Our Pillars

A pillar is a firm support for a structure. Any structure without a support system is weak and ineffective. Cross Roads Free Will Baptist supports the ministry, the effectiveness, and the purpose of its structure with the teachings of Jesus. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” Mt. 23:37-39, KJV. Based upon this teaching we adopt the following Pillars:

Worship

True worship is an experience of drawing near to God. Cross Roads encourages believers to draw near to God corporately through music, giving, and inspiration from God’s Word. When we draw near to God, this brings glory to Him. When we draw near to God, this fulfills the teaching of Jesus. When we draw near to God, we receive refreshment, renewal, and regeneration for daily living.

Sharing

Jesus told His disciples to go into the world teaching others about Him and making more disciples. He instructed to begin at home and spread out into other areas until the entire world was reached with the gospel. Cross Roads Free Will Baptist believes that we will never fulfill the teaching of Christ to love our neighbor unless we embrace His command to go into the world. Sharing Jesus with others is incorporated into everything we do as a group of believers. It is a part of the preaching. It is a part of the teaching. It is a part of the giving. Sharing Jesus with others is the individual responsibility of every believer. Sharing Jesus with others is not about what we do; it is about who we are. Sharing is about people caring for people. It is about relationships.

Christian Education

Education is the process of knowing what you believe, knowing why you believe it, and applying this knowledge to practical every day living. It is the goal of every Christian to conform to the image of Jesus Christ, to become more Christ-like. This goal is accomplished through systematic biblical doctrine and teaching that applies to the grass-roots level of what you think, how you feel, and what you do. Cross Roads Free Will Baptist believes that biblical education is necessary and essential to spiritual growth and maturity. Becoming more like Christ fulfills the teachings of Jesus to love God and to love our neighbor.

Community Among Believers

Life is about relationships. The greatest relationship in life is the one between you and God. When you have a strong relationship with God, you can begin to have healthy relationships with others, beginning in the home family and also within the church family. Cross Roads Free Will Baptist believes the church is a family. We are brothers and sisters in God’s grace. The church is a community, a family, a support system, a group of people with a common Lord and a common love. The distinguishing mark of Christianity is the love that believers have among themselves. This is what Jesus taught. At Cross Roads, you will find a place to love God with all your heart. At Cross Roads, you will find a place to love your neighbor, your brother and sister in Christ. At Cross Roads, you will find a place to have a family, a community of believers.

Accountability

All things belong to God. He has appointed the human race to be the guardians of His estate. God has entrusted you with resources: time, talent, money, opportunities, relationships, possessions, health, gifts, knowledge, truth, the planet earth. These resources are not your own. They belong to God. He allows you to manage them as you see fit. But, God will hold each person accountable for the use and management of His resources. God’s guidelines of accountability are found in the Bible. Cross Roads Free Will Baptist holds to the guidelines of accountability found in God’s word. We praise God for entrusting us with His resources. We honor God by using His resources to bring glory to His name and to promote His purposes.

Caring

Jesus taught a very simple principle: love your neighbor as yourself. Man wants to complicate the principle by asking, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus taught that being a neighbor is more important than the question of who is a neighbor. Cross Roads Free Will Baptist believes in being a neighbor. We practice this by showing the compassion of Christ to people with needs.