It’s official. Another Sunday is in the books. Everything at Crossroads seems to be positively progressing.
Attendance was down yesterday, but with severe weather in the forecast and Nascar at the Chicagoland Speedway, just down the road, I suppose it was to be expected. We seem to be hitting an ebb and flow of attendance where we work our way into the 200’s in attendance for 4 to 6 weeks and then we drop to 175 or so for two months. Then we build back up and then we drop down. It is no doubt related to space, and cramped space at that. We are very much looking forward to the launch of multiple services this fall—that should alleviate the ebb and flow of attendance.
Financially, we are still keeping our head above water, although May was a really poor month. We received about ten thousand dollars less than we spent. And with several large, unbudgeted needs arising we are simply trusting the Lord to provide for us through some generous Benefactor(s). Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised at the giving at Crossroads, and then after a weak month I am reminded that our church is comprised of mostly un-churched people. But I’m not complaining. Reaching out to un-churched people is precisely why we exist.
I preached a sermon called “Forbidden Love: The Story of David and Bathsheba.” Which was a bit provocative, but was received well. We learned part of David and Bathsheba’s story (2 Samuel 11-12); we learned several important ideas about healthy marriage from the Bible (Ephesians 5:21-33; 1 Corinthians 7); and we planted some seeds for developing a godly worldview in our city and culture. One lady even asked if we could get her an expedited copy of the sermon on CD so that she could share it (and the outline) with her network of friends. That made my day! (www.crossroadsofjoliet.org/listen.html)
Also, we have 4 different adults who want to be baptized. But there seems to be no urgency for them as they want to have friends and family here to witness. I understand the desire to experience baptism in the presence of loved ones, but at the same time I see a sense of urgency in Scripture that corresponds with the extreme importance of baptism in God’s plan for the salvation of every person. (Note: One of these folks came into the Church office, shortly after I wrote this blog, to be baptized into Christ. PTL!)
All that being said, I see God at work in people’s lives and that lets me know that Crossroads is growing and developing into a healthy, bible-based, fellowship of people who are trying to get connected to God and to each other. It seems that we really are helping people live for, love, serve, and share Jesus.
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