About Us

Our Purpose

Cross Bars exists to meet the practical needs of people and provide transformational opportunities for a better quality of life.

“Love God. Love others.” – Jesus

Our Vision

Cross Bars envisions a sacred, loving, and authentic community where no perfect people exist. As a community, we will engage life together and be inspired to reach for a better quality of life. “Do not ask yourself what the world needs and do that, but ask yourself what makes you come alive and do that, for the world needs people who have come alive.” –Howard Thurman

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.” – Nelson Mandela

A Brief History

Over seven years ago, God laid His vision upon Pastor Larry Hanson’s heart. The vision was to create a place to reach out to people who would normally never hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. The vision was to meet various needs in people’s lives, opening avenues to build genuine relationships of love and care, in order to earn the right to be heard. The following is how that vision is coming to life.

Cross Bars Ministries will be three faceted: the bar to build relationships with a sense of community, the work place to facilitate job skills training, and life coaching to enrich people’s lives.
⇒The ministry will feature an alcohol-free bar where people can come and enjoy a safe environment in which they can build genuine relationships. The bar will initially be staffed by volunteers. In the future these positions will be staffed by people in the job re-entry program.
⇒The second feature will be the job re-entry program where people can learn job skills and be given chances to better their lives through employment in various light industry opportunities. These people will be trained and resourced to make them more marketable so they can move onto better employment. As various needs are discovered through the bar and the work environment, these needs will be resourced by either existing local agencies or by creating new resources which do not already exist.
⇒Life coaches will be involved with these people throughout their journey until the coach is no longer needed. Through the ministries, it is the desire of Cross Bars to enrich people’s lives where they can reach their full potential, reverse generational poverty, and create an avenue to strengthen the local workforce, all to the glory of Jesus.

In January of 2008, Cross Bars became a partner with a very similar organization called The Pump House Ministries of Ashland, Ohio. Cross Bars Ministries was now a legal entity of Pump House which has a very successful ministry record. Along with the successful five year track record of Pump House, Cross Bars also has many resources and support systems available to help ensure its own success and longevity in the Michiana area. Additional support systems also include coaching and mentoring through the Indiana District and the National Church Planting Movement of the Brethren Church, Ashland, Ohio. In 2010, Cross Bars was incorporated and recieved its own 501-(c)-3 non-profit status.

Cross Bars Core Values Statement

Purpose Statement: Cross Bars exists to meet the practical needs of people and provide transformational opportunities for a better quality of life.

To implement this purpose, Cross Bars’ staff and volunteers will seek to live out, and encourage participants in Cross Bars’ ministries, to adopt the following core values:
Loving God: We love God by obeying Him. Out of loving obedience we seek to be surrendered to God, transformed by Jesus Christ and empowered by the Holy Spirit. In everyday situations, we will totally depend on God’s guidance as revealed to us through prayer, Bible study, and discernment within the Body of Christ.

Loving People: As Christ followers, we desire to be his hands and voice in this world, loving people as he does. Loving people means we will accept them unconditionally, serve them with dignity, respect their individuality, listen actively to them, and include them, as they desire, in genuine Christian community. In short, we will treat one another as we would want to be treated, with straightforward guidance, compassion, patience, and understanding.

Holistic Development of People: We seek to minister to the whole person by serving physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, educational and practical needs. As much as possible we will individualize our ministry. We will use teachable moments, as they arise, in both formal and informal settings. We will share and model the love of Christ and we will encourage the learning of life lessons and appropriate life skills. Holistic development empowers each person to make positive choices that lead to a better quality of life. Further, Cross Bars will connect people to the services of other agencies whenever needed.

Accountability: Since accountability is critical for helping people make significant life changes, we will communicate clearly and often in writing the responsibilities, expectations, goals and consequences that are required for growth. We will hold each other mutually accountable for our decisions and agreements.

Integrity: In our everyday ministry, integrity as a core value guides us to speak the truth in love. We believe that only as we are open, honest and truthful can we create genuine relationships and a sustainable organization that honors God. Integrity also means that we will maintain the highest levels of financial propriety.

Excellence: We will strive for excellence in all that we do. Excellence means we will give our personal best and inspire each other to do the same.