I saw God in a prayerful sendoff

I saw God in safe passage to this land

I saw God in passing others on mission in airports

I saw God in learning about “Goats For God”

I saw God knowing that nothing can seperate us from His love through Christ

I saw God in the beauty of this mountain

I saw God in the beauty of the children’s faces

I saw God in the faces of those who received tracts

I saw God in His word

I saw God in the promise that Jesus is always with us

I saw God in the bountiful blessings of a farmers market

I saw God when we clothed the least of these

I saw God from Peru to Costa Rica

I saw God by faith

I saw God in the desperation of “Little Hell”

I saw God through the sacrifice of missing a meal

I saw God through a new missionary we met

I saw God through Isaiah 53

I saw God when the fog shrouds this mountain

I saw God in the crown of thorns my Savior wore

I saw God in the vast beauty of the mountains, valleys and beaches

I saw God in a good cup of coffee and conversation with a brother in Christ

I saw God in the laughter and tears

I saw God in the smiling faces of those who served us this week

I saw God through someone He is calling into the mission field

I saw God in the prayer and encouragement cards we received from Crosspoint

And I saw God through all of us who made this journey this week

Thank you, Jerry.

I am thankful the Lord arranged this opportunity for our family of faith. My prayer is that more and more CrossPointers will find a way to go on mission for JUSTONEMORE. Please remember to pray for this group between now and Thursday as they serve the Lord.

Tonight FBC had the privilege of having Dr. Jerry Rankin and his wife with us. It was a great time and my only regret is the number of people that showed up. We have two worship services every Sunday morning and had close to 500 people on our campus this morning and yet tonight we did not have enough people to fill up our sanctuary. That was disappointing, but I do thank God for those who came and I would imagine they would agree with me that if you chose not to be with us you missed a blessing.

In his sermon Dr. Rankin spoke of what God is doing worldwide in terms of the spread of the Gospel. He made an incredible statement about the house church movement in China. He said that two of the house church groups that we are working with are larger than the SBC! That means that there are at least two groups of Christians, out of a number of other house church movements, that have over 16 million people among their numbers.

After the service Tim Gold and I took the Rankins out to eat and Tim asked him about that statement. In the midst of talking to us about the house church movement and their commitment to the Gospel he shared that one of our missionaries was speaking to a group of leaders in the movement about when it would be appropriate to baptize a convert.

Our missionary shared that before you should baptize them you should ask three questions: 1) Do you believe that Jesus Christ is God, 2) Do you profess that Jesus is your personal savior, and 3) Do you commit your life to following Him. He said if they say yes to these three questions then you can baptize them.

The Chinese leaders said they needed to add a 4th question—4) If the government officials come to your home and take everything you have and kill your wife and children will you still follow Jesus? If they say yes to those four questions then you can baptize them.

I listened to him talk about what God is doing throughout our world and came away thinking we are such wimps. We won’t come to church if it is too cold, we won’t come if it is too rainy, we won’t share the Gospel because we might get laughed at, and we certainly won’t give if it will inconvenience our lifestyles.

God, help us me.

Indeed, God help us all.

First, Jesus commanded His followers to LOOK.

Speaking to His disciples soon after ministering to the woman at the well, Jesus said,

“My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. 35 Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.”

John 4:34-35

We must see the need of the world, more importantly, we must see the world the way Jesus sees it if we are going to take the Gospel to the world.

Next, Jesus commanded His followers to LOVE.

While washing His disciples’ feet, Jesus gave the following instruction:

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 13:33-35

Our love for God as expressed to one another should be what motivates us to take the Gospel to the world.

Finally, Jesus commanded His followers to MAKE DISCIPLES.

Jesus said to His followers:

18 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:18-20

As hard as it was for the President Emeritus of the IMB to admit it, he rightly asserted that “go” is not the command of the Great Commission. It is the expectation. The active, transitive imperative of the Great Commission is to “make disciples.” The other words “go”…“baptize”…“teach” are participles modifying the command to “make disciples”. We “go” in order to make disciples of the nations. To “make disciples” is the central command.

Dr. Rankin concluded his message by asking for penetrating questions from his text. The four questions are implied in this statement:

But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?

Question 1: What do you have? – But if anyone has the world’s goods…

The greatest possession any Christian has is salvation through Jesus Christ.

Question 2: What do you see? – …and sees his brother in need…

The greatest need anyone has is to be forgiven of their sins.

Question 3: What do you do? – …yet closes his heart against him…

We are called to open our hearts to others because of our love for God.

Question 4: How much do you love? – …how does God’s love abide in him?

CrossPoint has been growing in giving each year. Our past history proves this growth:

• 2005 – $41,060
• 2006 – $69,361
• 2007 – $90,329
• 2008 – $93,369
• 2009 – $90,159
• 2010 – $100,000+

We will not have the final amount for a few more days, but it looks like we could hit $102,000 after counting the many coins our children gave. With three weeks remaining in the month, we may move closer to $105,000.

Well done, CrossPoint. You are, indeed, one of God’s choice churches.

Additionally, several CrossPointers participated to support Matt Crosby, son of David and Kim Crosby, who are also faithful CrossPointers.  Matt is the young man I wrote about last June. He is a member of the CrossPoint Boy Scout Troop #845 who had the vision of building a playground for the Wylam Oaks neighborhood.  Matt completed his Eagle Project a few weeks ago, and was recognized by Habitat for his accomplishment during the dedication ceremony.

During Friday’s ceremony Habitat for Humanity International CEO Jonathan Reckford said that Habitat was the largest private homebuilder in the United States during the last fiscal year.  That is an amazing statistic.  He also noted that out of 1,500 Habitat chapters, Birmingham’s Habitat was ranked #6 last year.  With the completion of the Wylam Oaks neighborhood this year, Birmingham will probably move even closer to the #1 spot in 2010.

Regardless of what you think of President Carter’s politics, you have to admire his investment in Habitat for Humanity.  Reckford also said that Habitat has been building houses for 36 years, and that President Carter joined their efforts 27 years ago and that helped put Habitat on the map. The former president’s goal this year was to participate in the construction or repair of 86 houses during his annual week of work to commemorate his 86th birthday.  He completed that effort here in Birmingham.

The former president appeared to be a very gentle and humble man.  He has always seemed that way to me.  Additionally he seemed genuinely interested in the work of the Birmingham Habitat.  I noticed during the fish fry lunch he lead everyone around his table in a blessing before they ate their meal.  President Carter also appeared to be in good health to be 86 years of age.

Last Friday was a good day for Habitat for Humanity, President Carter, Charles Moore, and Matt Crosby.  It was also a good day for several CrossPointers to meet one of our past presidents. I admire him for his post-presidency work to help others.

For example, when asked how many of them knew how to tie rebar so we could pour a concrete slab, everyone in the group raised their hands.  Later that day I started my list of ways to know a child grew up at CrossPoint.  Here’s my list.

I would be curious to read your additions to this list.

In the last 14 days I have experienced some incredible opportunities for missions and ministry.  I am still trying to process all I learned in Costa Rica.  In the days to come I want to write about the lessons I learned.

Another great experience included working on the construction project for the First Baptist Church of Akron, Alabama yesterday.  Later that evening, I was involved in an incredible time worship and fellowship with the fine people of Akron.

The mayor of Akron presented CrossPoint a key to the city.  The people of First Baptist also presented CrossPoint a plaque recognizing our work.  Three of the mission construction volunteers gave a brief testimony as to how God used the week of service in their life.

Bill Parr, one of the testifiers and a faithful CrossPointer, knocked it out the park with his testimony.  He spoke of growing up in Selma in 1931 and how race relations had changed in his lifetime.  He made his point well when he concluded his testimony by saying, “We don’t BURN crosses, we RAISE crosses.”

What a man.  What a testimony.  What an opportunity.

#20 – Rice and beans, rice and beans, rice and beans, rice and beans, rice and beans, rice and beans with every meal

#19 – The smiling faces of the children living in abject poverty

#18 – Great weather in the middle of Costa Rica’s rainy season

#17 – Experiencing a 6.1 earthquake

#16 – Zip lining through the Cloud Forest

#15 – Surfing and swimming in the Pacific

#14 – Befriending Alberto who helped my team win the food scavenger hunt the first morning we were in Costa Rica

#13 – Buying Alberto a “Shrek”  DVD and a flavored shaved ice drink for leading us to victory

#12 – Goat racing championships at Mission Challenge

#11 – Sticking a goat in Ron Ethridge’s room late at night

#10 – Eating ice cream at Pops

#9 – Watching each person on our share team the gospel with so many people

#8 – Witnessing the worldview transformation of our team

#7 – Sharing the Gospel for the children of Infiernocita – “Little Hell”

#6 – Sharing the Gospel for the “river” children of Haco, Costa Rica

#5 – Listening to David Foster, my lifelong friend Ron Ethridge, and my son Taylor, preach the gospel with a translator

#4 – Serving with Don Roberta and Donya Janet and with Don Ken and Donya Katie

#3 – Enjoying sweet fellowship with my Heavenly Father each morning as I overlooked San Jose, Costa Rica

#2 – Meeting and befriending the greatest nobody in Costa Rica – Rebecca (aka “Blue”)

#1 – Seeing God glorified

Paul Tripp’s explanation of the influence of grace in a marriage from his book What Did You Expect is a keeper:

Grace gives your marriage a lifetime warranty.  What this means is that God will give you everything you need to be what you are supposed to be and do what he has called you to do in your marriage.  But you must do it.  His grace enables, reconciles, restores and repairs.  His grace teaches you and changes you.  His grace gives you what you need to ask forgiveness and to forgive.  His grace empowers you to overlook minor offenses and target what is truly important.  His grace helps you see yourself with greater and greater accuracy and respond to what you see with greater and greater wisdom.  His grace gives you strength to continue when you feel like quitting.  His grace gives you power to resist temptation and to turn and do what is right.  His grace rescues you from your obsession with self-love and welcomes you to the joyous work of loving another.  His grace enables you to be good and angry at the same time.  When grace works a commitment to God’s kingdom and righteousness in your heart, you will be  angry at what sin does to you, to those you love and to the situations in which you live, and that anger will motivate you to be a tool of change.  His grace causes you to be committed to giving grace.  His grace is a marriage warranty, because it gives what you need, but what you get is grace in motion (p. 235).

Please Pray our Costa Rica Mission Team

By the time today’s blog is posted I should be well on my way to Costa Rica with one of CrossPoint’s summer mission teams.  We will spend a week with Mission Challenge.  CrossPointers Ken & Katie Parsons are already there waiting on us to serve with them.  We will be involved in some construction efforts as well as sharing the gospel with many of the people in that area of Central America.

The people travelling with me include:

• Caleb & Leslie Davis
• Ron Ethridge
• Trey Ethridge
• Britton Ethridge
• David Foster
• Chris Metcalf
• Ben Parr
• Josh Phillips
• Brad & Patti Rosenow
• David Summerville
• Taylor Whitley

Thank you for praying for us.  And, yes, I will be posting blogs next week from some of my overflow study of the gospel of Luke.