Well...closer to you church anyway.
Small steps taken consistently over time equals big results...and people tend to be consistent with their coffee.
Caroling with coffee, bring it on.
BENSON - Every other Sunday, the Smithfield Herald spotlights a local church in “Houses of Worship.” Pastors who want to feature their churches should send an email to ccampbell@newsobserver.com.
Plenty of churches offer a coffee hour on Sunday mornings, giving parishioners a chance to socialize in an informal setting.
Crossroads Church, a 3-year-old addition to the worship scene in Benson, has taken that practice a step further – it’s offering coffee all day long, seven days a week.
The church operates Crossroads Coffee, Benson’s only java spot, with a full menu of organic coffee and espresso drinks, along with baked treats. Open to the entire community, the coffee shop resembles most for-profit cafés, but it gives the church a higher profile and opportunity to reach out.
The coffee shop is one of many ways Crossroads Church takes an unconventional approach to religion. It’s developed a casual atmosphere for services and church events to appeal to the “unchurched” crowd, while emphasizing traditional Southern Baptist teachings.
Location: 201 W. Parrish Drive, Benson, next to the railroad tracks downtown.
Affiliation: nondenominational, though cooperative with the Southern Baptist Convention.
Contact information: crossroadsbenson.com, 919-701-1700 or info@crossroadsbenson.com.
The pastor: Scott Betts is the founding pastor of Crossroads Church. He said he had a vision for a church that reached out to those that traditional churches were not reaching. Betts said he was given the name Crossroads in 2007 while celebrating his 20th wedding anniversary in Hawaii with his wife, Tanya. He began small weekly meetings with a core group in 2009.
These first meetings were held in homes and at a park in Benson. From there, a building became available, and Crossroads Church and its sister coffee shop were born.
Betts said he is passionate about the Bible. It is the centerpiece for everything that is done at Crossroads, he said. “God’s word is the source of revelation in the life of believers and, through the Holy Spirit, draws those who do not believe in Christ,” he said.
Betts and his wife have two sons, Kyle and Donny. He is also the owner of SBS Inc., a commercial electrical and energy-management company that provides services to grocery chains. Betts holds a master’s degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest.
The pastor on what sets his church apart: We see ourselves as a local expression of the universal church instituted by Jesus. Culturally, we are perceived as nontraditional, but theologically, we are conservative. We are mission-minded, both locally and globally.
Special programs: The church has a variety of options, from a Kidz Church program, youth group and youth outreach to Bible studies, various small groups and one-on-one discipleship.
Last Sunday’s sermon: “Changing Gears: How the Churched Become the Church”; sermons can be downloaded or listened to on the website through iTunes.
Dress code: casual and modest – most wear jeans, including the pastor.
Compiled by Colin Campbell
