In just a few months we’re set to release CrossConnector, a tool that will change the way people do missions.

Just what exactly is CrossConnector? It’s a software program designed to help plan and organize mission work. Actually, to call it a software program is a bit of an understatement. At its core, CrossConnector is designed to erase the boundaries of distance, culture, and nationality to connect people who do missions.

Imagine seeing at a glance who is doing similar work in your area. Reading messages from missionaries around the world. Having the power to organize your mission tasks and the flexibility to share the information with your church.

If you’re a missionary you can use CrossConnector to plan your trips and communicate with your supporters. If you’re a missions pastor or coordinator you can use it to organize any number of mission trips, disseminate missions information to your church, and communicate with your missionaries while they’re out on the field. If you’re a youth pastor or small group leader you can use it to plan outreach ministries and schedule group meetings.

Key to our vision for CrossConnector is the ideal of connectedness. We all know that Christian missions can’t happen in a vacuum, and CrossConnector is a framework for cooperation and integration of Christian work.

CrossConnector has its roots in Missionboard.com, a tool that we originally designed to be a search engine of Christian missions and ministries. We realized early on that just having a search engine wasn’t going to cut it. So we began working on ways to build it better, stronger, and with tools that people need to do missions.

Those of you who are into in the gory technical details will be interested to know that we’re developing CrossConnector using Ruby on Rails. If you want to be one of the first people to use CrossConnector, you can sign up to a be a beta tester starting in October 2005. Space is limited to 200 beta test spots, so sign up soon. You early beta testers will be key in the development process, since your feedback will help shape the final product.

If you’d like to keep up-to-date about CrossConnector, and perhaps be one of the first people to use it, keep checking back here. Of course, if you really want to be in the know, subscribe to our email list, and I’ll keep you informed whenever something is in the works.

Missions in the 21st Century is not going to be like missions in the 20th Century. A new era is dawning on Christians who are techno-savvy, social, and connected. CrossConnector is right there for you.

– Ryan Heneise