Who We Are

Why Are We Here?

The Westminster Shorter Catechism says “the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him [His presence] forever.” We want to help people find AND follow Jesus – to be WITH Him, to be LIKE Him, and to DO what He did. We want to reflect His glory through an authentic, intimate relationship with Jesus Christ and His church. Everything we do—our work, relationships, and daily choices—is meant to point back to Him. Every image-bearer of our Creator and King (all mankind) should be afforded the opportunity learn how to pursue that end.

- Pastor Darryl Jones

What We Believe The Bible Teaches

Affiliation

Although non-denominational in affiliation, this church has upheld the doctrinal viewpoint that aligns with the spirit of the Second London Baptist Confession of 1689 and the New Hampshire Confession of Faith of 1833; however, Crossroads Church does not subscribe to any particular form, politics, or extra-biblical positions on issues that may typically be associated with various Baptist denominations. Crossroads Church shall remain its own highest authority and conduct its business through its own business sessions.

We believe that the 66 books of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments, though written by men, were supernaturally inspired by God so that all its words are the written true revelation of God, it is therefore inerrant in the originals and authoritative in all matters. It is to be understood by all through the illumination of the Holy Spirit, its meaning determined by the historical, grammatical, and literary use of the author’s language, comparing Scripture with Scripture. We believe the Bible is the supreme revelation of God’s will for man and constitutes the only infallible guide for faith and life.

Psalm 19:7–11; Proverbs 30:5–6; Matthew 5:18; John 10:34–35; Romans 15:4; 2 Timothy 3:16–17; 2 Peter 1:19–21; Revelation 22:18–19

What is the Trinity?

We believe in one God, infinite Spirit, creator, and sustainer of all things, who exists eternally in three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. These three are one in essence but distinct in person and function.

Matthew 3:16–17; 28:19; John 6:27; Acts 5:3–4; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Hebrews 1:8

We believe that the Father is the first person of the Trinity and the source of all that God is and does. From Him the Son is eternally generated and from Them the Spirit eternally proceeds. He is the designer of creation, the speaker of revelation, the author of redemption, and the sovereign of history. He is the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth.

 

Genesis 1:1; Psalm 139:7–10; Isaiah 46:9; Romans 11:33; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 1:17; Revelation 19:6

 

 

We believe that Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary as no other man was ever, nor can be, born of a virgin. He lives forever as perfect God and perfect man: two distinct natures inseparably united in one person.

He lived a life of absolute sinlessness and in His death made a full and vicarious atonement for our sins, dying not as a martyr, but as a voluntary substitute in the sinner’s place. He rose bodily on the third day and ascended into heaven where He now sits at the right hand of the Father as our High Priest, interceding and preparing a place for us.

 

Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18–25; 28:6; John 1:1; 14:3; 20:27–28; Acts 15:16; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; Hebrews 7:25; 8:6; 12:2: 

1 Peter 2:22; 3:18; 1 John 2:1; Revelation 3:21

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person possessing all the attributes of deity and is equal with God the Father and God the Son. We believe that He was active in creation and is the restrainer of Satan; that He convicts of sin, of judgment, and of righteousness; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies, helps, and distributes spiritual gifts to all believers.

 

Genesis 1:1–3; Matthew 28:19; John 7:39; 14:16–17, 26; 16:8–11; Romans 12:3–8;

1 Corinthians 12:8–13, 28–31; 13:8–12; Ephesians 1:13–14; 2 Thess. 2:6–8, 13

We believe in the existence of angels who were created by God to bring honor and glory to His name and to serve Him. Angels who have chosen to follow God are ministers for Him on behalf of those who are believers. Some, under the leadership of Satan, fell from their sinless state to become agents of evil. They are presently functioning in Satan’s counterfeit system as rulers of darkness, to be resisted by the believer through the armor provided by God. We believe that Satan, the “god of this age” and “the prince of the power of the air,” once knew heavenly honors. That because of pride and ambition to be above the Almighty God, he fell and is currently the power of all darkness and evil and is destined for final defeat at the hand of God’s Son, and for the judgment of eternal hell, a place prepared for him and his angels.

 

Isaiah 6; 14:12–15; Matthew 17:18; Ephesians 2:2; 6:11–13; Colossians 1:16; 1 Timothy 4:1–2; 1 Peter 1:12; 5:8; Jude 6; Revelation 19:16–20; 20:10

What is Creation?

 

We believe that all things were created by God. The universe was created in six historical, literal days and is continuously sustained by God; thus it both reflects His glory and reveals His truth. Human beings were directly created in the very image of God, not by evolution or evolutionary change of species, or development through periods of time from lower to higher forms. As reasoning moral agents, they are responsible under God for understanding and governing themselves and the world. We believe that all animal and vegetable life was created directly, and God’s established law was that they should bring forth only “after their kind.”

 

Genesis 1:1, 24; John 13; Hebrews 11:3; Revelation 10:6

We believe the Bible teaches that man was created by a direct act of God and not from any previously existing form of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, the first parents of the entire human race. We affirm that Adam willfully disobeyed God, bringing sin and death into the world. As a result, all persons are sinners by nature and by choice, which is evidenced in their willful acts of sin; and they are therefore subject to eternal judgment and separation from God in a place called hell without defense or excuse, under the just condemnation of a holy God.

 

Genesis 1:27; 3:6, 24; Isaiah 53:6; Romans 1:32; 3:10–23; 5:12–19

We believe that Jesus Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice by the appointment of the Father. He fulfilled the demands of God by His obedient life, died on the cross in full substitution and payment for the sins of all, was buried, and on the third day He arose physically and bodily from the dead. He ascended into heaven where He now intercedes for all believers. We affirm that each person can be saved only through the work of Jesus Christ, wholly apart from works and is upon the sole condition of faith in Jesus Christ and never without genuine repentance. The believer is declared righteous, born again, turned from sin, and regenerated by the power of the Holy Spirit through faith in God’s Word, becoming the recipient of a new nature and assured of heaven. The great gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is justification, that judicial act of God accompanied by the pardon of sin and the imputation of divine righteousness, not because of any work of righteousness on our part, but solely through faith in the Redeemer’s blood. The believer who has exercised personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is completely justified and in possession of eternal life.

 

Habakkuk 2:4; John 1:11–12; 3:3–17; 10:28–29; Acts 13:39; Romans 2:4; 2 Corinthians 7:9–10; Ephesians 2:8–10; 1 Timothy 2:5–6; Hebrews 4:2; 

1 Peter 1:18–23; 2 Peter 1:4; 2:1; 1 John 5:11–13

We believe that a church is the body and bride of Christ, a local assembly of baptized believers, under the discipline of the Word of God and the lordship of Christ, organized to carry out the commission to evangelize, to teach and to administer the ordinances of believer’s baptism and the Lord’s Table. The ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Table are to be observed under the authority of the local church. It’s offices are elders and deacons, and it is self-governing. It functions through the ministry of gifts given by the Holy Spirit to each believer. God’s method of financing His earthly work through the church is by the generous and sacrificial giving of His people within each local assembly. This work includes the spreading of the Gospel to all nations, the care of the church and the support of the ministry and it’s full time staff.

 

2 Timothy 3:16–17; Colossians 1:18; 1 Peter 2:9 Revelation 1:5–6; Leviticus 27:30; Acts 2:41- 47; John 15:5; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8; 

Matthew 3:16; John 3:23; Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12; I Corinthians 11:23-28 Malachi 3:10; 1 Corinthians 16:2; 2 Corinthians 9:7

The souls of the believers are, at death, absent from the body and present with the Lord where they consciously await the return of Christ for living believers, when spirit, soul, and new body are reunited to be forever glorified in fellowship with God.

The souls of the unbelievers after death remain in conscious misery until the return of Christ, when with spirit, soul, and body reunited, they shall appear before the Great White Throne Judgment and shall be cast in the Lake of Fire, not to be annihilated, but to suffer everlasting conscious punishment.

 

1 Corinthians 15:51–52; 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18; Titus 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:1–2; 1 John 3:2; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11–15; 

2 Corinthians 5:10; Isaiah 9:6–7; Luke 1:32; Acts 2:29–30; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–12; Revelation 20:1–6,12–14; Matthew 25:46; Luke 16:19–26; 

John 5:28–29; 2 Corinthians 5:8–10; Philippians 1:23

We believe that civil government is of divine appointment for the interests and good order of human society; that governing officials are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed, with the exception only of things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only Lord of the conscience and the coming Prince of the kings of the earth.

 

Matthew 10:28; Matthew 23:10; Acts 5:29; Acts 23:5; Romans 13:7; Philippians 2:10–11; Titus 3:1

We believe that all human life is sacred from fertilization throughout the entire natural human life; that human beings are created in His image and, as such, are to be protected; that the weak, vulnerable, infirm, handicapped, preborn and needy deserve our respect and our care.

 

Genesis 1:26; 9:6; Psalm 51:5, 82:3–4, 139:13–16; Jeremiah 1:5; Luke 1:41

We believe that marriage was the first institution God provided for man; sex is to be enjoyed only within the sacred relationship of marriage between one man and one woman for life; and that same-sex and transexual behavior is a perversion of God’s natural order of one man for one woman.

 

Genesis 2:18–24; Deuteronomy 23:17–18; Mark 10:9; Romans 1:18–27; I Corinthians 6:9–11; 7:2; Ephesians 5:22–33; Jude 7

Mission , Vision and values

Where God Leads

The safest place to be is in the center of His will. Even when it doesn’t make sense to the world. Where God leads, He is already there.

We are leveraging who we are and what we’ve been given to reach our neighbors, our city, and our world with Gospel-centered ministries of mercy so they might come to know, love, and follow Jesus into His Kingdom – so others may hear…AND live.

In short, we are helping people find AND follow Jesus.

…organically

     …authentically

          …holistically

               …missionally

                    …generously

                         …graciously

Our Mission is realized when our corporate body surrenders to Jesus through loving submission, obedience, and commitment through His Word and His Spirit.

Our Vision is accomplished through a continuous reproductive cycle of ENGAGING, EQUIPPING, EMPOWERING, AND ENCOURAGING in Spirit-driven living and authentic, biblical community.

Core Values are the filters through which we do ministry and make decisions.

Jesus loves people and wants to share in their lives (and they in His), and His people embody a culture of belonging as well. 

We are being conformed into the image of Jesus by being WITH Him, being LIKE Him, and DOING what He did. Through scripture engagement, accountability, and prayer, we walk TOGETHER in community for our own spiritual health and that of others. There are two venues where these keystones of authentic, biblical community are lived out:

MidWeek

MidWeek is a “hump day” for believers in authentic community to spiritually and emotionally refresh, recharge and share in life together. It’s designed for the spiritual health and fitness of those who desire to be conformed to His image and nourished in His Body. You can join us for MidWeek every Wednesday @ 6:30pm here at The Big House. Click below to learn more about MidWeek.

Learn More About Midweek

CAREgroups

CAREgroups are a more intimate, next level way to build authentic, lasting friendships that are rooted in mutual faith, hope, and love for Jesus to learn more about CAREgroups, see your Deacon.

Jesus is a Giver, and His people embody a culture of generosity as well.

Like Him, we try to go above and beyond when it comes to giving to others of our time, energy, and, of course, our money. To love and serve our church family, our neighbors, our city, and our world is made possible through the wise stewardship of our Covenant Partners. We give because God has given so much to us. We choose generosity because it honors God and reaches more people.

Generosity Makes a Difference

MANY things are competing for your time, energy, and money. We live in a culture that is stretched to the max – not enough hours in the day, barely enough energy to get through the day, and too much month at the end of our money. Those who walk in loving obedience to Jesus live differently…they leverage differently…they love differently.

The Bible says in Matthew 6:24 that the top competitor for our commitment to Jesus is money. Leveraging who we are and what we have been given allows us to demonstrate that He is more important to us than material things.

When you give of your time, talents, and treasure to eternal things, you are tangibly making a difference in someone’s life. Marriages are restored, lives are healed, and people come to know, love, and follow Jesus into His Kingdom – here in Grain Valley and around the world. It all begins with a culture of generosity in the local church.

I Want to Serve

How to Give

Give Now

 

Jesus, who is One with the Father and Spirit, prayed that His disciples (and those that follow) might be ONE with the Godhead and with one another in the same way…so the world may KNOW who HE is, and that He loves us.

Like Him, we embody this culture of ONENESS. It is our deepest desire that the Word of God and the Spirit of God unite the people of God in perfected unity so the world may KNOW Him, LOVE Him, and FOLLOW Him into His Kingdom.

As Covenant Partners at Crossroads Church, we have made a commitment to ONENESS for the unity of the church, for the sake of the Kingdom, for the salvation of those who do not know Jesus.
We demonstrate that ONENESS through…
  • a commitment to the five solas that guard and clarify the Gospel.
    • Sola Scriptura (scripture alone) – the Bible (Scripture) is the authoritative revelation of God in every matter – the ONLY infallible, sufficient, and final authority for the Church.
    • Solus Christus (Christ alone) – Christ alone is the basis on which the ungodly are justified in God’s sight. He is the only mediator between God and humanity.
    • Sola fide (through faith alone) – believers receive the redemption Christ has accomplished ONLY through faith, not by works or sacraments.
    • Sola gratia (by grace alone) – all of our salvation, from beginning to end, is by grace and grace alone. Salvation is a free gift from God, not something earned through good works.
    • Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone) – only God receives glory for the works of salvation in and through mankind.
  • A commitment to the biblical practice of Believers’ Baptism as the public declaration of repentance and faith in Jesus Christ and the receiving of baptized believers into the church’s fellowship from other churches of like faith and practice.
  • A commitment to the weekly practice of Holy Communion – believers SHARING (koinonia) as ONE in our remembrance of His body broken and His blood shed for us on the cross, our utter dependence on the death and resurrection of our Savior, and the reminder of our HOPE for His imminent return, declaring His death and resurrection until He returns.
  • A commitment to safeguard our fellowship with Jesus and one another. We are instructed to protect the flock from false doctrine and spiritual attacks hurled at us by the world, the flesh, and the devil. We do so through a fidelity to share in gracious hospitality, to love and pray for one another, and to walk in authentic biblical community and accountability through service, edification, repentance, forgiveness, and restoration.

Meet Our Elders

Crossroads Church is an Elder-Led body of believers.  Our Elders are supported by an Executive Team that assists with the financial oversight of the church and appointed CAREgivers who serve the staff and the church in the care of our flock, our campus and our ministries.  We believe in raising up servant leaders from within the body to lead, teach, serve and care for the church.  Three of our Elders have been part of our church in one way or another for 15+ years and our newest Elder has been with us for three years.

Darryl and Sharon Jones Lead Pastor/Teaching Elder

Pastor Darryl and his family moved to the Kansas City Metro early in 1999 and started Crossroads Church on April 4th of the same year.  Before becoming the lead and founding pastor at Crossroads, Darryl and Sharon started their ministry as student/worship pastors in both Tennessee and Ohio for their first seven years out of college.  Darryl has a strong passion for helping people find and follow Jesus and loves to talk about how we can best make a difference in this world using the Bible. Darryl’s calling and gifting is that of shepherding – leading, loving and nurturing the flock of God. It is his passion that followers of Jesus live ALL of Christ for ALL of life with INTENTIONALITY.

Darryl and Sharon have been married for 33 years and have three adult children, their beloved spouses and four grandchildren: Brooke and Zach, Brittany, Elijah, Macrina, and Alquin; and Brian, Sophie, Theodore, and Alexander – who are all pursuing Jesus and others all around the world.

Darryl loves to hang out in the heart of big cities, going on mission trips, sipping good coffee over great conversation with his kids, and hanging out with the grands.  But his favorite place in the world is at home with his wife.

Daniel and Krysten Ballard Elder

Both Pastor Daniel and Krysten came to C2 as high schoolers in our student ministry iand as they grew and got more involved, both ministered on our Worship Team and as Student Leaders.  They began leading our Worship Arts in 2008 and assumed leadership of our Student Ministry in 2013 when Daniel also became an Elder. In the fall of 2022, after many years of planning and preparing, Daniel left his career as an EMT/Firefighter to enter full-time ministry in the role of Associate Pastor at C2. In addition to Student and Worship Ministry, Daniel has assumed several administrative responsibilities in his new role. Daniel also serves as the Troop Ministry Liaison for Trail Life USA – MO Troop 0607 where he is involved as a parent with his son, Noah.

Daniel and Krysten have been married since May of 2009, and brought their son Noah home from Seoul, South Korea in 2015.

Michael and Summer Hicks Elder

Pastor Michael began attending Crossroads in 2011 while a student at Grain Valley High School. After studying Pastoral Ministry at Southwest Baptist University for 2.5 years, Michael met Summer, and they returned home and married in January 2016. They now have three beautiful children, a daughter, two sons, and a little girl on the way. 

Michael and Summer have served together in ministry at Crossroads since before they got married. Since being installed as an Elder in the fall of 2020, Michael assists in shepherding the church and teaching and he is the Troop Ministry Liaison for American Heritage Girls – MO Troop 0607 where both Summer and Bella are involved.

Michael is passionate about pursuing sound doctrine and walking out our faith with a biblical worldview. The word of God is simple, and readily available for every believer, while also possessing deep and rich theology for a life long journey of following Christ and he wants to help people find and follow that.

Chris and Melissa Cunningham Elder

Pastor Chris and his family started attending Crossroads in January 2022 and fell in love with the church and its people. Chris and Melissa began their ministry as youth pastors in Houston, Missouri. After six years as the youth pastor, Chris took on the lead pastor role for two years. In 2005, Chris and his family moved to the KC area and served on the Leadership Team of a local church, focusing on Family Ministry and Discipleship.

Chris assists in shepherding the church and by leading and teaching in Crossroads University. He is also the Troop Master for Trail Life USA-MO Troop 0607. Melissa serves on the Guest Relations Team, is the VBS Director, and organizes fellowship groups for our church.

Chris has a passion for discipleship and mentoring. He loves to see lives changed through the intentional discipleship process. His love for discipleship and mentoring started in Houston, MO, where he saw the power of one-on-one or small-group discipleship with students and young adults. Over the years, he and Melissa have mentored multiple married couples and individuals in their journey to build a strong relationship with the Lord. 

Chris and Melissa have been married for over 27 years and have three adult children and two bonus kids: Kayla and Joshua; Jonathan and Lucy; and Alex.