NorthCross Church
A Christ-centered church family in the heart of the Lake Norman community, prayerfully seeking our next Senior Pastor.
Welcome - A Word to Candidates
NorthCross Church is a Christ-centered congregation in Cornelius, North Carolina, prayerfully seeking the man God is calling to serve as our next Senior Pastor.
This profile is meant to help you understand who we are, where God has placed us, what He has built among us, and where we believe He is leading us next. It draws upon our church history, congregational life, current ministry context, and the honest reflection of our 2026 Discovery Weekend.
We are not presenting a finished church without needs or challenges. We are a congregation that has been sustained by God’s grace, enjoys a deep sense of community, and wants to grow in shared worship, discipleship, service, and mission. We hope these pages help you picture both the gifts and opportunities of ministry at NorthCross.
We invite your questions and welcome a thoughtful process of discernment. Our Pastor Search Committee, in partnership with McGowan Global Institute (MGI), is committed to prayer, confidentiality, and dependence upon Christ throughout the search.
We believe the Lord has already prepared the man He is calling to NorthCross. Our responsibility is to seek Him faithfully and trust His timing.
The NorthCross Pastor Search Committee
Who We Are
A confessional Reformed Church on Lake Norman.
NorthCross is a congregation of the Presbyterian Church in America, located in Cornelius in the heart of the Lake Norman region just north of Charlotte.
We are committed to the authority and sufficiency of Scripture, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Westminster Standards, Presbyterian church government, Christ-centered worship, weekly communion, authentic Christian community, and local and global Gospel mission.
Our founding vision, drawn from the church at Antioch in Acts 11, remains an important compass for us. We desire to be God-centered in worship, people-oriented in community, and outward-facing in mission. NorthCross has long expressed that calling through three words: Loved, Equipped, and Sent.
NorthCross at a Glance
130 Communing Members
135 Regular Attendees
55 Non-communing Children
2003 Founded
$540K Annual Budget
10:30AM Sunday Worship
Leadership and staff
NorthCross is governed by a Session of ruling elders and served by deacons. The Women’s Care Team provides an additional layer of relational care, while staff and ministry leaders help coordinate the church’s day-to-day ministry.
The congregation has a strong volunteer culture and a predisposition to trust its leaders. This season has also clarified the importance of collaborative leadership, well-defined roles, healthy communication, and structures that help staff and volunteers flourish.
Membership Age Demographics
The Story of NorthCross
-
NorthCross began with a desire to establish a Gospel-centered Presbyterian church for the growing Lake Norman community. The first public worship service was held in downtown Cornelius.
-
A lasting location
The congregation moved to Bailey Road in Cornelius, giving NorthCross a lasting ministry presence in the center of the region it sought to serve.
-
Self-governing in the PCA
NorthCross particularized as a self-governing congregation in the Presbyterian Church in America.
-
Rev. Chip Sneed
Rev. Chip Sneed helped plant and establish NorthCross and articulated the Acts 11 vision that still shapes the church: God-centered, people-oriented, and outward-facing.
-
Rev. Sid Druen
Rev. Sid Druen was called as Lead Pastor in June 2019 and served until accepting another call in Charlotte in 2022.
-
A new Worship Center
NorthCross opened its new Worship Center, creating an improved space for worship and congregational life.
-
Rev. Dr. Gary Purdy
Rev. Dr. Gary Purdy served as NorthCross’s third Senior Pastor during a meaningful season that included the opening of the new Worship Center. We are grateful for his ministry and the ways God used that chapter in the life of the church.
-
Seeking our next Senior Pastor
The congregation entered a season of intentional reflection with outside guidance, established interim pastoral care, and elected a Pastor Search Committee to seek its next Senior Pastor.
Lake Norman and our Region
Lake Norman is not simply where our building is located. It is the community into which Christ has sent us — our home, our neighborhood, and our mission field.
The Lake Norman area is a rapidly growing region just north of Charlotte, North Carolina, encompassing communities such as Huntersville, Cornelius, Davidson, and Mooresville. Known for its beautiful lake, expanding residential neighborhoods, and proximity to a major metropolitan center, the area attracts a diverse mix of families, professionals, and individuals at every stage of life. The region also has strong ties to North Carolina’s NASCAR racing heritage, and is home to Davidson College, a nationally recognized liberal arts institution that contributes to the area’s academic and cultural life. With continued growth and development, Lake Norman is a region shaped by both opportunity and change, bringing together people from a wide range of backgrounds and creating new opportunities to serve and connect with the community.
Huntersville
Cornelius
Denver
Davidson
Kannapolis
Mooresville
-
NorthCross is a church where people know one another, enjoy being together, pray for one another, and step in when needs arise. Hospitality and Life Groups are among our strongest expressions of congregational life.
-
The authority of Scripture, the centrality of the Gospel, the Westminster Standards, covenant theology, weekly communion, and Presbyterian government are central to our identity.
-
Members value relationships with elders and ministry leaders and generally experience leadership as approachable. That trust provides a strong starting point for the next season.
-
NorthCross is financially stable and supported by a committed core of members who give and serve faithfully. We have resources to invest thoughtfully in discipleship, mercy, mission, and healthy ministry structures.
-
Children are visible and valued, families are supported, and multiple generations worship and serve together. We also want to grow in welcoming and integrating singles, newcomers, and those who may feel less naturally connected.
-
Our congregation has named both strengths and growth areas with unusual honesty. There is a genuine desire for faithful pastoral leadership and a hopeful willingness to mature together in Christ.
What God Has Built
-
We desire a clearer pathway from belonging to maturity through preaching, Sunday School, Life Groups, mentoring, spiritual disciplines, theological depth, and equipping members to serve. Warm fellowship should increasingly form mature disciples of Jesus.
-
Our strongest internal gift can become a launching point for evangelism, hospitality, mercy, neighborhood relationships, missions, and future church planting. We want to move from valuing mission in principle to practicing it together.
-
We want healthy, transparent relationships among the Senior Pastor, Session, staff, deacons, and ministry leaders. Clear roles, regular communication, accountability, and collaborative decision-making will help the church serve with greater trust and effectiveness.
-
Our staff and ministry leaders need clarity, encouragement, feedback, and the freedom to use their gifts. We also want to identify and develop future elders, deacons, teachers, shepherds, and ministry leaders.
-
We want newcomers, singles, young adults, older adults, and families at every stage to find meaningful pathways into worship, relationships, service, and spiritual growth.
Where We Hope to Grow
A Prayer for this Season:
“Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.”
Psalm 127:1
How to Apply
If you sense the Lord may be leading you to NorthCross, we would be honored to hear from you. Applications are received in confidence by McGowan Global Institute (MGI) and the Pastor Search Committee.
Read the Profiles
Prepare your Materials
Submit your Application
Begin a Conversation