We ended the year at Crossroads Church with a message series called Festive. The premise of the series was the fact that all the things we love about Christmas - the joy, the celebration, the good will toward men we engage in - all those things should be the consistent life of the believer. Those things don't get boxed up and put back in the attack after the holidays! Ours is a festive faith.
When we live out our lives with joy, striving for peace and good will, we can count on a festive future. That is my expectation for 2026! It doesn't mean that the coming days will be a bed of roses with no challenges, it means that even during the difficult times we have reason to celebrate! James 1:2 says, My friends, be glad, even if you have a lot of trouble. When we do this, we are being Christlike - and that is the whole point of the Christian faith. Hebrews 12:2 says Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him. He had a festive faith because of the festive future that awaited Him. Will we do the same? Stop and consider today - what joy has God set before you in the coming year?
Just a couple of thoughts to help you with this effort to live in joyful expectation:
1. Ours is a festive future because God has given us things to accomplish.
Nothing is as fulfilling as achieving your God-given goals. Ephesians 2:10 says, God has made us what we are. He has created us in Christ Jesus to live lives filled with good works that he has prepared for us to do.
2. Ours is a festive future because all things work together for our good and God's glory.
That's what God's Word declares! Romans 8:28 says, And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Again, it's not that we never have challenges or disappointments - its the confidence of knowing God can use those things to bring about good and receive glory that keeps a gleam in our eye and a spring in our step even during difficult times.
3. Ours is a festive future because it doesn't end here.
Paul told the believers in Corinth, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable (1 Corinthians 15:19). Thank God there is a life to come in eternity where all sin, suffering and evil is forever eliminated! That fact allows me to live out a festive faith here while I await a festive future there!
Let's get excited about what's ahead! Let's celebrate the coming year because ours is a festive faith and a festive future!
In 2024 we weren't able to produce our annual Christmas production due to a lack of funds. We had laid some of our employees off and reduced the remaining salaried employees income earlier that year and, even through we were sure we could get the sponsorship for the production, we felt it just wasn't the right thing to do.
In 2023 we hosted our largest production ever with over 18,000 in attendance and nearly 1,000 responding to the gospel. When making the decision to put the event back on the calendar for 2025, we wondered how much momentum we lost not doing the show in '24. We decided to come back with just one weekend, featuring seven shows verses the two-weekend/twelve shows we did in '23. We felt like if we drew an attendance of 10,000 or more it would be a clear indicator that there is still a big demand for the show. Man were we ever right about that! The show drew in over 12,000 people with over 1,200 responding to the gospel! We had to turn people away at every show and heard from people again and again how thankful they were that we did the production again!
When I got saved in my early twenties, I felt called to write and record contemporary Christian music. At that time CCM was a fledgling genre that Brother Swaggart was very critical of. That soured me to his influence and despite the inspiration I drew from him as an evangelist and the admiration I felt for the incredible church and Bible College he built in Baton Rouge, I always felt conflicted about the man. I both loved him and resented him at the same time.
When his moral failure happened in the late 1980's it impacted me in a transformational way. I have often shared that the event is what shaped my ethic and conviction about the role of accountability in the life of believers. I knew if someone like Jimmy Swaggart was vulnerable then I certainly needed a spiritual covering. I have prioritized it ever since.
I never listened to him much after that. Not because of the failure - any of are capable of that. There was a certain air of judgementalism toward those that didn't completely see things the was he did that I never liked. Even writing this I am torn between the admiration I had for him and the frustration I often felt toward his criticism of those of a different stripe. Regardless, I am thankful for the life, the ministry and the influence of the evangelist and I am praying for his family.
I don't bring this up to make a political statement but rather to ask us to consider who we are allowing to decide what we endorse. I want to challenge us all to determine right here and now that no one decides that but us! I am not going to allow Hollywood or politics or popular opinion to determine what I give my endorsement. I decide that through the wisdom of God's Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit! No one but God has my autopen!
This year is really flying by! We had so many great things going on in April and May, way more than showers and flowers! Although we have definitely had our share of showers!
The conference was a real blessing. Bryan Jerod was our keynote speaker and he truly came with a word from God! His message on Monday night was about the role of patience in our lives and how the lack of patience is really paganism! It demonstrates a lack of trust in God and a desire to be in control. Ouch!
Our lifelong friend, Gary Sapp was awarded his 50-year ordination pin. We are so thankful for Gary and Dee. They have been such great friends and they have been so supportive of our ministry from the very beginning. Gary was one of the very first ones to recognize the call of God on my life and God used him to open some very significant doors for us. He gave me oppertunities to play when I first started out in music ministry. He introduced me to Pastor Linney who hired me to be his Youth Pastor here in Lafayette. He got me started speaking at camps and conventions in the 90's. He encouraged me to get involved in Presbytery work. His finger prints are all over the ways God has used my life and ministry through the years and I am so grateful!
We always have Beau Roy barbecue some of his famous pull pork and Chef Troy from Cafe Josephine's will fry up fish and shrimp. The guys absolutely LOVE the event and many will invite friends and family members to join them. This year I brought in my cousin, Rusty Blan to speak at the event as well as our Sunday morning services. He did an amazing job! We also draw names at the event for some great door prizes including the grand prize every year, which is a shotgun!
It is always so great having Pastor Denny with us to kick off the new year. I am so thankful for his apostolic leadership in my life and in our church. He always brings such a great word to Crossroads. This year, his message emphasis was on the promise found in John 1:12 that God gives us the power to become. My prayer this year is I will become everything God has called me to be! I am praying that God will empower us to become the church He has raised us up to be in these last days. We hosted our 21 Days of Prayer and Fasting again this year and, until the snow event, we were averaging between 400-500 people joining in online and in person! We also have over 300 people in our church doing The Bible Recap Bible reading plan with us this year!
We got to bring the family to the rodeo in January! We brought Robin and Chase up attending the rodeo every year and they always enjoyed it. I have been looking forward to introducing the grandkids to this family-friendly event and I think they really got a kick out of it. My parents brought me to the rodeo when I was young and that’s where my fascination with horses began. I would love it if one or both of my grand babies shared my passion for horses one day! They sure looked cute in their cowboy hats we had saved from when Robin and Chase were littles!
This provided us with a good laugh, but it also brought an inspired thought to me. I would like to address the “Elephant in the room” for many. Here you sit at the threshold of a new year and you’ve got no picture - no vision if you will - for what you should be striving to achieve this year. You have no goals, no resolutions, no ambitions for the next twelve months.
I want to challenge you to take this to the Lord. I believe God wants to give you a picture of the things He would like to do in you and through you in the coming days. There’s a wonderful passage of scripture in Psalm 143:10 where the Psalmist prays, "You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path.” Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.” This doesn’t mean God will give you anything you want. It means if you seek Him and put your heart in His hands, He will fill your heart with desires that reflect what He is wanting you to do. Treat those things like your sacred assignment and live on mission this year! Let the elephant in the room know you’ve got the picture now!
Easter weekend gave us much to be thankful for! We held four services - two on Saturday and two on Sunday. We had the largest Easter weekend since COVID - Over 3,100 in attendance and over 40 responding to the gospel! Then Sunday night happened.
Pastor Marty and Anna were going to be leaving Monday for a week at the beach. He wanted to get their grass cut and by the time he had wrapped up and cleaned up his mower it was dark. He was riding his mower along the side of the road, turning into his driveway when he was struck from behind. He broke his neck in two places and has a terrible gash on top of his head. The good news is there is no brain damage, no paralysis and his doctors believe he will fully recover. It is nothing short of a miracle. I know God had His hand on Marty! This was a very close call - BUT GOD!
I am so thankful for Marty and Anna. They have been incredible Kids Pastors at our church for almost 30 years! They are dear friends and it breaks my heart to see them suffer this horrible ordeal. There have been so many things happen over the past few months that I firmly believe the devil has targeted our church and we are under attack! I am calling our church to fast and pray and I am determined that the enemy will pay for all this! I am claiming a harvest of souls like we have never experienced!
Proverbs 6:31-32 says We don't put up with thieves, not even with one who steals for something to eat. 32 And thieves who get caught must pay back seven times what was stolen and lose everything.
I am claiming this promise. I am claiming the repayment - and I want it in SOULS!
Matthew and Mariah have done such an incredible job pulling this program back together and putting it on a course for success and fruitfulness. I truly believe part of God's call upon our church is to raise up the next generation of pastors, missionaries, evangelists and para-church leaders!
We have just hosted back-to-back family weekends here in Lafayette.
The first was the McDaniels family reunion. Donna's mom's side of the family have been getting together annually since her grandmother passed away. Most of the family is from North Louisiana, but part of the family is from Mobile, Alabama. Last year I suggested that Lafayette might be a good meet in the middle location and they took me up on it. It was great to hang out with Donna's immediate family along with her aunts, uncles, cousins and their families. We must have done a decent job hosting the get together because they have agreed to meet up in Lafayette again next year!
My brother Phil and his family came down to visit while Greg and Aunt Carolyn were here and we had an incredible time! We shared lots of laughs and sweet memories. I am so thankful for the incredible family God has given me both on my side and Donna's side! Other than God Himself, nothing in this life is more important than our family! I have always felt that way but as I get older, it has become more and more real to me!
Several years ago I got back into the game of golf with the goal of playing for the rest of my life and getting better at the game. That all began with a gift of some good golf clubs and lessons. I added two serious factors to the new clubs and lessons - 1. I connected with a group of guys that I play regularly with that were comparable golfers and... 2. I committed to playing at least once a week. I have kept that commitment and my friends and I have had a lot of fun and we steadily get better. I started out rarely breaking 100, moved down through the nineties to the eighties and now I have played two rounds in the seventies! I am currently at a 12 handicap and enjoy the game so much! I find that the game relaxes me. I am a pretty competitive person, but golf is more about competing with yourself than it is with others - I like that. I got a new set of clubs last year and that really helped. Playing regularly helps me improve my swing and regularly work on things. It is great exercise and a wonderful time hanging out with close friends. I look forward to playing the rest of my life and I hope my grandkids will pick up the game and it will become something we can enjoy together one day!
This past Sunday we recognized our CLC students in our services. Twelve wonderful young men and women crossed the stage to receive their Certificate of Discipleship (first year) or their Certificate of Leadership (second year). All seven first year students will be returning for a second year and three of our second year students will complete their degree next year!
Matt and Mariah Ackman have done an incredible job turning the school around! Out of all the setbacks our church suffered from the pandemic in 2020, the school got hit the hardest and we came very close to shutting it down. However, I believe God has given us a commission to help raise up the next generation of ministers and by God's grace we are rebuilding stronger than ever! It looks like we will have over twenty students enrolled this fall!
I am so excited to see God raising up future pastors, youth pastors, kids pastors, worship leaders, missionaries and church planters through our school! We have alumni across the country doing incredible things for God and I am so proud of them! I can't wait to see where God will take the young men and women training with us today.
This past Sunday we enjoyed one of the best Super Bowls in recent history. The game was masterfully played by two incredible teams and it really seemed like whoever ended up with the ball last would be the winner of the game. The offenses were as exciting as expected with 73 combined points being scored. However, that doesn't mean the defenses were non-existent - both teams had great defensive strategy and every point scored required real grit and determination. At the end of the day, just like I assumed, the last team with the ball was the winning team. But the story is a little more dramatic than that.
With less than two minutes to go in the 4th quarter, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes handed the pall off to Jerick McKinnon, who could have easily scored, but instead he purposefully slid down at the 1 yard line, allowing the Chiefs to run the clock down before kicking the winning field goal, leaving the Eagles virtually no time on the clock to try and even the score or win the game. Had McKinnon scored, the Eagles would have had ample time to make that attempt.
You have to know that Jerick McKinnon, like every kid who grew up playing the game, has always dreamed of scoring a touchdown in the Super Bowl. To do so would have given him a story to tell his children's children. but instead, McKinnon slid down at the 1 yard line because for a true team player, the name on the front of your jersey is more important than the name on the back of your jersey!
Do we approach life and ministry that way? Do we make it about the team? Do we make it about everyone winning and not just our own personal accomplishments? We must not forget that there are times when winning means sliding down at the 1 yard line!
Once again we had the privilege of sharing The Real Story of Christmas this year at Crossroads Church. This was our seventh year to produce the show and we worked hard to scale our efforts after such an amazing response to the show last year. In order to reach even more people with the story, we expanded to two weekends and twelve showtimes - three on Saturday and three on Sunday the first two weekends of December. Our goal was to reach more people and make our crowds more safe and manageable. Last year we had several "standing room only" crowds and it was far from ideal.
The premise of the show is so simple a child can understand it. The moment our main character - Grace Doll - admits she's broken and looks to the Toymaker for a new heart, the gospel comes alive for so many people and they immediately see themselves in the storyline and desire to become a part of the real story themselves!
Another real success for us this year was financing the outreach. It is very expensive! Over the past few years we have opened the show to sponsors, began selling concessions and merchandise and this year made a limited number of prime seats available for purchase. All this really paid off and allowed us to put on the production in the black! The reason this is so important is because, by underwriting the outreach we are able to tell the story again and again!
