Tax Deductible Donations

This time of year, the non-profit status of James Croft Evangelistic Association lets your generosity help you and our ministry at the same time.  By giving before the end of the calendar year, you may enjoy the ability to deduct your gifts in income tax calculations for 2011. You can help our Gospel ministry at the same time!

To make an investment in one or more of our ministry areas with your credit card or PayPal click the appropriate "Donate" button(s) below. To make a contribution by check or money order follow  this link.

JCEA Donation Click this button to make a donation to be used as needed.

JOY Box Donation Click this button to make a donation to the JCEA  JOY Box Ministry.  Donations will be used to cover expenses in providing shoe box gifts to nursing home residents.

NOTE: 

The James Croft Evangelistic Association is registered with the IRS as a 501(C)(3) corporation and all donations are tax deductible.

Thank you for your consideration!

Snowman's Church

The Back Pew

Should Tebow tone it down?

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (BP) -- Denver Broncos quarterback and former University of Florida football star Tim Tebow has been getting a lot of advice lately about how much he should be talking about Jesus.

In November former Bronco quarterback Jake Plummer said about Tebow, "I think that when he accepts the fact that we know that he loves Jesus Christ then I think I'll like him a little better. I don't hate him because of that, I just would rather not have to hear that every single time he takes a good snap or makes a good handoff ... like you know, I understand dude where you're coming from." In other words, Tim, tone it down.

Just before the turn of the millennium, another Christian quarterback, Kurt Warner, was the Cinderella story of the NFL. Never in the history of professional football had a player so rapidly ascended from unknown to Super Bowl champ and MVP. When the lights were shining the brightest and the platform was the largest, Warner seized the opportunity to boldly proclaim his faith in Jesus Christ to millions.

For a decade, through ups and downs, Warner was consistent in his bold public witness. During the postgame celebration of the 2009 NFC Championship, a game in which Warner led the Arizona Cardinals to victory, Warner declared before millions watching on TV, "Everyone's gonna get tired of hearing it, but I never get tired of saying it. There's one reason why I'm standing up on this stage today…that's because of my Lord up above. I gotta say thanks to Jesus. You knew I was gonna do it; I gotta do it."

So one would think that if anyone is excited about Tebow's bold witness, it would be Warner, right? Well, not necessarily. Not long after Plummer's comments, Warner weighed in on the issue with the Arizona Central's Dan Bickley: "Put down the boldness in regards to the words, and keep living the way you're living. Let your teammates do the talking for you. Let them cheer on your testimony." Again ... tone it down, Tim.

Read more of this article on Baptist Press.

Christmas Shopping Humor 2011

I found humor while Christmas shopping at the Oaks Mall in Gainesville, Florida.

 I always love seeing Santa at the mall.

 I ate chikin till the cows came home.

 This store charged an "arm & leg" for everything! Too expensive for me!

 What should be the caption for this photo?
A) WOW! What a BIG present!!
B) WOW! What a little man!!
C) I hope this fits in my car!!
D) Hmmm, I could get in this box and give myself to _____!!

Is Chick-fil-A the Tim Tebow of restaurants??

What's It All About?

Luke 2:1-20 (NKJV)

Christ Born of Mary

 ¹ And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. ² This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. ³ So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.
⁴ Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, ⁵ to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. ⁶ So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. ⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

    ⁸ Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. ¹⁰ Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹² And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”
¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying:
       ¹⁴ “ Glory to God in the highest,
      And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

¹⁵ So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” ¹⁶ And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. ¹⁷ Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. ¹⁸ And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them.

Merry CHRISTmas!!!

No Substitutes

The Back Pew

The Truth About Christmas

CHRISTmas Wrapping Paper

Sharing JOY on WJTK

By Ken Allen, WJTK 96.5 FM, The Jet

• Tue, Dec 20, 2011- The James Croft Evangelistic Association has kicked-off its JOY Box Ministry for 2012.  JCEA is again collecting plastic shoe boxes filled with small gift items for residents in Baker & Columbia Counties nursing homes.  The boxes may contain a variety of items including shampoo, body wash, puzzle book, magnifying glass, and socks.  A copy of God’s Word is also placed in each box.  Last year churches of various denominations, individuals, businesses, school clubs and organizations shared “JOY” by preparing shoe boxes.  James Croft was a guest on 96.5 the Jet, WJTK's North Florida Today show to talk about the Joy Box Ministry.  The interview is below.

Chapel Hill Baptist in January

I will be preaching on Sunday, January 15, 2012 at Chapel Hill Baptist Church.  The service will begin at 10am.  The church meets in the Workforce Development Building at Tallahassee Community College at 444 Appleyard Drive in Tallahassee, Florida.  For more information or directions call the church office at (850) 222-6900.

NOTE: For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of the JCEA ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

Rerun: Peaceful Christmas Village

A miniature Christmas village is the illustration used by the miniature evangelist James Croft to discuss "peace".

Rerun: Christmas in Ghana

A rebroadcast of the December 2006 Walking with the Giant interview with James Croft Evangelistic Association Ghana Ministry Coordinator Evangelist Raphael Adjei Kingbi.  Christmas traditions & celebrations are discussed.  Photos from the JCEA 2002-2004 mission trips to the West African nation are included.

Christmas Crime Scene

Where is a CSI when you need them?? A little girl got ran over by a reindeer!! It was a Christmas collision in the park. No harm done. It was all for fun.  I guess I have a strange sense of humor.  8-)

You can watch more of my videos, funny and serious, on the JCEA YouTube Channel.

JOY Box Contents

This is an example of the items suitable for including in JOY Boxes for nursing home residents.  You will find all of the details on this program on the JCEA website.

Shoebox size containers (preferably plastic boxes) should be filled with the following types of items:

Socks	Hand/body lotions	Small portable radios
Toothbrush, toothpaste, mouthwash	Body wash (no bar soaps), shampoo	Combs & brushes
Baseball caps	Handkerchiefs & scarves	Small lap blankets
Hair spray for women, hair tonic for men (Vitalis, etc.)	Large print puzzle books (word search, crossword, etc.)	Large print books & magazines
Stationary, writing pads, writing pens	Cologne, aftershave, perfume, body powder	Bedroom slippers for men & women
Music CD’s (please choose music wisely)		Magnifying glass
	Please do not include: Candy, baked goods, food or sharp objects

This list is not all-inclusive. Other items may be allowed, but please keep in mind each resident has a limited amount of storage space in their room.

Prayer List?

The Back Pew

What is a JOY Box?

A promo video for the JOY Box ministry coordinated by James Croft Evangelistic Association.

McAlpin on Sunday

I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Tommy Smith at Pinemount Baptist Church this Sunday, December 11, 2011.  The services will begin at 11am and 6:30pm.  The church is located on Highway 129 in McAlpin, Florida.

NOTE: For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of the JCEA ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

This Little Piggy

One of my nieces received this piggy bank during a recent baby shower.  It has a place for "My Money" and an attached smaller piggy bank for "My Tithe".  What a wonderful way to teach a little one about a Godly principle.  Now, if we could just get the adults to learn!  8-)

Time for JOY!!

It’s time to kick-off the James Croft Evangelistic Association JOYBox Ministry for 2012!!

We are again collecting plastic shoeboxes filled with small gift items for residents in Baker & Columbia Counties nursing homes.  The boxes may contain a variety of items including shampoo, body wash, puzzle book, magnifying glass, and socks.  We also place a copy of God’s Word in each box.  Last year churches of various denominations, individuals, businesses, school clubs and organizations shared “JOY” by preparing shoeboxes.

A section of the JCEA website offers full details of the ministry including a video explaining how you can participate.  If you are unable to prepare a box, but would like to contribute financially toward this ministry our website provides details for that too.

Drop-off locations for JOY Boxes are:

·        Davis Golf Carts, 126 South 5^th Street in Macclenny, FL.

·        BeulahBaptist Association, 189 NW Cali Drive in Lake City, FL.

Deadline for boxes is Thursday, January 12, 2012.

Your prayers & consideration of this ministry are greatly appreciated!

Huntsville Revival Scheduled for February 2012

On Sunday, February 19, 2012, Homecoming Service will serve as a kick-off for revival services at Huntsville Baptist Church in Lake City.  The homecoming service will begin at 10:45am.  Four more services will follow: Sunday night at 6pm and Monday-Wednesday, February 20-22 at 6:30pm.  The church is located at 5720 NW Lake Jeffery Road near Lake City, Florida.  For more information call Pastor Jim Steele at (386) 752-2089.

NOTE: For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of the JCEA ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

Comedy Night at Parkview?

I will be the guest speaker for the annual Super Seniors Holiday Dinner at Parkview Baptist Church in Lake City, Florida, on Tuesday, December 6, 2011.  The event will be held in the church's fellowship hall beginning at 6pm.  I will be providing a "little" comical relief (I hope) and a "short" devotion.  All puns intended.  For more information about the Super Seniors ministry call the church at (386) 752-0681.

NOTE: For up-to-date information on my preaching schedule visit the schedule page of the JCEA ministry website. If you would like to receive schedule information via e-mail follow this link: Subscribe to James Croft Ministry Opportunities by Email.

Up A Tree

Why Christmas?

Are you looking for a Christmas website that is informative and fun?  Then check out "Why Christmas?".  You'll find answers to many of your Christmas questions and information about various Christmas traditions.  The kids (and adults too) will enjoy coloring pictures, decorating a Christmas tree, playing games, and much more.  There is even an app for your Android phone.  Now, I didn't build the website, and I'm not endorsing everything on the site.  I just found it to be interesting and fun.  Let me know what you think about it by clicking "comments" below.

Macclenny Christmas Festival

James Croft Evangelistic Association will have an exhibit about the ministry during the annual Macclenny Christmas Festival tomorrow.  Our display will feature information about the various JCEA ministries with an emphasis on encouraging volunteers to participate in the JOY Box program for area nursing homes.  The all-day event concludes with fireworks and a lighted Christmas parade in downtown Macclenny, Florida.  The event is sponsored by the City of Macclenny Fire Department.

Why the heck do we hate Tim Tebow?

NOTE: This article is about a month old, but I just read it today and wanted to share it with you.  Feel free to share your thoughts by clicking "comments" below.

By Jen Floyd Engel

What if Tim Tebow were a Muslim?

Imagine for a second, the Denver Broncos quarterback is a devout follower of Islam, sincere and principled in his beliefs and thus bowed toward Mecca to celebrate touchdowns. Now imagine if Detroit Lions players Stephen Tulloch and Tony Scheffler mockingly bowed toward Mecca, too, after tackling him for a loss or scoring a touchdown, just like what happened Sunday.

I know what would happen. All hell would break loose.

Stinging indictments issued by sports columnists. At least a few outraged religious leaders chiming in on his behalf. Depending on what else had happened that day, they might have a chance at becoming Keith Olbermann's Worst Person In The World.

And there would be apologies. Oh, Lord, would there be apologies — by players, by coaches, possibly by ownership with a tiny chance of a statement from NFL commish Roger Goodell.

You cannot mock Muslim faith, not in this country, not anywhere really.

It is primarily a respect issue, because religion is sacred and should be off limits. Yet when Tulloch and Scheffler dropped to a knee to mock how Tebow prays — an action known as “Tebowing” that has gone viral among the public, too — we yawned and told Christians to lighten up. We blamed Tebow for making a show of honoring God rather than himself in moments of joy. We excused them because Tulloch said he was mocking "Tebowing," not God.

Because ridiculing a man who chooses to honor God is so much better, right?

Read more of this story and take a poll on FOX Sports.

Brazilian drug lord receptive to the Gospel

NOTE:  This is a fascinating and true story about a Southern Baptist Missionary in a dangerous area of the world.  Feel free to post your comments about the story and video by clicking "comments" below.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (BP) -- A drug lord called "The Godfather" wanted Eric Reese dead.

Reese, an IMB missionary in Brazil who works in the gang-controlled favelas (slums) of Rio de Janeiro, often ministers to gang leaders, drug dealers and prostitutes, frequently finding himself in dangerous situations on streets where violence often rules. In seeking to take every step with faith in following God's call to go wherever people need Jesus, Reese has gained a reputation for being a man everyone can trust.

During the past year, The Godfather began to experience a change of heart and invited Reese to come share God's Word with him on a monthly basis.

As my colleagues and I planned our media coverage to tell how God is using Reese and his wife Ramona in Rio, Reese asked if we would be willing to interview The Godfather. Cautiously, we agreed and began the process of gaining access to him.

Weeks before arriving, we were asked to send in photos of ourselves, so The Godfather's guards could recognize us. Then we had to submit our interview questions for prior approval.

Read the entire story on Baptist Press.