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Crossroad Community Church History
For three decades DeElda and Nancy Payton were faithful and successful missionaries to the Philippines, supported by Gray Road Baptist Church of Indianapolis. In the late 1980’s, God began to lay on the Payton’s hearts a desire to come back to the States and work in beginning new churches here. DeElda and Glen Lockwood, who was pastor of Gray Road at the time, began to talk about planting a new church somewhere in the surrounding Indianapolis area.
As they were traveling on the south side of Shelbyville they came to a detour that caused them to travel along McKay Road. There at the intersection of McKay Road and State Road 9 they discovered a “for sale” sign in the yard of a church on the corner. They liked the property and believed that the price was very reasonable. Pastor Lockwood talked to the Deacons at Gray Road about the property and soon after the deacons toured the property and decided, on the spot, to buy it. DeElda and Nancy moved to Shelbyville and McKay Road Baptist Church was born, with DeElda as the pastor.
With the help of the Gray Road congregation, the new McKay Road Baptist Church began a phone campaign calling every number in the Shelbyville phone book, inviting people to attend the new church. On that first Sunday in 1988 over 100 people attended "Celebration Sunday" and McKay Road Baptist Church had its beginning. DeElda pastored the church until God called him to a church in Ohio in 1991. McKay Road Baptist then called Glen Rumrill as its new pastor. Shortly thereafter, Pastor Rumrill became seriously ill and was not able to be at the church on a consistent basis and perform the many duties of ministry. In the ensuing years, the church suffered in it's attendance. By 1999 the church was down to a small group of people. In August of 1999, the church called Gray Road asking for help. In answer to their request, Gray Road sent Mike Lockwood, who at the time was a deacon and Sunday School teacher at Gray Road. At first, Mike helped with the music and later with the preaching. In December of 1999, the congregation unanimously voted to call Mike to become their new pastor. The church was very small and Mike continued to work his full-time job in conjunction with ministering at the church. Pastor Mike hoped to make a fresh start by refurbishing the building and relating to a broader range of people by blending a more contemporary style of music along with the traditional. At that time, the church also decided to change its name to Crossroad Community Church. The choosing of the name was not meant to detract from the church's Baptist roots, but to reflect a new attitude - one of broader unity under the banner of Christ and of community outreach. Once again, the church began a telephone outreach campaign and invited people to “come and see” on Easter Sunday 2000. Mike’s passion was to build a balanced ministry based upon the clear teaching of God’s Word. In an interview with the Shelbyville Times in March of 2000 Mike said, “…the church is based on God's Word, not on special programs. God’s Word is powerful and alive. If I will just stay faithful to teaching His word, His Word will do the work."
During those early years Mike met Pastor Andy Lee, a young, energetic pastor, who was also ministering in a bi-vocational capacity at a church in Fairland, Indiana. There was something about Andy that drew Mike to him. “When I first met Andy, somehow I knew in my heart that God had a special plan for Andy in ministry”, Mike said. In 2003, believing that God was in it, Mike went to the Crossroad leadership and asked them to consider calling Pastor Andy to become a co-pastor on a part time basis at Crossroad. After meeting with Andy and getting to know his heart for ministry, the leadership agreed and Pastor Mike and Pastor Andy began sharing the work of the ministry including preaching on a rotating basis. Six short months later the church was able to bring on Pastor Andy as its full time pastor!
Easter Sunday 2006 was the church’s last service the McKay Road building. The McKay Road building was sold and the congregation began meeting in the gymnasium at Girl's Inc. while the new building was being built. For twenty eight months, the congregation faithfully went through the rigors of setting up and tearing down each Sunday. God, by His grace, continued to add to the church during that time.
In December of 2008, united in common faith, God joined Harvest Bible Chapel Church of Shelbyville with the Crossroad Community Church family. Two separate churches, out of reverence for Christ and in humility toward each other, came together to better serve the community of Shelbyville for His glory! Only God could have done this!
Each week nearly 300 people attend Crossroad's Sunday service. Our focus is not on numbers for the sake of numbers, it is on people for the sake of Christ. We exist to help people pursue a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through our Worship of Him, our Walk with Him, our Work for Him, and through our Witness about Him. In fact, that is our purpose statement: We exist to glorify God by enjoying a Christ-centered worship, walk, work, and witness. We invite you to come to Crossroad Community Church! Whether you are looking for a church home or are just curious; we want you to know that you are welcome! Come and see for yourself that it truly is all about Him! |
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