$6,000 Up In Smoke
Last night at the Discovering Cross Point class our Nashville campus pastor Blake Bergstrom introduced me to a young man named Steve.
Steve had visited Cross Point Nashville for the first time on Sunday. He was blown away by the genuine, authentic community he experienced. Steve told me that up until Sunday his occupation was selling drugs. He lived in a dope house just a few blocks from the church.
He said after the service on Sunday he knew some things needed to change in his life. He went straight home and burned the $6,000 worth of weed he was going to sell this week. Wow!
It reminded me of how proud I am of the hundreds and hundreds of volunteers who partner together every week at both of our Cross Point campuses to create environments of life change.
You see we don’t JUST hand out programs. We don’t JUST babysit kids. We don’t JUST turn knobs on the sound boards. We don’t JUST sing and play instruments. We don’t JUST park cars. We don’t JUST serve coffee. We don’t JUST open up our homes for community groups.
We partner together to become the body of Christ. We play different roles, but each one of us is essential to the body. We partner together and God shows up in amazing ways and moves in people’s lives.
Like Steve.
Since Sunday he’s held a bonfire, he’s moving out of the dope house, he attended the new members class and he’s going to start in a men’s community group this week. Can’t wait to see what God is going to do in him and through him.
GO STEVE!!!! WOOHOO!
THIS is what it’s all about.
My jaw dropped….
utterly awesome.
God Bless you Steve.
Way to go STeve, my son is currently in Federal Prison for selling drugs and has 8 months to go. I always send him the program from Crosspoint in hopes that he connects. I am so proud of you Steve, Keep it up and realize that you have support and friends at Cross Point.
There was a time in my life that I would have mourned that $6000 loss of weed. I used to smoke that junk daily — several times a day — for years. Good for him. Good for you and your church. Gooooooooo God!!
Thanks for sharing this story.
Heidi Reed
That’s so awesome. It’s those stories of changed lives that make it all worthwhile.
Oh, and I hope you weren’t nearby when he burned the $6,000 worth of weed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04i8RO-P7qg). Sorry, couldn’t resist.
I’m quite sure Steve had no idea what God had in store for him on Sunday! This is an awesome story. I let my trivial problems stand in the way of God’s calling sometimes. Steve’s story is an inspiration and example of -God is ready when we are! He doesn’t care about of possessions or our occupations he cares about our hearts.
This is so not spiritual, but can you imagine the high you would get from standing around a bonfire of $6000 worth of pot??? Sorry…just had to say it. =)
Really awesome, Pete. God used you all for some good work that day.
It’s never ceases to amaze me how God uses us to touch others. That is awsome for this young man to be found.
From Luke 15:
3Then Jesus told them this parable: 4″Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.
God is good…All the time.
@Beth Taylor, Don’t worry I thought the same thing. I actually thought it would have been a great fundraiser for the church. We could have sold tickets to the bonfire. Just kidding.
That’s awesome! I love stores of peoples lives being changed by Jesus. This makes me SHOUT praises to God!!!
That is awesome. Those victories allow me to be steadfast in ministry.God is good, huh?
Any chance he had just heard his fast swimming client wouldn’t be needing it this week?
sorry. It’s really incredible.
HOLY Smoke! Praise God for the servant-hearts he has in place at Cross Point.
This is why I love your church from afar. The Word in action. Love it!
It’s not hard for me to believe, CP did the same thing for me… I didn’t burn any weed, but basically the same thing ; )
I am so proud of Steve… I know it cannot be an easy thing for him but “all things are possible through Christ Jesus”…. I am praying for him and for CP… God is truly at work!
i love knowing that God uses Crosspoint to touch the lives of people at all different places in life. another something to be thankful for. this is such an awesome story and to Steve, you honestly will have a world of support and prayers from the people at this church.
Praise God! That’s so encouraging to hear. Your church body sounds like a group of Kingdom rockstars. If I’m ever that way, I’ll try to visit…
Way to go God!
Yeah !
Pete,
Praise God! The power of the Gospel! Amen!
Wow…what an inspiration. It is so exciting to see the church body operating as the Lord would have it operate…praise Him!
Pete…I was so blown away to be a part of the redemptive Work that God placed in front of us as a church in Steve’s life. There is nothing more exciting that to see that kind of life change. Steve was so broken…he is ready to start over…its going to be a long, challenging road, but I am so proud of him.
That is so awesome!! A young lady just accepted Christ last Sunday at LP. The 1st day she came, she walked into the parking lot (from the neighborhood), and was about to change her mind and started walking away when our Parking Lot Guy told her – “Hey! We have coffee!” She reluctantly turned around, came in, enjoyed a cup of coffee… now 6-7 weeks later has been born again! Now, tell me that our Parking Lot Guys aren’t important!!!
That’s awesome bro!! Hearing stories like that never get old! Keep us updated on how he’s doing! I’m def praying for him and that God will continue to bring others in like that!
I seriously hope I can visit CP sometime soon.
@Britt, after yesterday I wouldn’t touch that one with a ten foot pole.
SWEETNESS! Way to go Pete and CP!
Like the authenticity of how your church is doing church. We’ll be praying for this young man who has seen the ‘light’ of Christ and is drawn to it.
wow…..as a greeter on Sunday nights at CP, I am so blessed to hear stories such as this. I can make someone feel welcome, or I can make someone feel invisible. I truly hope and pray that I can succeed at making people feel welcome.
This is an amazing story! Thanks so much for sharing it with us. I’ll be praying for Steve as he makes the most awesome of changes in his life.
wow. guess that blows all my excuses for not making little life changes right out of the water…
@Melissa, you are so right! What you do is IMPORTANT!
Wow Thank Bro for sharing this great answer of prayer,because someone was praying for him and God showed him the road & it was not far from home. Pete I will pray be praying for Steve,and my friend keep in touch and i love what you all are doing for the kingdom.
That is absolutely amazing. I love that he didn’t wait a while and make sure it was the right decision. I love that he didn’t give it away, throw it away, or walk away from it. He didn’t use the excuse that $6.000 could really help him start a new life. He turned from it by burning it.
Steve, your faith inspires me to look around and ask what I need to say goodbye to! Thank you so much for what you did. Our family will be praying for you.
because nobody’s perfect, so everyone is welcome, because anything is possible. That’s the first thing I thought of when I read today’s post. AWESOME!!
@Jenny, Bingo!!!!
This is an awesome testimony for Steve. I have some concerns about how much credit is being given to the Pastor and church and not Christ himself.”All glory” should go to Christ and not so much talk of the good works of the instruments. There are no less than fifteen references to Cross Point, its classes, or the word “we” and only one mention of what God has done and will continue. I am not meaning to be disrespectful but the body of Christ should spend more time building the kingdom of heaven and not our own. Having said all this, I am truly thankful for your congregation’s obedience and willingness to serve.
[...] That happened to me today… This morning I was checking my Google Reader and I came across this post from Pete Wilson. I’ve had the post open in one of my Firefox tabs all day… It’s a great story [...]
Now That’s Worth Repeating [We don't JUST...] - GBrenna.com said this on February 4, 2009 at 7:04 pm |
@Paul,
First of all there is absolutely no mention of credit going to “the pastor” or “any pastor”. I only mentioned our Nashville campus pastor because he introduced me to the young man.
But now that you mention it I will say Blake did an awesome job of following up with Steve and getting him plugged in!!!
Secondly, I clearly state “We partner together and God shows up in amazing ways and moves in people’s lives.”
We know God is the one who get’s ALL the credit for transformation in an individuals life. God and His power is essential in every one of the 15 (I can’t believe you counted) environments listed.
I was simply encouraging our volunteers who give of their time and spiritual gifts to be “the church”. I can’t tell you how proud I am of them and the way God uses them every week.
Trust me when I say we realize here at Cross Point that every good thing that happens is the result of God and his redeeming work through Christ.
I want to move to Nashville. Or at least go and visit for a spell. What an awesome testimony to what Cross Point has done to share the Good News – and this is just one person! Seems to me there are a lot of people down there being Jesus’ feet.
Wow, this is awesome. And just what I needed to hear tonight when I was feeling discouraged about this whole ministry thing. Cause in all honesty I may be the pastor’s wife but all I really am (and want to be) is a volunter like everyone else. Thanks Pastor Pete for encouraging me to just continue being “the church” even when its hard and you think its for nothing. But especially for reminding me that its all about God (not me).
Thanks Pete for the encouraging words you always bring to your volunteers and your congregation. It is so important to point out God’s redeeming work being done through people so that the “body of Christ will be encouraged and built up.
Paul I understand your concerns but the Kingdom is always built by the “body of Christ” working together as one body.
Through the leadership of Pete, his staff and volunteers I can personally give witness the the redeeming, transforming power of Christ.
Thanks Blake for being the hands and feet of Jesus and thanks Pete for having the wisdom. insight, courage, and love to know that when good folks put themselves on the line for Jesus they need to be recognized.
hanks Pete for the encouraging words you always bring to your volunteers and your congregation. It is so important to point out God’s redeeming work being done through people so that the “body of Christ will be encouraged and built up.
Paul I understand your concerns but the Kingdom is always built by the “body of Christ” working together as one body.
Through the leadership of Pete, his staff and volunteers I can personally give witness the the redeeming, transforming power of Christ.
Thanks Blake for being the hands and feet of Jesus and thanks Pete for having the wisdom. insight, courage, and love to know that when good folks put themselves on the line for Jesus they need to be recognized.
incredible story, thanks for sharing it with everyone… some of us have little or no understanding of what that life is like, but certainly can understand making the conscience effort to give up a possible $6,000. Great encouraging story on many fronts.
WOW! Now, that is awesome…CP should be so proud of ALL being vessels that changed one mans life. AWESOME!!!
THAT…………ROCKS!!!!!!!! Someday I suppose the stories of how God moved and worked in his life up to “such a time as this” will come out and won’t that be fun to hear?! And I think you can totally rejoice in God letting Cross Point be the place Scott chose to go that day. And thank God there is a church down the street from a dope house. I know its nosey of me but I’d love to hear about Scott’s journey. Powerful testimony.
Wow! That’s awesome.
Amen!
Wow! So cool. God is so much bigger than we could think or imagine! Keep us posted on Steve!
Now that is a cool story.
Pete, thanks for having a church that welcomed him without judgment.
It is stories like this that show Crosspoint is doing the right thing every day. AWESOME!
Good post dude. It is important to hang onto these moments while in ministry. You don’t get them very often.
A kudos to using God’s “favorite word” so much…
http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2008/03/96-using-gods-favorite-word.html
Awesome story!
I look forward to hearing more from you guy’s…God is truly using CP for amazing things.
P.S. FYI – Nothing in your blog post concerned me, sorry! I must not be a good enough church & blog patrolman.
Have started following your blog becauae of my friend Robin–one of your readers. I had to jump in and comment on this one.
Go Steve! We’re cheering for you.
Awesome testimony.
I just had to wonder how long it took him to get down from the drup-induced high of burning $6000 worth of weed all at once!?
holy smokes!
praise GOD for lives being changed…radically!!!! LOVE it when He grabs ahold of hearts and the person charges hell like it matters. thanks for sharing!