Everything CrossRoads

Upcoming Events - 07/16/2009

Rosey — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:08:00 -0700

Welcome Team Meeting - 7/19/09 4pm
Don't miss this important meeting for all current Welcome Team members and anyone interested in making CrossRoads an inviting place for our guests and regular attenders.
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CrossRoads Leadership Team Meeting - 7/19/09 4pm
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Financial Peace University - 7/19/09 6pm
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SEVENEIGHTEEN - Wednesdays, 7:18 - 8:35pm
All 6th-12th graders are invited to SEVENEIGHTEEN on Wednesdays.
Click here for more info.

Echo Chamber - Wednesdays 6:45pm
All 6th-12th graders are invited to Echo Chambers on Wednesdays.
Click here for more info.

How to Study the Bible Class - 7/26/09 2-4pm
Come learn the essentials of understanding God's story from beginning to end.
Click here for more info.

Financial Peace University - 7/26/09 6pm
Click here for more info.

Welcome to CrossRoads Class - 8/2/09 6pm
If you are ready to find out more about CrossRoads, you are invited to come to our next Welcome to CrossRoads Class. There you will learn more about what we believe and find out how our strategies can help you build lasting relationships and grow in faith.
Childcare provided for birth-5th grade.
Click here for more info.

Youth Parent-Teen Fall Planning Meeting - 8/16/09 2pm
6th-12th Graders and their Parents are invited to help us plan our fall activities.
Click here for more info.

Community Impact Home Improvement Project
We will be renovating a home in our community. Home nominations and fund raising have begun. You may nominate a home using the Home Renovation Nomination Form or nominate via email. The home will be selected in August. Renovations will take place during September.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 07/09/2009

Rosey — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 02:57:00 -0700

Quad Cities Family 4th - PHOTOS
Click on the link below to view photos from the Quad Cities Family 4th event.
View Photos

Financial Peace University - 7/12/09 6pm
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Baptism - 7/12/09 2pm
Come share the tradition of baptism with new believers in our church family Sunday, July 12th, at 2 pm. Teenagers are invited to stay and swim after Baptism.
Click here for more info.

Quad Cities Family 4th

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 08:03:01 -0700

These are pictures from the local fireworks show. We handed out free water and had a bounce house for kids as people waited in the 100+ heat for the show to begin. Thanks to everyone who helped!

Location: 6331 Boulevard 26, Suite 250 76180
Date: Jul 6, 2009
Number of Photos in Album: 27

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Upcoming Events - 07/02/2009

Rosey — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:55:00 -0700

Quad Cities Family 4th - 7/4/09 6pm
Plan on being part of the Quad Cities Family 4th as our neighbors come watch fireworks in our parking lot! We'll be offering free water, clean bathrooms and a bounce house for everyone who comes to watch fireworks!
Click here for more info.

SEVENEIGHTEEN - Wednesdays, 7:18 - 8:35 pm
All 6th-12th graders are invited to SEVENEIGHTEEN on Wednesdays.
Click here for more info.

Echo Chamber - Wednesdays at 6:45pm
All 6th-12th graders are invited to Echo Chambers on Wednesdays.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 06/25/2009

Rosey — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 02:38:00 -0700

Welcome to CrossRoads Class - 6/28/09 6pm
If you are ready to find out more about CrossRoads, you are invited to come to our next Welcome to CrossRoads Class. There you will learn more about what we believe and find out how our strategies can help you build lasting relationships and grow in faith.
Childcare provided for birth-5th grade.
Click here for more info.

Financial Peace University - 6/28/09 6pm
Click here for more info.

Youth Camp 2009 Pics

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 08:03:21 -0700

Location: Falls Creek Baptist Assembly, Davis, OK
Date: Jun 19, 2009
Number of Photos in Album: 46

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Upcoming Events - 06/18/2009

Rosey — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:26:00 -0700

Video Game Monday - 6/22/09 12-4pm
All 6th-12th Graders are invited to play video games at the church Monday afternoon. Bring $2 for pizza!
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Financial Peace University - 6/21/09 6pm
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Upcoming Events - 06/11/2009

Rosey — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 01:00:00 -0700

Financial Peace University - 6/14/09 6pm
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NO SEVENEIGHTEEN - 6/10/09
There will be no seveneighteen this Wednesday, June 10th while our teenagers are at camp. We will resume next Wednesday, June 17th.
Click here for more info.

Youth Camp 2009 - 6/8/09 9am - 6/13/09
All students who have completed 6th-12th grades are invited to a week of non-stop fun at Falls Creek Baptist Assembly in Oklahoma. $185 includes transportation, food, lodging and adult supervision for an awesome week away from home.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 06/02/2009

Rosey — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 02:49:00 -0700

Youth Camp Parent-Teen Meeting - 6/7/09 12:15pm
We meet to leave for youth camp tomorrow at 9 am. Immediately following our 11 am service we will have a mandatory meeting for all teenagers going to camp with us and their parents. We will go over last-minute info, receive final camp payments, make sure we have release forms taken care of, and load the trailer to go to camp. Teenagers will need to bring all luggage except items they want to carry with them on the way to camp.
If you have a teenager who would like to come, you are welcome to stay for the meeting to get all the necessary details.
Click here for more info.

Financial Peace University - 6/7/09 6pm
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NO SEVENEIGHTEEN - 6/3/09
There will be no seveneighteen Wednesday, June 3rd. Spend some extra time with your families before we leave for camp!
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Upcoming Events - 05/28/2009

Rosey — Thu, 28 May 2009 04:12:00 -0700

Financial Peace University - 5/31/09 6pm
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Youth Summer Kick-Off Party - 5/31/09 2pm
Parents and teens are invited for hamburgers, hotdogs and awesome games. New 6th graders this fall are invited with their parents to come meet the rest of our Youth group.
Click here for more info.

Young Adult Volleyball and Cookout - 5/30/09 5pm
All 20 somethings are invited for food and volleyball at Northfield Park in NRH.
Click here for more info.
Click here for map.

Upcoming Events - 05/21/2009

Rosey — Tue, 19 May 2009 00:39:00 -0700

Youth Camp Food Donations
Email or sign up at the connection table to bring food for youth camp.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 05/13/2009

Rosey — Wed, 13 May 2009 03:39:00 -0700

Financial Peace University (Make-Up Class) - 5/17/09 5pm
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Financial Peace University - 5/17/09 6pm
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Home Group Leadership Meeting - 5/17/09 3pm
Home Group Leadership help us make plans for our summer Home Groups.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 05/07/2009

Rosey — Thu, 07 May 2009 00:19:00 -0700

Youth Camp Food Donations - 5/10/09
Help our kids go to Camp. Email or sign up at the connection table to bring food for youth camp.
Click here for more info.

Financial Peace University - 5/10/09 6pm
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 04/21/2009

Rosey — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:53:00 -0700

Welcome to CrossRoads Class - 5/3/09 6-8pm
If you are ready to find out more about CrossRoads, you are invited to come to our next Welcome to CrossRoads Class. There you will learn more about what we believe and find out how our strategies can help you build lasting relationships and grow in faith. Childcare provided for birth-5th grade.
Click here for more info.

How to Study the Bible - 4/26/09 2-4pm
Come learn the essentials of understanding God's story from beginning to end.
Click here for more info.

Financial Peace University - 4/26/09 6pm
You're invited to a free preview of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. Come learn Dave Ramsey’s proven methods for overcoming debt and building wealth for your family. Everyone is invited.
Click here for more info.

Women's Retreat - 4/24/09 6pm - 4/25/09
All women 18+ (who have completed high school) are invited to join us for a weekend with the girls at our annual Women's Retreat. Friends are welcome!
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 04/16/2009

Rosey — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 01:14:00 -0700

Church Picnic - 4/19/09 12:15-2 pm
Everyone is invited for burgers and hotdogs at Linda Spurlock Park. Invite a friend!
Click here for more info. Click here for map to event.

Youth Spring Campout - 4/17/09 6pm - 4/18/09 3pm
Teenagers, come rough-it with us at our Spring Campout.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 04/09/2009

Rosey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 03:24:00 -0700

EASTER - 4/12/09
Don't miss an exciting Easter Sunday! Make sure to invite your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers for free muffins, sausage rolls and a Easter egg hunt for the kids after each service.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 03/31/2009

Rosey — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 02:24:00 -0700

Welcome Team Meeting - 4/5/09 6-7:30 pm
Everyone interested in helping with creating a warm welcoming environment or helping with security on Sunday mornings.
Click here for more info.

Easter Food Outreach - 4/4/09 10am
Meet us here this coming Saturday to invite our neighborhood to be involved in our food drive. We will continue receiving non-perishable food items for Cornerstone Assistance Network through next Sunday, April 5th.
Click here for more info.

Youth First Saturday Night - 4/4/09 7-9pm
Come eat FREE PIZZA, make NEW FRIENDS and hear about the GREAT PLANS GOD has for YOU!
Click here for more info. Click here for map to event.

Upcoming Events - 03/27/2009

Rosey — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:26:00 -0700

Easter Food Drive Outreach - 4/4/09 10am
Come help us involve our community in providing for families who need a little help by inviting our neighbors to contribute non-perishable food items for Cornerstone Assistance Network.
Click here for more info.

Office Administrator Reception - 3/29/09 4-5:30pm
Everyone is invited to a dessert reception for our new Office Administrator, Rosey Smith, at our Pastor's House.
Click here for more info.

Upcoming Events - 03/19/2009

Rosey — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 01:11:00 -0700

How to Study the Bible - 3/22/09 2-4pm
Come learn the essentials of understanding God's story from beginning to end.
Click here for more info.

Young Adult Get Together - 3/21/09 7-9pm
All 20somethings are invited to chill with us and make some new friends. Join us for Mexican food and ping pong. Feel free to bring a Mexican dish.
Click here for more info.

Mattress and boxed springs needed

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:35:00 -0800

There is a friend of a member of our church family who is currently without a bed. If you know of someone who has an old mattress and boxed springs they would be willing to give away to help someone out, please send us a note. Thanks!

Click here to help out or get more info.

Upcoming Events - 03/05/2009

Rosey — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 23:48:00 -0800

Easter Food Drive - 3/8/09
This has been a hard year for food pantries in our area. You're invited to bring non-perishable food items to help stock Cornerstone Assistance Network's shelves. Then, plan on being part of reaching out to our community to help meet this important need on Saturday, April 4th at 10 am.
Click here for more info.

How to Study the Bible - 3/8/09 2-4pm
Come learn the essentials of understanding God's story from beginning to end.
Click here for more info.

Young Adult Sundae Party - 3/7/09 7-9pm
All 20somethings are invited to hang out with us and make some new friends over board games and ice cream sundaes!
Click here for more info. Click here for map to event.

Youth First Saturday Night - 3/7/09 7-9pm
Come eat FREE PIZZA, make NEW FRIENDS and hear about the GREAT PLANS God has for YOU!
Click here for more info. Click here for map to event.

Rosey — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:29:00 -0800
Welcome to CrossRoads Class - 3/1/09 6-8pm
If you are ready to find out more about CrossRoads, you are invited to come to our next Welcome to CrossRoads Class. There you will learn more about what we believe and find out how our strategies can help you build lasting relationships and grow in faith. Childcare provided for birth-5th grade.
Click here for more info.

Spring Lock-In - 2/27/09 9pm
6th-12th Graders, don't miss out on all night awesomeness! Make sure to invite your friends!
Click here for more info.

How to Study the Bible - 2/22/09 2-4pm
Come learn the essentials of understanding God's story from beginning to end.
Click here for more info.

Young Adult Bowling - 2/21/09 7pm
If you are out of high school and looking for a great way to hang out with friends, you're invited to come bowling with us!
Click here for more info. Click here for map to event.

Spring Lock-In - 2/27/09

Rosey — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:14:00 -0800

6th-12th Graders, don't miss out on all night awesomeness! Make sure to invite your friends!

Click here for more info.

Welcome to CrossRoads Class - 3/1/09 6-8pm

Rosey — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:07:00 -0800

If you are ready to find out more about CrossRoads, you are invited to come to our next Welcome to CrossRoads Class. There you will learn more about what we believe and find out how our strategies can help you build lasting relationships and grow in faith.
Childcare provided for birth-5th grade.

Click here for more info.

Youth Spring Campout - 4/17/09 6pm

Rosey — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:54:00 -0800

Teenagers, come rough-it with us at our Spring Campout!

Click here for more info.

Women's Retreat - 4/24/09 6pm

Rosey — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:49:00 -0800

All women 18+ (who have completed high school) are invited to join us for a weekend with the girls at our annual Women's Retreat. Friends are welcome!

Click here for more info.

Youth Camp 2009 - 6/8/09 9am

Rosey — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:38:00 -0800

All students who have completed 6th-12th grades are invited to a week of non-stop fun at Falls Creek Baptist Assembly in Oklahoma. $185 includes transportation, food, lodging and adult supervision for an awesome week away from home.

Click here for more info.

Facebook, etc.

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 01:19:00 -0800

I get funny reactions from people when I say I'm old. Some of you look at me with disdain because you feel like I'm pointing out that you're older than me. This is never my intention. Actually, I value the wisdom that comes with age. I pretty much always have. Some of you laugh because I'm only 33. Todays blog entry is another admission that I'm old.

I just don't understand these social networking sites. OK, I understand that people like to keep in touch with each other. I'm all for that. I've had a MySpace page for several years and a Facebook page not quite as long. I love it when I get an email that I have a new friend request because it's usually someone I haven't seen in a long, long time. Then, my world is flooded with their pictures and thoughts, and on some level I get to connect with them again. That's great.

Our Ugly Insides
Here's what I don't understand. As a pastor I get to see some pretty ugly sides of people. You've probably noticed that people don't come talk to their pastor until life gets pretty out of hand. Over the past ten years I've had the disturbing opportunity to see what people are really made of. I've seen the clean-cut father come tell me he's struggling with alcoholism--only he can't really even admit it to himself. I've seen the straight A student sit in my office, her dreams falling down around her, because she just found out she's pregnant. I've had the young, successful musician losing hope because he can't get his drug habit under control. And, I've seen the loving husband tell me that even though his wife doesn't know about it, he can't get free from porn.

When people come share these kinds of problems with me, it doesn't usually surprise me. God's very clear about what we are made of at the deepest part of who we are:

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?
Jeremiah 17:9 NIV

Even the Apostle Paul struggled with being who God wanted him to be:

I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.
Romans 7:15 NIV

God's Beautiful News
We all have a dark side--even the most devoted believers. Sometimes we aren't very honest about it, but we all struggle (like Paul) with wanting and doing the right thing. Thankfully, God offers all of us grace. One time I asked one of the teenagers at our church what grace is. She said, "It's God's love even when we don't deserve it." Wow. That's right. Grace is God choosing to love us even though we rebel against him:

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8 NIV

God's grace is so amazing that God doesn't even choose to love us from across the street as we might express care for a homeless person we give a buck or two as we walk by as quickly as we can. God loves us in such a way that he makes us his sons and daughters. All he requires from us is that we believe in Jesus:

Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God
John 1:12 NIV

And that's not the end of the good news. It only gets better. When we believe in Jesus, he forgives our sin--all of it. We are declared both completely forgiven and completely righteous before God. He no longer sees us as his enemies who deserve his wrath but righteous children he loves. He also begins to work on us. He begins to change us to be people who desire to follow him:

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
Philippians 2:13 NLT

The hard part is that we still struggle with that wicked deceitfulness at the deepest part of who we are. We still struggle with bad habits. We still have relationships that encourage us to do things that God is not happy with--things that shame the name of Christ.

What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Romans 7:24 NIV
(Paul is expressing his frustration with his own sinfulness in this life.)

The good news is that, once we have trusted in Christ, we await the completion of sharing in his resurrection. Then, we won't struggle with sin any longer. Every believer will receive a resurrected body that doesn't possess a deceitfully wicked heart any longer:

So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 NIV

The Facebook Delima
Here's what I don't understand. Why do so many people--even believers--put the deceitful wickedness of their hearts on display? You know what I'm talking about. Some might say, "Aren't we free in Christ?" Paul already answered this question:

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature ; rather, serve one another in love.
Galatians 5:13 NIV

Some people think age is an excuse. Do we dare to look shake our fists at God and say: "Don't tell me what to do, old man!" Paul tells us that even in our youth God's expectations for his children are high:

Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.
1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

Brothers and sisters, let's set an example whether we are 14 or 94 because the King of Glory has died for us. He has changed us. All of us who have believed in him are his children. Now, by his grace, let's live like it!

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV

Rockstar President

Jonathan Atwell — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:24:00 -0800

This morning I was catching some of the inauguration coverage. As Mr. and Mrs. Obama entered St. John's Episcopal Church, there was applause as they waved to a gathering crowd. My impression at that moment was that I have never seen people react to a president the way they respond to Mr. Obama. This new President our nation is about to inaugurate really is a rockstar in the best sense of the word. He has a kind of celebrity I haven't seen during my lifetime in a politcal leader. People love Barack Obama

Of course, part of our new President's celebrity is related to race. How many times have we heard people of all ethnic backgrounds say they never thought they would see the day we would have a minority president? This makes today a very exciting day.

I think there is another factor to Mr. Obama's celebrity. Barack Obama is the first President who is not from my parents' generation. He was a kid while I was a kid. A whole new group of Americans are able to relate to the man in our government's highest office in an entirely new way.

Mr. Obama, you are a very popular man on this day of your inauguration. Thank you for taking this responsibility. We ask you to use your office and your popularity to make choices that keep us free and keep us safe. We'll be praying for you.

Heavenly Father, we pray for Mr. Obama. We ask you that you would help our new President fill his responsibilites as the leader of our nation's executive branch. Give him wisdom and courage to lead well. During his time in office, give us peace that we might be able to take the Message of Christ to the ends of the earth.

A few thoughts on Mr. Bush

Jonathan Atwell — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 05:49:00 -0800

I really wanted to write this post yesterday after watching the President's final press conference.

First, I have to respect someone who has led a country. As someone who leads people, I thank God regularly that it is not my responsibility to lead all 50 United States of America. After leading a church (with slightly fewer than 305 million people), I'm not looking for the headaches of that kind of leadership.

George W. Bush has made mistakes. I've made a couple myself the past 8 years. As far as I know, none of my mistakes have cost anyone their lives. Probably some of Mr. Bush's mistakes have. That's a really hard reality that he and every president will have to go to bed at night facing.

At times President Bush has not been the best politician in the room. This statement is not meant to be offensive. I think some of Mr. Bush's criticism has come for this very reason. I think many people who voted for Mr. Bush four years ago were tired of being led by career politicians. George W. Bush was a businessman before he was a politician. He was a different kind of choice for president. I think this is part of the reason for the derision Mr. Bush has received related to his speeches and his occasional political incorrectness.

It's time for a new president. That's one reality about our nation. Every eight years it's time for someone new in the Oval Office. We are a nation built on the idea that no single person should have too much input. In just a few days we will have a new Mr. President. I think Mr. Obama shares many good qualities with Mr. Bush. He is a confident man with many good ideas. He loves his family. I believe, like Mr. Bush, he will make the United States a better place. Mr. Obama also has a lot of problems to deal with. He has a war to fight. An economy to work on. And, I think when he leaves office in four or eight years, we'll ask him why he couldn't bring peace in the Middle East, either. (I don't think that headache is going away any time soon. Ask the last several presidents about how well their plans worked.) Mr. Obama will make mistakes that will cost people their lives. Sometimes it's good to be the president. Sometimes it's not. I'm pretty sure it's always a hard job.

I know. Not exactly hard-hitting political commentary. Thank you, Mr. Bush, for working hard for me and my family. Thank you, Mr. Obama, for taking the baton for at least the next four years. I will be praying for you both.

Here are a couple thoughts from our brother, Paul:

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and he will commend you. For he is God's servant to do you good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God's servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also because of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. Romans 13:1-7 NIV

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. 1 Timothy 2:1-6 NIV

2009

Jonathan Atwell — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:44:00 -0800

Welcome to 2009!

It's Tuesday of the first full week of 2009. Like it or not 2008 is in the record books. As we begin a new year, I want to encourage you to ask a couple questions.

Question 1: Where are you?
One of my favorite metaphors for life is a journey. If your life is a journey, where are you right now. Are you standing in a beautiful garden full of beautiful flowers that bring joy to every moment of your life? Are you standing in the middle of an intersection trying to decide which way to go while hoping that those cars whizzing by won't flatten you? Are you in the middle of a desert with empty pockets and a dry canteen not knowing where your next drink might come from? Maybe you have your own image for the place your life-journey has brought you. Maybe it's as cold and damp as yesterday's rain here in North Texas. Maybe it's as warm as seat on the hearth in front of your family's fire place surrounded by people who care about you.

Question 2: Where are you going in 2009?
One thing I've learned about life is that, good or bad, 2009 won't end where it began. Whether or not you like the journey metaphor, it's pretty easy to see that each of us is going somewhere. What decisions are you making that affect your journey? Are you in control of the next place you will find yourself, or are you spiraling downward, out of control?

The Good News
Here's good news: It's not too late. Your sitting at a computer someplace reading this blog. You're breathing in and out whether you're thinking about it or not. If you hold your fingers on your wrist, you're going to feel a pulse. It's not too late for a course correction. It's not too late for a game changer. It's not too late to grab the controls of your life and decide you're going to come out of the spiral that's sending you straight into the ground! The even better news is that God has plans for you to be in a better place, too. Toward the end of Old Testament God's people had been in a downward spiral for quite some time. They had turned from worshiping the God who created everything to worshiping statues that looked like the things he had created. God didn't put up with it. He sent his people into a nosedive that ended with them at rock bottom as captives in a foreign land. But, even there God told them he had better things in mind for them. He told them that they would live in Babylon for 70 years, but then he would deliver and restore them because he wasn't done with them yet. Through the prophet, Jeremiah, he promised them:

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV

The better news is that God isn't done with you yet. If your heart is still beating, he still has plans for you. The best news is that God has already done the work to get you ready for his big plans. Over 2000 years ago God sent his Son to free us from his wrath and condemnation. God sent his Son to bear the punishment we deserved for our sin. Now God offers that to you if you will believe in his Son.

Over the next few weeks, our Journey at CrossRoads Church will be guided by our desire to understand this belief in God's Son. We want 2009 to be characterized by happiness--not happiness that is dependent upon our health, finances or circumstances, but happiness that finds its delight in our God. In invite you to come with us.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 NIV

Pictures from Wild Wacky Wet Wednesday

Jonathan Atwell — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:40:00 -0700

Here are pictures from 718 last night. We took a break from our usual activities to play some water games. Our teenagers get together every Wednesday at 7:18 pm. All 6th-12th graders are invited!

Enjoy:

Youth Wacky Wild Wet Night

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 00:00:00 -0700

We had a blast playing water games at 718, our weekly youth event at 7:18 pm on Wednesday nights!

Location: 6331 Boulevard 26 Suite 250 76180
Date: Jul 16, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 24

View Album

Rain!

Jonathan Atwell — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 00:43:00 -0700

Did you get rain last night? Yesterday afternoon we saw the dark clouds roll in. We heard thunder, and I said a little prayer: "Please, Father, give us a little rain." The amazing thing about rain is that we can spend hours and gallons of water watering our lawns and not come close to what the heavens can do for us in fifteen or twenty minutes. It's nice in a world that fights against us all the time to get a few minutes of refreshment as the rain comes down.

That's the way God is. We can give 110% our whole lives and not accomplish what a few minutes of God's work can do in our lives. What's worse is that without God telling us, we don't even know what his blessing looks like. I love what the psalmist writes:

O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1 NIV

Are you thirsty for God? Do you know what thirsty feels like? What if you think that feeling is loneliness or stress or a midlife crisis, when you are actually feeling a deep, deep thirst for God? When I was a teenager, Jesus told me something that changed my life. Through the Apostle Matthew, he said:

But seek first [your Heavenly Father's] kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33 NIV

Jesus says it's that simple. We seek God. He meets our needs. He sends the rain. So, how do I seek God's kingdom? In John 3 Jesus tells us that there is one way into God's Kingdom:

In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again... For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
John 3:3, 16 NIV

Belief in Jesus. In Jesus we have God's water--his refreshing spring--within us. He meets our physical, emotional, spiritual and relational needs.

I'm excited that I don't have to water my lawn today because God provided a better solution. If only the heavens' rain was as abundant as the water Jesus provides...

but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
John 4:14 NIV

In the rain... without a cell phone!!!

Jonathan Atwell — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 15:58:00 -0700

Tonight I did something I haven't done in a long while. I needed some supplies for church, so I got in my car and headed to Office Depot. It was pouring down rain. I thought I'd give my wife a call to see if the house was still above water. Only, as I reached for my mobile phone, I found out it wasn't there. Then, the strangest thing happened. I felt free. My first thought wasn't, "What if my wife needs to get in touch," or, "What if I get a flat tire?" My first thought was, "Wow. For the next forty minutes no one can get in touch with me. For the next forty minutes I'm in my own world."

I love people. I love being connected. Maybe I need to turn of my phone from time to time.

In Psalm 46:10 the psalmist speaks for God telling the nations:
Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in all the earth.

In the past when I have heard this verse, I thought it meant that believers should take time out from their busy lives to be still. Instead, God is not talking to believers. He's talking to his enemies. The psalmist has written that God makes wars cease. In verse 46 God calls out to his enemies to stop making war against him and trust in him.

I wonder how many of us use our phones, PDAs, computers, iPods and game systems to war against God--to keep ourselves from really thinking about the depth of what he has done for us--to keep ourselves from relying completely on him--to give ourselves a sense of power in the midst of life's chaos--to engage in humanity's quest to prove that we are something apart from our savior.

The Good Shepherd

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 03:09:00 -0700

My wife and two friends celebrated birthdays this week. This morning as I have thought about that, I have thought about my own 33 years. Hopefully, I am just a little over a third of the way through my life--maybe closer to half. Like most of us Homo sapiens I spent the first twenty or so years trying desperately to figure out who I am. Not long after my 22nd birthday I got married. Then, I began trying to figure out who my wife is. (That's still a work in progress.) In the midst of these efforts, like all of us, I had to try and figure out all the other details.

I graduated from college in 1997. Like all college graduates, I had all the answers. Then, a couple years later (on my birthday) my boss took me out to lunch to inform me that I didn't have the foggiest idea what I was doing in my career. He was pretty much right. Now, eleven years later, I'm 33, and about every six months I have to ask myself if I really know what I'm doing--not just in my career but in just about every area of my life.

Here's the beautiful reality: Even if I wake up tomorrow and realize that I don't have the foggiest idea what I'm doing, God does.

You'll never hear me claim to be the greatest pastor around. You'll never hear me claim we have the best church. What we do have is a bunch of deeply-flawed people who know that God loves us so much he sent his only Son to die, so our sins can be completely forgiven. We also know that if he loved us that much 2000 years ago, our completely sovereign God loves us enough to hold on to us and lovingly shepherd us throughout our lives. Jesus expressed this beautifully in John 10:

My sheep listen to my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; no one will snatch them from my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can snatch them from my Father’s hand.
John 10:27-29 NET

So, I thank God for his shepherding. I thank him that I will never be taken from his continual presence and eternal plan--even when I don't get it right--not because of what I have done but because my Shepherd died to pay the price for my sins and by his grace lovingly brought me into his flock. He really is good. Just as Jesus is the one who has made the purchase of my salvation, he will also be the one to sustain it. My confidence is not in me. My confidence is in him to sustain my faith until the end.

Do you believe in a God like this? If you want to know more, send me a note: info@crossroadsfortworth.org. We'll talk about this God. We'll talk about his faithfulness. We'll talk about Christ's sacrifice that sealed the deal. We'll talk about his continual presence. We'll talk about the home he is preparing.

I am saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, and I will live for God's glory alone.

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Jonathan Atwell — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 04:37:00 -0700

During the month of July we will be teaching a series called What's on Your Mind? This series will be focused on answering YOUR questions about God, faith, morality or anything else you can think of. Questions are listed on a poll on both of our blog pages. Please take a minute to let us know which question is most interesting to you. You are also welcome to submit a new question by clicking on the link below.

Click here to add a question to be considered for our July teaching series.

Youth Summer Camp 2008

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Pictures from Falls Creek

Location: Falls Creek, Davis, OK
Date: Jun 4, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 15

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Thankful...

Jonathan Atwell — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:24:00 -0700

Last Sunday we took a few minutes during our Sunday morning Worship Gatherings to write down what we are thankful for. Here's what our church family said in no particular order:

Music, food, friends, family
My loving family
The Lord Jesus, good health, a place to serve, my church, my family
My CrossRoads Church family
Friends who help us with no expectations
God sending hi son on our behalf, so we cann be free from death and have life everafter with him
This church and all its support and prayers
Friendships
My incredible family
My race car and the ability to work on and race it.
Family and friends who are giving and sacrificing for others
My wonderful marriage. It's been 2 years today!
Our own facility to have youth
My family
Redemption and inner peace and friends who tell you that it's okay to forgive yourself because God already has
My hubby, my sister & best friend and my kids--they are so much fun and full of joy
My wife and best friend
My family and church family
God's revelation i my life, my family, my home, CrossRoads, my car, God's provision, green lights, good music, genuine people
My life, salvation, my family, this church, food, sweets, God, Jesus, heaven, the clothes on my back, music, school, youth camp
God's love and mercy
A Savior who loved me so much that he died for my sins so that I could have eternal life and my church family
The gifts God gives me that allow me to provide for my family
Daughters who love Christ. Support of my church family through many trials in my life.
A family that loves me, God and all his love for me, forgiveness for my mistakes
Being here at curch worshiping the Lord. I'm thankful for my family for doing things for me, my friends for always being there for me and also being my friends
My family and friends
Being here in this church. It changed my life forever and being here with my girlfriend, too.
My friends and family
The relationship I have with my family
Every day I have
God providing a home for my family
Freedom as revealed by God who opens my eyes to his world
Jesus Christ and many other things
Finding this church, my loved ones (friends and family), grace
Freedom from the curse of sin and death, all is forgiven
That there is nothing I can do to earn my salvation. I only have to have faith.
My family and friends
My mom and dad and brother, school, doggy
My wonderful mother, my loving husband, my beautiful baby boy and this amazing church
A God who allows me to cry out to him in good times and hard times
My family, my husband, God's love
My fantastic kids! My salvation
This wonderful church

What are you thankful for?

The Americanization of Coffee... and God?

Jonathan Atwell — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:46:00 -0700

Where do you drink coffee? As long as it's good, I drink coffee anywhere I can get it. For some of us coffee is something we drink because we enjoy it, but let's be honest. Tom Hanks spoke for most of us in You've Got Mail when he called it "legal addictive stimulants."

One of my favorite places to get coffee is this little shop in Grapevine some friends turned us on to called Buon Giorno. It's a little shop where they roast the beans themselves. They have free wi-fi and shelves full of books and board games, but don't go there if you're in a hurry. It literally takes them about five minutes to pour a cup of coffee. Why? Because at Buon Giorno coffee is about the Cheers experience--having a place to hang out where everyone knows your name.

Which brings us to Starbucks. I like Buon Giorno, but I like Starbucks, too. Starbucks has gotten some bad press lately because people are saying they are becoming like McDonald's. Actually, I think what is happening is that McDonald's is offering what people were looking for at Starbucks--only cheaper. For the past ten years Starbucks has developed this process of making coffee that is efficient. You walk in, order your grande, extra-hot, non-fat, triple, no-whip, extra-foam mocha, and by the time you get to the register, they hand it to you, zip your debit card, and you're on your way. The problem? As efficient as Starbucks has become, McDonald's is still quicker and cheaper. So, now Starbucks is trying to change their image and their menu. (By the way, their new Pike Place roast is great. Big, bold taste with almost no aftertaste. It does, however, taste like coffee. If you're a coffee drinker who doesn't really like coffee, stick to your caramel macchiato.)

I think the problem Starbucks is going to run into is that we, Americans, don't usually want to sit and hang out while somebody makes our coffee. We want our stimulant quickly because we are on our way to work. Don't get me wrong, occasionally we like to enjoy coffee with friends or while we're reading a good book, but most of the time we think of coffee as a performance-enhancing drug not a way of life.

My concern is that this is also the way we think about God and his family (church) most of the time. We occasionally reminisce about a meaningful experience we once had, but we really go to church to get our dose of God for the week as we scurry about the rest of our lives. This Sunday I encourage you to go to church and savor the words you hear. The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 10 that the words of the gospel literally save our lives. They sometimes sting, but after the shock of hearing that I don't contribute anything to my salvation, the truth that Jesus has done it all for me gives me peace and hope. Then, there's God's family. You can find hope in a few songs and an effective description of the Message of Jesus, but church can be so much more... You can find people who will love you and care for you when life is hard. You can find a place where people encourage you and remind you that God loves you--even when you blow it.

This Sunday come see us at the place God's family hangs out. If you don't already have someplace to go, come see us at CrossRoads. When you get to church, get some refreshments and find a comfortable place to sit. Then, say a little prayer. Tell your Heavenly Father thanks for sending his Son to show his love by dying for us. Ask him to introduce you to someone this morning who will be there for you when life gets hard to encourage you and remind you what Jesus' has done for us. Then, when someone comes to say "Hi", expect God to answer that prayer.

If you're looking for God, he has a place for you. Respond to him by going to find that place.

I'd love to see you Sunday!

I like to cook...

Jonathan Atwell — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:38:00 -0700

I'm one of those guys who enjoys cooking. Of course, I only cook manly food. My favorite food to cook is stir fry. A couple Christmases ago my parents got a wok for me. Three or four times a month I pour some peanut oil in that wok and fry up some chicken and veggies. I guess stir fry is manly food.

One thing I can't do without when cooking is a timer. I don't usually set my timer, though. When I start my food coking, I usually start my timer at zero and let it count up rather than backward. This gives me a better perspective on how long something has been cooking. I guess that probably makes me weird. The important thing is that regardless of which way my timer counts, the food still gets done.

This Sunday I'm going to elaborate on an idea we scraped the surface of last Sunday. I threw out the idea that the time our faith in Jesus becomes most significant is at a funeral--especially our own! In our world where we can fix just about everything with medicine or surgery, I think it's hard for us to remember that one day we're going to be done--regardless of which way we have our timer running.

We all need hope for our own funerals. The Good News is that we really do have hope when we're done. Come hear about it this Sunday!

The fragrance of life...

Jonathan Atwell — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 01:18:00 -0700

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 NIV
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

One of the hardest senses for me to understand is my sense of smell. My wife and I have recently been house hunting. Every house had a different smell. Some smelled clean--they had a hint of lemon and bleach. Some houses smelled like animals. Don't get me wrong. I love animals, but the smell of animals inside a house doesn't give me some internal drive to purchase it. Probably the most interesting smell I noticed while house hunting was the smell of my grandparents' house. I can't place what the smell is, but there were a couple houses we entered that drew up deep emotions and memories. For some reason God has created us in such a way that our mind attaches certain aromas to emotions that are very central to who we are.

I guess that connection between our sense of smell and the core of who we are is what makes these verses from Paul's letter so powerful. Can you imagine the emotions of the Father when his Son was executed on our behalf? Can you imagine how deeply he must have felt grief that his only Son was dying a painful death, crushed under the punishment for every sin of every person who would ever believe in him? Can you imagine how great the joy as he knew that Jesus' death would usher every believer into the intimacy of his own family? It's with these deep emotions that we see Paul describe how we smell to God. He describes us as the aroma of Christ to our Heavenly Father. Paul goes on to tell us that our odor is not only powerful to God but to the people around us. As we love the people around us and share the words that describe Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf, we are the fragrance of life to those who are saved by God's grace. God's message through our words is the aroma that transforms the very heart of the people around us, by the power of God's Spirit, to give them new life through faith in Christ.

Who is going to be smelling you today? How are you going to show them God's love? How are you going to put words to God's love by telling them about God's gift to them in Jesus' sacrifice?

Thank you, Father, that through faith in your Son we are the aroma of Christ to you. Make us faithful to spread the fragrance of knowledge of Christ to others today.

Lost and found...

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 08:19:00 -0700

I lost something important to me this week. One of my most useful possessions is my iPod. It's nothing fancy--doesn't even have a color screen. It was given to me when one of our members got a new one. One of the coolest hand-me-downs I've ever received. We preachers get a lot of stuff handed down to us. Yesterday I misplaced it. I don't know about you, but I get pretty obsessive when I lose something I know I can't replace. This time was pretty bad. I was almost to the point of grieving when there it was--right where I left it...

Jesus tells us the story of a woman who lost a coin. You can read it for yourself in Luke 15. When she finds it she throws a party. As I studying this week, I was thinking about the cross. Jesus came to earth to die for humanity on a cross--probably one of the most gruesome, dishonorable ways to die. The book of Hebrews tells us that Jesus died joyfully. Why? Because he knew that his death would give back the most important thing to him--his creation. He knew that when his life expired, the struggle with sin would be finished, and the punishment of everyone who believed in him would stay nailed to his cross.

What makes today, Friday, March 21st, good? I once was lost but now am found even though it cost Jesus his life.

I'll see you on Resurrection Day!

Everything CrossRoads

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 04:58:00 -0700

If you are looking for a good way to keep up with everything going on at CrossRoads, below you will find a link to a web feed that will keep you up to date with our Upcoming Events, Pastor's Blog and Picasa picture page.

What is a web feed? Here's a site that gives you a pretty good idea of what a web feed is and what it is good for: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_feed

Here's the link for the feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/crossroadsfortworth

Don't forget that Easter is this Sunday. Come worship with us and bring your kids for Easter Egg Hunts after each service!

Click here for help setting up our web feed.

www.crossroadsfortoworth.org

Upcoming Events

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Youth Spring Campout

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 10:19:25 -0700

Pictures from our Spring Campout the last weekend in March.

Location: Ray Roberts Lake, TX
Date: Mar 16, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 10

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Why We Hunger...

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:41:00 -0700

This past Sunday we talked about fasting. That's something we don't generally make a big deal about at CrossRoads, but I thought in light of the Easter season, it was worth spending some time talking about. During the 40 days leading up to Easter, the church celebrates Lent. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting and self-denial that leads up to our remembrance of Jesus' death on Good Friday and resurrection on Easter Sunday.

So really, what's the deal with fasting? One of the best resources I've found on the spiritual side of fasting is a book by John Piper: A Hunger for God. Piper explains that fasting is not about trying to earn God's favor. (We can never earn God's favor. Instead, we receive God's favor as a gift through faith in Jesus.) He also points out that fasting is not about trying to manipulate God to get him to do what we want. Fasting is about increasing our hunger for God. Piper points out that in a world full of good things--many of which are God's gifts--it's easy to become satisfied with God's gifts and lose our hunger to know him. We have all been guilty of neglecting to pray or read our Bibles regularly when things are good, haven't we?

My prayer for you this week is that you would be reminded of your hunger for God. I would encourage you to take some time this week to refuse to be satisfied with the stuff around you--maybe even food for a day--to really focus on your hunger for God.

Psalm 63:1 NIV
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

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Volunteer Dinner

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

CrossRoads Church of Fort Worth Volunteer Dinner Thanks CrossRoads Volunteers!

Location: 6331 Boulevard 26, Suite 250, 76180
Date: Feb 16, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 17

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Happy Valentine's Day!

Jonathan Atwell — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 01:06:00 -0800

What do you have planned for your Valentine today? Maybe you've got roses on the way to her and have a big night of dinner and a movie planned. Maybe your like me and are looking forward to a quiet night at home with the spouse you love more than anyone else--home cooked meal, movie in the DVD player. That can be a great night if your life is as crazy as ours is. Isn't it great to be in love?

I saw a movie yesterday that reminded me what love was about. One of our drummers and I went to see Cloverfield. It's a classic love story: Boy meets girl who becomes his best friend. Boy gets camcorder and falls in love with best-friend-girl. Boy with camcorder loses girl because he's stupid and can't make promises. Boy with camcorder runs across Manhattan to try and rescue girl from enormous monster that is eating the city alive.

Let's be honest. What is love really about? Romantic love is about promises--specifically one promise that's made between a man and a woman that they will love each other until death parts them. What a great promise! The reality of our world is that this promise is hard for us to come by. Last night at seveneighteen, our Wednesday night youth meeting, one of our teenagers asked a question about love that implied, "What happens when the promise is over?"

Where do we find life-long love? The Bible tells us about a God who expressed his life-long love by giving up his own life for us. This Sunday we'll be looking specifically at God's promise for us. His promise is not only for life, but the Apostle Paul tells us that not even death is going to part us from his promise.

Today as you think about love, spend a few minutes thinking about God's love for us. Then, let your love promises reflect God's love-promise to us.

Romans 8:38-39 NIV
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

18 and 1

Jonathan Atwell — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 03:24:00 -0800

Well, football season is over. The New England Patriots missed the perfect season by one game. Have you thought about what that must feel like? They would have been the first NFL team ever to go 19 and 0. Now, with one loss, not only did they not have an unprecedented perfect season, but they also missed out on their 4th NFL championship in 7 years. Maybe the 90s Cowboys are still the best team ever? I don't know about you, but that kind of feels like the story of my life. I get so much right sometimes, but then, just as I'm about to win, I come up short.

This week we are beginning a series at CrossRoads called Love Wins. It's a story about the one man who did not not come up 18 and 1. Better than that, his perfect victory is also the ultimate expression of God's love for us. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the perfect expression of God's love. The Bible tells us that Jesus is the one and only Son of God (John 3:16). This means that he is the same essence or being as God the Father. Jesus became completely human. He faced all the pain, suffering and temptation we face in this life. The difference was that he did not ever fail to live by God's law.

One night during the Jewish celebration of Passover Jesus knelt in a garden to pray knowing that he faced his own Super Bowl. That night he would be dragged by armed guards an illegal trial that would lead to his execution on the cross. That was Jesus' Super Bowl after his perfect season. After passing every test and temptation, Jesus faced his biggest challenge knowing that the next day he would give up his life for humanity.

This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 1 John 4:9

www.crossroadsfortoworth.org

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Check out our pics!

Jonathan Atwell — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 04:18:00 -0800

We just added pictures!

You can click on the link below to check out pictures of our recent events. Check back soon to see more of what's going on at CrossRoads.

http://picasaweb.google.com/crossroadsfortworth.org

If you'd like to add pictures you took at our events, send them to info@crossroadsfortworth.org.

www.crossroadsfortoworth.org

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Spud Bowl VI-02-03-2008

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Location: 6331 Boulevard 26, Suite 250, North Richland Hills, TX USA
Date: Feb 2, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 15

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Youth Rock Climbing-02-02-2008

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0800

Location: Arlington, TX USA
Date: Feb 2, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 22

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seveneighteen

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 10:43:46 -0800

Here are some pictures from seveneighteen, our Wednesday night youth activity every Wednesday at 7:18pm.

Location: 6331 Boulevard 26, Suite 250, North Richland Hills, TX USA
Date: Jan 26, 2008
Number of Photos in Album: 8

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Thanksgiving.

Jonathan Atwell — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 12:01:00 -0800

The weekend after Thanksgiving was the first Sunday I have been away from CrossRoads since I became Senior Pastor in 2003 except for trips out of country to do development work. It was an interesting experience for me. I attended my in-laws' church in Oklahoma after spending most of the week with family. Shelly and I walked in as the first song was getting started and slipped in next to my mother-in-law. We got to participate in worship the way everybody else does on Sunday mornings. There was a slightly nervous sixteen year old filling in for the normal music person. He did a good job, but there was n0thing spectacular about what happened that morning. As I stood singing, I was overwhelmed.

Many of you who have attended CrossRoads have occasionally noticed that I lose a few words to a song because I am a little emotional. Well, this Sunday after Thanksgiving I had to completely stop singing because I was overwhelmed with who this God is that we worship. I was intrigued by my emotional reaction to the morning because it was so immediate. Out of nowhere I was blown away as my mind was flooded by the reality of God's goodness and the price Jesus paid to set us free. It wasn't the music. It wasn't the message about the vices of drinking alcohol. It was the reality that we serve a God who sent his only Son to receive our full shame, so we can be completely righteous in God's sight.

My prayer for everyone is that we would all be blown away by who our God is and what Jesus has done for us. I hope that every time you walk in the doors of a church building to worship with God's family, you would be blown away by all these crazy people God has saved for no other reason than to show everyone else his glory.

Make sure you find yourself in church this Sunday expecting to be overwhelmed by the truth of who our God is. I know I will.

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Praying...

Jonathan Atwell — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:15:00 -0800

Have you prayed with someone lately? Last night at CrossRoads we kicked off our first weekly prayer meeting. I know I'll probably come off like Obvious Man, but it was great to get together with God's people to pray. It was really a breath of fresh air. We didn't do anything fancy. We just took a few minutes to get to know one another, read a short passage from the New Testament, shared some requests and prayed.

It's funny about prayer--prayer isn't magical, it's supernatural. What's the difference? Magic is us manipulating things to make something happen that is beyond explanation. Prayer isn't magical. There is no hocus pocus involved. Prayer is coming to God by the power of Jesus and simply making our requests known to him. We have confidence that God answers our prayers because by God's favor alone, through faith in Jesus alone, we are made his children as we trust completely in Jesus' death and resurrection for our forgiveness and favored standing before God. Then, we add God's family to our relationship with God. Group prayer becomes this incredible sharing of our faith in Jesus with one another as we enter God's presence in Jesus' name. As we pray, we receive instruction and insight hearing the prayers of others. We each express our understanding of God's instruction, promises and provision as we speak to God and one another. We share this deep part of who we are as we express our faith in Jesus as the complete provision for all of life's needs.

Have you prayed with someone lately? It's really great!

Thanks everyone who came to our first weekly prayer meeting last night.

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The Secret

Jonathan Atwell — Mon, 24 Sep 2007 03:17:00 -0700

One of my friends recently read and blogged about a book called The Secret. It's been a bestseller for quite some time. The author tells readers that there is a secret to life that we get what we think about. Focus your mind on good things, and you will get them. Think about bad things and you'll get stuck with them. OK, I know that's an oversimplification, but that's the premise of the book. This isn't a new idea. I remember when I was working in a Christian bookstore during college, it carried several books by authors claiming the Christian faith who made the same kinds of assertions.

The funny thing about faith in Jesus is that there are no more secrets. This morning, as I was reading in Romans, I ran across these verses:

Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that had been kept secret for long ages, but now is disclosed, and through the prophetic scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith – to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be glory forever! Amen.
Romans 16:25-27 NET

These are the wrap-up verses of the entire book of Romans. Romans is a letter that was written by the Apostle Paul to the believers in living in Rome during the First Century. In this letter Paul tells us THE secret. He clearly spells out for us the reality of our condition and our hope. Then, here at the end of his letter he tells us that the secret is a secret no more. The secret became the revelation when Christ became human and completely revealed God to us. Then, after clearly revealing God, he died because we needed someone to step in and take the wrath of God, so our sins can be forgiven.

What a tragedy it would be if the Good News about God would have remained a secret. If you've not spent a few minutes with God yet today, take a minute or two and pray thanking him for revealing the secret. Thank him for sending his Son not only to reveal him to us but to die, so our sins can be forgiven. Thank him for the gift of faith he gives us, so we can believe in Jesus' saving work.

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Don't tase me, Bro!

Jonathan Atwell — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 01:40:00 -0700

You've probably seen the video from the University of Florida of the student who was tased during a John Kerry lecture. As I was reading in Romans this morning, I was reading about the Law and the freedom we have in Jesus. I am continually amazed by how we teach about our salvation. We teach people that our salvation is free. There's nothing we can do to earn it. It's not about what we do but what Jesus has done for us. Then, once they have trusted in Jesus, we do the very thing Jesus condemned the religious leaders for doing. We lay heavy burdens of laws on their shoulders. Why? Because our whole lives people have laid those burdens on us.

I think about how often I've had coffee with people who have come to our church, and their hearts have said to me, "Don't tase me, Bro." Many people who come to CrossRoads have blown it. They have made some decisions that they regret. They find themselves in a place they never thought they would be because their family, job or their whole life has fallen apart around them. Their friends and family have judged them, and what's worse is that they know it's their own fault. As I talk with hurting people, I'm always reminded of Isaiah's description of Jesus:

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out
Matthew 12:20 NIV

Because we have the Law of God written on our hearts, we know when we sin. Sometimes we do our best to ignore it, but we know. In the Law we come face to face with God's righteousness, and we are condemned. When someone comes to us broken by their own sin, what they need to hear is the Gospel. This week I talked with our teenagers about what the Gospel is. I told them that the Gospel is the reality that Jesus died to make us right with God when we had no desire to be made right with Him. This is what we need to remind each other. When we trust in Jesus, we are never again condemned by God. All of God's punishment for every believer was poured out on Jesus 2,000 years ago as he died on the cross. When the punishment had been atoned for, he cried out from the cross, "It is finished!" And it was.

So, today, be encouraged. If you have trusted in Jesus, you are forgiven. If you have never trusted in Jesus but think there might be something to this, God is waiting for you to trust in him and become part of his family--his family of freedom, forgiveness and hope for life's journey. And, when you hear someone this week saying, "Don't tase me, Bro." Tell them about God's favor and offer them the same break God has offered to all of us who believe.

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5 Days and Counting...

Jonathan Atwell — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 00:33:00 -0700

Are you as excited as I am? We are just 5 days out from our Grand Opening in our new facility! I've got several people to invite today. Let's pray together as we reach out to people around us who are looking for the incredible grace of God. As you work to invite your friends, neighbors, coworkers and family, pray for everyone involved in our Worship Gatherings--our Welcome Team, Children's Team, Tech Team, band and me--that we would share the truth of the Gospel in an exciting way this Sunday. Thanks for your prayers and all your work getting us into our new home. Thanks for helping make sure God's house is full this Sunday!

So his master said, "Go out into the country lanes and behind the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full."
Luke 14:23 NLT

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The Blessed Life...

Jonathan Atwell — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 01:49:00 -0700

Have I ever shared one of my pet peeves with you? It makes me crazy when people tell me to "Have a blessed day." Actually, just about any use of the world "blessed" rubs me the wrong way. "Blessed" has become some kind of weird buzzword in the Christian subculture. It seems like its use is closer to the the way fraternities use a secret handshake than the biblical use of the word. When I hear somebody use it, I feel like they might as well be saying, "Don't worry. Be happy."

This makes me crazy because in the Bible the word "bless" has a very specific meaning. God's blessing is his grace. It's his undeserved favor in our lives. "Blessed" doesn't mean happy or nice or fun. "Blessed" means someone is saved by grace through faith in the work of Jesus--his life, death and resurrection.

So, I guess it's OK to say, "Have a blessed day," if by that you are encouraging someone to live in the grace of God. The problem is that the blessing of God is a heavy thing--heavy in the Back to the Future sense. Blessing is not something I can flippantly offer as someone leaves my house or my place of business. God's favor is something I desperately cry out to God the Father to dispense in someone's life as he causes his Spirit to draw them to Jesus. Look at the way Paul quotes Psalm 32 to describe God's blessing:

Romans 4:7-8 NET
Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered;
blessed is the one against whom the Lord will never count sin.

Blessing is not a state of mind we wish someone. Blessing is the new life we find in Christ.

May we be careful with words of grace that they may not be cheapened by over use but powerful words describing the favor we have found by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. May we remember our own blessing as our words and lives proclaim with the hymn writer:

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

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Youth Camp 2007

CrossRoads Church Fort Worth — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 17:35:26 -0700

Here are some pics from last year. 6th-12th Graders, don't miss Youth Summer Camp this summer, June 9-14!

Location: Falls Creek, Davis, OK
Date: Jun 11, 2007
Number of Photos in Album: 17

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