November 11, 2002

Crosby family tree rooted in Texas Baptist ministry
___By Toby Druin
___Editor Emeritus
___If it's a plus for a pastor to have a brother in the ministry, how many pluses does he get credit for if he has eight brothers who are in the ministry or have been ministers and four sisters who are married to either a pastor, associate pastor or a Baptist deacon?
___Throw in extra credit that their father is a retired pastor.
___Russell and Donna Crosby have 13 children--nine sons and four daughters, 55 grandchildren, two great grandchildren and four more on the way. Together, they have almost two dozen degrees from Texas Baptist institutions. All are active in local churches, and most of the adults are leaders in their congregations.
___For instance:

RUSSELL AND DONNA CROSBY have 13 children, including eight sons who either are vocational ministers or have been, not to mention the daughters who are leaders in their church ministries and are married to vocational ministers. The close-knit brothers and sisters currently are working together to build a home for their parents in Gatesville. Shown at the constuction site are Russell and Donna Crosby (seated), Mary Nolte, Sam, Danny, Tim, David, Sharon Westerfield and Tom

___ Timothy, the oldest at 50, is pastor of Trinity Baptist Church in Gatesville.
___ David is pastor of First Baptist Church of New Orleans.
___ Thomas is former minister of music at College Park Baptist Church of Houston.
___ Daniel is pastor of First Baptist Church of Cleburne.
___ Jonathan, now teaching school in Temple, formerly was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Childress.
___ Rebekah is a school teacher and is married to Bob Phillips, pastor of Cold Springs Baptist Church in Flat.
___ Joseph is youth minister at First Baptist Church of Paducah.
___ Deborah is a school teacher and is married to Jonathan Ford, former associate pastor of two Texas churches and now vice president for public relations at Providence Hospital in Waco.
___ Samuel is pastor of First Baptist Church of San Saba.
___ Sharon is a homemaker in Crawford and is married to David Westerfield, a farmer and Baptist deacon.
___ James, former youth pastor at Trinity Baptist Church in Gatesville, is teaching school in Victoria.
___ Mary is a homemaker and the wife of Jason Nolte, pastor of Grace Bible Church in Coryell City.
___ Matthew is former associate music minister at Liveoak Baptist Church in Gatesville and now is a graduate student at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N. J.
___Russell Crosby, the patriarch of this clan, moved to the El Paso area from east of Pittsburg to be pastor of a Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in the early l960

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s. He became a Baptist, David said, partly because with 13 kids he saw the need for educational institutions and recognized the

SAM and Tim Crosby carry a piece of siding at a Saturday workday on the home they and their siblings are building for their parents in Gatesville. Together, the Crosbys hold nearly two dozen degrees from Texas Baptist universities, and all are leaders in their churches.

quality of those operated by Texas Baptists.
___Often bivocational, Russell was leading worship for an El Paso rescue mission when he introduced his oldest sons to ministry in a gospel quartet.
___"My wife, Donna, is an alto," he said. "I've sung all my life, and we taught the children to sing parts. David said he couldn't sing, so we made a bass out of him."
___The "Crosby Brothers" performed in more than 300 churches.
___Their father was pleased to see them move on into ministry leadership roles, he said. "We encouraged them, but insisted that if they were not genuinely called they should do something else."
___Tim credits his father with being the biggest influence in leading them into ministry. "He showed me that ministry is personal, that every member is vital and should be using their gifts and talents to serve the Lord in a local church setting," he said.
___David recalls his father leading them into ministry "mostly by example, although I have heard him say, 'If all my children become missionaries, it would be fine with me.'"
___Having such a resource pool has been invaluable in their ministerial careers, the brothers said.
___"We are very close," David said, "and have shared a lot through the years about our churches and our own personal ministries, the joys and difficulties. I often pick up the phone to talk to Dan or Timmy and they do the same, or we talk with our father."
___"It's been real positive" to have brothers in the ministry, said Tim. "It lets you know that troubles and heartaches are not unique to you, but you can also celebrate victories together."
___The family tries to get together on holidays, especially on the Friday after Thanksgiving, between Christmas and New Year's and on July 4.
___Since September, on most Saturdays some of them are working on a house they are building for their parents on the property of Jason and Mary Nolte near Gatesville. It should be ready near Thanksgiving.
___There will be a crowd for dinner--and plenty of experienced people to say the blessing.

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