I’m on my way back from India today but wanted to share an awesome video we did this past Sunday at Cross Point. We’re doing a two week series entitled “Imagine.” While this video is a little longer than what I would normally post, it gives you a better idea of the redemptive work God is doing here at CP right now. I’m so proud of this church community and the way God is using them.
And I’m so fired up to be back at Cross Point tomorrow to wrap up the second and final week of this series.
Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. -Andrew Carnegie
Earlier this week we took our annual all-staff retreat. This time away is key for our team. We work in a pretty intense environment at a very fast pace and it’s easy for us to drift relationally. Just a few years ago there were just a handful of us and staying on the same page seemed to come easy and almost natural. As the team grows it becomes more and more essential for us to get away and make sure our staff family is functioning in the way it should.
I absolutely love the team I get to work with each day. I’ve never seen a more gifted group of people assembled on one team. I’m very aware I get a lot more credit for things that happen around Cross Point than I should. There are so many people you’ll never see who work day in and day out to help create these life changing environments here at CP. They wholeheartedly want to help create a community radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to one another and relentlessly dedicated to reaching the lost.
I’m proud of each one of them!
Here’s a couple pics from our retreat…
If there is one gift I wish I had that I don’t, it would be the gift of encouragement. I think this is one of the most underrated gifts which exists in the body of Christ. And whether you have the gift or not I think we’re all called and commanded to lift one another up through encouragement.
I recently received this note from Pastor Tom one of my co-workers at Cross Point, .
Pete,
Just a note tonight before you turn in…in a “firehouse moment” this afternoon, you displayed incredible calm and maturity. Sometimes I think we learn more about ourselves under fire than in calmer moments. You proved your mettle, or even metal if you count steel, today. I was reminded once again of what a rare privilege, even a joy, it is to work for and with a mature lead pastor. Your ancestors, living and gone, would be proud of you. Thanks for being a pastor even in situations where you may not immediately feel like a pastor. Sleep under God’s grace. He used you today in several ways.
Colleague Tom
You have no idea how much that note meant to me after a particularly long day. He didn’t have to send it. It was a long stressful day for him as well. But he sat down and took the time to extend the gift of encouragement and in the process bring healing to my life.
One thing I’ve discovered is we all need healing. No matter how confident or put together we look, we all need healing. We have no idea what our co-workers, friends, family members, are going through. You never know how much pain the person in front of you in line at the grocery store is in.
And generally, you have no idea how a simple word of encouragement could bring healing to their life. God has designed our souls in such a way that a simple spoken or written word can either do tremendous devastation or an outstanding amount of good to another individual.
Here’s a verse that’s really convicting me lately…
Ephesians 4:29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Are you living that out? Who do you need to build up today with your encouragement? Has anyone given you the gift of encouragement lately in a time when you particularly needed it?
Thursday night of this week we had our staff/board/elder Christmas party. This is a time for us to gather at the church with our spouses and just celebrate what God has done in the past year.
There are no words to express how thankful I am for this group of people. They give a tremendous amount of time, energy, and giftedness to Cross Point every year. And not only do the individuals who serve directly on staff/board/elders, but also their spouses.
As tradition we play “Dirty Santa” (aka. white elephant). I love this game. There are always a few gifts which really stand out. My favorites this year were the apron you see a very proud Brian Dishon wearing below as well as the “Jarrod” calendar which Ricky Cook (our new pastor of spiritual transformation) walked away with.
I’m wondering, what is your favorite Dirty Santa gift you’ve ever seen or received?
Aren’t you getting tired of the cloud of negativity which seems to be hovering over our culture today? I know the economy could be stronger. Your job probably isn’t perfect. Your marriage may need some work. Your stress level is too high. Your church has possibly seen better days.
But let’s be honest. We still have a lot to be thankful for.
Colossians 3:15 reminds us “Let the peace that Christ gives control your thinking, because you were all called together in one body to have peace. Always be thankful.” (ncv)
So this Thanksgiving I’m…
thankful for my wife.
thankful for my 3 beautiful kids.
thankful for a God who loves me even when I royally screw things up.
thankful to serve on staff with a group of people who are committed to furthering God’s Kingdom.
thankful for a church family who believes everyone’s welcome, nobody’s perfect, and anything’s possible.
thankful for a blog community like YOU GUYS!
Thank you for your friendship, your love, and your honesty. Even though I have not personally met many of you, you encourage me daily to want to be the man God intended when he thought me into existence.
I hope each of you has a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families.
The special holiday “all-skate” question is: What are you thankful for? Come on, it’s Thanksgiving. Jump in and tell us.
Subscribe to Without Wax in a reader
or
Tonight was the kick-off to Cross Point’s “Collidescope”. Collidescope is our ramped up, steroid-looking version of VBS.
If you have a child in Kindergarten thru Fifth grade then bring them by from 9-12 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. If you haven’t registered, it’s not to late. You can register your child in The Garage at our Nashville campus. For more information or to register, contact Wendy Pickering at wendy@crosspoint.tv.
I’m very proud of Pat Rowland, our pastor of family ministries, and his entire team for putting this first class event together. Can’t wait to see the campus crawling with kids for the next few days.
Here are a few pics from tonight’s kick-off event!
If everything happened as planned, by the time you read this, I will be in the air and on my way to the Dominican Republic. I get the opportunity to spend the next 7 days with a group from Cross Point as we continue to build the church/feeding center we sponsor.
You can track us as there will be several of us blogging live throughout the trip. CLICK on the image below to visit the blog and feel free to copy and paste the images available on the site to help us get the word out.
As I pack my final things tonight, I find myself very thankful.
Thankful for a beautiful family that means the world to me.
Thanks for a church that is passionate about serving those in third world countries.
Thankful for an amazing staff. I’ll be gone for 8 days and our church will not miss one beat. Jenni Catron, who leads the day to day operations of the church does an amazing job along with the rest of the team. I’m honored and humbled to get to serve with each one of them!
