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Your Days Are Numbered

May 12, 2010 in Friends, God with 59 Comments

Today is a tough day for me. I’m doing the funeral of my close friend and mentor Jimmy Holt.

About eight years ago I was facing a difficult time in my life as I believed ministry was over for me. I was planning on taking a job at a pharmaceutical company when Jimmy approached me about starting a new church in Nashville. Jimmy believed in me during a time when I couldn’t believe in myself.

The very first core group meeting we ever had to explore the possibilities of starting Cross Point was held at Jimmy’s home. He’s even responsible for the name of the church. I wanted to name in Cross Pointe (with an e). He told me that was a stupid idea because pointe (with an e) was actually a ballet move and I should call it Cross Point.

I don’t know if you have any friends who are a couple of generations older than you, but if you ever get the chance you should take advantage of such opportunities.

As a young leader there was (and still is) a certain wisdom I’m missing. A certain wisdom which can only be attained over years of experience. When our friendship started I was 27 and he was 75. Jimmy lent his wisdom to me over the past 8 years and I’ll be eternally grateful for his investment in my life.

Most of our friendship was spent playing golf together while he spoke into my life. We played dozens and dozens of rounds of golf covering 5 different states (I never beat him once despite the fact he couldn’t drive it over 150 yards).

Over the past 6 months as he was slowly dying the pain kept him from playing golf so I would go over to his house each Thursday and we would talk about leadership, family and our relationship with God.

He routinely reminded me even though I was young and felt like all of life was still before me I needed to remember that my days are numbered. We talked about Psalm 90:12 which says,

¹² Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.

He relentlessly reminded me…

forgive those who have hurt you

time goes by fast

don’t leave things unsaid

shortcuts don’t pay off

be grateful for this moment, it’s all you have

things don’t matter, people are all that count

Even in his final days he mentored me on how to not hold too tightly to this life.

Jimmy, you will be missed. Our church and my life will never be the same thanks to your generosity and leadership.

Do you have an older mentor/friend that pours into your life?

Measuring Growth

May 11, 2010 in Leadership, Spiritual Growth with 62 Comments

As Cross Point has grown I’ve had to listen to the uninformed critics often claim that “we’re a mile wide and an inch deep.” It’s always seemed funny to me that people automatically assume that a growing church must also be a church that is somehow watering down the Gospel.

I’m part of a small team here at Cross Point which is studying spiritual formation. We are more committed then ever before to helping people become radically devoted to Christ. We’re asking questions like…

-How do you measure spiritual growth?

-What practices do we need to encourage among our attendees to develop sustained spiritual growth?

-What expectations should the church have for people when it comes to them becoming more like Christ?

I’m discovering it’s a lot easier to measure attendance and offering than matters of the heart and that’s probably why we’re often tempted to measure our church’s success based on those two factors.

While we’ve got a long way to go and spiritual formation cannot be solely measured by our desire to serve our neighbors in need, it certainly can be a sign of health.

Most of you are familiar with the text in Matthew often referred to as the Great Commandment.

Matthew 22:³⁶“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” ³⁷Jesus replied: ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ ³⁸This is the first and greatest commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

I’ve been amazed at the national attention Cross Point has received for simply loving their neighbors over the past week. Our church has caught the eye of the local press, national talk shows, CNN, and I even heard Senator Lamar Alexander on the news thanking Cross Point on the Senate floor yesterday for our service to the community of Nashville.

I believe a church or any organization for that matter will see what it’s really made up of in moments of crisis and pressure. I’m very proud watching how Cross Point is responding in the middle of one of the greatest tragedies our city has ever faced.

If this is what a mile wide and an inch deep looks like, than you can call me shallow any day!

Besides serving what attitudes and actions do you think the church should be looking for when measuring spiritual growth?

Wet Work

May 8, 2010 in Cross Point Church, Missions with 11 Comments

I shot this video on my iphone while we were working yesterday in a flooded home. This will give you an idea of what most of our teams are facing day in and day out. Remember this was shot on day 5 of relief work.

Flooded House from Pete Wilson on Vimeo.

Today we’re blowing it out. Praying 2,000 volunteers come out to help us continue to bring hope to the hopeless. Let’s go Cross Point!

Light at the End of the Tunnel

May 7, 2010 in Cross Point Church, Missions with 43 Comments

Our teams spent another day (day 4) out amongst the flooded homes of Nashville ripping up carpet, cutting out drywall and helping clean up. We ran into a contractor who was actually charging $8,000 to do what one of our teams is doing for FREE in about two hours.

In another crazy set of circumstances I got to sit down with Anderson Cooper on the set of his show for a quick dinner over pizza as we talked about flooding, importance of volunteerism, social media, and life.

No! We did not coordinate our outfits.

Most profound statement he said to me came after I asked him, “How is it that you live in such crisis every day? You go from one painful event to the next and the next and the next.” He said. “Pete, when you’ve experienced as much pain as I have you actually become more comfortable being with people who are also in pain. At least they’re real. No masks.” Interesting. Might have to explore that further one day. He mentioned the Tennessee Flood Fund we started on his show last night and we’re praying it will generate some much needed financial assistance for those suffering major setbacks here in Nashville.

Love this short video Matt Singleton put together. It still gives me chills to think we were riding on a boat through the neighborhoods of Nashville.

Have I told you lately how proud I am of you Cross Point!! It’s amazing how you guys keep going. You’re kicking exhaustion and sleep depravity in the teeth and I love it. You’re making a difference. Keep it up. Today is our last weekday to be out in the streets and it all culminates Saturday with a MASSIVE serving Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m.

I’m praying for 2,000 volunteers to show up!! You won’t want to miss being part of the day that Cross Point rises up and impacts this city by loving on our neighbors. On Saturday you can either go to the Belleuvue campus or the Nashville campus. You choose. See you there at 9 a.m. For any help, or further directions, you can always go to crosspoint.tv for more information.

The 1,000 Year Flood?

May 6, 2010 in Missions, Videos with 21 Comments

They’re now calling this the 1,000 year flood. What does that mean to me?

It means we have a once in a thousand year opportunity to be hope to a hurting city.

Thanks to all of you who have been giving your time, money, and energy to this cause. You’re making a difference. Here’s a quick video update and a few new pictures. Go to crosspoint.tv for the latest pictures, news, and ways you can help.

Nashville Flood Update from Pete Wilson on Vimeo.

This Is How We Grow

May 5, 2010 in Spiritual Growth with 63 Comments

I always learn such incredible spiritual lessons from my kids. My 6 year-old, Gage, spent the afternoon yesterday with his Nonni planting tomato plants. I heard he prayed for each plant after putting it in the ground.

So I asked him, “Gage, why did you pray for the tomato plants?” He said, “Well, Dad, that’s how they grow.”

My son sees what I sometimes forget. Nothing happens apart from the power of God.

At the end of day 2 of flood relief I’m tired. Our team is tired. The constant adrenaline of being on the front lines of ministry can simply drain you. The more tired I get the more I start to question….

Have we taken on too much?

Do we have a clue what we’re doing?

How are we going to keep up this pace?

Can we really make a difference with all this devastation?

We’re now being told this is a one thousand year flood. This is quite possibly the biggest tragedy Cross Point, or Nashville for that matter, will face in our lifetime. God has positioned us and called us to be a bright light in the midst of the darkness.

As I drifted to sleep last night I was simply praying, “God empower us. God equips us. God fill us with your unfathomable grace, love and hope.”

Why?

Because this is how we grow. Nothing happens apart from the power of God.

How can we pray for you today?

Plan B Releases Today!

May 4, 2010 in Plan B with 29 Comments

Never in a million years did I think my new book Plan B would release nationally on the day we were in the middle of one of the biggest “Plan B’s” the city of Nashville has ever seen.

Doesn’t seem appropriate to really celebrate today but didn’t want the day to go by without thanking all of you for your love and support through this process. Thank you so much for the kind words, the notes, the twitters and the blog posts. They mean more to me then you’ll ever know!

One of our team members sent me this picture from inside one of the flooded homes they were in yesterday. Oh the irony!

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