History

Dr. James S. Wells, the pastor of the predominately African-American Zion Hope Baptist Church, founded Crossroads Bible College, originally Baptist Bible College of Indianapolis, in 1980. Under his capable leadership and dynamic expository preaching, Zion Hope had grown from 35 to more than 500 members. Outgrowing its original urban building, the congregation in 1979 purchased and moved into the beautiful facilities of the Devington Baptist Church on the city's northeast side. Here the school was located for the first eight years of its existence in cooperation with the Zion Hope congregation. Dr. Wells served as both pastor of the Church and as president of the College until his home-going in September of 1987.

Early in 1980, Dr. Wells invited Rev. Ken Davis, the missionary pastor of the largely African-American Trinity Baptist Church in Indianapolis, and Rev. Clint Kaufield, an experienced pastor of 20 years, to work with him in organizing the school. Both of these men served under Baptist Mid-Missions, an independent, fundamental Baptist missions agency.

After careful preparation, the school began in the Fall of 1980 as an evening Bible Institute. To the amazement of all, 55 students from 12 local congregations enrolled for the first semester. There were only three part-time faculty instructors. In 1981, the young school was incorporated under the laws of Indiana as a non-profit, tax-exempt, religious, educational institution. Desiring the help of other churches, Dr. Wells invited other local pastors and businessmen to join with him in forming a board of trustees to set policy for the school. From the very beginning the school had its own constitution, by-laws, articles of faith, annual budget, and trustees.

In 1983, the school expanded its curriculum and began a full-time college program, offering a four-year bachelor's degree. Right from the start the school developed a reputation for solid academic excellence and in-depth Bible courses. Several fully accredited Christian colleges began accepting its credits.

When a sovereign God saw fit to bring the College founder home a few weeks after the start of the Fall 1987 school year, the Board of Trustees, meeting in emergency session, asked Rev. Marshall Watson to become the interim President. Rev. Watson, the respected pastor of the Blessed Hope Baptist Church in Indianapolis, had faithfully served as chairman of the Board of Trustees since 1981. Under his capable administrative hand, the College continued to develop.

In January 1991, after a two-year extensive search, the College Board of Trustees voted unanimously to extend a call to Pastor A. Charles Ware to become the College's second president. Pastor Ware, a dynamic expository preacher and visionary sensed great potential for the College. Dr. Ware brought to this position 20 years of pastoral and church planting experience, having served as founding pastor of Scranton Revival Baptist Church in Scranton, Pennsylvania, and as senior pastor of Bethel Bible Church in Camp Springs, Maryland.

In June of 1996, the College relocated to a beautiful 43,000 sq. ft. church building originally owned by the First Church of the Nazarene. In 1998, Ms. Kathryn Ulmer our librarian retired from her missionary service. In honor of her dedicated service to the College, the college library is now named “The Kathryn Ulmer Library”. Following the move, to the new building, the College was challenged by the owner of the building to raise $3.8 million by December 31, 1999, and in return the owner would donate the building and 6.0 acres of land to the College in exchange for $20. Every dollar moved them one step closer to meeting that challenge and in May of 1999, they received the deed to the land and building located at 601 North Shortridge Road. In February of that same year, after a rigorous seven-year self-study process, the College was granted accreditation with the Accrediting Association of Bible Colleges (AABC). In the Fall of 1999, The U.S. Department of Education approved Crossroads to participate in the Title IV Funding program. Students received funds through the Pell Grant program and the SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Program). The College also started to accept veteran benefits.

In continuation of near-miraculous developments at Crossroads in 1999, roomy apartments adjacent to the campus were made available for student occupancy. The College fully furnished these apartments that had spacious rooms for our students to relax and study in.

The Lord increasingly gave Crossroads Bible College a platform to address the issue of racial reconciliation in the Indianapolis community and across the nation. The College developed a unique ministry to address racial problems with biblical solutions. One such vehicle, The Multiracial Ministry Conference is held every two years to provide biblical principles, practical models, wise methodologies and encouragement to Christian leaders involved in racial reconciliation, cross-cultural ministry and outreach to ethnic America. The College’s efforts were noted in numerous ways including the Indianapolis Civil Rights Commission awarding this conference an honorable mention in their 1999 Spirit of Justice Awards.

As much of the country headed into the turn of the century fearing the effects of Y2K, Crossroads boldly leaped into a new year full of new challenges accompanied by bountiful blessings. Along with the challenges and blessings of 2000 also came a name change. While Training Christian Leaders to Reach a Multiethnic Urban World for Christ, people from diverse backgrounds cross paths at the College. Thus the new name for the College became Crossroads Bible College.

The College's original missionary vision to reach urban and ethnic America has been expanded to also train missionaries to disciple unreached people groups overseas. In recent years, Crossroads students/graduates have served under Bible believing mission agencies in Brazil, Peru, South Africa, and Trinidad. College-sponsored mission teams have gone to Guyana, Liberia, Ghana, and Trinidad. Many have come to faith in Christ through these outreaches. Crossroads’ students and graduates have also served Christ in Mongolia, Russia, Spain, and Quebec. The College has also helped sponsor an annual "School of Church Planting" by which hundreds of men have been trained in the practical skills needed for church planting. Consequently, Crossroads faculty and/or student teams have started a number of new congregations in metro Indianapolis.

During the College’s exciting history, Crossroads moved from a missionary college to a college with a mission. In 1999, Rev. Ken Davis took another missionary position with Baptist Mid-Missions. In the spring of 2000, the newly named Crossroads Bible College announced its departure from the support mantle of Baptist Mid-Missions. During the 2000 commencement exercises, two former missionaries to the college, Dr. Clinton Kaufield and Rev. Ken Davis, were honored as two new scholarships were established in their names. Dr. Clinton Kaufield went home to be with the Lord during the summer of 2000. Dr. James Odell a former missionary with Baptist Mid-Missions now serves on staff with the College as Chairman: Division of Biblical Theological Studies and Professor, teaching Historical Theology, Bible and History. He is also the acting Academic Dean.

Enrichment to the college degree program brought two additional majors, Biblical Counseling and Youth Ministry. The Biblical Counseling major is designed to train men and women to serve as biblical counselors for local churches and related parachurch ministries. The Youth Ministry major prepares men and women to work in church-based and parachurch ministries serving junior high, senior high and college-age youth and their families.

Under the leadership of our President, Dr. Charles Ware, the College planted a church on our campus in May 2001 to model our teachings on racial reconciliation. These concepts were taught in our Multiracial Ministry Conferences, and specific courses in the curriculum, but the challenge was to live it out in a local church. The church, Crossroads Bible Church, has grown in membership and staff and is fully indigenous after two years.

In 2002, the College enhanced it’s urban ministry training by offering another course specifically designed around urban ministry. Dr. John Perkins, and other practitioners have taught each year after its inception. Our graduates are continuing to make an impact in the urban communities across the country.

Our future looks bright as the College plans to enhance its campus presence. Plans are underway to increase dormitory space, improve our existing student activity center and add to our technology infrastructure. With the help of the Lord, we plan to do this by either building within our existing 6 acres or relocating to another area of Indianapolis. We stand on tiptoe waiting to see how the Lord will continue to implement His miraculous strategic plan for the College. We feel His plan is for us to be the leading evangelical Bible college in America dedicated to Training Christian Leaders to Reach a Multiethnic Urban World for Christ.