“Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” is an old Yiddish adage meaning, “Man Plans, and God Laughs.” I’ve been reminded of that as I’m wrapping up the last few days of the sabbatical graciously granted by our Crossroads District Board of Administration.

Things did not go exactly as had planned. The two-week study tour in Israel with Dr. Jim Garlow was canceled at the last moment for obvious reasons. We continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and stand with Israel in this time of tragedy and conflict.
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With that unexpected cancellation, we scrambled and found last-minute tickets on a transatlantic cruise from London to New York City. One delightful surprise was to discover that Rev. David and Suzanne Cox, Laketon Wesleyan Church, were on the same cruise. Ask Pastor Dave about our bumper car experience.

Our cruise was intended to include a stop in Bermuda, but once again plans were changed. Hurricane Tammy decided to visit Bermuda at the very same time we were scheduled to dock there. Our captain wisely rerouted the ship, and we made an unexpected stop in Halifax Canada before landing in New York.
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We arrived home just in time for me to begin the second chapter of the sabbatical plan. I flew to Zambia to participate in a two-week training course called Leadership Matters. I had a wonderful first weekend with Bishop Juden Siachetema and his team. Unfortunately, my body reacted poorly to the malaria medicine or to some of the local delicacies. Wisdom dictated returning home one week earlier than planned.

I’d only been home a few days when I received the unanticipated news that my stepmother, Mrs. Merle Gorveatte, had passed away at her home in New Brunswick Canada. My father and Merle were married in their 80s and enjoyed five years together until Dad passed away last fall. I was able to make arrangements to travel there to connect with our extended family and to bring remarks at her funeral service. Obviously, I would have been unable to do so if I had remained for the second week of class in Zambia.
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The good news is that I’m returning from my sabbatical both refreshed and inspired. I was able to see God work in unexpected ways and unforeseen circumstances. In all these twists and turns, God once again proved himself to be more than faithful and always good.

I worshiped with Anglicans in a cathedral in England (Winchester Cathedral was dedicated in 1093), with a Catholic priest in the music room of a cruise ship, with a vibrant Wesleyan congregation overflowing a concrete block building in Africa, and with thriving Wesleyan churches here in Indiana. God is on the move!

Sherry and I enjoyed relaxing walks in England, Portugal, and the Canary Islands. We enjoyed unplugged days and leisurely conversations during our two weeks at sea. I was able to catch up with relatives and friends for visits that were long overdue. My reading list ranged from Michael Hyatt’s life planning resources to Jim Cymbala’s recent book, Fan the Flame.

The last days of my sabbatical coincided with our family Thanksgiving gathering. It was a blessing to have all four of our children and their families in our home for this celebration. We were able to celebrate the 80th birthday of Sherry’s father, Rev. Bob Wilkerson and to receive the exciting news of another grandchild arriving next summer.

I thought my sabbatical plan was good but I’m glad that God’s plan was much better!

Special thanks to Dr. Chris Williams, Assistant DS, for his point leadership at the district office during my sabbatical. Thank you also to Michael Wood, District Administrator, Rev. Kalina Carlson, Executive Ministry Partner, Dr. Craig Thurmon, District Secretary, and Rev. Matthew Trexler, District Treasurer, for the important roles they continued to play in my absence. Thank you to Rev. Carla Working, DBMD Chair, and our Circuit Riders, Rev. Mark Atkinson, Dr. Jim Lo, and Dr. David Smith for their guest articles in our weekly team update. I’m grateful that we’re blessed with such a great district team!

Sherry and I can’t wait to see so many of our pastors and their spouses at one of our four Christmas gatherings coming up over the next two weeks of December!

​Please join us in prayer for Follow ‘23 coming up in four weeks. May this rising generation of our Wesleyan churches encounter our mighty God in a fresh and powerful way at this event!

Keep on making a difference in the cause that counts for eternity!

Your servant in Christ,
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Mark Gorveatte

Crossroads District Superintendent

This week’s team update is a guest post by Rev. Dr. David Smith, one of our dedicated Circuit Riders serving the Crossroads District.

How wonderful to be part of a team sport. Yes, Team Crossroads! God the Father is the owner. Jesus is the player-coach and calls all the plays against the “flaming arrows of the devil.” The most interesting part of the game is when He calls an audible which we never saw coming. But His wisdom and knowledge of the game takes us in a direction we never would have imagined. And thankfully, the Holy Spirit plays both ways; offense and defense. And never forget this, we have been recruited by Him to be on this team. Each one of us are Number 1 draft choices who He is training to think and react JUST LIKE HIM. May I humbly submit to you that His Gospel (aka, game plan) requires all of us to play. No one can stand on the sidelines or merely sit from the bench. Or even worse, to passively observe from the stands.

It is my true delight to team up with each of you in the Crossroads District; captain Mark Gorveatte, co-captain Chris Williams, all the other specialty players who contribute to the inbreaking Kingdom. Team Crossroads is baptizing our way forward this season. Each of you give of yourselves sacrificially on the practice field (aka., church office as you pray, prepare sermons, counsel, lead LBA meetings). But that is all in preparation for game day. As the stands fill with fans; both home and away; your words from the opening “call to worship” is to remind them that this game is played to an audience of “One.” Plus, there are no pew-sitters in this game. We must all continually prepare and prayerfully be ready when the Holy Spirit calls us into the game, to stand in active defiance of our only opponent; the evil one. Finally, we must protect fellow teammates with the gift of love and most profoundly to reflect the Imago Dei to the other team so they envision His mercy and holiness embodied in us. May this love and grace cause the other team to change their long held loyalty.

May I introduce you to a few of us who might be called substitute players of Team Crossroads. It is my delight to serve alongside Dr. Jim Lo, Rev. Mark Atkinson and Rev. Neftali Lopez. As you may know, we are called Circuit Riders. Our DS, Dr. Mark Gorveatte has given us a wonderfully generic job description which we can tweak based upon our individual giftings. Simply, we come alongside pastors and churches on Team Crossroads, providing encouragement, wisdom, and to “close any gap” that might be felt between your church and the District. Our overarching purpose is to serve the local church. Pastors and lay leaders, if you will let us serve you, Rev. Atkinson, Dr. Lo, Rev. Lopez and I will count it a huge privilege.

One closing thought. May I offer one more opportunity to Team Crossroads. Over the last 10 years I have been putting together material and corresponding training to teach laity in the local church how to Read-Interpret-Apply the Word in Bible study groups. It is also in these groups that we hold one another accountable in Wesley-style class meetings or Bands. Our goal should not be merely to teach people the contents of the Word, but to create a culture of radical transformation where the Word becomes authoritative and the Spirit Himself is the true shaper of our hearts and minds. If your church is interested in the material, please see www.TrueNorthBibleStudy.com. It’s all free. This website contains a full version of an online Kingswood University class with extensive videos. Finally, a recent addition to the website is the Spanish translation of the True^North workbook.

In Jesus’ joy,
Rev. Dave Smith

Ps. Below you will find the “Box score” for all the games being played this past weekend in local churches. And may I say…this is not a game but real life. Eternal life actually.

It's wonderful to celebrate lives being #MadeNew throughout the Crossroads District! Pastor Jacob Gibson and the team at LifeSpring Church in Richmond celebrated 24 baptisms throughout both campuses this weekend!
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​Pastor Scott McDermid and the team at Six Points Church in Sheridan celebrated 2 more baptism this Sunday! God is on the move at Six Points Church with nearly 30 baptisms this year!

Congratulations to Pastor Josh and Megan Lavender on the happy occasion of their wedding this past weekend! Josh serves on staff as worship pastor at Trinity Church in Indianapolis.
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Registration is now open for the 2024 Heartland Gathering, April 2-5, 2024, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! The DBA has approved one $300 scholarship for each district church, designated to cover a significant portion of the registration cost for one pastoral family per church. Details regarding the scholarship were sent to lead and solo pastors. If you are a lead or solo pastor and did not receive that email, please reach out to us at [email protected]. For more information and registration, visit gathering.heartlandregion.org. REMINDER: Early bird rate ends next Monday, November 27!
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This week’s team update is a guest post by Rev. Dr. Jim "Umfundisi" Lo, one of our dedicated Circuit Riders serving the Crossroads District and Director of Prayer for FOLLOW 2023.

Please Join Us In Praying for FOLLOW 2023

Abigail Robertson of CBN News wrote an article on October 24, 2023, titled 'He's Pouring Out His Spirit: Revival and Mass Baptisms Not Slowing Down in Gen Z’.

According to Robertson, the Holy Spirit is sparking revival in the hearts of young people throughout America and this movement by God doesn't appear to be slowing down.

Jennie Allen, a Christian author and speaker, who was interviewed for the article shared, "There is something very special happening right now… I think they (young people) are hungry for God and they want God in a very real way… this is not manufactured."

Years ago, a pastor shared these words with me: "You can have revival without singing. You can have revival without preaching. But you can never have revival without prayer."

A thought I had one Saturday morning, recently, as I was praying for FOLLOW went like this: "God's presence cannot be manufactured. Though God is everywhere all at once, His mighty Presence is manifested through prayer."

Robert Coleman, noted Christian author who wrote 'The Master Plan of Evangelism' contends the following: "Anytime you see a revival, you can be sure it started in a prayer meeting."

Every week, since mid-September, a "team" of "prayer warriors" meet on Tuesday nights to pray for FOLLOW 2023. Wesley Duewel, in his book, 'Mighty Prevailing Prayer', wrote, “As you pray together, the prayer of each helps deepen the hunger for God’s answer and helps fan into flame the spirit of prayer... Faith for God’s answer is strengthened.” (132)

Technology has made it possible for the FOLLOW prayer team to meet weekly. Though miles separate us, we can still "be together". I am so thankful for modern conveniences of communication.

As this article is being written, there are approximately 165 pastors who have committed to praying for FOLLOW 2023. Would you consider joining this army of prayer warriors? If so, you can email me at [email protected].

This quote  by D.L. Moody speaks to my heart:

"I am not overstating this; the anointing is mandatory if you are called to serve The Lord. Without it there will be no growth, no blessing, no victory in your ministry. Faith is a channel through which the anointing flows."

The thought that keeps running through my heart is this: The success of FOLLOW 2023 is dependent upon the Holy Spirit working. We need God’s anointing over FOLLOW!

Many of us who are involved with FOLLOW believe that God is wanting to do something extra, extra ordinary in the lives of those who will be in attendance.

Join us in praying this prayer:

We're thrilled to celebrate God's grace in action throughout our district. Just last week, the team at College Wesleyan Church celebrated 3 baptisms and a confirmation of baptism!

Yesterday, Pastor Andy Riemersma and the team at ONE Church in Westfield celebrated 2 more baptisms!
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Pastor Sam Maddox and the team at Albion Wesleyan Church are celebrating too, having recently welcomed 7 new members to their church family. Notably, 3 of these members were first introduced to the church through a block party they held in July, a successful outreach effort developed and funded through our Next Level initiative. Our next workshop will be held February 10, 2024, at Lakeview Wesleyan in Marion. Click Here to reserve your team's spot!

This week’s team update is a guest post by Rev. Mark Atkinson, one of our dedicated Circuit Riders serving the Crossroads District.

The most important thing you and I can do is make disciples, lead people to Jesus! Nothing changes a person like Jesus! Nothing changes a family like Jesus! Nothing will change our communities like Jesus! Nothing can change our world like Jesus!

I believe it is important to HAVE FUN leading people to Jesus!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the ministry of Circuit Rider for the Crossroads District. I have met the best pastors in the world. I have met the best Christians in the world. I have met many people (in October at Mt. Etna, Southside, & Elwood) who take the great commission personally and enjoy obeying! I had the blessing of being a part of a Strategic Planning Retreat led by Dr. Gorveatte. Prayer walks, concerts of prayer, and focused prayer meetings have been a powerful blessing. While there is horrible chaos in our world, what a wonderful blessing to realize that a true revival is happening in the Crossroads District!
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Matthew 19:17-20 - When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
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I know, just as in the Scripture above, we have doubts. However, as we pray for new awareness for sharing our wonderful Savior with those we come into contact with, may we each have a humble and submissive attitude toward HIS call on our lives!

Yesterday I had the wonderful opportunity to share at the Avon 317 Church. Pastor Seth Bye is leading well as this church plant reaches their communities. As we pulled in, there was a young, smiling teenager welcoming us as well as a speaker out by the parking lot broadcasting encouraging music. Even the green waving guy set the tone for “Welcome.”

I believe that sharing the great message of transformation that is available in Jesus is the most important message we can share! AND seeing young adults seek Jesus and become fully committed followers is such a blessing! “And the joy they share as they travel there none other has ever known!”
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This week I would appreciate your prayers as I will be sharing Jesus at five churches in Cuba. I am thoroughly excited about leading folks to Jesus in such a different culture! May God be glorified!

- Mark Atkinson, Crossroads District Circuit Rider

It's such a joy to see God's hand at work in our district churches. Last week, Pastor Duane and the team at Brinker Heights Wesleyan celebrated another baptism!
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Trinity Church in Indianapolis also celebrated three more baptisms this Sunday! Praise God for lives being #MadeNew!
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Registration is now open for the 2024 Heartland Gathering, April 2-5, 2024, in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee! The DBA has approved one $300 scholarship for each district church, designated to cover a significant portion of the registration cost for one pastoral family per church. Details regarding the scholarship were sent to lead and solo pastors last week. If you are a lead or solo pastor and did not receive that email, please reach out to us at [email protected]. For more information and registration, visit: gathering.heartlandregion.org
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