Who We Are

Mainstream Churches of Christ grew out of the early 19th century religious phenomenon known as the Restoration Movement. While the CrossBridge Church has roots in this tradition, we have purposely marked out a path that is markedly different from traditional Churches of Christ. Rather than completely abandoning our Restoration Heritage, however, we actually are attempting to return more closely to our religious roots especially in two particulars. First, we seek to live out in practical ways non-denominational, non-sectarian Christianity. Consistent with the spirit of Restoration pioneers, we acknowledge that we are “Christians only, not the only Christians.” Further like them, we desire the unity of all believers in Christ.

Second, we are attempting to live under the discipline of God’s Word. As such, the Bible contains normative and authoritative principles for our individual and collective lives. The church is born out of the word of God, derives its life from it and must stand under it. Thus, the CrossBridge Church is committed unashamedly to being biblical at is theological/methodological core.

We are not naïve about this claim, however. We realize that Scripture is God’s self-disclosure to human beings who lived in specific historical periods. Accordingly, God wrapped His eternal truths in the finite garments of human language so that it could be understood by humankind. It is our responsibility—and privilege—to, through the process of interpretation, unclothe these divine truths and express them to contemporary culture in relevant ways. As we struggle with this oft-complex interpretive process the CrossBridge Church will be governed by the Restoration motto: “In matters of faith, let there be unity; in matters of opinion, let there be liberty; in all matters, let there be love.”

Jesus Christ is both the focal point of, and is paradigmatic for, the CrossBridge Church. We take seriously the fact that God has “placed all things under His (Jesus’) feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way” (Ephesians 1:22-23). As Christ’s body, the CrossBridge Church is committed to the sovereign lordship of Christ, and humbly enjoys the continued presence and empowering Spirit of the One who “fills everything in every way.” The ultimate purpose of our communal existence is to exalt Jesus in everything we do or say.

The Scriptural pattern that God has revealed to His people is theological and Christological in nature. We are called to live as God’s alternative community within the dominant culture. We, as the people of God at CrossBridge, deliberately will attempt to imitate the radical life and ministry of Jesus (cf. Matthew 25:31-46). And, Christ’s humble, generous spirit will serve as the ideal paradigm for our interpersonal relationships within the church (see Philippians 2:1-11). The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus is the definitional foundation of CrossBridge’s life and ministry. Thus, we encourage all members at CrossBridge to consider the implications of Paul’s statement for their lives: “Far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world” (Galatians 5:14).

As the CrossBridge Church attempts to be Christ-focused, we realize the need to be “led by the Spirit” (Romans 8:14). This conviction, which has been central to the people of God throughout the ages, affirms that the controlling forces of earth are not mechanical or technological, but spiritual. Hence, we speak without embarrassment of God’s power at work among and within us (Ephesians 3:14-21). While these emphases might grate on rationalistic nerves, which are overly sensitive to mystery and are calmed by the drive for human control of our world, this renewed interest in the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives is a return to the biblical worldview.

True worship, both individual and corporate, occurs when we express our praise, gratitude, and adoration to our God. It is during those transforming moments that we radically encounter God, and are renewed by being in His presence (cf. Isaiah 6:1-6). When the church comes together in collective worship, it joins in with “thousands of angels in joyful assembly” where we, through the Spirit, draw near to the Father and the Son (Hebrews 12:22-24). At CrossBridge, we understand the joyous—and serious—nature of entering into the holy presence of our sovereign Lord. In our worship, therefore, we seek to create a joyous atmosphere of solemn worship.

From a biblical perspective, we also understand that people at various levels of faith will attend our assemblies (1 Corinthians 14:23-25). As Paul instructed the Corinthians, we are to be sensitive to those at our assemblies who have not fully given their lives to Jesus. Worship assemblies, therefore, serve a dual function in reference to human participants: (1) to provide spiritual renewal to believers (edification), and (2) to bring seekers to full faith in Jesus (evangelism). At CrossBridge’s worship assemblies, we will attempt at all times to conduct ourselves in such a way that unbelievers or seekers will exclaim, “God is really among you!” (1 Corinthians 14:25). While we are sensitive to seekers, we further encourage all believers to express their encounter with God in authentic ways.

To work toward this optimistic goal, we have attempted to create a positive worship environment in which unbelievers will feel less threatened by, and hopefully more open to, the God we serve. At our services you can expect, for example, casual attire, contemporary praise songs and traditional hymns projected on a large screen, the use of a praise team, occasional hand clapping and raising of hands. While these items are not intended as an exhaustive list, they are representative of our corporate personality in reference to worship style.

In this connection, we believe very strongly that worship is participatory. Everyone who attends worship should acknowledge God as the sole audience. Our worship team’s purpose is not to perform but to facilitate a meaningful and intimate time with God for each worshiper.

CrossBridge recognizes as Christians all baptized believers who acknowledge and follow Jesus Christ as the unique Son of God. We invite all people into our community who wish to commit themselves to becoming, or growing as, disciples of Jesus Christ. In fact, taking our cue from the ministry of Jesus, we welcome into our community anyone who is seeking more meaning in life. From such a place of acceptance and belonging, beliefs are nurtured which, in turn, allows us all to become more of who God a re-created us to be in Christ. Those who are a part of our community are expected to become involved in the life of the CrossBridge Church through (1) maturing in their faith and (2) ministering to others. We offer a wide variety of opportunities to pursue both of these goals. If you are interested in placing membership at CrossBridge, please speak to someone on our ministry staff for further information.

For any Church to fulfill its divine role, certain organization is essential. At CrossBridge, we believe that God gifts individuals in the body to fulfill the purposes He intends for them. It is absolutely essential for the good of the ministry and the growth of the member that each one understand and employ his or her gift. Our goal, therefore, is for every member at CrossBridge to, not only discover, but freely express his or her God-given ministry gifts.

To help facilitate this, CrossBridge has developed a ministry structure, led by Ministry Leaders, which is designed to (1) accomplish the work of the church; (2) involve every member in the life and work of the church; (3) ensure that the appropriate number and types of ministries exist to meet all the needs of CrossBridge and the community it serves; (4) coordinate the various ministries at CrossBridge; and (5) educate new and established members about CrossBridge’s ministries and our vision and values as a church. In this structure a Ministry Leader is responsible for his or her ministry’s functionality. Collectively, these men and women, who work under the general oversight of our shepherds, are charged with addressing administrative details associated with the ongoing operation of our various works.

Our shepherds serve an essential role in the body of believers. These godly servants, who posses the profile of qualities outlined in 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1, are expected to be involved in the lives of the CrossBridge members, providing spiritual guidance, counseling, and nourishment as they experience the realities of life.

Our ministry staff team is led by a group of qualified women and men who have a heart for God and His people. Each person senses God’s call in their lives for the particular ministry in which he or she is involved. If you have any questions regarding our ministries at CrossBridge, please feel free to talk to anyone on our staff. You can find out more about those who compose our staff team on our “About Us” page. Also, under the “Ministries” tab, you can learn more about the vibrant ministries under the direction of our well-qualified and gifted team.

As mentioned earlier, in March of 2000, God blessed us with a beautiful 24-acre site with approximately 1000 feet of frontage on Brook Highland parkway. We purchased the land for 1 million dollars. Due to the generosity of our members, and the sale of 7 unusable acres on this site, we were able to pay off the land within a year.

In 2003, we began meeting in our current facilities, which include a multi purpose room for worship and various community activities, classrooms, a youth complex and office spaces. We built our campus with our neighbors in mind. Recently, we underwent a renovation project that maximized the functionality of our current facilities and created more green space to enjoy. We open our facilities to any number of community events, and welcome our neighbors to enjoy our grounds.