Shining Light Baptist Church I 2541 Old Charlotte Highway I Monroe, NC 28110 I 704.283.1480
All times listed are in Eastern Standard Time (EST)
Pastor Tim Cruse
Tim Cruse grew up in a broken home. He became the head of the house at a very young age - starting public work at age 12. Working as many as three jobs at a time at one point, he helped care for his family, which was torn daily by the effects of drugs and alcohol, and made sure the monthly bills were paid.
At the age of 15, he began working at a restaurant in Concord, NC. By age 17, he was named the manager - giving oversight to the employees, the facility, the deposits, and helping with payroll. He was also excelling academically in his public high school at the same time. Elected President of the Student Body and of the National Honor Society for his senior year at North Rowan High School in Spencer, NC, he earned an academic scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and one to Catawba College in Salisbury, NC.
During Christmas of his senior year, he purposed to start attending church the first Sunday of the new year "to find out why God put me in this world." He trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Savior on January 4, 1981 at New Hope Baptist Church in Salisbury under the ministry of Pastor David Harrison. Surrendering his whole life to the Lord, God called him to preach on February 22, 1981. He yielded to God's call and esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures" offered by careers in either business or law.
Pastor Cruse met his wife, Rebekah (youngest daughter of Pastor & Mrs. Bobby Leonard of Monroe, NC), during his senior year at Piedmont Baptist College in Winston-Salem, NC. They were married on February 21, 1987. Mrs. Cruse has faithfully stood by and supported her husband these years. God has blessed them with seven sons - Timothy & wife Nicole, Aaron, Caleb, Jared, Andrew, Joshua, and John, and three daughters - Caroline, Hope, and Victoria.
After working with the young people and serving on staff in his home church, Bro. Cruse became the Pastor of Shining Light Baptist Church on March 7, 1990. Since coming to Shining Light, Pastor Cruse has led the church to greatly expand its outreach and discipleship efforts, and its campus from 5 to 72 acres. He has also led the church to start Shining Light Baptist Academy (K-3–12), Carolinas Baptist Institute, a printing ministry – Shining Light Publishing & Shining Light Inspirations, a radio ministry – 88.1 FM, a bus ministry, several chapel ministries, a church-planting ministry – All Nations Baptist Mission, and a ministry that will provide housing and hope to single mothers with children – Fresh Start of Union County. In addition, he has expanded the Dry Fork Christian Camp ministry from one week to seven weeks each summer.
Pastor Cruse has preached in a number of churches at home and abroad, has written several booklets, gospel tracts and poems, and has had articles featured in leading Christian periodicals. He serves on the executive board of the North Carolina Christian School Association and is also a board member of Ambassador Baptist College. He is a 1986 graduate of Piedmont Baptist College with a Bachelor of Theology Degree and a Minor in Youth Ministry. He has been honored with Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Ambassador Baptist College and The Crown College.
Tim Cruse preaches with conviction and compassion. God has taught him many life lessons first-hand and has given him a true pastor's heart. He loves people and believes, concerning the influence of one's life, "the way you live after you die is to die while you live." His life's verses are Jeremiah 18:6, "...cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand..." and Galatians 6:9, "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
- 30th year -
Preaching "...repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." -Acts 20:21
"Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock." -Psalm 107:41
