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The Gospel, Church, and Missions guide everything we do at CROSS CON. They keep us focused and keep us from wandering from our mission.
We proclaim. We don’t assume.
We want every person to hear the gospel clearly and repeatedly: God saves sinners by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. We explain it plainly and press it home with conviction.
We serve it—and send people back to it.
CROSS exists to serve the local church, not compete with it. We want every attendee to return home more committed to the people, pastors, and ordinary discipleship God has placed around them.
We work to see Christ treasured everywhere.
Missions is the overflow of a life shaped by the gospel and rooted in the church. Some will go, others will send, but every Christian has a role in seeing Christ treasured among the nations.
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We are both serious and joyful.
We aim to match the tone of the conference to the weightiness of the topic at hand. As one of our founders, John Piper, said to a previous gathering at CROSS, “We don’t urge you to come to CROSS to make your life easy. We urge you to come to make your life count.”
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We care about lasting change.
We don’t want to manipulate emotions that quickly flame out in unfulfilled expectations. We aim to instruct the conscience for lifelong faithfulness.
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We want to ground people in God’s Word.
We want those who attend to grow deep theological roots, so we instruct through main talks, conversations, testimonies, and topical breakouts.
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We sing loudly together.
Grasping God’s rich mercy and grace from the Scriptures, we respond with heartfelt praise, singing with one voice both new and old theologically rich songs.
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We point people to local churches.
An event can be a great tool for discipleship, but it is not the God-ordained, normal means for Christian growth. For this reason, we encourage everyone who attends to invest more deeply in their church after the conference.
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We believe everyone has a role in the Great Commission.
Fulfilling Jesus’ command to make disciples of all nations will not be accomplished by a select group of “super Christians.” Every follower of Christ has been charged to take part—either as a sacrificial sender or a dedicated goer.
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We believe the years from 18–25 are trajectory-setting.
We long to see this generation make key decisions in their twenties that impact the nations for eternity.
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We believe group leaders are instrumental.
We love that 90% of our past attendees have come with a group leader. We believe the best way to experience CROSS is within a community that can encourage continued perseverance and discipleship beyond the last talk.
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We partner with faithful organizations.
Our exhibit hall is filled with missions agencies, seminaries, and resourcing organizations that are eager to serve.
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Each CROSS CON currently includes five main sessions, two breakout blocks, a bookstore, and an exhibit hall. Each element serves a distinct purpose within the overall flow of the conference.
Main talks are typically expositions of Scripture and are ordinarily given by pastors. We set a theme and ask speakers to select a passage of Scripture and explain it carefully to the gathered audience. At times, a main session may also address a pressing cultural or theological issue.
Because these sessions involve the authoritative teaching of Scripture for the conference, we reserve these talks for men who are elder-qualified. This practice is not a statement about gifting or value but an effort to align our conference with the patterns of teaching authority we see in Scripture.
CROSS is not a church. Yet we believe it is wise to follow the New Testament’s instructions about the roles of men and women in the church in those moments that function most like the local church’s preaching ministry. Our hope is that this practice strengthens—rather than competes with—the ministry of the local church.
These sessions are more dialogue-oriented and typically come later in a main session. They allow listeners to unpack and better understand earlier teaching and help us think carefully through specific questions, challenges, and topics together.
Conversation topics generally reinforce our convictions about the gospel, the church, and missions; expand on the theme of the year; and address issues group leaders tell us their people are facing.
God’s Word remains central throughout the conference. We read Scripture aloud during the main sessions so that everyone gathered can hear and respond to the truth together.
We host two breakout blocks, typically allowing each attendee to choose up to six breakouts across the conference.
Breakout sessions are topically focused and interactive, usually featuring a short talk followed by audience questions and answers. They serve a wide range of attendees—from those exploring Christianity to those wrestling with sin, seeking guidance in evangelism, or preparing for missions—so each person can find instruction and encouragement where they need it most.
Given the intended nature of the breakouts—classroom instruction on practical matters—we welcome both men and women to bring instruction.
We don’t entertain; we worship. We don’t perform; we sing together.
We sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, led by musicians whose aim is to unite our voices as one. Musical arrangements may vary, but singing together remains central to who CROSS CON is.
We understand that no amount of preparation or excellence can produce spiritual fruit apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. If He does not move, our efforts are in vain.
So we pray. We pray before, during, and after the conference, pleading with the Lord to do what He loves to do: open blind eyes, strengthen faith, and send laborers into His harvest.
We also want to model a life of intercession for others. At CROSS CON, that includes a particular focus on the nations. Throughout the conference, we pray together for God’s work around the world. Each morning, before the session begins, we offer 30–60 minutes of guided prayer for the nations for all who wish to join.
Throughout the conference, we hear testimonies from young adults who have believed the gospel, committed to local churches, or taken steps toward the nations.
These stories reinforce God’s work in the lives of young people who look and sound like those in the room.
If CROSS CON is designed to motivate, our exhibitors and sponsors often serve the mission by helping to mobilize.
We see each organization in our exhibit hall as a partner. You’ll find colleges, seminaries, missions agencies, content producers, and organizations addressing practical needs. Each is there because it supports the purposes of CROSS CON in some way.
We carefully vet every organization represented in the exhibit hall. While no organization is perfect, we aim to partner only with groups we can commend.
The CROSS bookstore provides carefully selected books and resources that help attendees continue learning after the conference. These resources support growth in the gospel, faithfulness in the local church, and participation in the Great Commission.
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We hold to the historic Christian faith as summarized in the Bible and expressed in our Statement of Faith.
