We are crossroads - Amazon S3

we are crossroads

The 2014 report of generosity, wild stories

and Jesus-surprises.

This is us, Crossroads:

a bunch of entrepreneurial, grass-rooty, city-loving, world-changing, money-investing

Jesus followers who believe that when we run with God, we're running the

right direction. No excuses. No safety nets. Just a scrappy, strong, vitamin-pounding team that follows one heavenly Leader.

876

BAPTISMS THIS YEAR

So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily. Acts 16:5

If you're on this team, you invested in Kathryn and Paul's story.

And it might just blow your mind.

626

WEEKEND SERVICES ACROSS ALL SITES THIS YEAR

278

LOUDSPEAKERS IN FOUR AUDITORIUMS

5,580 INCHES OF GUITAR STRINGS

1,436

FIRST IMPRESSION VOLUNTEERS SERVING EACH WEEKEND

250

PARKING CONES

"For multiple generations, the men in my family left their wives. The word "love" was a ctitious thing, only in fairy tales. As a child we moved 11 times...isolation was inevitable. I kept a safe distance, afraid of being loved, afraid of being wholly known. I fell into an abusive relationship, and crawled deeper into my numb place. But eventually, I met Paul. He was the rst man I wanted to follow; a man with a heart for God. We got married a year later, but there were still places in my life I kept hidden. Locked.

Somewhere in the process, Paul and I drifted. We busied ourselves and became like roommates. At one point, I took off my ring for four months, and he didn't notice. I daydreamed about being single, being free. Finally, I left. Within a week, I got in a relationship with another man. I spiraled. I knew God, I knew better...but somehow I felt my life was unrecoverable.

105,226

VIEWS ON YOUTUBE OF PAUL AND KATHRYN'S STORY.

THAT'S HOPE GONE VIRAL.

I ended up nding Crossroads, an adulteress woman in the back of the auditorium, alone in the dark. I would sing that song about God making beautiful things out of us. I went through the Strong Journey without Paul, and asked God if I was lost.

I felt God say, "Give up that other relationship. No ties. Go back to your husband." Seven months went by, and I nally found the courage to end my affair. I texted my husband, strictly out of obedience, and I said, "Can I come home?" And my husband said "yes." He welcomed me home!

It wasn't easy. It took a long time to learn how to receive love and rebuild our marriage. Paul and I did the Journey Home group together, and that helped lead us to deeper levels of conversation and healing with things in

our family's past. Then we went through the Community Group called Story Formed Life. It was a game changer! It taught us biblical truths that brought us breakthrough and unity. We also served together--doing GO Cincinnati--a much needed reminder to know what it's like to serve side by side in the Kingdom.

4,210

COMMUNITY GROUP WORKBOOKS PRINTED

585

COMMUNITY GROUP LEADERS

$30,890

SPENT ON MARRIAGE COMMUNITY GROUPS

$80,000

SPENT ON 7,737 PRAYER EXPERIENCE PARTICIPANTS

$5.50

PER JOURNEY SMALL GROUP KIT

In all this, God showed me that he is a faithful God. And when I experience that kind of forgiveness from God and from Paul, without deserving it? That is love."

$1.27

PER INDIVIDUAL JOURNEY GUIDE

#wearecrds

For His unfailing love is great, and it is intended for us, and His faithfulness to His promises knows no end. Psalm 117:2

919

PARTIERS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL BLOCK PARTY

1,500

CUPS OF COFFEE HANDED OUT ON UC'S CAMPUS

192

MILES WALKED WHILE PRAYING FOR UC AND CLIFTON

18

ROOFTOP HVAC UNITS AT THE NEW MASON SITE

$24

FOR EACH CASE OF BIBLES WE GIVE AWAY

12

ELF APRONS WORN BY AWAITED VOLUNTEERS

1.1

MILES OF WHITE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN THE OAKLEY ATRIUM AT AWAITED

17

DOZEN DONUTS MUNCHED BY VOLUNTEERS EACH WEEKEND

4,141

TWITTERERS FOLLOWING @CRDSCHURCH

5,150

INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS

27,049

LIKES ON FACEBOOK

14,126

SUBSCRIBERS TO THE DAILY

204

LIKES ON THE INSTAGRAM POST OF BRIAN'S WALLET

5,389

MAN HOURS SPENT BY VOLUNTEERS PREPPING KIDS' CLUB WEEKENDS

1BEAR IN A PARKING LOT

Seriously. Remember when a fricking BEAR went looking for love in the Oakley parking lot?

Digits for days.

These numbers tell quite a tale. This is one sloppy, wonderful narrative, lled with subplots and surprise endings. It's a true story about how God can use just about anything to pursue us.

1,026

NEW DISCIPLING RELATIONSHIPS

90

CHURCHES MOBILIZED THROUGH CHURCH OF CINCINNATI

$20,000

WORTH OF DISASTER RELIEF FOLLOWING TYPHOON HAIYAN

256

GO NEW ORLEANS PARTICIPANTS

235

EMPLOYED THROUGH CINCINNATI WORKS AT CITYLINK

3,971

PIECES OF USED BARNWOOD DISTRIBUTED DURING "THE NEW MAN" COMMISSIONING

$497,975.77 $51,342 GIVEN THROUGH BENEVOLENCE

4,144 INVESTED BY EATING BEANS AND RICE

#CITYOFWONDERS POSTS

$3,613.43

INVESTED IN BEANS AND RICE WEEK STARTER KITS

59

VIDEO SHOOTS, INCLUDING KIDS' CLUB

285,000

MEALS PACKED FOR SOUTH AFRICA

14

HOMES BUILT WITH HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

38

BAPTISMS ON GO TRIPS

3,100

KIDS RECEIVING CHRISTMAS GIFTS THROUGH ANGEL TREE

$147,000

ESTIMATED WORTH OF ANGEL TREE GIFTS DONATED

ON INSTAGRAM

#1

HASHTAG IN THE COUNTRY DURING GO CINCINNATI

1,065

#WEARECRDS SELFIES SHARED

17,064

AVERAGE WEEKEND ATTENDANCE

58

SEX SLAVERY SURVIVORS RE-INTEGRATED INTO SOCIETY

1

BOOK IN THE BIBLE NAMED NUMBERS

300

STUDENTS SERVED THROUGH WHIZ KIDS AT 7 SCHOOLS

173,266

CHECK-INS TO KIDS' CLUB E>CHECK SYSTEM

240

TERABYTES OF VIDEO STORAGE

85

CARS GIVEN AWAY THROUGH WHEELS

13,632 40

HOURS VOLUNTEERED AT CITYLINK DRUM HEADS

All those social media posts? All that money spent on microphones? All those volunteer donuts? They're an investment in people like Donavan. And our return is the impact that Donavan is now having on other lives.

Donavan's Story

"I just got back from a GO South Africa trip to Cape Town. And I came back a changed man.

The team had spent the day on home visits to AIDS patients, and we were re ecting that night on what we'd experienced. Patrick, a black South African pastor from an AIDS-ravaged village, was sitting in on the meeting to give his insights. He shared how, in his 10 years of working with churches and mission trip participants from all over the world, this was the rst time he had personally met African Americans (there were three of us on

the team). He had always considered us like family--yet he had never seen an African American sacri ce time or resources to help South Africans. We gave him hope. We made him feel loved. We were Jesus to him. And all we did was show up. (We may have gone through a few boxes of tissues that night.)"

#wearecrds

We, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:5

205

MICROPHONES

3,092

HOUSEHOLDS INVESTING REGULARLY THROUGH EGIFT

32,337

PEOPLE USING FREE WIFI

7x1027

APPROXIMATE NUMBER OF ATOMS IN BRIAN TOME'S BODY

1,200

AT-RISK SOUTH AFRICAN CHILDREN GIVEN

HOLISTIC SUPPORT EACH MONTH

50,000+

CROSSROADS PENS USED

3,200

CDS GIVEN AWAY PER MONTH

5,775,000

AIR MILES TRAVELED BY 325 GO SOUTH AFRICA PARTICIPANTS

$240,735

WORTH OF FREE COFFEE

2,048

KID BIBLES GIVEN AWAY

276,890

KIDS' CLUB VIDEO VIEWS IN 145 COUNTRIES

107

LIFE-SIZED GOLIATH POSTERS DOWNLOADED

837

VOLUNTEERS CREATING ENVIRONMENTS FOR KIDS EACH WEEKEND

1,036,567

VISITS TO

79,030

AWAITED TICKETS GIVEN AWAY ONLINE

327

COMPLETING THE CINCINNATI WORKS JOB READINESS WORKSHOP AT CITYLINK

80

SEX SLAVERY SURVIVORS CURRENTLY IN INDIA AFTERCARE HOMES

7,495

GO CINCINNATI VOLUNTEERS TACKLING 425 SERVICE PROJECTS

495

CLIENTS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN CITYLINK'S FIRST YEAR

65

JOURNEY PARTNER CHURCHES

5,342

PARTICIPANTS IN 174 COMMUNITY GROUPS

$544,000

GIVEN THROUGH STOCKS

238%

GROWTH IN FLORENCE COMMUNITY GROUPS

325

CROSSROADS CLIFTON FIRST WEEKEND ATTENDANCE AT BOGART'S

29,302

SUPER BOWL SERVICE ATTENDANCE

684,337

TOTAL ATTENDANCE THROUGH 43 WEEKS OF 2014

51,643

AWAITED 2013 ATTENDANCE

Esme's Story

"For a long time, Esme (5y), has been asking Jesus every night to show himself to her--she wants to literally see him and hear him. Each week at Kids' Club she's been learning how to talk to God and how much he wants to talk to her. It's been beautiful to witness her heartfelt faith and also hard when she wakes up each morning, frustrated, saying, "Mama, he didn't come!" I've been at a loss at how to support and encourage her. But we just keep asking because this Mama believes God wants to reveal himself to children most of all. This morning Esme rushed down the steps BEAMING and clutching her notebook.

"Jesus spoke to me Mama! I heard him!"

She was glowing with the joy of an answered prayer and an encounter with God. "He told me to be kind and love my friends." Such a sweet reminder that miracles still happen and I never want to forget to keep asking and have the faith of a child."

#wearecrds

On the day I called, you answered me; my strength of soul you increased. Psalm 138:3

9% $3,670,166 Weekend services Revealing God's truth through teaching and creativity.

Open books. 16% $6,783,088

West Side

When you give,

this is where it goes.

Seriously, wide open. Our books are audited each year by Barnes, Dennig & Co, Ltd. and always open. Let us know if you'd like to see more.

11% $4,437,969 First Impressions Creating environments where our friends connect with God.

0.1% $46,372 Florence, etc. Don't cry for Florence, y'all. It still has that new car smell.

4% $1,641,425 Kids' Club and Student Ministry Sharing God's story with kids, students and families.

We spent

1% $517,944 Oakley $28,465,987

$41,450,572 OPERATING

EXPENSES $19,617,605

(47%)

CAPITAL SPENDING

TOTAL GIVING That leaves us a little short, right?That's right. We planned on the $13 million gap, covering it with about $3 million from existing cash reserves, and $10 million in mortgage debt.

$21,832,967 (53%)

10% $3,971,713 Infrastructure

for freedom, for our friends,

Supporting staff and

35% $14,485,563 Mason

volunteers on the front lines.

4% $1,498,030 IT Holding systems together

for ipping the city.

behind the scenes.

Leigh's Story

7% $3,107,689 ReachOut Running after our neighbors in need, here and around the world.

"I showed up at Crossroads Mason one day on my own accord...came, kind of settled in. I didn't even tell my friends I was

The biggest change in me is that I'm approaching everything I'm hearing now--not with criticism and how do I

here. I just sat in the back and took it in. Any argue against this, but with a much

3% $1,290,613 Community Growth Uniting churches and

time I approached anything Christian, I was turned off immediately. This is the rst place where I felt like, "It actually is okay to not be

softer heart. I'm open minded and things are making sense now. That's the big difference."

helping a big church feel like home.

100% on board right away with all of this. This

is somewhere where I can come and explore." #wearecrds

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently nd me. Proverbs 8:17

Unexpected:

Evelyn's Story

I remember when my family said that we would give money to help support Crossroads, and it was so cool to see my parents sacrifice getting things they wanted in order to build this place [West Side]. I now see why it's a big deal to give in this way.

I went through a heavy time last year in high school, and I can say

that I have been healed, and it feels awesome to be able to smile and laugh and have joy again. I used to be really mean to my parents--I didn't realize how disrespectful I was to them. I love them and really appreciate them now.

And now I have friends who didn't even know if they believed in God showing up to High School ministry

and church! I have friends who have literally been transformed by God through student ministry. The way they deal with problems is totally different. We know there is a better way to get through the pain, and we learn that here. It's a place that feels like home, and it's right in our backyard!

#wearecrds

A West Side Story

419

BRAND NEW SEATS IN THE WEST SIDE AUDITORIUM

2,140

CEILING TILES REPLACED

31.9 ACRES

$6,783,088 TO PURCHASE AND RENOVATE WEST SIDE

$6,215,987 IN UNEXPECTED GIVING 1,755 IN ATTENDANCE FIRST WEEKEND

We haven't all heard this story. But man, it's a good one. (Cue: "Gee, Of cer Krumpke.")

Our giving budget for 2013-14 was $22 million. That's what we expected to come in through the generosity and smart investments of our teammates. That number was born from all kinds of strategy meetings, prayer sessions, accounting nitty gritty, bold conversations. That $22 million was enough to start building construction in Mason, create excellent weekend experiences across all sites, continue our game-changing work in CityLink, South Africa and India, and fund ministry for kids and community groups and everything else we believed God wanted us to do this year. Yep, it's a biggy bold number, especially coming off of Game Change and wondering if those generous people would keep on giving. But we wrote it down. We planned against it. We told God we needed him.

Then something unexpected came up. In the sticky summer of 2013, we found out about a middle school on the West Side that was closing, and might be for sale. No, Cleves wasn't in our strategic plan. And no one had any idea how we'd pay for it. But we felt like God was calling us to this place on the West Side--to reach more people for Jesus there. So we went for it, expecting to spend an additional $5-7 million over our budget to cover the purchase and renovation. God gave us the vision and the building, so we trusted him to provide the means.

We didn't get what we expected. Our giving last year was nowhere near $22 million. It was more like $28 million.

It was another amazing, completely humbling example of how God will abundantly provide.

Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:20-21

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