The Christ Methodist Crossover Season
The Israelites had a crossover moment at the Jordan River that revealed a moment of great dependence upon God to deliver His promises. Christ Methodist Church has entered our own crossover season, and in this blog, we discuss the importance of stepping out in faith before seeing God fulfill His promises.
Key Takeaways:
God's people are characterized by His presence.
Faith means trusting God when the odds are not in your favor.
We are in a crossover season as a church, moving into new opportunities and challenges.
Prayer and dependence on God are crucial for fulfilling our mission and vision.
Making room for God in worship and personal life is essential
-
Israel Crosses the Jordan
1 Then Joshua rose early in the morning and they set out from Shittim. And they came to the Jordan, he and all the people of Israel, and lodged there before they passed over. 2 At the end of three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, “As soon as you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God being carried by the Levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place and follow it. 4 Yet there shall be a distance between you and it, about 2,000 cubits[a] in length. Do not come near it, in order that you may know the way you shall go, for you have not passed this way before.” 5 Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” 6 And Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.
7 The Lord said to Joshua, “Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. 8 And as for you, command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, ‘When you come to the brink of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.’” 9 And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” 10 And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. 11 Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth[b] is passing over before you into the Jordan. 12 Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. 13 And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”
14 So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, 15 and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), 16 the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. 17 Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.
The Israelites Cross the Jordan River
When Moses sent 12 spies to survey the Promised Land (Numbers 13), only two (Joshua and Caleb) returned with word they should take the land. The others were seized with fear and proclaimed, “There are giants in the land, and we are grasshoppers in their sight (Numbers 13:33).”
Fear is a liar, and because of the Israelites’ fear, God chose to develop them before He could lead them. This fear is why they spent 40 years wandering the desert. As God developed a new people in a new day, they became a people who grew sensitive and responsive to God’s revelation and His Word.
Thus, in Joshua 3, we see a developed people (read: not a perfect people) who are ready to step into God’s promise.
However, before they can reach the Promised Land, they face an obstacle: the Jordan River. But this river isn’t just a large body of rushing water to be crossed; it’s a movement in faith of God’s revelation.
“When you see the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests who are Levites carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.” Joshua 3:3-4
Why did God want His people to send the Ark first? The Ark, representing God’s presence, contained sacred artifacts like Aaron’s staff and the Ten Commandments. The Ark was the dwelling place of God’s presence among His people, which informs us that God’s people, both in the Old and New Testaments, are defined by His presence among them.
You cannot get into God’s presence and not be changed. You’ll never be satisfied just to know about God. Speaker and author R. T. Kendall said, “The more conscious of God’s presence, the more I feel like being myself; the less conscious of His presence, the more I feel I need to prove myself.” Your ability to hear and be led by God is vital to your relationship with Him.
Through the years, I’ve witnessed many people strive to do God’s work, and I have to include myself among them, especially when I was in my 30s. However, the sweet spot isn’t when we’re striving but when we’re empowered in following the Lord. The missionary Heidi Baker said, “One minute of God’s presence can accomplish more than 20 years of your striving.”
Time spent in God’s presence is the most strategic step in your day. Just as the Israelites were a people of God’s presence, they followed His leading. So, let’s ask some questions about this:
Why did God march people in the desert for 40 years?
Why does God have His people follow the Ark?
Why does God have His people march around Jericho seven times before the walls fall?
To answer these questions, we can also look at Jesus’s ministry. When He healed someone, why did He sometimes do it through touch and other times through speaking, not to mention other methods such as mud, garments, etc.?
Throughout Scripture, we see God use a wide range of methodologies to accomplish His purposes. He does this because He doesn’t want us to depend upon a method; instead, He wants us to depend on Him. For instance, the Israelites’ story of crossing the Jordan wasn’t without its challenges. Much like the obstacles we face in life, as we see in Joshua 3:15, the river was in its flood stage.
When it comes to God’s revelation, it can seem counterintuitive. Sometimes, the giants we face aren’t the giants in the land but the grasshoppers in our heads. But be reminded that faith means trusting God when the odds aren’t in your favor. God didn’t give us these stories, such as crossing the Jordan River, to entertain but to equip us.
“Yet as soon as the priests who carried the Ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing.” Joshua 3:15-16
When we face our own flooding rivers, we have the opportunity to turn to God’s revelation in faith, even when the odds aren’t in our favor. When circumstances don’t seem to have a natural solution, we see Him unravel a complicated knot through prayer, fasting, interceding, and trusting in God’s Word. Sure, it can sometimes take days, months, or even years, but we get to watch God loosen the knot through solutions that can only be attributed to God.
The Christ Methodist Crossover Season
As a church family, we’re in a crossover season. We’ve exited the wineskin of a prior denomination and affiliated ourselves with the Global Methodist Church. We’re seeing this denomination engage discipleship-making worldwide and witnessing God on the move.
Because we’ve entered a new wineskin, earlier in 2024, Christ Methodist released our new mission and vision statements:
Christ Church Mission Statement: We exist to glorify God and make disciples of Jesus Christ among all peoples.
Christ Church Vision Statement: By the power of the Holy Spirit, we will be a gospel-centered community who magnifies Jesus Christ as we worship passionately, love extravagantly, and witness boldly while serving the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized, spreading scriptural holiness in our city and to the nations for the spiritual awakening of all.
While these are high and lofty statements based on God’s Word, we cannot accomplish these in our power. On their own, they don’t create goals and lanes for people to fulfill them, and if we believe that we can use mere human methodologies to accomplish them, then we are living an illusion. When the Ark crossed the Jordan River first, it represented the reality that as long as God is first and we’re dependent on Him, God’s people get to where He’s called them.
As we enter our stewardship season amid our crossover, I want to share about the Triple Crown in baseball. The Triple Crown, or trifecta, is when a player leads the league in batting average, home runs, and RBIs in one season.
As followers of Jesus, here’s how you can participate in the Christ Methodist Crossover trifecta:
Pledge Card: Proverbs 3:9-10 tells us to honor the Lord with our firstfruits, which may sound counterintuitive, but God tells us that when we honor Him first, He will meet our needs.
Congregational Survey: Many have already participated, but we ask you to take our 2024 survey. It only takes about 15 minutes, and it will help your church plan and lead well.
Prayer Guide for Goal Setting: “On Earth as it is in Heaven”: These prayer guides are for goal setting and are a prayerful way to engage the Lord in setting the future for a people called Christ Methodist Church. (Available at the Seabrook Lobby desk.)
We’re in a vulnerable time because churches and some businesses are really good at establishing mission and vision statements but fail to set goals to achieve them. We want to ensure we’re faithful to hearing and discerning what God is calling us to aim for. We’re not putting our faith in methodologies but in trusting God in His power.
As a reminder, we don’t gather on Sundays, so we can check a faith box (as if that’s a thing). Instead, we gather so that the power of God, His Word, and His Spirit will bring enlightenment to our minds and hearts. Our prayer is that we develop a new dependence on God, so I want to outline some of the ways, in addition to the trifecta, we’re inviting God to lead our church family in the coming months.
How is Christ Methodist Encouraging Deeper Dependence on God?
Prayer
Prayer Summits: In 2023, we began hosting regular Prayer Summits. In 2025, we’re hosting more, including January 11 and 18, to focus on praying into our goal setting. You’re invited to attend either or both.
Prayer Groups: Outside of every Sunday service, a group prays for those worshiping. They pray that God’s Word enlightens and illuminates the hearts of those in attendance.
Spirit and Truth Conference: (January 24 and 25) We’re calling this conference, which will be hosted at Christ Methodist, the Holy Spirit Weekend. We’ll learn about the person and empowerment of the Holy Spirit and how we need God’s power to fulfill what He’s called us to do.
Discipleship
Equipping Church: As part of The Great Inversion, we want to be a teaching and equipping church. During the summer, we equipped about 30 people in intentional discipleship. This fall, more than 30 people have registered to learn how to become intentional disciple-makers.
Discipleship Groups: Josh Wesley recognized that to be a movement for God’s glory, we must take things outside the church’s walls. We have a business leader who started a discipleship group at his business. We also have a Rhodes College student who learned about Discovery Bible Study and is hosting an intentional discipleship group on his college campus.
Local & Global Missions
Asia: Globally, we have teams going to Asia in November to plant new churches among unreached people groups.
City Center: Locally, the Oak Court Mall, directly across the street, has recently been purchased by a group of investors who plan to significantly rework the property. Their perception is that this city center remains vibrant, and its future looks bright. If business leaders recognize this area is worthy of investment, then we need to recognize that God has entrusted us with an incredible tool in this location and our facilities for His glory.
Master Planning: While our church hasn’t committed to a building program, church leaders are considering the future for many reasons. God has given us a facility to steward, and we want to be faithful to that.
Let’s Make Room For God
When we step out in faith and trust in God, He makes a way even when it seems there’s no way. When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River, they witnessed things that brought great glory to God.
When God takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing you but opening your hands to receive something better. The Israelites saw that firsthand as they let go of the past (Egypt and the wilderness) and took hold of what was before them (the Promised Land).
“The priests who carried the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing.” Joshua 3:17
After crossing, God commanded the Israelites to set up stones as a memorial. What’s more important is why God asked them to set up the stones for the memorial.
“In the future, when your children ask, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord.” Joshua 4:6-7
That verse tells us that God not only has a heart for you, but also for emerging generations, including those in the womb, those in our nursery, children and student ministries. This act of remembrance was unto developing emerging generations.
Let’s make room for God. I don’t know what that looks like, but I ask you to pray into it. I encourage you to listen to what God shares about our church family. What is He saying to you about mission and discipleship?
I’ve often wondered what went through Jesus’ mind when that first nail went through His hand, and the pain shot through Him, then when they started the second hand and onto His feet. What was happening? We know He felt pain but was still submitting to the Father’s will. He suffered to bear our sins. He made room for you, and I ask that you remain open to Him.
Closing Prayer
God, help us as a church family to angle our hearts and lives in the root system of the gift of your gospel. We’re in a unique season as a church family, and we pray that you give us eyes to see where we can navigate the uniqueness in a way that’s optimally redemptive, individually and as a church family. We honor you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Reflection Questions
How can we cultivate a greater sensitivity to God's presence in our daily lives, and what might change if we were more consistently aware of His presence?
How might our perspective on challenges change if we viewed them as opportunities for God to demonstrate His power and faithfulness?
What “Jordan Rivers” or seemingly insurmountable obstacles are you facing in your life right now, and how might God be calling you to step out in faith?
In what ways might you be relying on methods rather than true dependence on God, and how can you shift your focus back to Him?
How might our lives and church look different if we truly embraced the idea of making room for God in all aspects of our existence?
Practical Applications
Commit to spending dedicated time in God's presence daily this week.
Identify one area in your life where you need to trust God more.
Fill out the church survey and pledge card if you haven't already.
Use the prayer guide provided by the church to pray for the mission goals and discipleship goals.
