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 2012. 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
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.
OLUSTEE (FBW)—Evangelist James Croft stands only 3-feet, 10-inches tall,
but he has big plans for the Baker County Commission, returning to
office seeking to fix the county’s budget problems after a more than
two-decade hiatus.
Croft, a vocational evangelist widely known in north Florida and
south Georgia for his unique ministry, was elected during the August
primary, edging out the Republican incumbent with 53 percent of the
vote. With no general election opposition, Croft was officially elected
in November, taking the oath of office in a Nov. 20 ceremony.
After regularly attending the County Commission meetings in the last
two years and concerned about deficit spending, Croft said citizens
began to urge him to seek reelection to the body that he first served
1984-1988 before losing a reelection bid. In 1992, he failed in an
attempt to return to office.
Although initially resisting the idea of returning to politics,
Croft, 54, prayed about the matter and in April decided to seek
election, for which he quickly qualified. In May, however, he almost
died during gall bladder surgery.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Keith Stewart at Morriston Baptist Church
on Sunday, December 9, 2012. The services will begin at 8:30am and
11am. The church is located at 20291 SE 33rd Street in Morriston,
Florida. For more information call the church at (352) 528-4080.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Keith Stewart at Morriston Baptist Church
on Sunday, December 2, 2012. The services will begin at 8:30am and
11am. The church is located at 20291 SE 33rd Street in Morriston,
Florida. For more information call the church at (352) 528-4080.
How shall they hear without a preacher? —Romans 10:14
When Thomas Gallaudet graduated from seminary in 1814, he had planned
on becoming a preacher. However, his call to the ministry took a
different turn when he met Alice, a 9-year-old, hearing-impaired girl in
his neighborhood. Gallaudet began to communicate with her by writing
words with a stick in the dirt.
Helping Alice motivated him to help others too. After consulting with
European and American experts in educating the deaf, he refined a
system widely known today as “signing” (a person’s hands spell out the
message). Eventually, he established the American School for the Deaf.
Gallaudet’s school for the hearing-impaired contained a Christian
curriculum that shared the gospel and included Bible instruction. He had
answered the call to preach—but it was to a very special group of
people. Signing was the way he communicated the gospel.
Like Gallaudet, we too should be sharing the Word of God with people
in ways they can understand. Otherwise, “How shall they believe in Him
of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a
preacher?” (Rom. 10:14). How might God want you to reach out to those
around you?
Seeking the lost, and pointing to Jesus, Souls that are weak and hearts that are sore; Leading them forth in ways of salvation, Showing the path to life evermore. —Ogden
Don’t withhold from the world the best news that’s ever come to it.
I will be preaching at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
for Pastor Richard Cason on Sunday, November 25, 2012 at 10:30am. The
church is located at 1205 S.W. Mount Carmel Avenue in Lake City,
Florida. For more information call (386) 752-5277.
All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. —Romans 3:23
One of the fads of 1970s America was the motorcycle jump. This trend
reached its high (and low) point on September 8, 1974. Thousands of
spectators gathered around the Snake River Canyon in Idaho to see if
Evel Knievel could jump across the chasm in a specially designed “sky
cycle.” In the end, however, it was unsuccessful. Knievel made it only
part of the way across the gulf before his parachute deployed and he
dropped to the canyon floor below. Some spectators asked, “How far
across the canyon did he get?” But that wasn’t the point. He didn’t make
it all the way across, so he fell short of his goal.
This scene is a good illustration of sin. The Bible talks about sin
in Romans 3:23, where Paul declared, “All have sinned and fall short of
the glory of God.” No one is capable of bridging the gap between God and
ourselves by our own efforts, but the Savior came to do just that on
our behalf. Christ perfectly fulfilled God’s standards, then gave His
life on the cross to pay for our failure and wrongdoing. Where we could
only fall short, Christ’s work, offered in love, accomplished all that
was needed.
Our response is to trust Him and receive this matchless gift of salvation.
There is no other name on earth By whom salvation’s given Save Jesus Christ the Lamb of God, God’s precious gift from heaven. —Stairs
The cross of Christ bridges the gap we could never cross on our own.
In 1984 I felt the call to public service and made a run for the Baker County Commission and was elected. During my first meeting on the commission I was elected as Chairman at the ripe-old age of 26 (See the Flashback 1984 video below).
Last year I began to sense the Lord again leading me toward entering the race for county commissioner. After
much prayer on the subject by myself and many others I entered the race
in April of this year. Our campaign was not well financed and we had a
small number of volunteers. A simple gallbladder surgery in May turned
out to be not-so-simple and I'm sure some political pundits saw this as a political setback, but God had other plans.
As the campaign moved forward it began to resemble a "David and Goliath"
scenario as we operated on a shoestring budget, but God had other
plans. (Listen to our David and Goliath commercial below)
During the weeks leading up to the election I spoke with many citizens
and spent many hours waving at passing motorists in various areas of
Baker County. Some of my supporters were worried that our efforts might
not be enough, but God had other plans!
On Tuesday, August 14, 2012 the voters of Baker County elected James "The Giant" Croft to the District 1 County Commission seat with 53% of the vote! God deserves all of the glory, honor and praise!!
Twenty-eight years after taking my first Oath of Office, on Tuesday,
November 20, 2012, I will be sworn-in to begin another four-year term on
the Board of Commissioners. The ceremony begins at 6pm at the Baker County Administration Building in Macclenny, Florida. I sincerely ask for your prayers as I
begin this new journey of service.
PLEASE NOTE: The various ministries of James Croft Evangelistic Association will continue; i.e. preaching, JOY Box, Ghana mission, etc. Your prayerful and financial support of the JCEA is vital to our continuing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world!
Hold such men in esteem; because for the work of Christ he came close to death. —Philippians 2:29-30
During basic training, Desmond Doss irritated his drill instructor
and fellow soldiers. A pacifist by conviction, he refused to carry a
weapon into battle, and this made his peers doubt his courage. Trained
as a medic, the young Christian had no qualms about facing combat. But
his goal was to save lives.
Doubts about Doss would change, however, when his military unit faced
combat. During the World War II Battle of Okinawa, he ducked under
machine gun fire to pull the wounded to safety. He prayed, “Lord, give
me the strength to save just one more wounded soldier.” Eventually he
lowered more than 70 injured men down a hill for further medical
attention. For his efforts, Desmond Doss was awarded the Medal of
Honor—the highest honor his country could bestow.
Scripture tells of another Christian who took great personal risks to
help others. Of Epaphroditus, Paul wrote, “Hold such men in esteem;
because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his
life” (Phil. 2:29-30).
Around the world today, many believers risk their lives for the cause
of Christ. Let’s pray that our God will protect them as they serve Him
under threatening circumstances.
O Lord, listen to our cry for mercy; in Your faithfulness come to the relief of those who are in danger because of their faith. For Your name’s sake, preserve their lives; in Your righteousness, bring them out of trouble.
Courage is not having strength to go on—it is going on when you don’t have the strength.
This video features a discussion by the writers of the song "Angel Flight" about the true story behind the song. The song follows the discussion and is powerful.
I pray our nation never forgets those who gave all that we may live free!!
I will be filling-in for Pastor Randy Williams at First Baptist Church of Glen St. Mary Sunday, November 11th. The service will begin at 6pm. The church
is located at 9846 George L. Taber Blvd. in Glen St. Mary, Florida.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Earl Tuten at Shiloh Baptist Church
this Sunday, November 4, 2012. The services will begin at 10:45am and
6pm. The church is located at 173 Shiloh Way in Fort White, Florida.
For more information call the church at (386) 454-4978.
I will be preaching at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church for Pastor Richard Cason on Sunday, October 28, 2012 at 10:30am. The church is located at 1205 S.W. Mount Carmel Avenue in Lake City, Florida. For more information call (386) 752-5277.
I will be preaching at The Journey of La Esperanza in Lake City on Sunday. The English service begins at 10am and the Spanish service at 6pm. The church is located at 523 NW Satum Lane in Lake City, Florida. For more information call Senior Pastor John Wethington or English Pastor Mike Williams at (386) 755-2425.
I will be preaching the 161st Homecoming Service at Antioch Baptist Church this Sunday, October 14, 2012. The services will begin at 9:45am with a concert by the Lighthouse Children's Choir and the morning worship at 11am. Dinner-on-the-grounds will follow the morning service. Antioch Baptist Church is located at 5203 County Road 795 north of Live
Oak, Florida. For more information or directions call Pastor Dave
McKeithen at (386) 362-3101.
I will be preaching one service of a week-long revival meeting at Oak Grove Baptist Church
on Thursday, October 11, 2012 at 7pm. The revival meeting began on
Monday, October 8th and will feature different speakers each night.
The church is located at 1007 N.E. Needmore Rd. about 12 miles north of
Lake City, Florida.
I will preaching at 11am this Sunday, October 7, 2012 at The Lord's Church in Taylor, Florida. Dinner-on-the-grounds will follow the service. This will be my first time preaching at this church and I appreciate Pastor Bobby Griffin giving me the opportunity. The church is located at 26674 CR250 (the intersection of county roads 125 and 250 in Taylor.
I will be preaching for Pastor Richard Cason at Mt. Carmel Baptist Church on Sunday, October 28,
2012 at 10:30am. The church is located at 1205 S.W. Mount Carmel
Avenue in Lake City, Florida. For more information call (386) 752-5277.
I will be preaching at First Baptist Church of Olustee,
Florida on Sunday, September 30, 2012 at 11am and 6pm. The church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in
Olustee, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services and the
search for a new pastor.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Jerry Tyre at Evergreen Baptist Church
on Sunday, September 23, 2012. The services will begin at 11am and 6pm.
The church is located at 2509 224th Street in Lake City, Florida.
In 1984 I felt the call to public service and made a run for the Baker County Commission and was elected. During my first meeting on the commission I was elected as Chairman at the ripe-old age of 26. (See the Flashback 1984 video)
Last year I began to sense the Lord again leading me toward entering the race for county commissioner. After much prayer on the subject by myself and many others I entered the race in April of this year. Our campaign was not well financed and we had a small number of volunteers. A simple gallbladder surgery in May turned out to be not-so-simple and I'm sure some political pundits saw this as a political setback, but God had other plans.
As the campaign moved forward it began to resemble a "David and Goliath" scenario as we operated on a shoestring budget, but God had other plans. (Listen to our David and Goliath commercial below)
During the weeks leading up to the election I spoke with many citizens and spent many hours waving at passing motorists in various areas of Baker County. Some of my supporters were worried that our efforts might not be enough, but God had other plans!
On Tuesday, August 14, 2012 the voters of Baker County elected James "The Giant" Croft to the District 1 County Commission seat with 53% of the vote! God deserves all of the glory, honor and praise!!
Twenty-eight years after taking my first Oath of Office, on Tuesday, November 20, 2012, I will be sworn-in to begin another four-year term on the Board of Commissioners. I sincerely ask for your prayers as I begin this new journey of service.
PLEASE NOTE: The various ministries of James Croft Evangelistic Association will continue; i.e. preaching, JOY Box, Ghana mission, etc. Your prayerful and financial support of the JCEA is vital to our continuing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the world!
Below you will find videos and additional links about the campaign.
I will be preaching at First Baptist Church of Olustee, Florida on Sunday, August 26th at 11am and 6pm. The church is now searching for a pastor. First Baptist Church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services and the search for a new pastor.
.I will be preaching Homecoming service at First Baptist Church of Olustee on Sunday, August 5, 2012 at 11am. The church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida. For more information cal the church at (386) 752-1614.
I will be preaching during the worship rally for participants in Kingdom Builders Ministries at New Oak Grove Baptist Church next week. The services begin Sunday night July 15th and continue through Friday. There will not be a service on Wednesday night. Volunteers from New Oak Grove Baptist Church in Alachua will be joined by teens from Georgia and North Carolina. The groups will perform community service projects during the day.
I will be preaching at First Baptist Church of Olustee, Florida on Wednesday, July 11th at 6:30pm. The church is now searching for a pastor. First Baptist Church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services and the search for a new pastor.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Wayne Williams at Cedar Creek Church on Sunday, July 15, 2012 at 11am. The church is located at 14742 County Road 124 north of Sanderson, Florida. Please be prayer for this service.
For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. —Galatians 5:13
Thanks to the ingenuity of our Chinese friends, we here in the US celebrate our independence this month with massive displays of colorful fireworks.
Every year when we sing our national anthem and enjoy the vibrant patterns created by “bombs bursting in air,” I remind myself that most bombs are deadly, not beautiful like the fireworks display. Although both use similar ingredients, one is intended to kill; the other to entertain. In this metaphor we see an example of how something can be used for both good and evil. In the hands of capable, careful, and caring people, something dangerous becomes glorious. But the opposite is also true.
Freedom—the very thing we celebrate with fireworks—can also be used for good and evil. As believers in Christ, we are free from the restrictive Mosaic law, but the Bible warns us not to use our spiritual freedom for selfish purposes: “Do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13).
Not everyone has political and religious freedom, but all believers in Christ have spiritual freedom. We must not use it as a weapon to impose our will on others but to display the glory of God’s will.
Free from the law—O happy condition!
Jesus hath bled, and there is remission;
Cursed by the law and bruised by the fall,
Grace hath redeemed us once for all. —Bliss
Freedom doesn’t give us the right to do what we please, but to do what pleases God.
I will be preaching at First Baptist Church of Olustee, Florida on Sunday, July 8, 2012 at 11am and 6pm, and the following Wednesday, July 11th at 6:30pm. The church is now searching for a pastor. First Baptist Church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services and the search for a new pastor.
I will be preaching at two different churches tomorrow, Sunday, July 1st.
FBC Lake Butler
I will begin the day preaching in supply for my pastor, Jason Johns, at First Baptist Church of Lake Butler. The service will begin at 11am. The church is located at 195 East Main Street in Lake Butler, Florida.
James & Terry
At 6pm I will be ministering with my good friend, Pastor Terry Elixson at New Oak Grove Baptist Church. The church is located at 18100 NW 262nd Ave. in Alachua, Florida.
Camp Sonrise 2012 is almost here, and I will once again be serving as the camp pastor. The annual children's camp sponsored by several churches in North and Central Florida will be held June 25-28, 2012. "Camp Sonrise" is held at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground near Madison, Florida. I will be leading devotions in the morning and preaching each night for the campers. This will be my 4th year of ministering to the campers and staff and I'm excited to be participating again. Please be in prayer for this opportunity.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Jerry Tyre at Evergreen Baptist Church on Sunday, June 24, 2012. The services will begin at 11am and 6pm. The church is located at 2509 224th Street in Lake City, Florida.
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Warren Chesser at Forest Grove Baptist Church on Sunday, June 17, 2012, Fathers Day. The service will begin at 10:15am. Forest Grove Baptist Church is located at 22575 NW 94th Avenue in Alachua, Florida. For more information or directions call the church at (386) 462-3921.
The final session begins at 10am tomorrow and will end at noon. For more information or directions call the church office at (850) 222-6900.
Pictured at left are Leon County States Attorney and Chapel Hill Baptist Deacon Willie Meggs, Evangelist James Croft & Chapel Hill Baptist Pastor Jeff Teague in front of the Amazing Wonders Aviation mural.
Dr. Timothy Hipp, surgeon, removed the staples yesterday from my attempted gallbladder surgery three weeks ago. I'm glad the staples are gone... too bad the gall bladder is still here!! 8-)
When the doctor walked into the examining room today he was smiling and the first thing he said was "It sure is good to see you alive!" Praise the Lord for his quick response along with the rest of his surgical team!
If you're not sure what I'm talking about... read the previous post on this site entitled "I'm Still Alive!!"
I will be preaching in supply for Pastor Jason Cain at Bethel Baptist Church in Starke on Sunday, June 3, 2012. The services will begin at 11am and 6pm. The church is located on County Road 230A in Starke, Florida. For more information call (904) 964-5117.
This video features a discussion by the writers of the song "Angel Flight" about the true story behind the song. The song follows the discussion and is powerful.
I pray our nation never forgets those who gave all that we may live free!!
I will be preaching at First Baptist Church of Olustee, Florida on Sunday, May 27, 2012 at 11am and 6pm. The church is now searching for a pastor. First Baptist Church is located at 23311 Lakeside Lane in Olustee, Florida. Please be in prayer for these services and the search for a new pastor.
In December the post office in Olustee, Florida closed and residents were placed on a route from Sanderson. Now the James Croft Evangelistic Association has a new mailing address. All correspondence (business, donations and personal) should now be mailed to:
5214 Main Street
Sanderson, Florida 32087-2524
Please update your records accordingly.
Donations to the ministry may also be made online by following the link below.
JCEA Donation Click this button to make a donation to be used as needed.
NOTE:
The James Croft Evangelistic Association is registered with the IRS as a 501(C)(3) corporation and all donations are tax deductible.
As reported earlier on this site I was to have gallbladder surgery last Tuesday. The procedure was to be performed as an outpatient at a surgery center in Gainesville. After modeling the latest patient surgical fashion (at right) I expected to awake without my gall bladder. However, I awoke with a ventilator tube in my throat in the ER of a nearby hospital. I learned that I experienced a cardiac episode which required emergency treatment. The breathing tube was removed quickly as I demonstrated I could breath under my own power. I was then moved to a room on the cardiac floor for additional tests. I felt very sharp pains in my chest area when moving certain ways, taking deep breaths, or coughing. X-rays show no broken bones, which can happen during CPR, but the muscles were strained. A heart cath on Wednesday found no heart damage, no blockages, and a very strong chamber. That is a very good report!!
So, what happened? Doctors believe I experienced a CO2 embolism, which is very rare, that caused my heart to "crash". Apparently I did not "flat-line", but was close to it. The sharp pains I'm still feeling will soon stop and were caused by the forceful chest compressions during CPR. I came home from the hospital yesterday with, basically, a clean bill of health, and with the same ol' gall bladder. Barring no flare-ups the surgery will be rescheduled for late summer or early fall. Doctors say I may resume my normal schedule of activities.
I want to thank everyone for your prayers during this week. The Lord made His presence known by surrounding me with medical staff from churches where I've preached, by Christians notifying others to add me to prayer lists, and countless calls, texts, e-mails, and Facebook posts encouraging me and expressing your love. Again, I thank the Lord and you all from the bottom of my healthy heart!!
Help me spread the word, I'm alive, healthy and kicking! As Mark Twain once said, "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated!" And as James "The Giant" Croft has said many times, "Boy, am I excited!"
In 2008 when I was undergoing hip surgery a routine scan revealed a large stone in my left kidney and gall stones. The kidney stone made its' presence known last year and, after two procedures, was finally removed. This year the gall stones have spoken, and now my gall bladder will be removed tomorrow, Tuesday, May 15th. I will certainly appreciate your prayers for a successful surgery and quick recovery.
Revival services at Old Providence Baptist Church ended Wednesday night. I really enjoyed ministering with Pastor Philip Williams and the fellowship with his family. It was also good to have the music of Ken Crenshaw during each service. I have ministered with Ken in various churches and he was a part of our 2004 Ghana Mission Team in West Africa.
The folks at Old Providence Baptist Church made me feel right at home and would do the same for you. So, if you live near the area and do not have a church home they would welcome you with open arms. The church is located at 9316 NW CR245 near Lake Butler and south of Lake City, Florida. For more information call Pastor Philip Williams at (386) 755-1648.
This will be the last night of revival services at Old Providence Baptist Church. The service will begin at 7pm. The church is located at 9316 NW CR245 near Lake Butler and south of Lake City, Florida. For more information call Pastor Philip Williams at (386) 755-1648.
