What's New at Cross Reference Library - New novels by Karen Kingsbury

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In Take Two by Karen Kingsbury, filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison have completed their first feature film, and Hollywood is buzzing with the news. In the wake of that excitement, the producers acquire rights to a novel that has all the ingredients they want for their next project. At the same time they cross paths with a well-connected player who introduces them to the right people, and suddenly every studio in town wants to talk to Chase and Keith. The producers’ dreams are on the verge of coming true, but Chase’s marriage is strained and Keith’s daughter — Andi Ellison — is making questionable choices in her quest for stardom. The producers are gaining respect and are on the verge of truly changing culture through the power of film — but is the change worth the cost?

In Take Three by Karen Kingsbury, Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison set out to change the world with their films—and they are finally seeing their dreams come true. The dedicated producers are deep in negotiations with America’s top young movie star to play the lead in their next inspirational movie. But life takes a sudden turn for Chase, removing him from Jeremiah Productions permanently. In the process, Keith brings on one of the Baxter family members and the moviemaking continues. At the same time, a crisis hits Keith’s daughter, Andi, and Keith feels helpless to respond. Devastated by the consequences of her wrong actions, Andi ventures out on her own and decides on a course of action that could destroy her. Meanwhile, Bailey Flanigan is caught up in her own drama with Cody Coleman. A Campus Crusade retreat gives them time alone along the shores of Lake Monroe and lets them face a possibility they’ve avoided for years. Will Keith keep the passion he had at the start of his filmmaking—and will there be enough passion left over for his hurting daughter? Or has their quest to change American culture become nothing more than a quest for fame?

In Take Four by Karen Kingsbury, after Chase Ryan returns to his family and a job in his hometown, filmmakers Keith Ellison and Dayne Matthews finally ink a deal to have the nation's top young actor star in their current film. But at the same time, the actor takes a very public fall that threatens his reputation among his fan base. Meanwhile, healing happens for Andi Ellison in her relationship with God, her family, and those she loves, but is it too late? The new producers find they must truly act as missionaries in order to help save the film, their families, and the young movie star. Breakthroughs take place that the public will never know about, as the possibility of saving the world through film is finally a very real possibility.

Cole Blake, son of Landon and Ashley Baxter Blake, is months away from going off to college and taking the first steps towards his dream—a career in medicine. But as he starts his final semester of high school he meets Elise, a mysterious new girl who captures his attention—and heart—from day one. Elise has her heart set on mending her wild ways and rediscovering the good girl she used to be. But not long after the semester starts, she discovers she’s pregnant. Eighteen and alone, she shares her secret with Cole. Undaunted by the news, and in love for the first time in his life, Cole is determined to support Elise—even if it means skipping college, marrying her, and raising another man’s baby. When Elise decides to place her baby up for adoption, she is matched with Aaron and Lucy Williams, who moved to Bloomington, Indiana to escape seven painful years of infertility. But as Elise’s due date draws near, she becomes focused on one truth: she has two weeks to change her mind about the adoption. With Cole keeping vigil and Lucy and Aaron waiting to welcome their new baby, Elise makes an unexpected decision—one that changes everyone’s plans. Tender and deeply moving, Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury is a story about love, faith, and what it really means to be a family.

Growing up in a comfortable home, Mary Catherine wanted for nothing. Though she loves her wealthy parents, their lifestyle never appealed to her. Instead, Mary Catherine pursues meaning through charity work, giving away a part of herself but never giving away her heart. Mary Catherine lives in Los Angeles with her roommate, Sami, and volunteers at a local youth center with coach Tyler Ames and LA Dodger Marcus Dillinger. Despite Mary Catherine’s intention to stay single, she finds herself drawing close to Marcus, and their budding romance offers an exciting life she never dreamed of. That is, until she receives devastating news from her doctor. News that alters her future and forces her to make a rash decision. Inspirational and moving, Chasing Sunsets by Karen Kingsbury is the story of one woman’s deep longings of the soul and the sacrifices she’s willing to make in search of healing.

Cross Reference Library is located at 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, NE,
and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

New Music Monday - Tony Garmon, Alabaster Grace, Tauren Wells and more

new to our rotation

“So hallelujah, the Lord has saved me
And with His love now I am complete
Cuz Jesus took me by hand, lifted me out of the sand
And He put a rock under my feet”

“If Your people will humble themselves,
If Your people will pray.
If Your people will humble themselves,
If Your people will pray.
Then You will hear in heaven.
You will hear in heaven.
Father, You will hear in heaven and heal our land.”

the 180remix countdown - saturdays at 9:00pm

Millionaire (Good Like That) - Tauren Wells ft. Kirk Franklin

“God is good like that
Yeah, He's good like that (God is so good)
My God is good like that
He's good (hey)”

the stronghold - saturdays at 10:30pm

“Running from the pain
God, am I too late?
Oh, come and open up my eyes
I give it all to You tonight
Starting to wither
Make me whole again
These chains have kept me here too long
I'm coming home where I belong”

What's New at Cross Reference Library - Drama, Thrills, Adventure, and Self Help for Men

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As war rips through the heart of Holland, childhood friends Josie van Rees and Eliese Linden partner with a few daring citizens to rescue Eliese’s son and hundreds of other Jewish children. But amid their resistance work, Josie and Eliese’s dangerous secrets could derail their friendship and mission. When the enemy finds these women, only one will escape. Seventy five years later, Ava Drake begins to suspect that her great-grandfather William Kingston was not the World War II hero he claimed to be. Her work as director of the prestigious Kingston Family Foundation leads her to Landon West’s Ugandan coffee plantation, and Ava and Landon soon discover a connection between their families. As Landon’s great-grandmother shares the broken pieces of her story, Ava must confront the greatest loss in her own life - and powerful members of the Kingston family who will do anything to keep the truth buried. Illuminating the story and strength of these women, award-winning author Melanie Dobson transports readers through time and place, from World War II Holland to contemporary Uganda, in the rich and inspiring Memories of Glass.

Marcus Ryker has spent his entire career studying killers. One thing he knows for sure: a peace summit is the ultimate stage for an assassination. President Andrew Clarke is determined to announce his historic peace plan from the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. But when senior American officials who support the plan begin violently dying, Clarke orders Ryker and his team of CIA operatives to hunt down those responsible and bring the killing spree to an end. When the Palestinians denounce the American plan, the Saudis signal they may be ready to forge a historic treaty with Israel. Could the Saudi king’s support be the missing ingredient that will lead to peace at long last? Ryker soon uncovers a chilling plot to kill the American president. A well-resourced international alliance is dead set against the peace plan. They will stop at nothing to strike a blow against the Americans and seize leadership of the Muslim world. With all eyes on Jerusalem and the president in the crosshairs, it’s up to Ryker to eliminate the terrible evil that’s been set in motion. The fate of the region depends on his success in The Jerusalem Assassin by Joel C. Rosenberg.

In Mark Cahill’s novel Paradise, Josh expects to find paradise as he sets out for a relaxing trip to Hawaii to join three of his old friends from college. But what if their week in paradise is interrupted in a way that few of us can imagine? Take an unforgettable journey with Josh and his friends as they experience far more than they bargained for on their Hawaiian vacation turned adventure of a lifetime. Will Josh and his friends pick the right paradise? Will you?

Every boy has dreams of the man he will become - exploring the world, fighting the enemy, and being dangerous for good. He imagines himself as the hero, the expert, the one others look up to. Then somewhere along the way, the lies of the enemy knock him down, his dreams are shattered, and he loses his purpose as the enemy attempts to rob him of his true identity. In The Roar Within, world class hunter, adventurer, and popular speaker Brent Henderson takes men on a journey to some of the most dangerous and deadly places on earth. Along the way, he helps each man discover that the most powerful force in the universe can be found in his spirit, where God resides. He shows men how to recover what’s been lost by answering their biggest questions: Who am I really? Where does my value come from? Am I enough?

Cross Reference Library is located at 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, NE,
and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

New Music Monday - Jordan Feliz, Verses and new band After Grace

new to our rotation

Next To Me (Acoustic Version) - Jordan Feliz

“I get this feeling in my spirit way down low
I hear it calling like a compass in my soul
Saying child, come on back now
You've been gone too long
Let Me lead you back where you belong”

“I know there's a glory that awaits
Where everything I hold will pass away
I will trade this temporary pain for eternity
Even when my vision fades
And I can't tell the darkness from the day
I don't need my sight to walk by faith
'Cause I beliеve, in the unseen”

the weekly worship countdown - fridays at 2:00pm

“I'm thankful I'm thankful, yes I am
You've been so good that I'll say it again
Oh I'm thankful I'm thankful, yes I am
You've been so good that I'll say it again
I'm thankful, yes I'm thankful
I gotta say I'm thankful
You've been so good that I'll say it again
I'm thankful, yes I'm thankful
You've been so good that I'll say it again”

Does the Devil Rule Hell?

In Greek Mythology Hades is the god of the dead and he rules over the underworld. In Roman Mythology his name is Pluto. And somewhere along the way people have taken these myths and applied them to the Biblical Devil. 

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Now when people think of Satan they picture a pitchfork wielding, horned, red, god-like being sitting on a throne in the pit of Hell, controlling the flames which surround him. They imagine him sneering maniacally as he finds new ways to entertain himself by torturing the poor souls whom he has claimed as his own.

But is this actually how the Bible describes Satan? Does the Devil really rule Hell?

Well the Bible does actually answer this specific question in the book of Revelation:

Revelation 20:10: And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. (ESV)

The Devil doesn’t get to rule over Hell in the afterlife. Instead, it is a place of torment and punishment for him as well.

The Hades of Greek Mythology may be of comparable power to Zeus, along with a myriad of other gods. But in the Bible God is the only being who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present. The Devil is simply a created being whose power does not even come close to God’s power. At some point Satan used his own God-given free-will to act in defiance of God and--in the end--he will be punished for it. In fact, the Bible even says that the lake of fire was prepared specifically for that purpose:

Mathew 25:41 Then he (God) will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.’ (ESV)

The widespread idea that the Devil rules over Hell is just one example of how some cultural perceptions about what the Bible teaches could be terribly misguided. It is important to read through the Bible, yourself. This way you can know for certain what it does or doesn’t say and no one will be able to lead you astray. 

2 Timothy 2:15: Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (KJV)

2 Timothy 3:16-17: All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work. (ESV)


This series of blog posts titled, “Holding on to Reason”, is named after Amanda’s favorite C.S. Lewis quote: “Faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.”

Click here for more things written by Amanda Hovseth.

What's New at Cross Reference Library - How to raise kids, and books for youth

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Every one of us has tremendous power to either build others up or tear them down through the words we speak every day, and nowhere is this more evident than in our families. Are you being purposeful in how you use the power of your words to speak encouragement, strength, and love - breathing life into the heart of your children? Or are careless words having a negative impact on both your kids and your family legacy? Matt and Lisa Jacobson want you to discover the powerful ways you can build your children up in love with the words that you choose to say every day--words that every child needs to hear. 100 Words of Affirmation Your Son Needs To Hear and 100 Words of Affirmation Your Daughter Needs To Hear offer you one hundred phrases to say to your son or daughter that deeply encourage, affirm, and inspire. Start speaking these words into their lives and watch your children - and your relationship with them - transform before your eyes.

The Prince and Friends by Susan Schaneman: The prince wasn’t allowed outside the castle much. After his mother had passed away the prince and his father grew very close in his seven years. His father knew it was time for the prince to have some adventures and meet some friends. New friends. Well, new friends for the young prince anyway. Friends who were characters of sort, but loyal and loving. Friends who had been waiting for him! The prince would become friends first with his most beloved groundhog-like buddy George. Then he meets Cindy, the neighbor girl and her beautiful horse, Lucy. There is Master Lo Lo, master fairy of the forest. Fred the king frog, a delightful large jolly frog down by the river and Princess Pamalea who was so warm and glowing. She could make the most amazing glass fireballs! They laughed and loved along the way. They shared adventures nearly every day. From fishing to horseback riding to having mud fights and more, the prince learned a lot about his friends and the special gifts they each possess. Even in a very sad time, the prince learned how friends are able to come together and know that they would have each other’s backs, until the very end.

Want children who are patient, kind, humble, thankful, and respectful? Who have a good work ethic, strong character, and a healthy self-image? Who succeed in all areas of life - personally, professionally, and relationally - to the best of their ability? You can’t force your kids to be grateful for everything you do, but you can raise successful, responsible kids who grow into adults you can be proud of. With his signature wit and wisdom, international parenting expert Dr. Kevin Leman reveals eight no-nonsense strategies that build on the foundations of character, good behavior, respect, discipline, and a winning attitude. It is possible to raise a successful child in a “whatever” generation - 8 Secrets to Raising Successful Kids makes it simple.

Time is on the move. It is galloping by at an amazing speed. What is really important in life as the seconds tick by? Are the shocking events happening around the globe getting your full and complete attention? Life is a vapor that vanishes right before your eyes. What if you are looking at life from the wrong angle? What if you are actually looking at life from the wrong side? If you are making such a fatal error, wouldn’t you want to know that before you take your last breath? The Last Ride by Mark Cahill is reminding you that history is rushing towards its final conclusion. The finish line is in sight. Your days are winding down. Do you need a strong wake up call? Are you ready to meet the King? Are you getting others ready for Judgement Day? The hour is late, and it is just about time for the last ride!

Cross Reference Library is located at 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, NE,
and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

New Music Monday - Jonathan Traylor, Elevation Worship, new band The Rock Music, and more

new to our rotation

“You get the glory from this
You get the glory from this
No matter what I have to go through in this world
As long as You get the glory from it”

“Your love is all around, all around, all around
Your love is all around, all around, around us now”

the top 25 contemporary christian countdown - saturdays at 6:00pm

“This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I'm coming out
I'm gonna live, gonna live again
This is the sound of dry bones rattling”

the 180remix countdown - saturdays at 9:00pm

“You said why would you lose your soul?
Give it all just to gain the world?
I’m lookin for a love that won’t run out
No it won’t run out
Love that won’t run out
No it won’t run out”

What's New at Cross Reference Library - Raising sons and new novels from Ashley Clark

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In The Dress Shop on King Street by Ashley Clark, Harper Dupree has pinned all her hopes on a future in fashion design. But when it comes crashing down around her, she returns home to Fairhope, Alabama, and to Millie, the woman who first taught her how to sew. As Harper rethinks her own future, long-hidden secrets about Millie’s past are brought to light. In 1946, Millie Middleton - the daughter of an Italian man and a Black woman - boarded a train and left Charleston to keep half of her heritage hidden. She carried with her two heirloom buttons and the dream of owning a dress store. She never expected to meet a charming train jumper who changed her life forever… and led her yet again to a heartbreaking choice about which heritage would define her future. Now, together, Harper and Millie return to Charleston to find the man who may hold the answers they seek… and a chance at the dress shop they’ve both dreamed of. But it’s not until all appears lost that they see the unexpected ways to mend what’s frayed between the seams.

In Paint and Nectar by Ashley Clark, a spark is forming between Eliza, a talented watercolorist, and William, a charming young man with a secret that could ruin her career. Their families forbid their romance because of a long-standing feud over missing heirloom silver. Still, Eliza and William’s passion grows despite the barriers, causing William to deeply regret the secret he’s keeping… but setting things right will come at a cost. In present day Charleston, a mysterious benefactor gifts Lucy Legare an old house, along with all the secrets it holds - including enigmatic letters about an antique silver heirloom. Declan Pinckney, whom Lucy’s been avoiding since their disastrous first date, is set on buying her house for his family’s development company. As Lucy uncovers secrets about the house, its garden, and the silver, she becomes more determined than ever to preserve the historic Charleston property, not only for history’s sake but also for her own.

Dads today are often overwhelmed with both the responsibility and the complexity of raising sons in this challenging culture. At the same time, self-initiation is killing our young men. Without strong mentors, boys are walking alone into a wilderness of conflicting messages about who they should be as men. It’s no wonder that our sons are confused about what the world expects from them and what they should expect of themselves. The Intentional Father is a helpful antidote. This concise book is filled with practical steps to help men raise sons of consequence - young men who know what they believe, know who they are, and will stand up against the negative cultural trends of our day. Jon Tyson lays out a clear path for fathers and sons that includes specific activities, rites of passage, and significant “marking moments” that can be customized to fit any family. It’s not enough to hope our sons will become good men. We need them to be good at being men. This book shows fathers, grandfathers, and other male mentors how to lead the way.

Cross Reference Library is located at 209 East 15th Street in Scottsbluff, NE,
and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00am-5:00pm.

Examining "Truth Be Told" by Matthew West - Ask The Pastor

You can listen to Ask The Pastor every weekday at 9:00am MST on 97.1FM Hope Radio KCMI! You can also listen and subscribe to Ask The Pastor in your favorite podcast feed. Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Amazon Music and most other podcast services.

This edition of Ask the Pastor features Pastors Andy Griess and Bruce Peterson.

Andy Griess

We had another question come in and I think it's one that'll be interesting to you. You guys listen to KCMI on the regular, and while you're listening you may run across this Matthew West song called Truth Be Told. And a listener sent us a question about some of the things they were wrestling with that were brought up in this song. And so we're just going to read through some of the thoughts here in this song and interact with them as pastors, and just give you our perspective. So the song begins with line number one: "You're supposed to have it all together. And when they ask how you're doing just smile and tell him never better." And so this song is dealing with some of the things you sometimes see in the church that might be off putting to somebody who has some hurts, has some needs, has some baggage, and they're coming into the church expecting something from God that can bring peace, joy and love into their life. But when they come through the door, they see this vision of something that they're not sure if this is the place for them.

Bruce Peterson

Or they don't even come in the door because it's what they expect.

Andy Griess

Yeah. Our culture definitely gives us the conception that this is what you're going to find. If you come to a church, you're going to find people like this, who they act like they've got it all together, they smile, and you ask them how they're doing and they just say "Oh, never better. Life is good."

Bruce Peterson

And in my experience, I think part of that's true. So let's just deal with this, right? A lot of churches are judgmental. Certainly today, a lot of churches that get quoted or are in the news are there because the news loves to paint us as a group of judgmental people. Right? So they find the bad case scenarios and make us seem more judgmental. But to be fair, I grew up in judgmental churches. I certainly know judgmental people that go to church. I would also like to say a lot of people who don't go to church are judgmental as well.

Andy Griess

Yeah. (chuckles)

Bruce Peterson

Humans are judgmental. So the question is, is it okay if we take that judgement and put it on God and say that God therefore is judgmental because people are? So lie number one: Are you supposed to have it all together? Do you have it all together?

Andy Griess

No. No, but I look nice on Sunday morning. And that's what we do - we put on what we call our Sunday best. And if it's not dressing up, on the way to church you might have fights going on in the car, you might have arguments. Everything might be falling apart, but you step out of that car and you walk into church, you're gonna have it together.

Bruce Peterson

If your kids act out, it's like "You're gonna get it." (laughs)

Andy Griess

Of course we're going to do that. But the problem is, if you carry that over and act like spiritually and relationally I've got to be that way too. I think one of the things that the church doesn't do a good job of, because we put on those airs, is we don't open up to one another and we don't share our hurts and our struggles and our failures, and the efforts that we're making to overcome those failures. Those are things we don't talk about until we're on the other end of them and we got it all figured out.

Bruce Peterson

That's right. And I think this is a real shame. I think it's true that this is the expectation, we act like we have it all together. I think it is terribly detrimental. The message we should be talking about with every fiber of our being is that we are a group of people sojourning together on our way to heaven. We are learning from each other, we're mentoring each other, we are growing... which implies that we have growth to do. I don't have it all together, but I have it way more together than I did 30 years ago, right? I mean, there's progress. And yet I can say without any hesitation that I have farther to go. If this is a marathon, I'm about two miles in.

Andy Griess

And I think part of the struggle for a pastor and for a church member is remembering if you're 30 years into this journey, you didn't learn all those lessons and make that growth overnight - it's been 30 years of that. And more importantly, remembering that the starting point of that was God calling to you in your sin and saying "You are broken. You are my enemy because of your resistance and your rebellion. Are you ready to leave all of that behind and accept the forgiveness that I have for you? Let's start here with faith in Jesus." And if, 30 years out, you look at where you are today and you're only concerned about your own progress, then you're not part of a church because there's people coming in that are brand new every time, and they need that very first lesson.

Bruce Peterson

And I think when we have that attitude, we look at the church and we don't see how we fit in when the fact is, if you have 15 years in you have advice you can give. You have support you can give. You've made progress. How did you make it? Sit next to someone who's clearly entering the church and say, "Listen, I'm not here to judge you. I'm here to tell you if you hang in there for 15 years, here's what it took me. You can do this!" We can all be encouragers instead of judgers. We can all own our sojourning progress and really contribute significantly to other people's lives.

Andy Griess

Yeah, and I think we should have the attitude that "If it took me 15 years to learn this, I want to make sure it doesn't take that guy 15 years because I'm going to take those things that I learned the hard way and give him a hand up."

Bruce Peterson

Yeah. And the other side of that coin is, I'm not going to expect him to make in four months the progress that took me 15 years. Or, I'm not there yet, I'm faking, and he better really turned around and yet I have all this secret stuff going on. So we agree that's a lie - you shouldn't have it all together, but we do also agree that the church is a place where you can make progress.

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Andy Griess

Yeah, absolutely. Line number two says that "everybody's life is perfect except for yours". I think that's what comes out of church, people pretending they got it all together. It leaves people coming in with this idea that everybody's got it figured out. And so it says, "You keep your messes and your wounds and your secrets safe behind closed doors."

Bruce Peterson

That's right. So the idea is if I come to church believing that everyone's telling me the truth and I'm going to church to find help because I have problems, but I get there and they're all saying they're fine, then somehow God has forgotten about me. They have power I don't have, they have blessings I don't have, somehow there's a gap between me and God because clearly if you're doing fine, you're healthy, you're wealthy, you are blessed, your children obey you every time, you have perfect self discipline...

Andy Griess

This must be a place for people who have it all together.

Bruce Peterson

...or God has lost me somehow. So that's terribly detrimental. Again, James says to confess your sin to one another because love covers a multitude of sins. Love like church should be a place where we acknowledge that we're sojourners. Paul says, "Listen, I know you want to give up. I know your tears. And I'm telling you, hang in there, suffer with me. Do the long haul." Paul himself says "I haven't arrived yet, but I have to get up every day and forget yesterday and press on to what God has called me for." Like, this is hard. Living by faith is hard. The world does a great job trying to suck us in. And if it's a war, there must be a battle. Like God describes it, our battle is not against flesh and blood. But again, if there's a real battle and none of us are struggling, then it's not even a battle.

Andy Griess

And this is one of the key reasons why the church is so important - because if every one of us has to start off that huge battle with just whatever we've got, it's overwhelming.

Bruce Peterson

It's overwhelming.

Andy Griess

When I do pre-marriage counseling, when I'm getting a couple ready for marriage, I'm gonna tell them marriage is the hardest thing that you've ever done, but you're not the first person that's had to go through all of that. This church is filled with people who've been married 20 years, 35 years, 60 years. And if you're a part of this body and you're getting to know these people and your lives are connected and you're raising kids together, somebody here has gone through that and failed, and they can tell you why they failed or did it successfully. And they can tell you what the keys to success were. But being connected to a group that isn't just pretending, we've got it all together, that's open and sharing, that's the thing.

Bruce Peterson

Honest, open and growing, that's our theme, right? But getting people to actually do it is much trickier than putting it on the wall.

Andy Griess

In the question that was sent to us, they keyed in on the second verse which says "There's a sign on the door that says come as you are, but I doubt it. Because if we live like that was true, every Sunday morning pew would be crowded. But didn't you say the church should look more like a hospital, a safe place for the sick, the center and the scared and the prodigals like me."

Bruce Peterson

And that's going to come out of passages like this. Jesus in Matthew 9:10-12 says this: "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?' On hearing this, Jesus said 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick. But go and learn what this means - I desire mercy and not sacrifice. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'." So out of that idea comes this idea that churches should be hospitals. How do you react to that?

Andy Griess

It comes from this idea that Jesus said, "I came for those who are sick." And I take that to mean - we're all sick.

Bruce Peterson

Yeah, that's right.

Andy Griess

He came for those who are willing to recognize that they are sick.

Bruce Peterson

When he says "I'm not here for the righteous". He means the self-righteous.

Andy Griess

If you consider yourself to be righteous, you don't need any help, you're going to stay where you are for the rest of your life - Jesus has no help for them. His help is for those who recognize that they're sick, that's why you go to a hospital. And the church was founded with people who recognize that they're sick. They found that Jesus had the answer. He's forgiven their sins, His spirit now lives in them, they've been given new life. They have now a mission to be the light of the world to take the message of Jesus to the world. They're to go to the rest of the sick and say, listen, if you recognize you have needs Jesus is the answer. We found him. We're learning to be what he called us to be. And we want you to join us wherever you're at. Jump right in and let's go. So it should be in some sense, a functional hospital.

Bruce Peterson

A functional hospital, that's the key. So the full range of a hospital is not just an emergency room, right? Our message isn't just, "Hey, Jesus forgives sin, so just sit in the pews, be as sinful as you want with no expectation of health, you're here simply for forgiveness." I think that's wrong, the church isn't just an emergency room. A hospital's not just an emergency room. You have the emergency room, and people who need real help should feel totally welcome, that's where they can go for help. Then you go from the emergency room to a care room, you get your own room maybe on floor two and three. And then four, you go to rehab. The goal is to leave the hospital healthy or at least relatively healthy, right? It's the whole gamut. So yeah, you should have people who aren't judged. You should be able to come in because you don't know the message of grace and what God's love can do for a person. At the same time we're all patients, but we're all also doctors, we need to help and we should have an expectation of growth, and we are the light of the world. So we can't stay people who need an emergency room. We have to move all the way to people who are just coming for a little rehab and we're leaving healthier to go reach our world.

Andy Griess

And just to kind of wrap things up: if the church is going to be that kind of a hospital, the goal of everybody should be, "I'm gonna take what Jesus has done for me, and I need people in this town to know that if they're broken and sick they don't have to stay there. There's a place where they can come." And so the people that have been healed are the ones who reach the rest.

Bruce Peterson

That's right. In this whole song. I think Matthew West is pushing the church to be real. Be sojourners, don't be fake. If we all own our issues, then we can demonstrate a real process and real progress, and then we can actually be real help to those who need it. So people who need help - all of us, but some desperately - should be able to come sit in our pews, get our healing, get our help, because we have all gotten help. We should offer help instead of judgment, and we should have a "in" door and "out" door. You come in sick and you leave a little healthier. And if we do that for the course of our life, we'll make a huge difference.

Andy Griess

And I think the reason this song kind of conveys a sense of sadness is because the world knows this is what the church should be. It should be our vision as the church that we want to be the light that Jesus intends us to be.

New Music Monday - Cain, Jeremy Camp, Riley Clemmons and more

new to our rotation

“Did He move every mountain?
Did He part every sea?
Yes, He did
So yes, He can
Did He defeat the darkness?
Did He deliver me?
Yes, He did
So yes, He can
Yes, He did
So yes, He can”

Whatever May Come - Jeremy Camp and Adrienne Camp

“I will call
I will call upon You
Whatever I face
You are with me
I will fall
I will fall on my knees
For every heartbreak
You will hold me
You will hold me”

“Come on and keep on hoping when the days get dark
Keep on singing, don't you ever lose heart
Lift your eyes, the One who gave you life will give you
Strength to keep on going, so keep on hoping”

the 180remix countdown - saturdays at 9:00pm

“You're here tonight
You're here tonight
Yeah You are here tonight
I can feel You fill the room
When You hear us calling you
Our praises all to You
Yeah You are here tonight”