On September 28, 1984 the Rev. Bernard Coffindaffer (of Craigsville, West Virginia) and a small group of followers set their first cluster of crosses. One gold with two pale blue crosses flanking it. A symbol of Christ and the two thieves. The gold paint on the center cross represents royalty, while the pale blue paint on the flanking crosses signified the earth. They are made of douglas fir and weigh 400lbs each.
Over the next 9 years (till his death in 1993 at the age of 58), the good Rev. would spend $3,000,000 of his own money to set 1,864 clusters of crosses throughout 29 states, the District of Columbia, Zambia and the Philippines. He worked out of his basement office with a full-time secretary and seven full-time work crews traveling across America to erect the clusters of crosses he had designed.
When each cluster was erected, a consecration service was held where scriptures were read and prayers were offered for repentance and forgiveness of sins. The same identical service was held at each site. Rev. Coffindaffer once said, “The crosses speak peace within as we struggle without.”
Site owners donated the land’s use for the crosses and Rev. Coffindaffer paid all the bills.
A LITTLE BACKGROUND
Bernard Coffindaffer was born in 1935, heralding from West Virginia. Though orphaned by his tenth year he completed high school and joined the Marines, serving in the Pacific, Iwo Jima, and Nagasaki, Japan. After which he graduated from the University of Charleston with a degree in business. He then returned to West Virginia where he worked in the oil industry until he started a coal washing business. He became enormously successful.
At the age of 42, Coffindaffer became a Christian and matriculated into a Methodist minister. He ministered and served seven small churches in some of the more rural areas of West Virginia (while still operating his business).
After two heart surgeries, Coffindaffer decided to liquidate his business and cease working in the coal industry. Two years later he had a vision. It was a “genuine, marvelous, glorious vision,” Coffindaffer said. He was explicitly told what he was supposed to do: Get manpower, get materials, and plant crosses for the world to see. “The Holy Spirit instructed, blessed, dealt with me and told me how to go about installing these Crosses. It was an experience you have once in a lifetime.”
Coffindaffer’s successful business acumen had resulted in his being able to amass a small fortune before liquidating his business. “I worked like a dog for the money, eighteen hours a day for thirty-five years,” he said. “The Holy Spirit knew I had the money and was willing to spend it, and I’m not going to back down.”
So on September 28, 1984, Rev. Coffindaffer started the Crosses Across America project, saying “Not for saints or sinners. For everybody. They’re up for only one sole reason, and that’s this: to remind people that Jesus was crucified on a cross at Calvary for our sins and that He is soon coming again.”
Rev. Coffindaffer died of a heart attack in 1993 at his home in West Virginia. He was 58. He is survived by his wife, June, a daughter and four grandchildren.
These are the states and numbers of clusters:
Alabama – 74
Arizona – 19
Arkansas – 26
Colorado – 1
Delaware – 1
District of Columbia – 6
Florida – 225
Georgia – 144
Indiana – 80
Kansas – 1
Kentucky – 94
Louisiana – 7
Maryland – 60
Michigan – 12
Mississippi – 156
Montana – 1
New Jersey – 1
New Mexico – 1
New York – 2
North Carolina – 126
Ohio – 158
Pennsylvania – 62
South Carolina – 45
Tennessee – 87
Texas – 9
Virginia – 131
West Virgina – 352
Wyoming – 2
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“Crosses of Mercy”
(Dedication Prayer by Rev. Bernard Coffindaffer)
Dear Heavenly Father: We stand here today to Thy Honor and Praise. Thou knowest the Glory of the Cross of thy Son, Jesus. From Calvary to Eternity it stretches across the ages, all peoples, all lands, and falls even on the glorious Resurrection Morning. Praise thy Holy Name.
We know, Father, the gospel of the Resurrection is about the death and Resurrection of Jesus, our only hope, and their relation to man¹s sin and his eternal destiny.
Be with us, Thy servants, as we pray and consecrate to Thee the labor of our hands. We fully realize that Christ arose from these circumstances, O God. Help us to see His nail-scarred hands and His wounded feet. These Crosses of Mercy now presented to You are an emblem of THE CROSS, which is the only hope of mankind. We declare in Thy Holy Presence and to the people here and everywhere that clearly these Crosses mean “Oh God, please have mercy on me and my family for our daily sins.” Repentance and remission of sins shall be preached in His Name unto all the nations beginning from Jerusalem.
Especially, our beloved Heavenly Father, please bless with affection this, our homeland (Your State), and its devout, Bible-taught people who strive to live at the foot of the Cross. While we have never had much of the world¹s goods, we disclaim it all for we have faith, wealth and are blessed in the knowledge that the Cross whispers “peach within”but calls for struggle without. Continue to pour upon us the spirit of sacrifice.
The Apostle John so simply and startlingly said, “As He laid down His life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Oh my God, this mystery of redeeming love crowns Him, the Lord of Love, our Jesus, our Redeemer and life everlasting. We now must focus our minds daily upon the fact that the Kingdom of God is near, and as your unconditional sovereignty comes through, Oh God, and we stand in judgment and redemption, we must now prepare ourselves inwardly, for “The Lord Cometh.” “The Lord Cometh.” “Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
“If any man will follow me, let him deny himself and take up his Cross, and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Christ¹s death was followed by His Resurrection. He is alive evermore. Our hearts hunger, Heavenly Father, for two things, redemption from sin and for life eternal. We can but kneel as our souls are drawn to Thee.
Now, in the audience of our God, we must faithfully be constant to do His commandments and His judgments on this day and to serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind. God is our Father. Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty. Amen.
(This prayer was prayed at each cluster of Crosses when they were completed.)
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JESUS IS LORD
Rev. Daniel Gabriel
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