Spent a couple of days on the road with some of my best friends and I got to reconnect with many others.  I got to hear some challenging speaking from Perry Noble, glean lots of information from NewSpring’s great staff and volunteers, and even discover a little bit about myself.  Here are the highlights:

• The Worship: It was exactly the way I like it… Loud!  There were some lyrics however that rocked me.

How He Loves – He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.

Freedom is Here – So take the limits off
No matter what the cost
I’m running after Your call
And I will run this race
See You face to face
So let Your power overflow

• Perry Noble – Here’s some stuff he said: Many times God takes leaders to a cliff and tells them to jump. If we don’t jump another generation will.

• God will test you financially. If you are following God you will always have your back up against the wall financially.

• Everyone loves the idea of progress, but they have a problem with the sacrifice requirements.

• The church has to be comfortable with the lost (coming to our church) and acting like they’re lost.

• Missional is a buzz word that will not be around in 5 years, if you are the church, you should be Missional.

• No man is the most powerful person in your church….Jesus is the most powerful person in the church

• If you can fully explain what’s happening in your church, Jesus probably is not involved.

• The best thing a church can do is make sure their pastor is healthy.

• If God is using us, its because we were barren, and God changed our lives, we did nothing ourselves.

• The Bible calls those who do not work, lazy; It calls the one who will not rest, disobedient.

• Pastor, your marriage is the most important marriage in the church. It’s got to remain strong.

• Listen to your coaches, not your critics.

• Your leaders will have a solution, your robots will wait until they are told what to do. Pastor, make sure your leaders are resourced, and get out of their way.

• Keep short accounts – Don’t be bitter at people.

• The guys – I got to spend my time with Paul Castelli and Brad Klausman… Two of the most important men in my life and it was a blessing beyond reason!  These guys keep my head on straight and they remind me of who  I really am.  As hard as I believe ministry has made me, they keep reminding me that I am a sensitive guy who lives by his heart, and as long as that heart is captured by Jesus then I’m in good shape…

I had a blast at Unleash… can’t wait to see what’s coming next.

The music is courtesy of Matt and Joanna Black.  Check out their website at MattAndJoannaBlack.com

PCY Project February 2010 from Crosspoint Church on Vimeo.

In case you missed this sweet Valentine’s Day story, I had to share. The world’s longest-married couple talked about love, marriage, and relationships on Twitter of all places!

Can you imagine? Herbert and Zelmyra Fisher are 104 and 102 respectively. They have been married for 85 years! When these two kids tied the knot, Calvin Coolidge was president, Lenin was buried in Moscow’s Red Square, a new house would cost you about $7,000, and a new car about $265.00.

The couple took questions via Twitter. I love their answers, both in their sincerity and in their simplicity. Their devotion toward one another is so real that it’s moving. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Q: What made you realize that you could spend the rest of your lives together? Were you scared at all?
A: With each day that passed, our relationship was more solid and secure. Divorce was NEVER an option—or even a thought.

Q: How did you know your spouse was the right one for you?
A: We grew up together and were best friends before we married. A friend is for life—our marriage has lasted a lifetime.

Q: Is there anything you would do differently after more than 80 years of marriage?
A: We wouldn’t change a thing. There’s no secret to our marriage, we just did what was needed for each other and our family.

Q: What is your advice to someone who is trying to keep the faith that Mr. Right is really out there?
A: Mine was just around the corner! He is never too far away, so keep the faith—when you meet him, you’ll know.

Q: What was the best piece of marriage advice you ever received?
A: Respect, support, and communicate with each other. Be faithful, honest, and true. Love each other with ALL of your heart.

Q: You got married very young—how did you both manage to grow as individuals yet not grow apart as a couple?
A: Everyone who plants a seed and harvests the crop celebrates together. We are individuals, but accomplish more together.

Q: What is your fondest memory of your 85-year marriage?
A: Our legacy: 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild.

Q: What is the most important thing to remind yourselves?
A: Remember marriage is not a contest—never keep a score. God has put the two of you together on the same team to win.

The “secret” to a successful marriage is really no secret at all; be loving, honest, and true. You can accomplish more together. America’s 50% divorce rate suggests that we’ve forgotten that. The Fisher’s are a beautiful reminder.

(credit: http://curtharding.wordpress.com) Edited slightly.

I was wondering if we should organize a team to head over there, maybe we collect canned goods or something, but then last night I was watch the evening news and Former President Bill Clinton was on; he had been appoint UN Envoy to Haiti for this crisis and I listened closely to an answer to one of the questions he had been asked.

“Mr. President, how can we help?”

His response was simple – unless you are part of the global rescue efforts in Haiti, the best thing you can go is support the relief organizations financially.

I know this is a rough time, and I know that some of us may be jobless or barely making the payments.  But the truth is that in America we are richer than any other nation out their and I’d like to encourage you to follow the Former President’s encouragement to give.

There are two organizations that I’d like to recommend:

1. Samaritan’s Purse

2. Compassion International

This is a portion of the email I received today from Compassion:

Compassion sponsors and donors serve more than 65,000 children in Haiti. At least a third of them live in the areas that were hardest hit.

I am asking you to please send a generous gift today to help these precious children and their families.

We are working rapidly to assess the situation and determine the full extent of damage:

• Sadly, we anticipate there will be many deaths.
• We anticipate thousands of children and families will have lost everything.
• We anticipate many of our church-based child development centers will have been destroyed.

Without a doubt, the children we serve in Haiti are in shock and face immediate needs for food, water, medical care, shelter and counseling. We have teams prepared to respond, and we are deeply committed to helping each child.

Let’s do what we can, Samaritan’s Purse and Compassion already have existing relationships within Haiti and the money sent will do directly to the efforts to help.  As soon as I find out more ways to help I’ll let everyone know.

UPDATE:

I just received a message from a friend of mine who had some prayer requests to share from a ministry serving in Haiti:

Wayne ,my church up North has been extremely involved with ministries in Haiti. In fact, my parents did two mission trips to Port de Paix (north of Port au Prince) to help build schools. My minister and his family moved to Haiti to continue there efforts for several years.

This is what my he said: been in contact with Haiti. There are so many aspects of … See Morethis. It is mind boggling. Again, all the buildings where we work are ok. people are physically ok. emotionally things are a wreck. two major concerns. the orphanage is the last stop on the supply line. supplies will be very scarce and soon non-existent and very expensive.

Also, they are preparing for a large infux of refugees from Port au Prince. Money right now is about the only way to help physically. there are a couple of places we know of right now to help. Globe International at www.gme.org. If you want to help the orphanage, designate it. You can also help Haiti through International Disaster Emergency Service (IDES) at www.ides.org and designate it for Haiti. Please crank up your prayers.

Here are some prayer requests:

• People have been asking about what to pray for… here are a few Praises· Port de Paix was basically spared of the damage. Their buildings are intact. The children are safe. Concerns· Port de Paix is the last stop on the supply line. Supplies are very scarce and very soon will be non existent. They will become very expensive.
• The ministry is preparing for a large influx of refugees from Port au Prince.· For the city of Port au Prince· For their ability to know how to respond.· For the international community to respond as quickly as possible.· For those who have lost family members and friends.· For those who don’t know where family members are.
• Stability of the government through all of this.· Looting that will go on.· God’s help through His people will become very evident very quickly.· The strength, patience, and encouragement of the missionaries that are there.· For my friend, Gerard Eustache, who lives in Port au Prince and is unaccounted for.

More and more people we know are being listed as unaccounted. they say that 100,000’s people may have died. beyond imagination.

It’s another opportunity to share God’s love in a practical way.

The love of God sometimes isn’t practical though… Sometimes it’s weird. If “I” was God, I’m not so sure I would should up as a tiny baby. So fragile, so defenseless, so… “babyish”.

Instead of a throne, He got a manger. Instead of a castle, our King got a stable. Sometimes LOVE comes in a form where you least expect it.

Tomorrow on Christmas Eve, who are you bringing? Who have you been praying for who is going to meet face to face with a savior you’d never suspect?

See you tomorrow!

Watch it and let us know what YOUR story is… email it to: mystory@crosspointlive.com

It’s Personal – A Former Atheist Speaks from dewde on Vimeo.

1. House Decorating – Is there a single mom, elderly couple, or a busy family in your neighborhood that you can help out?  Grab a small group or a some friends and get the supplies necessary to deck the halls for someone else this year!  Maybe buy a real Christmas tree for a family that can’t afford it.  You know that newlywed couple that sits in the back?  Get ‘em some mistletoe!
2. Candy Canes – Do a candy drop at some area businesses or have some handy for the kids when they stop by.  Candy canes are a great way to share about the love of Jesus!
3. Walmart Survival Bags – Brooke (she’s in my small group) shared this idea with me.  How’s about making some goody bags for parents as they get their kids ready to fight the crowds at Walmart (or any big box store).  Fill the bag up with activity books, stickers, toys, candy, whatever gets kids attention.  That way parents can focus on getting in and getting out while the kids have some fun distractions to keep them busy.
4. Free Christmas Wrapping – Grab a small group and volunteer at a store in the area to help with their Christmas Wrapping.  Crosspoint does this every year!
5. Christmas Caroling – It’s NOT a dead art.  You’d be surprised at how welcoming the reactions are when you stop at a neighbor’s house with a small group and share some Christmas carols with them.  Share God’s love with someone by SINGING about God’s ultimate act of love… His son Jesus.

‘Tis the Season to show some love to your neighbors and friends, reach out to the left out and unwanted, to share the life-changing message of Jesus Christ to a world that needs it.