Organic resources
Below you will find ideas and resources to help you Explore, Experience, and Express.
Explore
Pick out a readable and enjoyable version of the Bible
One of our favorite things to do in the bookstore is help someone pick out a new Bible. We all have that old dusty heirloom sitting somewhere on a shelf. But if we’re going to really interact with Scripture the way God intends for us to, we need a version of the Bible that doesn’t weigh a ton, is in a translation we can understand, and might even have some helpful notes to point us in the right direction. There are so many different styles and translations to choose from. Click below to see some examples, or drop in our bookstore on the weekend or during the week, and we’ll hook you up.
Link:
What Bible Is Right For You?
Buy Bible tabs to help navigate your Bible
Even if you own a readable version of the Bible, it can be a bit overwhelming. Where do you start? How do you find the verse or chapter that you’re looking for? Bible tabs can help. Stick ‘em on the pages, and then the next time you need to find Habakkuk, your thumb will do the work for you. Available on weekends and through the week at our friendly bookstore.
Link:
Example of Bible Tabs.
Read a Bible reference book
Sometimes you come across a verse in Scripture, and you can’t help but want to dig a little deeper. Things like historical context, the meaning of words in the original languages, cross-referencing verses with other verses in Scripture, are all great ways to get you there. And there are a ton of books available to help. From commentaries and concordances to dictionaries and Bible study guides... we’ve got 'em in our bookstore. Give us a visit.
Pick up a free Bible reading plan
There are tons of plans that have been put together over the years. Read through the Bible in a year or 90 days. Sound like a bit much? How about five minutes of the New Testament a day? These plans are a great way to get you started. Many times you can find some of these in the back of your Bible... but if not, give us a holler at the bookstore and we’ll help you find what you need.
Reading Plan Links:
Click on the link above, and you can sign up to receive two or three text messages per week, with a reminder to crack open the Word and let God speak to you.
Sign up for the Explorations class
So maybe the Bible still sounds a little overwhelming… maybe you’re not sure you believe it. Do you have questions about who Jesus is and why we get so excited over this God stuff? Is there something you were taught as a kid and it’s always made faith difficult to swallow? Sign up at
Links & Signups and bring your questions to our Explorations class. We would love to help you figure stuff out.
Read the Knowing the Bible 101 book (available in our bookstore)
This book is an excellent way to get the broad scope of the Bible in readable chunks. Authors Bruce Bickel and Stan Jantz take the Bible section by section and break down the important stuff. Oh, and they’re pretty funny, too.
Talk with a pastor after the service or e-mail pastors@wcrossing.org
It’s what our pastors are here for. We’d love to help.
Find a mentor or accountability partner.
Sometimes what we need is just a good friend who’s been where we’re headed, so that they can help us find our way. Do you have someone in mind who fits that description? They might be just the person to ask. This is a big deal for us… because we believe that our faith journey is something that’s supposed to happen in the context of community. Don’t be shy… give your friend a call. How honored would you be if someone asked you to help them on their spiritual journey?
Start a Bible study with a group of friends.
Really? We don’t have to get the church to sign off on it or anything? Really. Get a group of folks together, pick a section of Scripture, and start digging together. We really do believe that the Bible is for everyone. Our bookstore has a few Bible study guides if you’re not sure where to start.
Sign up for weekly podcasts.
Did you miss the message this weekend? Listen to the podcast. Did you hear the message this weekend, but need to hear it again? Listen to the podcast. Take notes. Ask yourself “how does this message apply to me?”
Read a book of The Bible.
Seriously. Just read it. Don’t know where to start? The gospel of John is a great place. Don’t have a Bible that you can easily understand? You might want to start back up at the top of this list.
Experience
Pray.
Sounds simple enough and yet it’s often used as our last ditch effort at fixing a problem instead of simply as a conversation with God. There’s no reason to get freaked out when talking with God, there aren’t any magical words so just say whatever comes to mind and then don’t forget to listen to what God might want to say to you. You can also pray scripture such as Matthew 6:9-13. In fact, that just happens to be what our current Message Series: UNFROZEN is all about. So if you missed any of the messages, check out the podcast(link here) or pick up a cd in the bookstore.
Ask someone to pray for you.
We have a team of folks who would love to pray for you. Email us your prayer request at prayerrequest@wcrossing.org or stop by the bullpen as you leave on the weekend. All prayer requests are handled anonymously and confidentially.
Surrender your life to Jesus.
It’s the difference between knowing about God, and trusting him to lead you. We were meant to do life with him. Want more info on how to take this step? We encourage you to talk with one of our pastors after a weekend service in the bullpen or email us at pastors@wcrossing.org. Questions? Bring ‘em on!
Enjoy a reflective time of worship.
Come check out one of the awesome weekend services where you can participate in worship with others around you, but please don’t mistake this as the only opportunity to worship God all week. Around here, we think worship is any act where we intentionally turn our attention to God and enjoy His presence. So take some time to look through some photo albums and take notice of the grandeur of God’s beauty in the pictures you see, or put on some quiet music and just rest in the still presence of God.
Take communion.
Christ’s sacrifice for us on the cross is something that we should never get over and one of the ways that we remember this is to frequently include communion in our worship services and other experiences. If you have questions about what communion is we would love to help answer those so drop us an email at pastors@wcrossing.org and also check out the core values page of our website:
Our Core Values.
Stand at the foot of the cross.
The cross is a powerful symbol pointing us back to Jesus and simply to stand or kneel at the foot of it can be a humbling experience. We invite you to visit our mosaic cross up in the attic (you know, the staircase out by the coffee bar) or the one out back, anytime the doors are open.
Plan an hour alone with God.
That’s right, go ahead and put it on the calendar. God doesn’t mind if you schedule an hour with him. Bring your Bible, a journal, a guitar, or anything else you think might enhance your meeting but make sure to keep the agenda loose so that God can lead you. Start by reading James 4:8.
Listen to worship music.
Psalm 9:1-2 says “I will thank you Lord with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. I will be filled with joy because of you. I will sing praises to your name, O most High.” If you don’t have any worship music, stop by our bookstore.
Experience God in His creation.
It’s all around us… it’s everywhere you look. Read Genesis 1 and you’ll see that God created so much and then declared it good. Maybe we could slow down long enough to thank God for His awesome creation and declare it good also.
If you send it, we’ll pray for it. We have an awesome prayer team that would love to pray for the burdens of your heart with you.
Journal for one week.
Write out your thoughts and prayers. It’s also really cool to be able to look back and see how God has moved in your life at different mile markers along your journey. Any old notebook will work but a nice journal can be purchased at the bookstore, or here:
Journal Example.
Read a Psalm.
Some of the best Psalms to start with are 1, 19, 23, 51, 100, 119, & 139.
Ask God to forgive you for a past mistake.
Run. Boat. Bike. Hike. Walk.
Thank Him for things you are grateful for.
Remove the clutter from your life.
Maybe it’s time to clean house. Maybe literally, maybe metaphorically but regardless, junk can get in the way. So, maybe you need to ask God to forgive you of a past mistake (see above) or maybe you need to tend to a relationship that you’ve been avoiding or maybe you simply need to buckle down and get some stuff done that you’ve been putting off so that you can come before God without the distraction of everything that “must get done.”
Audibly talk to God.
You might not want to do this in the middle of the grocery store or movie theater but when you are in a private place feel free to talk out loud to God. Clarity is often the result when we put our thoughts into words.
Pray “God, if you are real, make yourself known to me.”
James 4:8 says “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” Here’s the bottom line, God wants to move in and reveal himself to you, all he’s asking is that you seek him. We challenge you….pray for God to make himself known to you, then, keep your eyes and ears open to see what God does.
Ask God for what you need.
"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen.” (Jeremiah 29:12 The Message) God also said that “The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.” (James 5:16 The Message) There it is… simply ask God for what you need.
Express
Serve on a team.
Link:
Serving Opportunities List.
Talk to a Connection Coach.
This is one of the first steps to serving on a team. In fact, these folks are here to help you find the best place to serve. Drop an email to connections@wcrossing.org or stop by a Connection Point this weekend.
Sign up for an Outreach event.
Mercy Monday and Second Saturday’s are just a few of the outreach things we host and you can sign up here
Links & Signups but there are numerous ways to get involved in outreach so talk to one of our Connection Coaches for additional info or email
outreach@wcrossing.org.
Donate something for someone in need.
We are living in a time of crisis for many people and right now your donation could be a pivotal point in someone’s life. Maybe it’s a bag of baby clothes to a new mom, a backpack for under-served kids going back to school, or contributing to our upcoming Christmas Store.
Do an anonymous act of love.
Some people don’t know how to receive love very well but that doesn’t negate us from being the hands and feet of Christ. Jesus said that ‘whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.' (Matthew 25:40 The Message)
Pray for someone.
Sometimes a hand on someone’s shoulder and a heartfelt prayer on their behalf is all the encouragement one needs. To know that someone cares enough to slow down, listen, and pray for them enables them to face their situation and trust God with it completely.
You can even check out the
online prayer calendar for ideas.
Volunteer with a charity.
Link:
Charity Organizations.
Do something nice for a neighbor.
Invite someone over for dinner.
Have the conversation you have been avoiding.
Write someone a letter.
Invite a friend to church.
Sign up for Body Life.
Find out just why we think healthy community is such a big deal.
Christmas can [still] change the world. This year, Give Presence. Log on to
www.adventconspiracy.org to get additional info, watch videos, and even join in the conspiracy.