By Chris Moon
The new year is ushering in one major change at First Christian Church of Kernersville, N.C.—and a second is coming in a matter of months.
The congregation—located between Winston-Salem and Greensboro, N.C.—officially changes its name today, Jan. 1, to The Crossing Church in an effort to leave behind a moniker that sometimes was confusing, said Pete Kunkle, the church’s senior pastor.
Some people over the years have mistaken the church for a Disciples of Christ congregation—easy enough to do as that denomination frequently uses the “First Christian” name.
“People come in expecting certain things from us, and we’re not a Disciples church,” Kunkle said.
The new name, which already brands the church’s two campuses, better encapsulates what the church is all about, he said.
“I like it because it talks about crossing over from death to life,” Kunkle said.
Meanwhile, the name change comes as the congregation’s leadership is making its own transition.
Kunkle will retire from the church in August after 35 years of leading the congregation he founded in 1987. His successor, Eddie Schmidt, already is on staff at the church.
This is the right time to go, Kunkle said.
“I didn’t want people to say, ‘He should have left 10 years ago,’” he said.
BITTERSWEET DEPARTURE
Kunkle started First Christian Church after a five-year stint at Kernersville Church of Christ. First Christian has grown to an in-person attendance of 1,000 on the weekend, in addition to its online audience.
Thirty-five years after it started, some of the church’s first members still are hanging around, Kunkle said.
“For me, it’s bittersweet,” he said of retiring.
Back when it started, the “First Christian” name was typical for a Restoration Movement church.
“It was pretty common, and that was what the leadership at the time wanted,” he said.
Kunkle admits the timing of the name change is good—as he retires. Not everyone, of course, is happy with the change, and that’s a burden he didn’t want Schmidt, his successor, to bear.
“They can blame me as I’m going out,” he said. “He’s going to face enough challenges in the switching of pastors.”
Kunkle knows the challenges that come with such a long ministry in one congregation. Over the years, he said he’s learned it is important to “stand for what you believe.”
“There will always be those who come onto the scene who [think they] know more,” he said.
But a pastor must have conviction about the direction in which the church should move—according to God. Others can’t always see that vision as clearly as the pastor, and so the pastor must know when to stand firm.
Kunkle is retiring with an eye toward the future.
For years, he has served as chairman of the board for HASTEN International, a medical mission with five health clinics around the world. After retiring, he will serve as CEO of HASTEN, working on fundraising and expanding ministry both overseas and domestically.
And that is why retiring from church ministry will be bittersweet.
“I’m moving on to something I really want to do, but I’m sad about the people I’m leaving,” Kunkle said.
‘A BEACON IN THE COMMUNITY’
For his part, Schmidt is preparing for August, when he will assume leadership of The Crossing Church.
Schmidt grew up in the Midwest and attended Cincinnati Christian University. Before moving to North Carolina, he served as a campus pastor at Journey Christian Church in Orlando, Fla.
Schmidt said he has been impressed with the history at First Christian in Kernersville. In addition to a fitness center, the church has a disc golf course for the community to use, plus a food truck for reaching out to low-income areas.
“This church has been a beacon in the community for many, many years, and it has been the place where the community knows the church is for them,” Schmidt said. “That was one of the biggest things that drew me to it.”
A goal for Schmidt is to help First Christian determine what the church looks like in a post-COVID world, after so much in life was disrupted by the pandemic.
He said he’s “excited and nervous” about taking over for the fixture that Kunkle has been.
“It’s a big animal, but I’m excited,” Schmidt said.
Chris Moon is a pastor and writer living in Redstone, Colo.
I graduated with Pete and Kathy Kunkle at KCC/KCU in 1979. Love them dearly and they are both sold out for Christ!! Wishing them the very best for God’s Glory and Kingdom purpose going forward!!
Blessing to my friend Pete – as he takes a new role with HASTEN International. He is an extraordinary Christian leader.
Blessing to Eddie Schmidt, the best days of ‘The Crossing Church’ are ahead.
Shalom.
Dr. Perkins
Hasten International certainly appreciates the mixed emotions that Pete Kunkle is experiencing . . . at the same time we look forward with great excitement to his continuing work with us.
“Diverse and modern.” No mention of baptism for salvation anywhere I could find on the website. Vague references to Bible, Jesus, and salvation. Some women leaders are named “pastors.”
Attended this church for many years and still think of them as family. Pete is a great friend d and leader and will be missed but I am sure that the many great people in the church will keep the mission true and keep loving others.
Blessings to Pete & Eddie as their directions change by a Soft Spoken Voice……Bones..
It is interesting to witness these developments with Christian churches as well as churches of Christ, both associated with Resyoration history. Both have concluded that they will be more effective with different names, less of an emphasis on baptism related to salvation, and inclusion of women in some form of pastoring.
“The Crossing Church?” does nothing for me except to create more confusion. It’s a popular name for churches in Missouri, but it says “nothing” unless you add explanations, which won’t fit on the sign out front. What’s wrong with “The Christian Church.” We seem always to be changing things that don’t need to be changed, and NOT changing things that DO need to be changed. Why? Maybe it’s because the things that really need to be changed are much harder to change, so we change easy things instead?
I am one of those charter members that is still hanging around. I was an Elder in the church body that we left to establish the new work. I am now 78 years old and I have learned not to voice my opinions. I am a life long advocate for the Restoration Movement which is topic that has been mentioned on rare occasions. Most of our members today have no idea of our history. It is hard enough to convince people for the need for Baptism and weekly Communion. In conclusion the name change and modern Christian music is pretty much erasing our precious heritage from our early efforts to restore New Testament Christianity.