Protecting Discipleship

Carving out a culture of family discipleship

Shopping

What should we be about? God has called us as a new people - the church. How do we make that happen?

Crete was a place of trouble....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUEYCVXJM3k

Zeus was a trickster and seducer

The importance of elders -

“Above reproach” - The reputation for the sake of the church (more than the sake of the world)

We have the greatest news in the world! We have the community that will last into eternity.

Losing 7 million? SBC

Doing not just claiming - be doers of the word not hearers only James 1:21

Thomas Jefferson - - community

Because the importance of the elders is to preserve the reputation of the church within the church by doing the word rather than just speaking it, the quality of elders needs to be addressed.

The quality of elders -

The family - because it’s not just this time we’re working for

The character - because he must stand for some things and not others

God’s steward - not like Zeus -

but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, disciplined

How then does the quality of the elders translate into doing the Word - By noticing the purpose of the elders

The purpose of elders - Hold fast to the Word

1 Thess 5:14 - hold fast to the weak

It will cost you something but a pastor by living his life according to the Word is showing it’s worth it

The pastor/elder’s goal is to guide the speaking in church as he lives out the teaching - so that we are echoing the God who never lies and emphasizing His promises & so we are living out what we say (having integrity)

Climbing the Ladder of Integrity - see sheet

1- Right now the issue on my mind is… restarting interactions after COVID-19

2- I’m anxious in talking about this because… I feel uncertain and insecure how I’m going to be received

3- My part in this is… knowing that I need to interact and yet not knowing for sure what will be accepted

4- My need in this issue is… I want to be liked. I want to be respected. But I need to glory God in my interactions

5- My feelings about this are… mixed. Fear about how I will be received. Uncertainty because I don’t know if I’m going to be passing on the virus. Exhaustion because we’ve been dealing with this for a while.

6- What my reaction tells me about me is… I like comfort sometimes more than love. I like having things more concrete and certain in how I will be received.

7 - This issue is important to me because I value… face to face interactions and being able to confidently live out loving people in order to glorify God and I violate this value when… I hang back, act out of insecurity rather than love.

8- I am willing/ not willing to… not willing to let this uncertainty keep me from seeking to love others.

9 - One thing I could do to improve the situation is… asking you what your comfort level is in regards to these areas. Also being more bold about seeking interaction with people.

10- The most important thing I want you to know is… I value having you as a friend and brother or sister in Christ.

11- I think my honest sharing will benefit our relationship by .... making it easier for us to discuss sensitive issues.

12 - I hope and look forward to… welcoming one another in delight at being together once again.

Announcement about Chris Lowe

Announcement about church plans

This is a time of the year for goodbyes as well as beginnings. John and Marissa Sharbaugh came to the pastoral leadership of CrossRoad in August 2019, and indicated they believed God was probably leading them into another ministry, that they were fully committed to LIFE for the school year, but that they wanted the pastors to plan for their departure at the end of the ISU 2019-2020 academic year. When John and Marissa and their two children, Emma and Jack, arrived in Ames in October, 2016, they built great relationships with the international students and others they ministered with in LIFE. John and Marissa have impacted the lives of many students and others through their Bible teaching in large group, small group and one-on-one settings, through their hospitality, hosting many meals, Bible discussions and fellowship times in their home, through English-conversation partnerships, and their personal friendship. They saw students trust Christ and grow in their faith.  We are sorry to see them leave, but believe God has good plans for them. John, Marissa, Emma and Jack, we will continue to pray for you as you make the transition to another ministry. We’d like to have a farewell week of the first week of June. Drop off cards or gifts of appreciation on their porch sometime during the week. We covet your prayers as well for CrossRoad and LIFE. 

We are also pleased to announce that Nick Bal will be overseeing LIFE and LCF. Many in LIFE and LCF have expressed interest over the years of merging the two groups. We have been seeking for a while a way to bring the two groups together. Cultural differences and English language skill levels motivated the formation of LIFE years ago. The college students of today, international and American, are much more informed and English skills among the international students are higher resulting in easier cross-cultural communication. After much prayer, the leadership of the church believe this would be an appropriate time to move in the direction of uniting the two groups as it continues to develop the cross-cultural, cross-generational purpose of the church. I believe this is one of the reasons God brought Nick and Carol to our church. Details of the unification will be developed by the pastors, leaders and members of the two groups. 

Questions - How can you value your pastor’s role in clinging to the Word?

Small Group time:

What do you appreciate about our pastors?

How can you encourage them?

How do we grow in integrity ourselves?

How do we seek to be hospitable, a lover of good, and self-controlled?

How would you encourage your children to be pastors/elders?