Archive for the 'School of Ministry' Category
Our First Eleven Students in the Cross Church School of Ministry
On Sunday, we introduced our first class for the Cross Church School of Ministry to our Cross Church Family. From five different states across the country, God has brought this inaugural class to us. It was an epic moment for our church to see this vision come to reality.
Just Seven Months Ago
Just seven months ago, I stood before our church family and cast the vision for this school. I stated we had zero students and did not know how many we would have, but regardless, we would give God praise. All I knew is God had put in my heart the vision for the school and who was to lead it.
Dr. Jeff Crawford
By faith, Dr. Jeff Crawford left his pastorate at the Grand Avenue Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and became our first President. Since February, he has worked with academic institutions as well as many of us at Cross Church, carving the specificities of this vision. One student at a time, Dr. Crawford has cast the vision to that which was, at that time, nothing more than a vision in our hearts. His diligence to stay on task as he was working through endless details has resulted in our first eleven students.
One-Year Ministry Residency
Just as a medical doctor would spend a season of time in his medical training in a hospital, we have eleven ministers in residence with us for one year. We will pour into them, but much more important, we will lead them to do ministry, holding them accountable and preparing them to be used by God. For this residency, they are able to earn either master’s or bachelor’s level hours toward their desired degree. We have established partnerships with 12 different academic institutions.
Introducing our First Class
Two More Minutes Before You Go
There are two very important things I want to challenge you to look at and learn from. First, we have produced a short video to demonstrate one of the major reasons we are doing this school of ministry. Please take the time to watch it here. Also, I do hope you will navigate through our Cross Church School of Ministry website at crosschurchschool.com.
Send Us Your Students Next Year
We are already working on our class for 2014-2015. Therefore, send us your students. We will help them compliment their academic preparation with real ministry preparation. It is our hope that when they leave our school, we will launch a team of ministers that are ready to advance the gospel globally. We are one local church preparing people from all over the world to go to the ends of the earth to advance the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Developing Next Generation Leaders
Today, RonnieFloyd.com welcomes guest writer, Dr. Jeff Crawford. Dr. Crawford is the President of Cross Church School of Ministry and a Teaching Pastor at Cross Church.
I was called to the ministry when I was 14 years old. The year was 1986. Back then, the path to preparation was college and then seminary. I followed the path and I have no regrets. Oklahoma Baptist University, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and finally, the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary yielded three degrees that have served me like three keys opening multiple doors in the ministry. But this path also was incomplete in terms of a rounded preparation for my calling. My most valuable lessons and skillsets have been learned by doing and by sitting at the feet of great leaders.
In the last 20 years, there has been a shift. I have watched as more and more God-called men and women have deviated from the prescribed “path” and have instead sought the route of pure experience. This devaluing of the formal education process has yielded ministers of great skill, but lacking in theological, biblical, and missiological depth. The result is a shallow ministry practice that fails to serve God’s people.
There must be a better way. There is a better way.
For 26 years, Dr. Ronnie Floyd has led Cross Church, pouring into the lives of next generation leaders. Our common practice has been to seek out the sharpest, young, God-called men and women walking the path of a formal education, and culling them out into internships at Cross Church. This summer is no exception, as 18 of the best next gen leaders are with us during their summer break. We have also been skilled at identifying the sharpest graduates from college and seminary, and bringing them onto our staff team to serve our church while we develop them. In fact, I am a product of the Cross Church system. I served as an intern the summer of 1989 and then after graduating from seminary, served the Cross Church family for nine years through Shiloh Christian School and what was then the Church at Pinnacle Hills. The lessons of leadership and ministry I learned from Cross Church and Dr. Floyd have been invaluable, and coupled with my formal education, have shaped who I am today.
Enter the Cross Church School of Ministry. In just a few short weeks, we will be launching this unique ministry residency program that we believe will change the landscape of ministry preparation and next gen leadership development. Just this last week, I read a fascinating article by Tony Morgan where he recalls a conversation with Dave Travis, the managing director of Leadership Network. In discussing the development of future leaders, Travis explains that, “The question will not be ‘where did they go to school?’ but rather ‘where did they train?’” Dave Travis is correct. This trend is already in full swing. The Cross Church School of Ministry is the next step in the progression of leadership development for the future. We are not saying that the formal path of education is unimportant. To the contrary, we are saying it is critically important – just not all that there is to ministry preparation. The Cross Church School of Ministry capitalizes on the best of both worlds. We have developed partnerships with twelve schools and seminaries. This means that academic institutions are on board and see the value of residency training. The Cross Church School of Ministry also demonstrates a unique commitment to academia, while at the same time, elevating real-time training in ministry through a residency experience.
We are convinced that this will be the model for the future of next generation leadership development. And the result will be that the church and Kingdom are served at a greater and higher level than ever before!
Dr. Jeff Crawford
President, Cross Church School of Ministry and Teaching Pastor
To learn more about the Cross Church School of Ministry, check out our website: www.CrossChurchSchool.com
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.