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ReNew: Famine in Mali

delilah.hinman@gmail.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:43:24 +0000

This coming August I will have completed my 30th year of ministry at Crossroads Church. Over those years a number of truths have consistently impacted me. One of them hit me again this past weekend. Crossroads is a GENEROUS church!

When Pastor John contacted us about the developing food crisis in Mali...When he told us that the drought destroyed all the crops and there was literally no food for the people we are working with…When he asked if Crossroads could do something to provide some immediate food for at least the 110 pastors we are in partnership with in addressing the HIV/AIDS issue…we told him we'd ask the church to help. To give some money.

And, we did. We laid out the issue using the video John recorded with the help of a photographer from the states who just 'happened' to be in Mali, and was just 'happening' to return to the states that very week, and who would just 'happen' to send that video to us…well, we did. We laid out the case: "Pastor John needs $16,500 to buy bags of grain for 110 pastors and their families to feed them for 3 months, until the rains return." We asked our church to give. Just one weekend. No hype or campaign. Just an appeal. A simple appeal.

When Tuesday morning came, and I learned that not only did this church meet the total need, but that in fact they gave over DOUBLE the need...well, I was again stunned at the generosity of this amazing church body! In that one appeal, you gave, Crossroads. You GAVE! $35,173! You gave generously! I was stunned.

I shouldn't be stunned. After all of the years I've witnessed the generous giving that flows from God's people at Crossroads. But I was. And I am stunned. We had just weeks earlier asked for considerable money to launch and network the Ft. Lupton Campus: $400,000! And even then, Crossroads, you gave beyond the need, $434,000! And the beginning of February we began our third year of the Generosity Initiative: 1% More. More money! We asked you to give 1% more money as a regular act of giving generously. And now this!?

Stunning.

Thank you, Crossroads! Thank you. Thanks for the joy of serving with you as a body of believers who GIVE. Who trust. And who see the Vision of what life in Jesus looks like. He is honored. I am stunned. And happily so.

ReStart: the Ft. Lupton Project

delilah.hinman@gmail.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:16:01 +0000

Thank you, Crossroads Church! You are an incredibly generous church and in this season of Jesus putting the pedal to the floorboard, I can't tell you what a joy it is to serve Him alongside of you. We're hanging on for the ride. Well, actually we're doing more than just hanging on. In reality, we're making things happen as He gives direction. That's always the way it goes.

We knew that the Ft. Lupton campus was going to be a challenge. We've never merged with an existing church before and thereby become a 3-campus church body literally overnight. But here we are—a church of multi-campuses reaching into the communities where we are with the power of the gospel of Jesus: Northglenn, Thornton, and Ft. Lupton (not to mention our significant online campus).

Last weekend we initiated ReStart: the Ft. Lupton Project. It's the funding project to raise the necessary $400,000 to bring the Ft. Lupton campus fully into the Crossroad network. All I can say is THANK YOU! Here's how the whole thing landed to date:

$400,000 - total need
$150,000 - original anonymous and generous gift
$188,490 - total gifts and pledges from last weekend
$10,883 - gift from our region

That leaves a remaining balance still needed of $50,627! That's it. WOW! I'm praying this coming weekend God will provide this need through those of us who are giving our gifts or making our pledges this weekend. So, if you've not yet done so, prayerfully consider your part in this project by making your pledge or giving your gift online, or using a pledge card or bring your gift/pledge this weekend of February 11 and 12. We are on track for our BIG grand opening of the 3-campus Crossroads Church to happen on Easter weekend this April. AWESOME. Thank you, Crossroads. Together we are making a difference for Jesus' glory! Learn more about ReStart!

12-4-Jesus

michele.gerbrandt@crossroadsabc.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:27:03 +0000

That's our theme at Crossroads Church for 2012. It's a good one. The entire year, 2012. All the months: 12 of them. The people: 12. Twelve people. Pick a person a month and intentionally serve them toward Jesus. Over the course of the year that's 12 people each of us serve. That's how it's done. In bite-sized pieces.

When you think about it, doing the mission of God serving this world toward Jesus, is a BIG mission. It's so big it can cause paralyses. There are a LOT of people in this world. Even in our individual worlds; lots of people. Where do we start?

Short story: Every once in a while, I decide to change up my office. Just for a change of focus. I'll shift things around and paint and clean out junk. When these moments of change come upon me, I usually face a dilema. Where do I start? The job seems so involved and time consuming, I just freeze up. Then I start to break it down. I'll just jump in doing a small thing like cleaning out a book shelf, or a desk drawer. One thing leads to another and soon I'm seeing the finish line.

It's that way in serving people. Just start with one. That's what we're suggesting for 2012. Don't get paralyzed by the largeness of the vision God has given us, just break it down to bite-sized pieces. Pick a person. Any person. A family member, a spouse, a friend, a store clerk, a neighbor, a teller, a stylist, an employee, a boss, a team member, a teacher. Someone. And start serving them. Just focus on them. For a month. Serve them for a month. Ask God to give you ideas on how to serve THAT person. Then do it. Astonishing things will happen. Really. Break it down and get on with it. The clock is ticking.

Worship is a Lifestyle

delilah.hinman@gmail.com (Kim Skattum) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:09:38 +0000

We have core values as a church. All churches do. Published or not, all organizations operate on foundational truths that influence and direct their activities--churches included. At Crossroads we have 5 core values:

Biblical Truth
Serving the Sojourner
Connecting with Community
Worship is a Lifestyle
Leadership

This blog post is focused on #4. "Worship is a lifestyle" means simply human beings are made for one singular purpose: to be image bearers of Jesus. To worship means to "know your place," to grant 'worth' to God, our creator, and make Him center of life whereby we reflect His nature in who we are as His image bearers.

Do we do that perfectly? Absolutely not. We are sinners--broken, fractured people who need repair. But that's the point: to reflect Jesus' image is to worship Him, not ourselves. It's being a broken mirror who knows it is broken and yet reflecting as best as it can the image of its Maker. Worship does that. Worship as a lifestyle means we don't "do" worship or "go" to worship or "attend" worship. It means we live worship. It means we remember daily just why Jesus is worthy of our worship--why we live most fully and applied when we remember WHO Jesus is.

A brief scan of the Bible gives us a plethora of reasons Jesus is worthy to be worshipped: He is the Sustainer of life, the Redeemer of sin, the Savior of the world, the living God, the One who is preparing a place for us, our Hope, our Friend, our God, our Promise-Keeper, our Sustainer, our Liberator, our Forgiver, our Victor, our all-knowing, all-powerful, all-present, never-ending, always existing, unconditionally loving, understanding, evil-defeating, death-conquering, gracious, patient, merciful, strong, faithful, true Father, Redeemer, Master. He is Jesus.

Want a better existence? Stop worshipping all of the other attractions in life and make Jesus your object of worship. The other things will fall in place under Him.

12 for Jesus

delilah.hinman@gmail.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:41:43 +0000

12 FOR JESUS—that’s our theme at Crossroads Church this year. And it is MORE than just a theme.

It’s really a commitment. A flag planted firmly in the ground announcing this year is for Jesus. This month is for Jesus...and so are all 12 months in this year. 12 FOR JESUS. It means 2012 for Jesus. It means 12 months for Jesus. And it also means twelve people for Jesus.

Twelve specific different people, one a month, you will serve. Who are they? Who are the twelve people every person at Crossroads will serve, one person a month, toward Jesus? Just pick a person. The barista at Starbucks, the clerk at the grocery, the neighbor with an attitude, the person who cuts your hair, the letter carrier, the dry cleaner, a family member, a boss, a teammate, a teacher, a student. Pick one, then next month pick another.

Make a commitment to serve at least one specific person a month, twelve people throughout the year. If just a thousand of us did that we’d see 12,000 people served in the direction of Jesus in the span of 12 months. Incredible.

Can you do that? If you ask Him, Jesus will bring to your mind that particular person. It’ll be obvious and clear. Once you know who that person is then start asking the question, “How can I serve this person this month?” Talk to them? Listen to them? Mentor them? Run errands for them? Babysit kids for them? Make a meal for them? Shovel snow for them? Study the Bible with them? How?

Ultimately, we are serving people toward Jesus. Make your serving about Jesus. Not about you. Not about duty. Not about expectations. Make your serving about Jesus.

How? Use His name in your conversations. Refer to Him when you express gratitude. Carry and use GLU cards. (These are nifty business sized cards you can carry anywhere that say, “God Loves You,” with space on the back for a personal note. Available free at the Welcome Centers of all campuses). And most of all, make serving about Jesus by eliminating any expectation of return service. We aren’t serving people toward Jesus in order to be served in return. We serve to make Jesus famous.

Take this challenge to make 12 For Jesus MORE than a slogan or theme. Make it your life. All year FOR Jesus. All twelve months. Do it. You’ll be shocked at what happens to you over the months ahead. It’ll be good.

Check out the sermon series.

Happy Thanksgiving!

delilah.hinman@gmail.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 17:25:51 +0000

This weekend is a GREAT start to the Thanksgiving week ahead of us. We're at the point in The Story where Jesus resurrects Himself from the dead. After a brutal murder by crucifixion, He accomplishes His reason for becoming one of us, His creation, to pay the price for our sin by being our substitute on the cross. For the rest of Friday, all day Saturday and into early Sunday morning, Jesus lay dead in a tomb. Then, early Sunday morning He gets up, rolls the stone away from the entrance of the tomb and walks out alive! Resurrection. One of the many truths for which we can be thankful this week. It's going to be an AWESOME weekend to be in church. I am literally giddy about preaching the resurrection!

In addition, I want to tell you what else I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving: Crossroads Church. What an amazing body of Christ-followers! Thank You for being so generous. We hit a rough spot this past summer financially. Cash flow was down to a trickle and we had to eliminate non-essential spending from September through December to recover and get stabilized. Over the past few weeks, giving has been strong, generosity has been evident and the Lord is providing our needs through us, His body, in humbling ways.

We are getting back to financial stability. I'm thankful for that. I'm thankful for a church that gives food, shoe-boxes, baby-bottle change, Thanksgiving Outreach cash, benevolence offerings, gift cards, etc. in amazingly generous ways.

I'm thankful, too, for the interest and support shown in the potential of adopting the First Baptist Church of Ft. Lupton. This merger will have Kingdom impact for years to come. People will be energized and empowered to serve others toward Jesus in new and fresh ways as we join forces with the work in progress at FBC Ft. Lupton. This third campus potential needs our prayers as we ask God for continued wisdom, insight and direction. Both churches will be voting on the merger on December 4th at specially called business meetings. I'm thankful for the process thus far and the overwhelming ownership of the distribution of responsibilities by the staff and leaders at both church bodies to move forward in our discussions and planning.

There is much for which to be thankful. Look around you. Notice what God has done for you. What He has graciously allowed you to be a steward of. Your home. Food. Clothing. Cash. Job. School. Family. Vehicle. Friendships. Church. Anchor Group. Children. Health. Jesus. Jesus! A living Savior. Jesus. He's alive and ruling and reigning and planning a spectacular come back to make all things new. He's doing that for YOU. Be thankful. Be alert to being thankful this week. And next. And the next. Be. Thankful. I certainly am. Thank you, Jesus.

Happy 50th

michele.gerbrandt@crossroadsabc.com (Michele Gerbrandt) — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:25:23 +0000

Happy 50th Crossroads
Crossroads Church is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Way back in 1961, three families dared to dream of a new church start-up in the far reaches of North Denver. In June of ’61 that dream became a reality with the first public services of Crossroads Church.

This church was built on the foundation of Scripture. The Bible has been the bedrock of our existence for five decades. As we celebrate 50 years of ministry in 2011, we celebrate the story of life and serving and hope that began with God’s Story at creation. Our story always begins with God’s Story. It is the story captured in the pages of the Bible. Not a story written out of creative imaginations, but a story that comes directly from the mind and heart of God, our Creator, through the minds and hands of people God chose and inspired to write His Word.

The Bible is our foundation. It is God’s Word. It is where we learn of God’s love, salvation, hope, purpose, eternity, and much more. No where else can we find truth about God directly from Him. It is how God has chosen to speak to us, His creation. His Word is alive and absolute truth. We believe it, live it, teach it, and love it. It Informs us, Transforms us, and Reforms us.

Through the entire year of 2011 we are following The Story of the Bible as it unfolds before us. We are letting the progression of the The Story speak into our hearts and lives in ways that inspire, challenge, form, and change us. The Story is one of salvation. It is God speaking to us in human words to show us His will, our need, and solid hope for the future through Jesus the Savior.

It’s where we began 50 years ago; it’s where we are today; and it’s where we will always be. It’s The Story, God’s Story. Our story always begins with His. God is the author. We celebrate the foundation we’ve built on. The foundation of the Bible, God’s amazing Story designed specifically for us.

Dr. Kim Skattum
Senior Pastor

Christmas Devotionals 2010

delilah.hinman@crossroadsabc.com (Doug Schmidt) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 21:51:49 +0000

These devotionals were written by a few members of the Crossroads Writers’ Group. There are seven, so you can read one-a-day during the week leading up to Christmas. May the Lord continue to bless you as we celebrate The Incarnation!

Doug Schmidt

{slide= When God Speaks Are You Listening?Nancy Mikoda} "Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense." — Luke 1:11

“Nancy! Look me in the eyes and repeat what I just said to you,” my mother’s words would jolt me into the present. My attention was always somewhere else.

Although we may act as if we have heard and understood what others are saying, this is not always true. It seems as if our minds are always busy in thinking about the past or the future, but not really present in the now.

During marriage counseling, couples have exercises in which one spouse makes a statement and then the other would express what she/he had heard. Most couples repeatedly read something into simple phrases and totally misinterpreted what the other was saying. Active listening is a skill that we have to constantly work at.

Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth had been in prayer for years regarding their desire to have a child. When Zechariah is chosen to prepare for the worship, he has a prayer answered.

How often do we ask for something but forget to take the time to prepare and to listen for the Lord’s answer to those prayers? During your devotional time today, spend fewer moments petitioning. Focus on preparing in quiet anticipation of hearing God’s Word for us each day.{/slide} {slide= The Great AnnouncementLindsay Hamilton} "And the angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus." — Luke 1:30-31

Over the last few years I have received announcement after announcement from various girlfriends that they are expecting a child. With each announcement my heart wants to leap out of my chest with overwhelming joy for the mother-to-be.

As our conversation continues I see it happen to each of my friends, their confident joy subsides into spinning thoughts of fear. Soon they come out with it, the stream of thoughts that goes a little something like this: Do I have what it takes to be a good mother, am I going to be a good mother, what if I am the worst mother in the world. I see the fear and I have to act. I try my best to give them encouraging words and reassurance that they have entered into the most beautiful time of life, a new life. Although I am no angel, I tell her to not fear as this gift of new life is a great miracle, and by that miracle they too have found favor with God.

I'd like to encourage everyone during this holiday season to pass along encouragement to new mothers to be who will have a new birthday to celebrate as we celebrate the greatest birthday of them all, the birth of our Savior Jesus.{/slide}

{slide= The Word Impossible – Not in God's VocabularyMelanie Meers} "For nothing will be impossible with God." — Luke 1:37

Flight was once considered impossible – until two men built a plane that flew. Can you imagine what it must have been like to see the first flight? There would have been the skeptics that said it could never happen – and there would have been the ones who dared to believe that it could.

Which category did the Wright brothers fall under? They believed it could happen. If they didn't, they never would have attempted the “impossible.” How different would the world be if they did not dare to believe the incredible?

Now imagine a young teenage girl, a virgin, who is going to have a baby. Not just any infant, but the Savior of the world. That makes flying seem rather insignificant! How would you react to this news? Would you be confused, or assume you were dreaming? Would you look at the bearer of the message and tell him he was being ridiculous? (Zechariah did!). But Mary said, “Let it be to me according to your word.” She easily accepted that God was going to do the impossible.

What if no one had believed the impossible then? What would the story of Jesus have looked like? Think about where your faith stands in regard to God's amazing power. Believe that God can do the impossible. Let Him change your world!{/slide}

{slide= The Key to Pure JoyJulie Burke} And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord...” — Luke 1:46

Cara’s smile was gorgeous, somewhat crooked with slightly imperfect teeth. “But there will be no smile today,” I thought as I anticipated our reunion, “She must be miserable.” It had been eighteen months since her husband got a new job and moved their family to South Dakota. During that time, her husband suddenly left her. She had been unemployed in a new city with four children to support. But strangely, when Cara arrived, she glowed! There was a quiet joy about her that I had never seen before. She gushed, “God promised to meet our every need, and relying on that promise, I have never experienced the relationship with God I have now!”

Cara clung her faith in God just as Mary did, facing uncertain circumstances. Mary reveled in the knowledge that her future was secure with God. And so she honored God in song for His goodness. Pure joy overflowed to the point that she could not contain herself–with every cell in her body, every breath she exhaled, every thought in her mind united to exalt in God’s supremacy! Even during a seemingly impossible situation...

God delights in our joy! Like Mary, release your uncertainties to Him and be rewarded with genuine happiness. True joy is the result of a God-dependent life.{/slide}

{slide= Surrendering ControlCarol Bonney} "She gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped Him in clothes and placed Him in a manager, because there was no room for them in the inn." — Luke 2:7

As I pushed the front doors open, I silently spoke to the Lord: “You know I can’t do this by myself, so please take over, okay?” I was asked to take on the responsibilities of my supervisor, a social services director, for three months. When I surrendered to the Lord, He gave me the strength to handle the stress of working with families in crisis and the ability to learn the needed new skills quickly. Unlike this time, I had told God in the past that I could handle these types of things myself.

Jesus surrendered His will to the Father and was born as a helpless baby. Through His incarnation, God communicated His love and
showed us how to live. As Jesus grew older, He prayed to His Father for guidance—just as we should do.

In the mornings, we may surrender the day to God, but do we gradually take back control as we go through the day? Let’s continue to talk with Him, asking for His directions, leaning on Him for support. He’s waiting for us to say, “I can’t handle this problem any longer—You take over.” When I came to the end of myself and completely surrendered to Him, that’s when I experienced His power in my life.{/slide}

{slide= Heavenly EncounterKit Anderson} "Zechariah said to the angel, 'How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.'" — Luke 2:18

Can you imagine confronting an angel as Zechariah did? Clearly he knew this was a heavenly being, and Gabriel gave him a detailed message of wonderful news. Unlike Mary however, who met her messenger with humble submission, crusty old Zechariah demanded proof.

Brutal persecution of his tribal people had forced Oktay, a middle-eastern man, to flee to Amsterdam, where he found shelter in a Christian hostel. But an older leader whom he honored as a mentor told him something he could not accept. He left the hostel intending to throw himself into the harbor to drown.

As he tried to jump into the deep water, an angel appeared in front of him to stop him. Oktay pushed past the angel and jumped in anyway, but someone else was watching from a nearby house. That man rushed down into the water, and saved Oktay.

When Oktay had time to reflect, he could see how much God loved him, regardless of his mentor’s rejection.

Are we open to divinely-delivered messages? Let us pray that, like Mary, we are open and ready to say to the Lord, “May it be to me as You have said.”{/slide}

{slide= The Night the Shepherds Met the LambAlice McGhee} "And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart." — Luke 2:18-19

My sister and I loved to visit my uncle’s farm. He raised hogs, chickens, and our favorite animals – sheep. Jeannie and I loved to sneak through the woods and find the lambs. We loved to hide behind a tree, then jump out in front of an unsuspecting sheep. Those crazy animals would just jump up in the air and run away.

It was fun to scare those silly sheep, until one day Uncle Darrie caught us. He was a farmer, but I think there was some shepherd in him. He loved those sheep. In fact, he liked them too much to let his nieces scare them into a heart attack.

One night, just outside of Bethlehem, a group of shepherds were watching their flocks. These courageous men were willing to sacrifice their lives in order to protect their sheep. Yet, in their half-asleep state, the shepherds were startled and fearful as they saw the angels.

But as instructed, the shepherds went to Bethlehem, looking for a baby–a baby who would become the Good Shepherd, and the Lamb who died for the sins of the world.{/slide}

5 myths about poverty

michele.gerbrandt@crossroadsabc.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 22:46:24 +0000

Here is a good article that dispels five myths about poverty, check it out!

It was referenced in the sermon this weekend (9/25 and 26) during the Hole in the Gospel series.

5 Myths About Poverty

Revelation: Seeing Jesus

michele.gerbrandt@crossroadsabc.com (Pastor Kim Skattum) — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:01:13 +0000

Honestly, this series in the book of Revelation has been reviving for me. As I prepared a sermon each week I was consistently humbled by the power and the intensity of the text. Jesus came through the words on the page in such a convicting and precise way, I found myself literally bowing before Him and worshipping Him for who He is. My heart was encouraged and strengthened by the power and authority of Jesus not only as my Savior, but also as my LORD! It has been clarifying for me to see and preach the themes of the book rather than the details of the book. It’s been my constant prayer throughout this series that everyone who hears and reads and receives the message of Revelation would find themselves less confused about the dramatic language of Revelation and more certain of who Jesus is and why we worship Him.

Three resources have been invaluable for me in my preparation, study and understanding of the themes of Revelation:

REVERSED THUNDER: The Revelation of John & the Praying Imagination
Eugene Peterson

UNVEILED HOPE: Eternal Encouragement from the Book of Revelation
Scotty Smith & Michael Card

INTERPRETING REVELATION: A Reasonable Guide to Understanding the Last Book in the Bible
Merrill C. Tenn

Here are the themes as presented in this series:

Rev 1: Jesus in His Glory

Rev 2-3: The Good, Bad and Ugly of Jesus’ Body & Bride, the Church

Rev 4-5: Jesus on the Throne, the Center of Everything

Rev 6-7: Suffering & Sin Affect Everyone: Don’t Waste Suffering

Rev 8-11: Trumpets = Warning that Judgment is Coming

Rev 12-14: Good (God) & Evil (Satan) are at War Behind the Scenes

Rev 15-18: God Judges Sin Righteously Crushing His Enemies

Rev 19: Jesus as Warrior and Groom

Rev 20: Jesus Reigns and Jesus Will Reign

Rev 21-22: Jesus Makes Everything New = Heaven