The Real Miracle

They say God does not do the miraculous anymore, that He is too busy to intervene in the life of people. It’s been seven weeks since my wife during prayer on Sunday morning collapsed. Right there in front of my eyes. We have just bought a new church facility and were renovating it and I was so confident that God was with us but there she was laying on the floor clinging to her life.

The doctors asked did she have a will and to call for the clergy. But how does the clergy (me) call for the clergy? My world was turning upside down. People told me to pray and believe God, the problem was that I could not even pray as my mind race to the real possibilty that my wife would not last the night. I could hear the devil whisper, “where is your God now.” I thought, “yeah, where is God.”

While I was fearful the people at CrossPoint Church began to call on the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. All those years that Mary and I were praying for them and their families they were now praying for us. They decided to pray all night for 7 days constantly lifting us both up in prayer. They called other churches and soon people from around the world were praying for my wife’s healing.

The doctors who had given up now stand in amazement that they were witnessing a miracle. One doctor told us that the only reason Mary was still alive was that God still has something great for her to do. Praise God. My daughter Nichole kept telling the doctors that the power of prayer would heal and restore her mother. The doubt gave away to amazement as Mary slowly came back from the dead to be a living breathing testimony to the Glory of God.

We still have a ways to go before she is back to normal living but I am sure that our living will never be normal again. I have learned some great lessons in life during these times. One, CrossPoint Church has some of the most loving, caring, prayer war-faring intercessors that you will even encounter on this side of heaven. If you are in need of a miracle prayer these are the people and this is the church you want to be a part of.

Second, I have learned that my wife Mary is the most amazing person in the world. She gets more beautiful everyday and I will love her more than I ever have. My children, Steve, Nichole, and Isaiah are the greatest treasures that any man could hope for. I am grateful to the Holy Spirit that has allow me to experience so much love and see the miracle of life.

God get all of the Glory and Praise. Now just a little while and my wife will once again grace our sanctuary taking worship to a higher level. I can’t wait for that day.

Thanks to all of the churches, people, families and organizations that have offer so much to our family during these times. We could not have do this without you and to CrossPoint Church, the absolutely greatest church on the planet.

Blessing – Pastor Steve

Bringing People Together

One of the greatest divide facing the Church of Jesus Christ has been the divisions that the church has embraced. From the early 1900 when segregation was in full force many people in our country decided to worship God based upon racial and cultural lines.

Then something extraordinary happen on April 9, 1906, a group of people in the Los Angels area begin meeting for prayer and the end result was Revival broke out and for the next 2 years people from all races, cultures and religious background descended upon Los Angels in what is historically known as the Azusa Street Revival. It was the birth of the Pentecostal Church Movement in the Unites States.

But something far more reaching begin to happen, people forgot about their race, culture, economics and religious affiliations and began to worship God in unity and spirit. The Holy Spirit was directing the lives of men and women as they laid aside their differences and made Jesus Christ the center of their worship.

Now 100 years later the church is still divided based upon individual preferences that once again center upon race, culture, economics and religious affiliations. In 1906 the country was divided and segregation was practiced and embraced. But here in the Year 2008 I see a nation more willing to embrace each other regardless of our differences.

However there is still a division among groups but this time it is more generational than cultural. Those under the age of 35 years see the world completely difference than their parents and grandparents. They are more likely and willing to embrace people that don’t look like them. This can clearly be seen in the Democratic Presidential race. Whites that are under 35 and are college educated are overwhelmingly embracing an African-American as the next President of the United States. Older white Americans still are having a difficult time understanding the changing paradigms of our country.

The church has similar problems. Blacks, whites and Spanish are more comfortable worshiping with people that look like them and have the same economic background. The church must be the forerunner and change agents to embrace all people from all nations.

I believe in my heart that the church is positioned to overcome those obstacles and we will see the church united in principle and faith. We must ask ourselves as believers these important questions: How do I connect with people who may not look like me or worship like I do? Do I see the members of other Christian Churches as valuable and necessary as my own?

It begins with us as believers but more importantly it begins with you. Will you change so that God can be exalted throughout the earth? Will you cross the color line, the economic divide and put down your Christian religious experience and embrace the whole Body of Christ?

Peace

A New Beginning

Every journey has a beginning and our started 9 years ago when my wife Mary and I planted a church in Newport, RI called New Beginnings Praise & Worship Center. We started with 5 members at the local community center and were naïve enough to believe that God can do the miraculous in our ministry and city.

Here we are 9 years later with more than 150 members getting ready to purchase our first building. The St. George’s Church is more than 100 years old and has had a vibrant history of reaching out into Newport Country. So here we are a bunch of people from every denomination, culture, and economic background united together to see the Kingdom of God expand in our community.

Our mission is simple, “Building Bridge Toward Purpose and Destiny.”

My wife and I wanted to build a ministry that has no walls denominationally, racially, or economically but would embrace people from every walk of life and introduce them to Jesus. The church was too divided and people of difference races and cultures did not worship together in our community. America is mostly segregated on Sundays from 10:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

But we see change coming for the better as we have partner with various churches in Newport County that have one passion, to see the name of Jesus Christ exalted in our community. We may still have a ways to go but at least we have started the journey together.

God truly deserves all of the Praise and Glory!