[Ariel & Lindsay Update: 24] KC Church Plant News, April Update

[Crossroads Church Plant]

Like a typical Midwestern town, Kansas City takes winter hard. People
drive at 5mph, downtown is abandoned, and complaining about the
weather becomes the favorite pastime. Decks lose their paint, cats get
thin, and cars become rusty, like my update-writing skills. Therefore,
I’m writing this long-overdue update to celebrate Spring and push a
single prayer request your way.

After starting informal services in the Arts Incubator last November,
we rolled forward looking to put sustainable rhythms in place. A few
months into 2010, we’ve figured out how to throw good services that
take little upkeep–which is important, since, as a team of about 15
people, we don’t have a ton of resources to invest. Currently, we’re
preaching through Ephesians, which is an amazing letter about how
God’s people can live everyday with the power of Jesus’ resurrection
(Happy Easter!).

We’ve jump-started our Core groups (2-5 men or women) and City group
(dinner, Bible, prayer) for 2010 and continue to connect with downtown
friends and networks. The Crossroads Community Association, Downtown
Neighborhood Association, and pickup sports continue to be favorites.

As a baby church, Crossroads is in the same interesting developmental
stage as our 8-month-old son Ezra, who is crawling effortlessly, wants
to walk, and occasionally falls on his face.

We’re happy to be where we are, putting down roots in KC, and learning
to share the gospel with our words and lives. It’s good to crawl,
especially in Spring. At the same time, growing is on our mind.

In the next several months, we’d like to see our team continue to
expand. Recruiting Jesus-followers who love other people, love
downtown, and want to be part of a risky adventure has been a
challenge. These are the players who, when you find them, you
immediately ink them to a lucrative 10-year deal. (It’s just an
analogy, we’re broke.) We want to find a few more, because starting
Crossroads has been thrilling but not easy–and the game will continue
in this vein.

We’re also happy to see some of our friends pursuing an interest in
Jesus. He’s the best ending we can envision for any story. Therefore,
we’re always are excited to see people entering our circle and
wrestling with the gospel–and we want it to happen all the time.

As we leave Winter in the rearview mirror, pray that we’ll cooperate
with God’s Spirit, who is actively working to restore KC and introduce
people to Jesus. Pray that we’ll continue to actively participate in
Jesus’ plan for our city, and that God will send more people our way.
Go ahead, pray. I mean it, right now. Thanks.

If you have questions or would like to get involved in a risky plan to
see Jesus’ kingdom grow in the Crossroads, West Side, Downtown Loop,
and City Market, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Peace!

AJ (Ariel), Lindsay & Co.

http://CrossroadsChurchKC.com

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