“a statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth.” – dictionary.com
“Paradox” is the word Nate Hamblin, campus pastor at Crossroads Evangelical Church in Wauseon, Ohio, uses to describe Adrian, Michigan, target site for a new church plant through the Tri-State Co-op and led by Nate and leadership resident, Caleb Barrows. Nestled in a hard-hit county some 70 miles southwest of Detroit, the city poses new and interesting challenges that have piqued Nate’s interest in a way that he had never planned. “We never envisioned ourselves as church planters,” says Nate. “We love it here at Crossroads, and for some crazy reason, they love us.” Yet he can’t deny a burden for Adrian and a strong sense that God is calling them to launch a new FEC church in this community, one independent from Church of the Good Shepherd, which is welcoming a partner to reach out to this hurting community.
“In addition to experiencing a real sense of ‘stuck-ness,’” says Nate, “people in Adrian have disconnected from any religious affiliation, with only 39% wearing some self-defined religious label.” Currently in the learning/networking phase, Nate hopes to gather pockets of people to dream and pray about the new community of believers in this former blue-collar town. “We want to work at being the church in Adrian before we get too focused on having church in Adrian,” he says. “Our goal is to help people grow personally in Christ, connect relationally through Christ, and engage missionally with Christ.”
