Our Story Crossroads was born in the heart of Lead Pastor Gene Oden long before we opened our doors. After serving for many years as a music and youth pastor, Gene saw a common trend in churches: “church people” were comfortable, “outsiders” were not. People without church experience found it difficult to connect with both the message and the community. Heartbroken by the revolving door of people who left church without finding Jesus, Gene and his wife Leslie began to pray about starting a different kind of church, where those seeking God could find Him, and connect with people in a life changing way. In December of 2007, Gene shared his vision with 20 people at an informal meeting, and on February 3, 2008, thirty-three people gathered in the Oden’s home for the first service. We enjoyed coffee and donuts, great music and media, and practical messages from the Bible, much like our services today! We added more seating as our crowd grew, but in six short weeks, we had outgrown the house. A 4,000 square foot space in Morgan Square was our next home, transformed from dance studio to church by an army of volunteers we call “Roadies”. When the dust settled, we had an eighty-seat sanctuary, lobby, and children’s space. Our first service in what we now call The Annex was Easter Sunday, 2008. Sixty-five people joined us that day. Many people trusted Christ in the weeks that followed, and our eighty-seat sanctuary had more than one hundred people by July 4, 2008. We were on the move again, this time to what would become our permanent home. We launched at the College Cinema on August 10, 2008 with 172 people. With the purchase and renovation of the Enterprise School of Dance building we now have a permanent presence in the community, as well as an office and children's facility right next door to the Cinema where we meet. Today, over 350 regular attenders call Crossroads their home. Over two hundred people have trusted Christ or returned to faith, and 114 have been baptized. On Sundays we have relevant teaching to help us live by Biblical principles, and our vibrant Children’s ministry is one of the best anywhere. Between Sundays we offer opportunities for Spiritual Growth, Relational Growth, Serving in the Church, and Serving the World in the context of Small Groups. We love serving our community! Single Parent Oil Change, a Community Thanksgiving Meal, and Santa for Seniors are just a few of the ways we show God’s love to those in need. Our mission is simple: To Love God, Love Others, and Serve the World. We hope you’ll visit soon!