Cross the Street Conferences


Hundreds of pastors, ministry leaders, and lay people from across Canada gather each year for the BGEAC’s annual Cross the Street conference. The 1 ½-day event is designed to motivate and equip Christians to step out of their comfort zones and engage their communities through acts of practical service and compassion, with the ultimate goal of bringing people into a life-transforming personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


“There are very few things in this world that will count in the end, but learning how to reach out, lift others up, loving (them), and sharing will definitely count,” said one Cross the Street attendee from Calgary, AB, after the event took place there in 2009. “The best tool? Binoculars — seeing an opportunity to minister. We must broaden our horizons and seek out people in need of our help. We cannot just be content with our circumstances in life.”


Cross the Street participants explore a variety of relevant topics, including how the secular world increasingly expects the church to take a leading role in fighting poverty and social injustice. If the church wants to be perceived as relevant and forward thinking in modern-day Canada, it must be engaged in exploring and addressing social issues, conference attendees are told. Cross the Street also offers many proven strategies for addressing social issues, thereby being the hands and feet of our Savior.


“I attend one or two conferences per year because I’m very selective about which ones I go to,” a Calgary, AB, pastor says. “Cross the Street has been very effective in terms of encouraging people to get out of the building and into the community. The question that we all have to ask ourselves is, ‘Am I doing what God wants me to do? Is our church doing what God wants it to do?’ We are not all called to do everything, but every church has a specific role to play.”


Cross the Street helps churches and individuals determine what their specific roles should be, then provides the ideas, methods and motivation for them to meet the challenge. Plan to attend!