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OUR LEADERSHIP
OUR MINISTER
Dr. James Michael Crusoe
Bro. Crusoe has been associated with churches of Christ his entire life. He
was baptized into Christ at age of 7, and preached his first sermon at age 20.
He is a native of Dayton, Ohio. He attended Irving Elementary. He is a
graduate of Paul Laurence Dunbar High School. He was selected as “Most
Versatile” his senior year in high school, based on athletics and academics.
He is married to Debra Dilworth, and they have 3 children and 1 grandchild.
With over 40 plus years of ministry, Brother Crusoe has served churches of
Christ in Arizona, Kansas, Tennessee, California, and Virginia. He has
preached the gospel in 32 states, and 5 countries outside the continental
USA, including Nigeria, Liberia, Jamaica, Bermuda, and the Cayman
Islands. He conducts a number of revivals and gospel meetings, and speaks
regularly at national, regional and state Church of Christ lectureships.
Brother Crusoe served as the host of a national television broadcast seen on
the Word Network for 9 years. That broadcast reached 60 million viewers.
He served as a chaplain with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.
He serves as a board member on the National Lectureship Advisory Committee of Churches of Christ; board member of the National Teachers Workshop ofChurches of Christ; and former board member of the Tennessee StateLectureship. He is the founder and President of Charis Acres, Inc.; and Executive Director of Grace Place Retirement Community, two 501c3 organizations that serve the city of Memphis community providing a HUD202, 30 unit 2-story senior citizen complex. He is an instructor and lectureship director at the School of Religious Studies in Little Rock, Arkansas. He is a part-time GED instructor with Prince George Schools connected with a Virginia Correctional facility.
Brother Crusoe received an undergraduate B.A. degree from Wittenberg University in Sociology; is a 1983 graduate of Abilene Christian University,receiving a M.S. degree in Ministry and Evangelism. He has advanced post-graduate study at John Marshall Law School; Union Presbyterian School of Christian Education; Harding School of Theology; and received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Union University, (emphasis in Expository Preaching.) His dissertation title is: “Developing A Young Adult Ministry at East End Church of Christ.” This dissertation focus is on equipping young adults, age 18 to 35 for ministry, while providing a model for congregations to establish an evangelism, discipleship, and intergenerational ministry.
He has authored several books: Generational Bride Building: It’s Not Their Fault; Somebody Must Come Preaching: Expositions in African American Churches of Christ; A Model for Making Disciples: A 21st Century Manuel and Paradigm; Ministerial Ethics for Servant Leaders. He has contributed tonumber of publications including: The Hour Has Come: Expositions fromthe Gospel of John; Help from Heaven: Expositions from Ephesians; andHero from Heaven: Expositions from Colossians; and Church Matterscontributor.
EDUCATION:
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Doctor of Ministry-Union University School of Theology; Jackson, TN
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Master of Science-Abiliene Christian University; Abilene, TX
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Bachelor of Arts-Wittenberg University; Springfield, Ohio
CONTRIBUTING WRITER:
“The Hour Has Come: An Exposition of the Gospel of John”
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“Help from Heaven: Expositions in Ephesians”
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“Church Matters: Passionate Pleadings That Prepare Us for the Future”
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“Guidance for Growth for This Generation: Practical Precepts for The Young Adult Population”
PUBLICATIONS:
“A Theocratic Approach to Church Leadership: Ministerial Ethics for Servant/Leaders”
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“Generational Bridge Building: It’s Not Their Fault”
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“A Model for Making Disciples: A 21st Century Manuel and Paradigm”
OUR SHEPHERDS
Bro. Crusoe
Brother Crusoe native of Dayton, Ohio and his wife Debra is a native of Hobbs, New Mexico. Both were raised in churches of Christ. They have 3 adult children and 1 grandchild. He served as minister for Arlington Rd from 1987-2001 and returned in 2019. He is most proud of the book, "Somebody Must Come Preaching" and enjoys traveling, and conducting church revivals, gospel meetings and workshops.
Bro. Woodley
Brother Woodley is native of Waverly Virginia. Born in 1949 to the parents of James Lee and Josephine Woodley. He graduated from Central High School of Sussex County VA. He married Edith Loretha Smith in 1971, they have one son and one daughter and 7 grandchildren. He was baptized into the Church of Christ on March 8, 1988. He and his wife have been faithful members every since.
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