CrossPoint Newsletter

Twenty Forth Edition 4/7/2025

A few years ago, I sat across from a man in his early 20s. Let’s call him John. Over coffee, John shared areas of his life where he needed repentance. It was probably our third conversation like this. This time, I pressed him lovingly: “My friend, repentance isn’t theoretical. It has to be actual. Talking about your sin is important, but it’s incomplete. What are you going to do about it?” We then proceeded to form a game plan with the steps John would take, and I committed to pray for him, cheer him on, and hold him accountable to his plan. 

John had grown comfortable with conviction. He was caught in a pattern of sin and shame. The good news for John (and the rest of us) is that because Jesus died, rose, ascended, and sent his Holy Spirit to dwell in the lives of every Christian, we now have the power to walk away from sin and to take steps of faith. John didn’t just need to talk about his struggles with me, he needed to change his mind and his course of action.

John isn’t the only one who’s struggled to move from conviction to action. Maybe you can relate. You want to invest in others and invite them to Jesus, but so far, you haven’t taken the first step.These past few weeks we have all been challenged to invest and invite. I wonder if you find yourself with a list of people that God has placed on your heart and in your path but no real progress. You have a desire to show and share the love of Christ but you haven’t done anything about it yet. Perhaps you have even prayed for those in your life who need Jesus but you don’t have a plan to invest in their lives or invite them to take a next step with Jesus. Let me encourage you, do something about it.

While things don’t always go according to our plans, we are still called to make plans and let the Lord establish our steps (Proverbs 16:9). Whether God calls you to uproot your life and move across the globe, or He calls you to get off the chair in your office and walk across the hall, you need a plan, a course of action. What’s your plan for investing and inviting others who need the hope of the Gospel? What will you do today? This week? 

Here’s three steps I encourage you to take:

Make A Plan. Here’s some examples of what your plan could look like.

• I will text _____ right now and invite them to coffee where I will invite them to Easter and share how God has changed my life.
• At school tomorrow, I will ask _____ if she wants to read the Bible with me.
• I will text _____ right now and invite them to Easter at CrossPoint and for lunch afterwards.
• I will bring cookies to my neighbor tomorrow and include an invite card to Easter. 

Continue In Prayer. Colossians 4:2 says, “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” Ask God to work in these individuals' lives. Pray for their physical needs but most importantly pray that God would meet their eternal need–new life in Jesus Christ!

Tell A Friend. It’s amazing what we can talk ourselves out of, and the lies that Satan will whisper to us. One of God’s greatest gifts is the church, other believers we follow Jesus with. Tell your Grow Group or a trusted Jesus-following friend what your plan is and ask them to keep you accountable. It is a privilege to share in each other’s burdens and joys.

Easter services aren’t the finish line, but they are a great opportunity for the Gospel. It wasn’t too late for John to walk in obedience and it’s not too late for you to walk in faith. Let’s step out in faith and watch God do what only He can do in drawing people to Himself. After all, God loves using ordinary people being changed by Jesus to do extraordinary things.

Jason Waller

Lead Pastor

Nomads. For all of CrossPoint Topeka’s life that’s what we had happily been. Sure, we longed for a place to set down roots and minister to our neighbors in a more permanent spot in the city, but God had been gracious in providing a free place to meet in the Church Forward building basement while we waited on His timing. In April 2024 the pastor search team for Covenant Baptist Church here in Topeka reached out to ask what it might look like to link arms in ministry. They had been searching for a pastor and heard about what God is doing in and through our church. Over the course of several months, lots of questions, many discussions, and even more prayer, Covenant Baptist Church voted in mid-January to join with CrossPoint! With that vote the process of moving from two congregations to ONE congregation, united as ONE body in Christ, to reach Topeka together began! The first Sunday in February was our first service together and the journey together continues! We’d covet your prayers for these three things: 

• Pray for continued unity and community as two church bodies become one. 
• Pray for hearts and minds to be focused on living life on mission. 
• Pray for a servant’s heart to pervade our church as we serve the body and a lost community.

Jameson Beckner

Location Pastor

On March 7th and 8th, men from across Kansas and Nebraska gathered at Webster Conference Center in Salina for the annual Church Forward Men’s Conference. The event brought together hundreds of men—seventh grade and up—for worship, teaching, fellowship, and rest. I was honored to join nine men from Hays, including my eighth-grade son, Coulter. This was our first chance to attend the conference together, and we thoroughly enjoyed it!

The conference kicked off on Friday with the first main session at 4pm, followed by a breakout session and group discussion. After dinner, the evening concluded with late-night activities, including a 3v3 Basketball Tournament, Interactive Digital Trivia, and Board Game Explosion. Saturday began with biscuits and gravy, paving the way for a full day of continued sessions, discussions, and free-time activities such as Axe Throwing, Pickleball, Spike Ball, Disc Golf, and Basketball. The final main session concluded at 3:30pm.

The central theme revolved around evangelism, emphasizing the importance of sharing the Gospel with others. Each speaker delivered compelling messages on stepping up in leadership at home, maintaining unwavering faith in a culture rapidly moving away from biblical truth, and living with unshakable conviction. The message was clear: men of God are needed now more than ever. The breakout sessions encouraged deeper exploration of these topics, followed by meaningful conversations and prayer in each church group.

One of the most impactful aspects of the weekend was the music led by CrossPoint Worship. There’s something incredibly powerful about a room filled with men singing together, encouraging one another, and committing to be the spiritual leaders God has called us to be. The unity, hunger, and movement of the Holy Spirit permeated the entire weekend.

Friday night's main session focused on the topic of “The Great DeChurching” and highlighted the pressing need for men to actively invite people back to church who have been absent for years. For many of them, a simple invitation is all that is needed for their return. One of my favorite moments was practicing the '3 Circles Evangelism' tool with my son and talking about who we could invite to church.

Church Forward continues to be an incredible partner for CrossPoint Church. These events don’t merely fill our calendars; they foster the growth of our church. And who’s the church? We are! Church Forward equips us to walk with Jesus, love our families deeply, serve our churches faithfully, and lead with integrity. That’s why we’re dedicated to encouraging individuals from every CrossPoint location to participate in what God is accomplishing through Church Forward events.

If you missed this year's Men's Conference, don't worry—next year is already in the works. Grab a buddy, clear your calendar, and go. You won't regret it.

And if you did attend, don't let the momentum stop. Stay connected with the men around you. Keep digging into God's Word. Keep growing. And keep pressing forward—because the Kingdom needs ordinary men who are being changed by Jesus, to do extraordinary things.

Let's keep moving forward—together.

Micah Sanderson

Hays Location Pastor