Our purpose
is to encourage all to make a decided effort to lift the cross of Jesus in their daily lives.  It is our goal to provide ideas and resources to help you “lift the cross” as an individual and as you gather with like-minded followers in groups.  Together we make a movement.  As we “lift” Jesus Christ and His cross work the world will be changed.

LiftingTheCross.com
An Overview
2006

General Overview
How it will work
The Dream of Community

GENERAL OVERVIEW

What started as an idea and adventure in December 2005 has brought us to a point where the pieces are fitting together in a progressively clearer picture. It feels like God is leading us step-by-step down a predetermined path. What an honor and privilege that is to sense we joining God in His work.

LiftingTheCross.com

At this juncture it seems that LiftingTheCross.com is an effort to build a community of folk who want to focus their lives and attention to raising Jesus up to the world around them.

LiftingTheCross.com will provide a catalyst to those who venture into our web space that will connect them ideas, resources and networking that will build and encourage their commitment to lifting Jesus up.

At this point in our journey it seems clear that LiftingTheCross.com is the umbrella that will cover over the following four areas:

1. Cross Community

This is connection and support area of LiftingTheCross.com. In the Cross Community there are many potential ways for people to connect and build relationships. At this point we envision

• A. Minute Men for Christ
• B. Women At The Cross
• C. Parents at the Cross
• D. Teens for Jesus
• E. Singles Following Jesus

And more.

Each group in the Cross Community will have blogs to be able to communicate with each other and over time ideas on how to start and build support groups in local communities. 

2. Cross Resources

In this area of LiftingTheCross.com there will be an ever growing number of products and resources that will supply The Cross Community. Some of these resources will be free downloads with ideas and ways to build a movement of people eager to be the hands and feet of Jesus in their world. Other resources will be affordable items to help promote Jesus Christ. Items will include art, music, and products that will enhance worship and provide visual ways to promote Jesus to the community. The dream of LiftingTheCross.com is to grow this web site to become a gathering place for Christian artists, musicians, graphic designers, sculptors, writers, etc to offer their creations for the inspiration and work of The Cross Community. The more we network, the stronger we become and the stronger the movement to lift up the cross.

3. Cross Communications

LiftingTheCross.com wants to provide ideas and practical resources that will aid in the communication of the gospel of Jesus to the world. This includes using media to draw the world to Jesus. Media will include print, audio and visual. There are many Christian media companies. LiftingTheCross.com will work at bringing these resources together to provide opportunities to The Cross Community to touch their corner of the world. 

4. Cross Quotes

LiftingTheCross.com wants to begin a collection of quotes that talk about the importance of the cross and Jesus Christ. These will come from scripture and individuals. They will be available for people to download and use.

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General Overview
How it will work
The Dream of Community
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How It Will Work:

Here are a few potential scenarios at this point in our thinking at this time to how LiftingTheCross.com can serve The Cross Community.

Men

Let’s say there are a couple of men who want to make a difference in their community for Jesus. They are friends and attend church, but are not sure what to do. These men know at least three or four other Christians men. 

The two friends call the other men together and share a vision of starting a Minute Men for Christ group. The group will meet on a regular basis and find projects to touch the world for Jesus. The group is small so the projects will start small. They might find a widow in town that needs help with her home, or a single mother whose car is in need of repair, or a local ministry that has some specific needs. The men work together to find, fund and finish the project. The group begins to think of ways to create funding so that the local church isn’t funding yet another project, but the project is funding the church. The men want to find a way to make funds that will also lift Jesus up. They discover on LiftingTheCross.com many ideas and ways to use Christian resources. They consider connecting with The Christian Journal and starting a local Christian newspaper in their community. They do some legwork to get Christian advertisers to fund the project, the paper is printed, the community is touched for Jesus and the proceeds go to fund the Minute Men projects. Soon more and more men want to get involved and the groups starts other funding projects that lift up Jesus and create more and more funds to do more and more projects.

Worship

A local church wants to have inspiring worship, but their congregation is small and they have few if any musicians. They hunger for an uplifting time of worship for their church gathering and any other function like men’s and women’s groups, or small groups in homes. At LiftingTheCross.com they find downloadable worship songs complete with music, words and inspiring photography that only need to be turned on and viewed on a video projector, TV or video Ipod. The songs provide an instant worship experience.

Business

A local Christian businessman or woman wants to use their business to lift up Jesus. It needs to be professionally done. At LiftingTheCross.com they discover various products that can be used at their place of business. They purchase “promise cards” that can be given to customers and contacts. This gives out the Word of God in a fun and inspiring way. They find some great Christian artwork or sculptures that can be displayed for customers to see. They find window posters that can be changed with the seasons. And, the Christian business discovers that there is a Christian newspaper in the area that is anxious to have their advertising.

Media

A group of Christian women want to find a way to promote Christianity to their community that will bless families. At LiftingTheCross.com they discover a Christian sitcom called “Pastor Greg.” They can purchase past episodes and take them to the local access channel at the cable TV. They arrange an agreement to have these episodes aired at various times. They contact local churches and distribute flyers announcing the program and inviting interested women to join the local chapter of Women at the Cross.

Quotes

A local church is putting together a special bulletin for their Easter service. The bulletin secretary is wanting to have a couple of powerful quotations from scripture and a famous individual to strengthen the document. She looks to LiftingTheCross.com and downloads finds just what she is looking for.

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General Overview
How it will work
The Dream of Community
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THE DREAM OF COMMUNITY

The dream of a community of people purposely and consciously lifting up Jesus Christ in their everyday life is beginning. 

The world needs Jesus Christ.  He is the only hope for mankind. He said: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” 
--John 3:14,15  

And…“when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself."
--John 12:32

Jesus does the work of drawing people to himself, but He uses His followers to be His hands and feet to bring Jesus Christ to the attention of the masses.  This can be done in a multitude of ways in everyday life. It can be done individually and corporately.  It can be done intentionally and subliminally.  But…it must be done.  The world around us needs Jesus.

LiftingTheCross.com wants to build a community of people looking for new and creative ways to present Jesus.  There will be musicians, artists, graphic designers, poets, writers, woodworkers, sculptors, video producers, and more. There will be men and women, old and young working together to lift up Jesus Christ in the world. It will be done individually and in groups.  By networking together we will become stronger in our witness and our purpose.

LiftingTheCross.com will become an umbrella website that will build and build over the months and years to include more and more of this community seeking to lift Jesus Christ up.

This is the starting call.  It’s a call for those who want to be part of an active community.

The founders are looking for you to share your skills, your creations with the world.  Have you produced music about Jesus?  Send us your CD’s.  We will post them on the website for people to have access to.  Have you produced art?  Send us pictures of what you have done to lift up Jesus in art.  We will post it on the website for all to see and purchase for use in their homes, businesses and/or churches.  Perhaps you have woodworking that lifts up Jesus.  Maybe you have sculptures that will inspire people to consider Jesus.  Have you designed posters for public places that make people think of God?  Do you have Christian clothing that makes a statement that speaks to everyone that sees it?

Are you anxious to be part of a group that is working to lift Jesus up?  There is a new men’s ministry starting called “Minute Men for Christ.”  You can find out information on how to join a group or start a group at LiftingTheCross.com.  There is a need for “Women at the Cross” groups.  We envision “Teens For Christ” and more.  The potential ways to group together are endless.  There can be writer’s groups and artist groups.  All can be under the umbrella of LiftingTheCross.com.  There will be opportunities to communicate, share ideas and to inspire.

There will be resources to help inspire.  We envision posters for your business; signs and flags for your home; window decals for your vehicles; promise scripture cards for your connections during the day; music to play and share; paintings to inspire; worship materials for your groups and so much more.

We are also wanting to have connections with Christian organizations and ministries around the world.  You will be able to connect with Christians doing ministry with truckers, racers, athletes, business people, prisons, youth, addicts, and more.  When you need help you can find it at LiftingTheCross.com.

There will be ideas and ways for your groups to raise funds for ministry.  It’s time to stop asking the churches to fund each and every ministry.  It’s time for men’s groups and women’s groups and others to be actively creating funds to do ministry.  Perhaps you will start a business in your community that can lift Jesus up and bring in funds at the same time.  Perhaps you will start a branch of The Christian Journal that will touch your community and bring in revenue at the same time.

It’s time to dream of all the creative ways we can touch the world for Jesus. He is in the business of drawing people to Himself…we are in the business of lifting Him up.

LiftingTheCross.com is starting.  We will start small, like a mustard seed, and grow to touch the world.  Help us start.  Contact our webmaster at david@liftingthecross.com and share your music, art, posters, etc. They will be posted for all to see.  Log on and see the growth in process.  Keep coming back and see what’s new and who’s new.  Share this with your friends.  Get them to log on and add to the mix. 

This is the start of a movement of people.  People wanting to find ways to make Jesus the focal point of this world.

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General Overview
How it will work
The Dream of Community
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Email Chad for more info