Friday, December 4, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Be The Church
Hello all,
Do you ever wonder sometimes what is going on at other Christian churches, what they are teaching about, how they communicate within their congregation, what outreaches they have/support, what their vision statement is, etc.? If you do, then you are like most church leaders today that are always looking to keep up with the times and keeping a relevant ministry. There is nothing wrong with this, actually I myself am always looking to see what else is happening in other churches across the U.S. and the world. I like to think of this as having a world view of Christianity and a heart to be aware of what God's will is for His church worldwide.
So I had a thought that came to me the other day while I was sitting through a worship service at another area church. Their theme was about serving the poor, needy, fatherless, weak, widows, orphans, which is much like what the heart of our church has been focused on lately. Is God trying to tell us something that is greater than what is within our four walls at our local church?
Hillsong Church in Sydney, Austrialia is one of the churches that is at the forefront of a "Social Justice" revolution that I believe is sweeping the world. I believe that believers all over the globe are starting to think less about themselves and more about how they can be God's hands and feet to their communities and world. Does it seem that there has been a lack of service to our community in recent years? What is the world thinking about Christ, through the actions of His followers that profess that we are living "Christ-like" lives? Why do non-Christian based organizations serve God's creation more than the churches?
Now, I am not trying to be harsh, or a finger pointer, as these are just merely thoughts that have flowed through my head lately. These are things that I have pondered, and examined in my life. Maybe some of you have had some of these same thoughts, maybe some of you have not, but, I know that there is a reality of what people think about Christians based upon our works and life decisions. Ideally, I would hope they come to realize that Christians are not physically Jesus Christ, and I would pray that they would have a desire to dig deep into a growing relationship with getting to know who Christ is, and not about His followers downfalls.
So what is next? What are you doing to change/examine your life in the area of service, tithing, or giving? How can you encourage others to get involved? What can CrossPointe do better to serve our communities needs in NWA? Please if you have ideas, express them to me or to our pastors, or outreach team.
Check out Isaiah 58 this week. I hope you find motivation/encouragement in verse 10 as I have when reading through this passage this week.
Have a blessed day,
In Him,
Mark
Do you ever wonder sometimes what is going on at other Christian churches, what they are teaching about, how they communicate within their congregation, what outreaches they have/support, what their vision statement is, etc.? If you do, then you are like most church leaders today that are always looking to keep up with the times and keeping a relevant ministry. There is nothing wrong with this, actually I myself am always looking to see what else is happening in other churches across the U.S. and the world. I like to think of this as having a world view of Christianity and a heart to be aware of what God's will is for His church worldwide.
So I had a thought that came to me the other day while I was sitting through a worship service at another area church. Their theme was about serving the poor, needy, fatherless, weak, widows, orphans, which is much like what the heart of our church has been focused on lately. Is God trying to tell us something that is greater than what is within our four walls at our local church?
Hillsong Church in Sydney, Austrialia is one of the churches that is at the forefront of a "Social Justice" revolution that I believe is sweeping the world. I believe that believers all over the globe are starting to think less about themselves and more about how they can be God's hands and feet to their communities and world. Does it seem that there has been a lack of service to our community in recent years? What is the world thinking about Christ, through the actions of His followers that profess that we are living "Christ-like" lives? Why do non-Christian based organizations serve God's creation more than the churches?
Now, I am not trying to be harsh, or a finger pointer, as these are just merely thoughts that have flowed through my head lately. These are things that I have pondered, and examined in my life. Maybe some of you have had some of these same thoughts, maybe some of you have not, but, I know that there is a reality of what people think about Christians based upon our works and life decisions. Ideally, I would hope they come to realize that Christians are not physically Jesus Christ, and I would pray that they would have a desire to dig deep into a growing relationship with getting to know who Christ is, and not about His followers downfalls.
So what is next? What are you doing to change/examine your life in the area of service, tithing, or giving? How can you encourage others to get involved? What can CrossPointe do better to serve our communities needs in NWA? Please if you have ideas, express them to me or to our pastors, or outreach team.
Check out Isaiah 58 this week. I hope you find motivation/encouragement in verse 10 as I have when reading through this passage this week.
Have a blessed day,
In Him,
Mark
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Filled with His peace
I ran across this devotional today, and thought I would share. How motivating is this?
"NO ONE EVER HAS SEEN GOD; BUT IF WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, GOD LIVES IN US, AND HIS LOVE IS MADE COMPLETE IN US. WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN HIM, AND HE IN US, BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN US OF HIS SPIRIT." 1 JOHN 4:12-13 *NIV
When we open our hearts and invite God into our lives, a wonderful thing begins to happen! The Apostle Paul stated it this way: "THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW HAS COME!" 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
As many of you know, this is when we become the person that God intended us to be. It is also when we become filled with THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING". PHILIPPIANS 4:7
"JUST AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS AS LORD, CONTINUE TO LIVE IN HIM, ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM, STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH AS YOU WERE TAUGHT, AND OVERFLOWING IN THANKFULNESS." COLOSSIANS" 2:
Now my brother & friend, may THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT. Amen.
Also, check out this upcoming release from Hillsong. I believe God is doing huge things in the hearts of His people to serve outside of the church walls. Will you join in? Go to this site and view the trailer of this upcoming film release: www.theiheartfilm.com/.
May God bless each of you this week!
In Him,
Mark
"NO ONE EVER HAS SEEN GOD; BUT IF WE LOVE ONE ANOTHER, GOD LIVES IN US, AND HIS LOVE IS MADE COMPLETE IN US. WE KNOW THAT WE LIVE IN HIM, AND HE IN US, BECAUSE HE HAS GIVEN US OF HIS SPIRIT." 1 JOHN 4:12-13 *NIV
When we open our hearts and invite God into our lives, a wonderful thing begins to happen! The Apostle Paul stated it this way: "THEREFORE, IF ANYONE IS IN CHRIST, HE IS A NEW CREATION; THE OLD HAS GONE, THE NEW HAS COME!" 2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
As many of you know, this is when we become the person that God intended us to be. It is also when we become filled with THE PEACE OF GOD, WHICH TRANSCENDS ALL UNDERSTANDING". PHILIPPIANS 4:7
"JUST AS YOU RECEIVED CHRIST JESUS AS LORD, CONTINUE TO LIVE IN HIM, ROOTED AND BUILT UP IN HIM, STRENGTHENED IN THE FAITH AS YOU WERE TAUGHT, AND OVERFLOWING IN THANKFULNESS." COLOSSIANS" 2:
Now my brother & friend, may THE GRACE OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST BE WITH YOUR SPIRIT. Amen.
Also, check out this upcoming release from Hillsong. I believe God is doing huge things in the hearts of His people to serve outside of the church walls. Will you join in? Go to this site and view the trailer of this upcoming film release: www.theiheartfilm.com/.
May God bless each of you this week!
In Him,
Mark
Monday, October 26, 2009
nuChristian
Hello all, I hope you are having a great week so far, and that you are worshipping the Lord daily.
Recently, I have been reading the book titled, "unChristian", by David Kenniman. This book has had impactful dialog and facts about how the image of Christianity has been tarnished by the actions of proclaimed born-again believers.
Primarily the younger generations coming up in the church are viewing things from a different standpoint as the generations preceding them. The younger generations are looking at how the generations before them have responded to issues such as homosexuality, hypocrisy, and judgemental behaviors that are not characteristics of what Christ taught. The book goes on to say that it is hard for some people to even find interest into a religion such as Christianity, in which it's followers cannot follow it's rules. OUCH!
Judson Press has since sent me a pre-released copy of a book entitled, "nuChristian". This book will be hitting the stores soon, and I would encourage you to pick it up. I have found this book to be such a great and easy read, and motivating. "nuChristian" is a book written as a follow up to the facts and analysis presented by the Barna Group in the book "unChristian". It is full of great stories by the author of practical examples and how they have been handled within his home church. These examples touch on the main areas of focus in the book "unChristian".
I am praying for you this week. May you remember that the love of our Father never fails, make Him the center of your lives.
Also pray for our church, that we would be come a church that has "no walls", that we would all come together to have a diliberate impact on our community by reaching out where the needs are. I have recently connected to the words of the song "Follow You" by Leeland, that James Jordan introduced me to. Take a listen this week if you can.
In His Grip,
Mark
Recently, I have been reading the book titled, "unChristian", by David Kenniman. This book has had impactful dialog and facts about how the image of Christianity has been tarnished by the actions of proclaimed born-again believers.
Primarily the younger generations coming up in the church are viewing things from a different standpoint as the generations preceding them. The younger generations are looking at how the generations before them have responded to issues such as homosexuality, hypocrisy, and judgemental behaviors that are not characteristics of what Christ taught. The book goes on to say that it is hard for some people to even find interest into a religion such as Christianity, in which it's followers cannot follow it's rules. OUCH!
Judson Press has since sent me a pre-released copy of a book entitled, "nuChristian". This book will be hitting the stores soon, and I would encourage you to pick it up. I have found this book to be such a great and easy read, and motivating. "nuChristian" is a book written as a follow up to the facts and analysis presented by the Barna Group in the book "unChristian". It is full of great stories by the author of practical examples and how they have been handled within his home church. These examples touch on the main areas of focus in the book "unChristian".
I am praying for you this week. May you remember that the love of our Father never fails, make Him the center of your lives.
Also pray for our church, that we would be come a church that has "no walls", that we would all come together to have a diliberate impact on our community by reaching out where the needs are. I have recently connected to the words of the song "Follow You" by Leeland, that James Jordan introduced me to. Take a listen this week if you can.
In His Grip,
Mark
Monday, October 12, 2009
Colossians 3
Hello and sorry it has taken me so long to update my blogsite! Though I have not been writing on this site, the Lord has been working and teaching me things over the last week.
I have been spending a lot of time in the book of Colossians over the last few days and have come upon a great chapter that I would love to share with you. After reading through this chapter I had to re-read it because it left me examining the way I live for Christ. Let the God-breathed words of this passage, not only correct your heart, but encourage it to live stronger more passionately for the Lord.
Colossians 3:
Rules for Holy Living
1)Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3)For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4)When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6) Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7) You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8) But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9) Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10) and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11) Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Rules for Christian Households
18) Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19) Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20) Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21) Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25) Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Things to ponder this week:
1) What is God doing in your life currently? How often do you think about this? Are you aware of His blessings?
2) What things mentioned above are you struggling with? Have you asked God to help you rid these from your life?
3) Think about the last time you asked someone what God was teaching them. How did they respond? Were they eager to share, or defensive?
4) Take a moment this week to pray for someone's specific need. For example "Father please keep {name} safe as they work for you in Turkey, may you use them to show your love,that others may come to know you and be saved."
May God bless you this week as you continue to work for His glory!
In His Grip,
Mark
I have been spending a lot of time in the book of Colossians over the last few days and have come upon a great chapter that I would love to share with you. After reading through this chapter I had to re-read it because it left me examining the way I live for Christ. Let the God-breathed words of this passage, not only correct your heart, but encourage it to live stronger more passionately for the Lord.
Colossians 3:
Rules for Holy Living
1)Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2) Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3)For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4)When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
5) Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6) Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. 7) You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8) But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9) Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10) and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11) Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.
12) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13) Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14) And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
15) Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Rules for Christian Households
18) Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
19) Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.
20) Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
21) Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
22) Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. 23) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, 24) since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 25) Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is no favoritism.
Things to ponder this week:
1) What is God doing in your life currently? How often do you think about this? Are you aware of His blessings?
2) What things mentioned above are you struggling with? Have you asked God to help you rid these from your life?
3) Think about the last time you asked someone what God was teaching them. How did they respond? Were they eager to share, or defensive?
4) Take a moment this week to pray for someone's specific need. For example "Father please keep {name} safe as they work for you in Turkey, may you use them to show your love,that others may come to know you and be saved."
May God bless you this week as you continue to work for His glory!
In His Grip,
Mark
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Encouragement
Hello all,
Well hopefully your week is of to a great start as we get ready to roll over hump day tomorrow.
Today I was reading and came across a great verse, and I just wanted to remind you all of how much Christ loves you. Check this out:
1 John 3:16:
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
I found it intriguing how the Bible's most well known verse is typically John 3:16 out of the Gospel of John and this one is "1st" John 3:16.
Keep your eyes upon Him this week!
In His Love,
Mark
Well hopefully your week is of to a great start as we get ready to roll over hump day tomorrow.
Today I was reading and came across a great verse, and I just wanted to remind you all of how much Christ loves you. Check this out:
1 John 3:16:
"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
I found it intriguing how the Bible's most well known verse is typically John 3:16 out of the Gospel of John and this one is "1st" John 3:16.
Keep your eyes upon Him this week!
In His Love,
Mark
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Gracia Burnham
Hey everyone, hope you all are having a great week so far.
I just wanted to take a quick moment to remind everyone of this Sunday's service at Har-Ber High School's Auditorium. Service starts at 10am and will end around 11:30. In this service you will have the opportunity to listen to the heart of a missionary, Gracia Burnham, who lost her husband while serving the Lord in the Philippines. We will have a great time of worship as well and we hope you all can join us. For more of Gracia's story, click on her name (the title of my post) and it will take you to an online article. Or check out our website @ www.crosspointenwa.com.
On the music front, some of you have inquired about where I find the songs that we sing on Sunday's. So I wanted to share with you what is loaded up in my iPod currently. I have ranked these by the number of times I have listened (courtesy of iPod). This doesn't mean that we will necessarily be doing these on Sunday's but it will give you a good idea of what ministries I find my inspiration from.
Top 20
1) Surrender - by Planetshakers -- this is a song we will be singing this Sunday.
2) Awaken my Heart - by Steven Miller -- worshipped with this one last Sunday.
3) Your Love Never Fails - Chris Quilala -- coming in November
4) Lay 'Em Down - by Needtobreathe
5) Come Holy Spirit - by Planetshakers
6) Glorified - by Jared Anderson (New Life Worship)
7) The Lord Reigns - Christ for the Nations
8) When I Pray - Darrell Evans
9) It's Your Life - Franchesca Battistelli -- very motivating!
10) Solid Rock - New Life Worship
11) Divine Romance - Phil Wickham - beautiful love song to Jesus!
12) Today is the Day - Lincoln Brewster
13) Bless His Name - Jeremy Riddle - moving up fast on my playlist.
14) The New Song We Sing - Meredith Andrews
15) Hallelujah, Jesus - Monk and Neagle
16) None Greater Than You - Salvador
17) Our Great God - Todd Agnew
18) Give it All Away - Aaron Shust
19) Arms Open Wide - Hillsong United
20) Hallelujah - Seven Stories Up
Some of my favorite worship bands/leaders out right now:
1) Michael Gungor - great guitar player/writer..
2) Steven Miller-- read his devotionals with his songs.. great stuff. http://www.stephen-miller.com/songs.php
3) New Life Worship (Ross Parsley, Glenn Packiam, Jon Egan, Jared Anderson)
4) Hillsong (Brooke Fraser, Joel Houston, Marty Samson, Ruben Morgan)
5) Planetshakers
6) Kari Jobe - first sang Revelation Song.
7) Chris Tomlin - a staple.
8) Jeremy Riddle - great up and comer.
9) Gateway Worship
10) Lincoln Brewster
Check these guys out if you get a chance. I hope you find encouragement knowing that they are serving our Lord with us in the world through their ministries.
Can't wait for Sunday.. Can't wait to see everyone together.. Come ready to lay it all down and lift up Christ.
In His Grip,
Mark
I just wanted to take a quick moment to remind everyone of this Sunday's service at Har-Ber High School's Auditorium. Service starts at 10am and will end around 11:30. In this service you will have the opportunity to listen to the heart of a missionary, Gracia Burnham, who lost her husband while serving the Lord in the Philippines. We will have a great time of worship as well and we hope you all can join us. For more of Gracia's story, click on her name (the title of my post) and it will take you to an online article. Or check out our website @ www.crosspointenwa.com.
On the music front, some of you have inquired about where I find the songs that we sing on Sunday's. So I wanted to share with you what is loaded up in my iPod currently. I have ranked these by the number of times I have listened (courtesy of iPod). This doesn't mean that we will necessarily be doing these on Sunday's but it will give you a good idea of what ministries I find my inspiration from.
Top 20
1) Surrender - by Planetshakers -- this is a song we will be singing this Sunday.
2) Awaken my Heart - by Steven Miller -- worshipped with this one last Sunday.
3) Your Love Never Fails - Chris Quilala -- coming in November
4) Lay 'Em Down - by Needtobreathe
5) Come Holy Spirit - by Planetshakers
6) Glorified - by Jared Anderson (New Life Worship)
7) The Lord Reigns - Christ for the Nations
8) When I Pray - Darrell Evans
9) It's Your Life - Franchesca Battistelli -- very motivating!
10) Solid Rock - New Life Worship
11) Divine Romance - Phil Wickham - beautiful love song to Jesus!
12) Today is the Day - Lincoln Brewster
13) Bless His Name - Jeremy Riddle - moving up fast on my playlist.
14) The New Song We Sing - Meredith Andrews
15) Hallelujah, Jesus - Monk and Neagle
16) None Greater Than You - Salvador
17) Our Great God - Todd Agnew
18) Give it All Away - Aaron Shust
19) Arms Open Wide - Hillsong United
20) Hallelujah - Seven Stories Up
Some of my favorite worship bands/leaders out right now:
1) Michael Gungor - great guitar player/writer..
2) Steven Miller-- read his devotionals with his songs.. great stuff. http://www.stephen-miller.com/songs.php
3) New Life Worship (Ross Parsley, Glenn Packiam, Jon Egan, Jared Anderson)
4) Hillsong (Brooke Fraser, Joel Houston, Marty Samson, Ruben Morgan)
5) Planetshakers
6) Kari Jobe - first sang Revelation Song.
7) Chris Tomlin - a staple.
8) Jeremy Riddle - great up and comer.
9) Gateway Worship
10) Lincoln Brewster
Check these guys out if you get a chance. I hope you find encouragement knowing that they are serving our Lord with us in the world through their ministries.
Can't wait for Sunday.. Can't wait to see everyone together.. Come ready to lay it all down and lift up Christ.
In His Grip,
Mark
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
UnChristian
Hey everyone! We are safely back from the mountains and ready to get back to work for the Lord. What a much needed break to reset. Thanks for your prayers for our trip, we actually felt them. God did amazing things and it was evident that he was with us every step of the way.
I have been reading a book entitled, "unChristian", it is by David Kenniman. This book has been a BIG reality check for me. Though I have yet to finish it, I can already sense God talking to me through it. You can get a copy of this book in our resource center, or purchase it online out on www.amazon.com. I highly recommend it.
This week is a big music week for me. We rehearsed last night for Friday nights 10/40 window worship service. I am really excited to see God proclaimed in that room on Friday night. We go on at 8:00pm, so please come out for a great night of worship of our Lord. Please also keep the 10/40 window in your prayers. 3% of the population in this part of the world are Christ followers, and they need our prayer support to continue to live for Him.
Tonight is rehearsal for Sunday, I have come upon a new favorite worship song out right now. It is entitled, "Awaken My Heart" by Stephen Miller. Download it off of iTunes this week, it is a beautiful song. We will be teaching you this song this weekend and just as the song says, this is my prayer this week for myself and believers across the world. That God would awaken our hearts, so there is no turning back from Him. Please if you think about it, pray that with me this week and as we come together on Sunday.
God is doing big things in the community. With the 10/40 worship service, Fellowship Bible's "Draw Near" groups starting up at the end of this month, and the excitement I have seen in serveral people recently to lay it down for Christ.
Have a blessed week! I will see you all on Sunday.
In Him,
Mark
I have been reading a book entitled, "unChristian", it is by David Kenniman. This book has been a BIG reality check for me. Though I have yet to finish it, I can already sense God talking to me through it. You can get a copy of this book in our resource center, or purchase it online out on www.amazon.com. I highly recommend it.
This week is a big music week for me. We rehearsed last night for Friday nights 10/40 window worship service. I am really excited to see God proclaimed in that room on Friday night. We go on at 8:00pm, so please come out for a great night of worship of our Lord. Please also keep the 10/40 window in your prayers. 3% of the population in this part of the world are Christ followers, and they need our prayer support to continue to live for Him.
Tonight is rehearsal for Sunday, I have come upon a new favorite worship song out right now. It is entitled, "Awaken My Heart" by Stephen Miller. Download it off of iTunes this week, it is a beautiful song. We will be teaching you this song this weekend and just as the song says, this is my prayer this week for myself and believers across the world. That God would awaken our hearts, so there is no turning back from Him. Please if you think about it, pray that with me this week and as we come together on Sunday.
God is doing big things in the community. With the 10/40 worship service, Fellowship Bible's "Draw Near" groups starting up at the end of this month, and the excitement I have seen in serveral people recently to lay it down for Christ.
Have a blessed week! I will see you all on Sunday.
In Him,
Mark
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Worship
Hello all. I am writing you this on the wake of our flight out to Glacier National Park. Please be in prayer for traveling mercies to be bestowed upon Jeff Keller and myself this week. We will be praying for your experience with God in worship this week and next as well.
As we are about to embark on this adventure, I find myself excited to be in a physical environment that will be different than what I have in my everyday life. To be removed from the rat race, and placed into the frontlines of God's creation in it's rawest form. I find myself worshipping God in nature, just as I do in song, and service to Him. What about you, what elements do you find aid in your focus and passion for worship? Song, visual media, nature, helping poor and needy people, reading the Word, etc.. what is it that really connects you to God? Please share, I love to hear about how God is working in the lives of His people.
I love the book of Thessalonians 1. Today I read this passage and envisioned our church looking upon each other in this way:
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Have a blessed week everyone, and I will be praying for your hearts this week. Be strong in the Lord!
Don't forget to come out to the worship concert at CLC on Friday night September 11 at 8pm. Be praying for the 10/40 window. Especially Inda right now. There is a crusade to kill Christians starting, there is a group that has the desire to remove the Christian church from the Indian culture totally. More on this to come.
In Him,
Mark
As we are about to embark on this adventure, I find myself excited to be in a physical environment that will be different than what I have in my everyday life. To be removed from the rat race, and placed into the frontlines of God's creation in it's rawest form. I find myself worshipping God in nature, just as I do in song, and service to Him. What about you, what elements do you find aid in your focus and passion for worship? Song, visual media, nature, helping poor and needy people, reading the Word, etc.. what is it that really connects you to God? Please share, I love to hear about how God is working in the lives of His people.
I love the book of Thessalonians 1. Today I read this passage and envisioned our church looking upon each other in this way:
1 Thessalonians 1:2-3
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Have a blessed week everyone, and I will be praying for your hearts this week. Be strong in the Lord!
Don't forget to come out to the worship concert at CLC on Friday night September 11 at 8pm. Be praying for the 10/40 window. Especially Inda right now. There is a crusade to kill Christians starting, there is a group that has the desire to remove the Christian church from the Indian culture totally. More on this to come.
In Him,
Mark
Monday, August 10, 2009
Upcoming Event
Hello everybody,
I just wanted to pass along a special event that your Cross Pointe Worship Team has been invited to that will take place on September 11, 2009 at 8pm @ The Christian Life Cathedral in Fayeteville, AR. Our team has been invited to help lead a night of worship and prayer focused on missionaries and for the residents of the 10/40 window.
In case you are unfamiliar with the 10/40 window, you can check it out on the web at: http://1040window.org/what_is.htm.
This will be primarily a college event for students, we would like to ask for your prayers for this ministry opportunity starting now in advance. That God would prepare us as a team, prepare our hearts and the hearts of those in attendance, and that he would bless our missionaries to reach out to the folks in the 10/40 window that they would come to know Jesus personally.
I will keep you updated on this event in the upcoming weeks.
In other upcoming events, Jeff Keller (our Media/Sound director) and myself will be heading to Glacier National Park to backpack the backcountry and so we will be gone the weekends of August 30th and September 6th. I have been blessed to have such a great team with individuals willing to step in to lead worship these weekends.
August 30th - Keith Marinus will be filling in and leading.
September 6th - Rebecca Mullikin will be leading.
They are both excited about having this opportunity to lead you in worship. Make sure you appreciate them for their service.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support! I am praying for your week.
In Him,
Mark
I just wanted to pass along a special event that your Cross Pointe Worship Team has been invited to that will take place on September 11, 2009 at 8pm @ The Christian Life Cathedral in Fayeteville, AR. Our team has been invited to help lead a night of worship and prayer focused on missionaries and for the residents of the 10/40 window.
In case you are unfamiliar with the 10/40 window, you can check it out on the web at: http://1040window.org/what_is.htm.
This will be primarily a college event for students, we would like to ask for your prayers for this ministry opportunity starting now in advance. That God would prepare us as a team, prepare our hearts and the hearts of those in attendance, and that he would bless our missionaries to reach out to the folks in the 10/40 window that they would come to know Jesus personally.
I will keep you updated on this event in the upcoming weeks.
In other upcoming events, Jeff Keller (our Media/Sound director) and myself will be heading to Glacier National Park to backpack the backcountry and so we will be gone the weekends of August 30th and September 6th. I have been blessed to have such a great team with individuals willing to step in to lead worship these weekends.
August 30th - Keith Marinus will be filling in and leading.
September 6th - Rebecca Mullikin will be leading.
They are both excited about having this opportunity to lead you in worship. Make sure you appreciate them for their service.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support! I am praying for your week.
In Him,
Mark
Monday, August 3, 2009
Texting and Cell Usage
So this morning I had a thought as I looked down at my iPhone. The image of folks bowing their heads in a worship service has always been a sign of reflection, prayer, and worship. But it seems these days that individuals could be bowing their heads texting, surfing the web, or taking electronic notes with their cell phone. I am sure there are a lot of opinions on the use of cell phones in a worship service, as we have all been able to observe the glares when someone leaves their ringtone on accidentally and it goes off durning the sermon. But what if in the future there was a way to incorporate cell phones, twitter, texting, etc. into a worship service?
For example, what if on the screen during a service people are enouraged to send "tweets" to @crosspointenwa with their personal reflections or prayer requests? Or what if during a new song that the praise team is implementing, the congregation could "text" a vote if they connected to it or not?
These may be random thoughts, but the church must stay up with the technology of today and find ways to use these as another avenue to reach people "where they are" and minister to them.
I do think it is important to not make the use of technology an 'idol' in our lives, but that it would be used in a (I Corinthians 10:31) context.
What do you guys think of these ideas? What do you think of the church in general staying up with technology to use for new ministry opportunities? Please feel free to "share your thoughts" below.
Have a blessed week!
In Him,
Mark
For example, what if on the screen during a service people are enouraged to send "tweets" to @crosspointenwa with their personal reflections or prayer requests? Or what if during a new song that the praise team is implementing, the congregation could "text" a vote if they connected to it or not?
These may be random thoughts, but the church must stay up with the technology of today and find ways to use these as another avenue to reach people "where they are" and minister to them.
I do think it is important to not make the use of technology an 'idol' in our lives, but that it would be used in a (I Corinthians 10:31) context.
What do you guys think of these ideas? What do you think of the church in general staying up with technology to use for new ministry opportunities? Please feel free to "share your thoughts" below.
Have a blessed week!
In Him,
Mark
Monday, July 27, 2009
All Things New
Hello to all! What another great weekend of worship and fellowship at Cross Pointe.
First I want to start off by saying, "thank you" for what all of you give to support Cross Pointe. Without your support I would not have been able to attend "The National Worship Leader Conference" in Leawood, KS. last week. I was truly blessed and taught through that expereince.
With that, God has had me focused on a passage that I read in a daily quiet time I had with Him last week. Let me share with you:
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
I have always loved the teachings of Paul. What a great testimony that he shares with us so often in the Word. For some of us we feel a deep connection to Paul because we may have a similar testimony as he does. I know for myself, before I was saved by Christ, I was not very fond of the church. I really didn't have much time for it, mainly because of the "Christians" I had met were not much different than me. I remember one time I was at a party in high school, and there were a couple of my peers who had previously tried to get me to go to church with them drinking uncontrollably and were not of sober judgement. I honestly at one time thought that maybe Christianity was 'for me' because if they could act like that, then that was a pretty awesome religion. Well, I was obviously confused at the time. A few years later after I was out of high school, I found myself in a ring of people who called themselves "Christians" as well. These people were different. Yes we are all sinners and this group was not perfect, but they were people who really seemed to care about me. A genuineness that I had not experienced with the group I hung around with in high school. It was through this new group that I found myself asking for God to forgive me of all the stupid things I had done in my life. I found myself seeking a personal relationship with Christ and asking that He would make me different than the world.
In this verse, I am reminded that we do not labor for things of this world. That our ethic of running the Christian life is based upon strict training and discipline. When I became a born again Christian I had to remove things from my life that were detaining my spiritual growth and my ability to run closer to God. Recently God has had me refocused on this. I really feel as though if we as Christ's church would bond together, grow closer, hold accountable and encourage each other on a regular basis that we would all begin to run a much stronger race collectively. But even more imporantly, is that we continue to read His word (2 Tim 3:16), pray often (1 Thess 5:16), and follow His commands (Josh 1:8) we will all grow closer to Him. We will be stronger to run the race harder than ever before.
My prayer for this week:
"Father in Heaven, lead us not into temptation this week, allow us to follow hard after you with a humble and contrite spirit. May Your name be like honey on our lips. Father through us may your love be displayed to our community. May You instill in us hearts to serve others as You command us to in Your Word. Lastly God, I pray that we are reminded that worship is not just about singing songs to you, but that it is about living our lives with a focused heart on You. In your glorious name we pray, -- Amen"
Grace be with you this week.
Mark
First I want to start off by saying, "thank you" for what all of you give to support Cross Pointe. Without your support I would not have been able to attend "The National Worship Leader Conference" in Leawood, KS. last week. I was truly blessed and taught through that expereince.
With that, God has had me focused on a passage that I read in a daily quiet time I had with Him last week. Let me share with you:
1 Corinthians 9:24-25
24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
25) Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
I have always loved the teachings of Paul. What a great testimony that he shares with us so often in the Word. For some of us we feel a deep connection to Paul because we may have a similar testimony as he does. I know for myself, before I was saved by Christ, I was not very fond of the church. I really didn't have much time for it, mainly because of the "Christians" I had met were not much different than me. I remember one time I was at a party in high school, and there were a couple of my peers who had previously tried to get me to go to church with them drinking uncontrollably and were not of sober judgement. I honestly at one time thought that maybe Christianity was 'for me' because if they could act like that, then that was a pretty awesome religion. Well, I was obviously confused at the time. A few years later after I was out of high school, I found myself in a ring of people who called themselves "Christians" as well. These people were different. Yes we are all sinners and this group was not perfect, but they were people who really seemed to care about me. A genuineness that I had not experienced with the group I hung around with in high school. It was through this new group that I found myself asking for God to forgive me of all the stupid things I had done in my life. I found myself seeking a personal relationship with Christ and asking that He would make me different than the world.
In this verse, I am reminded that we do not labor for things of this world. That our ethic of running the Christian life is based upon strict training and discipline. When I became a born again Christian I had to remove things from my life that were detaining my spiritual growth and my ability to run closer to God. Recently God has had me refocused on this. I really feel as though if we as Christ's church would bond together, grow closer, hold accountable and encourage each other on a regular basis that we would all begin to run a much stronger race collectively. But even more imporantly, is that we continue to read His word (2 Tim 3:16), pray often (1 Thess 5:16), and follow His commands (Josh 1:8) we will all grow closer to Him. We will be stronger to run the race harder than ever before.
My prayer for this week:
"Father in Heaven, lead us not into temptation this week, allow us to follow hard after you with a humble and contrite spirit. May Your name be like honey on our lips. Father through us may your love be displayed to our community. May You instill in us hearts to serve others as You command us to in Your Word. Lastly God, I pray that we are reminded that worship is not just about singing songs to you, but that it is about living our lives with a focused heart on You. In your glorious name we pray, -- Amen"
Grace be with you this week.
Mark
Monday, July 13, 2009
Clearing The Stage
Well, I have to say first that I believe God is continuing to do great things at Cross Pointe in the worship realm. Not only do I feel I have been given a clear vision for where He is taking us, but I have also been encouraged by several of your compliments. This last Sunday I truly felt like we came together in a wonderful time of worship of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is amazing how much of an impact having a wonderful intimate worship experience has on getting you off to the right attitude for a week. I am pumped about the upcoming weeks to come.
I have really been thinking about a few things in my walk with the Lord recently. Mostly around the reality of what I put in the center stage of my life. My stage has a lot of things on it: idols, my family, temptations, Cross Pointe, softball, my desires, selfishness, Jesus Christ, Christie (my wife), my dogs, my jobs, friends, fixing my house, etc.. (you get the drift). These are the things that I pay close attention to. There are always things going on in our lives that if we don't stop and take the time out of our busy days to realize, they can consume us and pull us away from having the meaningful relationship that Jesus desires us to have with Him. Last week I took a deep dive into rearranging my stage (just as I would setting up a worship set at the church). I asked myself, "where is it that I should place these things so that I can worship God to my fullest?" Well this is what I have come up with:
Center Stage: Jesus Christ - The center of my attention/focus
Front Stage Left/Right: Christie, My Family, Friends, Church Family, My Jobs
Back Stage Left/Right: My Dogs, Fixing up my house.
Removed totally from the stage: Everything that keeps me from giving my all to Jesus. Everything that keeps me from loving my family, from having integrity, and everything that does not depend on me to provide for it.
So how do you have your stage arranged? Is it too busy to tell who the Leader is? Or what you are giving your focus the most to?
This is my prayer for this week:
"Father, we desire to make you the center of our stage, by clearing off the stage of all things that have no purpose in aiding us to love You more. God we realize that true worship is not about singing, or about how great the guitarist is, or how awesome a Pastor is at giving a message, it is not about how great of a building we have, but it is all about laying our lives down to YOU! God we give you our lives for you to do your will in them, for you to use us according to the purpose you have for us. Our lives are your lives. This week as we work, study, socialize, etc. help us keep our hearts focused on You as the center." - In Christ we pray, Amen.
Have a blessed week, see you all soon.
Mark
I have really been thinking about a few things in my walk with the Lord recently. Mostly around the reality of what I put in the center stage of my life. My stage has a lot of things on it: idols, my family, temptations, Cross Pointe, softball, my desires, selfishness, Jesus Christ, Christie (my wife), my dogs, my jobs, friends, fixing my house, etc.. (you get the drift). These are the things that I pay close attention to. There are always things going on in our lives that if we don't stop and take the time out of our busy days to realize, they can consume us and pull us away from having the meaningful relationship that Jesus desires us to have with Him. Last week I took a deep dive into rearranging my stage (just as I would setting up a worship set at the church). I asked myself, "where is it that I should place these things so that I can worship God to my fullest?" Well this is what I have come up with:
Center Stage: Jesus Christ - The center of my attention/focus
Front Stage Left/Right: Christie, My Family, Friends, Church Family, My Jobs
Back Stage Left/Right: My Dogs, Fixing up my house.
Removed totally from the stage: Everything that keeps me from giving my all to Jesus. Everything that keeps me from loving my family, from having integrity, and everything that does not depend on me to provide for it.
So how do you have your stage arranged? Is it too busy to tell who the Leader is? Or what you are giving your focus the most to?
This is my prayer for this week:
"Father, we desire to make you the center of our stage, by clearing off the stage of all things that have no purpose in aiding us to love You more. God we realize that true worship is not about singing, or about how great the guitarist is, or how awesome a Pastor is at giving a message, it is not about how great of a building we have, but it is all about laying our lives down to YOU! God we give you our lives for you to do your will in them, for you to use us according to the purpose you have for us. Our lives are your lives. This week as we work, study, socialize, etc. help us keep our hearts focused on You as the center." - In Christ we pray, Amen.
Have a blessed week, see you all soon.
Mark
Monday, June 29, 2009
Today Is The Day
I have recently been listening to a great new worship tune called, "Today is the Day", by Lincoln Brewster. If you have yet to hear this song, I would highly recommend it. We have placed this CD back in our resource center for you to grab for $15, if you would like to purchase it. We will be singing this song in our July 5th service, and below are the words:
I`m casting my cares aside
I`m leaving my past behind
I`m setting my heart and mind on You
Jesus
I`m reaching my hand to Yours
Believing there`s so much more
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good
Is good
Chorus:
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
And I won`t worry about tomorrow
I`m trusting in what You say
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I putting my fears aside
I`m leaving my doubts behind
I`m giving my hopes and dreams to You
Jesus
I`m reaching my hands to Yours
Believing there`s so much more
Knowing that all You have in store for me is good
Is good
Chorus:
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
And I won`t worry about tomorrow
I`m trusting in what You say
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
Today is the day
Oh, oh, oh
Oh, oh, oh
I will stand upon Your truth.
(I will stand upon Your truth)
And all my days I`ll live for You
(And all my days I`ll live...)
Chorus:
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
Today is the day You have made
I will rejoice and be glad in it
And I won`t worry about tomorrow
I`m giving you my fears and sorrows
Where you lead me I will follow
I'm trusting in what you say
Today is the day
What a great reflective song!
I have also added a question of the week that I have put up on the top right hand side of the site. I will try to have survey questions up for you to give me some feedback on certain topics. Please take some time out to answer that for me.
Well, it is late, and I need to get some sleep.
My prayer for this week:
"Father God, we acknowledge that You are within our hearts, help us to remember to set aside time for You Lord, that we may come to know you in a closer way. Father we love You, and may You find glory in our lives as we live them in accordance to Your will. In the name of Christ Jesus, Amen."
Have a blessed week!!
Mark
Sunday, May 24, 2009
A Parallel?
Hello all,
So before I begin let me preface this blog by saying that I usually don't get down Dickson Street very often which is probably why I found myself so observant to what happened last night, Saturday May 23rd. Last week I was searching the internet for upcoming music events in the local Northwest Arkansas area and found that one of the greatest guitarist I know of was headed into Fayetteville on Saturday. I immediately sent texts to all of my friends to see if they would be down for going to the show, and then went ahead and purchased the tickets. Now this particular event just so happened to be taking place at a local bar down on Dickson Street called, George's Majestic Lounge. While I was buying the tickets online, my thoughts immediately went to a mental image of a bunch of drunk people screaming and yelling and getting carried away, and us not being able to enjoy the show. It is funny how most of us make assumptions of places before we have the opportunity to see what it really is all about. George's Majestic Lounge has been in Fayetteville since the 1930's with a rich history of hosting live and local Arkansas music. So as the 5 of us wandered down Dickson we were entering into something that none of us had experienced before.
As we entered the bar we quickly found that it was packed, and there were no seats available for us, so we found a corner and stood where we could get a good glimpse of the stage. The opening act was an amazingly talented blues band that was a mix of John Mayer meets Dave Matthews Band. I quickly started thinking about how God could be using such musicians in His churches across the world. I have been to many Christian concerts, Worship concerts, and churches, but what I saw this evening got my mind contemplating. As the night went on, and more people started to gather into this venue, I started noticing how friendly everyone was to each other. It seemed that everyone was there to really have a great time, meet people, and have an experience seeing one of the countries premier guitarist's. I saw people hugging, people politely asking others if seats were taken, and manners that I didn't expect to see in a bar. As the opening act wrapped up, there was a 20 minute intermission. My wife, Christie, and I went over to the merchandise table to see if we could pick up a copy of Monte Montgomery's latest album (he is the premier guitarist I have been referring to). As we approached the table a guy called "Katman" started to converse with us about how much he has followed Monte all over the country and now is selling merchandise for him at every stop along the way. You could feel the passion and excitement coming from his body language as he went on to tell us stories about what Monte's music had done in his life. Katman was a super nice guy, and again my thoughts started racing, as I started thinking about this bar as a parallel to churches. The lights, the music, the social fellowship, the manners, the believing in something so passionately that it makes you travel the country to see it, the dancing, the raising of hands, and the singing. All of these elements existed in this bar on Dickson Street this particular Saturday night that I was there. Did this happen every night? How many of these people are regular attenders of this place? Is this place a filler for a family for some of these people? All these thoughts crossed my mind.
Finally the show starts and Monte Montgomery's talent was very evident right away, he can do things that are remarkable on a guitar. I wondered if his gifts and talents came from God and I started to think that they did. In the middle of the show he stops and gives everyone "the bird" which I found vulgar as most Christians would. But everyone passionately cheered, and applauded this gesture. It amazed me how people could get so pumped about such a gesture, yet sometimes in our church when we mention God, no one gets excited. Are we as Christians so routine in our relationships with God that we don't get excited anymore? I was thinking how in this tiny little bar the excitement level, the love in this place, the socializing was so much more intense than in many of the churches I have been in. Do people rally around sinful gestures/environments more passionately than churches rally around Christ? All these questions swirling around my mind and yet I wonder why people are more attracted to sin than Christ. Maybe it is the passion level of what they follow, was Monte Montgomery a "god" that night to some of these people?
So church, are we displaying the excitement for God as these folks do in this tiny little bar on Dickson Street in Fayetteville, Arkansas? Are we displaying the love, the fellowship, the caring, the dancing, singing, raising of our hands to God?
Sure some of you are reading this and thinking I am crazy for trying to find a parallel with a bar and church. Maybe I am off base, but I just wanted to share with you the way my thoughts were drawn to this as I stood there and observed.
My prayer for today: "Father, we love you. We acknowledge that you are the reason we come to church, that we fellowship, love, care, sing, dance, worship, and read your Word daily. May you enter our hearts and help our thoughts remain pure for you, that our actions would be guided by our passion to seek your will in our lives. It's in your name we pray. Amen."
Have a blessed week!
In Him,
Mark
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Introduction to My Blog
Hello to all who are reading this, as this is my first post of what I hope to be many regarding the vision and my passion for the topic of "worship".
A little background about myself, my name is Mark Knisley and I am currently the Worship Leader at Cross Pointe Community Church in Tontitown, AR. In case you are not from the Northwest Arkansas area and are wondering where Tontitown is, well you should mapquest it.
I have been at Cross Pointe for right at one year, and prior to that spent time at several churches leading worship in several different styles and denominations of churches over the last 10 years.
Please stay tuned to this site as I will be posting set lists, ideas, scriptures, devotions, and many other topics revolving around my heart for worshipping our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Him,
God Bless!
Mark
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