Perspective: Serve

“Perspective: Serve” is a weekend message I preached at Crossroads Church, a growing multi-site church in Pittsburgh, PA. In this message we look at the difference between serving and volunteerism and how this relates to our connection with God.

Perspective: Serving vs Volunteering

What is the difference between serving and volunteering? At first glance, these two actions may seem very similar but there is a subtle difference in perspective that changes everything.

The servant knows who's in charge and it is not himself! He seeks to do good because he longs to please the Master and because the Master has been so good to him. The volunteer on the other hand feels that he is the one in control. He will give his time and resources as he sees fit or when it is convenient in his life. He believes that he is in charge and the Master benefits from the generosity of the volunteer. This subtle change in perspective shifts everything.

This weekend at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we are continuing our series entitled: Perspective, by looking at our call as servants of God. I would like to encourage you to take some time this week and read through Luke 17:1-10 as you prepare for this weekend. And take some time to ask this question: How am I serving God with my life?

Perspective: Seeing Life in a New Light

There are times in life that we all need a change of perspective. I've noticed that times, pain is often the thing that propels me to look at life differently. As many of you know, over the past couple weeks I've been recovering from a back injury. This has caused me to slow down and think about life from a different angle. It is often in moments like this, that we have a change of perspective.

This week at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we are starting a new series entitled "Perspective."  In Luke Chapter 16, we see Jesus telling a story about a rich man and Lazarus and the change in perspective they have just five minutes after they die.

Join us Sunday as we take some time to look at this parable and what it means for our lives today. 

Parental Guidance: Parenting Teenagers -- need we say more?

There are few things more challenging in this world than raising teen-agers.  At times teens can be passionate, impulsive, temperamental, curious, and desire independence.  This can be a challenging season of life for both teens and parents alike. 

 

This weekend at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we will be finishing our series entitled, “Parental Guidance” by looking at the unique challenge of raising teenagers and what scripture says about this challenge.  This Sunday we will see in the gospels how Jesus handled John, his disciple and a teenager himself.  In these passages, we will see how Jesus helped John grow with grace and gave him an example to follow.

Join us this Sunday as we concluded Parental Guidance!

Parental Guidance Required: The Legacy of Blessing

Have you ever had a moment when you said something that sounded exactly like you parents?  If you are like me, it is in these moments that I shake my head and am reminded that the apple does not fall far from the tree!

This weekend at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we are continuing our series entitled Parental Guidance Required by looking at the Legacy of Blessing.  It is true that each of us have inherited blessings and burdens from our family history.  In Genesis 26, we can see an example of this in the lives of Abraham and his son Isaac.  Join us this week as we learn how to leverage the blessings we have been given against the burdens that have been passed down to our children and ourselves.

See you Sunday!

What's a Parent to do?

In 1972 the Motion Picture Association of America created a new rating category of films that rated between "General" or suitable for all age groups and Restricted suitable for adults. This new category was called "PG" or Parental Guidance Suggested. These films contained some material that was not suitable for younger audiences but could be viewed if parents actively guided and helped children understand what they were seeing.

This weekend at Crossroads Church in Cranberry we are starting a new series entitled, "Parental Guidance Required." Just like in viewing movies, children also need guidance in life.

This weekend we are starting this series by looking at: What's a Parent To Do? by looking at biblical principles of how we can love and guide our children well.

If you feel like it's too late and you blown it with your kids, I believe you will find hope in this series. If you didn't have the greatest example from your own parents and you really want to change the family tree, your will enjoy this series. Even if you pretty sure you'll never be a parent, we have all had parental figures and looking back might give you some insight on how to move forward.

Join us Sunday as we kick off this new series together.

5 Questions (Mark 8)

5 Questions (Mark 8) from Mike Arnold on Vimeo.

"5 Questions" is a message I preached at Pathways Church in Denver, CO. Pathways is young and growing church in urban Denver. It is a great community of missional minded people seeking to redeem their city.