The following is a brief account of our desire to fulfil God’s will for our lives.

Where we came from

David: “My earliest remembrance of the gospel was hearing its explanation from my brother, Duane. I was a young boy in South Africa and learned that, ‘because of our sin we should all go to hell; if we believe on Jesus, He will save us and take us to heaven.’ I believe it was at that time, with a child’s faith, that I believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour.”

Julie: “I was raised in a faithful Christian home, with parents who were constantly exposing me to the Truth of God’s Word.  When I was four years old, I began asking questions about baptism and salvation.  My parents explained the Gospel clearly, but without pressuring me.  I knew that Jesus loved me and that I needed Him in my life.  I almost decided to wait ‘until I was a big girl,’ but the Lord was speaking to my heart, and I prayed that night to receive Christ as my Saviour.”

Call to the Ministry: God began dealing with David’s heart about ministry as a young teenager when he saw a slide-presentation about Congo, Africa. Five years later, during his senior year of high school, the Lord used the lives of four godly men as well as a sports-related accident to soften his heart toward the ministry. God began to put within him a strong desire to serve the Lord, and on February 2, 1995, God clearly impressed upon his heart a calling to the ministry of the gospel. Another five years passed, and during the weeks following a Missions Conference, God dealt with David concerning missions. He used a passage in the second chapter of Philippians where Paul says concerning Timothy, “Ye know the proof of him, that, as a son with the father, he hath served with me in the gospel.” As Timothy served with Paul, David believed that God was directing him to return to South Africa as a church-planting missionary, working with his father, Roger McCrum.

Marriage and Family: Julie was in her first year of teaching at a Christian school when she and David met. He was half way through deputation, and although he waited a year to ask her out, they fell in love and got married pretty fast after that.  Julie had always been willing to serve wherever God might want her, but had not felt a specific call to mission work before their marriage.  However, she took God’s bringing David into her life as His call to her to work in South Africa along with her husband.  They were married in October 2003, and continued to travel on deputation together until September 2004, when they packed up and moved to Witbank, South Africa. John Randall McCrum joined their happy family November 16^th, 2005.

Where we are

The McCrums arrived in Witbank, South Africa on the 8^th of September, 2004. Their desire was for church-planting, and they felt led to work with David’s parents (Phil 2:22). In the first year they began a youth program, choir, preaching weekly, and writing course material for the Bible Institute. 

After one year, David’s father became very ill with heart problems. Dad was in and out of hospital and was bed ridden for the next six months. During this time, David and Julie assumed all responsibility of the church plant, Faith Baptist Church. God used this time to burden their hearts for this city, and for these people. After the second year, and much prayer, David and Julie officially accepted the senior responsibilities for the work in Witbank.

They are currently taking a brief furlough (June ’08—Jan ’09). During this time they will be spending time with their home church, seeing family, reporting to many supporting churches, and raising some support for their growing family.

Where we are going

In January 2009, David and Julie will return to South Africa for their second term of service. There is much to be done.

Missionaries are in the business of making disciples. This is long and hard work. Most of the members and attendees of Faith Baptist Church in Witbank are from churches that have not taught salvation, baptism, faithfulness, service, etc. Many South Africans who are ‘churched’ are unsaved. Those who are saved, or get saved, are very ‘green’. As much time is spent on discipleship and growing people, as it is on evangelism.

Faith Baptist Church, Witbank, must become indigenous. The church is taking large steps to that end. The people have paid for and constructed a beautiful building. The church has a very active missions program supporting eight South African missionaries. The church has become self-supporting in the daily maintenance and operations of the church (bills, printing, building, church bus, etc.). Faith Baptist still has some growing to do. The church is not able to fully support a pastor at present, but the people are seeing more and more their responsibility to the church. Please pray that more will ‘step up’ in roles of service and commitment to the church.

There are eleven courses still to be written for the Faith Baptist Bible Institute. David and his father are continuing to develop these courses and to look for broader opportunities of training South African men for the ministry.