Video: Christian Men’s Group Builds Lodge At Crossroads Ranch

ITAWAMBA CO. MISS (WCBI) – Like most men on this construction site, Michael Maddox doesn’t do this type of work everyday.

“Absolutely not, I actually work for the Department of the Army,” Maddox said.

His church from Piedmont Alabama is part of a ministry called “Carpenters for Christ.”  This past weekend, 90 or so men began arriving at Crossroads Ranch. They represent 30 churches from eight states and they have one mission, to build a 5,000 square foot lodge. The structure will be a main part of the community for developmentally disabled adults.

“This is a place where the adults will come everyday, they will have cooks, different churches will come in, they will have a classroom, cause they can still learn something on a different level, exercise, spend most afternoons here, recreation, mainly praying and worshipping God, ” said Renae Bennett, who started Crossroads Ranch after her son Marcus sustained a traumatic brain injury and she couldn’t find a residential community for high functioning , special needs adults close to home.

Carpenters for Christ heard about the vision, and the mission trip was organized. Four days ago, workers began the project after the ground had been cleared and bricks set for the foundation. They have made a lot of progress in a short amount of time.

“As a Christian we have a mission that we are to do stuff at home, this is really considered part of our home, they reached out to us, they have a ministry, a need and we are supposed to reach out and help them and that is what we are doing,” Maddox said.

At every Carpenters for Christ trip, the men eat together on site, they also stay at local churches. It costs about $130  per person, it’s an inexpensive mission trip but the experiences and friendships made are priceless.

“We have three devotions a day, the men bring the Word with them and speak what God has laid on their heart and through that, we have revival and we turn around the building gets built,” said Mark Addison, from Georgia.

“We build men and it’s amazing how this changes the lives of some of these men but it’s amazing how it changes the lives of some of these churches, they see men working together , nothing going wrong, no conflict in the men and putting in work, really hot, wet or cold, we go out there and work,” said Fred Gant, of Alabama.

Carpenters for Christ will wrap up this mission project Thursday, but they say they ‘ll be back, as Crossroads Ranch continues to grow.

Plans call for cottages for residents, a barn, and walking track. If you would like more information on how to help, go to www.createfoundation.com or call