Dr. Jeff Crawford Returning to Cross Church

Dr. Jeff Crawford will be returning to our Cross Church staff team. Upon his return, he will oversee the five campuses and ministries of Cross Church as the Lead Pastor of Ministries, Teaching Pastor. He will serve alongside Ben Mayes, our Executive Pastor of Finances and Operations, and Dr. Nick Floyd, our Lead Teaching Pastor, Staff Leader. These three men will work together collaboratively and strategically to assist me and lead our entire staff team to fulfill our mission more effectively: Reaching Northwest Arkansas, America, and the World for Jesus Christ. Dr. Crawford was the President of our Cross Church School of Ministry in his previous four years with us. This ministry is now led, and will continue to be led, by Dr. Edward Upton who is doing an outstanding job.

Dr. Crawford, Julie, and his family left our team on March 12, 2017 under what he sensed was the leadership of God in his life to be the Senior Pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Even though the ministry has thrived and the church has advanced forward in their brief time together, Dr. Crawford and Julie began to have serious concerns about their call to Knoxville. This led to multiple conversations as he tried to discern the will of God. Then later, Jeff informed me that he and Julie had determined that God did not want them in Knoxville and that he was leaving. Upon hearing this decision from Dr. Crawford, I began to evaluate seriously a role for him to serve on our team. The possibility of them returning to Cross Church was never discussed or considered until this time. It would be best for you to read Dr. Crawford’s account of their journey. Click here to read his letter of resignation he read in worship services at Grace Church in Knoxville.

I really do believe in Dr. Crawford and Julie. This has been a riveting few months for them. I affirm this man of God, his wife, his family, and this deep conviction that God is calling them to join us. They are coming home to Cross Church. We are their spiritual family. They will be moving back to Springdale this week into their house they had recently completed building before moving to Knoxville. They will join our staff team for a few days next week at our annual staff advance. In a couple of weeks or so, you will see them back in worship with us as he formally begins his new position. Please pray for the Grace Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. This is a great church that now must find the right pastor God has for them.

Please pray for Dr. Jeff and Julie Crawford as well as their entire family. As a reminder, they have two children still living at home, Grayson (9^th grade) and Marcela (7^th grade). Their oldest son, Garrett and his wife Jess are living in Shawnee, Oklahoma. On August 12, their daughter, Madison, will marry Micah Lynn, one of our Cross Church School of Ministry graduates, and they will be completing their education the middle of next year at Oklahoma Baptist University in Shawnee. Please welcome the Crawford family home with overflowing love and arms wide open.

Your Pastor,

Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church

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Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the Senior Pastor of Cross Church, Immediate Past President of the Southern Baptist Convention, founder of the Cross Church School of Ministry, and host of the Ronnie Floyd on Life and Leadership Today podcast.

To request an interview with Dr. Ronnie Floyd
contact Gayla Oldham at (479) 751-4523 or email gaylao@crosschurch.com.

Visit our website at http://ronniefloyd.com
Follow Dr. Floyd on Twitter and Instagram @ronniefloyd