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Striving for Excellence

September 18, 2008 in Church Leadership, Church Planting, Cross Point Church, Dominican 08 Trip, God, Leadership, Missions, Religion with 17 Comments

How do you define excellence? At Cross Point we define it by: Doing the best you can with what you have.

I’ve seen excellence come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.

From time to time church planters and pastors will visit Cross Point and walk away wishing they had as many volunteers as we have, or as many cool toys as we have, or as large of a staff as we have. In follow-up conversations I detect it. If we only had this or that we could do excellent ministry.

This summer while visiting our sister church in the Dominican Republic I was reminded of the excellence principle. Obviously this small Haitian church in the Dominican Republic, which is only half-way built, has few resources. But it doesn’t stop them from doing excellent ministry.

It was a big deal when we visited there earlier this summer. So big, they rolled out the red carpet. They used toilet paper to welcome us. Yes toilet paper. Now that’s excellence. Doing the best you can with what you have.

Colossians 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men,”

So what’s one area of your life, business, or church where you need to pursue excellence?

What’s Your flavor?

July 23, 2008 in Cross Point Church, Dominican 08 Trip, God, Leadership, Missions, Religion with 74 Comments

I can’t tell you how good it is to be back home. God did some amazing things through our team and I couldn’t be more proud of each one them. I will be buried the next couple of days in e-mails, phone calls and make-up meetings but it was totally worth it.

I took this picture on one of our last days. It’s the Dominican ice cream man…

I saw my co-worker asked this same question yesterday but let’s give it a try…What’s your favorite kind of ice cream?

Mine is chocolate chip. If I’m feeling crazy, maybe mint chocolate chip. I know, I know, I’m boring.

Dear Pete

July 22, 2008 in Cross Point Church, Dominican 08 Trip, God, Leadership, Missions, Religion with 32 Comments

Dear Pete,

I know this poverty is hard to see. Imagine how I must feel not only seeing it in that one location but seeing it across the world at all times. Imagine how I feel as I look down not on strangers but individuals I have created to reflect my glory that are living in such conditions. It’s heart breaking.

You ask why. I think you know why. If you dig deeper you will find that what you’re really asking is why aren’t you doing more. Why aren’t you using the influence I’ve given you to more effectively stomp out such poverty? Why aren’t you using your resources more generously to put a dent in this epidemic problem?

Pete, just be my hands and feet. Love as I have loved. Give as I have given. For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Duet 15:11)

In Kindness,

God

Dear God

July 21, 2008 in Church Planting, Cross Point Church, Dominican 08 Trip, God, Leadership, Missions, Religion with 34 Comments

Dear God,

After spending an afternoon in the Hole*, once again, I’m full of pain, confusions and tons of questions.

God, I just don’t get it. WHY?

Why are there so many kids that don’t have enough food to eat?

Why are families living in city dump and using trash to feed their kids and build their homes?

Why is their widespread incest and abuse here?

Why don’t you do something?

Why don’t you make this right?

Why?

your servant,

Pete

*The “hole” is a make shift community where hundreds of Dominican and Haitians live. The property was set aside as a city dump and place for sewage run off. It’s widespread with poverty, disease, and crime.

Living in 180 Square Feet

July 20, 2008 in Church Planting, Cross Point Church, Dominican 08 Trip, Leadership, Missions, Religion, Videos with 12 Comments

This week I’ve gotten several questions from you guys about how a typical Dominican family lives. Here’s a quick video that will give you an idea of what it’s like. Sorry for the rough camera work. I’m a pastor not a cameraman.

The Dominican House from Pete Wilson on Vimeo.

Dominican Night Life

July 19, 2008 in Dominican 08 Trip, Leadership, Missions, Religion, Videos with 11 Comments

As you might imagine, at night our group is tired. Very tired. The days our long, and hot, and very sweaty.

However, we still have a blast just hanging out. This trip we’ve spent some time at night just sitting around and making up songs. Thought you might want to check this out. Allow me to be the first to introduce this talent we’ve called “The Internationals”. This is like Menudo on steroids. You’ll notice our own Richard Hummel on guitar!

Dominican Night Life from Pete Wilson on Vimeo.

Will You Pray for Moise?

July 19, 2008 in Church Planting, Cross Point Church, Dominican 08 Trip, God, Leadership, Missions, Religion with 26 Comments

I talked to Moise today and asked him how we could pray for him. He said, “Pete, there are three thing for you to pray for.”

1) Pray for the church. Pray that we will continue to reach this community and that many Haitians will come to know Christ.

2) Pray for my desire to know God and study His Word.

3) Pray for a good wife (notice he says a good wife and not just a wife) :)

On a serious note, I know that Moise sometimes really battles with loneliness. Many of you know how lonely ministry can be, but imagine it as single man in a third world country.

So if you have a second go leave Moise a comment of encouragement or prayer and I’ll read them to him later this week.

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