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On Sunday, January 19, Faith Church officially changed their name to CrossWinds Church. This new name allows the church to enjoy a unique name in our region.

CrossWinds now has two campuses.

• CrossWinds -- Spirit Lake Campus
• CrossWinds -- Spencer Campus

I look forward to a new logo and a bright chapter in the life of the church.

Notice the "Save Big on Gas" signs in the background!

Jesus changed history.  History is divided into B.C. and A.D. by his birth.  All this for a poor Galilean carpenter who owned little more than a tunic.

What made him special?  If we could only walk with him, we might know.  In John on Jesus: The Story of God in the Flesh, we walk with Jesus through the Gospel of John.    

In this second half of John’s Gospel, Jesus closes off his public ministry by caring for his disciples, praying for us, dying as our Passover Lamb and rising from the dead.  

John on Jesus - The Story of God in the Flesh - The Final Week - iBook
John on Jesus - The Story of God in the Flesh - The Final Week - Kindle
John on Jesus - The Story of God in the Flesh - The Final Week - Nook

According to www.catalystconference.com, each year an average of 3,500 to 4,000 churches close their doors.¹ The church, as we know it, is quickly becoming a relic of American history rather than a centerpiece of its future. Thankfully, there are a few trends seeking to stem the tide. One is the sharp increase in American church planting. For the first time in many years, the number of new churches planted has slightly outpaced the number of those that closed their doors.² Another trend that stems this tide is healthy churches are becoming multi-campus. They are becoming one church that meets in more than one location.

The number of churches that are multi-campus is on the rise with more than 1,500 churches already meeting this way.³ Experts predict that within the next five years that number will swell to 30,000.⁴ Multi-campus churches are even coming to rural America as larger churches try to reach into outlying rural communities.
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What is Baptism?

Baptism is a public immersion of a believer under water. It is generally performed in the presence of other Christians. It is a public picture of identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection being the source of your life. The Bible tells us, in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, that Christ died for our sins, he was buried and rose again. In Colossians 2:12, it tells us baptism is a picture of our identification with Christ's death, burial and resurrection being where we place our confidence for forgiveness of our sins and relationship with God.

NOTE - Baptism doesn't make you a Christian. It is a public declaration of what you believe. Baptism is like a wedding ring. It is the outward symbol of the commitment you made before God in your heart.

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Tags: Baptism

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Jesus changed history. Wars are fought in his name. Trillions upon trillions are spent for his fame. History is divided into B.C. and A.D. by his birth. All this for a poor Galilean carpenter who owned little more than a tunic.

What made him special? Why does a third of the world follow him? If we could only walk with him, we might know. In John on Jesus: The Story of God in the Flesh, we walk with Jesus through the Gospel of John.

In this first half of John’s Gospel, Jesus performs seven miracles. While only a sampling of his extravagant power, John calls these miracles, signs. When taken together, they point us to the unmistakable conclusion that Jesus is God in the flesh.

This book was originally delivered as a collection of sermons at Faith Church in Spirit Lake, IA. These easy-to-read studies are filled with historical details that help the Bible come alive.

If you liked this series, you will love the book! Download the book and give it a good rating plus a positive comment on the bookstore. Good ratings and comments encourage others to study God's word.

John on Jesus - The Story of God in the Flesh - The First Two Years - iBook
John on Jesus - The Story of God in the Flesh - The First Two Years - Kindle
John on Jesus - The Story of God in the Flesh - The First Two Years - Nook

Driving on the highway, a man slides on ice, sending his S.U.V. across the highway into oncoming traffic.  A young family in their mini van is driving home from the mall.  They just took photos of their one year old at the portrait studio.  In an instant, at 70 miles per hour, their small van slams into the side of the large S.U.V. that skidded into their lane.  The impact is the equivalent of striking a brick wall without even tapping the brakes.  In a moment, half of a family is gone.  The father and six year old in the van are killed.  The young mother clings to life.  Only the infant son, that is strapped in his car seat behind his mother, escapes harm.  Where was God?  Why didn’t he stop this?     

If God is good, did he not have enough power to stop this?  If God could have stopped this, and he didn’t, how can we call him good?  Was God too busy attending to another detail of our complex planet that he forgot to keep his eye on that icy road?  Maybe God didn’t lose control.  Maybe he never had control.  Did God build our planet and walk away leaving us to fend for ourselves?  Where is God in times like this?  Do we have hope for the future?

The book of Daniel answers these questions.  It gives us a mind-expanding glimpse into the power, purposes and wisdom of God in the face of tragedy.  On days when life feels hopeless because our heart is soaked in despair, the book of Daniel is what we need.

If you liked this series, you will love the book! Download the book and give it a good rating plus a positive comment on the bookstore. Good ratings and comments encourage others to study God's word.

Daniel - God is Large and in Charge - iBook
Daniel - God is Large and in Charge - Kindle
Daniel - God is Large and in Charge - Nook

Jordan, and his wife Krystal, visit Faith Church on March 22-24. On Friday and Saturday, they will spend time with Faith Church leadership, Faith Church members from Spencer and be familiarized with the schools and community of both Spencer and Spirit Lake.

The congregation will meet them on Sunday March 24th. Pastor Kurt will introduce them in both worship services. The Faith University hour will be a time of Q&A with Jordan and Krystal sharing in the church worship center.

Jordan Gowing has two primary ministry goals --- faithfulness to Christ and fulfilling the Great Commission. “I desire to be a faithful and a good steward in all I do --- my personal walk with the Lord, with my family and in my ministry,” he said. “In Matthew 28:16-20, Jesus gives us the mission of the church, to make disciples of all nations. In whatever way that God calls me, I want to make disciples.”

He sees the opportunity to help start a Faith Church campus in Spencer as a chance to help make disciples. “Leadership development is a crucial part of the church,” Gowing said. “Making disciples is important, but elsewhere we are called to make disciples who in turn will make disciples who --- you guessed it --- will make disciples. This is how the church will continue to faithfully grow.”

Gowing grew up in a Christian home in Clarinda, IA, but he had a large step of spiritual growth when he was a junior in high school, helping in a ministry to troubled youth. It was soon after that commitment to Christ he sensed God calling him to the pastorate. “What gets me most excited about serving God’s church as a pastor is found in Ephesians 4:11-13, where Paul tells us why God has ordained that there should be pastoral leadership in the church --- to equip the saints for the work of the ministry and for building up the body of Christ,” Gowing said.

He believes in preaching straight from the Bible. “I preach text-driven, relevant sermons,” he said. “The most important thing about a sermon is for it to be faithful to the text. At the same time, the sermon is unhelpful if it isn’t brought into the context of the hearers. I prefer a more ‘contemporary’ preaching style.”

At 24, he is a young pastor that is looking for the chance to serve and lead. “I want to provide the congregation I serve with humble, servant leadership. In 1 Peter 5, Peter reminds pastors they are shepherds under Jesus. It is Jesus’ church, and it is a humbling responsibility to serve a part of his church.”

Biography:
Jordan Gowing graduated magna cum laude from Northwestern College in Orange City in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in religion. He will graduate magna cum laude in May from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School with a master of divinity. He is currently interning at Faith Community Church in West Chicago, also having served there in various capacities throughout his seminary training. Gowing married his college sweetheart, Krystal, in 2011. You can find out more about Gowing on his blog: www.jordangowing.wordpress.com.

Tags: Easter

With the new year about to begin, I encourage you to make a commitment to read the Bible in a year. There are a number of ways to do this.
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