Crossroads (Cincinnati)

Crossroads is a multisite interdenominational megachurch in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was named the 4th largest and fastest growing church in America in 2017,[1] with over 34,000 average weekend attendees. Crossroads has 10 physical locations in Ohio and Kentucky, and an online streaming platform where over 6,000 people watch services weekly.[2]

Crossroads
Crossroads Community Church
Crossroads Oakley
Location3500 Madison Road, Cincinnati, OH 45209
CountryUnited States
DenominationInterdenominational
Weekly attendance34,000
Websitecrossroads.net
History
Founded1996
Founder(s)11 families
Clergy
Senior pastor(s)Brian Tome
Pastor(s)Chuck Mingo, Terry Philips, Lena Schuler, Mark Stecher, Tim Senff, Vicki Diller, Andy Reider, Greg McElfresh, Matt Castleman, Josh Wade, Malcolm Henderson, Bryan Carter, Griff Ray, David Reichley, Lisa Kuhn, Jason Haubner, Glen Schneiders

History

In 1990, Procter & Gamble brand managers Brian Wells, Jim Bechtold and Vivienne Bechtold started a singles Bible study in Hyde Park, Cincinnati. It quickly grew to over 100 people and they wondered if starting a church made sense.[3]

After five years in the junior high auditorium and a growing attendance, senior leaders raised funds to purchase an empty supercenter. It was renovated into an auditorium seating 1,200. The construction was done by Megen Construction Company, completed a month ahead of schedule within budget.[4]

Champlin Architecture did the architecture for the first renovation with Megen Construction, and also did work for the second phase. Phase two expanded the auditorium, tripled the size of the childcare facility, and modernized the design. The new design is “raw, edgy, contemporary.” [5]

Beliefs

The church is considered interdenominational, and the core beliefs pull from a variety of Christian denominations. Generally the church favors a more literal interpretation of biblical texts.[6] The church is classified as Non-Affirming with their LGBTQ policy,[7] and the Senior Pastor Brian Tome has indicated that homosexuality is a sin.[8] The church is also Pro-Life,[9] and supports local pro-life organizations such as the Eve Center.[10]

Locations

Crossroads has 10 of their own buildings, each with a campus pastor, including Crossroad's online location, Crossroads Anywhere. Crossroads also has a presence in 6 other cities, where people gather in rented spaces or homes.

List of Crossroads locations and cities:

  • Andover, KY
  • Columbus, OH
  • Cleveland, OH
  • Dayton, OH
  • East Side (Cincinnati)
  • Florence, KY
  • Georgetown, KY
  • Lexington, KY
  • Mason, OH
  • Oakley, OH
  • Oxford, OH
  • Richmond, KY
  • Uptown (Cincinnati)
  • West Side (Cincinnati)
  • Anywhere (online)

Undivided

Undivided is a six-week program designed to encourage candid discussions around racial issues in small groups of people of different ethnicities. The initiative was launched out of the Crossroads Oakley campus and has grown across other Crossroads sites. As of June 2018, 3,000 people have gone through the program.

On June 12, 2018, the Undivided program received national attention when Crossroads Oakley's community pastor Chuck Mingo was on the front page of the USA Today for his work launching the program.[11]

References
  1. "CROSSROADS CINCINNATI: THE FASTEST-GROWING CHURCH IN AMERICA, 2017". Outreach Magazine Top 100. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
  2. "Our History". Crossroads Church. Retrieved 2018-04-06.
  3. "What Would Jesus Disrupt?". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved 2017-04-05.
  4. "Crossroads Church, Oakley Campus - Cincinnati, OH". Megen Construction Company.
  5. "Crossroads Oakley Worship Center". Champlin Architecture.
  6. "About Us". Crossroads. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  7. "Crossroads Church on ChurchClarity.org". www.churchclarity.org. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  8. media, crossroads (Sep 2, 2019). "Chris Seelbach | The Aggressive Life with Brian Tome". Crossroads Media. Retrieved 2020-09-03. I do believe [...] that history is clear. That the way we create life is a man and woman having sex. And that says something about our sexuality. I look at somebody that has same sex attraction like you. And I look at you [Chris Seelbach], the way I look at me with other desires I have, that aren't necessarily right, and I would not want to follow through with those desires.
  9. media, crossroads. "Coming to grips with my abortion". Crossroads Media. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  10. media, crossroads. "There's Something Better Than Your Vote". Crossroads Media. Retrieved 2020-09-03.
  11. Curnutte, Mark (12 June 2018). "Christian churches still struggle with race, how to discuss it, what to do". USA Today. Retrieved 29 August 2018.
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