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Tag Archive - Preston Taylor Ministries

Making A Difference

October 6, 2011 in Missions with 3 Comments

For years now at Cross Point we’ve loved partnering with a super special organization in Nashville called Preston Taylor Ministries. Preston Taylor kids attend after school programs at three different sites where they receive tutoring, learn about faith in Jesus, and grow relationships with each other and the amazing leaders that pour into them week after week.

Statistics are not good for these inner city kids. The chance that they’ll get involved in gangs, drug and alcohol abuse, crime, and a slew of other destructive lifestyles is pretty high.

For many of them, the focused attention of Preston Taylor volunteers on a consistent basis is the most positive influential presence they will have over the course of their childhood. Now that is powerful.

Many of you have heard me talk about my lunch buddy Ledarius. We’ve been having lunch for years now and I can honestly say it’s one of the best investments of my time that I could ever make. We don’t even like read the Bible or do anything particularly spiritual, we just hang out. But over time God has formed a special bond between us that I pray will only get stronger over the years.

I’d like to challenge you today. If you live in the Nashville area, would you step up and invest in the life a PTM child who desperately needs to believe he/she is valued, loved and destined for greatness?

We need about 10 more lunch buddies and several after school tutors and I believe we can fill these slots today with your help in spreading the word or answering the call.

If you’d like to start volunteering with PTM shoot Ryan Bult our missions pastor an email at Ryan@crosspoint.tv and he’ll make it happen. Can’t wait to see what God is going to do here!!

Discovering Purpose and Significance

September 25, 2009 in Missions with 9 Comments

I’ve got a feeling a lot of us wake up each morning longing for purpose and significance. We want to believe our life counts for something great.

I’ll let you in on a little secret. As much as I love my job and feel I’m getting to do exactly what God has called me to do I still often have that longing.

So, a couple years ago I joined the lunch buddy program through Preston Taylor Ministries. PTM is a wonderful inner city ministry that Cross Point partners with. Once a week I get the opportunity to meet with my lunch buddy Ladarius at the elementary school just down from the church. We talk about everything from the bad food, to football, to life. He gets a buddy and I get purpose.

If you’re in the Nashville area and you’re interested in adopting a lunch buddy we would love to talk to you. There are currently 15 kids who need a lunch buddy. Below are just 3 of the children waiting. For more information just email Ryan Bult, our director of missions at Cross Point at ryan@crosspoint.tv.

Time

December 9, 2008 in Missions with 9 Comments

I’ve always believed one of our most important resources is our time. When we give money… we know we can always make more. But when we give of our time… we’ll never get it back.

I’m hoping some of you in the Nashville area will prayerfully consider investing your time in the life of a child who desperately needs you in 2009.

Every week I give an hour of my time to serve as a lunch buddy to 7 year old Ladarius through Preston Taylor Ministries. I look forward to our time together each week (can’t wait for tomorrow at 11:50). Ladarius has truly been a blessing to my entire family.

When I’m visiting the school each week I’m always amazed at the number of Cross Point people I bump into who are also there eating with their lunch buddy. It truly gives me the feeling we are making a difference right here in our own community!

Below are four beautiful kids who are in need of a lunch buddy.

If you’re interested or have any questions please email me at pete@crosspoint.tv

Gone Fishin’

April 2, 2008 in Missions, Vision with 6 Comments

I heard a great story on Sunday about a couple of guys from Cross Point who set aside time from their busy weekends to invest in the life of some children. They took a group of kids from Preston Taylor Ministries fishing for the day. Preston Taylor Ministries is a ministry partner of Cross Point Church designed to minister to inner city kids. They are doing an amazing job and it’s a real joy to watch Cross Point partner with them.

Derek Murphy and Brian Slack I am so proud of you guys! You are living out the Cross Point vision to become radically devoted to Christ, irrevocably committed to one another and relentlessly dedicated to reaching the lost.

Tomorrow I will tell you how you can make a difference in the life of a child!

Change a Life!

February 7, 2008 in Missions with 0 Comments

I was so impressed with the number of you that showed interest last week in adopting a lunch buddy through the Preston Taylor Ministries. You have the opportunity to change their life, and I guarantee it will change yours. There are still several kids that really need an adult that will take the time to invest in their life. Let me introduce you to Demari and Atonio below. If you’re interested in joining this awesome program, just e-mail me at pete@crosspoint.tv .

Demari is eight years old and is a second grade student. He enjoys playing games and soccer and watching television. He told me that he “wants a lunch buddy so he’ll have someone to talk to.”

Antonio is seven years old and a second grader. His favorite color is red, and he likes football, basketball, and dirt bikes.

Matthew 10:42

“And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones becuase he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.”

You Can Make a Difference- Part 2

January 31, 2008 in Missions with 4 Comments

For those of you that are in the Nashville area here’s your chance! I told you a little bit about how the Preston Taylor Ministries Lunch Buddy program has affected me and my family (click here to read) . I want to encourage you to make a commitment to take 30-45 minutes out of your week to have lunch with one of the two kids below. I can’t think of a cooler way for you to “make a difference”. If you’re interested just e-mail me at pete@crosspoint.tv . I’ll get the ball rolling for you!

Amaya is six years-old and in first grade. Her favorite colors are pink and blue, and she likes grapes, apples, and chips. Amaya would like a lunch buddy “because nobody comes to eat lunch with her.”

Eric is six years-old and in first grade. His favorite colors are red and black, and he likes the Vanderbilt football team, trains, and toy cars.

You Can Make a Difference

January 24, 2008 in Cross Point Church, Missions, My Family with 0 Comments

Last fall our director of ministries here at Cross Point, Ryan Bult, approached me about being a “lunch buddy” for a kindergarten kid. This is a wonderful program that we particpate in through Preston Taylor Ministries here in West Nashville.

I reluctantly agreed. I will never forget how nervous I was to meet the six-year-old kid named Ladarious that I was being matched up with. What would we talk about? Would he like me? Do I have to stand in line with him at the cafeteria? Do I have to eat the food in the cafeteria?

I’ll tell you more about the relationship that Ladarious and I have formed in a future blog, but let me just say it has been a life-changing relationship. Once a week I meet Ladarious at his school for lunch to talk about life. He has become an important part of my life and family, and I can already tell in just a few short months that God is using our time together.

Now, I want to challenge you. Would you be willing to make a difference in the life of a kid? Each week, starting next week, I’m going to post a child who is involved with Preston Taylor Ministries and who still needs a lunch buddy. I’m hoping that over the course of this year, we can match up the remaining 20 or so kids with an adult that will take some time to invest in their life.

What do you think? Are you willing to make a difference?

Jett (my son) and Ladarious at Christmas…