Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Yesterday, on Leap Day (Feb. 29, 2024), I had the opportunity to host a group of pastors and ministry leaders who are local to Chelmsford. They serve in various contexts, but mostly as pastors of churches in the area. While we may not have the same denominations, we shared that one of the urgent needs we have (beyond filling pastoral leadership positions in churches) is the work of discipleship.
In many churches that our church would call “American” churches, people may be members because that is where they have been going all of their lives. Or their parents were members, so they are “members”. At our church, people become members after attending membership class and understanding the roles and responsibilities of members. We have had people at CBCGL think that they are members, but are not because they never attended the membership class or submitted the membership application.
Church membership matters because it helps us in the work of discipleship. Discipleship is the process of following Jesus. Certainly there is more to the definition, but at its most foundational, Christians are those who follow Jesus Christ. What was interesting to me from the conversation with other pastors and ministry leaders was that there is a need for discipleship in all our churches. But that makes sense because that’s what Jesus told us to do in the Great Commission: “Make Disciples of all nations.” People need to know what it means to follow Jesus. They need to learn the basics of the Christian faith and how we live in obedience to God’s word. People need to know who God is, who we are, what sin is, and how we are to live as salt and light in this world in dependence on God the Holy Spirit who lives in us.
These conversations made me thankful for you. For many members of CrossPoint Community, you are a first-generation Christian. Being a Christian isn’t just assumed. Instead, you have come to know and love Jesus through the faithful witness of others who have shared with you the good news that Jesus is Savior and Lord. May God continue to help you to be a devoted disciple of Jesus.
Reminder: We will be hosting “I am N” at church on Friday, March 8. Since it is an online event, if you are a Friday Night online participant, it would be best for you to register individually – otherwise we run into issues trying to receive a livestream event and livestream it to you via zoom. You can register for free at IamNevent.com
My plan is to start at 7:30 pm with a welcome, brief announcements, and highs and lows. Then we will join online around 7:55 or so. The event itself goes until 10 pm, but we can end at 9:30, or you can depart at that time.
Let’s learn together how God is at work and how we can pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ in places where they are persecuted for their faith.
Additionally, please continue to pray for the nations of Israel/Gaza and Ukraine. Pray that the wars would end. Here is a suggested list of prayers if you are at a loss for words in how to pray: https://send.org/story/hh_pray_for_ukraine. And https://worldrelief.org/blog-prayer-for-israel-and-gaza/ Thank you for kneeling on behalf of the people of Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Gaza and taking a stand (or a knee in prayer) against the forces of darkness in this present age.
This Week (Mar. 1 - 7, 2024):
1. Tonight, March 1, 2024, the Living Stones Friday Night Bible Study is meeting from 7:30-9:30 to study about the righteousness of God’s name. You can read Jeremiah 23 and 33, and Romans 3 to prepare. Join in person in Room A-218 or online via the following link at 7:30 pm:
https://zoom.us/j/685376249?pwd=cWtyUk1pckJiRHJxZVZCSGdJZWw2UT09
Meeting ID: 685 376 249
Password: 840840
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. The Living Stones Sunday School and Grace Ambassadors Sunday School are meeting this Sunday. The Grace Ambassadors will continue a discussion of “The Pilgrim’s Progress: Part 2”. The Living Stones will be studying an Overview of the NT in the Koinonia Room (A-216). They will use the following link for those who wish to join online this Sunday:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/491248585?pwd=RnpLcnpjQ01nTGZLSmhaZ3l4L3dKQT09
Meeting ID: 491 248 585
Password: 403767
Join by phone: +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
3. This Sunday, March 3, 2024, at 11:25 am, our CrossPoint Community Service will start and Pastor Nathan Willems will be preaching. Pray for him! Join us for worship at CBCGL!
Text: Genesis 4:1-16, 23-24
Title: Sin’s Cancerous Growth
Live stream via Youtube: https://www.cbcgl.org/live-stream/
4. Each Wednesday, such as this week (March 6) at 7:45 pm, you are invited, encouraged, and requested to join our weekly prayer meeting. We will not grow in Christ without growing in our dependence on God through prayer. The link is found below in the section on prayer.
Administration / Events
1. We have a missions update (so check out the missions tab in the bulletin)! You can provide support for COCM (in England), for James Liang (at UConn), or J and J who are serving in East Asia and are working to see groups started in a number of different countries. Check out more via the missions tab!
2. The Ladies Fellowship (Keeping in Vertical) invites you to register to attend a one-day women’s retreat at Calvary Bible Church in Derry, NH either Friday, May 3 or Saturday, May 4, 2024 (a one-day event held on two separate days).
Online registration is available at https://www.cbcderry.org/lda24 ; Cost is $45 which includes breakfast, lunch and registration details.
EVENT DETAILS including the event schedule, a short bio on the speaker and important things to know can be found on the website noted above.
**PLEASE NOTE** Tickets are NONREFUNDABLE AND NONRETURNABLE (Feel free to sell or give your ticket to a friend if you register and can’t make it). Also, plan to register early as a WAITING LIST WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE THIS YEAR. Registration starts on the website February 19th. Financial aid is available upon request. For more info, please contact: jeannemic50 (at) icloud.com
3. We will have our next baptism service on Easter (March 31). To be baptized, you must attend baptism class. If you are interested in being baptized, please contact Pastor Nathan Willems. Come to baptism class to learn why we baptize people, what is necessary for baptism, and what rights and responsibilities you have as someone who is baptized.
We also will have child dedication. If you’re interested in dedicating your child(ren), talk with Pastor Nathan!
4. Sunday Lunch Service is available at CBCGL with $5 lunches that are first-come, first-served. We’ll work at ending our service on time so that you can get lunch!
5. All other announcements can be found here (in our CrossPoint Community bulletin)
For Prayer:
1. From Bishop J.C. Ryle – “To be prayerless is to be Christless, Godless, and in the high road to destruction…It will always be found that when prayers are few, grace, strength, peace, and hope are small.” Please join our Wednesday night prayer meeting (7:45 – 9:15 pm) even if you can’t participate the whole time.
https://zoom.us/j/758587937?pwd=aS9sZUdxcm1janNNM2I2aXJ6Smx2QT09
Meeting ID: 758 587 937
Password: 030086
Join by phone: +1 929 436 2866 US (New York)
2. We’d be glad to pray for you. If you need prayer, you can submit your prayer request via the following link: https://www.cbcgl.org/pray/
In Christ, your servant, SDG,
Rev. Dr. Nathan Willems
Associate Pastor of CrossPoint Community – A Ministry of CBCGL