User:JRG/Crossway Baptist Church

Crossway Baptist Church is a Baptist Christian church in Burwood East, Victoria, Australia.

History
Mr C.E. Burden of the Bush Sunday School Union of Victoria visited Burwood in November 1949 and at his invitation Mr R.W. Jones established a Sunday School which met at the Blackburn South Primary School.

In 1952 an approach was made to the Victorian Baptist Home Missionary Society and consequently a hall was erected on the corner of Cantebury and Hollands Roads on two blocks of land which had been purchased by the Society in August 1950. The new hall was opened on 24 April 1954 and at the Fellowship's first business meeting in June 1954 the Blackburn Baptist Church was officially consitituted.

In 1957 Rev George Ashworth became the Church's first full time pastor. In 1962 the Church was relocated to Holland Road to allow for continued growth. Rev David Griffiths was the pastor from 1963 to 1972, followed by Rev Rowland Croucher from 1973 to 1981.

Rev Dr Stuart Robinson became the Senior Pastor in February 1983. The church purchased land on the corner of Springvale Road and Vision Drive in 1990 and the Church relocated there in 1995. In February 1996 the Church's name was changed to Crossway in order to reflect the congregation's regional nature as well as its vision and values.

Crossway Baptist is one of Melbourne's largest and most well-known churches, with 3300 members as of 2004.