Audio: "On Mission"

On Mission from Mike Arnold on Vimeo.

"On Mission" is a message I taught at Crossroads Church in Cranberry a growing faith community in the north hills of Pittsburgh, PA. In this message we look at the book of Acts and how our differences if not handled with grace can be the very things that pull us off mission."

Bag of Sin

A number of years ago I was teaching at a church service that lead to a moment of confession and communion.  At the end of the message I asked the people in the room to write down the things in their lives that were keeping them from God. After this, I asked them to tack these confessions to a large wooden cross in the center of the room and come receive communion. 

As I lead through this service, I noticed that this was a very powerful moment.  There are times as a Pastor when you know people are “doing business” with God.  However, I did not know how profound this moment was until later when I took down the cards of sin and read through what my people were carrying in our community.  Here are just a few of the cards.

·      “I struggle with pornography and addiction to conformity to this world”

·      “Self-centeredness, Pride”

·      “Lust/sex”

·      “My hate”

·      “Fear”

·      “I’m a shitty Christian in every possible way.”

·      “Vanity”

·      ”Greed”

·      “The desire to cut”

Later that week I sat down with a group of elders and prayed through these cards.  For us it was a moment to see the needs and burdens of those in our community.  It strengthened our resolve to move ahead.

I no longer serve in this church but have keep this “bag of sin” in my closet as a constant reminder of why I serve the church.  Whenever I read though these cards I’d reminded that beneath the surface all of us carry a bag of sin.  Those things in our hearts that we long to let go. 

As I read though the cards today one card jumped out at me.  In a pile of sin one individual decided to set down his bag of sin and picked up a bag of grace.  He simply wrote: “Jesus . . . tonight I give you my life.” 

What is in your bag of sin?  Are you ready to let it go? You no longer have to carry this heavy bag.  Pick up the bag of grace.

Audio: Escaping the Performance Trap

"Escaping the Performance Trap"" is a weekend message I preached at Crossroads Church in Cranberry, a growing faith community in the north hills of Pittsburgh, PA.