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I’ve been around Crosspoint from the beginning, and we’ve never had more people engaging in our Sunday morning gathering than we do now.  And that is not some sort of weird spiritual, man-centered flex.  Frankly, I hate strongly dislike those.  You should too.  

What I am saying is that the Lord is causing the growth.  According to 1 Corinthians 3, He is the one who gives the growth, for it is His field, His building, His Kingdom, His church, and it will be for HIS glory.  We are simply servants in His Kingdom, empowered by His Spirit to plant and water, and trust in His goodness and sovereignty.  

Our ministry/fiscal year runs from September to August.  

• In the 2021-2022 ministry year, we were averaging 213 people (all ages) engaging on Sundays.  
• This last year (September 2024-August 2025), we averaged 305.  
• This fall (since August 17), we’ve been averaging 341.  
• In the past 4-5 years, we’ve been increasing by about 12% a year in attendance.  

Let me be clear again, the mission of the New Testament church is not to draw crowds or get to a certain numeric size (as if a particular number equals “success”).  The mission is to bring glory to God by loving Him wholeheartedly, loving one another, and in His power and presence, going and making disciples of all nations.

So while numbers in and of themselves is not the goal, numbers do reveal people, households and souls that matter, and that the Lord is at work in.  So we praise God for causing the increase! 

And with the increase, comes some stretching pains.  I hesitate to use the word pains, as if to imply a negative connotation.  Because there is NOTHING negative about stretching and growing.  For instance, the adolescent having growing pains is not a negative, but a sign of health.  The adult physically stretching, running, or going to the gym is not a bad thing, but steps toward health.  

As it relates to church life, the increase is leading to stretching which is good for us because it causes us to…

• Depend upon the Lord.  To humbly pray, fast, and call out to the Lord who is forever faithful.  
• Walk by faith and not by sight.  To not rely on our own strength to ‘manage’ a work of the Lord, but trust in the Lord to lead and provide by His power and wisdom.  

The reason it is healthy for our physical bodies to stretch is so that our bodies might not only avoid injury, but also be prepared to move.  So spiritually speaking, when the people of God are stretched, we are being prepared to move by faith.  To step out of cocoons of comfort and into lives that are readily aware that we both need the Lord in all of life, AND that need has been sufficiently and graciously supplied in our triune God and His gospel!  

So how are we called to respond to the stretching in a spirit of faith, hope and love?  Some encouragements…

Be Prayerful.  I was recently encouraged by a friend who shared that many believers are willing to pray, but are we desperate to pray.  Psalm 5 has been an encouragement to me regarding prayer before.  The first three verses say this, Listen to my words, Lord; consider my sighing. Pay attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for I pray to you. In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I plead my case to you and watch expectantly.

We have so much to be grateful for.  So much to give God praise for.  So much to look forward to with living hope.  The Lord of the harvest is gracious and kind.  He is at work.  And He told us in Luke 10:2, that the harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.  Let’s be desperately and expectantly prayerful.  

Be Obedient.  His Word is truth, and by it we are sanctified (John 17:17). Let’s be both good hearers of the Word and doers of it (Luke 11:28, James 1:22).  Where the Lord is speaking to us through His Word, may we respond with faith-filled obedience and trust.  May the Lord cause a sweet spirit of repentance and faith to continue to sweep across His church.  

Be Willing and Wanting to Serve One Another.  Similar to the prayer encouragement above, let’s not stop at a willingness to serve, but also a wanting, a ‘hear am I Lord, send me’ posture.  Years ago, I was at a large Christian conference, and when the conference broke for supper, local restaurants were overrun by the conference attendees.  And what was encouraging was to see the attendees (who claimed to follow Jesus) not have a consumer/serve-me mentality, but be willing to join in with serving, from bussing tables to running food.  They sought a patient, gracious, we’re-in-this-together, spirit.  

Philippians 2:14-17 tells us, Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world, by holding firm to the word of life. Then I can boast in the day of Christ that I didn’t run or labor for nothing. But even if I am poured out as a drink offering on the sacrificial service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. 

Let’s continue and lean into having a posture of rejoicing and sacrificial service to the Lord, whether we have been at Crosspoint from the beginning or are just starting to engage in life here.  

As I shared with you back in June via this email, we’re prayerfully walking toward the potential of a building campaign and expansion.  We’re still investigating both the opportunities and costs of that (as we learn more, we’ll communicate), but as of this fall season and into this next spring, we’re not adding square footage.  

And yet what we can do, is what we’re always called to do, and that is to equip the saints for the work of ministry.  I had a sister in Christ, who is newer to Crosspoint, recently notice how the toddler room has a lot of sweet kiddos in there, and she is a mom of one of those toddlers.  She saw a need, expressed interest in serving in that room to love those children, and has jumped into the monthly rotation.  What a gift!  By the way, did you know right now, we are averaging 17 babies and toddlers (spread between two rooms) on Sundays!  That’s 7% of our Sunday attendance just in those little ones.  Praise God for those children and households and how the Lord is enabling us to reach into the next generation!  Praise God for how He is growing His church both older and younger at the same time.  

Our sanctuary (what we call our Living Room) is around two-thirds full on Sundays.  So how can you serve and love others and put their needs before your own?  Scoot up and scoot in.  If you’re able, move up in the rows you typically sit in, and leave the end chairs available for those walking in late.  

In general, you might notice a need that we don’t see or don’t have the capacity to meet. Where you notice such needs, be willing and wanting to serve in the way of Jesus. Reach out to a staff member or elder as you see needs, and we can help equip and point you toward a next step.

Be hospitable. While some of the above encouragement relates to our Sunday gathering, the opportunity to respond in faith, hope and love is not limited to Sundays, but stretches to the other six days. The Scriptures call us to be hospitable toward the stranger and the brother and sister in Christ.  Hospitality is showing love, being generous, opening our lives and our homes to others.  It is displaying gospel warmth to others.  We can play this out before and after the Sunday service, and as a way of life. So pursue getting to know others, connecting for coffees or meals, introducing yourself to someone who you don’t know, checking in with the brother or sister who you haven’t seen for awhile, inviting others to attend with you on a Sunday morning, and blessing those who you know are in need.  

When the church formed in Acts, it went from 120 to 3000+ overnight.  Luke describes their ‘one-anothering’ community in this way. I think it is a good description to end this encouragement with.

Acts 2:42-27 (CSB): They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were being performed through the apostles. Now all the believers were together and held all things in common. They sold their possessions and property and distributed the proceeds to all, as any had need. Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Love you all, and thankful to follow Jesus alongside you.

Dave S.