DIAMOND – Ron Crow is following the call of God to a new place of ministry in Kentucky where he will head up the Kentucky Baptist disaster relief (DR) ministry. Crow, the pastor of First Baptist Church, Diamond, in southwest Missouri, said he needed the call of God to be clear.
He is moving away from his home area where he has lived most of his life within twelve miles of his present location. He and his wife, Lisa, will be leaving behind their grandkids and their adult children to move to Louisville where he will lead a very busy state convention disaster relief ministry team. He takes that role on February 1. Lisa will be retiring as a public school teacher and will join him in May.
Crow said, “I want to impact the kingdom of God the most in my last stretch of ministry.” He has served 23 years as a pastor, 16 of those years at FBC Diamond.
Crow got involved in Missouri Baptist DR in 2003 when a chain saw DR team came to his area in Carl Junction to help after a tornado. The Main St. Baptist Church there housed the team and they were exposed to how effective and efficient the DR ministry was. Crow asked his director of missions (DOM), “Why can’t we do this same thing here?” The DOM replied “You do it then.”
Since that time he’s been involved in leading the Spring River Baptist Association to outfit a DR chain saw/recovery unit, a skid steer machine and a shower trailer. Crow has also been involved in training people around the state and for a time served as the associate director for MBC DR.
He said their involvement in several hurricanes in Florida and on the Gulf coast deepened his involvement and passion for the ministry.
Along with his pastoral ministry at Diamond FBC he also served as a member of some MBC and SBC committees, a North American Mission Board (NAMB) trustee, on the MBC Cooperative Program task force and on the board of the Missouri Baptist Children’s Home.
His church has grown in the past 16 years. They have baptized 375 people with 240 other additions and that has been rewarding. But his passion for DR always seemed to come back around. He is really looking forward to getting acquainted with the Kentucky Baptist DR team.
Gaylon Moss, MBC disaster relief director, said, “Ron has served as our associate DR director for MBC until 2019 and assumed the position of pastoral liaison for us in 2020.”
“He has a wide variety of experience, a passion for DR ministry, a love for people, great attitude, humility and a servant heart.”
Moss added, “His response to the Duck Boat incident (in Branson) in 2018 demonstrated his ability to lead and serve during difficult circumstances.” An amphibious “Duck Boat” sank near Branson and several people were drowned during a sudden rainstorm. MBC disaster relief teams ministered to the first responders at the incident site.
Crow expressed appreciation for Missouri Baptists for opportunities to serve. “I love our DR family. I’ve learned so much from them. DR models the ministry of Jesus. When you look at his physical ministry on earth he would always meet their physical needs. That would open the door for ministering to their spiritual needs.”
“I’ve seen more people get out of the pew and get into the field (through DR ministry). You are not too young or too old to do DR work,” he added.
Moss said, “I wish all the best to Ron in his work in Kentucky and I look forward to working with him as a fellow DR state director.”
Crow said, “We love Missouri Baptists, love Cooperative Program. Please keep Lisa and me in your prayers.”
(Some reporting for this story was contributed by Mark Maynard, Kentucky Today. Used by permission.)