, Greater than we can Imagine: Psalm 145: 1-5, In Christ Alone: Acts 4: 11-12, Jesus You are Worthy: Revelation 5:11-12.
Songs:
We will also say the words of this prayer together from 1 Timothy 1:12-17. I hope it stirs you to remember the assurance you can have in Christ and his gospel.
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who has given me strength.
He considered me trustworthy
and appointed me to serve him,
even though I used to be a blasphemer, a violent persecutor and the very worst of sinners.
But the grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
So here are words you may trust,
words that merit full acceptance:
Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.
To all who confess their sins and believe in Him
he says, “Your sins are forgiven.”
Amen! Praise God for his mercy!
I look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.
Ben
Notes from Chuck
Crossbridge Family,
Our hearts are broken this week as we look at the images coming in from Haiti. I have gone from feeling numb—like there was nothing I could do—to wanting to hop the next flight out and save the whole country. I was going back and forth from what pastor and author Jarrett Stevens called “a numbed sense of powerlessness and detachment to a harried sense of temporary responsive activism.”
Stevens goes on to write, “We are praying instead that God leads us and leads you to a God Given, Holy Spirit Driven, Sustainable and Responsible Response that reflects the way of Jesus.” I think that is a great thing for us to pray as individuals and a church community.
In light of that here are some things we can do to assist our neighbors in Haiti today.
- PRAY: Pray that the Haitians would encounter true, whole gospel relief and attention. Whole gospel relief would include spiritual, emotional, psychological, social, and physical relief. Pray for that for those who are suffering, for those serving, for families, new orphans, and widows. We need to pray, “Lord, have mercy on the Haitians,” and “Lord, bring your Kingdom peace and healing upon them.”
- GIVE: There are many great organizations you can give to during this crisis. Whatever amount you have in your head, what if you upped it by 25%?
- Compassion International Disaster Relief Fund – https://www.compassion.com/contribution/giving/disasterrelief.htm?referer=105910
- Living Water International – You can read about the need for fresh water in Haiti and how the earthquake affects it by clicking on the link. http://www.water.cc/initiatives/haiti/
- Get a HELP HAITI t-shirt. All proceeds go to Haiti. http://www.aaronivey.portmerch.com/stores/product.php?productid=17149&cat=0&page=1&featured
Let us respond to Haiti as Gospel-centered people. Let us pray, cry, give, and help if we can.
I’ll see you Sunday.
Chuck
PS – We will be continuing “ID: Discovering Your Spiritual Identity” this Sunday. Invite a friend to come with you.
Preparation for Sunday, 1/17/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Psalm 8:1; Psalm 135:1-2; Psalm 66:1-2; Luke 9:23; Colossians 2:14.
Songs:
I would encourage you to also read through Psalm 95 before Sunday. This chapter is such a great reminder of the joy that comes from singing praises to the Lord! We will also say this prayer together:
Lord God, you are faithful, loving, worthy of trust and praise.
We are disloyal, hateful and deserve death.
Lord, we forget that you are our true source oh hope and strength.
We are tempted to lean upon our own power to accomplish good
and to break the power of sin.
Lord we fail without your help.
Forgive us for relying on the perishable rather than your enduring word.
Help us to trust in your son Jesus,
and find rest in the promises that were made in His blood.
In His name we plead for mercy, Amen.
I look forward to worshipping Christ with you this week.
Ben
Preparation for Sunday, 1/10/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs that we will sing this Sunday. 2 Corinthians 12:9, Psalm 135:1-2, 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, Galations 2:20, Romans 8:37-39
Songs:
Liturgy:
We will say a prayer of confession together in worship this week. Please spend some time meditating on the truth of these words before we meet together on Sunday.
Lord God, Creator of all -
You have spoken to us but we have shut out your voice.
Your word convicts us of our sin and our brokenness.
But we have tried to drown you out with the noise of this world.
We would rather hear our own named praised among men rather than the name of Jesus.
We prefer telling people about our petty accomplishments rather than speaking of your righteousness.
Lord, forgive us. Correct us.
Build in us a longing for your comforting voice.
Give us a thirst for your satisfying Word.
Give us joy in speaking your truth
to those that have not heard it.
I look forward to our time of corporate worship this Sunday.
Ben
Notes from Chuck
Hi Everyone,
Well 2010 is going full steam now! I’m ready for my next vacation! 
Actually, I am excited to see what God is going to do in us and through us this year as a community. I’m trying to take this month to really focus on how I can go deeper in my relationship with God. May I encourage you not to just jump into the New Year and get back into the rat race without any thought?
Take some time and ponder these great questions written by author Donald Whitley:
- What is one thing you could do this year to increase your enjoyment of God?
- What is the single biggest time-waster in your life, and what will you do about it this year?
- What is the most helpful new way you could strengthen your church?
- What area of your life most needs simplifying?
- What is the most important trip you want to take this year?
- Besides the Bible, what is one book you want to read this year?
- What is one thing you could do to enrich the spiritual legacy you will leave to your children and grandchildren?
There is nothing like living a reflective life where you act intentionally based on convictions rather than just reacting to circumstances.
See-ya this Sunday as we continue our series, “ID: Discovering Your Spiritual Identity.”
Chuck
Preparation for Sunday, 1/3/2010
Happy New Year everyone!! I hope you all had a restful holiday with friends and family. I am getting ready to board a plane back to Houston and I am excited to worship with you this Sunday. Chuck begins a new series called ID this week. Here are the songs that we will be singing together.
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start!
Songs:
