From Church Planter to Megachurch Pastor: Daniel Fusco’s Unlikely Journey (Part 1)
Daniel Fusco, lead pastor of Crossroads Church in Vancouver, Washington, shares his story of faith, leadership and navigating one of the most challenging transitions in ministry—succeeding a long-tenured founding pastor. Drawing from his experiences as a church planter and author of Upward, Inward, Outward, Fusco explains how churches can overcome stagnation, rethink leadership structures, and prioritize reaching the unchurched while discipling believers.
Let’s start with the back story. What’s your background?
New Jersey, born and raised. We were all-Italian, culturally Catholic and loud. Sunday night dinners roared with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and people who were aunts and uncles—just not by blood. I have great parents, a twin sister and one older sister. So, tons of love and an amazing family unit. Faith really played no part in our lives, though. I’d say we were non-Christian Catholic. Growing up, I had lots of diversity in friendships, which happens when you grow up 40 minutes outside New York. Every tribe, nation and tongue was hanging out together, and for us that was normal.
I was a wild kid. Played music and sports, partied like crazy. By the time I went to college at Rutgers, I looked around and started to realize that people were getting spiritual, and I thought, “Well, since everyone is spiritual, I’m not spiritual.” Mostly to be contrary.
What do you mean, “getting spiritual”?
I saw friends go into that searching phase of college—reading up on Buddhism, arguing through World Religions 101. My first response was “Man, I’m not spiritual. I’m just human.” I liked getting high, casual relationships with girls, jazz. Then my mom got cancer. That marked the beginning of my own search.
A couple friends who’d become followers of Jesus started to talk to me. I took a philosophy class, which was eye-opening. And I started asking questions. I realized that the philosopher’s question is always “Why?” Everything begins with why. But I had been such an in-the-moment kind of person, I’d never stopped to ask it. My life was all what questions: “What are we going to do next?” “What’s for dinner?” “What’s fun?”
“Why?” began to get traction, and my own searching started. An important step came in a Religions of the Western World class. The professor was clergy—a “reverend doctor”—but it seemed like his goal was undermining faith in Jesus. I started to challenge him, thinking, You’re a pastor, but you really don’t like Jesus very much!
I always felt that the best musicians are divisive: People either love or hate their work. Great artists draw a line, and you’re either on one side or the other. I saw that there must be something about Jesus I didn’t know about.
The big break came in my junior year. I had a professor who I realize now was a born-again believer. He was just different. There was a kindness to him along with a real humanity. He connected with people. In those days, I had a habit of oversleeping through exams, then, because I’m socially graced, talking my way into making them up later.
