CHURCH PROFILE

Every year more people are discovering what those of us who live here already know -that Bigfork, Montana is a slice of paradise. Overlooking Flathead Lake, with Jewel Basin and the Swan Mountain Range surrounding it, it is no surprise that people flock here.  Bigfork is an unincorporated rural village some 15 miles from Kalispell. The population of this small town swells in the summer to accommodate both tourists and summer people with second homes. It is on the eastern edge of the Flathead Valley, which, with a population of about 100,000, is one of Montana’s fastest-growing areas. Bigfork is proud of its vibrant art scene, outstanding schools, and dynamic businesses.  With Glacier National Park, Whitefish Mountain Resort and Blacktail Ski Area all less than an hour away, Bigfork is the ideal spot to call home and daily be amazed at the wonder of God’s creation.

 

The seed for Crossroad Christian Fellowship in Bigfork was planted at a Pathways (Cursillo-like) retreat on Flathead Lake in 1995. Three young men had just experienced authentic Biblical Christianity with meaningful fellowship inspired by contemporary worship and solid Gospel teaching in an informal setting. They continued to meet and pray and hunger for more. As the vision grew, more families joined, and a pastor was called. From this small beginning, Crossroads Christian Fellowship was grown. In the ensuing 25 years, God has used it to supply spiritual nourishment to many in Bigfork and the greater Flathead Valley

 

The name, “Crossroads Christian Fellowship” captured both Bigfork’s location at a strategic intersection and our spiritual location as a place for people to encounter the living God at a difficult juncture in their lives. The name also points to the centrality of the cross of Jesus Christ. Against this background, it is easy to understand why our mission is “Love God. Love Others. Make Disciples.”

 

Before Covid-19, our average weekend attendance ranged from 550-650 adults and children, plus a growing weekly online community. Attendance is higher in the summer months when we welcome back our snowbird members and tourism is at its peak.  Non-denominational by design, we are conservative in theology and evangelical in spirit. We are blue and white-collar, young and old, working and retired. Some of us are life-long Montanans, some are grateful transplants, others are snowbirds. We love our Lord, we love this fellowship and we are committed to prayer. We hold Scripture to be the authoritative, inspired, inerrant word of God, given to guide us in all matters of faith and life.

 

As we began 2020, we had one service on Saturday evening and two on Sunday morning. The 9:00 am Sunday service is live-streamed. Building our online community has been key during this time of global change and challenge. Our main gathering area holds 270 people comfortably. Our worship services are casual, reverent in spirit, and engaging towards visitors. We seek to honor and enjoy God with our hearts, minds, and spirits. Music is in our DNA.  Throughout our history, Crossroads has attracted an abundance of gifted volunteer musicians who serve on the weekends and have a powerful outreach through Crossroads’ Christmas services held in Bigfork’s Performing Arts Center.

 

Crossroads is an elder-governed church. Historically, our by-laws have specified a maximum of seven elders, including the lead pastor. Currently, the elder board consists of 5 lay elders and 1 pastor elder. As our church has grown in the last several years, it has become apparent that there is a need to recruit and train more leaders. Crossroads is at a junction where we have enjoyed a close-knit community for some time, but can no longer serve the number of people we currently have with the structure of a small church. 

 

We currently have nine paid full and part-time staff. In Financial Year 2019/20 we raised $1,005,142 and spent $738,170.  We have been debt-free since early 2018, and currently have a healthy bank balance, thanks to both generous giving by the church body and appropriate expense controls by our staff and elders. We tithe 10% of our general revenue through our Missions Committee.   We have drawn plans, allocated funds, and applied for permits to expand our facility due to our growth.  The new space will be for classrooms, kids’ ministry, staff areas, and an additional meeting room for up to 85 people.

 

Although our largest demographic is aged 55-70, we understand the importance of cross-generational ministry.  For this reason, we staff and support vital youth, young-adult, and children’s ministries. Our annual Vacation Bible School is an impactful community outreach to kids and parents that also flows from this commitment.

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Our volunteer-led Women’s Ministry is flourishing with 20 small-group studies, bi-monthly large gatherings, and annual special events. The Men’s Ministry is also volunteer-led, with Iron Man accountability groups, mentoring, and an annual “Wild Game Feed”. Another volunteer-led ministry is “Choosing Hope”, a free counseling service to members and the community by Crossroads trained lay counselors. 

 

Crossroads hosts many community outreach ministries including Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), Child Bridge (finding and equipping foster/adoptive families), Trail Life USA (boy-focused mentoring and discipleship), Al-Anon,  Bible Study Fellowship (BSF),  and Community Bible Study (CBS). Also, we help sponsor the Hope Pregnancy Center, Bigfork Food Bank, Ray of Hope, Neighbors in Need, Warming Center, Fellowship of Christian Athletes.  We also support ministries, connect with the people, and send short term missionaries to the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. 

 

Globally, we support several missionaries, including an expanding ministry in Rwanda. Our partner church in Rwanda has developed Eden’s Child, a child sponsorship program that restores hope and provides healthcare and education for over 100 children in Rwanda. Besides our financial support, Crossroads has regularly sent short term mission teams to Rwanda.

 

As we approach our  25-year anniversary we are excited to see how the Lord will continue to use Crossroads Christian Fellowship to “Love God, Love Others, and Make Disciples” here in the Flathead Valley and in the rest of the world.