Sundays at Crossroads: Two Services, One Family
Crossroads holds two Sunday services, at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., in person and online through YouTube. Each gathering runs about 75 minutes and centers on contemporary worship music with the occasional hymn mixed in. The preaching is expository, designed to grow listeners' knowledge of the Bible and strengthen their relationship with Jesus, and on the first Sunday of each month the congregation shares in Communion.
"Come as you are! Be relaxed or dress it up, either way we are happy to see you!" is the standing welcome for first-time guests. Parking is available in the lot at the corner of Larchmont Road and Watchung Road, and a livestream on YouTube lets anyone watch from home before walking through the door. Visitors can attend as many times as they want without obligations or pressure, and many end up making Crossroads their church home. A Connection Card makes it easy to share a name and contact information so someone from the church can follow up.
A Teaching Church Rooted in Scripture
At the heart of Crossroads is a deep commitment to the Bible as the church's final written authority. The 66 books of the Old and New Testaments are understood as the inspired Word of God "without error in the original manuscripts" and the supreme standard by which all human conduct and creeds are tried. The statement of faith is unusually thorough, beginning with the Trinity: one God eternally existing as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each distinct yet harmonious.
From there the church walks through the person and work of Jesus Christ (the eternal Son, virgin birth, sinless life, atoning death, bodily resurrection, ascension, and promised return), the ministry of the Holy Spirit (convicting, regenerating, indwelling, sealing, and sanctifying the believer), the doctrine of humanity (created in God's image, fallen in Adam, morally accountable), and salvation as a gift received by grace through faith alone. The church holds to the bodily return of Christ, a pre-millennial understanding of the end times, and the gathering of believers at the rapture.
Two ordinances are observed: Believer's Baptism by immersion and the Lord's Supper. Baptism is taught as a prerequisite to membership at Crossroads, while Communion is observed the first Sunday of each month as a memorial of Christ's death. Crossroads also affirms the spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit, given sovereignly "as He wills."
Worship is meant to be "spirit led and participatory," and the Father seeks worshippers "in spirit and in truth." The church's vision, drawn directly from Proverbs 29:18, is to be "the presence of Jesus Christ in the Union area." Four pillars spell out how: Jesus at the center of all the church does, learning God's Word as a high priority, building a diverse community that reflects the makeup of the surrounding area, and making a difference both locally and globally through evangelism and missions. The church's core values add that God's people are a diverse group who meet both in large gatherings on Sundays and in small groups in homes during the week, and that cultural relevance matters, so long as the Word of God is never compromised.
Family is a core value too. Crossroads is committed to an atmosphere that strengthens marriages, parents, and children, and to strong youth and children's ministries. The Bible is taught as the final written authority rather than the traditions of the church, and creativity, technology, and available resources are used to make Jesus Christ known.
Kids and the CHAOS Youth Ministry
Crossroads invests heavily in the next generation. The children's ministry, called Crossroads Kids, runs during both Sunday services and treats parents as the primary disciple-makers, with the church coming alongside to support families. Every volunteer who works with children is background-checked and trained in safety.
The nursery is available during both services for children from birth through age 4, with drop-off allowed anytime during the service. A large TV in the nursery shows the service so parents who stay with younger children don't miss the message. Children ages 5 through 12 join their families for the worship portion of the service and are then dismissed to their classrooms. Sunday School is split into K through 2nd grade and 3rd through 6th grade groups and currently uses the Brite Curriculum, an interactive program designed to help kids understand who Jesus is and how to live for Him. Snacks are offered, with accommodations for allergies and dietary restrictions noted at check-in.
For teenagers, the youth ministry is called CHAOS, and it meets every Wednesday night from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Led by Youth Director Sidney Bowie, CHAOS offers a space where teens can dig into Scripture, play games, share snacks, and build friendships. Monthly outreach events extend the ministry beyond the church walls, and CHAOS maintains its own Instagram page where teens and parents can keep up with what is coming up. The youth ministry is described as a safe, fun, and engaging place for teens to grow in their faith, and it is staffed by volunteers who have gone through background checks and safety training.
Community Groups in Living Rooms
If Sunday is the large gathering, community groups are the daily heartbeat of Crossroads. Most groups meet weekly in the home of a group member (usually the leader's home) and are kept to about 12 people so that relationships can grow. The groups are designed to help people move from Sunday messages into the rest of life, reading the Bible together, praying for one another, and supporting each other through ordinary rhythms of the week. Crossroads encourages anyone interested to sign up, and the church tries to help open a new group whenever current ones are full.
Equip Classes: Going Deeper
For people who want a little more structure, Crossroads hosts Equip Classes on campus. These short-term classes cover topics like marriage, parenting, doctrine, and Christian living, and many of them offer childcare so parents can attend. The classes rotate throughout the year, with current offerings listed in the church's events.
Serving Together
The church takes seriously the call to serve one another and the wider community. A CARE team reaches out to families in need, prays with them, and offers encouragement, including hospital visits when someone is facing a serious health situation. Other serving teams include Worship, Production, Safety and Security, Facilities, Social Media, Evangelism, Servants, and Missions. New volunteers can fill out a serving form, and a ministry leader will follow up to help them find a good fit. Crossroads frames serving as something done together as a family, with Jesus as the model, and teaches that when people are serving others, they grow in their faith and develop their spiritual gifts.
Beyond the church's own walls, Crossroads supports local and global missions through prayer, giving, and going. The missions fund is part of the church's annual budget, and the congregation is encouraged to stay informed about partner organizations and short-term mission opportunities. The church is committed to evangelism both locally through relationships and going into the community with the Gospel, and globally through missions by being informed, praying, giving, and going.
Prayer, Counseling, and Pastoral Care
Prayer is woven through the life of Crossroads. "In every situation, we pray first," the church says. A prayer request form is available for anyone who would like the church to pray for them, and a Prayer Network keeps members in the loop about ongoing needs so they can pray specifically for one another throughout the week. The church also partners with Selah Christian counseling to refer people to licensed Christian counselors for emotional and psychological support, and offers premarital counseling for engaged couples who want to invest in their future marriage. For those facing health crises, the CARE team is ready to visit, pray, and provide encouragement.
Giving with Open Books
Crossroads is open about its finances. The church's annual report and proposed budget are available to the community, and a monthly financial update is published showing general fund and missions fund giving against monthly needs. Giving is available online through the church's giving platform, by texting any amount to 84321, and in person during services through offering boxes. The most recent published figures show the general fund running ahead of its monthly need and the missions fund receiving roughly its target on a yearly basis.
A Diverse Family Across Union
Perhaps more than any single program, Crossroads is shaped by a vision of being a diverse community of believers that reflects the ethnic and cultural makeup of its local area. The church teaches that every believer is a minister, and it works to equip, train, and raise up leaders who can be sent out to serve Jesus Christ both within the church and beyond it. From the Sunday gathering to the Wednesday night youth ministry to the small groups in homes across Union, the same thread runs through everything: love for God, love for people, and a desire to make a tangible difference in the community the church calls home.