Brian Tome announced he is stepping down as senior pastor of Crossroads Church in Cincinnati. The founding pastor of the multisite megachurch framed the move as a transition into a new season after decades of ministry.
Tome had been suspended from ministry after allegations of homosexual misconduct that included whipping a man in the crotch. He was only recently restored after a period of discipline that church insiders described as incomplete and politically managed. The restoration came with little public explanation and no meaningful reckoning with the underlying issues. Previous reporting from Evangelical Dark Web exposed how Tome permitted homosexuals and other sexual deviants to serve in children’s ministry at Crossroads.
This pattern mirrors the recent transition at McLean Bible Church, where David Platt stepped down in a maneuver widely seen as clearing the path for Mike Kelsey to assume greater control. Both cases reflect compromised leaders engineering their exits to shield ongoing deviations from scrutiny while maintaining institutional power.
Tome built Crossroads into a production-driven brand known for rapid growth and polished services. The same leadership culture that shielded problematic behavior and lowered standards for those working with children now oversees the transition. Whether the church will finally confront the record or simply install another figurehead remains to be seen.
Crossroads has not named a successor. The search will reveal whether the congregation demands reform or accepts another round of evasion.
