Crossroads Church

It’s the holiday season, Christmas cheer is everywhere, and if we’re honest, it often feels like a giant conspiracy to bum us out. Impossible expectations, relentless schedules, and a shopping list that just won’t quit, to name a few. Yet in the midst of this chaos, God offers a different message: “Cheer up! I have come to bring you new hope.”

Few things can bring greater blessing than authority used well, and few things can cause greater pain than when it is used poorly. We’ve all experienced both—so how do we handle it? Today we will talk about how we mourn that pain and still submit to authority like Jesus.

“I want it my way.” It’s our default perspective on life, and it’s hardwired into our culture. Bosses, parents, the government—these authorities become an inconvenience at best. Yet God calls us to a different outlook. Today we’re going to talk about how God uses the earthly authorities in our lives to accomplish His plans for our lives.

“Authority.” For many of us, it’s a four letter word. We assume that any authority in our life exists to push us down and oppress us. But the truth about authority is the exact opposite. Today we’re going to talk about how God actually designed authority to be a benefit to us.

All of us wrestle with doubts about significance, meaning, and purpose for our lives; that voice that says, “If you weren’t here, would the world really be any different?” Today we’ll talk about the absurdity of generosity—how by engaging generously in what God is doing in the world, we can be confident that our life matters.

Every empire has ambition. Ambition to endure, to make itself great, to spread and conquer, and so on. Yet eventually, each empire eventually fades away and all its ambition comes to nothing. Today we will talk about how to leave a lasting legacy with our lives by building them on the eternal empire of Jesus.

Like ancient Rome, we live in a culture of violence and aggression. Our entertainment, sports, social media—even our political and news structures—are all built on a constant cycle of violence and destruction. The way you get ahead in cultures like these is to destroy those around you and those ahead of you. Yet the empire of God is entirely different—it is founded on the sacrifice of Jesus, a sacrifice that brings healing and restoration.

No matter who we are or where we come from, we all put our hope and security in something—a god, a job, our possessions, our achievements, political party, or a thousand other things. Put simply, everybody worships something. Yet history shows us that if we worship something other than God himself, it will inevitably disappoint us.

Ancient Rome (like the USA today) attracted people from across the globe, creating the potential for a “melting pot” of diversity, community and collaboration. Yet our human default is still to isolate ourselves, to be suspicious, and to separate ourselves from those who aren’t like us. But Jesus called his followers to be different—to cross boundaries, welcome strangers, and truly become a family that reflects all of his creation.

Every empire in history is built on power—Rome is a prime example. Yet what we often miss is that we too carry power, and have a choice about how to use it. Today we will talk about how Rome used its power to oppress and destroy, while God calls us to use our power to bring healing, restoration, and life.

The most critical technology conversation isn’t about devices, platforms, or innovation. It is about how we are functioning as humans. Today we’re going to talk about how we care for our soul in the midst of a high tech, always-on world.

Every day our news feeds and inboxes are filled with the newest, latest, must-have innovations. In the midst of this onslaught, it’s easy to forget that humans—ordinary people like us—are the greatest technology ever created. Today we’re going to look at how our new technology can often get in the way of our humanity.

Technology can be an incredible blessing, yet also has the power to cause massive devastation and unhappiness. Today we’re going to hear from Andy Crouch, an experienced author, thinker, and leader about how to put the technology around us in its proper place.

More power. More capability, more access, more connection. These are the promises of technology, yet they aren’t bringing us the fulfillment we want. Today we’re going to talk about how God designed us for power, but power that is guided by true wisdom.

It’s amazing what God can do with 48 hours in the woods. Today we’re going to see a group of ordinary guys go from isolated individuals to a genuine brotherhood. We’re going to see freedom from past baggage and a vision for the future.

For most of us, our daily grind wears us down, isolates us, and makes us question our identity and value. Today, we’re going to see women leave that daily grind and find the freedom, hope, and identity that God made them for.

Nothing in our society is built to support or encourage marriage; government, work, devices—these things actually tend to divide us. Today, we’re going to see what happens when couples step out of daily life, encounter God, and find renewed passion and connection with each other.

We may often miss it, but God is always speaking to us—through lots of different messages and different messengers. Today is full of fresh, different ideas, all of which are an opportunity for us to be encouraged, challenged, and inspired to a new place in life.

Navigating life well can be a bit confusing—especially when God calls us to something new or uncomfortable. Today we’re going to take a look at how to follow God into the unknown.

We all want a life that matters, yet all too often the crisis, distraction, and complexity of life get in the way. Today we’re going to take a look at how to persevere through difficulty and make decisions for the long term.