Staff Announcement
Hey College Heights family,
There is a bit of a motto around College Heights, “We take care of each other.” Over the past seven months, I have seen this to be true over and over. Our church has supported and shepherded and taken good care of each other. Our volunteers have been outstanding in their commitment to serving in all of our ministry areas. Our staff has felt so loved and appreciated. Our elders have been excited to see such spiritual growth and restoration in the lives of many. We have been a people who have taken care of each other and have continued to devote our worship to God, and God has been good to us.
At the beginning of this interim season, a lead minister search committee was formed to identify the qualities and qualifications that a lead minister for our church should possess. That committee determined that the right person would be someone who models a Christlike humble servant lifestyle, is committed to sound theological preaching, and has a heart for reaching those here, near, and far for Christ. An initial list of about 20 candidates was evaluated and narrowed down to 8 and then again to three. From this point, conversations were initiated and interviews were conducted and eventually, the search committee came to a consensus that one candidate should be recommended to the elders. A few weeks ago, this candidate met with our elders and staff. At the end of that visit, our elders agreed to make an offer. This last week, he accepted the offer to become the next lead minister of College Heights. And church, I am so thankful for the leader that God has called into this position.
Ben Cross is a 2011 Ozark Christian College Graduate, and for the past 13 years, he has served the ministry of SouthEast Christian Church in Louisville, KY. He and his wife Jo have two daughters, Elliot and Shiloh. While at SECC he has been a preaching intern, and then part of the preaching staff, and most recently has led their residency program. Ben felt the call to ministry when he was in high school and has always felt like God was preparing him to be a lead minister.
Ben and Jo will be finishing out the school year in Louisville and will make the move to Joplin in early summer. Please join us in praying for them as they wrap up a 13-year ministry season at SECC, for their daughters as they prepare to make a big life change, and that God would be working in Ben’s heart and mind to prepare him to lead and shepherd the people here at College Heights. And let’s not forget to give God the praise for being good to us and providing the right leader at the right time.
To Him be the glory!
Craig Davenport
Interim Executive Minister