A Brief History of Crossroads Community Church
Prayer, fasting and visitation preceded an eight-week tent revival conducted by Bishop Amos J. Creel. God blessed the meeting with several salvation experiences and healings. Following the revival, Bishop Creel set the church in order on July 27, 1946.
M.C. Jones was appointed the first pastor. Prayer meetings were conducted in the Hoskins Road area until property was purchased, and a cinder block sanctuary was erected. A steady growth in each phase of the work was realized over the period of several years and under the leadership of several pastors.
During the pastorate of Pastor Alvin Brantley in 1967, five acres of land was purchased on Lawing Road.
Under the supervision of Pastor Eugene Black, the erection of a new church facility began. The planning and construction continued for two years. Upon completion of the project (1969), the church relocated to 2526 (now 1807) Lawing Road. The new building consists of a beautiful sanctuary, pastor’s study, utility/storage room, a nursery, music/storage room, prayer/meeting room, kitchen/fellowship hall, and three restrooms.
The old property was sold to the Woodmen of the World organization. The new property was financed through a bond program of $35,000.00. The bond program was paid in full during the pastorate of Pastor Raymond Talton.
In 1989, Pastor J.V. Sullivan arrived as pastor. The Lord blessed in growth and finances. In 1990, the church purchased a parsonage (4 bedrooms; 2 baths; brick home) in the Coulwood section of Charlotte. The parsonage was sold circa 1998 during Pastor Sullivan’s second tour as our pastor.
Pastor Tim Aukerman has the distinction of being our most tenured pastor to date with just under 19 years, arriving in the summer of 1999 and serving until January 4, 2018, when he was called home to glory. During his pastorate, an Annex (4 rooms; 4 baths) was purchased and an adjoining deck erected connecting it with the main facility. The pastor’s office was relocated to the Annex, along with the children’s, youth, and college/career ministries. Too, Pastor Tim, in conjunction with the Southeast Region (Spanish) COGOP, founded a Hispanic church, Casa de Amor y Salvacion, as an outreach ministry of Crossroads to reach our Spanish-speaking community. An avid reader, Pastor Tim’s family donated most of his books to the church that are now located in the pastor’s study as a memorial library to him.
Bishop Ben Duncan was our pastor for seven years. During his tenure, the church was incorporated as Crossroads Community Church of God of Prophecy, Inc., during 2018. Moreover, Leadership Development was a chief focus of Bishop Duncan's ministry, and several local leaders were trained and licensed as a deacon, elder, or minister. Also, several key improvements were made to the facility including: two new HVAC units (one in the annex; one in the sanctuary); a new emergency lighting/fire safety system and a security monitoring system; a new roof was put on the church sanctuary; the facility was connected to the City Water; and funds were raised to install a new church sign. Bishop Duncan also guided the church through the trying time of the COVID-19 Pandemic (2020-2023). He led the church in adjusting to remote ministry operations to include the use of Zoom. He also developed a new website for the local church (the one you are viewing now). It is noteworthy that during his tenure the Hispanic Ministry outgrew our facility and relocated in 2024. Due to health challenges, Bishop Duncan retired in December 2024.
Pastors and years in which they served:
1946-1951: M. C. Jones
1951-1952: Allen Tittsworth
1952-1953: Cecil Davis
1954-1955: Harold Beemer
1955-1958: Tommy Sample
1958 (1/2 year): B. B. Williford
1958-1961: Harold Collins
1961-1965: Silas R. Wallace
1965-1968: Alvin Brantley
1968-1974: Eugene Black
1974-1979: Lester Moore
1979-1982: Raymond E. Talton
1982-1989: Eugene Black
1989-1995: J.V. Sullivan
1995-1997: Marvin Brisson, Jr.
1997-1999: J.V. Sullivan
1999-2018: Tim Aukerman
2018- 2024: Ben Duncan
2025 - present: To be announced