Greetings friends! We are excited to share some of the recent happenings here in McKinney, TX with you. As with most of you, we are very happy to have made it through the winter slump. The warmth of spring has encouraged more people to venture out of hibernation and come visit Crossway over the past several weeks.
A few weeks back we had a mom and her two teen daughters come from Frisco on the recommendation of a pastor friend from the San Antonio area. They have been in attendance at every service since except one when they were out of town. Isn't it great when other pastor are sending people to your church? Since our last post we also have a new family of 5 that have been coming on Sunday mornings and have even attended some of the "extras" that we have (ladies get together & Bible study). We've also had others who have visited who say they are looking for a church home. In our follow up visits with them they have expressed that they enjoyed our church and that they will visit again in the future. Several of our visitors have mentioned to us that they decided to stop in because they saw one of our many signs that we have posted around the area directing people to our location. Obviously God is bringing people to His church. Sometimes, He uses people hundreds of miles away, sometimes He uses us with a personal invitation at the door, and sometimes He simply uses a plastic board with an arrow.
Right now we are in the midst of our spring program which is themed, "Progress - You were made to grow". In the preaching we are focusing on growth in several different areas of our lives: relationship with God, marriages, finances, family dynamics, Christian service, etc. Each week we also have a special emphasis to do something. Everyone who completes the assigned task that week is able to put their name in a drawing for a prize. The first week we encouraged everyone to pass out 10 brochures in the community. The person who won that week is a lady who is blind and nearly confined to a wheelchair. All us able-bodied folks should be put to shame for any excuse we come up with why we aren't able to spread the Gospel! The following week the task was to do to a good deed for someone and leave a card letting them know that the act of kindness was done for nothing in return, only to let them know that they are loved by Crossway Baptist Church. That week one of the girls who recently began coming with her mom and other sister (mentioned in the previous paragraph) completed the task and won the prize. The close of the program will end on Easter Sunday as our big day. We have several extras planned for that day following the morning service, and we are trying to push our people to get involved in getting as many other people there as possible. We are praying for an attendance that exceeds our grand opening service total of 50 people. Please be in prayer that God will bless the efforts of our people and prove His mighty power that day.
We are seeing God do some great things here in McKinney. Each week is a new adventure, and it is exciting to see how God provides and uses us beyond our own ability. A few weeks back on Sunday morning during the invitation time we had 3 young people raise their hand for salvation. I felt it necessary to have them dealt with personally instead of explaining the plan of salvation from the pulpit. I was able to pull a couple of our adults from the congregation to speak with each of them individually, and praise the Lord all 3 of the them made a profession of faith. Of course, it was exciting to witness the salvation of these precious young people, but it was also a huge blessing to have people in the service who I knew had the knowledge and ability to present the Gospel. God has assembled here thus far a balanced mix of mature and baby Christians as well as those who are still in need of salvation.
Right now we are praying for His leading on a more permanent building situation. We are able to continue leasing the school we are currently meeting in, but we are only able to use the facilities on Sunday morning, so it is limiting us in adding more. Availability in this area is our biggest challenge, next to price. Would you please pray for God's will in this area?
We are so very grateful for your continued prayers and support. It is such a blessing knowing that there is an army of people across this country lifting our names up to our heavenly Father on a regular basis, and in addition to that financially investing in the ministry God has given us here. May God continue to bless you all and we look forward to updating you again soon.
A few weeks back we had a mom and her two teen daughters come from Frisco on the recommendation of a pastor friend from the San Antonio area. They have been in attendance at every service since except one when they were out of town. Isn't it great when other pastor are sending people to your church? Since our last post we also have a new family of 5 that have been coming on Sunday mornings and have even attended some of the "extras" that we have (ladies get together & Bible study). We've also had others who have visited who say they are looking for a church home. In our follow up visits with them they have expressed that they enjoyed our church and that they will visit again in the future. Several of our visitors have mentioned to us that they decided to stop in because they saw one of our many signs that we have posted around the area directing people to our location. Obviously God is bringing people to His church. Sometimes, He uses people hundreds of miles away, sometimes He uses us with a personal invitation at the door, and sometimes He simply uses a plastic board with an arrow.
Right now we are in the midst of our spring program which is themed, "Progress - You were made to grow". In the preaching we are focusing on growth in several different areas of our lives: relationship with God, marriages, finances, family dynamics, Christian service, etc. Each week we also have a special emphasis to do something. Everyone who completes the assigned task that week is able to put their name in a drawing for a prize. The first week we encouraged everyone to pass out 10 brochures in the community. The person who won that week is a lady who is blind and nearly confined to a wheelchair. All us able-bodied folks should be put to shame for any excuse we come up with why we aren't able to spread the Gospel! The following week the task was to do to a good deed for someone and leave a card letting them know that the act of kindness was done for nothing in return, only to let them know that they are loved by Crossway Baptist Church. That week one of the girls who recently began coming with her mom and other sister (mentioned in the previous paragraph) completed the task and won the prize. The close of the program will end on Easter Sunday as our big day. We have several extras planned for that day following the morning service, and we are trying to push our people to get involved in getting as many other people there as possible. We are praying for an attendance that exceeds our grand opening service total of 50 people. Please be in prayer that God will bless the efforts of our people and prove His mighty power that day.
We are seeing God do some great things here in McKinney. Each week is a new adventure, and it is exciting to see how God provides and uses us beyond our own ability. A few weeks back on Sunday morning during the invitation time we had 3 young people raise their hand for salvation. I felt it necessary to have them dealt with personally instead of explaining the plan of salvation from the pulpit. I was able to pull a couple of our adults from the congregation to speak with each of them individually, and praise the Lord all 3 of the them made a profession of faith. Of course, it was exciting to witness the salvation of these precious young people, but it was also a huge blessing to have people in the service who I knew had the knowledge and ability to present the Gospel. God has assembled here thus far a balanced mix of mature and baby Christians as well as those who are still in need of salvation.
Right now we are praying for His leading on a more permanent building situation. We are able to continue leasing the school we are currently meeting in, but we are only able to use the facilities on Sunday morning, so it is limiting us in adding more. Availability in this area is our biggest challenge, next to price. Would you please pray for God's will in this area?
We are so very grateful for your continued prayers and support. It is such a blessing knowing that there is an army of people across this country lifting our names up to our heavenly Father on a regular basis, and in addition to that financially investing in the ministry God has given us here. May God continue to bless you all and we look forward to updating you again soon.