Pursuing the Way of Life in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17

Being a part of the Crossroads community is about more than merely attending Sunday services; it is about full engagement in the Way of Life in Christ. Those who are fully engaged with us are considered our members. We describe full engagement as: growing spiritually in Jesus, connecting relationally with other believers, and living to graciously impact those around us with the love of Jesus (i.e. engaging in Christ’s mission). We desire to be a community who loves Jesus most and elevates Christ’s reputation in the world’s eyes. To be that kind of compelling community, we must genuinely have Jesus’ life growing in us and be committed to the passionate pursuit of His way of life together.

Jesus calls us to pursue His way of life in three ways:

GROW - Pursue spiritual growth (Galatians 2:20-21)

Life in Christ begins when you make “loving Jesus most” your life’s passion and pursuit. Growing in understanding and cultivating love for someone does not happen accidentally; it takes work and intentionality. To grow spiritually it’s important that you intentionally pursue the way of life in Christ by...

1. Receiving the grace of Christ through faith for the forgiveness of your sins and personally surrendering to him as Lord and Savior.
2. Publicly sharing your faith in and commitment to Jesus through believer’s baptism.
3. Nurturing the life of Christ in you through personal Bible study, prayer, and striving to obey Christ in cooperation with His Spirit.

CONNECT - Pursue relational connection (Ephesians 4:14-16)

Growing spiritually doesn't happen when you simply know what Jesus says. It happens when you strive to apply what He says in cooperation with His Spirit. And this application happens best within the context of true relationships. To grow spiritually and pursue the way of life in Christ, it will benefit you greatly to connect deeply with other Christians by....

1. Recognizing the importance of being devoted to one another in love.
2. Seeking out community where you can build solid spiritual friendships that point you towards Jesus in your everyday life.
3. Submitting and remaining open to the care & leadership of Crossroads’ pastors & elders as you pursue spiritual growth in Christ.

ENGAGE - Pursue missional engagement (Matthew 28:18-20)

As you pursue spiritual growth and relational connection within God’s family, the Church, the Holy Spirit will give you a desire to share your life in Christ with others. God doesn’t call us to grow and connect simply for our own benefit. We are blessed to be a blessing to others, and it is our honor to share the goodness we have in Jesus with others. Therefore as we grow and connect, Christ calls us to engage in His mission by…

1. Seizing personal opportunities to prayerfully speak with our neighbors about Jesus at home, at work, and at play. (Evangelism)
2. Prayerfully investing our time, talents, and treasure in the ministry and mission of Jesus locally and globally. (Edification)