Crossroads Christian Church (Newburgh, IN)

If, as the saying goes, size matters, then Crossroads Christian Church is a success in the size of its congregation, and the myriad of different activities and avenues it promises to potential presbyters.  I visited Crossroads Christian Church on Sunday, August 12, 2012.  Most Evansville folks should be familiar with this church, and I chose it due to my having friends within the congregation, and I figured it would be an easy way to slide into my new weekly routine.

As I approached Crossroads Christian Church from 164, I was a bit intimidated by the size of the church.  I would cautiously label Crossroads as a mega-church in training, as the sheer size of the congregation necessitates three different worship services on Sunday morning: 8:30 a.m., 10:00 a.m., and 11:30 a.m.  Being one who hasn’t been in a church in nearly two years, suffice it to say, I staggered out of bed and made it to the 11:30 service.

Walking in, I found the place to be hectic, as the 10:00 congregation was just being released.  My previous experiences with churches have had somewhere around 150 members, though Crossroads easily boasts a congregation of almost 3,500.  From what I understand, this is the premier non-denominational church in Evansville.  Granted the crowd was enormous, I was able to find my way to the sanctuary while snagging a bulletin from one of the racks next to the door.  Sadly, I wasn’t greeted at the door, nor did I find myself particularly standing out from the crowd.  Once I cracked open the bulletin, I found that there was no schedule, no listing of procedures, no information on who was running the show; the bulletin during the worship service didn’t really assist me in understanding in what order worship was conducted, and by who. 

Once seated in the enormous sanctuary, I had a discussion with my friend, one of the regular attendees.  From this and subsequent conversations, I was able to glean a few facts.  The congregation itself is amazingly large, so as a newcomer who would have been seeking a permanent church to fellowship in, one would probably find themselves intimidated.  However, the folks in the congregation were friendly, though the auditorium was large enough for cliques to form based on interest and social familiarity, hence if I had not had my friend, I would have probably found myself being a wallflower.  The crowd was diverse, but I noticed quite a few younger folks, both teen and college-aged.  This is the go-to church for young adults in town, so I wasn’t surprised with the make-up of the congregation.

The auditorium itself is very inviting if one desires to be stimulated by the senses.  The seating is theater-style, with pews, and there were two large screens to the upper left and upper right of the room to broadcast the preacher and worship-leaders to those in the back row.  Upon the stage, there was room enough for a choir of about twenty to thirty, and a full band to lead worship.  This was very much a setting for the newer, almost “pop-oriented” worship that one can familiarize themselves with if they were to worship at a college campus or a teen rally.  This church thrives on its insistence to utilize modern technology to its fullest advantage.

To the merit of Crossroads, the atmosphere is very relaxed, and I was under the impression that this church’s success, at least part of it, is due to the laid-back atmosphere created during worship.  Worship itself was very passive, with the congregation not singing any hymnals or worship tunes until the very end of the service.  That being said, there were quite a few folks who appeared bored or distant during service.  Worship seems to have been very individualized, with music playing, and followers were encouraged to spend personal time praying and reflecting.  Worship was open, relaxed, and the use of technology greatly enhanced the experience.  Like I stated before, the usage of technology within the service definitely assisted in stimulating the senses.  Worship was supplemented with some of the highest technological values, including a video created by the church itself, appearing to have been professional produced.  The band used modern instruments, the stage boasted modern artwork, including a twisted metallic cross (which was quite beautiful and unique in my opinion).  There was a load of modern eye-candy here.

The message, during the service, is clearly the highlight.  The senior pastor (never caught his name, not even in the bulletin) preached on depression, utilizing 1 Kings 19 and the story of Elijah fleeing after he killed the prophets of Baal.  Now, morally, I find it reprehensible how he glossed over those details, but really our focus was on the aftermath.  I found the topic of depression broad, yet interesting, and while I can’t say it was particularly inspiring to me, if I was a Christian, I would have probably found it so because it was a worldly-topic spun around a biblical message.  The message on depression was part of a series of sermons on “secret struggles” (others being heartache, bitterness, loneliness, and inferiority).  The message, thanks to the technology, was clear and, even as an atheist, I was able to take something away from it, so it was fairly applicable.  The notes were placed upon the screens; though to my frustration there was little time to write them down (I copied off my friend).  The message itself mentioned nothing of Hell, little of sin, no divine punishment or wrath of God – this was a feel-good sermon intended to address a medical ill.  The pastor didn’t utilize the Bible quite as much as I’m used to; he mostly stuck with the story in 1 Kings 19 and a few verses from Paul about suffering.  I find it difficult to judge a church on one sermon, but usually those who preach sermons such as this usually tend to stay away from the hell-fire and damnation quotes.  The format of the service was clear, concise, and logical:

5 Causes of Depression

1.  Intense Demands

2.  Relational Conflict

3.  Physical Exhaustion

4.  A Major Victory

5.  A Major Defeat

5 Consequences of Depression

1.  Fear (1 Kings 19:3)

2.  Isolation (1 Kings 19:4)

3.  Suicidal Thoughts (1 Kings 19:4)

4.  Feelings of Rejection (1 Kings 19:10)

5.  Negative Focus (1 Kings 19:4)

5 Cures for Depression

1.  Rest (1 Kings 19:5, 6)

2.  Reconnect with the Lord (1 Kings 19:8)

3.  Reveal Your Heart (1 Kings 19:10)

4.  Renew Your Life Mission (1 Kings 19:13, 15, 16)

5.  Relationships (1 Kings 19:19-21)

It doesn’t get much easier than this to understand.  The pastor used a few studies from credible universities, which somewhat bolstered his argument in my secular eyes.  Of course, for my own personal reaction, as an atheist, I find medication and proven courses of treatment to be more viable ways to treat depression.  However, it was somewhat unclear if the pastor was speaking of depression as “I have the blues” or as “I am clinically depressed”.  He seemed to use the first notion more than the latter.  He also made some statements that I would disagree with:  “church is the best place to deal with depression” (studies have shown that church can be harmful in some instances) and I would disagree that finding a higher power would always help (sometimes religion can be a major source of depression).  However, he also made very sound points:  individual meditation and prayer can assist in relieving depression (University of Pittsburgh study), and group fellowship can also do the same (Duke University study).  On the whole, this was a very benign message, intended mostly for those who already believe, with an emphasis on a Christian solution for a medical problem.  Some of the advice was practical; some wasn’t.  This was quite the mixed bag.

After the message and the last song, I inquired about some of the outreach opportunities.  I felt, for Crossroads, this was their strongest point.  Now, one of the biggest points of hindrance is the size of the church.  There’s little feeling of intimacy within the congregation itself for someone new.  Crossroads, though, corrects that with the institution of numerous “small groups” that meet across town at different times, highly encouraging Bible studies and group worship.  I applaud Crossroads for addressing that issue – one that can sometimes be to the severe detriment of many other large churches.  There are numerous and various groups for young adults, women, children, men, folks with different hobbies, volunteer opportunities, a group of concerts, refuge support groups, etc.  I myself could probably find a few things to do here without even converting and feel welcomed.  On the flipside, there was a program I found to be kind of humorous, and a bit condescending as well.  Since the Muslims are practicing Ramadan, Crossroads is hosting a prayer for the Muslims to find Jesus during their fasting period.  Granted, I find it ludicrous that anyone would expect that to happen, they have a right to pray for whomever they want.  I’m just one who thinks that if one is going to abstain from food, water, and sex from sun-up to sun-down for forty days, I don’t foresee a the average Muslim doing so only to convert to Christianity on the 39^th day.  That’s a level of devotion, conviction, and religion that one can’t easily be pulled away from.

So, overall, I found exactly what I expected to find here.  Crossroads Christian Church offers a friendly atmosphere, a liberal theology that appeals to the masses and is somewhat applicable to real-life; a high usage of modern technology, and a worship experience that will keep your interest, but can sometimes find itself lacking on theology; and I found the church's people and setting less approachable to a newcomer than one would hope for, but may expect in a mega-church.  Here’s the breakdown:

1. Congregation
1. Friendliness (.7/1)
2. Message

1. Topic Interest (.9/1)
2. Inspirational Value (.4/1)
3. Clarity (1/1)
4. Applicability (.8/1)
2. Worship

1. Content (.6/1)
2. Audience Participation (.6/1)
3. Outreach

1. Community Involvement (1/1)
2. Variety of Activities (1/1)
4. Information

1. Accessibility (.5/1)

Total = 7.5/10

Next week, I’ll be reviewing another church, and I already have one or two folks interested in checking out some others.  Feel free to contact me at atheistgoestochurch@gmail.com to come along or feel free to leave a comment.