Welcome!
Thank you for taking time to visit southbiscayne.com. Whether you are just checking out this “church thing” or you are a committed Christ-follower, you are welcome here. Many of the answers to your questions are just a click away. Or, you can experience the answers to your questions by checking out one of our weekend worship celebrations!
You will find that we accept you the way Christ accepts you…just the way you are! Not perfect? Neither are we!
See you this weekend!
Dr. John Cross
Pastor
I think Dr Cross is wonderful. It has been one of the best decisions of my life to begin attending South Biscayne (Church (36-year Catholic). I have finally started to ‘understand it all’. Dr Cross has the most amazing way of connecting daily life to scripture like no other. I share his teachings with everyone I know.
I have given much thought to the notion behind relentless prayer or ‘desperate praying’ as the series is named. My question concerns the belief that God has a plan for all of us. If this is true then why bother him with my needs/desires ? He will do what he has planned for me. If I persist with what I want, it seems one of two things could happen. One, I could focus so intently on this issue that I fail to see another path. Two, God could get tired of hearing the same prayer and grant me my wish and my life takes a very different turn than which was planned originally. Any thoughts ??
Comment by Aimee Brainard — November 4, 2008 @ 12:21 am
I AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT WRITTEN ABOUT “WHEN THE KINGDOM DOESN’T GROW” I AM IN A VERY SMALL TOWN IN TEXAS AND BEFORE MOVING HERE I HAD A STRONG DESIRE TO PLANT A CHURCH. OUR MINISTRY WAS MORE OF AN OUTREACH/MISSIONS MINISTRY FOR SEVEN YEARS, BUT I WAS FEELING A SHIFT TAKINGPLACE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO. THIS TOWN’S CHURCHES ARE FULL OF OLDER RETIRED PEOPLE WHO ARE HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN. THEY SPEAK OF REVIVAL AND REACHING THE LOST WITH NO ACTION. MY HEART IS TO PLANT A (CHURCH)OUTRACH/MISSION SERVICE TO REACH THE BACKSLIDER AS GOD HAS GIVEN ME THE SCRIPTURE OF JEREMIAH 3:14-15. I BELIEVE HE WILL GIVE ME ONE OF A CITY AND TWO OF A FAMILY AND THAT IS HOW WE WILL GROW. GOD IS MARRIED TO THE BACKSLIDER AND DESIRES FOR SOMEONE TO GO AND REACH THEM. THERE ARE HOMES FULL OF PEOPLE WOUNDED FROM CHURCHES AS THE NORM. OUR MINISTRY IS CALLED “LIFE & HEALING TO THE NATIONS, BUT THE CHURCH WILL BE CALLED “THE TRANSFORMATION CENTER. IT IS ABOUT TRANSFORMING LIVES BRINGING LIFE AND HEALING TO THE NATIONS OF THIS WORLD. FOR SIXTEEN YEARS I HAVE TRAVELED TO THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES MINISERING, BUT IT IS TIME TO FOCUS ON THIS SMALL TOWN OF ONALASKA TEXAS. MY HEART IS TO REACH THE LOST HERE IN THE UNITED STATES AND THE WORLD! ONLY GOD CAN PLANT THIS CHURCH AND AND BRING GROWETH FROM THE GROUND UP. THANK YOU FOR THIS INSPIRING MESSAGE. I PRAY I WILL NOT BE A SHUFFLING CHURCH, BUT ONE WHO ACTUALLY REACHES THE LOST FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD, TRANSFORMING LIVES ONE AT A TIME. I WOULD LIKE TO ASK FOR YOUR PRAYERS AS I STEP OUT IN FAITH IN THIS NEW DIRECTION OF MINISTRY. I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING I CAN’T DO ON MY OWN, IT HAS TO BE GOD!
JUDY
Comment by Judy — March 11, 2009 @ 12:55 am
Hi, I have had a desire that I want to keep asking the Lord about this way. However, I agree that He already has a great plan for me. So, I always pray first and foremost for His will to be done in my life. I surrender my life to Him, and tell him that quite frequently.( But my desire is for a “sold out” surrendered to the Lord, person to come into my life, and leave singleness behind) But, I talk to Him and ask Him about it a lot, not because of the lack of faith, but rather for comfort. I share everything with him. I want his comfort and his grace in this area while I wait. I guess it depends on why you pray in desperation. I need his strength in my weakness for this. I desire his way more than my own, so I need to stay connected to him about it, so I hear His voice loud and clear through it all, when the struggle hits. If my life is in line with the Lord and I’m surrendered I can not fail. He is a faithful, loving Father who desires to give us good things. He knows what I need and desire already, and he lavishes his blessings on us. When you know who he is, you can rest in the fact, that he will give it to you, if it is good for you. He is not like the unjust judge who had to be worn out by many requests. Praise the Lord for his goodness!!!!!!!!!! Instead, it is me who must depend on him every second of every minute of every hour of every day.
Comment by Brenda Knopp — March 12, 2009 @ 10:06 am
I must start by saying I’ve been away or without a church for some time. Not without Christ, just without a good home to visit.
My life is very troubling currently, all mixed up and flipped over. Recently moving back to FLA from ATL from FLA from ATL chasing work.
I find great comfort listening to John. I’m happy to say that I understand the divine direction given to me. I find myself as excited as a 10 year old waiting for the scheduled trip to Six Flags. I can’t wait for next Sunday!!
As for “When the Kingdom doesn’t grow” – please don’t forget those of us that have strayed or fallen away only to be revived, energized, enlightened, excited, reinvigorated and driven by the works of one man. Thank you John!
Comment by Travis Owenby — June 10, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
Pastor John,
Last week, I met you at the annual state convention meeting. You had asked if I would leave a comment about all that took place from a young guy’s perspective. Let me start out by saying this; this was my first time attending the annual meeting. I thought the speakers and workshops were excellent. The “Imagine if theme” was inspiring. I thought overall it was a good meeting. However, there were some things that concerned me. I have only belonged to a Southern Baptist Church for three years. I grew up in the Independent Baptist realm of things. One of the main reasons I left (besides the legalism) was the constant bickering between churches and people over things that do not matter in the scope of eternity. Up until this past week, I believed that the Southern baptist were group of believers unified by a common goal, proclaiming the truth of Jesus Christ. This past week I saw that somehow the proclamation of the gospel became somewhat of a divisive issue. It was during the debate that I saw this friction between progressive leaders and the more traditional pastors. During the debate I heard many men of God make statements like the following: I (name) from (a certain church)…we baptized 300 hundred last year. While I praise God for the work that he is doing through these men, I have to wonder if those statements just added fuel to the fire. It came across(at least to me) as We have done this great work therefore my opinion should be considered above the rest. While I do not believe it was intentional, it turned something wonderful into something that may have hurt the unity of God’s Church and may have even entrenched the two sides even deeper. At first I was a little disheartened by all of these things, but then I realized that I was sitting in a room full of people who are passionate about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If these men were not passionate, there would have been no debate. So the very thing that causes us division is still the very thing holding us together and will continue to hold us together. Praise God for stirring up men who are passionate about his kingdom work!!! I say all this not to complain but as a word of encouragement you. I believe with all of my heart that we are at the very gates of revival. Every time I turn on the radio or the Tv or go to a conference I hear the same message being preached “it is all about the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.
I will be praying that God will continue to grant you wisdom as you lead us this next year.
Your Brother in Christ,
Brett
Comment by Brett Pagan — November 18, 2009 @ 3:56 pm