‘Thinking outside the box;’ Church expected to open inside Dayton Mall next year

Construction is underway on a large facility of a multi-campus church in the Dayton Mall, and it’s only months from being complete.

The Former Sears location at the Dayton Mall is becoming the Dayton Campus of Crossroads Church.

Mall leaders think it will help business, while church leaders believe it will advance God’s business.

“We say we’re a place for people who have given up on Church but not on God,” The Dayton campus Paster for Crossroads Church Matt Castleman said.

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They had previously been meeting at Bellbrook Middle School each Sunday, but will soon be moving into a brand new facility.

“I think we would all agree that malls in America need a little God,” Castleman said. “That Sears place had been sitting for years, nothing else was going in there.”

Castleman says Crossroads is not a traditional church so building a new facility and huge sanctuary at a mall location doesn’t impact anyone there.

They’re making a huge investment, spending $21 million, and are hoping to bring people to the mall six to seven days a week.

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“You have to start thinking outside the box, other uses, purposes, for some of these large buildings,” Dayton Mall General Manager Dave Duebber said.

Duebber told News Center 7′s Mike Campbell it’s no secret that commercial real estate and malls have hit hard times.

It’s made them look at creative ways to stay healthy and relevant. Partnerships like the one with Crossroads Church are one way.

“It’s going to bring a lot of people into the mall area that have never been or if ever, maybe only once a month,” Duebber said.

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While the building work goes on here, until completion, church leaders say the work they want to do is in the community working in people’s hearts.

“You are welcome here, I think that’s what’s appealing, having a safe, authentic welcoming place to be challenged in your growth,” Castleman said.

The construction work and Crossroads moving in here is anticipated sometime in spring to summer next year.

Crossroads Leaders say that just like malls are designed to do, they also want to welcome all people.