Anniversary weekend

I managed to snap a few pictures during set-up and practice for the Anniversary weekend on Saturday:











What an awesome weekend! There was energy, emotion, eighties medleys, examples of the deep relationships that can grow out of Crossroads, and a reminders of our dedication to going out and loving the world the way Jesus did.

What did you enjoy most about the anniversary weekend? What would you like to say about the last twenty years?
What do you envision for the next twenty?

Important poll question

Bret Foster and I are having a heated debate. You can help settle our argument:

God does really cool stuff.

A friend of mine at work is a farmer- a real one, like he has cows and stuff... and he was telling me about how he got home from work the other night (actually Monday night, the one with the horrible storm) and 60 of his cows were wondering around his neighbors land. Apparently they bum-rushed the electric fence... Anyways-

It was about to storm and the poor guy was frantically trying to get the stupid cows back in the fenced part all by himself. I'm not sure if you have ever tried to get a cow to go somewhere specifically before, but it's really frustrating- and 60.. well, forget about it...

Here's the good part- This guy was at the end of his rope- so he stops what he's doing and says, "God, you gotta help me out, because I can't do this." And like five seconds later a friend of his family, who was a veterinarian, just happens to stop by just to see how things were going at the farm. Together they were able to get the cows back where they were supposed to be. He even said that right as they got the last cow in- the rain started.

I love that. I love to hear the little cool things that God does for us, and I wish I spent more time hearing peoples stories. How about you? Do you have any stories about cool stuff that God has done- it can be small or big!

who's serving who?

This weekend Greg hit on one of my hot button topics in his message when he talked about teaching his kids that the church wasn't there to serve them, but rather they were supposed to serve God and the church.

My dad has been an elder and chairman of the board at a small country church for just about all of my life. It's a completely thankless position and one that often finds him in the middle of conflicts he'd rather not be in.

He's often met with complaints about music being too loud, or too fast, or too slow, or too modern, or too traditional. Or the AC is too cold, or not cold enough. And one Sunday school class has nicer chairs than another, and Sunday school is too short anyway, and the messages are too long, etc, etc...

It seems like a lot of people go to church to be catered to.

I think Crossroads, more than a lot of churches, makes an effort to ensure that seekers and people in need walk into a building where the staff and volunteers are striving to make their experience as meaningful and beneficial as possible.

I also think Crossroads works hard to make sure that it's volunteers have a fulfilling experience serving.

But it's still serving. And serving means sacrificing your time, energy, and sometimes, preferences for the good of others. That's one of those lessons I wish some of the folks at my Dad's church would learn (and I say that will a full measure of grace and a realization that I can be just as self-centered at times). I wish they'd figure out that being a member of the body of Christ is about finding out how you're meant to serve - not being waited on hand and foot.

So steering this towards us, how long does someone have to attend Crossroads before they cross that magical, invisible line between seeking and serving? What's involved in that transformation? When do you go from being catered to to actually catering to others?

When did it happen for you? What was the turning point? Has it happened for you? What's holding you back?

Discuss!