No Place Like Home

Last week the Cross and Crown staff ran our normal schedule Monday and Tuesday but then closed up shop to head to Cincinnati Wednesday through Sunday. We attended the CCDA conference with much anticipation (http://www.ccda.org). Just like two years ago, we weren't disappointed.

I enjoy the CCDA conferences in large part because it is a gathering of people, ministries and Christ followers with similar intentions. Their main focuses are "community development" (that's the "CD" part), social justice and intentional relationships while reclaiming and restoring under-resourced communities.

After going two years ago and being blown away by the speakers and workshops I had high expectations this time around. This year was just as successful. The speakers were great (Shane Claiborne is always intriguing... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4TjXZNeBZ0 ) and the workshops had just as much practical application and ideas for youth that I could ask for. But, the biggest thing I took away from the four day conference was how relational Jesus was while He walked this earth.

One of the workshop teachers said, "No significant learning occurs unless there is significant relationship", and I think Jesus modeled this best. Jesus invested the majority of His time into twelve men, His disciples. It confirmed that no matter what kind, how many, how effective or ineffective the ministries are at Cross and Crown we are to be relationally focused, as Jesus was. The food panty, clothing room, medical clinic, youth activities at Rock Island, optometrist ect. are all hooks. Hooks to get us into relationship with the people in our neighborhood.

It puts a new twist of the scripture in Matthew 28:19-20, which says, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Disciples. Disciples. Not just believers, but disciples. Jesus had 12. He invested the majority of his time with these 12. I need to do the same. The One who spoke everything into existence choose 12 lives to invest in. I need to be relationally focused and intentional about spending time and energy with a specific few.

If you're ever interested in doing the same, come check us out.

Finding Jesus?

Recently a family that is involved with Cross and Crown did something that was pretty respectable. It was also a very cool idea. One of their children was getting ready to celebrate a birthday and so, like most other kids, she wanted to have some sort of a birthday party. But, rather than have a pizza party, a pool party (probably too cold for that I guess, it is October...), sleep over...what other kinds of partys do kids have these days? A Finding Nemo party? You get the idea. Instead of doing a party with the intentions of receiving presents and celebrating a day about her, she wanted to have a party and someone else receive the gifts.

She and her parents contacted me and asked if there were a couple girls from the neighborhood that we were in relationship with that would enjoy going shoppping and out to eat. The following Tuesday at Rock Island during our elementary hang out time I talked to the two best candidates for the party and they overwhelmingly said that they would like to go.

This past Friday I went to the two girls houses and picked them up after school. We then went to Rock Island and anxiously waited for the birthday girl, her mom and ten or so other girls that were apart of the party. When the girls arrived they all piled out of the cars and came to meet and great the two other girls and then they were on their way. They went to the mall to shop for a couple outfits and to eat.

After it was all said and done and I heard all that happened during the party I realized I had witnessed a practical example of the scripture in Luke when Jesus says, "When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Remember growing up and telling other kids in elementary school, "I'll invite you to my birthday party if you invite me to yours"? Let's be real, the biggest threat you could hurl at someone back in the day was, "IM NOT INVITING YOU TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!" Basically you invited certain kids to your party not necessarily because you wanted them to have fun, but rather to ensure yourself of a spot at their birthday, for your own good.

That wasn't this girls intentions. She knows there is not a very good chance she will receive a return on her birthday invitation to these girls. Whether or not she knows it, she did just like the scripture says. She extended an invitation to someone that won't be able to offer her the same type of invitation. She will not be repaid. Not on earth anyway. Rather, she will be blessed.

who needs J.C. Watts?

"May I have a food basket please. I know that it is close to the holiday and I am sorry to be in the position to be like a nuisance or in yall's or the way. (Then he puts his social security number and birthday)."

"Luke, Brother Luke I tried to give you some kind of donation or to give some kind of tithing, but it just wont happen. Sorry please keep helping me, if you need washing powder let me know."

"Dear God, Thank you, Cross and Crown for the food that we eat. In the name of Jesus. Amen."

"Merry XMAS and a Happy New Year"

"Luke, See how beat up this card is!? Please Bless me with a deck!!"

"Luke, Is there anyone who will starch my clothes for me. I like the clothes that was given to me, and I want them to last me, long as possible"

"K.O.M.A. Prep player of the Week 1975...Jet Player of the Week by Jet Magazine 1977... MVP at Taft Stadium OKC Preview 1975"

"Luke, May I have the same on hot dogs and the peppered beef. I talk to brother Paul last week. And I am to get with you and him about the amount and the fixin of my food baskets"

"To: Luke, May I have a food basket with a can of ham, and a can of sardines (for sho)"

"May I have a food basket please. I know that it is close to the holiday and I am sorry to be in the position to be like a nuisance or in yall's or the way. (Then he puts his social security number and birthday)."

The following messages on each of these note cards have been collected over the last year and a half or so from one of my favorite friends downtown. His name is Michael and until recently he was homeless. Michael was an all-state football player (an alternate to Oklahoma's own J.C. Watts) at Star Spencer high school and briefly attended college at Arkansas Pine Bluff.Michael now lives in a home where he pays rent to a few others in exchange for a room. Michael is an interesting man.

I won't say much else about Michael's personal life but I don't think he would mind if I shared some of his cards with you. The first several months, close to a year, that I knew Michael he wouldn't speak but two words to me but would hand me a envelope full of note cards. Usually his requests were simple but had to be met to perfection or he became upset. Over time, I guess once a level of trust was built, Michael began to speak more and be a little more flexible with his requests.

He is a very thankful person but is often easily aggravated. Michael openly admits he is bi-polar and from time to time deals with other struggles. Michael is a funny man and has a pretty comical personality when he is in a good mood. We see Michael pretty much every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, as well as, most Sundays.

Michael keeps a pretty tight schedule. Honestly, he probably has a more structured plan on a week to week basis than I do. In fact, I know he does. The messages above are some of my favorite messages Michael has given me over the course of time. My favorite is the one that he ends with, "fo show". Ha ha. But, I also enjoy the Christmas card he made this past year. I wasn't the only one to receive one. Every staff member and several volunteers also received Christmas index cards from Michael.

Enjoy.

Sunday night happenings

Starting this Sunday evening Cross and Crown will be starting up with our Sunday night meal and worship for anyone interested. There will be people that walk in from the neighborhood and others who drive in from Edmond and other parts of Okc. All are welcome. It is a great time to meet, eat, worship and build relationship.

Also, anyone interested in helping out with some of the youth have an opportunity to do so before the meal and worship. Starting at 4:00pm Rock Island will be open and full of kids from the neighborhood who need some homework help or just want to chat. We have been broadcasting to the youth, elementary and jr. high kids in particular, that there will be individuals on Sunday nights who will help out with homework. There were also several kids who explained they generally had their homework done by Sunday evening but still wanted to be able to participate. We told these kids they could come and chat or help out with the younger kids.

Ron and I intentionally scheduled this time on a weekend so that individuals who aren't able to help out during the work week are given an opportunity to be apart of the action.























Ideally, an individual or couple would come down to Rock Island, meet a young man or young women, help them with their homework on a consistent basis, invite them to the meal and worship at Cross and Crown and then build from there. You know, a relationship.



So, there you have it. This Sunday...

4:00-6:00 - Tutoring/Mentoring Opportunity
6:00-6:30 - Meal
6:30-7:15ish - Worship

See you there.

wake up, get swole, go to school

Today marked the first day of the 2009-2010 after school program at Rock Island. Scratch that, before school and after school program.

This year Ron and I have decided to switch things up a lil bit and offer a hour and a half or so of youth activities before school starts. Because our junior high'ers don't have to be to school until 9:30 we decided we would see what would happen if we offered a opportunity to workout, shower, be feed and get a ride to school. Today was the first day this opportunity was available.

At 8:00 this morning we had 4 takers.

Here's what the workout looked like...

Warm up:
25 jumping jacks
50 jump ropes
20 lunges with arms straight out

Workout:
3X15 - Military Press on BosuBall
3X15 - Roman Chair crunches
1X15 - Bench Press
1X15 - Bench Press on BosuBall instead of bench
1X15 - Pushups
3X15 - Medicine Ball Throws While Balancing on a Inflatable Frisbee
6X - Back and Forth on the Running Ladder

Cool Down:
25 Jumping Jacks or 50 Jump Ropes
20 Lunges

Next, the girls got the shower at Cross and Crown and the boys headed over to Rock Island to clean up. Followed by some delectable smoothies prepared by Ron and myself. I went with banana and Ron went with peach. The kids ended up mixing them. Who would have guessed?

After cleanup and smoothie time Ron was took the young'ins to school and then we got back to our normal grind (that's a good thing).

I tell you this for two reasons. Primarily, just to keep you informed. I like to assume you have some interest if you're reading this blog. But, I also want to extend an invitation. Anyone looking for a free gym membership/looking for some time to disciple kids/looking to workout with a couple youngsters or have 1v1 time with a kid in the morning this is your opportunity. We work out Monday and Wednesday mornings at 8:00 am, finish at 8:35-8:40 or so and then then kids clean up. So, for those of you who work downtown and don't have to be there until 9:00 or maybe don't work on a Monday or Wednesday, here is your chance. We also have showers!

If you are wanting to shed a few lb's here is some extra motivation...Following the completion of today's workout of the girls got on the scale and yelled, "I lost 4 lb's!!!"

The active, living God

Two weeks ago, following the conclusion of the school store, I witnessed a fulfilled dream...

It wasn't my dream. I was just blessed to be one of the people in the dream.

One of Cross and Crown's regular volunteers pulled me aside a few weeks ago and informed me that he had experienced a dream the night before that involved myself, Ron and a couple of the youth from Rock Island. In his dream he explained that he knew how many of the young people from the neighborhood came to Rock Island, the youth center, with the mindset of receiving something. In other words, to get something we had to offer. Whether they came for food, games, entertainment or something else, he understood that, like most other youth centers/youth groups, the kids came to receive something we had to offer them. As a side note, this isn't a bad thing. Kids that come to play games, eat our food or be entertained are really just falling into our trap! We really want them to find out about Jesus, but don't tell anyone.

Next, he talked about how he understood that Ron and I did a fair amount of pouring into the kids and how that can be draining, which I gave a strong, "Amen", to. He told us that there would be two of the youth that wouldn't just come to get, get, get....but that would bless both Ron and I and be a blessing to us. Two that would bless us. He went on to name one of the boys from our group, specifically, who was in the dream and was to play a key role. He also informed us that there was another young man in the dream who was also to play a prominent role. He said he was unable to identify who the other young man was and said it may not be any of the kids that currently were involved with us at Rock Island.

As he went on to describe the dream he told us that Ron and I would be praying with the kids in a group. He said that during the prayer the young man, whom he named, would be by my side or next to me. During the prayer both the young men he told us of were to bless us, to lift us up.

So, here we go.

A couple weeks back following the conclusion of Cross and Crown's school store, after being physically and mentally drained mostly because of youth overload, Ron and I decided to rally up the youth that were helping for the day. We told them that we would finish up the day by cleaning up, getting some snacks, praying and heading home. As we started to clean up a couple boys from a youth group in Edmond showed up to help out. They have been coming off and on over the course of the summer and have been a pleasure to be around. So, we cleaned, got snacks and the kids grabbed a seat so we could debrief and pray. After a couple minutes of talking about the weeks experiences we figured it was time to wrap up and ask God's blessing over the rest of the week and the upcoming school year.

I started the prayer and asked for God's covering for the upcoming school year and for blessings over each of the kids. Then before Ron finished up the prayer he left a gap for any of the youth to pray that felt led. Now, let me clarify something before I carry on with the story. 90% of the youth that come to Cross and Crown or Rock Island haven't been to "church". They haven't grown up in Christian homes, been instructed how to pray or been around people that pray on a regular basis like most of us have. What this means is they haven't developed ideas or "common prayer topics", I'll call them, to pray about....like traditional prayers, such as, "God, thank you for this day", "God, thank you for your blessings over...", "God, please bless this family with a sick relative...", or, "God, please be with me during this situation...". Which makes what I am about to say even more incredible.

The young man, who was identified by name and said to be sitting next to me or by my side, was doing just that. He was sitting directly next to me while all the other kids were spread out sporadically throughout the sanctuary. He then went on to say the following, "God thank you for the school store and the bookbags we were all able to get for school...Thank you for Luke and Ron and all their hard work and I ask for your blessings upon them and their families. I ask that your face shine upon then and bless them".............

I ask for your face to shine upon them? I ask you to bless them and their families? Wow. Quite possibly one of the biggest, largest blessings of a prayer, that I am aware of, that has ever been prayed for me. But, that's not the end. Next, after he had finished praying, one of the young men from the youth group in Edmond began to pray. He prayed a very similar prayer. He prayed for Ron and I and the work we were apart of at Rock Island with the kids. What a blessing.

Initially I didn't connect this event with the dream that had been described to me. Hello!!! The reason the man who had the dream couldn't identify the other young man who was going to pray for us is because he has never met or seen him. In his dream he just saw that there were going to be two young men. One he knew, the other he didn't.

I'm not sure when I finally realized that the dream that was to happen...just unravelled right in front of me. But, regardless of when it was that I finally figured it out, I definitely felt the power and presence of God.

I don't tell this story to make it sound like I am anything special, because I am not. I tell this story to be an encouragement to you who read this. Know that our God is the living and active God. He still does those "edgy", "old-testament", "why doesn't God still work like he used to" in the old days, things. God doesn't just want to be apart of our Sunday services and church get-togethers. He wants to be apart of every aspect of our lives. Be encouraged and know that if you desire to feel God's presence, He's ready. Ask.

Authentic Worship

"Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker"
Psalms 95:6

This is a picture I was able to take of our friend, "Oakland", at Cross and Crown Wednesday. I wrote a blog about him several posts back. He calls us his "kinfolk" and swears that my dad is his brother, that I am Danny Ainge and that my brother is Chauncy Billups. We love him and he loves us. He knows the streets better than most, but more importantly, He knows Christ.