What I Learned at Camp #2: My Role/My Gifts

One thing I recognized very quickly at camp this summer is that I had been called to pastor/shepherd a team that was further along spiritually than I was. Therefore, I felt insanely overwhelmed to the task to which I had been called. As if that wasn't bad enough, I realized very quickly in the summer that the Lord had pretty fantastic plans to do work this summer, and I had been called to be a part of the proclamation of His truth during that process. My feelings of being overwhelmed grew rapidly. The reality set in that I was most assuredly a part of something that was so much bigger than myself. Now let me clarify that I never assumed this summer would be about me, that it would be easy, that it would be something that my team could just "make happen", but I did not fully recognize the task to which we had been called to walk worthy of. (never end a sentence with a preposition) I felt like a big turkey in a sea of people who were living their lives on purpose for the sake of something that was bigger than any of us could really grasp.

I was on my face before the Lord trying to fathom why I had been called to this task. Furthermore, I was trying to figure out what I had to even contribute to such a phenomenal team and overwhelming mission. The Lord showed Himself, and I recognized my humble role. And it scares me. What was my conclusion? Well honestly I'm still processing through that, but here's my start:

What if I am gifted to preach and teach? Oh my. The thought terrifies me. Seriously. But what if I really do have that gift? What if the Lord has gifted and wired me with the ability to communicate His Truth to His people? Oh boy. I thought from my first summer of being camp pastor (last summer) that everybody told the camp pastor that he was gifted at what he did in order to encourage and uplift him because those comments are very much encouraging and uplifting. This summer I had 4 weeks of adults that I had gotten the opportunity to work with before, as well as the 3 weeks of the ones I hadn't worked with before, that were still telling me the same thing. But this time they were telling me about the marked improvement displayed in my life/preaching, as well as the evidence of my being gifted with this "skill".

My role in the grand scheme of things, in the midst of something so much bigger than myself is to "be uniquely me". This summer that meant to preach with passion the very things I had spent time with the Lord wrestling over. Moreover, this could very well impact the rest of my life, as I continue to exercise this gift. Preaching/Teaching? The thought literally terrifies me. Here's what I know for certain:

I want to be a part of something so much bigger than myself that it can only be described and explained by God. I also know that requires sacrifice and walking worthy. So this summer (and still in process) I will make an effort to be uniquely me in my life, and do what He calls me to do, which could very well involve regular preaching and regular teaching. And I will trust the Lord to do the rest because you all know me...this could get scary! I'm thankful to be called a servant of the Most High God, and to bask in the love of Father, as He has poured it out on us. And I got much love for you...

What I Learned at Camp #1: Unity

I just finished up the most phenomenal summer of my life to date. I worked with a fantastic team, and the Lord surely rocked my world both through my team and through my dealings with the Lord. I intend to get through these next few blogs by trying to encompass with my words what I learned from the Lord. So this first post is about my team, and the unity we experienced.

We were a team united around Christ, His ministry and His people. This team was comprised of a phenomenal group of people that collectively loved the Lord more than any other group I've been a part of or known. So what did I learn from the Lord? Well I really do believe this was a picture of what the church was intended to look like. We, as the church, are called to love, serve and communicate the Gospel with all that we have. Now while we were paid to do a job this summer, I truly believe that this opportunity was more than a job for this team. This job was our calling from the Lord, and I believe that we walked worthy of our calling this summer. I'm thankful that I've seen what intentional ministry is designed to look like, and that these people loved the Lord enough to execute His purpose. It is my prayer that I will continue to live intentionally like my team demonstrated. I am completely thankful for the opportunity I was given to try to pastor this team. I look forward to seeing what each of them goes on to do in the ministry of the Lord.

Hopefully I will bring you some more posts about my summer soon. I got much love for you...

It is CAMP TIME!

Ladies and Gentleman. My favorite time of the year has arrived: the time for summer camp! I will once again have an opportunity to pastor a CentriKid camp staff and preach the Gospel to kids in grades 3-6! I'm rolling with CK7, and we're surely going to have an amazing time. I will be gone until August 8th, with very likely few posts in between, so YOU be sure to send me some snail mail while I'm working this summer. It is amazing the encouragement that is received from a piece of snail mail. Here are my addresses:

June 10-18:
CentriKid Staffer Tyler Crosson
60 West Fulbright Ave.
Walnut Ridge, AR 72476

June19-July 2:
CentriKid Staffer Tyler Crosson
900 N Grand Ave
Suite 6J
Sherman, TX 75090

July 3-9:
CentriKid Staffer Tyler Crosson
PO Box 886
Talladega, AL 35161

July 10-August 6:
CentriKid Staffer Tyler Crosson
9621 Frostown Rd
Middletown, MD 21769

These are my locations of service this summer. Looking forward to hear about how the Lord is working through you and in your life this summer. I got much love for you!

Starbucks Thoughts

I just finished Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. I enjoyed the book, but it took me until the end to truly appreciate it. The following are a couple excerpts from the book, that provided a reminder of great truth, about marriage and life, for my life:

(this is another author's response to the question "is there one true love for every person?" and then Donald Miller's commentary following)
"[the other author] essentially said no. And she said that with her husband sitting right there in the audience. She said she and her husband believed they were a cherished prize for each other, and they would probably drive any other people mad. But then she said something I thought was wise. She said she had married a guy, and he was just a guy. He wasn't going to make all her problems go away, because he was just a guy. And that freed her to really love him as a guy, not as an ultimate problem solver. And because her husband believed she was just a girl, he was free to really love her too. Neither needed the other to make everything okay. They were simply content to have good company through life's conflicts. I thought that was beautiful.....All of this may sound depressing to you, but I don't mean it to be. I've lived some good stories now, and those stories have improved the quality of my life. But I've also let go of the idea things will ever be made perfect, at least while I'm walking around on this planet. I've let go of the idea that this life has a climax....And the thing is, it works. When you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are. And when you stop expecting material possessions to complete you, you'd be surprised at how much pleasure you get in material possessions. And when you stop expecting God to end all your troubles, you'd be surprised how much you like spending time with God....Do I still think there will be a day when all wrongs are made right, when our souls find the completion they are looking for? I do. But when all things are made right, it won't be because of some preacher or snake-oil salesman or politician or writer making promises in his book. I think, instead, this will be done by Jesus. And it will be at a wedding. And there will be a feast."

(back to Tyler Crosson's thoughts) I'm not entirely sure why I'm posting this, other than the fact that I was in Starbucks today from about 3p-6:30p(ish) and I felt overwhelmingly struck by this truth. I hope that you allow yourself to marinate on all this. Maybe Miller's words are just hitting me where I am right now...but maybe you can see some truth through this as well.

I got much love for you...

I'm Proof

The week leading up to Easter has once again proven to be a great season of growth in my walk with the Lord. Obviously as this momentous day approaches, the day of celebration that my Savior is no longer dead and lifeless, the more I dwell on that fact and my complete unworthiness to call Him my Savior and "gain from His reward". But I digress. I have a great friend that sent me some love in mail today as a celebration of this day, and in the box, she included some Truth for my life. The Lord proceeded to master me from that point on. Here's the verse she sent me:

"Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life." 1 Timothy 1:15-16

What perfect timing for this verse being in the middle of Resurrection week? The Lord immediately reminded me of how much I do not deserve this eternal life. You can ask my friends...they can tell you how absurd I really am and the sin that too often dominates my life. Furthermore, ask the Lord. He can tell you how many times I've grieved His heart with my sin. I really am such a sinner, and so much in need of my Savior. I am utterly confident of that. There is good news to this story, and it is clearly demonstrated during Resurrection Week. Jesus hung on the cross to pay the very debt that I cannot. He died, but that wasn't Game Over. Because He rose! My soul is overjoyed at the thought.

Furthermore in this verse, it spells out why Jesus has anything to do with me. Deep, deep love. If He was willing to be the sacrifice for my sin...to rescue this kid from the punishment that I've earned, He's willing to do the same for you. Through my rescue, both Paul (who wrote this passage from first Timothy) and myself can claim the fact that Jesus is using us as an example of his unlimited patience.


I'm living proof that if Christ would do such a thing for me, He will do so for you. The reason He displays this unlimited patience is love. Deep, unexplainable, incomprehensible love. That's the bottom line. That's why the pain, the mocking, the beating, the torture, the death. Love. For me and for you. Doesn't make sense? I agree. I can't understand it. But I'm completely confident that it is truth in my life, and it could be truth in yours.

"He rose. Jesus, He rose.
My life's been forgiven. This world holds no power.
He rose. Jesus, He rose.
My life's been redeemed. This prisoner set free.
Death where's your sting? Cause He rose."
-He Rose by Jeff Johnson.

Speechless. Happy Easter because He is risen! I got much love for you...

You Are Here.

YOU ARE HERE:

I am 25 years old. I have a BA in Psychology and am one semester away from an M.Div. in Christian Education (whatever that means). When I graduate I will be 26 years old. I have good credit. I have great and very encouraging friends and family. I have a passion for loving and connecting with people.
I have no debt. No wife/kids. Very little money. No strings attached.

What does this mean? It means that once I graduate in December, my life is WIDE OPEN. Intimidating? Slightly. Exciting? Completely. I will literally be in a position that the possibilities are seemingly endless for me to move on to whatever is next.

I haven't posted recently. A)I've been insanely busy traveling for preaching opps or pleasure. B)It was a busy month for school assignments. C)There is a girl that I'm completely fond of. D)I've been trying to wrap my head around what this next year is going to look like for me. While all of those keep me busy, trying to understand or figure out what an infinite God is planning and scheming for me to do, is trumping any other thoughts I may be having.

God, here's my future. Do what You do.

The Weight of Sin...or lack thereof

My journey with the Lord has landed me reading through the book of 1 Kings currently. From that passage, the Lord really rocked my world with a thought tonight...interesting how when one prays for the Holy Spirit to speak through His word, He will, huh? Anyway, in chapter 11, I noticed an all too often commonality in my life with the life of then King Solomon. Solomon decided to start taking wives from "foreign women" (ESV translation). Man, I do that all the time!

...

But seriously, his taking wives from "foreign women," meant that he was taking lightly the commands of God and engaging in sin. Solomon did not think these wives would do any harm. He did not continue to place the true weight of sin on the situation. You see, God specifically instructed the Israelites not to marry these people because He knew that their pagan ways would distract and lead the Israelites away from Him. Sure enough, that very thing happened to THE wise King Solomon. Solomon treated his sin lightly.

In that moment, Solomon did NOT understand the weight of his sin. Unfortunately too often in my own life, I do not truly see sin as what it is. Filthy, ugly, despicable, grotesque, complete disobedience, lack of respect, lack of trust, self-centered, etc. Sin separates me from God. What is the result of sin? DEATH. Period. The wages of sin is death. Does that mean I'm going to immediately die a physical death as a result of my sin? Unlikely. But, it is a complete disgrace to my God. For Solomon it resulted in God allowing adversaries to rise up against him and the nation of Israel and be successful...because of his sin.

God does not take sin lightly. Too often in my life, I do. That's terrible and I'm embarrassed. Moreover, I am very good at justifying my sin, especially the "no big deal" sins. How ridiculous can I be? The thing that I was confronted with today was that there are consequences for sin. No questions asked. No matter how big or small, my sin will be dealt with and it will lead to death. Thank the Lord for His grace and Christ's sacrifice on the cross for the punishment of my sin.

I suppose my challenge to myself and you is to see sin as sin. In its full disgustingness (take that word to the bank). We must recognize the severity of our sin, and not take it lightly, even the "no big deal" ones. Getting a firm grasp on our sin would most certainly make the Gospel that much more valuable to us! God reached down a long way to pull this sinner from the pits. I'm thankful for His continued display of grace in my life.

Father, help me to understand the weight of my sin. Help me to understand how horrific it is to you. Help me to not take lightly sin in my life. Help me to not stand for it, not support it, and not settle for it. Help me to see sin as You do. Father, save me from the punishment of my sin. Thank you for the grace that you have provided for me and for the sacrifice that Christ was on the cross. Forgive me for where I fall short, and help me to stand back up and pursue holiness!

What about you? I hope you have a better grasp of the weight of sin that I too often do in my life.

...'Till He returns or calls me home, here in the power of Christ, I stand.

I got much love for you...