Preparation for Sunday, 2/28/2010
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! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Here is Our King: Luke 19:37-38 ; Only Your Blood is Enough: Hebrews 10:4, 9:14; At the Cross: Galatians 6:14; In My Place: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Romans 5:8-9; Jesus You are Worthy: Revelation 5:11-12.
Songs:
Chuck will also be interviewing one of the church planters that Crossbridge is sponsoring. His name is Joseph Turner and he is the pastor at Sojourn Community Church in Houston, TX. You can go to www.sojourncommunitychurch.net to find out more about Joseph and the church.
I look forward as always to worshipping Christ with you this Sunday!
Ben
Preparation for Sunday, 2/21/2010
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! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Happy Day: Phillippians 4:4-5; Refuge: Psalm 34:8, 36:7, 62:8; At the Cross: Galations 6:14; Wholly Yours: Matthew 16:24-25; Nothing but the Blood: Ephesians 2:13-14
Songs:
Notes from Chuck
Hi Everybody,
I hope you are seeking to live in the Dance of the Eternal One today. As we dove into the sweet depths of Mark 1:9-13 this past Sunday, we saw the wonder of the Dance. God in His holiness, justice, mercy, and grace has moved toward us by going to the cross in the person of Jesus in our place for our sins; we move toward Him in response with faith and repentance. Then He moves toward us as He applies all the work of His wondrous grace toward us, and we move toward Him in continual worship. Are you living in the dance today or just trying to be a good Christian? Stop right now and just tell Him how much you desire to delight in Him alone.
Anywho, we have 41 guys signed up for our Men’s Advance! If you signed up, you should be getting an e-mail from me next week with some final details and instructions for the weekend. Very excited to hang with you, men, as we build strong relationships and take the next steps spiritually.
We continually want to create environments to encourage and equip people in biblical relationships where they can apply and embody the gospel. One environment to do this will be the Singles’ Lunch on Sunday, February 28. Mat Yelvington, our available leader of Teen Ministry, is inviting all Crossbridge singles to Berryhill (13703 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, TX) at 1:00 p.m. I recommend the #9 fish tacos with 1 chimichanga and black beans. Try that, and with every bite remember God loves me!
Continue to be praying for our people during this financial hard time. I met with a man this morning who was telling me of the financial pressure he is under. Seems like this is hitting us all right now, so let us pray to our great, glorious, good, and gracious God; ask Him to help us and to live like He is control.
I’m praying for you, Crossbridge. May God renew us in our love for Him and others so that He might be glorified and we might be satisfied.
See-ya Sunday as we continue our series, “Mark’s Gospel: Discovering the Real Jesus.”
Chuck
Notes from Chuck
Dear Crossbridge Family,
2010 is, so far, a rollercoaster ride for us at Crossbridge. We are seeing more and more new people at Sunday Services; Community Groups are getting filled up; new Partners are joining the church. While all this is going on, our giving has really taken a hit. As of now, we are $9000.00 behind last year’s giving at this time! Crossbridge needs $13,100 per week to meet our operating expenses from our budgets. We are committed to being very conservative in our spending, so all deferrable spending (extra projects, programming, etc.) has been put on hold during this time.
You have shown over and over that you are committed to doing whatever it takes to “make growing followers of Jesus Christ” through serving and giving. I know that we will face this challenge with the same sacrifice, humility, and prayer that we have faced others with in the past.
If you are new to Crossbridge and have not begun to regularly worship through financial giving, let me encourage you to begin. If you would like to learn more about financial giving, let me encourage you to listen to the last message in our Philippians series, “Joy in the City,” you can find it here. It’s called “The Joy of Generosity.”
You can give to Crossbridge through…
- Sunday Services. Feel free to give during the offering part of our service or drop your offering off in one of the two offering boxes located in the lobby.
- Online Giving. You can go here and give online. When you go to the giving page, you will see three places to give.
- General Tithe – That money goes toward our general operating expenses, which is what I wrote about above.
- Building Fund – These funds are used toward our three-year Giving Campaign, which began in 2007, to pay for the build-out of our current facility
- Men’s Advance – This is where you can pay online for the upcoming Men’s Retreat.
I know that many of us are going through personal financial hardship right now. I want you to know you are cared for and prayed for by me and our staff.
You are such a sweet church, Crossbridge. I’m so thankful for you and how you are seeking to live lives of Gospel intentionality. God is faithful.
Men, remember Sunday is the last day to sign-up for the Men’s Advance. We are going to have a blast. Sign-up online, or grab a brochure Sunday and go old school – use a pen!
Also, if you need a few laughs, go watch this marriage video. It lightened my day.
See-ya Sunday as we continue “Mark’s Gospel: Discovering the Real Jesus.”
Chuck
Preparation for Sunday, 2/14/2010
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! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
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, Only Your Blood is Enough: Hebrews 10:4; Hebrews 9:14, In Christ Alone: Acts 4:11-12, The Wonderful Cross: Colossians 2:13b-14.
Songs:
We will say this reading together that comes from Colossians 2:
And even though you were dead in your sins
God made you alive in Christ.
He forgave us all our sins
by canceling the record of debt
that stood against us with its legal demands;
He took it away, nailing it to the cross.
Though our sins overwhelm us
the mercy of God far surpasses them.
In Christ alone we are forgiven.
I hope you will meditate on these words before we meet together on Sunday. I look forward to worshipping our living Savior with you!
Ben
Notes from Chuck
Dear Prized Possessions,
I pray you are and will continue living in the reality that “you were bought with a price” and that you are “belonging to God.” We, church, are His prized possession. That should humble you and fill you with confidence at the same time!
I need to make a confession to you. I love meat. I know I should eat fruits and vegetables more and watch my red meat intake, but meat is amazing! I love red meat, chicken, ribs, steaks, fajitas, meat lover’s pizza, and hamburgers with Swiss cheese and mushrooms! There are few things like the first bite of a well-marinated, tender steak. The flavor explodes on your tongue as you begin to chew and savor the deliciousness of it.
I believe our souls explode with flavor as we cut up and chew on the morsels of the Word of God. This Sunday we will begin to work on a lovely piece of meat called “The Gospel of Mark.” It will be my honor and joy to serve up to you a platter of the best meat on the planet. And this meat doesn’t fill the stomach but the heart. Come hungry this Sunday, and let us glut ourselves on the Glorious Eternal One—Jesus.
Men, our Men’s Advance Weekend is coming up. The deadline to sign up is February 14! Don’t drag your feet! We are going to have some fun, hangout together, and learn how to be the best wounded, Holy Spirit-empowered fighters we can be. This will be the start of some good things to come for men at Crossbridge.
See-ya Sunday.
You are my blessing and privilege, and I love being your pastor.
Chuck
Preparation for Sunday, 2/7/2010
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. How Great Thou Art: Psalm 145:3-4; Only Your Blood is Enough: Psalm 51:7-10; The Solid Rock: Psalm 18:2, Wonderful Grace of Jesus: Hebrews 4:15-16.
Songs:
I am very excited about starting the Gospel of Mark series this week! I look forward to worshipping corporately with you on Sunday.
Ben
