Lead Pastor Transition

March 10, 2024

When the Apostle Paul begins his letters to the early Christian Church, he often thanks God for the Christ followers there and for the work they are doing to proclaim the gospel. Take a look in Colossians, Thessalonians, Romans, and other Pauline epistles, you will see this pattern.

As I write this update, I am thankful to God for all of you that call Crossing Church your church home. We work and live together as the Body of Christ doing the work the Spirit has for us in our community. Your commitment to the church and your continued participation in our ministries and worship services is recognized and valued. God has a plan for us all. We eagerly await the Lord’s leading during this interim time in our church. Great days are ahead!

Lead Pastor Search:

Our District Superintendent, Dr. Virgil Askren, is actively talking with prospective lead pastors and identifying pastors that might feel a draw to Crossing Church. Dr. Askren is sharing the profile work completed by the Church Board last month. The profile of the church, and the identified gifts and graces in our next pastor, are the basis for these conversations.

On April 1, the Church Board will meet with Dr. Askren and get an update on the process. If there are viable pastors sensing a call to our church, Dr. Askren will present their resumes for consideration. The Board will likely review 1-3 resumes in this meeting. It is a process designed to discern God’s will rather than a ranking of skilled pastors.

Interim Preaching:

I hope your walk with the Lord has been encouraged and challenged through the preaching we have had in our church these past several weeks. We have heard from a diverse group of preachers; each one has brought a message from the Lord perfectly suited for our church. I am grateful for each of them coming to share with us. If you have missed any of the messages, I would encourage you to find the sermons you missed on our website. Listen to them wherever that is convenient for you. These sermons make a great “podcast” during your morning commute, time in the gym, or anywhere else you find yourself. Click on Messages and then Recent Messages from the homepage. You will find all the sermons there.

We look forward to seeing you online or in the Worship Center each Sunday. Please remember there are Wednesday evening ministries at the church and other small groups and service opportunities throughout the week. You are invited to join in and take part in the community we call Crossing Church. Please continue to pray for the Lord’s leading in our pastoral search.

Thank you,

Jeff Alexander

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Lead Pastor Transition

January 16, 2024

Transitions in leadership always represent both challenges and opportunities for the days ahead. We at the Crossing Church live in great anticipation for what the Lord has in store for our future as a congregation, we believe and hold fast to the knowledge that God goes before us and is with us in this time of transition. Our challenge is to remain unified in our love for God, our love for one another, and our love for the community in which we live. The ministry of the church must continue uninterrupted, and that is exactly what we plan to do. Our opportunity is to listen to the Spirit for the leader God has identified for us, and to trust Him for great days ahead. Our work is to pray, listen, and work diligently to recognize and extend a calling to that leader.

Transition Team:

Everything we do must be in obedience with what the Lord would have for us. To ensure we stay focused on seeking after God’s will in this process, a prayer leader has been selected to lead us. Our Prayer Coordinator is Beth Jacobson, NDI President & Board Member.

The Church Board will oversee the process of evaluating candidates, interviewing, and selecting a lead pastor candidate to be presented to the church members for a vote to call the pastor. Fred Good is the Secretary of the Board and will serve as the primary contact between the Board and the congregation.

The Colorado District Superintendent, Dr. Virgil Askren, will oversee the process to initially identify candidates for the lead pastor role and guide the board through the search process.

The church staff will remain in place and continue with their existing responsibilities. Jeff Alexander will step in as the Executive Pastor and lead the staff until a new lead pastor is hired.

Transition Process:

Work is underway to develop two profiles. First, a church profile that serves to inform prospective lead pastor candidates about the church. It describes who we are, the culture, the ministries of the church, church statistics, and other relevant information to help lead pastor candidates get to know the church. Second, a profile of what the church desires in our next lead pastor. What are the gifts and graces that are needed most, what experiences and background will help the pastor be successful, and what the leadership skills are that will be required. This second profile will be used by the District Superintendent and the Board to help evaluate candidates and their fit for the role.

The timeline for the search depends on a number of factors, including an evaluation of the health and readiness of the congregation for a new leader. In general, the board is expecting this process to take between six and 8 months. It could take longer; this process will not be rushed. The imperative is to identify the leader God has for us.

Interim Preaching:

Your Church Board and Executive Pastor appreciate the importance of preaching and proclaiming the Word in our Sunday services. Filling the pulpit is of supreme importance to the health of the church during the transition period, work is already underway to ensure this is covered week in and week out. The plan is for existing pastoral staff at the church to preach, and to also hire special speakers/preachers.

As of this writing, the preaching line-up for the next five months is nearly complete. The line-up of confirmed speakers in the months ahead include some of the most accomplished preachers in the entire denomination. The preaching at Crossing Church will not miss a beat. In fact, this interim time presents a new opportunity to invite people to come and hear the Word of God proclaimed in powerful and life transformative ways. Confirmed speakers include current and former General Superintendents (Dr. David Busic & Dr. David Graves), our USA/Canada Regional Director (Dr. Stan Reeder), District Superintendents (Dr. Virgil Askren, Colorado, Rev. Brett Rickey, Oregon), the University Chaplain, Northwest Nazarene University (Dr. Grant Miller), and many others. Stay tuned for a weekly announcement of our guest preachers. You and your guests will not want to miss a single weekend either in-person or online. All of our worship services will continue to be livestreamed during the interim time.