The church is not a top-down, hierarchical institution.  Leadership and power, in the Body of Christ, does not lord itself over others, but exercises itself through service.  Therefore, our organizational flow chart is not a pyramid, where a few exercise authority over the many, but a circle, where vision and servant leadership resonates and expands outwardly from the leadership to the congregation.

Elders, described in the New Testament as overseers and shepherds, are called to care for and lead God’s People.  At Crossroads, the Elders pray, teach and provide pastoral care, as well as leadership and oversight for the church’s staff and ministries.

The Staff is accountable to the elders and is responsible for executing the elder’s vision and carrying out the day to day and week to week

operations of the church.

The Deacons are accountable to the Elders and serve as “ministers of mercy” – coming alongside of people in stressful situations by meeting physical and financial needs, and helping them to access resources.  The deacons also help people with budgeting, as well as housing and job search needs.

In the years ahead, we hope, by God’s grace, to pursue growth and faithfulness in these areas:

Invest in Younger Generations.  A recent study reveals that 59% of kids who attend church as teenagers are walking away from the faith.  As a church, we are asking the question, “What makes faith stick?”  We are currently in the process of developing a strategy for helping our kids develop a “Sticky Faith.”.  This involves providing quality children’s and youth ministry environments and programs with consistent leaders who are relationally invested, encouraging and equipping parents to be the primary spiritual leaders of their kids, and providing opportunities for whole families to worship, grow and serve together.

Connect people with meaningful service opportunities.  We believe Jesus when He says that we “find our lives by losing them” in service to others (Luke 9:24).  We also believe that each believer is fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139) and equipped with gifts and talents      

(I Peter 4:10, Matthew 25) in order to build up the Body of Christ (Ephesians 4) and draw the world’s attention to God (Matthew 5:14-16).  Therefore, we are committed to calling people to lives of service, and helping to connect people with opportunities to serve both inside and outside the church.

Define & Engage our Mission Field.  Jesus said to His disciples, in Acts 1:8:

When the Holy Spirit comes on you, you will be able to be my witnesses in Jerusalem, all over Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.

Jesus’ words illustrate how the gospel is not secret to be kept, but a life-giving message that is meant to be shared.  Indeed, in the disciples’ lifetimes, it went forth, in ever-widening concentric circles that shattered both geographic and cultural barriers.  God is calling us to do the same, to reach our neighbors, both near and far, with the healing and reconciling message of Jesus.

The prophet Jeremiah wrote, “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.  Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”  We recognize that our calling, both as Christians, and as the church, is to be a demonstration plot of the

Kingdom of God in our community.  To that end, we:

• Pray for, develop relationships and share Jesus with the people of our community
• Share God’s love with our neighbors in practical ways
• Work together with other churches, ministries, organizations and agencies for the common good of our community and its citizens.

Below is a map of our “neighborhood.”

Crossroads is the only church inside of the highlighted area!