I Was Wrong…
Seven years ago my husband and I planted a church. My husband was the only staff member and the church office was in our 1800 square foot home. We were stretched. Stretched emotionally, stretched physically, stretched mentally, stretched financially and stretched spiritually. The Monday morning after our first service I remember the feeling of true fear we had knowing another service was just 7 days away.
I have an abundance of vivid memories from those first few months. But one memory that stands out the clearest is an intense moment of fellowship my husband and I had the Tuesday evening after our first public service. When we launched Cross Point Pete felt strongly that every first time visitor who came through the doors and filled out a welcome card would receive a hand written note… and I mean EVERY first time visitor.
The intense moment of fellowship occurred because I told him his expectation of hand writing every first time visitor was crazy…. insane! How could he keep up? He was writing over 50 that first week alone. As I sat in our family room addressing those 50 envelopes I had a little conversation in my head where I acknowledged that I’d married a certifiable crazy person if he thought he was going to be able to pull this off as Cross Point grew.
It’s not that I thought the hand written notes were a bad idea… they were a sincere heart-felt gesture on his part. From day one of Cross Point we valued the importance of a personal touch. I appreciated his sincerity and his heart, I just saw how much pressure he was under, all the responsibility resting on his shoulders and thought something as small as a hand written note wasn’t “priority.”
As I’m sure you’re beginning to see he continued his hand written notes each week, every week only handing them off as campus pastors have been hired to help shepherd campuses. Through the years we’ve received so many positive responses in regards to the hand-written notes.
The value of a personal touch has truly shaped the DNA at the core of Cross Point.
So, here we are… Cross Point is 7 years old and every first time visitor still receives a hand written welcome note from a pastor.
I was wrong… ONCE. 
Any of you have a “wrong” ministry moment you’d like to share?
34 Responses to “I Was Wrong…”
So wrong…
I remember getting a note from Pete the first time I visited Cross Point. It meant SO MUCH. He even mentioned that he thought I should get to know Jenni Catron. That small gesture helped get me plugged in to the church and a new circle of friends. I am so thankful.
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My biggest “wrong” moments usually center around looking at my (also certifiably crazy) church-planter husband and telling him his latest idea is “too much.”
People will think we’re trying too hard, the staff will be exhausted by it, it costs too much, etc…
Being a wise man, he listens to me (we are full partners in our ministry), prays, and looks back at me and says, “We’re gonna do it anyway.”
Gulp. And it always succeeds. ALWAYS. God blesses those extreme leaps of faith.
I’m learning to keep my mouth shut and trust Eric’s instinct, which is a direct result of the HAND OF GOD on my husband.
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March 30th, 2010 at 8:05 pmI’m still learning to keep my mouth shut too! But like you, I’m thankful that Jud listens to my input anyway!
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Oh my goodness….Eric and I jumped head long into full time Christian service 3 years ago…..right off the bat his schedule was full and he made the decision to write everyone who sent us a support check a personal note except it wasn’t a note it was a letter. I suggested a generic letter with a personal note at the bottom…..no that would not do….and I, like you have had to eat those words…so many people have commented about how Eric goes out of his way to send letters!
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March 30th, 2010 at 8:04 pmThose personal touches do go a long way. I know I love personal letters much more than form letters. But that is lots of work … kuddos to your husband!
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Brandi honestly that is what has impressed me about Pastor Pete. The first time I wrote on his blog he sent me an email. It floored me. I have been fan from that moment. I was someone he did not know but yet he took the time to write a small word of encouragement. I have never forgotten it.
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March 30th, 2010 at 6:29 pmI don’t say this because I’m married to him… but he’s a pretty great guy!
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WOW! I nearly fell on the floor when I read your post and all your lovely comments – I can see why you thought he was crazy that’s loads of writing. I also read your post to my husband! We are too new in ministry to have any “I was wrong” moments to share, I am sure we have loads to come, but thank you for sharing yours. We’ve having a very discouraging week of wondering if our little baby church is ever going to grow! Your post has really inspired both Eric & I and we are full steam ahead no matter what! Thanks so much & please post lots more about things you’ve leanred along the way, we really need to hear from people like you who are further ahead in this journey than us! Thank you SOOO much xxx
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March 30th, 2010 at 6:30 pmPraying for you and Eric, Angela. I love that you’re full steam ahead. Just keep doing what you’re called to do!
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March 30th, 2010 at 8:03 pmStick in there Anglea! I know it is tough. Joining Brandi in praying for you guys right now!
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March 30th, 2010 at 8:01 pmOooh I’ve been wrong many, many times!
I think one of the biggest was when I told Jud he was nuts to have Mr T at a big buzz event we were doing. I thought it was going to be a bust. He just kept saying: trust me. I should have … and should have kept my mouth shut. It was huge, and LOTS of people came to Christ.
I think being kinda crazy is part of being in leadership. Being willing to jump out there and try “crazy” stuff to connect the unconnected to Christ.
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That personal touch is so special!!!!! I admire him for taking the time to do that. He is leading by example!
I can only imagine how thoughtful he is with you, if he is that thoughtful with the visitors at church.
So, after reading your post, I’m off to write some notes:)
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I cannot believe you actually admitted you were wrong. I bet those words tasted pretty bitter coming out of your mouth.
Thank you for your kind words babe. I love you. Couldn’t do this without you.
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Oh wow, I’m not sure which situation to write about…I’m often eating my own words! ha! I do believe I (somewhat) have the gift of discernment when it comes to people and my husband usually listens to me in that area. On the other hand, he is a BIG dreamer, full of vision and passion and I’m usually wrong when I try to get him to “scale it down” a bit!
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I was wrong to think that my job had to be done a certain way, ie ALL BY ME! I am realizing the importance of empowering others to do the work of the ministry – the ministry I lead. Just because I lead it doesn’t mean it’s all done by me.
Can I get an amen?
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Amen. Amen. This has been a hard lesson for me. But I’m finally getting it!
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The “personal touch” has truly blessed many lives as we get to celebrate with yall on the many campuses that Cross Point continues to reach in and around Nashville. I would say its been a contagious DNA!
So awesome- great wisdom as my husband and I begin church planting.
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The power of the hand-written note is such a part of our culture. I used to think he was crazy too, Brandi until I adopted the discipline in writing a personal note to all of our first time givers. When someone shares a story of what that personal note meant to them, it’s fuel to stay up late to keep writing.
For the record: you may have been wrong on that one, but you’ve been right on a lot of other things
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The hand-written note was one of the many reasons we fell in love with CP. We got one from Pete and it meant a great deal to us.
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I was on the webcast of the service the day it snowed. I made a comment on twitter about hearing it and Pete sent me a reply thanking me for “attending the service”. That made a huge impact. Although I haven’t been there yet, I have watched & listened through twitter both you & Pete along with Randy & Chris Elrod, Lindsey Nobles & Spence Smith and have been impressed by the honesty and genuineness of each of your lives.
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March 30th, 2010 at 10:24 pmBrandi, I haven’t read many blogs lately, but just so happened upon yours twice today, and I’m glad I did! I love this post – I didn’t realize Pete was still writing notes! Please don’t tell him because I’m sure we got one, however, I can’t remember! What I DO remember is the fact that my husband said, and I’ll quote exactly, “I’m on fire for Pastor Pete.” This was after the first service we ever attended in the fall of 2002 (and he grew up Catholic so that was HUGE!), shortly after it had begun meeting in Gower. I also remember after maybe just the 2nd time we were there that YOU knew my name, Kevin’s name AND our children’s names! Who does that in just one meeting with hundreds of folks attending a new church??? So, that my friend, is what made us love Cross Point so much – not just Pete, but you, too! One more quick thought on the note writing – Pete wrote Kevin a note when he went on his first DR trip – which we still have. What an incredible pastor and friend. We love you guys!
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March 30th, 2010 at 11:08 pmA friend I worked with who didn’t go to church told me about Crosspoint. She went while you all were studying, “Purpose Driven Life”. She was deeply grateful for all she learned during that series and thankful that Pete sent her a personal note. I remember thinking of all the churches I have attended over the years I never received a note from the pastor. I love the culture of Crosspoint and glad to have such wonderful leaders who really lead as examples.
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March 31st, 2010 at 1:22 amI must say that it was that handwritten note that truly sealed the deal for my husband and I when we were searching for a church home 3 years ago. We felt so special and thought of it as a true reflection of not only the church but the availability of the pastor if ever we needed his support or guidance. So, thank you to all the Crosspoint pastors and their wives for sacraficing their precious time to make your congregation feel loved and for ultimately leading us into a church that we couldn’t imagine our life without!
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Ahhh I love this Brandi! My first visit to Cross Point was at Gower with the Coke machine on the stage. I knew immediately it was home…even though it was COMPLETELY different from the Catholic beginnings I grew up with. I don’t think I filled out that I was a first-time visitor because I was afraid I’d be hunted down How silly!! Thank you so much for continuing with Pete to create a home away from home for so many. I love you guys and every single personal touch (too many to name) that you gave to me when I needed it most.
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March 31st, 2010 at 3:24 amThanks for the encouragement of seeing your beginnings as a church. Being in a small, rural community, we’d never have to write 50 notes a week, but so far my husband has visited most of the visitors to our church! And it means a lot to people to have someone who wants to listen and talk. It’s been weird/hard for me to read some of these posts knowing we may never make it to multiple staff (so I’ll never have a peer) because of the size of our community. But I know I can’t be the only rural pw out there! So, really, thank you for writing for me and for all of these women. I’d love to hear more about small town (our pop. is 2000) churches/church planting.
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We are not a small town, but a small church at this time. The one thing I took away from this post is if they can do it as large as they are. I have no excuses!
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April 1st, 2010 at 6:22 amOne of the main reasons we started Leading and Loving It is to help connect Pastor’s Wives, because you are totally right …. some may not have the opportunity to connect with or serve alongside another PW. And, know that those of us in large churches often feel very isolated as well.
That is why I’m grateful that we can all connect here. That no matter where our churches are, how big they are, what denomination they are part of … we are still part of a kind of sisterhood … understanding and supporting each other!
So, hang in there, friend!
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Love it! I think I have the same problem as many of you have expressed as well, I always tell my “dreamer” to scale it down!
Church planting is a process and it is so good to have the guidance and wisdom from this group of ladies!
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We visited Cross Point for the first time in November of last year. We have followed your blogs and when we knew we were in Nashville for the weekend, we made sure to stop by Cross Point. It may have been video blog of Pete on the roof that time he was trying to fix it that sold us. We were convinced he was our type of people. The really awesome ending to the trip was receiving the hand written note from Jenny, thanking us for coming. I work for a church and we do contact any new people but I assure you it has never been done by hand. The personal touch was pretty awesome.
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Oops. I spelled Jenni’s name wrong. Sorry, Jenni.
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I know this is an old post, but I have been so busy, I have been neglecting blogs…I am catching up.
Tom and I were at the very first service that hot May day at the Bellevue Community Center. I am sure we got a note, I truly don’t remember either.
What I do remember, was several years later, when I was pregnant with somebody, I don’t remember which of the 6…4 or 5 I am sure, anyway, Tom was out of town a lot with Reba. I will never forget the note that I got from Pete. It was a note that said he was thinking about our family and how we were doing with Tom gone. He knew how difficult it was on me, and if there was anything He or Crosspoint could do to ask, and that they were praying for us.
I have NEVER forgotten that note. I know I still have it. That note really saved my sanity during an insane time. It was an answer to prayer for me. I knew I wasn’t alone when I felt very alone.
I knew how blessed we were to have found Crosspoint.
Although the church has grown in leaps and bounds, and I never really see you very much anymore, on Sundays, I feel so blessed that you and Pete stepped out on faith and started CP! Please know that our family continues to pray for your family!
We truly love you guys!!
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Lindsey – I forgot that I need to credit Pete for that introduction. I’m thankful too!
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