At the age of eleven, Mark Crowe had a bizarre experience in his bedroom. It was late at night when he heard footsteps walking across his floor. He couldn't see anything, and all the hairs on the back of his neck stood up, alerting him that something supernatural was happening. Then he heard an unseen voice calling in the night, "Mark, Mark." Not believing it at first and wondering if he was crazy, he told his Mother what had happened. They both talked to Reverend Bob Monroe, who was currently residing over Springfield Assembly of God. He deciphered the situation to mean that the Lord was calling Mark to be a preacher. Mark's Mother, the Sunday School teacher of the day, was overjoyed that God had big plans for her son. Still not understanding why he was chosen, Mark put the incident on the back burner of his mind. He grew up to be married and run a successful motorcycle business in Battle Creek - Crowe's Motorcycle Company.
One day Mark found himself in his forties wrestling with the guilt that he had never embraced his calling and the true purpose God had for him. Then one day, in prayer, the Holy Spirit intervened. Mark was suddenly going over all the events of his life, good and bad. He was being convicted of all the sins he had committed in his life. Mark decided that repentance was long overdue and to return to the church. After visiting a few different churches, he decided they didn't feel right as I could not sense the Spirit in those churches. He needed to go back to his roots. He went back to the Springfield Assembly of God. That is when he finally felt like he was home. He ultimately gave his heart to Jesus, and his life was changed forever! Praise be to God!
Randy and Deb Brokaw were the attending pastoral team at the time. When they were called by God to move to the other side of the state, there were only a handful of people left in the church. The future looked dim, with the possibility of selling the church looming over us. Each week guest Pastors would come to give us the Good News. Several times we heard how God had told them that great things would come from our humble sanctuary. All we needed to do was earnestly seek God's Will through prayer for our church.
​
We had one last remaining elder from the original era, Jerry Johnson. He was a true mentor to Mark from birth. Jerry planted the seed again when he told Mark he should just be our new pastor. Jerry knew the time was finally right for Mark to take his place. After careful thought, prayer, and placing his Faith in Christ, Mark pursued the required education needed in the Assemblies of God, became credentialed, and was consecrated as the Pastor of our Church. Jerry went home to be with the Lord before he could see the fruits of that seed, but I am sure he would be proud to know that the church he had helped build was still alive with the Holy Spirit and growing stronger each day.
Today Pastor Mark leads the Springfield Assembly of God Church with reverence to reach the lost and spread the Gospel as far and wide as he can. Each day he looks for the Lord to send him someone to share the Word with. Under his leadership, our Church has grown not only in saved souls locally but with a new global mission in the Serve The Word program.
​