How We Got Started
In the early 1990’s we felt the stirrings of the Holy Spirit leading us to start a new kind of church in our area. Where community was based on real relationships with God and with each other. Where believers could grow in their faith as they sharpened one another, and where spiritual seekers were welcomed and the truths of Christianity were clearly explained. A church where genuine worship reflected current music styles, where the arts were integrated and change was embraced. In 1993, along with a group of 14 others, we planted Crossroads. Over the years we have seen people come to faith, rediscover faith in Jesus, grow in steady next steps – all in the context of authentic community. We’re so thankful that God allowed us to be part of the Crossroads story! And once again in 2018 we began to feel the stirrings of the Spirit to do a new thing. Taking what we’ve learned about serving the church in healthy ways, we have launched a new ministry called “Breathe” - helping pastors and spouses to live whole, well-balanced lives. You can check out what we’re doing at Breathe Ministry
Rich and Heidi Joy (Founding Pastors)
What Makes Us Tick
Motivation
Because God first loved us.
Mission
Love God, Love Others.
Vision
Build communities in Southwestern CT where people come to know and grow in Jesus in a way that draws others to do the same .
Model
lookUP to Jesus for forgiveness, identity, provision, and calling.
leanIN to each other for support, encouragement, comfort, and challenge.
reachOUT to those poor in spirit and poor in resources.
Multi-Generational
The energy of the young, the power and vision of adults, and the wisdom and experience of our elders are all necessary for a healthy community.
Joyful
The knowledge that God is glad to be with you and we are glad to be with you
Biblical
We believe the Bible really is the "word" of God. He didn't actually sit down and write it, but He inspired specific people to write down the things that He really wanted us to know; therefore, we consider it completely reliable.
Motivation
Because God first loved us.
Mission
Love God, Love Others.
Vision
Build communities in Southwestern CT where people come to know and grow in Jesus in a way that draws others to do the same .
Model
lookUP to Jesus for forgiveness, identity, provision, and calling.
leanIN to each other for support, encouragement, comfort, and challenge.
reachOUT to those poor in spirit and poor in resources.
Multi-Generational
The energy of the young, the power and vision of adults, and the wisdom and experience of our elders are all necessary for a healthy community.
Joyful
The knowledge that God is glad to be with you and we are glad to be with you
Biblical
We believe the Bible really is the "word" of God. He didn't actually sit down and write it, but He inspired specific people to write down the things that He really wanted us to know; therefore, we consider it completely reliable.
What We Believe
This statement is intentionally brief. For a more detailed explanation of where Crossroads lands doctrinally please refer to the Lausanne Covenant
In essentials, unity;
in non-essentials, liberty;
in all things, charity.
St. Augustine.
God
There is only one true God who is eternal and in charge and in control of all things. Now, here's the mystery: God exists in three "persons": the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This is what is known as the Trinity. (Matthew 28:19; John 10:30)
Jesus
The second person of the Trinity, the Son, is Jesus Christ. Even though His very nature is God, He came to earth and took on a human nature as well by a miraculous conception and a virgin birth. Now, this is crucial: Nobody is perfect. We have all done stuff that goes against what God wants us to do. The good news is that Jesus chose to take on the punishment that we deserved. He died in our place to pay for our wrong doings. Now, all we have to do is accept and believe in what Jesus did for us. That will allow us to be reunited with God. That's it. God made it simple. We don't earn God's forgiveness by doing good things. Jesus already paid the price. But that is not the end of the story: On the third day after He died, He came back to life and then went up to heaven. If we believe in Him, we too will have a new life and be able to live eternally in heaven. (John 1:1, 14; Ephesians 2:8-9)
Holy Spirit
The third person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. When we accept what Jesus did for us, the Holy Spirit comes and starts living inside of us. Having Him inside of us is actually a good thing. Also, He doesn't have to leave one person to be in another. He can actually live inside each one of us at the same time. So, why is this a good thing? The Holy Spirit empowers us to meet the challenges of life, gives us gifts that we can use to help other people, and comforts us in times of need. (John 14:15-17; 1 Corinthians 12:4-7)
The Bible
We believe the Bible really is the "word" of God. He didn't actually sit down and write it, but He inspired specific people to write down the things that He really wanted us to know; therefore, we consider it completely reliable. There is no other writing out there that was inspired by God in the same way. The Bible holds the unique, full, and final say on everything having to do with our faith and the way we live our lives. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21)