Faith Break--

Believers LIFE ministers (Pastor Crosswhite) would like you to take a Faith Break and listen to a 2min inspirational message that is meant to encourage, refresh and uplift you at the midpoint of your day. Take a moment (just 2 min) simple click on the link and listen---"Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God,"(Romans 10:17)

The disappearing church | Fire or Blackberries

As I continue to wrestle with the present realities of my last blog "Opting Out", I ran across this blog. It is interesting to me that there are several Pastors and ministries are looking at how to invigorate those that are unchurched, non-churched  and left-churched and so we find ourselves pulled like a Stretch-Armstrong action figure trying to stay firmly entrenched inside of the "churches" four walls, holding onto the pass while the world moves at light speed into the future.
The disappearing church | Fire or Blackberries:

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Opting Out

I have been in a peculiar place of late trying to wrap my mind around and get a handle on this overwhelming feeling that I want to announce to the world that “I Quit Church”.  As painful as it is to think or feel it; it is ever harder to say or in this case write, but “I Quit church”.

“I Quit church”.   “I Quit church”.   “I Quit church”. 

  Feels good to get it out of my system.

  Okay let me explain myself  as I know the very statement “I Quit Church” will raise some eyebrows. You see I have become increasingly disillusioned with the “church”  not the “Church”(capitol C) the ecclesicasia that glorious assembly of the called out and called into, those that have given themselves to salvation through the body and blood of Jesus the Christ; those that are determined to live there best life know AND to help others do the same in the NAME OF JESUS.  What I have a problem with is the “church”(small c) that weekly assembly of religious Pharisees and folks that pass by wounded  and battered neighbors, friends, family and neighborhoods to huddle inside of four walls to proclaim praise and glory to a God that they have only served on Sunday morning and even then it is a half hearted attempt as glorification of a God that seeks for us to do more and be more.  Let me be real for a moment I am sick and tired of four walled ministry that touches no one.  I am sick and tired of ministry that touches only but a few folks to a couple hundred on Sunday morning only to see the “church” do absolutely nothing to share the word, power, wonder and might that was proclaimed to them that Sunday morning. Let me say this because this is not meant to be just and indictment on the pew members but also the Me and any other Pastor that primarily only participates in ministry on Sunday morning.

I am as guilty as the next person, as I have realized that I was ill equipped to do ministry outside of a pulpit. I am a good preacher and teacher, a fair administrator, but a poor minister of the gospel. When I  say minister gospel I do not just mean the retelling of the good news but more the physical manifestation of ministry that touches those that have not seen the inside of a church within months,  years or ever. The gospel is more than a “praise the Lord”, a “I’m blessed and highly favored” punch line to the question of “How are you?” ; it is more than a tract or flyer; it is more. The gospel  of Jesus The Christ is the interaction with those that had no hope of heaven but with a heart, mind and touch of Jesus the Christ it bring about a change for hells victim to heavens victor with hope and wholeness. The gospel of Jesus the Christ is the personal  interaction that shows a heart of Peace, joy, kindness, meekness, servant hood and sincerity to people that are broken by life and left on roadside bleeding physically, mentally and spiritually, those that have become little less than background sights and sounds to the orchestrate of life we as Christians we have concocted.  What I have come to revolt and despise is the fact that I am responsible for so many people that are going to hell simple for the fact that on Sunday morning, I thought that I was doing ministry, but Monday thru Saturday there was little to no ministry that took place with those that were not members of the churches that I pastored.  I am responsible for powerless church folk who shy away from, cringe at and run from the very idea of touching the sick and the sinner.

As a pastor I have to take responsibility for my part in the delinquency of a Christian. I have to take responsibility for four wall ministry where I was essentially a cheerleader to a team that could not hear me or did not pay attention to me;  where I was a coach calling the plays and there was a total disconnect. Even when I was a player coached and rolled up my selves and got involved the team never showed up.  But I cannot take all of the responsibility for the failures of the “church”. There are literally thousands of churches of every size and shape that are doing a disservice to the cause of Christ. There appears to be a historical disconnect from the essence of Christ purpose, mission and methods by church folk that have become more concerned with membership and country clubesq status. The issue is not just with the absence of outreach beyond the 4 walls of the building, but there is also a disconnect between members inside the building. There are schisms, clicks, social clubs and family patriarchy that have established themselves and essentially disabled the church. It is part of our sin nature, our humanity, our frailty, our flawedness that causes us to deviate so far from the will of God. So I have made the conscious decision to “Quit church”; I am not giving up Jesus, I am not forgoing my Christianity, my faith or beliefs, I simply give up church . I am Opting Out of the silliness that is church for wonder that is Christ. What does that exactly mean, I am still struggling with that, it is still a work in progress, but I will let you know as soon as I know…

t888

The Historical Accuracy of the Bible Revealed | INSPIKS

The Historical Accuracy of the Bible Revealed | INSPIKS:

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Often times we question the bible historical accuracy and the very veracity of the biblical account. I get excited by historical facts that point to biblical accuracy and show that God has moved and is moving and is moving upon the lives of his people.

Day 7 2012: He hears me, and answers

Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer Nor His lovingkindness from me. (Psalm 66:20 NASB)

There are those moments in life where you wonder if God is hearing you. Are your prayer touching his ears and pulling at his heart strings or are have your prayers been vapor in the wind. Let's be honest for a moment, I think that we have all been in that position where's we just do not know if he is hearing us or not. But I am here to tell you that God has heard each petition is excited by the blessing that you are about to walk into. you have to understand like Paul's says. God I not slack because he has not answered you yet, and he has not forgotten you. We serve a God that not only hears your prayers he answers with responding force. So much so that when God answers, it shakes the foundation of our life's and sifts us into position to receive all that he has in store for us; well above what he hoped, asked or imagined. part of the process is realizing that because this terrestrial world does not always line up perfectly with the spiritual that we have to be patience.

James 1:4 says "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing"

you have to understand; answered prays are not always instant, there is a process for completion so that all of the end result of God manifold blessings are "perfect, Entire and wanting nothing.

I am so glade that God not only hears my prayers but he also extended his loving kindness towards me; that's His patience. Never stop praying, god hears you, and he has already started moving on your request.

I have just as recently as today seen the hand of God move regarding prayer, God is always in time at the right time to bless us, and I for one am glade about it.

Day 5 2012: Seeking Worshippers

“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers." (John 4:23)

I found this passage as u was reading the other day and I found something interesting in the text that I had not noticed before. This is probable is not new to some but to me it was an interesting revelation. when Jesus is talking to the woman at the well he gets to a point of describing worship, and what struck me is that it is not worship that the father is seeking. Jesus says that what the father is seeking is worshippers...true worshippers. And what I realized is that worship is a by product of the worshippers. There is no worship without the worshippers. It is the simplest truths that are often missed because we fail to see that without one there can not be the other. it is a simple as without the coffee bean there is not coffee, without wood there is no paper with out worshippers there is no worship.

You see God is not out looking for worship, because worship is just a by product of the source. worship does not produce worship. Worship is produced by the worshipper. God is looking for the producer; he is looking for the one that will produced a sustained worship and the only one that can do that is the worshipper.
There are so many things that we could be the producers of; but the one thing that God is looking for us a producer of worship, ie a worshipper. that is the one thing that I want God to see me as, I do not want him to have to look long and hard for a worshipper, I want to be so enthusiastic with my praise that I get Gods attention and he declares there one right there; there is one of my worshippers.

Worshippers God is looking for you where ya at? lift your hands cock your heads back open your mouths And shout with a voice of triumph...HERE I AM LORD GLORY HERE I AM LORD GLORY I AM A WORSHIPPER.

Day 4 2012: it's really that simple.

Most of us are looking for the less complicated and for the more simplistic. The reality of God is that faith in God is very simplistic, it is not difficult to have faith in God. Many would want you to believe that faith is this big stretch that requires large and monumentus moves in order to prove or establish, but faith does not begin with mountain moving faith begins with the smallest heart tug that moves one into closer proximity with God. It is the act of realizing that there is something that is bigger than you and me; that there is a divine order to the things around us. The enemy would want you to believe that in the chaos of life but the truth is that life is purposes and there is a plan for each and ever on of us. Faith in God is not complicated; sometimes difficult but never complicated. The word of God tells us that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. That is pretty simple all you have to do is to be willing to listen to Gods words. When I was searching for something to believe in, I tried everything, every religion and movement that I could find and I heard a lot of things and researched a lot to get more information. But then I heard the word of the Lord and as I listened faith began welling up in my spirit and the more I listened the less I searches for something to believe in, the more my faith in God grew to the point that one day I woke up and I was a believer.

As this new year begins and you are searching for something to believe in something to make you whole, begin to listen to the word of the Lord it is that simple and I tell you a truth; faith with begin to grow in your spirit and you will discover all that you have been searching for. God is not complicated.

Day 3 2012: plans for little oh me

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV)

Jeremiah 29:11 is by far one if not my favorite scriptures. it hold a simple complexity that proves the power and the love of an awesome God. Today was a day that was rather dull an suspense less not that I live a life of intrigue and suspense, but today was a blah day. But in the
mist of my blasa blasa day I had an interesting conversation about the potential use of a building to hold our worship services in. Now what is interesting to me is that God already knew the conversation was going to take place today and even though communication has just started, God already knows the outcome. It is a reality that exist in Him that he is both the past present and future. The hebrew philosopher Maimonides once said that God is in all things and works thought all things at the same time and if God ceases to work in that thing that thing would cease to exist. it is the base argument that God is in the past the present and the future, and if at anytime God cut himself off from the moment that moment would cease to be a moment any longer. I get excited to know that God has been the God of my past my present and my future and already has plans for me. Some might think that is scary, silly or spookie, but I love this reality of God. The very idea that he has take time in all of eternity to think about me and to make a plan for me and that his plan is greater than all that I could ever hope or
imagine. There is something in knowing that he has me in his hand and that His blessing are my portion. this year I thank God because he knows my my path and the plan that he has me on is one of peace and not evil and that gloriously there is an expectation of Glory on my life. praise God today for working in all things and through all things that through his power I am blessed....that is right world "I AM BLESSED"

Day 2 2012: Anamnesis

Plato wrote that humanity can only know the "real" world in the form of memories, for which he termed anamnesis. When I ponder what Plato describes,I get stuck on that ""Real" world"; It makes me have the question what we define as real, how is real defined and who sets the definition of real. As for me that which is real in my world is filtered thorough the lens my belief in the God that I server. My faith is real and so when I look at the world around me this world is remembered in those moments when a real God meet a real world and affected a real me. The old saints use to say " When I look back over my life, if it had not been for the Lord...." y'all know the rest. It is the memory of what God has done in this real world that sets my real faith in action and even in the mist of what appears an impossible situation, that reflex faith memory is what kicks in a declares that what appears to be real in my life is not real, to the God that can change that reality in a moment in the twinkle of an eye. So when I begin this new year I can look back at what God has done in the previous years and know that no matter what seems to be the real world around me that God that I serve is alters that reality and the anamnesis of my life is that I have a God that is able to do the incredible, able to achieve the impossible and  able to move me into those places that will bring him Glory....

What is your anamnesis? how do you define your world? The "real" world.....

Day 1 2012: Bounty-Goodness-Fatness

You crown the year with Your bounty and goodness, and the tracks of Your [chariot wheels] drip with fatness. (Psalm 65:11 AMP)

I must admit that my blogging skills leave a lot to be desired. I always seems to start out on fire and fade quickly to a smolder, but I have determined that this year will be better hahaha sounds a lot
like a new years resolution.

well as we start a new year I was struck by this particular scripture that is found in psalms 65:11, as we close
out 2011; of you are like me there have been a variety of mountain top and valley low moments in that year. And if I can be somewhat transparent the later part of the year has been a challenge as we have journeyed out by faith moving 800 miles from all that we know an planting a parachute church all while dealing with the social, economic, cultural, mental, spiritual and physical shifts that come with a move such as what we made. It has be a season of streching and of challenge, but in all we have remained faithful to the vision of God. So to read this passage in Psalms is both exciting and encouraging as we journey into this new year praying for guidance and power to do what the great IAM asked of us to do. In my personal prayer an listening time I hear God declaring that this is the year that all that he has declared over our lives is about to come into manifestation. We have been in a season of germination; that moment of time were the seed is not all together visible but none the less there is something happening under the surface of the good soil that it was planted in. Over the next
40 days I have committed to prayer and fasting and the documention of what God is doing over the next 40 days. The year has already been crowned with his bounty and goodness; God release my portion, run over my life with your chariots and let the fatness from the wheels drip into our lives ....

Hello God are you there

Have you ever had those real life moments when you ask the question "Hello God are you there?" For so many of us as pastors, ministers, leaders and people in general this is a real question. As a pastor and a disciple in the body of Christ I have to admit that I never really want to divulge those moments of insecurity and silence that occur in my life. Lets be real for a moment nobody wants to hear that there Pastor has not heard from God lately, heck I don't want to tell people that and I am sure that Pastors across the world if reading this are like " boy you need to shush! can't let nobody know that." But real has to be real all the time. There are silent moments and insecurities in everyones abilities to hear God. The reality is that we serve a God whose mind is so immense that to hear him all the time, it would fill us beyond our own capacity and we would overload and implode. I believe that often times those silent moments are those moments that God is sitting back in the cut watching to see if we have been listening to him. When Job has to deal with all he has to deal with; you know Satan attacking all that he had, he was in a silent moment with God. He was crying out to the Lord and there was no response and the real of it was that it made him feel as though he had done something wrong. That is why we find Job in sackcloth and ashes; that is a state of repentance, and even though he asserts that he has done nothing wrong he is not sure. God is just sitting back in the cut seeing what is going to be his respond. Is Job going to live up to the expectations that I have for during this time of trial and tribulation. It is this same God that we serve, the God at the strangest and sometime most stressful moments, will lay in the cut and observe what is going to be their response. Bishop Neil Ellis once said "A Faith that has not been tested is a faith that can not be trusted." It is in these moments of silence when your faith and your trust in the Lord needs to manifest and you keep moving in the direction of his Glory. God silence is that opportunity for you to excel in doing His will with excellence.
The word of God declares "...A time to be quiet and a time to speak. (Ecclesiastes 3:7 NLT)" God shares His wisdom with Solomon and the truth of Gods character is that He will pour into us what is not in Him. I am not surprised any more or fearful in the silent moments. Do they frustrate me, yes. Do they make me slightly hesitant, yes. Do they send me into moments of repentance, yes. But in those moments I need to hear from the Master, in those moments of silent testing, in the moments of trepidation, depression, pain, fear, lack, want; I can still find joy, peace, kindness, love and power in Not only His written word but in the fact that the testing of my faith produces patience and when patience has it's perfect work, I shall be lacking in nothing. "hello God are you there...thank you for my silent times."

One

What can I say, Sunday August 7, 2011 @10:30 the city if Mobile and I believe the world will be shaken for the cause of Christ. I have done all the preparation that I can do, I have dotted my T and crossed my I and in all of that I realize that without Jesus I would surely fail. John 15:5 says this "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." there is not a truer statement in the word of God. Without the master I can not nothing. I remember what life was like pre-salvation, and believe me when I say it was not pretty. But since that time I have come to realize that he is my all and my everything that without Him I am nothing; I can say this 'My best days in the world, pale in comparison to my worst days with Christ'. I absolute love what God has done in and around my life and I am so thankful that God chose me to Glorify him. So here we go world...BELIEVER LIFE is LAUNCHING......GLORY, GLORY, GLORY, PRAISE  HIM, PRAISE HIM PRAISE HIM PRAISE HIM, HALLELUJAHHALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH  MIGHTY IS YOU NAME O LORD MIGHT IS THE WORKS OF YOU HANDS I LOVE YOU FATHER I LOVE YOU DADDY I LOVE YOU ABBA I LOVE YOU HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH  GLORY........

Two

Two days until the launch of Believers LIFE ministries. Well the time just keeps creeping along as we inch closer and closer to our Aug 7 launch.  I have been working diligently on the first series of messages to be preached at Believers LIFE. This first Series will be "Let There be Light"

1. The Break Through Of Light 
2. The Dominion Of Light 
3. The Light Of Worship
4. The Light Of His Creation

We have been in a time of prayer and fasting, for the Glory of God to be manifest, for His power to empower us, for spiritual awakening and revival and for spiritual, mental and physical strongholds to be broken. As I read the Word of God, I see a clear patter of revelation in the Word that declares that we are so much greater than what we often times give ourselves credit for. God see us in a much bigger way then we see our selves. God declares that in Jesus we are the very righteousness of God, He declares that we are the head and not the tail that we are above and not beneath, that we are mighty and powerful to the pulling down of strongholds. We have to become everything that the Word of God declares that we are. 

The break through of light deals with the creative power of God that created something good that had never been see before. The very existence of of the spoken work of God changes the very essence of the thing that God is speaking so. When God speaks to light he speaks a manifold blessing over all of creation. If the light does not come to pass nothing can survive in the absolute darkness. Everything that God creates after the light  needs that very light to service....Just a taste....come by Believers LIFE in Sunday or catch us in on our podcast Sunday night....God bless you.

THREE

Three days until the launch of Believers LIFE Ministries. I was out walking today passing out door hangers to invite the community to come and worship with us. As I was walking and praying, praying and walking, I keep thinking to myself "I have to make This thing work" and in the mist of my thoughts God said son you can not make anything work. all that you are And all that will happen is not up to you. And that is the reality of Christian life Every thing is in the hands of the master. the Word of God declares that the battle is not ours but the Lords. We have to do the work but the results of our work are blessing that God showers upon us, and like grace those blessing and unearned and unmerited. We do the work because we love the God of all creation and we want to see those who do not have a relationship with the Master brought into a lasting and living relationship with him. I continued walking hanging Door hangers and speaking to those who were outside not because I had to make it work but because i was working for the Lord. Just three (3) days until launch and I am on tip toe anticipation expecting and mighty move of God. be blessed, be powerful, be loved, be blessed.

FOUR

Four days until the Launch of Believers LIFE ministries. What a roller coaster ride of emotions, i have experienced in this day alone great anticipation, nervousness, excitement, fear, joy and almost every other emotion that you can imagine. But in all that I have been feeling the overwhelming emotions is thankfulness and gratefulness. I all of my prayers I have found myself in the intense throws of gratefulness and thankfulness. God chose me amongst all of his faithful followers and entrusted me with a vision, a plan , and a purpose and the reality is that, I know who I am and the things that I have done, I k ow that only a few short years ago I was baptized and Holy Ghost filled. I have only been a Christian for 14 years, I was a heathen for A much longer time, and the truth of the matter I am still a sinner. But Gods timing and frame work of time is not our timing or framework. God just looks at us and says I do not care about your past I see greatness in your future. then he looks at some and thinks; maybe just maybe He is just crazy enough to do exactly what I told him. And I was. And for that I am thankful, because the reality of God is that he is looking for some people that will be crazy and radical for him. God has always looked at us and said to himself can I find someone that will take just 300 and fight 100,000; can I find someone that will stand in the fires of a furnace just to be faithful to me; can I fund someone who will lead 2,000,000 + people into a desert wilderness. I am not saying I am a biblical patriarch, but I am saying one day I hope to be counted coo-coo for Jesus. I want people to try to keep me from getting out of the boat. you know that the other disciples had to be grabbing at Peters cloak as he climbed over the railing of the boat; his brother had to have tried to stop him, or they all would have been out there walking in water. I am excited , nervous, joyfully and plain scared, but more than anything LORD I am willing. That is a place I believe we all have to be willing to do the insane for JESUS.

FIVE

Five days until the launch of Believers LIFE Ministries. For months it has seemed to be as if the hands on the clock were moving at light speed; only to have this week slow to a crawl. We are excited by the opportunity to minister to people, and touch them with the love of Christ. I was reading this week a Facebook post by a friend and he said something that I am going to incorporate into my every day ministry and walk with Christ; he said As he was out evangelizing that he was trying to be the Church with feet. Church with feet, is such a simple yet profound quality. The truth of the Gospel and the mandate that we have is to take the gospel to the furthest parts of the world. We are incorporating this phrase into a ministry "The Church With Feet". The word of God says in Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"
I want to have beautiful feet so when the Lord looks at me he will say well done. Shout out to Pastor Dion thanks for the inspiration.

SIX

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 NLT)

Six days until the official launch of Believers LIFE ministries. We have done a lot of prayer and preparation, but we are now at the place were the rubber meets the road. We are so excited and nervous at the same time, but we know what the WORD declares and this week is a week that we are seeking for the Holy Ghost power to fall. We hit the streets past weekend evangelizing and passing out worship with us cards and there is culture that is hungry for a real Word that is presented without pretense or pointing fingers. It has been heavy on my heart that Jesus never pointed the finger at the sinner, he had more condemnation for those religious icons of the time. His relationship with sinners was one of Love and guidance did he condone sin; Never. I talked with young men and young women that were glad that I was out there just taking the time on a Saturday night to walk up and down the club strip to talk to people because they matter. So as we move in on this launch date rapidly approaching, I pray that the Holy Ghost falls and that the spirit of Christ would rest so heavy upon Believers LIFE that who so ever would come and be transformed into empowered people living empowered lives.

there must be AWE in your life

Genesis 1:7 "God made the expanse, and separated the waters which were below the expanse from the waters which were above the expanse; and it was so."

As I sit here on the sea side I am in awe about what the Lord has made, what he has done and what he is about to do. Pastor R.A. Vernon says in his new book "size does matter" that there needs to be a sense of 'AWE' in your church, in you worship, in your expectations, in your life. We should wake to a new day with an expectation that God is about to do something that will blow your mind. When we think about the patriarchs and matriarchs of the Word of God, they were all surprised by the wonders that God was performing. Expect God to do something so big in your life that it leaves an indelible impression on your life and the life if the people around you . Know that God wants to bring glory to your so that he may receive the Glory from your abundant blessings.

Landed in Mobile-I am available Lord.

Isaiah 6:8 "Then I heard the Lord’s voice, saying, “Whom can I send? Who will go for us?” So I said, “Here I am. Send me!”

At the prompting of the Lord are you really ready to answer that call with, here I am Lord send me. A quick response to that question from any born again Christian would be "yes", but I wish the prompting and answer to the Lord were that easy. God has a tendency to ask us to do things that do not and would not sound rational. God often test the true faith of the believers by asking them to do things that will shake their very foundation and forgo the very thing that they love all so that they will be totally dependent on him and so that he receives all of the Glory. Pastor Lance Watson once said " A faith that has not been tested is a faith that can not be trusted." I order for real faith to manifest God has to ask us to do the difficult things in order for us to show him real faith and declare "here I am Lord send me." As I try to model faith on a daily basis, I realize that my as well as the faith of my Family is being tested. It was not an easy dicision, it was not an easy conversation and it was not an automatic response; but I am so glad that I said here I am Lord send me. As we prepare to Launch Believers LIFE ministries we are so excited by what the Lord is about to do. We want to see the Glory of God descend upon the people of God and empower them to live abundantly. Believers LIFE where we are empowering Gods people to live empowered lives.