Lima, Ohio. Crossroads Church of God sits on South Thayer Road in a single building that also houses the Learning Tree Childcare Center and Preschool. Affiliated with the Church of God movement out of Anderson, Indiana, the congregation describes itself as an "Everyman Mentor" community: every person feels welcomed and loved, and the deeper call is to follow Jesus in everyday ways. Crossroads names that call "Apprenticeship to Jesus": a way of life lived by faith, transmitting hope, and being known by love.
Apprenticeship to Jesus
The phrase "Apprenticeship to Jesus" runs through everything Crossroads does. The church reaches for it in place of a more traditional word for following Jesus because the call of Jesus to his earliest followers ("follow me") is the same call today: come and learn his way of life. Apprentice-shaped growth unfolds in seven areas: trusting the sovereignty of God, finding identity in Christ, routinely obeying the things of God, increasingly manifesting the Fruit of the Spirit, caring for the marginalized, living more simply, and being mission-minded. A framework of "soul-shaping practices" gives shape to daily and weekly rhythms, including a brief habit of spiritual reflection each morning and evening: asking to see God's presence in the day ahead at dawn and looking back on the day's blessings before bed.
The aim of apprenticeship is transformation rather than information. Grace, in the church's teaching, is more than forgiveness: it is the power to live within God's eternal kingdom. As apprentice-disciples, members cooperate with the Spirit of God, surrender their own will, and take up practices of Jesus that they cannot yet sustain on their own. The lifelong journey is what Crossroads calls walking as an apprentice to Jesus.
Sundays on South Thayer Road
Crossroads gathers twice each Sunday morning at 775 South Thayer Road. In-person services run at 9:00 am and 10:45 am, and both services are identical in content. The 10:45 am service also streams online through the church's Online Campus, and past sermons are available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, and Vimeo.
Parking spots in the very front of the lot are reserved for newcomers. Greeters meet visitors at the doors, and a coffee and hospitality station sits to the left of the entrance. There is no dress code; visitors are invited to come just as they are. Worship blends contemporary and traditional songs. Reflection cards placed in the seat-back invite the gathered congregation to pause and write where they have seen God that week and where they may need God in the coming week; those notes are carried into the staff's weekly prayer meeting.
Sermons typically run about 35 minutes, followed by a short block of announcements. A welcome table in the lobby offers a free gift and answers questions about the church community. Journals paired with each teaching series sit in the back of the Worship Center for anyone who likes to take notes or work through study questions during the week.
Crossroads Kids, Students, and Young Adults
Crossroads describes itself as a family-oriented congregation. Children are part of the gathered body from infancy, and programs walk alongside them through each stage.
Crossroads Kids serves children from birth through fifth grade. A nursery area is set aside for infants from birth to 12 months, and additional space in the back hallway is available for families whose children are too young to sit in a classroom or would rather stay close to a parent. Children age 2 through fifth grade gather in age-appropriate classrooms at both the 9:00 am and 10:45 am services, where they experience Bible stories that point to Jesus, build friendships with peers and trusted adults, and grow in their sense of identity and value.
Crossroads Students is for middle and high schoolers, grades 6 through 12. On Sunday mornings they meet in the Loft at 10:15 am for breakfast and move to the Chapel at 10:45 am for their service. The student ministry calls itself a safe place to be accepted, challenged in faith, and reminded of who they are, with a vision for walking with students as they discover Jesus, their God-given identity, and formational relationships.
A Young Adults group gathers the 18-to-28-year-olds of the church for community. The group runs its own Facebook page and Instagram feed, and conversation about joining can start with the Communications and Media Director.
Life Groups and the Ministry of Helps
Life Groups are the chief on-ramp for adults at Crossroads. Small groups are organized around life stage and shared interests, and the church frames Life Groups as a key part of being "known by love," a way to be encouraged and to pursue a deeper life with God. Anyone interested in joining can fill out a connection form, and a group leader will follow up to help with the match.
For those who would rather serve than be served, Crossroads runs a Ministry of Helps. The team steps outside the walls of the church to assist local people with hands-on projects such as helping someone move, installing a wheelchair ramp, or fixing an appliance. On the short-term missions side, the Ministry of Helps has partnered with Samaritan's Purse and other organizations for disaster relief, most recently responding in the Indian Lake region of Ohio. A Director of Missions sits on staff to coordinate this work. Other serving teams include Worship and Tech, Crossroads Kids and Students, and Welcome and Hospitality.
The Learning Tree Since 1981
On the right side of the Crossroads building, the Learning Tree Childcare Center and Preschool has been a fixture of Lima family life since 1981. State licensed and trusted by families throughout Allen County, the program serves children from 18 months through 16 years of age. Teachers prepare young children for kindergarten through academic lessons, and a monthly children's chapel led by Pastor Jason, Ashley, Pastor Jake, and Pastor Brian weaves in Bible verses, prayers, and music.
For school-age children, Learning Tree offers before-school and after-school care and a summer program with roughly two field trips a week, including parks, museums such as Boonshoft and Imagination Station, bowling, movies, and city pools. The on-site leadership team includes Director Shanda Cox, Family Pastor Jake Kline, and Business Administrator Kristi Spencer.
Covenant Partnership Instead of Membership
Crossroads does not keep a traditional membership roll. Instead, it invites people into Covenant Partnership, a name drawn from the Bible's language for the relationship between God and God's people. "Partner," the church explains, "says we are on this journey together." As Covenant Partners, people profess, worship, and serve together and promise to act in unity, purity, and peace of Christ.
Becoming a Covenant Partner is a personal commitment to apprentice oneself to Jesus. The church pairs each partner with a mentor who walks alongside them, and partners receive resources from the pastors. Those interested can reach out to Lead Pastor Brian Robertson. Baptism is treated as a separate step, an outward expression of an inward decision to follow Jesus, and anyone considering baptism is invited to connect as well.
Giving
The word "tithe" means tenth, and Crossroads teaches that the Biblical purpose of tithing is to put God first and to remember that God is the supplier of all that has been given. Anything given beyond ten percent is an offering.
Gifts can be given in several ways at Crossroads. Giving envelopes are tucked into the back of every seat in the Worship Center; giving boxes are placed at the exits; and a collection plate passes during the service. Online giving is available, and recurring gifts can be set up by debit, credit, savings, or checking account. Direct deposit, or ACH, through a checking or savings account is presented as the suggested way to give because no fees reduce the gift. To set up direct deposit or to request personal giving envelopes, people can email the Business Administrator. A text-to-give line at (419) 909-3696 is also available for one-time and recurring gifts.
What We Stand For
Crossroads is affiliated with the Church of God movement headquartered in Anderson, Indiana. Locally, the church gathers to discover who God is, who its people are, and what God is calling them into. As apprentices to Jesus, the community is learning a transformational way of living by walking in the steps of Jesus. The congregation commits to soul-shaping practices, intergenerational relationships, and a heart for serving others, finding joy and fulfillment in relieving pain and sharing with those in need.
The mission is restated simply: "Inviting people to Apprenticeship to Jesus: learning to live by faith, transmit hope, and to be known by love."