Leadership

Board of Elders

Our church is led by a Biblical Eldership as it is outlined in the Bible. The Scriptures use the words Pastor, Elders, Overseers, and Bishops interchangeably (Acts 20:17,28‑31, 1 Peter 5:1‑4). These words all refer to one office of which every New Testament church established by the Apostles had a plurality of men (Acts 14:23,20:17, Philippians 1:1). The Biblical qualifications for the men who serve in this office are given in 1 Timothy 3:1‑7 and Titus 1:5‑9. The Bible teaches a parity of the Elders. This means that there is equal authority and responsibility among these men. Nevertheless there is a division of labor amongst a Biblical Eldership in which some may be set aside to the full time labor of teaching and preaching (1 Timothy 5:17). The primary duty of the Elders is best summed up in the charge given to them by Peter to "shepherd the flock of God" (1 Peter 5:2 compared with Acts 20:28). This is a solemn calling to care for, feed, and protect Christ's precious sheep. The primary means given is prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4). Our goal is to "present every one perfect in Christ Jesus" (Colossians 1:28). And we do this, through the grace of Christ, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, as those who must give an account to God for each one (Hebrews 13:17).

Our current Elders are: Chris Bowser, Matt Courtney, Scott Graubard, Todd Jaussen, Jonathan Powell, Dave Ruhl, Paul Sereda, and Frank Weese.

(For further reading on the subject of Elders we strongly recommend Biblical Eldership: An Urgent Call to Restore Biblical Church Leadership by Alexander Strauch.)

The Elders have an 'Elder Care Group' program to better minister to our growing congregation. By dividing the congregation by geographical area, each group becomes the special focus of a particular Elder. Although all the Elders will continue to minister to the whole congregation, one Elder will be responsible to specifically minister, encourage, help, and be aware of any specific needs you may have. He will also be responsible to keep the other Elders informed of your needs.

If you are in need of spiritual care, guidance, or help, feel free to contact your Elder. Our desire is to be able to best minister to each and every one of you and to be your servants in the Lord. Please pray for us as we seek to care for Christ's dear sheep as men who must give an account.

Contact: eldersatcrossroadschurch@gmail.com

Board of Deacons

Our board of Deacons consists of people who have been set apart to serve the congregation in taking on those tasks which will free the Elders to concentrate on their primary calling, following the pattern given to the church in Acts 6:1‑7. The Deacon's qualifications are given in 1 Timothy 3:8‑13.

A Deacon's major responsibility is to care for the temporal needs of God's people and the poor. They help lead and direct the church as we seek to live out God's concern for the needy and His great benevolent love. They also help manage the finances on a day to day basis, especially in overseeing proper accountability so that all things are handled in an honorable way before both God and man (2 Corinthians 8:21).

Our current Deacons are: Chris Benson, Dave Buchanan, Dave Jones, Carolyn Kidwell, Kirk Lengacher, Tyler Miller, Lee Schmidt, Cindy Sereda, Byron Shaffer, Jake Smith, Russell Taylor 

  • Chris Bowser

    Although Chris's spiritual journey has been relatively short, he has traveled to eternity in the past 6 years. While remolding the broken man he was, he has desired to learn the Word and how it applies to his own life. Through this development came opportunities to teach, lead, and preach. Chris' heart aches for the hurting people of Greenville while he reaches out through several local mission endeavours. A recently new Elder, joining in 2017, Chris is already making an impact on our congregation.

  • Matt Courtney

    My life verse is Hebrews 13:20-21: “Now may the God of peace who raised up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, equip you with every good thing to do his will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ our Lord; to whom be glory forever and ever”. My prayer is that God will equip me with every good thing to do his will and use my life in service to Christ through helping others, through praise, and through worship.  I have been redeemed and have a passion to encourage others to be strong in their faith, to be constant in prayer and to study God’s word. I have served as an elder since 2010 and have led the Praise Worship team since 2014.  In my spare time I enjoy kayaking, motorcycle rides, and cutting firewood.  My wife, Val and I enjoy spending time together doing home repairs and yard work.  God has surely blessed our lives.

  • Lee Earnhardt

    I am a retired businessman having worked in the field of technical chemical sales and service and machine design collectively for over 40 years.  I am married to my fantastic wife Michelle, and we have three remaining children along with 14 grandchildren through marriage.  I have been a Christian for almost 50 years, and I can attest to the faithfulness of God in all of those years through, what in hindsight, seem like "light and momentary" struggles.  I appreciate the opportunity to be a servant in our church and to attest to what God is doing through His grace.

  • Scott Graubard

    For nearly 20 years Scott has been answering the call of God on his life. The road has been one with many mountains climbed and valleys crossed. He grew up without any solid foundation in God and he believed that through the application of scientific principles and mathematics all of life's questions could be answered. A radical conversion led him to obtain a Masters in Divinity and then a Doctorate of Ministry. Scott and his wife Julie have been missionaries in the Cayman Islands and church planters. Scott joined the Elder board in 2015 and has a passion for preaching the gospel. He envisions providing counseling services to those in crisis and discipleship to those called to minister.

  • Bill Haller

    Bill is a man brought out of a life consumed by drugs & a wild life in the way of being a musician. God exercised His grace around his mid 30’s. He began his walk mining God’s word to the depth that continues to this day. He loves discipling others and has a heart for the lost. Lately, he’s been enamored with the Lord’s work and life, given fully to all that are His. Finishing well is on his mind and in his heart, so pray that this becomes more and more a reality as long as he’s here. ALL OF GRACE.

  • Dan Jaussen

    Ordained as an elder in 2022. I am extremely honored and humbled to be called to serve God in this way at Crossroads. My wife, Cassie, and I have a heart for the young families and parents of our congregation. We pour our hearts into discipling them and encouraging them every opportunity we get. We are very active in raising our own children. We also enjoy gardening and working our small portion of land that God has blessed us with. We are both still young and eagerly await with anticipation and excitement to see how God has planned to use us to further His kingdom. We are servants constantly awaiting orders from our King. Our constant prayer could be summed up by the words of a song: "May all my days bring glory to Your name"

  • Todd Jaussen

    Todd has been an elder here since 2004. As he puts it: “It is such a great blessing from God to be a part of a loving biblical church.  This is truly my spiritual family!  It is also wonderful to serve alongside my fellow pastors as we together shepherd this flock.”  Todd and Jan have 11 children and 20 grandchildren (with more on the way…stay tuned)!  He graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

  • Jonathan Powell

    Jonathan joined the board of elders in 2018. A simple man chasing Jesus, longing to imitate his Savior all the while realizing his own shortcomings and inadequacies. Having been raised by parents of the faith, Jonathan gives thanks to the Lord for his upbringing. He enjoys singing praises of his Savior and sharing his faith. He prays to be placed where he can be most useful to God's plan for His honor and glory. He and his wife Tracy have experienced personal tragedy and grief in their life together, but trust in the Lord has sustained them. Together they enjoy the outdoors, their animals, motorcycling and gardening.

  • Paul Sereda

    Paul, an Elder confirmed in 2014, describes himself as a work in progress being a sinner saved by grace. He and his wife Cindy have a passion for the mission field and have been to the Dominican Republic several times. Paul is particularly inspired by the men of Crossroads; seeing what God has done in their lives is encouraging. He is driven to see us continue to grow in Christ and unity. Paul especially enjoys and values the fellowship and time he spends with the men in the Wednesday night Bible study (steel sharpens steel). He also enjoys the time he gets to spend with his grandchildren: sharing the Gospel, taking them fishing, shooting, and side by side rides.

  • Frank Weese

    Frank attributes his grandmother for shaping his spiritual life through leading by example, praying, and teaching. As a long‑standing member of Crossroads he is committed to encouraging the spiritual growth of our congregation as well as reaching the unsaved. Our men's ministry and the needs of widows are just two areas that drive Frank's passion at Crossroads. Frank has been an Elder since 2010. He and his wife Deb are avid outdoor enthusiasts, enjoying archery, camping, and hunting.