Crosslands Bible Church - P.O. Box 1309 Thoreau, NM 87323 - (505) 862-7065
Copyright 2008 Crosslands Bible Church Inc, All Rights Reserved
Copyright 2008 Crosslands Bible Church Inc, All Rights Reserved
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A Humble Beginning
Crosslands Bible Church came into being in 1965 with a very humble beginning. It is situated on land at the edge of the Navajo Reservation, purchased from a rancher who had to be told he owned it. It was as though God had reserved it for such a church. A rough lumber building was purchased from the rancher for $100 and the materials were used for the basic church building. Mr. Nelson McBride, the first pastor, and a co- worker gathered scrap iron from the old building and sold it for $98. The original pews were bowling benches brought from Albuquerque, and Mr. McBride said he had trouble keeping his congregation from saying "strike" instead of Amen! The first meeting was a funeral in the unfinished building, with temporary fluorescent lights suspended from the ceiling. In the middle of the funeral, one caught fire and interrupted the meeting. The church was designed with a western flare, with a bell tower with crosses on three sides, and back lighted. That was the first light to be seen for 5 mile after leaving the little town of Thoreau. Many tourists thought the church was many years old and stopped to take pictures, with the red mesa as a backdrop. As the church congregation grew, the church was improved and changed in design. Berrien Center Bible Church from Michigan was building a new facility and their old pews, and almost new pulpit furniture were delivered to Crosslands. A building , now the office, was once a class room and purchased from Albuquerque and moved to the present location. As the work grew, and an AWANA Club started, the first Indian AWANA Club in the United States, more room was needed. God worked another miracle by providing two portable class rooms from Des Plaines, Ill. and shipped to the Mission free of charge. By re-design, it produced a 48' X 48' building with two baths, a full kitchen and a 30' X 36' game room and meeting room and 3 class rooms, with a wing of 4 more classrooms. The estimated original cost including foundation was $5 a square foot! Fellowship Baptist Church in Nicut, Ok. provided a much needed baptistry, and as many as 17 were babtized one morning. Many Navajo people have come to know Christ as Savior as a result of that humble step of faith. Now the little church is a self supporting entity, which was the goal of the Founder.
Crosslands Today
Over the years Crosslands has been through many changes, faces have changed, Pastor's have changed, even the style of music and ministry has changed, but there is one thing that remains the same even after nearly 45 years of ministry; that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus remains the true foundation for our Church, though people may come and go, Jesus remains the same. Indeed Crosslands had a humble beginning, and still today we remain a small Church with a big God! Crosslands started off as a mission to reach the Navajo people, most ministry was done by missionaries who worked very hard and some were faithful for decades doing the work of God. Today Crosslands is an incorporated local Church, the Navajo men and women who were once considered the ministry field are now serving the Lord by supporting and doing the ministry themselves. Our members have made huge strides from seeing themselves as those in need of being ministered to, to now supporting 4 ministries and their families. We still desire to reach the Navajo men, women, and children in our area, this is our field, but as we have matured our horizon has broadened; we have been fortunate to stand along side those who are or who have ministered beyond our borders. Jordan, Serbia, as well as Turkey, and we continue to look for the Lord to open up other opportunities.
Our Vision
To become a local Church that is making disciples of Jesus Christ, men and women who are spiritually mature and faithful, who have a love and understanding of God’s Holy Word; living a life that is Holy and dedicated to God.
Crosslands Bible Church came into being in 1965 with a very humble beginning. It is situated on land at the edge of the Navajo Reservation, purchased from a rancher who had to be told he owned it. It was as though God had reserved it for such a church. A rough lumber building was purchased from the rancher for $100 and the materials were used for the basic church building. Mr. Nelson McBride, the first pastor, and a co- worker gathered scrap iron from the old building and sold it for $98. The original pews were bowling benches brought from Albuquerque, and Mr. McBride said he had trouble keeping his congregation from saying "strike" instead of Amen! The first meeting was a funeral in the unfinished building, with temporary fluorescent lights suspended from the ceiling. In the middle of the funeral, one caught fire and interrupted the meeting. The church was designed with a western flare, with a bell tower with crosses on three sides, and back lighted. That was the first light to be seen for 5 mile after leaving the little town of Thoreau. Many tourists thought the church was many years old and stopped to take pictures, with the red mesa as a backdrop. As the church congregation grew, the church was improved and changed in design. Berrien Center Bible Church from Michigan was building a new facility and their old pews, and almost new pulpit furniture were delivered to Crosslands. A building , now the office, was once a class room and purchased from Albuquerque and moved to the present location. As the work grew, and an AWANA Club started, the first Indian AWANA Club in the United States, more room was needed. God worked another miracle by providing two portable class rooms from Des Plaines, Ill. and shipped to the Mission free of charge. By re-design, it produced a 48' X 48' building with two baths, a full kitchen and a 30' X 36' game room and meeting room and 3 class rooms, with a wing of 4 more classrooms. The estimated original cost including foundation was $5 a square foot! Fellowship Baptist Church in Nicut, Ok. provided a much needed baptistry, and as many as 17 were babtized one morning. Many Navajo people have come to know Christ as Savior as a result of that humble step of faith. Now the little church is a self supporting entity, which was the goal of the Founder.
Crosslands Today
Over the years Crosslands has been through many changes, faces have changed, Pastor's have changed, even the style of music and ministry has changed, but there is one thing that remains the same even after nearly 45 years of ministry; that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus remains the true foundation for our Church, though people may come and go, Jesus remains the same. Indeed Crosslands had a humble beginning, and still today we remain a small Church with a big God! Crosslands started off as a mission to reach the Navajo people, most ministry was done by missionaries who worked very hard and some were faithful for decades doing the work of God. Today Crosslands is an incorporated local Church, the Navajo men and women who were once considered the ministry field are now serving the Lord by supporting and doing the ministry themselves. Our members have made huge strides from seeing themselves as those in need of being ministered to, to now supporting 4 ministries and their families. We still desire to reach the Navajo men, women, and children in our area, this is our field, but as we have matured our horizon has broadened; we have been fortunate to stand along side those who are or who have ministered beyond our borders. Jordan, Serbia, as well as Turkey, and we continue to look for the Lord to open up other opportunities.
Our Vision
To become a local Church that is making disciples of Jesus Christ, men and women who are spiritually mature and faithful, who have a love and understanding of God’s Holy Word; living a life that is Holy and dedicated to God.
