Dale Stephenson

[Music] [Music] I do younger dolls I do CG which is what you see on the words on the screen I have no technical expertise whatsoever my solution of solving problems is you shut down a computer and you restart it again it's the lyrics thing that you see on the screens and it's a real formula tool you know where you have to sort of wait to like something like the third he's trying to say like without me the service would not go on you know we're here doing this live and we're doing like a pre-show show before the service we're hoping to do this more often in the future but let us know if it works or if it doesn't or if you have any ideas that we can sort of I do but what we're going to do today is we're just going to have a bit of a chat we're gonna have a bit of um I guess I chat around what today is gonna look like today is vision Sunday and it's gonna be an awesome service so make sure you stick around after our show because we're going to see a creative presentation we've got some awesome videos coming up Dale pastor Dale is going to be sharing his heart behind yeah you know 2020 is gonna look like for Crossway and yeah it's gonna be an awesome service and not only that but afterwards you know we're also going to be taking questions or comments or anything like that we're gonna be coming back to the post show now post service show and maybe even answering some questions or even just um yeah just having another chat and hopefully we'll have our exec pastor here as well just just share his heart as well yeah behind through that 2020 hero exciting so exciting exciting times ahead and we're so looking forward to today we're also looking forward to just being here with you guys and hope you enjoy today's service um hey Shweta I'm going to ask you a couple of questions around your also you said you were we just talked about cg a little bit you saw also said I'm alpha yes that's right what do you do at alpha can you just explain what alpha means to us here why sure so alphas ministry the courser burns anyone can participate so even if you are a Christian if you are not Christian if you're searching to find out more answers it's just a great place to come and learn and find out more and be a part of a community so I'm one of the leaders and we've got an amazing team that heads up alpha here at Cross weigh it which runs three times a year and yeah it's just a whole bunch of fun if you have any questions regarding faith in regarding life regarding what your purpose is you just you just come along and you just find out more okay and so you're sayin runs three times how many how many weeks is of course it's a nine week course and then we go away for a weekend so what does it look like so let's say it's a Monday night that's right yeah night starts at 7 o'clock starts at 7:30 7:30 say 7:30 what do you do so you come in and the first thing you do is you eat so so you come and the first thing you do is we have dinner together and then we just chat and then after that we either have a guest speaker or a video and then of a certain topic and then we just have a discussion and that's pretty much it and then we hug each other and we say goodbye we see each other next week it's a question as a leader do you need to have a certain qualification or certain understanding of Christianity or anything in order to be a leader yeah yeah I guess you do because you do get some hard-hitting questions and it would be good to be prepared to some extent but in saying that anyone can really do it cuz it's a voluntary thing so anyone can come in and be a helper so I started off by being a helper and then I turned into a leader so it's a journey in itself but you don't I hope I just support the leader really so you're a leader in itself and also help up yeah oh that's a great ministry I know that many many lives are changed because of alpha I think last year we celebrated I remember the exact number but something about our five hundred thousand that's right yeah person that has done that's an amazing in Australia right that's in Australia alone that's an amazing number Eric you know alphas doing great things and we're so fortunate that we get to partner with Alpha here is that right such a great ministry yeah now you talked about production will talk about CG so what are the things do we do besides do the awesome lyrics you know what else happens you know Crossway production team you know yeah so the production team are the people that are wearing black and that you're not supposed to see unless something has gone wrong so if you're not seeing them that's a great thing but it comes from people who are doing all the videos that you see on the screens it comes from the people behind the cameras the people doing lights people doing audio there's a whole bunch of areas that you can be a part of if that's your thing even if it's your nope you're doing step out of your comfort zone yeah you know it's so whenever you're watching Church online it's really easy to think of you know a person behind a computer pressing a button and then it goes to you know your screens it actually isn't like that isn't it aha sorry in front of us in this room here we've got like I think it's a millions of dollars worth of technology that you know 10 million people are trying to press different buttons I have no idea what they do but they managed to get what we see in the auditorium onto your screens and it's amazing thing so a lot of a lot of things that go behind the scenes that you don't know about which makes things happen then I think the production seems to and such an amazing job in getting things happen like this took out like we just we just rocked up yeah we stood here I was sitting here and all of these cameras and lights and all that there it's all been done by other people so these guys is there the credit but yeah like you know if you're ever in my or feel watching from Melbourne and you I'm get a chance to come across way I want to encourage you to come to our church see what happens behind the scenes what happens you know to get our church online happening and things like that but like I was saying before I really hope that you enjoy today today it's going to be a really awesome day because of them the vision that's gonna be cast to our church not only cast to a congregation here also southeast campus they're going to be linked in Asian languages campuses they're going to be linked in as well and also you guys are going to be linked in throughout the world it's gonna be an awesome day I'm really excited hey shut up I'm gonna play a little game with you oh I love games you love games all right we're gonna play I don't know where it's actually cool but um the first thing that comes to your mind game there's a better go pear-shaped basically the game is I'm going to say one word and she has to say the first thing that comes to mind yeah easier I apologize in advance yeah don't swear because we're on live right now okay you ready yes glasses eyesight t-shirt black chicken nuggets Maggie is 505 high high five now fine social media Brussels sprouts hate it Eliana beautiful Oh Yanis watching right now cross mine worship oh great okay so Tim thong you know handsome bloke talent boozing out of his bones you know bandana red people wearing just you know all-around great guy that's not or anything I know thanks him welcome to a pre-service church on one shark good to be here hi everyone so what's your role here I pretty much Gornick the happenings around cross-ownership so pretty much act as a facilitator whether whether it be songwriting production arrangement you know I just handle all the musical stuff handles a team that writes the songs I put together the tracks and things like that so there's a bit of an overseer role yeah yep so I've got a question as a fan when's your next album coming out we've got an EP an acoustic EP coming out soon and an album in the words coming out less soon so yeah hints it less soon meaning next month or next year or five years and the track whenever you want whenever I want I'll do one the next month dear maybe we can give people what the people want are you the people yes now realistic you are we are looking at releasing our first full-length album end of the sometime in any video that's probably yeah probably good assumption in the year so yeah fingers crossed ago Kenny can you explain to us just a little bit how what's the process behind you know obviously we listen to an end product we've got all these songs that are out on digital platforms and platforms and all that how does it go from scratch 2-0 to nothing nother - they're great yeah so we start off every year with like a songwriting retreat where a bunch of songwriters go off to a remote location used to be Mount Buller and then we it got too hot up there and I went a little insane so we went to Phillip Island sit with us a nice Beach and you gotta go for a swim sometimes we sit we sit there for about seven days a week so we write some songs we choose the songs that are relevant that are coming out of those retreats and then and then basically we get a team together of musically talented people who come together arrange two tracks we brainstorm ideas and every get other people involved as well we get dance people involved production people involved to make videos promotional and then we just keep working on it and then we we get it to the point where then we send it off the final mixing in production and then that's when you get the the album in some hands near you oh that is awesome so like I said before we're looking so we've got our acoustic acoustic album by album sorry I think I'm a pee coming out when was that ah soon soon and then hopefully we're talking in the next month or two or someone that will give you a we'll give you a better date soon and then our full-length album hopefully by the end of the year at some stage that's one of our milestones we're excited about that we just had out as our timber saying our sunrise retreat a couple of weeks ago and it was amazing great vibes great songs that came out of it we're looking forward to it and we know that God is going to use those songs to influence people in this world yeah any any thoughts around final thoughts no get hype for it sometime less soon that's right sake one nearby that one we still have a couple of days left [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Music] our pursuit is at the heart of the gospel of Christ we're deaf in his life and loss means gain we're intimacy breeds influence and abiding breeds transformation where righteousness is a gift not a wage and no interest is the end goal [Music] being closer takes us further further toward fullness of life as we die to ourselves promise of joy as we endure trials [Music] of peace as we embrace the way of the cross [Music] because he sacrificed I don't love for us closer [Music] we are marked by intimacy with a life changing God [Music] [Music] [Music] come now as you are as you wanna be [Music] are you ready come now sire broken scared or just in the ready or not it's alright say could solve if nothing else just come [Music] are you ready are you ready [Music] she dreams a face your heart you were are you ready call now bring your hose to fear to face to heart are you ready are you ready there's no place like his presence there's no time like the now everyone there were three of us counted me and he ran out his he welcomes the broken he's all ride with a pass it's not mad at anyone of us and he waits with open arms come [Music] I [Music] now [Music] go [Music] you [Music] you ready [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] all we've seen we ain't seen nothing yet are you ready are you ready come now bring him praise for what he's gonna do next are you ready are you ready or not [Music] [Music] it's a beauty [Music] show me [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] god we invite you into this place today but your spirit rain in this place it lives we transform the people nerd of the love of Jesus Christ again and again today we honor you want to bring glory to your name God we lift your name we lift your name higher profits to the best you came the word from enthroned of endless glory to oh come on this praises thing [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Jiro's all of heaven held its breath till that star good [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] you feel comfortable watching Roger [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] Oh [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] we make that declaration of fresh in our hearts this morning Father Son and Holy Spirit we worship you and we declare afresh that you rain that you rain that you rain in this universe you run across the world our nation we want you to reign in this city in our church in our lives and fresh and we come and present ourselves to you may it be that our worship is authentic we come now with hearts that are ready we come now expectant we come now anticipating we come now not in our own strength not knowing what we might want to do but we come desperate for more of you come now we come realizing that we are nothing without you we can't recognize me we have nothing to bring but you are the God of grace you are the god of goodness you are the God of love and so we tear come and we boldly approach the throne because you love us and today we declare our love of You Father glorify your name in this place Lord Jesus we lift you up Holy Spirit we invite you to come afresh on vision Sunday move among us we think of a God who consumed more than we dream up more than we imagined and we want to enlarge our faith and expand our vision today for the gods [Music] break break sorry bring fire bring renewal bring refreshment come father gods [Music] and we join with the church around the world and we sing hallelujah hallelujah we come to price you let's worship Him cross way [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] another two but if your heart hasn't been lifted this morning in worship I don't think you're breathing because what it starts or would she think we thanked this team you know everything inside of me wanted to get out tend to see come now entertains but you know couldn't because I can't see on account walk backwards you're incredibly clever man let's take the team thanks guys and let's welcome each other let's say hi as we come in worship this morning [Music] [Music] [Music] yeah what a great start as we come in worship this morning on vision Sunday great to have you with us a very big thank you to many of you who joined us last night for our team launch it's a great night the rain didn't get in the way we were saying last night that when it rains in an event now you don't want to complain - you wanted to say God let it rain let it rain in our country but was a great night last night thanks for being part of team cross way launch for all of you who were there and we're glad you're with us for vision Sunday whether you're here in the auditorium or whether you're watching somewhere around the city the nation the world we're glad you're with us a cross way on this special Sunday morning as we welcome each other if you are here for the first time or just stop renew - our cross way community in a foyer today the next steps area the team is there to say hi to you can find out anything you want to know about stepping into community that's what we are we so highly value here we want you to belong I want you to feel at home I want you to step into community the next steps area can help you out and if you also think you're joining a life group this year or the life group team idea to give you some more information today talk about welcoming special people to our house this morning we're really excited that as we step into 2020 mark pusseh has joined our team is our new Burwood east campus pastor and mark and tanya and their children are with us this morning I'm gonna ask where they stand guys I know can you stand where you are welcome to cross way great to have you with us we want to warmly welcome you we're gonna hear a lot more and meet mark in the coming weeks pray for you formally as a family but we're so excited to hear and so welcome and we look forward to what God is going to do as you bring leadership to our campus here as you are heading out this morning in the foyer just to the stands near the doors you'll find this little prayer card but a couple of weeks notice but you might take it home put on your fridge put in your Bible put it somewhere where you'll go to find on the 17th of February we're kicking off across our campuses ten days of prayer and fasting and every day we get the opportunity to come together to keep Jesus front and center and we recognize our dependence on God for all that will come in 2020 so be a part of that prayer and fasting pick up your card today we're also mindful that today is a day where we celebrate with our South East and now Asian language campuses they're going to take our senior pastors message shortly good to remind ourselves that we are one Church of multiple campuses including our wonderful community who join us online today this Thursday this is Thursday Thursday morning we kick off our new midweek worship service and so that'll be in the chapel from 10:00 a.m. everyone welcome a traditional service worship teaching time of community that kicks off this week as well will you join me as we pray together as we then bring our tithes and offerings this morning for the gods you are a generous God you lavish your love upon us John writes you back at that love upon us each day we open our hearts our minds to receive that again today to remind ourselves of who we are as children of God and our identity in you and all that Jesus would do for us all that Jesus continues to do for us raise our sights this morning maybe we take your eyes off our circumstance and challenges as big as they might be raise our sights Lord that we might see you and all you have for us in our lives our families our church community afresh in 2020 thank you you are that God who is ahead of us thank you that you're a God who has a plan and a purpose for each of our lives thank you for the privilege of authentic community thank you for the mission of God in our heads ordinary people and thank you but in your generosity we get to respond with gratitude ourselves and a part of doing that is to bring our tires and offerings and we recognize as we do that a fresh this morning that it's not just about me or about us or this service or even this campus but it's about what you're doing in and through cross way across our city across our nation across our world today lives being transformed hope being birthed people recognizing that they belong a people on the margins feeling care so many expressions of the good news happening today tomorrow this week because we're privileged to invest in the vision that you've laid before us so we bring our tithes and offerings this morning many will have already given this week and we choose to invest as an act of worship and discipleship and we say thank you God thank you prepare our hearts and our minds to hear what a senior pastor will soon bring to us as we looked at 20/20 in Jesus name we pray amen amen there are containers at the end of your arse if you'd like to kindly pass the belong today 29th it's been a huge year for us we've gotten 19 personal commitments we had 31 youth got baptized every single week we see lots and lots of new people during the Euro our attendance records be the highest one being just over 500 in kids we do this thing twice a year could big statement and we present the gospel it's just so cool seeing kids only have faith and choose to follow Jesus for the first time the highlight of the us having around 75 near life group leaders we've received about four hundreds plus people looking for life group and one of the highlights for me was taking BDC around Australia so we went to eight different cities and just very exciting to see some of the hope in people's eyes that it can be different we've had a number of hanging out step up entertained crossways they're not just serving the young adults in ministry but serving Crossway as a home church I think one of my favorite things about 2019 is our growth in our teams we changed it up this year and the way that the team really went along with that and just jumped on board was really charging in the 5/6 room we started live worship with a celibate 30 years anniversary of Asian eggless campus we are friends old and excited for that course program has been extended to the Chinese community 1,300 people who were doing it tough and we were able to give them a hand up instead of a hand out a winter can the last number of years we've grown by about 10% each time so we're kind of staring in the barrel of maxing out the capacity of the campsite at the moment number of new young adults walk into cross way this year and so just seeing them step into community really excites us how we've also seen 11 baptisms this year which is really really exciting almost a 30 percent growth across adults and kids average weekly attendance which is really astounding I'm really excited to see how many new females we get and you get great six kids who graduate across we're kids who loved it so much that they want to come and lead we're excited to see new leaders we love to see the leaders to make a deeper commitment to us and to the faith to make effort in building the certain culture other people can do life together and do mission together life care is looking forward to empowering even more people who are in tech places we want to see them give them help to improve their lives we're looking forward to engaging even more people from the crossbow community have any more of a missional edge what we're doing we want to prosper used to be a place with here we can belong before they believe we're also bringing back youth to youth cited about that we want to see more and more youths owning the space we real excuse me for more growth with next year and so we're beginning to make room for the people that we believe God's going to bring in I'm really excited for the instruction to be two nights we have been talking about it in previous years but this year we're really nailing it down to create a space for people to skilfully and spiritually growth we were looking for to actually training our coaches from different denominations starting to see the actual multiplication 2nd and 3rd generation next year we'll be launching a training night for a lot so that really looks like how do we those disciples that multiply within the next generation of trust and we want to see more people come to know Jesus and so in a larger way this year we're rolling out BBC building to the cycling culture and nothing throws me more than seeing people de cycling those around them to faith in Christ so one of the things we're pumped about this next year is kicking off Crossway youth death is youth is bubbling up into something joining in with the abilities campus throughout throughout 2020 oh we're really looking forward to the building expansion because I think we could do with some more space and also just so excited to see where a building just happen culture goes 2020 yeah some people start to really grapple with the fact that our purpose here on earth is more than just very sure fulfillment but also that we have a role to play and societies that multiply as well I'm excited we are a part of the victor story in terms of shooting deciding cultural surfing the local community I am excited family love my cross fellowship and what they're doing I think one of the things that really excites me about what God is doing here is it's clear and evident that God's going before us he reveals stuff in the right time he opens it can create opportunities for us that sometimes we didn't see coming cross results I think there's a float saying that the only thing that doesn't change it is change itself and the thing is we sort of attack that change with one of our values which is the dare to dream and no matter how you see change it can be exciting but it can be experienced at same boat faith and comfortable heart I think we can go so far I'm really looking forward seeing what God is going to do through and in everybody in the cross lake community so that we can see transformation in the city nation and nation I'm excited for the unknown I think God's got some really exciting things in store for us good morning everybody and good morning to those who are joining us online southeast campus we're tearing few quick chaplets to have these gamers a quick shout out to our aging campus of streaming all the way over the table right now Nihao in indonesian only no selamat the tongue and that's not morning so god bless you guys and it's all getting translated anyway so it's good to be together i welcome to 2022 the launch of 2020 at least from for the sake of vision sunday we're already one twelfth of the way through the year so i hope you're making the most of your year like you're just spending it like that you know you've already gone through one twelfth of it good to be together when sam on that video Sam Taylor pastor Sam say one of the things we're seeing is that God is ahead of us and we really are seeing that right now it's been the extraordinary period of the activity of God I just want to give you one quick example and that is just a few weeks ago at an executive team we're talking about participating with the other churches of the city of Whitehorse to make a strategic response to people who living rough to homelessness it's a big challenge homelessness is a really big challenge and it's very difficult to respond to so they're kind of looking for a more collective response and so the question was is Crossway prepared to be part of this is Crossway prepared to invest in this will we will we invest $10,000 will we invest some staff time and will we participate with everyone and so we talked about it and we felt like we got that yes from the Lord and we said yeah absolutely we'll definitely be involved in that you know within 45 minutes of that meeting finishing I received a phone call from a gentleman interstate he didn't know we're talking about it that morning he knew nothing about it and he just called me up and he said are you guys doing anything with homelessness as funny but he should I think about that I said we're just having a chat about that this morning and we're joining with the churches of the city of Whitehorse for a more strategic response and we're investing both money and staff time into that domain he said he said he said I've got a bus it's the shower bus for people who are homeless he said it's about 120 thousand dollar bus when it's fully sponsored insured serviced running cost petrol everything he said it just need a partner partner and would you guys be prepared to like be the coordinating Church so and he said I'll just like give you the bus and I'm like gee whiz you hardly have a conversation in one room guys making a provision in a different room and we are seeing that thing over and over again and I really mean that well 2020 has really started with a bang hasn't it Australia's had bushfires and of historic nature now the World Health Organization has declared the coronavirus a global health what's the next word emergency a global health emergency and so you've got internationally you've got communities making all sorts of strategic now responses and we're going to be very respectful of the kind of the collective wisdom of the response and so if anyone has just recently come back for chart from China it would be wise just to isolate yourself for a fortnight and so that's just wise and we're supportive that one of our own staff has just come back from China and so he and his family are self isolating for a fortnight can work from home but you know just being respectful of the broader community I think that's wise some are self isolating they've never been to China so for those of you I'm talking to you if you're at home hiding in your cupboard because you're afraid of the coronavirus I just think you know our hope is in God and their compasses in God not in the whatever it's kind of cruise around for goodness sake get out of the cupboard look there's about a dozen people across Australia with 25 million people in it who are all quarantined who currently have been identified as carrying the corona virus and look go down to the Glen and help out someone has got a shop down there like going yeah it's very quiet apparently at the Glen so I'm not that's not a sponsor messaging I'm just saying look really our hope is in God and we're respectful of these things I'm never gonna go hiding in a cupboard never ever gonna go hiding in a cupboard it's just not not the way we roll so a theme for the year this year is that is closer further and I will be unpacking that I'm gonna preach for four weeks now this week in another three I'll get to do a more normal sermon for the next three weeks and but there just the concept of it the theme of a year this is what God put in our hearts late last year closer drawing closer to him what it is to draw near to the Living God further what God will do with your life you draw near to God and God will expand your life further and also and then we'll we're going to tease that from multi different directions because God is an all-consuming fire perfect in his holiness and like it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God the Bible says the other bob says draw near to Him draw draw near to the throne of grace because we're cleansed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ so we draw near this awesome God and then God does something in our hearts that takes us further and when sinful people and people who have forgiven of their sins the draw near grace goes further where sin abounds grace super abounds the Bible says that's a quote and so that's that's some of the kind of some of the theme I just want to give an example that for the Bible before I go more specifically into our vision Sunday message look at Philippians chapter 3 you aren't close to further here's a perfect passage the Apostle Paul yes everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for his sake I have discarded everything else counting it all as garbage so I may gain Christ and become one with him he said I'm sorry he is demonstrating there what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 13 Jesus told the parable where Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls when he found one of great value that's Jesus when he found one of great value he went away and he sold everything he had and bought it and the Apostle bought when he's saying look everything else I'm just counting as garbage compared to if I can have Jesus look how he goes on he says I no longer count my own righteousness through obeying the law and he said I don't count on that like that be self-effort like trying to impress God with what I can do and how good I am he said that is a waste of time it says rather I become righteous through faith in Christ that's trusting him an attitude of trust Jesus I trust you what you did on the cross you did for me I trust you you are good I can trust you today I become righteous through faith in Christ he said but God's Way of making us right with himself depends on faith now look at what he says I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead now this type of language I want to know him and I want to experience him the Apostle who's been walking with Jesus roughly three decades by this stage he's in prison he's he's planted churches across all across Asia Minor and over into now is called that the edge of Europe all over into Italy you know that the man has been used amazingly by God and he and he says oh he says oh I want to know him that's closer I want to experience him now it's not just knowing him it's not just a cranial exercise it's not simply knowing more about God the language that I want to know him is this intimate language and he rolls into it I want to I don't want to experience he's mighty power now he pushes it further it's not just an experience of his power he said I want to suffer with him sharing in his death so that one way or the other I will experience the resurrection from the dead so he's saying I want to draw nearer and I want to know him I want to be intimate with him I want to experience him through the plethora of life experiences he's writing it from prison and then he says I don't mean to say that I've already achieved these things or that I've already reached perfection he goes no no I'm on a journey as are you so I'm on a journey in this deal he's gone a long way you know I even arrived he says but I press on to possess that perfection which Christ Jesus first possessed me he said no dear brothers and sisters I've not achieved it but I focus on this one thing forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize which God through Christ Jesus is calling us that is further you see that nearer closer he draws closer to God and he his life goes further and his perspective goes further this so much that takes place and at the point where you realize it's not about you and at the point where you get over your pride and your arrogance and your selfishness at the point where you lay your life down where you die you discover life here is a oh my goodness the riches and resources of God His grace his love his goodness his provision his passion his forgiveness oh my goodness you might as well stand on the Niagara Falls there's still more to come it's not gonna run dry God is not gonna run out and he's dealings with you he's not a God of scarcity he's a God of super abundance in His grace and in his capacity and his provision for you closer further that's our theme for the year so next three weeks we're gonna unpack that a little bit further the implications of it what does it look like to be intimate with God etc but vision Sunday now crossways vision is to see a city nation and the nation's become disciples of Jesus Christ where has always thought beyond itself it's never just about us never Jesus it's not just about us it's not just about the campuses god bless your south east and asian campus and online campus god bless you guys but it's not just about us want to see a city people right across let's get across our nation and across the nation's become disciples of Jesus and we structure and strategize ass off to that end we speak about our mission as loving God that's the greatest command loving people love your neighbor that is the second greatest command and then disciples that multiply that's the implication of the former two now most churches could sign up for the first two it's very rare for a church actually to be able to live out that third value in our in our mission statement being disciples that multiply but we seek to plow the ground with that sort of stuff so we speak our values this way if you're newer to cross way please go and have a look at five messages I did in February last year February 2019 H of these values and the implication of these values value number one nothing matters more Jesus front center that's a corporate declaration and that's something we seek to live Jesus always front center and upfront spirituality for us for each one of us my family my friends my neighbors they all know I'm a follower of Jesus that's not because I'm a senior pastor it's because I've got an upfront spirituality that's just the way this is just the just the way that we the way that we live and we want to still figure out what it looks like to say hey in my wife nothing matters more it's kind of hard to kind of say to your friend that you haven't even whispered your faith through for a decade one you know just the most important thing in my life he's always funny thing that I've heard you talk about the AFL a million times never mentioned that one before gonna that's an awkward giggle nothing matters more just eyes front Center this room for you I love this value anyone can experience authentic community now we state that on purpose that way because we say look this is really is a public environment we want to be of an environment where people can belong before they believe this is we want to put this kind of permeate edge between us and our broader community god bless you if you're on a journey you chose to come here were you choosing to watch us online you might not be a Christian yet like I'm reading the Bible with a guy right now he's been worshiping with us for all he used to call himself an atheist like now it calls himself an agnostic but it you know he's on a journey he's he's hoping that God's there just a personal highlight from a week just gone by it was a point he said look God I know where the gods there or not he might even be in the room right now you know who you are and he said but but he said if he is there I'm trying to say to him I'm prepared to give up give myself entirely away to you so I just got to decide whether he's there or not my challenge to him actually was to start reading the Bible with another person exactly what I'm doing with him I said you really you're your next step of growth will come in your engagement there'll be someone out there in your world who likes you listens to you and will serve you and they would love to read the Bible with you you don't have to pretend you're anything that you're not you do you realize this we actually have you know the person who brings good news is called an evangelist yes yeah they are a bringer of the of the yuan Gallion the gugak gospel the good news we have evangelists or not Christians yet they start reading the Bible with a friend they're not a Christian yet but someone's probably doing with them they start reading the Bible with a friend their friend puts their trust in Christ before they do it's fascinating that God would be prepared for someone who gets over themselves and who kind of thinks it's actually a bit of fun and a good idea that God will save another person's true then why is he never done that through you why is that never happen you've walked with Jesus for decades some of you it's never ever happened and I want to tell you why I'm going and your arrogance masquerading as fear and self declaring as failure I can't do it and that is a lie as an absolute lie there are people in your world who like you who listen to you and who has served you that's why with value number three we say everyone gets to play a submission of God in the hands of ordinary people we train our great five and six primary schools how to do this Kiln kids in leadership now and they get trained between a youthful a young adults all that to a senior citizens and if you fit anywhere between children and senior citizens it probably includes you as well it probably includes you as well it's not a difficult thing to do to disciple a person towards faith in Jesus everybody gets to play the mission of got in the hands of ordinary people it is pushed right up into your lap oh we've rejected the idea the pre-reformation idea that the Word of God and the mission of God has to come back into the hands of the clergy it's mine precious yes you know my role precious like you can just come and watch yeah and I'll be a hide Holy worker and I'll do the mission of God that's not the way we roll at all the mission of God is in your hands the mission of God in the hands of ordinary people a next value I love this value in this really a vision Sunday value I'm going to come back to a surely dare to dream I dare to dream because bold faith is the innovation that's creative thinking influence permeates that and impact the ultimate effect of bold of bold faith I'll come to that shortly and and and a counterpoint of genuine humility which says we take nothing for granted we respond to God's goodness with gratitude and generosity and I tell you what when you start to realize what God is like who he is and what is like oh my goodness you want to come and you want to worship Him I actually hope you realize this when you can't week by week to like a worship service you come to give not to get you come to give him worship and in giving yourself away and worship to him surprise prai's he gives to you that's the byproduct de the fact that he blesses you the fact that he touches your heart that the Holy Spirit refreshes and renews you is a byproduct of you worshiping him you come to give him worship you don't come to get so we take nothing for granted okay so what's that current reality here here at Crossway a church that's in what I think we're in our 67th year or something like that and where we up to a general attendance is higher than it's ever been so more people are physically showing up than ever have before in our church's history southeast campus grew by 30% just last year and ugiy we would cheer you guys on and God bless you god bless you Pastor Sam and the whole team out there keep pressing forward God's got great things in the pipeline for you guys and you think his ministries are having a hitting new record highs and their attendance a kids ministry actually pushed through 1300 once or twice last year like people coming through on on a weekend and we just graduated up a hundred and fifty grades six children into year 7 now I want you to know this I believe that we are raising a generation a young generation of people who are not going to fall away from their faith they are something is happening a good a really good thing is happening and as soon as 150 young people have become part of youth ministry now and they'll be worshiping and celebrating and they themselves realize the mission of God is in their hands as well and we should be incredibly encouraged can we just put out a quick cheer out all their generational ministries they're doing an awesome awesome work right now they really are last year life care assisted over 1300 people who are in need coach has become the fastest-growing community mentoring initiative in the nation Christian or secular and that toward a thousand coaches been mobilized across the nation it's getting translated an indigenous version of it is being worked on a Chinese version has been completed and not the Chinese version is already being deployed inside Australia but there's already international interest therefore in it Crossway has been growing for a number of years but there's a lot of reasons why a church can grow but here's the one that excites me more than anything else that's the number of people putting their trust in Jesus it's happening at about 10 times the rate that state taking place across Christianity in our nation that has that kind of growth curve effect that's our actual attendances and and some future kind of projections associated with that but look at this one I find this one particularly telling on a weekend so today across the state there's two hundred and thirty eight I think it is Baptist churches and fellowships across Victoria we represent about three percent of the attendance across the state but we represent about 30% of the baptisms that's a tenfold representation which is kind of that tenfold thing of people coming to Christ and we we give all glory and honor to God in that they hear me very clearly on that all glory and honor to God and in part is to do with how stuck Australian Christianity is it really is very very stuck stuck is generous it's closer to paralyzed been in decline for seven decades and so that's just some of the PAP challenge so therefore we dare to dream now if you're going to get a dream those dreams had better be submitted to God our proverbs 16:3 and the passion Bible says before you do anything put your trust totally in God and not in yourself then every plan you make will succeed ultimately and anything I'm about to speak with which is forward-looking I'm aware that the scripture says you know you say today on tomorrow I'm gonna do this on this and it says like you know in control you they just say Lord willing so everything I'm about to say is Lord willing and we believe what we're about to articulate has been born out of his heart all we are attempting to do is identify articulate embrace and move towards that which God Himself is revealing to us so I share the following things with conviction this is the way that God is guiding us so number one we are we're looking to do a major facility expansion this has been on the cards for well over a decade when I got interviewed back in 2007 to be the senior pastor it was raised with me then you know would you be prepared to do a twenty-four million dollar capital works project and did a quick set of numbers in my head and kind of size actually yeah yeah I have quite happy to embrace something like that and so we've done preparation works but it's time kind of to do the big one and the zone that we are currently thinking in is in the realm of a thirty-five million dollar project and therefore this year we're hoping to raise in it over and above our budget a two million dollar future fund just to demonstrate capacity and commitment to that end we were in a conversation with carful and for about eight months we believe God would have us have that conversation that clearly has come to an end in as much as they've now pulled out of Australia and but I believe God used that to cause us to think differently we are now thinking differently as a result of that conversation so it's quite exciting yes oh wow pastors out to million dollars that's a lot of money I don't have two million dollars I don't have two million dollars either but he's you want to know how you break it up there are more than two and a half thousand homes at Crossway households more than two and a half thousand households and if each household was prepared to stretch themselves to the grand sum of $2 20 a day we'd raise 2 million dollars in a year that's what it looks like when you splash it out across everybody would you be prepared to do a direct deposit for $2 20 a day out of your account like can you cope now I need to be fair here because for some that would be a significant stretch because they've got their back against the wall right now and we completely understand that in fact life care is there to bless and provide for those who variety of reasons have totally got their back against the wall this that's not the majority of people in fact the vast majority of people would kind of look at something like that and go well for goodness sake we could do a lot more than that and so anyway that's kind of how you how you chase down something like a two million dollar future fund and we put a for such a time as this brochure on you see take that with you have a look at that and that's what we're going to be chasing and later on in February we'll make some type of response to that and for the majority of it would hope to press that forward in the first half of this year so a facility development and we only do a facility development because we want to touch more lives we want to see a broader influence on Australian Christianity and it's it's our personal conviction by the grace of God and we feel like this is a calling he's placed upon us that we can be a contributor I think that's all anyone can be but we can be a contributor to a change in the narrative of seven decades of the decline of Christianity and our nation to a narrative of its growth so the ABC so they said the project will do a show like a Current Affair will go what's happened Christianity started to grow again in Australia we want to contribute to that now that narrative might still be I'd hope to see that inside the next ten years now you go put some boots on that idea you can't just do that out of nowhere so we're hope by the grace of God will come out of 20/20 coaching 120 churches we're currently coaching 50 so that would be an addition of 70 the fifty we're currently coaching her from nine different denominations and we're staying to raise up leaders who themselves can be coaches here's what we do with the church on a on a fortnightly basis that made must involve their pastor if the pastor a vicar priest whoever is not in we won't work with them must involve the pastor pastor gets a guiding coalition of a half a dozen people around them once a fortnight for an hour we do an online coaching session just for them then twice a year we bring a two-day intensive to their city they get to come along too that they can bring a few extras if they wanted to and they leave that with a game plan a lot of churches need to do less that would they'll achieve more by doing less but they need to do it differently and we look afresh at the words ways and works of Jesus and the churches do we do that with him for two years they go on the journey for two years and and develop the gameplay and their language and their practices so once we hit 120 churches will have already press through one percent of the number of churches in the nation in fact it'll be more than two percent of the number of Protestant churches in the nation of all the different colors and tribes but I do hope we have the opportunity to work with the Catholic Church as well now a longer view a longer-term view in as much as we're looking to develop this campus willing to coach and cuz what we're doing with building a cycling college it's not a program it's a process to help them shape a culture everyone's got to contextualize it but in in the light of that we still believe in the longer view that we're going to have a lot of campuses we've embraced this idea both through acquiring renewing and planting new campuses we want to be more entrepreneurial in the way we approach and planting and new campuses and we also believe in the future this is a longer-term view a cross way leadership center where we can be developing our leaders to help support that that broader initiative here's something that you haven't heard before haven't spoken this before I warning in 2020 we're gonna launch Crossway business people as an equipping and networking and I should put the word inspiring space for business people we'll just do that as an evening and I think we'll probably this year probably launch it not only do it maybe four or six times our first one is going to be in just over a month and and just just so our business people can meet each other you can and you can hear will you yourselves will be the speakers I might have a little bit of input with it as well but just to give that level of professional network given the sort of profile the cross where has within its congregation 2020 later in 2020 we look to release a cross way worship album I went to the songwriters retreat edu no I popped in just a week ago afterward the national gathering of the Wesleyan Methodist at that retreat there were 15 new songs and when we walked in they played five or six of them to us I cleared up I teared up and like I was just so grateful to God God honoring lyric they were great to sing and I'm like wow like these are really good and like I just and they don't new like 3/4 written them there was all really bright lights to stuff like these these are really good and anyways that will be later with this people from I think in 78 countries already streaming Crossway worship songs around the world which is pretty amazing we dare to dream that in 2020 we will launch and we're targeting October for this love our city we're just going to target and what we want to do we want to become more capable to both respond to need and also our capacity to rapidly mobilize anytime we need to do that just to bless our local community and do it it kind of is it as a bigger response thing so love our city is something for our local community that we're looking at later in the year ultimately we're seeking to raise a new generation of adult followers of Jesus who know how to us how to disciple a person to faith in Jesus and beyond that's ultimately where we're seeking to push towards I think currently somewhere between 10 and 15 percent of Crossway I've actually caught the virus and actually understand what it looks like to disciple another person towards faith in Jesus which leaves 85 to 90 percent of Crossway who do not know how to do that no one ever did it with you no one discipled you you've convinced yourself it's too hard it's not possible you've clearly told yourself you're too busy even though Jesus said as you are going I command you to make disciples that's literally how Matthew 28 reads as soon as you're going type activity that anyone anywhere anytime can do because the mission of God is in your hands so we're gonna have multiple equipping stations through this year that you will have the opportunity to attend the first one I think I actually looked it up and was on April Fool's Day it's not supposed to be a joke and now that's going to be the first the first training you want to learn how to disciple another person who has faith in Jesus get along to one of those and if you've already attended one of those last year we're gonna do a part two for you also this year we'll do that multiple times through the year when the when the early disciples got persecuted in Jerusalem look at what normal Christianity was like but the believers who are scattered preach the good news about Jesus wherever they went they just had this upfront spirituality now I know you're probably not a preacher but you can carry the mission of God you can steward the gospel you really really can I know everything inside your head is shouting that you can't rebuke it in Jesus name you can this year possibly for the first time you could disciple a friend towards faith in Jesus and all my goodness Oh like just just wait and see the impact so here's my big we dare to dream that in the coming years thousands of people will put their trust in Jesus will be baptized will step into Christian community will step into service will develop that global perspective thousands of people discovering what it is to be a disciple who knows how to multiply they will they will disciple a friend towards faith in Jesus and now if you don't remember anything I've said here's the last one here's the last one your next step in your growth in God is most likely for the vast majority of you for the bus patrol it's not going to be to know more your next step is going to be to engage and that which masquerades us fear which is actually your pride and your arrogance and your self-protection but it will manifest us fear it'll manifest us self-doubt little manifestos language where you speak to yourself and say I can't because that is your historic narrative well welcome to the team I'm telling you you can you can with Christ you can do all things I can do all things through him who gives me strength and I'm just I just want to say to you as you give your life over to him you will discover life I'm I'm assuring you to the door for the discovery of life there's so much more than what you have experienced a date and I'm inviting you into an open space where the mission of God is placed in your hands and you'll experience the Living God in a way that you potentially have never experienced him before and all my goodness will the Holy Spirit perkele something up inside of you you go oh boy I didn't even know what's possible for it to be like this but I'm discovering that God is actually alive now I'm actually seeing God ahead of me I'm trying to catch up to what God is doing and then all heaven will step back and celebrate as yet another person puts their trust in Jesus would you please stand on your feet together with me so Father in heaven may it be so father we dare believe we dare to dream that you'll do something amongst us and in each one of our hearts that actually has the capacity to turn a nation that actually has the capacity to write history God we present our lives to you right now and father in heaven I've got to pray for those where the voice in their head is so so loud right now is so negatively against what what's being said Oh God in heaven liberate the captives I pray liberate the captors bring your children to a point where they're ready to give their lives away I pray and they all glory and honor ultimately go to the risen Lord Jesus and God's people agreed and said amen and amen god bless each one of you thank you think [Music] call me if your store would rain for more apres from beau [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] go [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] what a great way to go out on vision Sunday 20/20 glory be to the God of War I gotta a small for each one of us I gotta has more for our families this church community our vision for a city nation of Nations the challenge this morning for us to step out and face it engage and be part of all that God has for us let's thank our senior pastor for great vision leadership this morning we're gonna hear a lot more about clothes for further in the weeks ahead must look forward so if you're visiting with us say hi to the team in the next steps area they're ready to meet you and share with you if you'd like to find out more about joining a life group you can go there as well lots happening in the in the life of our church community let's step in and make the most of in 2020 god bless you have a great day sorry about that hey we still got him yeah we hope that you enjoyed the service before we hope that you enjoyed the presentation hey again we were discussing Tim before we got cut off we've got a couple of our things coming out so we've got our EP coming out and when is that soon soon and we also have our full-length album coming out less soon let's see hopefully we're looking at around November ish potentially maybe until then you can still buy this one that's our plan we still have that one left all in my garage you can you can come and get one final question for you Tim so who is the greatest of all time Roger Federer or Novak Djokovic my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ thanks Tim thanks Tim hey we're hoping to get to Scott we're actually there is right now let's get Scott pastor Scott come join us pastor Scott here is our executive executive pastor who as you can probably just see was on stage literally less than a minute ago he's now here yeah oh yeah you're all out of breath I've run hastin Scott knew your son maybe share with us you know we heard from Dale before we heard you know we saw an awesome creative presentation maybe from your executive possible point of view what are we looking forward to in 2020 yeah I think for me what captured it today particularly what we saw that presentation was the creativity and innovation that we just want to be are normal here that we want to raise the bar but we don't want to race the barge of the sake of hey look at us we are we great but how can we raise divine every aspect of ministry that we point more people to Jesus and that were kind of community excellence so with that be creative team production but would that be with our emerging leaders what we do with our kids and youth ministry how we serve our community how can we be that Church of innovation influence but that points people to Jesus that's awesome that is really cool I love how we can be involved with those types of vision though it's such a strong vision that we can sort of strive towards how about you personally I know a few things are happening with you this year yeah that's right yeah my big goal is to really make the worship team this year come on that's really my job yeah and to go with no no yes so this year as well as I'm doing what I do here at Cross wine I'm privileged to do I'm I'm stepping into a role heading up the International Baptist work in Australia as we kind of share the good news across some Halla countries around the world so there'll be lots of balls in the air yeah but just you're looking forward to challenge but really excited that I get to do that but still beyond this this great team is awesome we're praying for you we know it's gonna be a huge year a lot of stress I guess but at the same time you know God's gonna do awesome things in your ministry in your own life in your family as well we got one more question for you though it's a great one who is the greatest of all time Swiffer or myself only one answer Tim Tims out Tim thongs already out yeah I'm gonna go for Timothy Christian sir he's a legend Timothy Christian so he's a legend and his own lifetime keep my resignation letter in my pocket and right thanks Scott one more guest is Lachlan Scholes who's um who was performing you were even on stage again about a minute ago you pronounce my name as well so what do you do here across my lucky so I attend the church as just a regular church attending as a leader and on the weekend team in the band all right you mentioned youth leading okay can you explain a little bit about what what what's involved in youth lead because I know people say I don't meet you just come on a Friday night and you I lead a group on what happens I mean that's kind of what I was gonna say right so yeah like we get a lot of our so range of like year 7s to your twelves so there's a hyper leaders kind of ranging ages there as well and we all kind of yet have our small group of kids that we kind of mentor in our and help grow spiritually and then there's you know things like worship and games we've got cool events going on as well so and if you're a youth watching this get on down also get a free t-shirt not that one oh no that is Italy yeah there is a youth leaders not for the leaders of youth youth get some merch as well right there I for obviously yes so some active really big thing happens in the first week of July normally what's that yeah so we have in the first week of July our annual winter camp for the youth so exciting it is mega exciting probably people do we get there normally oh I think we're hitting over 400 now aren't we yeah I think we're in about 450 yeah I think this year we're aiming for 500 or someone yeah so see more so saying that's almost at capacity for the other venues so that's it and like when you're there you like it like what do we expect like tents and stuff like that or what yeah see you classic sleeping bag under the tree now okay now so there's like you know kind of a big group of cabins around everybody's got like bunk beds in home and you kind of share share a room with your mates yeah here for the week is as good as yeah and I guess final question for you who is the greatest of all time Jonathan bong who's right here coming to the comic-con there we go here this guy is the guy with the microphone and him he makes things happen or Sophie tie his behind the the camera come on coming she's coming here we go he's the greatest of all time out of these two well I think in the number one spot I have to say Jesus very much a member and then tied third place is these two [Laughter] the Holy Spirit seconds let's cool thank you very much I was a great performance well done well done well hey so well like I was saying before before the service we're looking to potentially do this a little bit more having a pre-service show where we get to banter a little bit maybe interview a couple of people and stuff some some team Crossway members but hey Shweta what are you looking forward to in 2020 for yourself oh so I'm recently engaged so there's a lot of recently engaged where's the bling see the bling show them but ya know and I've started a new job something really excited to say we're hoping and you know if you if you love make sure you are comments and say we watched whether we lost with us we're happy she'll be one of our regular hosts for this segment let's not have that but I've been top everyone sort of waving at me right now we've got a very important person who's I'm about to come and sit down with us Jordan why don't you come on Facebook comment now everyone who's online you probably wouldn't know this because you're not here physically but every year we have to what happened there every year we have two shows that are that are important once at Easter that's funny and once at Christmas the massive shows where thousands of people come and watch the show Jordan is the one that makes things happen and he's the one that sort of directs that all and everything like that Jordan can you explain what happens during these shows Oh what happens with these shows are so beforehand is a huge process where I get to work with everyone so I actually work with both of you guys on those processes so a full directors team we get together we write all of our own original shows and over one weekend we have thousands of people come through and watch them instead of normal chest and we're not just talking about like a thousand people but look like say if you're in Melbourne like you're overseas oh and you you have to visit Melbourne during Easter Christmas make sure you come we'll make yourself visit tourist thing it's like a you know ninth wonder of the world I'll update that now all right and so just some more of a light-hearted question for you what do you do on your off time I think I already know the answer this on my off time oh gosh what is that I'm joking in my off time I like to hang out at home with my wife who's just over there my dogs and my pedal Packers that's it that's the one he's sort of Alper kaya's that is a real thing they had to look after not at all really who's looking into it alpacas at the craziest animals you laugh again and again when we get married oh that's gonna be my wedding gift amico it'll be easier I'll give you a couple so there you go one other thing he's a better be a father I am indeed yeah April after the Easter production so we'll be pray for your denied it's just coming really soon baby's coming really soon so true yeah we've been praying for you praying for the best for the team but also for your self your family thank you like I said if you can manage to come to Easter shows or Christmas shows be sure to come because there's such an amazing event thank you very much hey we're about just about out of time say Shweta any final thoughts they've had enough of us probably yeah thank you for make sure you come in we watched with up no none of that but that's made us all right hope you have a great week be blessed I'm hope to see you

Channel: Crossway Church

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Id: VdTdaERRHjY

Length: 99min 58sec (5998 seconds)

Published: Sat Feb 01 2020