Equipping the Saints & Encouragement for the New School Year

August 18th, 2025

Equipping The Saints launches on August 26th! If you’re new here, Equipping The Saints is our time for parents to connect (especially if you’re new) and receive and process some helpful content for your marriage, parenting, and walk with God. 

 

This semester we’re starting with “3 Ways To Win In Your Home This Year” It will be one of my most important messages of the year for parents so I want to get it to you right as we kickoff. 

 

The men will meet at 6:00am and the women at 8:15. Both of these meetings will happen in the Next Steps area of the church (Worship Center Lobby). Please use the new Middle School Entrance and someone will be there to direct you to the right location!

 

Can’t wait to see you. 

 

 

Well, the school year is here. 

 

That means everything has quickly shifted into high gear and your patterns are already beginning to set in stone. 

 

As a college minister I used to tell our college students, “Who you meet in your first four days on campus will determine what you do the first four weeks for fun, which will set the course for who you become over the next four years.”

 

We are creatures of habit and those habits form quickly. That being said, I want to throw out 10 habits you can build (or start building) in the next 10 weeks that will set the tone for the next 10 months of your life. 

 

This one is a little long, and they won’t all be this way, but hopefully you’ll find it helpful.

 

  1. Read the Bible every day

 

Most of us want to read the Bible every day, but how often do we skip a day here and there, or maybe a week or two? Think of your Bible reading like food. No one “skips a day here and there” by happenstance with food. And certainly no one misses a week or two. God’s Word is bread to our hearts, minds, and souls. 

 

  1. Move slow with God every day

 

You’ll be surprised by what God teaches you when you move slow with Him. Create some space to be in quiet and without distractions. This may be tough with kids running around, but it’s worth it. I go on a walk in our neighborhood almost every night and my goal is to 100% turn my attention to God with no distractions. In the slowness, He teaches us wisdom.

 

  1. Pray scripture every day

 

Don’t know how to pray? Pray the Bible! You can take almost any passage and turn it into a prayer to God. “God you say, ‘_________.’ Please let that be true in my life.”  Start by praying the armor of God over yourself and your family members (Ephesians 6:1-10)

 

  1. Be at church every Sunday

 

This is easier said than done, especially when life gets busy. Pre-decide that you’ll be at church every Sunday. If you’re looking for a church home, here are the service times at Cross Church:

 

Fayetteville Campus

  • 8:00

  • 9:30

  • 11:15

 

Springdale Campus

  • 9:30

  • 11:00 (Español)

 

Pinnacle Hills Campus

  • 9:30

  • 11:00

  • 12:30 (Español)

 

  1. Be present and active at church

 

I think the term used to be “Back Row Baptist?” I don’t know, I grew up Catholic. 

 

Anyway, when you go into the Sunday morning gathering, be active. Meet people, engage in worship, bring your Bible. Don’t just slip in and slip out without engaging with others. Be there with your whole heart and give God a chance to minister to you, and look for opportunities to minister to others.

 

  1. Join a small group

 

Small group has been one of the most foundational components of my life with Christ. I met the guy who led me to Jesus in a small group. Some of my best friends in the world were in various small groups we attended and those friends also called me into greater leadership. They knew me and held me accountable.

 

Joining and investing in a small group this year will set you up for spiritual health for years to come.

 

  1. Get serious about dealing with any ongoing sin in your life

 

Sin can be active in two ways in our lives–omission and commission. 

 

There’s sin we commit by doing what we’re not supposed to do (commission)

There’s sin we commit by not doing what we’re supposed to do (omission)

 

Sin corrupts us. When there’s sin we know about and we neglect, it’s like we’re neglecting a rotting spot in our heart, soul, and mind. Get serious about dealing with that sin! 

 

  1. Enter into a discipleship relationship

 

I’ve heard it said that everyone needs a Paul, a Barnabas, and a Timothy.

 

Paul was a disciple maker. You need someone investing into your life. 
Barnabas was an encourager. You need a friend to encourage you toward faithfulness.
Timothy was a young leader. You need someone you’re investing into.

 

Having these three relationships will strengthen you and your faith beyond what you can imagine. 

 

  1. Share what God is doing in your life with someone else once a week

 

Talk about stretching, right? What if, in between talking about the news, weather, and sports, you inserted a little about what God taught you in your Bible reading? It’s challenging and potentially awkward, but as we dive deeper into God’s Word, what’s in us will start to come out of us. Don’t be afraid to let the overflow of what God is doing in your life spill onto the people around you.

 

  1. Ask God for help

 

I don’t know where you’re at. Perhaps all of this sounds daunting. Maybe you’re spot on with everything. Either way, I’m confident that the next season of your life will rise and fall on how often you ask God for help. Will you humble yourself and seek Him out? Or will you do things your own way? 

 

With every confession of need for God, we’re being drawn into a deeper relationship with Him and therefore firmly rooting ourselves where we’re created to be–near Him.

 

 

All that said, I hope you have a great and fruitful year this school year. Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.

 

–Brandon Moore