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.
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, Dan Jaussen, Dave Jones, Kirk Lengacher, Sue Preston, Cindy Sereda, Byron Shaffer, Russ Taylor, and Gary Visniesky.
Contact: eldersatcrossroadschurch@gmail.com
Elder Profiles
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
Matt's heart is focused on serving Christ through helping others, through praise and worship, and serving in missions. His passion is going to the mission field through short‑term mission trips. God has blessed him by being able to go to Uganda, Africa, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and the Mississippi coast after Hurricane Katrina. On the Elder Board since 2010, Matt now serves as Head Elder and oversees its administrative activities and mission outreach. Matt credits his father, Ron Courtney, through his daily walk and Pastor Clemens Farver's love of Christ with molding his Christian life. Matt and Val enjoy travelling by motorcycle and caring for their home.
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.
Todd Jaussen
Todd is the primary preaching and teaching Elder at Crossroads since 2004. His passions for his Christian walk include getting alone with God, sharing his faith with unbelievers, and helping believers grow in their faith. Todd balances this with flyfishing, hunting, hiking, and gardening. His family is very important to Todd and his wife Jan as they spend time with their 11 children and now busy grandchildren. Todd's goals for Crossroads are to see us grow to love God and glorify Him every day, to see us grow in holiness and love for each other and for the lost, and to see us have a heart for evangelism and missions.
Jonathan Powell
Jonathan was elevated to the Eldership in 2018. Looking back at his own life, he can see where God has stood by him, even through his own shortcomings and inadequacy. Jonathan can feel how God is molding and fashioning him into His likeness, so he prays that God would use him for His honor and glory. He and his wife Tracy has experienced personal grief and tragedy in their life together, but trust in the Lord has sustained them. Coming to Crossroads has changed their lives in a dramatic way.
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 enjoys tending his vegetable garden and taking his new grandsons fishing.
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, an Elder since 2010, is also responsible for coordinating Crossroads' Sunday School ministry. He and his wife Deb are avid outdoor enthusiasts, enjoying archery, camping, and hunting, and, no surprise, Frank is an Eagle Scout.